viney

What about getting a civil service ticket (if they are still doing their associate scheme) very nice stretch at hambridge and some Thames around windsor?

Providing we don't get too much more rain I shall be stood mid-kennet trotting for whatever on the 16th in a swim that has seen a spot of prebaiting over the last month. No doubt I won't be able to resist a few more sessions in the opening week as I drive right past my chosen stretch twice a day!

Tastes so good!

It's working a treat, managing to keep the cooking chamber steady at around 100 degrees and the soaked oak logs are smoking nicely! Pork has been on since about half 8 and the chicken an hour or so. Will post the results later!

Already got 5kg of sawdust, the logs are to burn alongaide the coal

Finally finished it today, secured myself a supply of oak logs, roll on Saturday!

Lovely reel I'm jealous!

I've fixed that for you Steve

Lovely reel! Not long to wait for mine.....

Got a bit more done today, should hopefully finish up tomorrow when I finish work. Or at the very least get the last bits cut and tig weld it tomorrow night. All things being well there should be a chicken in there smoking by saturday lunchtime

Sounds good worms! Mine will be a hot smoker for doing brisket/pulled pork/pastrami etc. Got the the stand welded up today so making good progress, should hopefully have it done early next week ready to get some food on the go

Happy birthday! I think I'm in the same boat as everyone else in hoping I will be as active at (or even make it to) 80

Made a start finally today, rolled some 2mm sheet for the 'furnace' and some 1mm sheet for the smoking chamber, only tacked up at the moment will hopefully get it welded and make a start on the stand tomorrow <a href=http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg551/mrmjv88/?action=view&current=IMAG2091_zps74005121.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg551/mrmjv88/IMAG2091_zps74005121.jpg border=0 alt=></a>

He makes all the reels himself on a manual lathe and has rather a large order book! The reels take 30 hours each to build (maybe more now as he is having issues with his back)

That's an estimate based on your 4 1/2 years? I've ordered a scotton long trotter and a barbel master, only thing concerning me now is if I will be able to bring myself to sell one when they are done (even more concerning is the thought of trying to explain spending £1250 on fishing reels to the better half)

Well I am now at the back of a five year long waiting list!

Well Chris has tipped me over the fence, going to give Mr Lythe a ring on my lunch and get a couple of reels ordered. The wait doesn't bother me at all as I don't NEED a new reel my Leeds is perfect for what I need, I WANT the Lythe and am fully aware of the wait involved. If I had to hand over cash and then wait 5 years I wouldn't be so happy!

Cheers Steve I should be around, will drop you a text, James has Chloe this Saturday so you may see them then if not. It is a lot Andy but it would be something to treasure and would not go down in value if well looked after.... And if Rustys is anything to go by putting £15 a month to one side would see me with enough to pay for it by the time it is ready! Thats why I'm thinking of ordering it now Chris, that gives 4 1/2 years for it to be ready for my 30th.... Maybe just maybe! Of course the other option is to pull my finger out and crack on with designing and machining my own, in the process of replacing a bent spindle and adjustable drag on my strikeright

On the verge of ordering a Chris Lythe as a 30th birthday present to myself (hopefully will arrive in time) just don't know if I can warrant £625 on a reel when I could purchase a decent reel for half the price and I don't know if the wait would drive me mad!

Looks like it works very well, better than I expected to be honest! Off to eBay now, this closed season mullarkey is getting expensive!

His name is Fanny Barearse or something, the 'it man' for the pukka carp fishing brigade.

Fished the same venue twice in the last week with the same result, even this early in the year surface fishing seems to be the way to get a few carp from there

I think that's my favourite idea so far not an issue if I decide to move where I am stood in the river either. Just ordered some new waders and they have a belt to attach it to. Now just to wait until June...

Looking for suggestions on a 'bait table' to set up mid river as I plan on doing more trotting on the kennet this year and don't really fancy a bait smock as I will be staying in the same place for a few hours to try and draw the fish upstream from a section not accessible from the bank, the chances are I will end up making one but if there is something that fits the bill for a reasonable price I will save myself the trouble

I have a set of sundridge optonics with a wired receiver, still going strong after 4 years anthe hey've been used in some pretty awful weather! I own a set of wireless alarms but gave up on them as the slightest bit of moisture (including morning dew) and they stopped transmitting Eta The wireless alarms aren't sundridge but were in the same ballpark moneywise. And a link to the wired alarms http://www.allensfishingtackle.co.uk/shop/index.aspx?categoryId=529