weirwulf

The 3 is a sort of minimum and in my opinion 3 too many but that is only an opinion. The grayling I believe were stocked mid sixties in one small area and have succeeded in making their way right down the river. We are not allowed further stocking but each year I catch fingerlings so they do at least achieve the spawning. This of course is now under greater threat from the signal's but it is the "cormorant sized" fish that now seem to be lacking and most noticeable grayling and roach. The mink have been there forever as you know although the numbers seem much the same as ever. Have you noticed much predator activity on the upper Ouse? (presumably the sussex Ouse)

I have just one exception to the rule and that is when I bury a hook in a massive bit of luncheon meat for barbel. The main reason for doing so is not to expose the hook to snags. At all other times including using casters the point is exposed

The best guidance I can give is for you to use a thermometer to read the water temperature. It really is only a rough guide as even half a degree rise can be enough to stimulate a good feeding spell but generally I will not target them below 4.5 degrees. I suppose it is slightly different locally as our river is not what you might term prolific whereas rivers known to have a good head of barbel may also have feeding fish at all times.

Given your local river is also mine Vagabond I think it only fair to comment about the abundance of cormorants. They are much more noticeable in the coarse close season though it is true to say a certain number of fishers still tread the banks with the fly during that time. This year when I walk the dog along the Withyham stretch and she goes ahead she has on average upset at least 3 cormorants in the 2 miles of down stream bank and often I will see the same when wandering with the rod. With regards to the Ashurst stretch this is a familiar scenario too. There is debate currently in the local club about the decline of grayling from the stretch and what might be the possible cause/causes. Apart from more common occurences of pike grabbing them on the way in it is only the cormorants which I notice have increased as opposed to the other predators like the mink. The local club will most likely discontinue stocking Triploids in case these are contributing to the apparent decline also. No doubt in my mind that the cormorant is on the increase and silvers are on the decrease.

A close run thing between a Motherless Minnow and a Stickleback although I have caught a caddis!

Nice fish from a nice looking bit of river. I have not had the opportunity to see many big grayling but they do seem a deal darker once they reach a certain size. I wonder if they truly are completely the same fish or a variant of the species. My own Sunday success was among other fish a chub of 4lb 2oz that took a single trotted maggot from an area where the average chub would be around 2lb.

They now market a couple of reels which by all accounts are very good especially for the price. However I have to agree with the rest of what is said as surely the object of the mag is to generate an interest and hold it there so you will have thought it a worthwhile read and look out for it next month. The way it is going the tackle companies are promoting their products and we are paying in the vain hope of either learning something or congratulating yourself for already doing it like the proffesionals

Grass widows are synonymous with anglers. It's just another day and the river looks lovely

I never use a bedchair for fishing but do own and use a TFG Comfort Zone 8 leg when I sleep out at my motorsports.Comfy as you like with breathable padded areas where you most need support. Wouldn't want to carry it too far as it is huge but I can't imagine being more comfy or stable with any of the others.

My most memorable has to be a barbel too taken from a deep bend in the river. The approach to the bend and the exit are probably no more than 10ft wide yet the bend has produced 3 doubles for me with a best 14lb 9oz. Not on the fine tackle used by tiddlertamer but a great fight nonetheless for what seemed for ever but probably just a matter of 5 minutes. The fish took almost half an hour to recover despite resting in the net before unhooking

Already today the radio has announced renewed traffic chaos in my area so I think thats it for the rivers again. Cold snow ,sleet and rain are just about as bad as it gets until the fish get used to it again.

First time my local has been trottable on a day when I could be there for about 6 weeks. A very short session resulted in a 4 fish and 4 species haul. Roach, grayling, dace and chub. great fun

It took me ages to come to terms with losing Mr Crabtree and now we have Mrs Realtree!

I think I have led a sheltered life! Camou knickers instead of cami knickers could be a problem trying to find them

They had visited my local shop and the owner has placed an order. She asked for a tank test and says there were loads of tiny ingredients like small invertebrates that explode from the surface of the baits. Reading between the lines it sounds like there is probably quite a bit of Balachan in it as the main attracter though of course that is only a guess.

Medway has had very few good days with trotting almost out of the question unless you are fortunate enough to fish mid week. It seems to have been following a pattern of looking ok from Tuesdays through to Thursday and then when Friday afternoon arrives and I get the chance to go the rainfall has made the river rise so fast and cold only the ledgered cheese paste has been any good. That equates to only one species of course. I did hear of a barbel yesterday though so perhaps the warm rain has helped the water temperature enough to kick start the feeding. I heard of a barbel from the kennet yesterday witnessed by one of our local lads visiting. Just wish conditions would allow the trotting again. A tough winter with only one blank session but there is a limit to how many chevins before monotony

Mitchell manufacture the 10ft Match Premium rod at a very sensible price. I have used mine quite a bit and caught some good fish from a small overgrown stream and can recommend it as nice handling shortish rod off the peg. At around 30 quid it is the price of a set of rod rings. You get what you pay for I guess but it really is hard to fault if 10ft is short enough. I have no regrets and really had my money's worth

Totaslly agree with that Budgie but needs must where the devil drives and all that! To think I spent much of my early angling days fishing with an old metal tank aerial and used it for every venue and species and to think also I thought I was top dog when I bought a black prince reel

I regularly use a Drennan series 7 puddle chucker quiver rod for chubbing(and other things). It is a 10ft 2 piece which comes with a zip case that allows the rod to be carried made up . It is extremely light and the 3 tips are all glass and very sensitive. It has been a very useful bit of kit that can be put back in the case in seconds if the situation dictates you will have more fun on the float. I also use a short 8ft float rod on one of the local streams with very limited access. This has proved very useful too. Prior to using these 2 rods I took home made versions with actions leaving a lot to be desired but these off the shelf rods really fit the bill

Don't know about tight situations,I can't do that full stop

Going back to the original question of whether or not barbel are toxic they may of course be so but they have been the target of poachers along with chub so you could only assume that they are either not toxic or that folk of a certain nationality know a way to safely cook them. On the other hand I have eaten a chub when I was a kid and they have got to be the most disgusting tasting fish I have ever tried(the perch being the tastiest!) and can see no reason why even a desperate person would want to bother.

There must be some truth in it as they have got me addicted and I have only handled them

I used one last year in the river closed season at a local private lake. Can't remember who makes it but it has a mould that releases when you press the back. I used just soaked vitalin as the mix and a tutti frutti boilie on the hook. I took the place apart with it although some of the reason could be I was able to make a longish cast to drop the bait beneath the tree lined bank opposite with no danger of it all getting hooked up on the way in. I am by no means a carper but it seems a highly streamlined and successful way to catch.

I don't mind some hanging from my line

It is amazing really what folk think especially if it will interfere with their particular interest. An official of one of our local clubs was insistant that if an angler caught one of the group of Koi that had made it's way into the river it would have to be destroyed, same bloke ordered the stocking of Triploid trout Suffice to say he rarely fished by any other means than fluff chucking. Having said that, a species is only a nuisance when it's stocking negatively alters the balance of the species already present ie through predation or bullying from the habitat.