Hopinc

I still think that you might be on a slightly sticky wicket with this, as the freezing conditions experienced in the U.K. recently were unprecedented according to the weather people. This could be used against your argument. The committee could well put forward a counter similar to "we didn't feel it was worth spending a lot of money on something that may never happen!" It comes down to - do I insure against something that might happen or do I take the risk and hope it doesn't. They might be perceived as having taken a not unreasonable gamble. At the very least I think you have now got a good reason for quizzing the committee at a club meeting as to when and how the fish stocks will be replenished, and what they propose doing to prevent it ever happening again. I think you should also ask if your club is insured against this type of loss? It might be regarded as an "Act of God" by the insurance company, but it may be worth asking the question anyway. You have my sympathy, I too would have been shattered if I had witnessed these deaths first hand. It was bad enough looking at the pictures.

I hve just taken delivery of my new Grey's Prowla Platinum 7ft 2-pice 5-28g Drop Shot rod from Harrison's today, so I thought I would give you my first impressions: It is impressive for a rod of this price. Fit and finish are very good, not perfect, but very good. The blank has a very fast tip action, ideally suited to drop shot techniques and spinning. The rod feels well balanced and this has to be attributed to the lightweight blank and choice of rings. Cosmetics are ground matt black blank with shiny epoxy coating on the whippings, and the look cannot be faulted. The fluorescent tip is a nice touch and may prove very useful. With a Shimano 2000 size reel the rod is very near to perfect balance with a 2500 or 3000 it should be spot on. You feel almost as though you are holding next to nothing in your hand. If I had built this rod myself I might have preferred a slightly thicker grip, but it really isn't an issue for me, just a personal thing. The reel seat has a cut-out at the front that allows for the forefinger to trap the line against the blank when drop shotting. This will provide the ultimate in touch sensitivity. The rear section of the cork handle is chamfered slightly at 45 degrees on both sides, supposedly to improve feel along the fisherman's forearm. Frankly this is a little lost on me and I would not have bothered to do it. At the end of the butt section is a rubberised cork button to prevent damage when it is propped up. The rod bag has a nice touch - a loop, so the rod can be hung up. I haven't seen that for a while. I can't wait to try this rod out with braided line, I think it will be an almost telepathic experience. More anon.

I should think that you are entitled to see the club's financial records, which I would expect would be presented at the AGM. Again, check the rules of the club as to your rights. Financial records should show where the club's money is being spent and might possibly help to support your case. I really do advise caution. If you think that you can prove there is something wrong with the finances, you must seek legal advice before taking any action or making comments to other members of the public. Being charged with deformation of character (libel), if you cannot prove it, is a serious offence. My thoughts on this comment is that it is just you and your friends opinion (I am playing devil's advocate you understand). Proving negligence is something else entirely, especially as quite a few other clubs throughout the country have suffered similar events, and this could be used against your argument - "we weren't the only ones," if you see what I mean. In my opinion the committee would have to have had prior knowledge of this problem, and then to have ignored it, for your argument to stand. Nigh on impossible to prove I would have thought, unless you can cite a previous case in your club's history? Once again, I must point out that I have no legal expertise, and that these are these are only my opinions and thoughts.

I am struggling to come to terms with the concept that a club committee would deliberately ruin it's resources and not care about it's members. what can possibly be the rationale behind that? I read what you said about the algae, but aside from that are you sure that these deaths weren't unavoidable? Ice forming on the surface of many lakes and ponds resulted in such reduction of the dissolved oxygen that the fish literally suffocated. This sort of thing was reported at quite a few venues during the hard freeze? There are also other possibilities, poisoning caused by illegal dumping for example. It would be best to get some of the fish autopsied by a fish expert. The EA might be able to help. If you are then certain that the club's committee is actually responsible, and more importantly can prove it, then I would suggest the following (if you have not already thought of it): Get hold of a copy of the club constitution. If it has been set up correctly there will be a way to call for a vote of no confidence in the committee. If you can get enough members on your side, call an extraordinary meeting and force a vote - please read on: I don't know how many members you have in your club, or what percentage you would need on your side. All of this should be in the rules. Follow the constitution exactly. Get hard evidence and check with a solicitor before taking any action. Be careful about what you say and how you say it, you could expose yourself to a case of libel. You should be prepared to go to court if things turn nasty. Are you ready to do that, you have to ask yourself? You will, I suspect, make yourself very unpopular with some. Please be aware that these are only my thoughts on the matter and that I have no legal expertise. You could of course wait until the AGM and then put forward your own candidates for election. Good luck.

No, it's not. I personally get an awful lot of pleasure out of being close to nature when I am fishing. If the fish weren't there, I wouldn't be either. I also get a great deal of pleasure from seeing my quarry swim away again to be able to be caught another day. That's why you put them back too, isn't it?

Hopefully the price of the rod license + club membership fees and tackle costs will be sufficient to put the general public off this idea. I can't though forgive the attempt at perpetuation of this myth of "Pike attacks man" - that does nothing for the authors credibility. I don't mind people taking an odd fish, providing they are going to eat it and not just discard it. If too many are taken though there will be none left to breed the next generation - food for thought perhaps (pun intended). I personally don't kill fish unless the rules enforce it, i.e. at some put and take trout fisheries. Unlike native species, the rainbow trout very very rarely breeds in our waters, so most of these fish are triploids (sexless) anyway. Frankly, and I may be being slightly self-centred here, I hope this article dies a quiet death.

Just a small word of caution if you decide to buy clothing from the U.S. - the sizing is slightly different. When my wife and I do this we buy one size smaller. Footware is different also, you will need appx. 1/2 to 1 size smaller. Haven't looked at Cabela's for a while, but Bass Pro can have some very interesting clothes in stock. Not just outdoor stuff. Kirisute is right, there is a far greater selection of both fishing equipment and clothing everywhere in the U.S., and at much cheaper prices than we pay in the U.K. If you visit on holiday make sure you take an empty suitcase with you Here is a table of comparison shoe sizes that I picked up off the internet: http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/shoes.html I haven't looked for clothing, but I should think there is one for that also.

I would actually caution against this. You may personally know a good fly fisherman, but that does not make them a good teacher. The type of instructor I am suggesting is specially trained for the job. I don't like "put and takes" either. It was just a suggestion for being able to find two resources in one place, and hopefully give you a little experience of a method that you will never want to quit. Lakes, ponds and dams have an advantage in as much as the surface is relatively calm, allowing you to concentrate totally on your casting and presentation. When fishing a river you will have to contend with the flow as well. There is no reason though why your first outing shouldn't be on a river. Regarding fly fishing canals, you don't need "fast" flowing water, I have taken Pike on the fly from very calm sections. You will however need stronger tackle to cast a large Pike fly. I use a #9wt for that purpose, often over-lined by one size because I am only casting relatively short distances. The heavier line aids in turning over the big fluffy wind resistant flies. Being able to manage the back cast is important. Feather light touch downs aren't important, quite the opposite, as a good splashy entry of the fly into the water will be like a dinner gong being sounded for the Pike. You should also be able to catch Perch, Chub and Carp on the fly from the "cut" - a 9ft #8 wt would probably be a good multi-species compromise for canal work. FYI I have attached a picture comparison between two typical Pike flies (although a lot of Pike fly fishing exponents would regard these as small) and a copper wire midge nymph for trout fishing.

I knew about this, and I am glad that someone is finally doing something about it. Thanks for bringing the petition to my attention. I signed up.

Bummer!

Jardine is a superb fly angler and casting tutor. I met him at the Chatsworth Game Fair a few years back and his mastery of the fly rod is second to none. I love his style. If his book is as good as his casting technique then you cannot go wrong by buying it. Re the snobbery - if we ourselves make derisive comments (deserved, or not) then we are helping to perpetuate it. My philosophy is live and let live. Life is too short to hold grudges.

This statement just isn't true. For instance Czech nymphing - you could not possibly be more in touch with the fish and the fly. It is a deadly method, if done correctly. A nymph fished downstream and across is deadly too. Dry fly is actually the least effective method of fly fishing. When 90% of a game fish's diet is taken sub-surface, it has to be. This is where snobbery might be perceived. Why restrict a water to upstream dry fly only. The simple answer is that it is more of a challenge. Let me ask you this, which fish you have caught gave you the most satisfaction. Was it the easiest, or the hardest? Now I am not saying that there isn't snobbery in fly fishing, unfortunately there is - practised by certain members of society. It is something I abhore and have no time for. Regards all.

Thanks for the trotting site info, I will have a look at it today. Re the fly fishing, as mentioned there are many aspects to it you could explore. Flying tying is one of them, and it is something that I have done for many years. I never buy flies, I tie everything from size 22 midge patterns to saltwater and Pike flies. Once fly fishingt gets hold of you it can be really addictive (in a very pleasant way). For instance I just looked up at my book shelves, and wondering how many books I have on fly fishing, I was slightly shocked to count 75. About 70% are about fly tying and patterns, the rest cover everything from matching the hatch to building your own fly rods. It took me a long number of years to aquire all my tackle, which is all top end. You don't need to spend a fortune though to get a decent set up, and I would recommend that once you have chosen your fishing style, and have a good idea of what you want your rod to do, then you explore the 2nd hand market. In that way you can get a better rod/reel set up at an cceptable price. When it comes down to line choices, you will find a vast selection from which to choose. I have used most makes, but you cannot go far wrong with Cortland 444 or Scientific Anglers lines. I am getting slightly off tangent now, as this is not really the time to get into a technical discussion on tackle and fishing. Come back after you have watched some DVD's, and if you like what you see, we can chat some more. Just a last thought - if you have any local "put and take" fisheries near to hand if you give them a ring, explaining you are new to the sport and would like to have a go, they should be able to set you up with an instructor for a short session, providing the tackle also. In that way you will get a real a taste of what it is like to have a decent fish on a fly rod. I guarantee you will be hooked. All the best

Hi, It's interesting that I am in slightly the reverse position to yourself. I have been a fly and lure fisherman for over 40 years and have just had an overwhelming desire to have a go a float trotting. Something I have never done. I got all the current magazines and even ordered a book from amazon and waded my way through everything I could read until I decided what I wanted. Not that easy when the emphasis these days seems to be mostly on Carp fishing. Like you, I too felt there was some mystique about it all. But in fact that is not really true. Books can only give you a basic idea, and in fact you would do better watching videos on the subject. Hywell Morgan did a TV series on learning to fly fish, with the emphasis on casting, and these are really good. He has quite a few DVD's available on Amazon - look under the heading of DVD & Blu Ray, using fly fishing as a subject. One of the best DVD's on casting a fly is by American Joan Wulff - a brilliant fisherlady, very technically accurate, and holder of many records. After gaining some understanding of the sport and deciding what type of fishing you wish to do - stillwater or river, then my very best advice would be to seek professional tuition. Nothing can beat being taught by a good pro. It will prevent you getting into bad habits and you will learn to cast so much quicker. Casting a fly is really quite easy, but time and time again I see this done badly on the TV - poor timing, over powering the rod, tailing loops, etc. All of this can be prevented with a little help. Look on the internet or in the angling papers for a local APGAI or REFFIS qualified instructor. He/she will also be able to help you with advice on tackle selection, leader set up, fly selection, reading the conditions and location, etc. Once you have caught your first fish on a fly rod I will bet that you will totally fall in love the method. Fly fishing is not only limited to game fish, Chub, Perch, Pike, Carp, Shad, and one or two suprising others that you will be totally familiar with as a coarse fisherman, can also be caught on the fly. A good Carp on a fly rod is simply eletric. Good luck

I can't really advise you on this as I only fish my local waters, however you might carry out an internet search for commercial fisheries in the area you are thinking about, and see what is avaialbe from them. I should think there are quite a lot to choose from. Sorry I can't be of more help, I had thought that quite a few of the members of the forum might have jumped in with suggestions?

I picked up two cane spinning rods last year, one for refurbishment and the other this Constable's of Bromley UL spinning rod. It is serial number No. 470. The rod has never been fishing and still has varnish on the rings. It's as straight as a die. I didn't get arround to fishing it last year but I am looking forward to trying it out on some trout. My apologies for the poor quality of the image, the filesize allowed by this forum is not big enough to do it justice

I don't know if my memory is playing up, but I thought that at one time I had bought a copy that was all in colour. This last book, which makes three copies I have had in total over the years, is not. It has colour introductions to each section though. Anyone got one in full colour, or am I going soft in the head?

Guys, I am a little surprised that none of you has mentioned the Great Bernard Venables book "Mr. Crabtree Goes Fishing." It might be somewhat dated, but in it's own way it is still relevant to today's fishing. I bought a copy from Amazon about 12 months ago when I was on a bit of a nostalgia trip. It harks back to the gentle days of greenheart and split cane rods. I still find it a joy to read. Anyone that has not seen it should check it out.

Owned a lot of shotguns in my time, used quite a few semi-autos too (and quite liked them), but never owned own. They also tend to be frowned on by the clay pigeon shooting fraternity - never understood that. My favourite style of shotgun though is the english sidelock or boxlock side-by-side. Nothing swings and points quite like they do (for me at any rate). Never been over keen on the single barrel style sight picture.

I believe what has caused this is a lack of Oxygen in the water. A lot of lakes do not have stream feeders re-oxygenating the water. The only oxygen available for aquatic life is therefore absorbed through the surface of the water. If the water is covered with ice this cannot happen and it is only a matter of time before the dissolved air supply runs out. I hope that commercial fisheries are aware of this and break up the ice from a boat before it causes this problem. Unfortunately for most club run ponds and lakes this is not really an option, and nature takes it's course.

I am positive that you don't need to feel that way!

Guys, let's not get worked up by this. It's just a discussion among friends. It's OK to disagree.

Exactly my point from my earlier post - in this case (apart from the last image) these are all snipers trained in the use of camo - they add extra materials from their surroundings to their ghillie suits to make them naturally blend in, becoming all but invisible - that is unless they move. Then the games up. A ghillie suit is designed to have a lot of loose bits hangning off it in order to break up the outline. Their are many types of camouflage, including the disruptive black and white stripes of a zebra (nature's effot to break up the outline) and of course the tiger. My argument is that you don't need any of this to catch fish - just a little care. I think that both of you are straying from the point, as hunting although classed as being the same thing as fishing, it is not. The easiest way to disguise your smell is make sure you stay downwind of your quarry, then at least you don't have to smell like a Yeti Now we have strayed onto the topic of smell, maybe we should talk about Pheromones and their affect on catching fish ?

Thanks for your input Sweeper, it's nice to hear that I made a good choice. I am waiting for my new XT 035 to arrive, could be tomorrow with a bit of luck. The centre pin will have to wait as I have spent up for the moment Tight lines

I entirely agree, the quality of the clothing/equipment is far more important than the colour. One last point I would like to make is that camo only hides someone if it exactly matches the surroundings. You must have watched scenes of our brave soldiers moving about in Afghanistan and Irac - they stand out like sore thumbs sometimes when the camo does not match the background. Look at picture two of the above, the camo stands out more than the orange. Question - knowing this why has kirisute chosen a natural real tree type pattern, instead of an orange based one?