Bowsa

To be honest I am surprised we didn't have more ponds/lakes in the North East affected like this one was. With temps of minus 10 to minus 15 every night for 3 weeks and day time temps at times no better than minus 5 every lake was solid. Well into January when temps had risen again lakes were still frozen as took ages for ice to slowly melt. As a "sad" aside we had a lake where deer had walked on and their narrow hooves had gone through the ice. The deer were frozen in the ice/water. Took a few weeks to be able to safely remove them as the ice was to thin to walk on and obviously no boat could get through the ice either!!! Sad lose of a number of animals this December!!!

Yes. always put whats left back...depending when next out fishing that is. I'm like you, I feel there can only be so many in a given area. And feel the best place to store them till I need them next is in my small lawn!

Hi All Few weeks back we had an article discussing how to get worms out of your lawn easilly. Well I don't know if its the slightly warmer, and that is just slightly warmer weather here in the North East but tonight while getting worms for the weekend, never had them jumping out of the ground so quick, ten minutes... tub full... job sorted. Am I the only one so lucky or is it "worm giving them selves up time" this weekend? Just hope they wiggle their best wiggle this weekend!!! Bowsa

Positively sun bathing weather here in the North East today!!! Hope its like this at the weekend. good catch today mate.

Quite simply your "lob worms" need moist soil to a good depth. Both frost and prolonged sun will penetrate soil upto 12 inches. Its worth bearing in mind that some modern housing estates will be lucky to have 12 inches of soil in the gardens. My front garden is dry south facing and useless for worms. Moist back garden is perfect for lobworms and all sizes and types of worm up to those big juicy ones. So I hate to say this but if you don't have a shady garden with ample soil, no amount of soapy water or shaking of forks will help. If you go for areas near fences, gardens sheds etc then they should be more shady spots in the garden...hope that helps.

Since the weather has not exactly been suntan weather of late, I just keep mine in a tub on the doorstep, not sure what the postman makes of it!!! But basically mate, as its been said, depends how old they are when you get them from the shop and then how cold you keep them.

I wish my change in shape was more scientific than because of the number of pies I eat!!!

I had to laugh...I tried a computer fishing game some years ago, a demo on a disc with PC Gamer... We all like sitting on a river bank with the hope and expectation of that float disappearing, or the rod twitching... but I'm sorry watching a computer sceen for that to happen!!!

Wish I had read this earlier, it might have saved me a good half hour standing in tackle shop tonight trying to decide on which flavour to go for... Bowsa

I've not been pike fishing long but that is one thing that I have witnessed see, a ducking been taken. On the same loch I had an otter come swimming near me round evening time on two separate occasions. Owner of the local tackle shop said the family of otters in the loch are used to pike fishermen and come looking for unwanted leftover bait...and that got me wondering (as you do sitting for a while on the banks) ...now who would be chasing who...the pike or the otter!!! Bowsa

Hi Brian Thanks for that Most of my fishing round North East is in County Durham for trout. I spend weekends and holidays in Southern Scotland having a go for pike, perch and tench. I took my son for a weeks fishing some time back to Southern Scotland and its become a regular haunt now for us. And can't resist saying, I was at St James's Park on Saturday...what a game!

Thanks for your help Steve, much appreciated.

I always try to support my local shop, prices never far off. Best part is, he always says "10% off for cash"...the chap doesn't have a credit card machine even if you wanted to pay by card!!! He gave me a reel to try for the weekend, I paid for it on the Monday...with 10% off of course lol, thats the type of shop I like!

Thanks Kirisute Much appreciated, nice to know I'm not getting it too wrong so far. Incidently, my first pike was taken on a spinner, though I'm not bragging about it as it was hardly a "rod bender"!!! So far I've had more luck on the deadbaits so have tended down that route.

Hi All I'm relatively new to this site and hope I'm not about to completely embarrass myself. After many years of trout fishing I've recently tried some of pike fishing. Taken a few over 10lb on deadbait but may I ask...when it comes to dead baiting how long do you leave a bait out on a cast? I'm using lampray and mackrel and just wondered... do you reel it in for a recast, how often do you change bait, etc. If it helps most places I fish are still water. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks Bowsa

Good one Den, no wonder you are smiling.

Hi All New to this sort of thing and new member to this website, so just saying hello. Live in the North East of England, and just enjoy fishingfull stop, coarse, trout etc. Bowsa