Paul_D

Hi Mark, I've only fished the Hull at High Esk. Blanked last time but got 3 doubles including my first twenty (21:8) the time before. Best thing about it is that I never saw another soul all day last time out...Magic!

Mark, Let us know how you got on tomorrow (Sunday), as I say I've not been for a while as I've been concentrating my early winter Pike fishing on the River Hull, but it is pleasant spending a day at Howard. How many Cormorants did you count roosting in the trees on the last time you went?

According to their web site Pike fishing is from 1st September to 1st March. I could have sworn though that they didn't allow it until October when I last went two years ago.

quote: We don't know - they state the number of species but don't list them hence this thread. They sort of do regard them as separate though because you can fish for brown trout on a standard licence but if you want to fish for sea trout you have to have the more expensive migratory fish licence (or salmon licence is it's normally called)! Good point. The cynic in me now thinks that this could be because it's another means of revenue generation. Having said that though, I myself think that our licensing system provides excellent value for money nowadays. Far better than the old regional system.

Dunc, I agree wholeheartedly, lets tackle those issues and the morons who cause these to be issues as a matter of priority. As to methods, as long as they are legal then nobody can have any qualms as to their legitamacy, whether or not we practice them ourselves.

Without wanting to open the proverbial worm can again I have to say I agree with some of the comments posted here, it really doesn't need the sort of over reactions some people are trying to instigate. To my mind the general public see us (and there are still lots of us) as daft eccentrics sitting on banks for hours on end staring at a float. They see the hunting brigade (whether rightly or wrongly) in a very different light indeed. I don't know exactly when the bid to end Fox Hunting and the like took off but it seems to be taking a very long time to come about. This is, apparently, with the consensual support of the masses. As was previously pointed out, an awful lot of voters might not agree with any form of a ban on Fishing. Having said that, if, in an ideal world Fishing could unite under one umbrella to put forward our case and some of the more 'unsavoury' aspects of our pastime had to be forfeited to carry that forward, I would!

Interesting one this. Do the E.A. really classify the Brown Trout and the Sea Trout separately? I always assumed that the Sea Trout just developed a 'wanderlust' but was welcomed back to the fold as the same beast.

quote: There has never been a proven case of illegaly introduced fish spreading diseases. But illegaly imported fish may have done. I could have sworn that I stated I did not want to see coarse deadbaits banned. However, the selfish contingent amongst us who insist on ignoring the rules and spoiling things for everyone might well have to answer for such an incident in the future. Not that they will give two figs about it anyway..!!

Steve, Sorry didn't make myself clear on this one (due to the Brandy..!!) Of course the questions are pertinent to the ruling in general. I meant these responses were my own feelings regardless of the rulings. However, the coarse deadbaits one is a close call for me because of the introduced diseases issue in these areas.

Steve, Although this question is not pertinent to the ruling: 1) Yes. 2) No.

I, for one, agree with Greg's thinking.

I've caught plenty of fish using Brandlings but, somehow, my sandwiches never seem quite so appetising after handling them..!!

Bruno, Whilst fishing for Pike at Tewkesbury last October a trio of 'Anglers' from Birmingham turned up for an all night session and promptly brought out a covered bucket containing live Ruffe for use as their livebaits.....Maybe they spend their holidays on Lomond or Windermere....!!! I know before you shoot me, I should have reported it.

A friend once bet me that I would catch an Eel on a piece of Polo Mint on the River Weser in Germany. I didn't believe him.....I lost the bet..!!

Pretty much the same scenario around my local stretches of the Aire. Millions of Minnows, loads of Jacks of 3lb and above and same for Chub but not much in between. Cormorants are not a big problem here but the population of Mergansers is exploding (am I right in thinking these are also protected?) And as for the Mink! if I don't see one on a day out now its becoming unusual.

A Grinner works for me too...Just remember to spit on it. It also helps to avoid line kinking if you pull it tight slowly.

Is this a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel..??

I agree, Richard Walker was and still is incredibly thought provoking and a huge inspiration in my angling life.

I'm with Chesters on this one. I know it's 'nature' but I'm fed up of seeing Swans drowning Ducklings here on the Leeds/Liverpool, are there too many?? Again going off on a tangent, I'm now actively interfering with stones and noise etc when seeing Crows, Herons, Goosander and Mink decimating everything around. The balance is wrong and it needs addressing.

Try the Boosted Meat by Van Den Ende. Expensive but brilliant. Good to hook and has a powerfull aroma.

I went down the inflatable route myself and picked up a good one for £200 9' with Marine Ply bottom etc and inflatable keel. It's a good boat, great fun but it and treble hooks just don't seem to get on.....!!

Thanks again Fellas, £146 is also the best I've found - at Leatherbarrows, but they don't have one in stock so it would need ordering. I will try giving Roger a call but it will have to be on Monday now. Meetings all day today and then away for the weekend - Lovely Thanks again and I hope you'll all be wetting a net over the weekend.

Never heard of these lures myself Newt but they sound as if they could do the business with the Pike on my local river Aire here later on in the Summer when water levels are down and weed becomes a problem. My game plan for this season is to include some light lure surface fishing e.g. I've got some cracking looking Crickhoppers (Grasshopper/Cricket imitations) from Harris Angling that I'm dying to try out. What sort of sizes do these come in?

I'm ashamed to say it but my Six Shooter and Aggressor set up is now in retirement in the garage following three spectacularly unsuccessful outings. In my defence though, the Aggressors clutch did fail on the last trip and I couldn't be bothered to get it fixed as I couldn't find the receipt........Still get a hankering for a Calcutta every now and again though..!!

I was interested in one of these myself but baulked at the cost. All the advertising blarney seems convincing and I've never seen one for sale secondhand and apparently they've sold loads in this country so this also points to the owners being satisfied with them. I've watched countless repeats of 'Go Fishing' on the Discovery channel but can recall one episode where JW carried an unknown, to me, type of portable wooden boat to a lake. The episode showed you how he assembled it and it looked quite good albeit smaller and, presumably, heavier than a Portabote. I've never seen this episode repeated though...