Little Roachess

I'm with you on this one - My favourite with cold callers is to let them bla-bla-bla in their own time, using their own money, for at least half an hour, then at the end I say, "So sorry, I'm really not interested" and put the phone down immediately. Or I pick the phone up and immediately I recognise that it is a cold caller I ask them if they wish to buy giraffes in bulk quantities, or some other such animal-it breaks their stride, they say no- and so I hang up! Most of the time our landline never gets picked up because we do have a message receiver, and anyone who knows me will leave a message after the beep! If I get unwarranted mail in the post, like you have never contacted these firms ever in your life but have junk mail from them, you just take their freepost envelope and stick it down with no details inside it and send it back through the post to the firm that sent it! That way, they have to pay the post office the price of the postage for annoying you with coldmail items you didn't desire, and catch on eventually so you don't receive anymore. I'm usually busy with all sorts of things and don't really want to be bothered but it works in the longrun just to imagine their faces when they receive no replies after they've actually paid someone to open the envelope upon its return! Happy Mailing!

Sorry jirwin, Is someone having you on? It sounds as if someone is pulling your middle wicket???????? Perhaps you are an innocent and rarebreed naive sort of guy who when the jibe came let it go straight over your head? Sounds like a wind-up, but hey, what do I know, I could be wrong!!! Let me know if this is on the legit.......

Hi! I think this is a crazy, go for broke idea, but it has got me thinking..........does anyone do local complete angling tours, where you can go to a specific region or regions and the tour company make all the arrangements for you, book your rooms, sort out your travel arrangements so you're not tired toing and froing, packed lunches, serves hot or cold beverages to you whilst out fishing so you are not distracted by innane details and can enjoy the whole fishing experience without the hassle, etc????? I would ask a holiday firm-someone like HF Holidays, think if you type in hfholidays they will be on the net somewhere, they operate alternative holidays, and maybe they do this?????? If you are not going wild camping, or camping or caravan/motor homing, and/or I would try these people for your dream trips. Interesting? Linda

What is a bump bar, and when would you need one? Fuddled!

I'm off up to Scotland for a while, but the link you sent me chavender is great, a bit pricey, but for what you get for your money, it's quite good value. I've seen lesser-helpful chairs than this one on ebay going for considerably more....thanks for the tip, will use it and save up a little more for a little while longer and try for this one, it has all the attributes I need in a chair. Linda

Poor Roach! It's amazing as to how low someone will go-thing is, the people who threw the net didn't return for it, so obviously they didn't care what they were doing to the environment or other animals. Mindless cruelty has to be investigated and solutions found.

Thanks John S I am really trying to find a good padded seat, and not your usual chair-incidentally, this last summer they were selling outside a shop in the Lakes for £3.99, but I need something more substantial, but less than £50!!! Miracle? Linda

I'm with Budgie on this one, I started getting the mags because I wanted to learn so much more about fishing, and the best thing about the freebies stuck on the mags were that inside the mag showed me how to use them. I do like the freebies since I can come on here and read up on the offers to get some more personal info as to how they work in the field for different people. It helps me learn. However, i do enjoy getting a freebie from time to time because it's a bonus addition to my collection of bought items. And I am not sure if there are any fishing mags with freebies attached to them for future reference, but the tips inside are invaluable. Sorry mate! LR

I just purchased a fishing bivvy, 3rod rest, two bite alarms from ebay, and I just have to tell everyone!!! I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!! I have yet to find a chair though on a limited budget........does anyone know of anyone who's selling a straightbacked chair with arms? Linda

Andrew, I use O2 because you can get good coverage in places where some networks can't connect, especially if in hilly areas like Cumbria fells, etc. I used other networks but they failed me at crucial times. Being a woman I wanted to feel safe when I was out and about and 02 was the only network that gave me peace of mind. Ultimately, it's down to personal choice, but there are some great pay as you go offers on at their store right now.....ps....I don't work for them...lol

It's highly unlikely, but you could try pop-ups? In those conditions the fish are skittish, but you could try a groundbait feeder and legering with a "double conker" boilie set-up, or even bread, with a good splattering of crumb in the catchment area???? Carp love alsorts of bait, I'm surprised you didn't get a bite. Tell me if I'm wrong, fella's? LR

love the perch quip! good of you not to carp on! i have passed your message on about the BDAA to some disabled friends of mine who was interested in fishing but didn't know about the assoc. thanks Rod!

Well, i have three herniated discs at the lumbar spine and two at the cervical spine and degeneration through from top to bottom - so it's been a struggle to get this far - someone else has mentioned a corset/back support. I might consider this for future ref, thanks. x

Well, thanks fishing buddies, all very interesting info...I was looking at chairs with padding but nothing that reclined like some of these carp chairs seem to do...........and also I had a good laugh at the three-legged dog...I'm not classed as disabled because I can walk a few yards with and without pain depending on the day, so I really am curious if the BDAA may be able to help me, and I wonder if I might be an unneccesary drain on their resources because I am not now bedridden and have relied on my own initiatives so far in my recovery because I didn't think I would be entitled. I have been seen as somewhat of a pariah as far as benefits people are concerned-although I have worked all my life and have never claimed a penny from the state, I still feel terribly responsible for taking money out of Marlene's (the lady at the dole office whom I spoke to about claiming anything for the time I have been unable to work) purse personally and not being able to return it with interest!!!!!! I will welcome more input if you be so kind as to indulge, and I am determined to get on the bank come what may, whenever that glorious day might be................ty keep em coming...........xx

Oh dear, Janet! And you were my inspiration for getting back on my feet and out there on the bank! Hope your personal circs have perked up, sorry you've lost a fishing buddy, but don't let that deter you from the sport. You have a lot to give the fishing fraternity, even if you recognise your limitations, don't underestimate your importance! Still looking forward to that trip to yours some time so don't give up!!!!!!!!! Linda

At least you've all been able to get nostalgic about your fishing expeditions-I haven't been able to go fishing at all since I got all my gear only to have arranged a trip to the A&E! I'd love to be gazing at the morning mist on a slow pond, setting up my first rig ready to catch that elusive monster they all talk about lives in the darkest depths of the cool blue-black wet stuff, and scooping up a handful of wriggling pinkies for a catapult journey into the mouths of awaiting opportunists, or even reacting like a coiled spring to my indicator bite alarm in anticipation of record carp! Does waxing lyrical come into your nostalgia catagory, I wonder? LR

Hi All! I got everything ready to go fishing then did my back in-so this little lady has been benched all season!!! I got some old equipment and some new arrivals, too. Some free rubber maggots. Still, no tears, hey. I am still looking to go out to my local pond and try a bit of fishing some time next year, in the meantime I have had to console myself with a few Matt Hayes progs on telly and a few books from the library my sister-in-law has borrowed for me. Anyone got any ideas on how I can go fishing without serious setbacks in health? I have just learned to walk again, and am keeping my other bones as supple as I can. I don't have a seatbox or seat to go on the bank yet, so I might appreciate some advice on a cheap but comfy chair appropriate to the job? In the meantime, it would be great to hear from some likeminded buddies for some encouragement.... No bad op tales please!!!! LR

I would not dream of breaking the law, it's too costly and morally degrading. It is also a snub for the many honest and responsible anglers out there who bother to buy rod licences and never get them checked - so what is the answer? If there are more bailiffs that means more anglers' money going into the costing of training, funding bailiff activity, but if there weren't any bailiffs who would police the banks? It's a fine line bordering on rules and regulations because a small few are spoiling the sport for the many legitimate fisherpeople out there. I would not like to be the one who has to have the headache of finding a solution..............so let's give those people, who try their best to make our environment angler friendly, a helping hand, support them in their endevours, instead of criticising them.

I'd say fish are getting bigger because there are more and more fish being returned to their natural habitat rather than being eaten, there are more anglers in fisheries and more fishery owners feeding their fish and this results in feeding fish more, rather than the fish having to find their food, and the anglers are getting better as equipment gets more technical and easier to use..........that's my opinion.....what's yours?

We had that problem, smellies didn't help either, to counteract the pong. We had the engineer round and he said there was muck in the filter outlet pipe and that the sewerage system outside our house was a problem as the water was coming back down our pipe cos the sewer was blocked further down the row of houses where we live. Dynorod came out, went next door to the manhole, dredged it and said that it was blocked-we have had no problems since!!!! As it turned out an old lady who lives down the road was banking up the system by pouring fat down her sink drain and causing a stoppage in the sewer system for the rest of us residents-all the sinks were getting backed up too by the time someone complained to the local council!!!!! I'd check who you shared the drains with in your neighbourhood. Incidentally, the poor old lady was totally oblivious of the laws which says you cannot dispose of fats and clogging agents down your domestic sink plughole, so if your drainage pipe from your washer is linked with your sink you better check that out too before you do anything else, as you or a member of your family can be the culprit to your pong!!!!! Hope you get the problem sorted.

I've got a question that might sound silly..............but........... I have no qualms whatsoever with taking some lovely live maggots out of my box and fixing them onto a fishing hook, and have no problem with the critters sitting in a box at home in the freezer until such time as I can get out and use them. Now here's the but...... My family are a shall we say a little squeemish and don't want me storing my live bait in the freezer next door to the frozen apples and the portion of frozen vegetables. They say that they will not tolerate me putting my little maggots in storage with the food. Whilst I don't see a problem with this, they say it is not hygenic, even though I have argued with them that the little critters will be asleep and dormant the whole time during their sojourn within the freezer, but their argument is that the wrigglers will escape and they do not want to inadvertantly put their hands on a dirty maggot whilst grabbing for the frozen peas!! I can see their point, but here's my question.......where do I stash my blowfly larvae, or whatever, if I can't store them in the freezer or fridge? I'm sure some of you have addressed this issue, with many women/men raising "Cane" (Cain) over live bait storage in the house....(sorry, couldn't resist the pun)!

Well, I will spill soon...............watch this space! Isn't it exciting? I am very keen to get to the bank and try the gear out. Seeya later folks!

Hey, I just gotta share this...............I got my first rod-a shakespeare with reel..........now all I have to do is go fish with it............when I've purchased the other necessaries!!!!! Oh, to be an angler!

hahahaha! Janet! Never mind.............just get yourself a pair of chinners from off Burnley market. I presume it's still going is it? lol

If you can hang a line from it and drop it into the water with a hook on the end, then you can fish, right? But yes, the best thing is to test your gear, especially your line, maybe in your back garden or some open ground because you don't want to cause more stress to a fish because your hook was blunt, or your line was frayed, or half your rod, which has been in storage in a garden shed or somewhere, has been munched on by half the wildlife population for the last 20 years, etc, and the shed has been used as a dumping ground . Am I right or wrong? Now I know that carbon fibre is a toughy, and has less likelyhood of being eaten by worms, etc, but everyone knows that if you don't keep your tackle well oiled it will let you down at the waterside, so what is the best answer to this question as far as the new carbon fibre rods are concerned, and if we for whatever reason do not use the rods or bother with their upkeep, could this compromise the laws of the modern angler of the time????