Little Roachess

Good for you Barry! I enjoyed your report of the fine weekend you had.......makes me really pleased when people can relate such a positive tale. You should have your pic in Angling Times for that! Wonder how you're going to top that next weekend?

Hi Tiddlertamer, In a skiff, waiting for bonefish to ghost through my line of vision, every time, and maybe sipping cool sodas.Those feisty critters still give you a run for your baitbox every time! Never been!

MANY HAPPY RETURNS MAN! HOPE YOU ARE CELEBRATING ALONG THE BANK IN TRUE ANGLING STYLE.......PARTY NOW, EVERYTHING AND LIFE GOES DOWNHILL AND CATCHES UP WITH YOU BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!!!!

Thing is he critisizes Angling Times in his book, and seems to hold ordinary anglers in contempt. In one chapter he writes about a poor boy and a rich kid, and slags off the poor boy for not catching anything because he didn't have the expensive equipment of the rich kid!! He also had a go at the more sturdier angler. I wouldn't mind but he also seemed to have a go at the Angling Times for it's sexual references, and then proceeds to devote a whole chapter on sexual activities on the river bank using the sort of public schoolboy humour and derogartory terminology suggestive of his own perceptions of what people want to read. Incidentally, I stopped reading his book after the chapter ridiculing the financially challenged youngster, it just put the tin hat on the man's inability to reach the reader, let alone the angler. Let's face it, how much did the average angler pay out for their first piece of fishing equipment? At the age of 10 I had a net to catch sticklebacks, and borrowed my friends cane rod with a hook and a piece of cork with a maggot on the end of it to try catch a fish, all those years ago, and the guy on the bank opposite clapped with great pleasure when my friend eventually brought in a large pike!! Angling is about having a go with anything you have at your disposal, isn't it?

Seemed like another great fishing day there! Great photo's of the event Janet, especially the flora. Weather like this you just have to get out and about even if you don't catch any fish.

I have just finished reading Brian Clarke's book "On Fishing". I am the kind of reader who follows the flow of a book through chapters until I have completed every page, but when I say I have finished this book, I mean that I got three quaters of the way through it when seriously I could not continue reading the rhetoric of what I would see as a very opinionated, chauvenistic, haughty, and self-important man who throughout the book continued to impose his own puffed-up ego, full of his own self-importance that every angler approved all his many articles (apparently he wrote many a fishing column in the Times newspaper). He continuously referred to this fact, repeating himself not only with his boasting, but also complete whole chapters were elaborated upon, or repeated. A continuous and blatant name dropping occurred to whit the litarary style implied how well-heeled he wanted the reading fishing public to see him. Am I the only one who felt like this about this man, or is his self-importance provided because the angling community really have hung on every word he says, or has this man been surrounded by sychophants to present day? Either way, I cannot imagine reading anything by this author again-glad I did not pay for the "privilege", as I picked the book from our local library, and am sorry I did!!!

I was brought up to believe that if you can't say anything nice about someone, then you should hold your tongue. However, I cannot bite the proverbial since I would not be true to my beliefs in keeping my council, and have to intone that Osama Bin Laden was a tirant and the world is well shut of one fanatic. This victory for all Western Countries has to be seen as a veritable success, but yet I, along with everyone else, pursed my lips at the news of the man's death, and instantly spoke what everyone else has felt-there will be repercussions from his followers, who still imagine their cause to be one in which death is an ultimate goal. It seems crazy that there is such a plethora of power-crazed and dictatorial zealots, yet in every pond there are canibalistic and voracious feeders who lurk in the darkness for unsuspecting victims. All we have to do is keep fishing them out! Tight Lines UN!!

Well, I enjoyed the whole day in front of the TV and watching the whole of the Wedding enfold before me in clear HD, as the media kept plugging when they weren't waxing lyrical over Kate's dress! I hope the couple have gone up to Balmoral for the Salmon-after all, they've been what my Granny would call "living over the brush" for the best part of 6yrs, know each other, partied out, and so they know what to expect from each other, after 10mins, what else is there to do but fish??? I don't see the sporty couple settling down in their matching slippers and his n hers towels after 6pm on a Saturday night, do you? Whatever they are doing, or do in the future, really is none of our business, but I do hope that they have a very happy and exciting future together....................xx Bless the Happy Royals.

thanks 4 advice x

Ian, Did you sell them then at Christmas?

There's a bivvy going on ebay at the moment under fishing tackle for £10!!! Have a look on there, there's plenty of chairs, too, for sale.

I know, you could sell raffle tickets to all visitors, proceeds to charity, winner takes? Perhaps wins a free day ticket to fish the lake. Also, ask a local fishing dignitary to offer to give the kids one lesson on the lake on the day for £10 per child??? Just a couple of suggestions! Hope your day goes well! Oops, too late! But maybe have a 500 days since we officially opened day and do something different!

Congratulations on your 20lb plus Carp, Rudd. I wonder what my first ever fish will be after so many years out of the water? I wait with baited breath-and I mean baited! Your story is inspirational.

I think on balance, it is good that the police force are taking action in a murder investigation, and I do believe that the EA are involved, I mean, who else would be involved in putting things back to 'normal' after the police have done their job? It isn't like it really is a police matter to look after the environment, although they must have considered the impact on the local wildlife when deciding to dredge that particular part of the countryside, and must surely have consulted extensively with the EA, and other wildlife lobby groups before action was taken, as they do in every aspect of police work a great deal of consultation goes ahead before anyone makes a decision. I feel that a reactionary press has misplaced its loyalty to its reader base and mismanaged articles concerning the topic of conversation, as is sadly most always the case to sensationalise in the media, and we should not knee-jerk over the issue. I think that it is terrible that a murder may have been committed in the area surrounding the lake, and that a body part turned up for an unwitting person who must have spotted the severed flesh. However, I do not see that the incident, and the events surrounding the police investigation at this time should put one off fishing in any lake. I understand that there may be some who think it macabre-quite rightly-to fish in the area immediately after a murder investigation and a combing of the area has been carried out-but just remember that other wild animals, including newts, birds, frogs, insects, really do not have the sensibilities that we as two legged humans may propose, and giving back their homes and habitat should come first on the aftermath of such human attrocities and the forgoing unpleasant activities conducted by the proper authorities. I think fishing the lake perfectly alright given a brief interlude, since we are unlikely to see lightening strike twice in the same lake. So therefore, the lake in my opinion should be given back to its original state for the sake of the wildlife populus, and as for our sport-after the deaths of so many nature loving individuals have been suffered by natural causes, why should one haphazard suspected criminal/criminal's actions ruin the pleasure of the local and national sporting fraternity on one incident alone?? A lot here to digest, I leave it to you........

Thanks for the advice-many, many good deals here I can see. I have been scouring ebay for tackle items, but I think from what you say, a good reel is worth its purchase new. It's great when there are lots of different opinions and I can then make an informed decision. Thanks again!

Ok Andy, Thanks, was that from new? £27 is reasonable do you think?

Renrag, I heard that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is doing a bangtidy job with trying to stop uneccessary wastage of fish, there's more to boycot about fishing and commercial fishing than meets the eye......is there a facebook link that I could look for to further your cause too?

Hi! I read your post about the mending of rods. I don't know whereabouts you are, but Angling Times has been running advertisements for an on-the-road national sales and surgery event, and if you could get to one of them maybe someone there could point you in the right direction to get your rod mended..............since I am only a newby this is the only help I can give, I'm afraid, but I am happy to point you towards Angler's Net's loop to Angling Times in the certain knowledge that through this site you can get the appropriate advice. Happy Rods!

I am now wondering what type of reel (coarse fishing) should I choose for my 12' Shimano rod? I wonder what sort of price new AND second-hand I will have to pay for good quality versus small pocket? Any takers?

Hi there! I haven't been fishing since I was young, but I did fish the Zambezi when I was fourteen for Tiger fish, and that's my claim to fame! Sky3 had a prog yesterday about jungle fishing where funny enough they gave some pretty interesting detail for your Bass, perhaps you could check it out??

Ok, thanks for your advice, i did as you said and am looking forward to asking many questions so I guess it won't be long before I get full membership. By the way, everyone who's sent me a reply to my posts has been very polite and extremely helpful. It seems that not all fishing forums are like this, and I commend your site for this.

Great perch you have there, by the way.

No probs Dales, happy days!

I guess you're right newt, thank you x

Amusing. I know all men aren't monsters, but there are mags out there who seem to paint the riverbank with theives and assault specialists, and I guess I was reacting to that. I am glad you mention day ticket waters with good patrols, makes me a little more sure of myself. I am so looking forward to fishing proper this spring-licence in hand, and will KISS all the time! LR