BlundstonedLove

Over the last few weeks I've been catching up on Fishing The Impossible via Sky+. The underwater shots of fish in their natural environment are without doubt the best thing about the programme. It's fascinating simply to observe them, but also marvellous to be able to gain insights into how they behave underwater. The other good thing is to see the large fish of a variety of species and get some idea of how they might be caught. Much as I love Bernard Cribbins (he is after all Donna Noble's grandad, and SHE did save the whole Universe) the sketches with him in it are awful and make me cringe. His voiceover material is pretty woeful too and I'm not alone on this point. http://retiarius-angling.blogspot.com/2010...eing-there.html My youngster and I do have a good laugh at Martin Bowler though. Firstly because of all his huffing and puffing, over even the smaller fish in the series. This guy wants to get some exercise at the gym and work on his upper body strength. The other source of amusement he provides is that he mentions the fish he's after repeatedly. We keep count and cheer accordingly. Here's an example: "Now if that was a Dace, (One! Hooray!) it was about 8lb of Dace, (Two!), so I um don't think it was a Dace. (Three!) Mumbles about trout." Strikes again. "Oh come on! No, I'm still on. I thought he'd come off there. Please be a Dace. (Hooray! Four!) Be a big Dace. (Five!) Oh is this a Dace? (Six!) Quite big. Oh no, where's he gone now? Trying to get me under the bank. I've only got pound and a half line on. Oh if that's a Dace, (Seven!) it's very big. Please. Oh! Dace! (Eight!) It's a Dace. (Nine! Yahoo!) Oh look at the size of it. Don't come off. Don't come off. Don't come off. Please Please. Please be nice to me .Yes." Lands fish. "Phew. That was exciting. Oh yes. A very big Dace. (Hooray! Ten!) Obviously. I was really scared then. I was more scared then than with a flaming big carp. That's a very good Dace. (Eleven!) Look at that for a Dace. (Twelve!) That is a monster Dace. (Thirteen! Thirteen!!) That's a monster. British record at spawning time." And with that comment he rather ignominiously stuffs the exceptional fish into a Waitrose carrier bag. That Martin Bowler doesn't do the fish descriptive justice was brought home to me when I watched an episode of Coast to Coast soon after and heard Daryl Grimason describing a trout as having a "belly like antique gold" and "spots that are as black as an old bible". Mind you, Daryl's nowher near as funny.

I was actually quite pleased at the ruffe - never caught one before, more of a stillwaters person - but this is, I'm afraid, just looking like bullsh*t from a saddo in the face of such a whopping perch caught by a 7 year old. It's a bit like the Sorceror's Apprentice - but in reverse. Cx

Thanks for the information vagabond - much appreciated - I love gen like that. Glad you had a smile - not enough of it in the world (now I sound like Ken Dodd) C

Hi I promise never to use this forum as a means to promote my blog (no bugger reads it anyway), but I did think that this might make you laugh. It makes me laugh - albeit slightly hysterically. http://gardeningboots.wordpress.com/2011/0...ith-the-smooth/ On the plus side - I've never caught a ruffe before. And why are they also called a Pope? Cx

Thanks for the advice about the grease Chester, much appreciated. I have seen the site with all the Intrepid pictures, and it's a shame it stopped. But he was not the person I was referring to as the Intrepid Guru - that's surely a title that can only belong to you. Especially after seeing that photo. Eighty reels? Blimey I thought I was doing OK with the handful I've got. Can I ask what stage your book is at and what format you have in mind for it? It sounds like a great project, and I hope you get it off the ground. Forgive my ignorance but what is BFR? Thanks again

Thanks for the tips guys, much appreciated. Assuming that Steve's is a tip rather than a comment about my request. C

Hi I am a fairly intermittent blogger myself, but I do enjoy regularly reading all sorts of other blogs. My own blog is largely horticultural in theme, and is mostly pretty dull stuff about me & my child “Little Boots”. It has been a bit more diverse of late in that I have been putting up a few fishy themed posts. Anyway, getting to the point, does anyone have any angling blogs they can recommend? All the ones I’ve looked at end enjoyed seem to be defunct = Pure Piscator, its’ successor Piscatoribus Sacrum and Retarius. If it helps with recommendations I have enjoyed reading the following books recently: Luke Jennings - Blood Knots Chris Yates - How To Fish Chris Yates - On Fishing At Sea Charles Rangeley-Wilson- The Accidental Angler These may seem fairly traditional, similarly-themed books, and I would welcome blogs of the same ilk, but I like looking at all sorts, for example I am currently reading (via kindle) Tales of Fishes by Zane Grey, which is about game fish and bone fish. BTW - It doesn’t come out in the book, but he seems like a proper nutcase: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zane_Grey http://www.amazon.com/Zane-Grey-Life-Adven...n/dp/0252030443 But I’m getting away from the point… Good Blogs? Thanks C

It's my 7 yr old sprog's birthday in a short while and one of the presenst is a fishing rod. That makes me smile for all sorts of reasons.

Stop that sniggering at the back! Is there anyway of repairing/refurbishing worn rod butt & top rings (unlined) without replacing them? All advice gratefully received Thanks C

Thanks Guys That's great C

Thanks, that really useful & I appreciate the help C

Is there a website for Peter Drennan tackle? I can't find one, and think I must be losing the plot - I mean everyone has a website don't they? Thanks C

Thanks Chesters From the schematic the knob underneath does seem to be an auxiliary clutch, but I’m none the wiser as to how it works in conjunction with the main clutch. In the absence of instructions I guess it’s down to trial and error. A few months ago I was looking on the ‘net for information about Intrepid reels (I have a few), but could find very little - apart from one guy who was writing a book on the subject and had posted a few snippets - one checking back I see it is you - hence The Intrepid Guru! C PS - what grease do you recommend?

Success! I used Newt’s link to the Shakespeare site to go in and have a poke about. I found they have a list of “Antique Rods”: http://www.shakespeare-fishing.com/antiques/model-rods.html I reckon mine is a SP - A318 SKP Prof. Braggin WR 1967 Spinning rod. SP - A319 is the model number SKP is the brand 1967 is the 1st year made and Spinning rod is (self-evidently) the type. Now I just have to find out what Prof Braggin means - it’s the model name. Prof = Professor or Professional? Braggin = Lord knows what? C

Hi Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. I should have put more detail in - it's not a fly rod. It's quite a stocky, stiff rod, with quite jazzy red and yellow whippings. It doesn't look beefy enough to my eyes to be a sea-rod. If I had to guess I'd say it's for pike or carp, but then it seems a bit short for that. I'll try and organise a photo. Thanks again. C

Hi I have just got an old 6ft cane rod. The patch on the bag says Shakespeare Noris A318. Is there anywhere I can use this info to find out more about the rod? Thanks C

Hi Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm returning to fishing after quite a gap, so forgive me if I'm a bit gormless. Yes it has two knobs - one at the back "Dual Drag" is I guess a clutch, but the other underneath "Strike Set" - what's that for? It also has a slider/switch on the side which seems to be to lock the handle folding mechanism ( if so, a bit ropey on mine) and another at the back which is I guess to lock the return. If I knew what everything did I might be able to have a guess as to whether it's in full working order. It's also drenched in oil, which might be a good sign (somone has oiled it to look after it) or a bad one (someone has oiled it to get it to work). the latter might just be down to my old man who is potty and thought it was a Sea Fishing Reel. If their cat sits still it gets oiled in case it's stopped working C PS - Chesters, are you The Intrepid Guru?

Hi I was given an Abu Garcia Cardnial 654GT today Does anyone have the instructions for such a reel that they could sgher with me? Thanks C