*TQ*

Is this what you're referring to? Any other recommendations?

I was using a 75g Korum feeder, I did have 90g ones with me and some 'dead cows' to add weight but my rod did not seem happy with the 75g to start with! It was very bouncy before I cast and definitely didn't seem up to the job. I think I'll need to invest in a better one before targeting barbel again. What would be the lowest amount I could spend on a (half) decent barbel rod? The one I was using on Saturday was an Avanti Power Feeder of some sort from Dragon Carp Direct and cost me a tenner I think. Are the John Wilson Signature Avon Quiver Deluxe Rods any good? I noticed some people fishing without quiver tips, on a big, fast river is a normal tip enough to show bites? Could I have used a float rod?

Well I was on the river by 6:30am Saturday armed with three pints of maggots, two of hemp, a bag of 4mm halibut pellets and a tub of 8mm drilled halibut pellets. Trotting the float didn't go too well the river was flowing way too fast to be able to control the float properly so I decided to have a go with the pellets for barbel (having never caught one before). I was using a 75g Korum combi feeder with the ends removed. I put the 4mm pellets in a bait box covered them in water for 30 seconds then drained them and left them to soften for a bit before filling the feeder. Hook was a size 12 with a Korum quickstop on the hair and was baited with an 8mm halibut pellet. I cast down the side of the river near the bank, put some tension in the quivertip and sat back and waited. Although the tip did move a bit I think that was just the flow and as the feeder was semi fixed I was expecting any bites to result in the fish hooking themselves. After two hours I decided to re-cast which is when I ran into trouble. Attempting to reel the feeder in it had apparently become snagged on something. I eventually managed to get it back, re load it and cast it back out but everytime I tried to reel it back in it was caught on something. What was I doing wrong!? Towards the end of the day and with the river having risen about 6 to 8 inches I had a bit of slack water in front of me so I set up a small waggler and managed to catch two very small dace on maggot to save me from blanking. Although I didn't manage any barbel I'm definitely going to try again in the near future I just need to work out what the problem was with the feeder getting snagged. I walked up the bank after and bumped into a couple of lads who had had a fish each in the morning so they were feeding at least a bit.

Ok so current thinking is 3 pints of maggots (unsure on colour though) and two pints of hemp. Going to use a stick float rig to a size 18 hook and trot one, two or three maggots through the swim feeding maggots and hemp every cast. Considering also getting a bag of halibut pellets (4mm?) in case I decide to chuck a feeder rod out. Any thoughts?

Due to numerous commitments and lack of time I haven't fished since the Winter league ended in March. After pulling my finger out and renewing my license last week I've decided to get down to the river on Saturday for a bit of a session. I'm skint so it's going to be cheap and I'm not too fussed about what I catch so am thinking about just getting a few pints of maggots and trotting a stick float for a few hours. Does anyone have any tips to maximise my catch? I'll be fishing the Severn at Highley (BAA stretch just down river from Highley station/The Ship Inn). I've only ever fished the river once before and I think that last time I didn't have nearly enough bait (took two pints of maggots for a 6 hour session). This time I'm thinking about getting four pints, will this be enough? I only every use reds on the still waters but am I thinking bronze might be better for the river? Anything which will help my first trip of the season be a success will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I am closer to your way. I live in Highley (nr. Bridgnorth), work in Kiddy. Going to get a BAA card after having my first taste of river fishing a couple of weeks ago and loving it also on the waiting list for the Kinver freeliners. I suppose living on the Severn only fishing river's wouldn't be the worst thing in the world! Any idea how good the BAA pools are? I know there's not a lot of them but could do with somewhere for a bit of tenching.

No I don't and that's the problem! What I mean is a picturesque water set in nice surroundings with a good stock of silver fish. I don't mind the odd carp but prefer catching nice size crucians, tench, roach and rudd.

Do you have any further information on these? Where abouts are they located? I'm looking for some good quality stillwater fishing in the area.

Is the following what you're after? $originalarray = array(1=>array('MAKE'=>'Make One', 'RATING'=>'Rating One', 'DESCRIPTION'=>'Description One', 'STOCK'=>'Stock One','RETAILPRICE'=>'Retail Price One'), 2=>array('MAKE'=>'Product Code One'), 3=>array('MAKE'=>'Make two', 'RATING'=>'Rating two', 'DESCRIPTION'=>'Description two', 'STOCK'=>'Stock two','RETAILPRICE'=>'Retail Price two'), 4=>array('MAKE'=>'Product Code two'));$products = array();$counter = 0;for ($i=1; $i<count($originalarray);$i=$i+2){ $products[$counter] = array('MAKE'=>$originalarray[$i]['MAKE'], 'RATING'=>$originalarray[$i]['RATING'], 'DESCRIPTION'=>$originalarray[$i]['DESCRIPTION'], 'STOCK'=>$originalarray[$i]['STOCK'], 'RETAILPRICE'=>$originalarray[$i]['RETAILPRICE'], 'CODE'=>$originalarray[$i+1]['MAKE']);$counter++;} It'll take abit of tweaking but it seems to do what you want.

I've been on the lookout for a new club for a few weeks now and am finding that very few of them have a "web presence". I'm finding it hard to even learn of the existence of a lot of clubs. There must be a number of clubs in my local area but I'm damned if I can find out about them!

I'm still on FF 3.6. Upgraded to 4 on another one of my PCs but find it tends to be non responsive and crashes much more then 3.6. I also hate chrome but might be forced to switch once the updates to 3.6 stop.

I'd definitely agree with the above sentiments although I'm lucky enough to have my PB carp also be one of my fondest memories of catching them. I'd originally been fishing for silvers with the "wag and mag" when I noticed a few carp cruising the surface. It was a lovely sunny day so I thought I'd enjoy the rest of the afternoon doing a bit of stalking. I tackled down the waggler rig, tied a size 12 hook to the end of the main line and got some bread out my bag. After spending a few hours wandering the lake taking a fish here and a fish there to about 4 or 5 lb I wandered back to my original peg to pack up and head home. I was approaching where all my gear was when I spotted the biggest carp I have ever seen literally inches from the bank, I had enough bread left for one hook bait so I slipped it on the hook and whilst hiding behind a bush slowly lowered it in front of the fish. With my heart in my mouth it slurped it down, I struck and it went off like a rocket! I knew this would be a PB and to catch it with freelined bread would have been the icing on the cake. It fought fairly well and I only just managed to get it in my landing net. It was a PB and still is now at 10lb. I'd been told the fish in the lake go to 11lb so it must have been one of the (if not the) biggest in there.