Alan Pearce

My fav rod for bait fishing and big perch during the past 10 years is the Normark 'Bob James' Twin Tip Feeder using the Avon style tip section. This is rated at 1.2lb test and is very soft. Baits and lead upto 3ozs can be cast with ease up to a range of 50 yards. Micro barb hooks can be struck into the fish and hook links as light as 3lbs are not a problem. Much of my fishing for big perch is carried out very closeto snags and hard fighting fish are easily pulled away by burying the rod tip to the lake or river bottom and gently winding the fish to a safe area before commencing the fight. More recently I have also used with great success and much larger baits, the Free Spirit 1.5 test Barbel Tamer rods. These are also one of my fav rods for use when fishing for very big tench in thick weed using small hooks (16 or 14) with just one or two maggots as bait. Alan.

In my experience there has NEVER been a proven caseof dead (for a few hours)fish spreading disease. Alan.

I just checked my profile and was surprised to see that I have been visiting AN for 4 years and made 1111 posts. How time flies. Al.

Who got hooked Peter, that first barbel or you. Well done I'm sure you will catchmany more in the future. Alan.

I have fond memories of fishing at Plucks Gutter on the Kent Stour 35 years ago. Spent many happy days there on LAA club outings. Big roach and lots of good size bream. Action is needed to protect this river. Any ideas? Alan.

What software are you using?

If your spigots wear and the two blanks touch or are wobbly simplt rub the male spigot over with a candle and all will be ok for the rest of the season. Alan.

Steve, IMO 54F is where the fun starts with tench and bream. Waters in my region woke up 4 weeks ago when they reached 54F and have since risen to an av> of 57F, however the bream begin to spawn at this temp, tench require 68-69F and carp low 70'sF Alan.

Mark, simply gently rub a candle up and down the male spigot a few times to apply a thin coating of wax. Should only need doing every two or three seasons. Like wise if you have spigotts that stick a little application with a SOFT pencil will do the trick ie adding a little graphite once or twice a season. Alan.

The sure way to ID otters and otters sites is to look for their spraints. These will be found on a regular basis as they mark out their boundary on a very regular basis. The spraints will be found on very obviouse features like a tree stump, large tuft of grass, under bridges. They are surprisingly small between 8 and 12 mm and normally dry. To be certain the best way is to smell them, if they smell fresh like mown grass then they are certainly otter spraints. If however they appear very moist and smell of fish or are musky then they will be mink. Otter spraints when broken open often contain very small scales which I believe come from eels, their favourite food source. Alan.

I have used 6lb test for the past two winter for chub and small (upto low doubles)barbel and have found it to be ok Alan.

Into modern times there has been many great books written and I especiallylike the writing and story telling by Chris Yates. From an instructional point of view 'Carp Fever' by Kevin Maddox and 'The Carp Strikes Back' by Rod Hutchinson, take some beating. The 'Book of the Perch' was another great along with Len Heads 'Tench'. Alan.

Whilst I agree with pike fishing from October until March I like tench fishing during late April and into May. May has proven to be so succesful for big tench, and nowadays much of my tench fishing is concluded by the end of June. If a closed season was ever to be contemplated again then I would suggest closing off waters during March and April and not allowing pike fishing until say September or October. Alan.

Steve, how about the local PAA coaches in your area? Alan.

Pete, the SACG now the SAA has had a position within the NFA for some years now.