snotty

If I were you I would try the fishing tackle shop Barlows 47,Bond St Macc, they will sell you a day ticket whilst supplying info on the best stretches. Hope this helps.

Yes there are pike in the macclesfield canal, I've never personally seen any bigguns but have had and seen several decent jacks come out. Its a long stretch of water though, where were you thinking of trying, much of it is private club water. That could be one reason why you can't get much response on here.

Chesters, I suppose it depends how BT interpret 'upgrade'. I would have thought that dial-up to broadband is not an upgrade its a new service altogether. You are not currently a BT total broadband customer, just a BT customer like many of the rest of us. Now, 2Gb broadband to unlimited broadband is an upgrade. Try ringing them and asking they can only refuse. I'm still having problems getting onto AN thanks for the info Si glad its not just me.

Hey folks don't be so mean to Chesters, he's a southerner he might get a complex... I was on dial up until a few months ago and jeez was it cr@p, but even on Broadband I live so far from the exchange I can only get it because BT relaxed their rules about signal power or some such technobabble. I had problems with AN last night too, perhaps someone can explain if there was a server glitch. Chesters if you are currently NOT on broadband ie you are on dial up, you should qualify for any offer relating to broadband, (?) The download limit, as far as my addled simpleton brain understands, is the total data downloaded, that is everytime you open a webpage the counter is running. Fortunately, unless you are watching movies, ripping music or heavily into surfing you may be able to live with the limit.

Many thanks Chico, Gloves arrived this morning, superfast delivery, cheque is probably still winging its way to you. They look and feel great, can't wait to try them out.

Chico, If you still have a couple of pairs left in Large size please let me know, I need to mail you my details.

Hi Eaglet, I have two speedia centrepins, both greatly underused, what info are you looking for?

I would just like to add to the many posts already here, by saying that my impressions after the first programme were not altogether positive and as stated elsewhere I did not like it. After this weeks programme I have to admit it is growing on me, a huge improvement IMO, and though still a little short on fishing content for my liking, overall I enjoyed it, and look forward to the next programme. Finally, thank you Charles for taking the trouble to read the acclaim and the criticism and respond through the forum.

No Bill Oddie is not an angler, he admitted his fish recognition skills were not up to scratch, he was watching the fish, roach, a grayling and a brownie through his field glasses though I doubt he actually found them himself, it was nevertheless an interesting interlude in his programme along with shots of a rat out-swimming the chasing ducks with a mouthful of bread. The Beeb should be aware, that's two non-angling programmes containing scenes of fish within the same week, is Mr.Attenborough is losing his influence.

I was full of anticipation when the programme started, after fifteen minutes this had turned to abject boredom, I dozed off briefly somewhere in the middle and awoke for the protracted finale and capture. I find it hard to agree with those who found it captivating, also I find it hard to see why some posters here are having a go at those like myself who didn't enjoy it and are merely expressing their opinions. As for the poster who saw no evidence of fish being retained unecessarily or mishandled... excuse me what were you watching? I saw the presenter restraining a struggling fish clearly to enable the lingering camera shot, I also saw scenes of a fish 'escaping' to almost certain death in the town drainage system with hands grasping and clutching at it, a source of apparent amusement. Of course I am aware that sort of treatment is probably normal in that part of the world, but portraying it on TV does little to bolster our conservationist stance. I know of one unbiased non-angler who thought that these fish were being killed, having received that overwhelming impression throughout the programme. Congratulations to the BBC for screening an angling programme if that is what it is being portrayed as, however I think the title 'accidental angler' was certainly apt for that episode. I will watch the next in the hope that there is more angler than accident. Postscript: I am not a carper... I do read books...many fine ones and I do have an attention span longer than the fish I catch...

I've heard the stories, but never witnessed anything like it until today. I had an afternoon on my local canal with my father, the intended quarry being perch. We both set up simple waggler rigs and fished worm whilst feeding red maggots. As my father reeled in to recast, a large swirl indicated the presence of something a little larger than our rigs were set up for. Carp..? Tench...? several casts later around the same spot and all hell broke loose as a pike took a fancy to his float, crashing out of the water it severed the mainline and submerged, the water returned to calm. It took a little while to recover our composure after that as I fell about laughing. The look of disbelief on my fathers face was amazing as he surveyed his limp line dangling from the rod tip. About ten minutes passed and my laughter had subsided, when a red tipped float bobbed to the surface in the middle of the swim. I cracked up again. Its at times like this you wish you had brought your lures, a spinner, treble hook, anything in fact... He re-rigged and using an old avon float inline with a wire trace, and attached as large a single hook as we had brought with us, he then tried trolling around the swim. Incredibly the pike had a good look at this homemade lure and even pushed it with its nose on one retrieve. Fortunately I suppose, that was the nearest we came to catching it but I will never again doubt those stories of the ones that got away.

Davy, sounds to me like you need a new brolly attachment now let me see... how about the new Korum chair! it has a perfect brolly attachment could be just what you're looking for matey. Well reading between the lines of your posts that's what you wanted someone to say....? As for the DIY ers how are you ever gonna join tackle-tarts-anonymous by mending old kit?

Thought this would be a simple answer to a simple question but thinking about it, it isn't, for me it certainly isn't a religion I already have one of those, I don't fish competitively so it isn't a sport, a pastime is something I could do just to pass the time take it or leave it, and it definitely isn't that, though a lot of time passes when I'm doing it. So that leaves hobby or way of life... Hobby is something I would do regularly when the mood takes me and this almost fits the bill, but angling is something I care passionately about, think about at sometime every day, plan my free time around, am prepared to lose money over, I can't envisage a time when I wouldn't be an angler. I am interested and involved with not only the doing but helping others to do... so it has to be a way of life.

Hi Dan, The way I always do it is to screw the 'Y' piece onto my handle and stick it under my right arm, allowing the butt of the handle to rest on the ground behind me, then I insert one arm of the unrolled net into the lower joint of the Y. Now I raise the net and press the arm down on the grass in front of me flexing it enough to insert the other net arm into the upper joint of the Y, ensuring at this stage both arms are fully engaged into the Y. Finally I straighten up the arm ends to 'point' at each other so the cord isn't twisted, and there you go.

Think they may belong to Warrington anglers, try searching their website.

Ok where do I start... On entering the car park go left and park down at the end of the park, near the road bridge where you came in over a little brook. Parking here is away from the main parking and I have never been ticketed... yet! This Pennington brook is a good place for perch chub and roach from upstream of the main atherleigh way road bridge over the footbridge and to your left, down to the mouth of the brook over the footbridge and to your right, you can see the pegs laid out on the far bank. Later in the year when the roach are a bite a chuck you can't buy a peg here from early morning! If you drive back over the bridge towards the exit there is another car park Pay 'n display again on the right before the exit. This leads onto paths around the Flash to your left, on the same side as the sailing club, where some fish for pike. If you know the area, you may be better going to plank lane lift bridge between Lowton and Leigh on the canal, there is a large park 30yds down the road from here which leads to your left onto the canal, and to your right through the paths to the side of the Flash. This brings you out opposite the sailing club on a reclaimed slag heap known as Ramsdale's ruck much further round from the visitor centre and golf club. Here there are several swims where you can chuck a heavy lead or feeder to the horizon, I'm told the bream are good. Be advised the Pennington brook area is day ticket on Leigh anglers card and subject to river seasons, and no lures/spinners, are allowed.

Does anyone have any advice or recommendations for a comfortable lightweight waterproof boot? I'm pretty fed up with wellies which are waterproof but not great for walking in. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

Its normally held in a sports centre near to Barton bridge just off the M60 (trafford park), but like this years Haydock do I thought it wasn't worth the entrance ticket price, still each to his own I'm glad someone found a bargain. A couple of years back it was good, attracted local tackle dealers as well as the usual 'cheapjacks' you couldn't move for stuff and they had talks from Bob Nudd and Des Taylor. This year it was a shadow, Bob was still there but it must be getting hard to justify his appearance fee. I don't think there was more than 8 tents and most of the stuff was repetitive, the pole gear I saw was particularly poor quality stuff.

Welcome to Anglers Net Janet, you have come to the right place. Firstly what sort of fishing are you planning, and what equipment have you been sold? My guess is you have a match or float rod, a fixed spool reel spooled up with 2-4 pound line, a selection of waggler floats, some hooks to nylon around sizes 14 to 20, split shot dispenser, and possibly a landing net, and disgorger or small forceps. Have you read any magazines such as the weekly (out on tues) Angling Times or monthly Improve your coarse fishing? these are a pretty good start for picking up tips on rigging, bait presentation and suchlike. You will find most anglers on the bank quite helpful don't be afraid to ask. There may even be one of our AN members living close to you who may be willing to show you the tricks, if you let us know your local canal.

Used to get asked every visit to Fan Lodge, and occasionally at Scot Lane, but otherwise no. I gave the card up in the end the litter was atrocious and on some waters the kids can be a bit distracting. I heard that they lost the Gathurst stretch of the Duggie which was a nice little river, but I notice its still on their website, does anyone know for sure?

Hi DS, When the ravages of time old age and arthritis struck my father I got him a browning folding trolley, it has pneumatic tyres which make it easier to negotiate the tracks unless you get a puncture. It holds easily his carryall, folding 'nash daddy longlegs' chair rod holdall/quiver and bait bucket. When we fish together I also load up my folding chair onto it, so with care and balanced loading they can be very useful. Folding away takes a minute or so and the carry bag is useful to keep the muddy wheels off the car interior. Don't buy a cheapo you may get a bargain but who knows.

Now see what you've done Jeeps !..... I quite enjoy reading Pauls posts, trying to work out what he's saying and then Jeeps responses which need no translations at all.... Do you think he means it ?

Just one more thing M.P. How do you feel regarding the moral standpoint of buying a £100K house for £33K (that's one hell of a discount) a place that's been built and maintained over at least 28 years paid for with public (council) funds. Don't get me wrong I would have done the same mate in your position (which I'm not) but when the government is bemoaning lack of funding across the board, it seems a little undervalued don't you think?

My word! Some of you fellows should re-read your posts, so much contradiction its unbeleivable. For starters, in the real world to my knowledge, average earnings of the young people I know, some with good degrees, are considerably under £13000 p.a. If anyone here can save up for a deposit on a house, pay horrendous public transport costs on the train to get to work, (a car is totally out of the question) pay rent, taxes, fuel bills, etc...etc.. and still have 4% left over for a retirement fund they will never see, they are going well. My daughter will have to earn £7000 p.a. more than at present before she actually starts to pay off more than the accruing interest on her student loan. Try renting a bog standard terrace up in t'grim north for less than £350 per month, anywhere's decent is well over £400 p.m. that would make a hefty dent in your spending money M.P. Buy your council house...? assuming you can qualify to get on the list and wait two years or more to actually get a place, where will the £33,000 quid come from? how are you fixed for a loan M.P. ( 0% over 25 years?) Savings...? last time I looked interest rates were still appallingly low compared to a decade ago, when some of you were cashing in your endowments and annuities. For some £20 per week represents a sizeable chunk of their weekly take home pay, and if you think all the low paid are on benefits... think again, its not so. Anyone who thinks they will be able to take the 25% tax free cash lump sum had better retire soon before the canny scot abolishes that little ruse. The prospects in store for todays young'uns are grim but they will probably all be frozen to death, drown or bake before they reach old age. I only hope they can keep their health, in future the sick and old will go to the wall.

So your buddy has packed up and he will be leaning on you to do the same, you could do worse than persuade someone else to go with you and teach them what you know, there's probably someone out there on the bank now just looking for a helping hand, remember when you started. The club's a good idea too maybe try your hand at a match, if you don't make new friends you'll certainly learn a lot from watching. Tightlines mate.