Mat Hillman

I have a copy of the compleat angler, and have tried to read it several times, but the old style language makes it very hard going. Mr Crabtree is also a very good book and would get my vote, but the major influence on my early angling wasn't a book at all, but the early series of go fishing, which first appeared on TV just as I was starting to go fishing with a few school friends.

Nice one, always nice to see little 'uns catching! Going to take my oldest(4) on his first trip once the weather warms up a bit (mum doesn't want him out in the cold and rain) Although I'll be amazed if he catches anything as he is completely unable to sit still ;-)

Tench will eat just about anything, the hard bit with tench fishing is getting out of bed early enough to be at the water by dawn Saying that I had some good results last summer with both home made trout pellet paste and fresh cockles. Watch out for nuisance carp using the TP paste though [ 14. February 2004, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Mat Hillman ]

Bury hill have a website with a regularly updated news section http://www.buryhillfisheries.com

More info on passion for Angling and Caught in Time here http://www.passionforangling.info/

Bah! Got to stage 3 and had to switch it off as my 4 year old came running to see what the noise was ;-)

I'm on my day off as I'm working over the weekend, So I'm in front of my PC reading Anglersnet, and playing project rockstar ;-)

Bored with penguins ? try a monkey ! http://www.addictinggames.com/monkey.html (turn the sound down at work ;-))

Who wants to live forever - Queen

Wouldn't want to be weighed down with two rods! I'd take my JW avon rod, with my centrepin fitted along with a few floats and go and explore all that weedy tree overhung margins! In fact I'm drooling just thinking about it ;-)

I've recently joined http://www.maldonas.co.uk/ and have been pretty please with the chub I've had from the river sections so far, looking forward to trying the stillwaters once the weather warms up a bit. These two might also be worth a look. http://www.bdac.co.uk/ http://www.chelmsfordaa.freeserve.co.uk/ [ 10. February 2004, 12:39 PM: Message edited by: Mat Hillman ]

I'd like to catch a record gudgeon, because I'd then be able to launch a range of "Mat Hillman Extreme Gudgeon" Branded tackle and matching luggage and then retire from my day job and live off the proceeds Mat

I caught 2 fish last year that have really stuck in my mind, the first was a carp of around 14lb, caught while floatfishing in the margins of a gravel pit for tench. I was fishing with 4lb line straight through, and my JW Avon rod, the fish took me all over the pit, narrowly missing weeding me in a big bed of lillys about 50 yards out, before I finally manage to get it in the net after a fight of around 15mins. By far the biggest fish I've ever caught on such light tackle. The second was a chub, again not a huge one, but at 4lb 2oz it was not only my first fish from the river Chelmer, but also the first chub I've caught when specifically fishing for them, all the chub I'd caught before had been accidental captures while fishing for barbel. I've always felt there is something special about the first fish from a new venue, and this one really sticks in my memory! Mat

Well I for one simply just enjoy fishing, I fish rivers, club waters and "commercials" I feel theres nothing wrong with a WELL RUN commercial fishery, on the other hand I do not enjoy the "moon crater" or "hole in the ground" type fishery, theres more to a good fishery than a hole full of water and fish ! Venues like Old Bury Hill and Tingrith show how a fishery can be run commercially and still be pleasing to the eye and interesting to fish. I'm not going to name any bad ones as I don't want my post deleted Mat

Wow five mins on that site and 2 of my teeth fell out! I think I might order some sherbert lemons though <G> Mat

I set my drag by setting up the rod and reel, and then pulling on the line where I plan to tie the hook. I then set the drag so that it will give line just as the rod is pulled into it's full curve and about to lock-up. Might not be the best way, but it works for me!

Is this open to anyone ? I'd love to have a day out at Wingham !

Try setting your FTP software to use "passive" mode FTP. When you use this all the communication goes over the one outgoing connection you create when logging on, and so it can often fix firewall related problems Mat

It's a rather difficult situation IMHO - on the one hand I personnally have no wish to subsidise the fishing of a malingerer who simply won't work, the lazy buggers should go and get a job so they can afford a licence but in genuine cases where someone really can't work due to disability or as in Ians case being a full time carer Ithink it'd be great for the person to be issued with a licence for a nominal fee of a quid. It's a shame that the powers that be find it so difficult to differentiate between the Can't Works and the Won't Works. Mat

Not sure it'll do any good but I signed it anyhow

I've had my Licence checked just the once this season, on a day where my brother (a very occasional angler) moaned all the way to the fishery because I'd made him log onto the EA website at 4:30am and buy himself a one day licence to cover the trip. He changed his tune somewhat after the vist from the boys from the EA!

It's fairly complicated, there are two types of DSL on offer from BT ADSL - speeds up to 2meg, requires a good quality phone line no more than 3.5km from the exchange. If you place an order for a 1meg or faster line this is what BT will test your line for and supply to you / your ISP RADSL - only works (in the UK at least) at 1/2 meg speed, but can work over slightly lower quality phone lines, and at Distances of up to 6km from the exchange. If you order any of the "home user" 500KB/s services this is what you will be using. BT's online checker only checks line distance, once you actually place an order they then do a full survey on you line for the type of service you've ordered. if this passes they will then give you an installation or activation date depending on wether you asked for an engineer assisted or self install service. So if you order and are refused a faster service for poor quality it is worth trying again with the 500k service. But the only way to find out if you really can have the service is to place an order.

Elton - thats a good start, the Initial test is simply a distance from exchange test, and that would indicate you are less than 3.5km from the exchange. The won't actually do the key test, the line quality one until you place an order for a DSL service of some kind Mat

Create the loop using a swivel rather than a knot, that way if the line breaks above the loop the line can thread through the swivel and release the feeder.

That is really sad, having had a look at your website I have to say your coarse lake sounds idylic, if I lived a bit close I'd be pestering you for a ticket! Sadly I really don't fancy having to negotiate the Dartford crossing every time I go fishing! Got to say I'm amazed you don't have a waiting list for tickets! Mat