DonnieK

want to know where i'm from and my experiences??? just now, i work on a clammer in west of scotland, in an area under threat of becoming a nature reserve. in the past i've worked on boats from peterhead and a prawn trawler from Fraserburgh. i've seen a bit of slaughter in my time but what i'm saying is that most men have some sort of conscience. NEVER CAUGHT A BASS - HONEST!!!

i'm a commercial fisherman who spends most of his spare time with a rod in his hand, i fish for cod, dabs and everything (except bass) in between. i have to smile to my self when i think of the old days when it would be laughable to suggest that anyone, other than those activly involved in the fishing industy, would have any say in its running. it now seems that if you're green or catch bass you can dictate how things should be done. i remember a story about a scottish sea loch, the enviromentalists thought that the habitat was so wonderful that it should be preserved for future generations, they thought that trawling was so destructive that should be totally banned within the area. There was one problem, the area has been trawled for about 40 years, prior to that time it had been stagnent and full of algal bloom, the 'wonderful enviroment' had, in effect, been created by the commercial activy. without trawling, the area would become stagnent again this site seems keen to hammer the commercials, all i can say is that those who condem should remember that most of those involved in the commercial sector are hard working, honest and do care about the stocks. perhaps you should picture yourselves on a saturday morning, the weather is crap, you have well planned day of sport fishing, but just can't be bothered. it might be worth considering the men who have no choice but to rise and go to sea just to make a living.

Does no one out there have any sympathy for the commercial sector??? I'm different from most of you in that i am one of the 8000, or so, commercial fishermen left (another 40,000 jobs on shore)and that as well as earning my living from the sea, i enjoy sea angling as a pastime. There have been good times - when 500 boxes of cod could be taken from 3 days fishing, but now, most men can only scrape a living. Whats my point????? I ask that the weekend fishermen among you,who have good jobs and can stay in bed on a saturday morning if the conditions don't suit, show a touch consideration for those who have to go to sea no matter how poor the day or how foul the weather.

everyone knows that the old 12-30 was an class bit of gear, i use it all the time - if you could take only one rod with you, thats the one. out of interest,is there anyone out there who has the new version. some say that the only differences at the graphics, others say it's made from a different compound and has a completely diffent action.

folks any views,comments or opinions please on the penn 975. got one last year, and to be honest, i didn't find it as rugged as the rest of the penn range. found it takes a lot of looking after. best regards dk