Houseplant

Hi Mark I have been using circle hooks almost exclusively for two seasons now and have just about got it right (I think!). The hook size you have chosen is about right (if not, 6/0), but I would make 6 inch livebaits the absolute maximum size. 3 - 4 inch would be much better. I hook the fish through the top lip only when livebaiting as this will keep it alive longer. I've also started using Fox crimp covers (http://www.foxint.com/catalogues-products.php?lang=e&product=844&catalogue=3&section=32). I thought they were a gimmick at first, but they certainly reduce weed getting caught on the trace and the trace getting tangled in the mainline. In addition, I believe they improve the efficiency of a circle hook by allowing the scissors of the fish to run smoothly down the trace to the hook. You heard it here first! Picture below. This may be a bit controversial, but I do give the fish a little time to take the bait. Maybe up to 30 seconds depending on circumstances. I've caught a lot of pike on circles and NEVER had one that was deep hooked. In fact, with the rig described above many of the fish are hooked on the outside of the mouth for some reason. As for 'striking', certainly don't strike, but don't just wind down either. Wind down and really keep up the pressure. In my last outing, I had 5 takes and 5 fish (http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/good-afternoon-note-circle-hooks-t81984.html), today I had 4 takes and 4 fish using this method. Good luck!

i agree, the other day i was catching pike and silver fish from what appeared to be the main flow.

Hi MC I buy the Spinflex lure complete from Harris Angling. Can't find anywhere else that sells it online and Harris are out of stock of my favourite colour at the moment. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut about this little lure! The pier is in Essex.. no it's not, that's a total lie! It's a small boat jetty on Isla Mujures, Yucatan Mexico. Had some awesome small game fishing from the beach. The fish is a houndfish and it fought like stink!

Went out for an afternoon's piking yesterday. Everything was just perfect, cold, but not too cold, overcast and the river has finally settled. Managed seven pike in 4 hours. No monsters, but it was certainly my best pike session in terms of number of fish on the bank. Got the bait rod out, started messing round with the lure rod and had a decent jack hit the lure at my feet which gave me a shock! Unfortunately, it came off, but two others were quickly banked. In the meantime, the bait rod had started doing its work and resulted in five fish in the 5 - 8lb range. All the fish on the bait rod fell to ledgered joey mackeral or float paternostered roach deadbaits. As for the circle hooks. They did a great job. Every fish was hooked in the scissors and not one was able to slip the hook. For small baits, I would certainly recommend them. Here's the largest fish:

Hi BB This lure is an absolute banker: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Great-L...ays-t54465.html I've never said that about any other lure. In fact, I had two jacks on it today and narrowly missed a better fish! It might be a bit light for your rod and it won't select the bigguns, but it's a great way to get a few fish on the bank and build confidence. I usually fish it as close to the bottom as possible. I often snag up, but pull out (I use heavy braid) and straighten/sharpen the hook as needed. No need to 'work it', unless you want to, but keep the retrieve SLOW. It'll also pick up perch and chub. Zander are also very partial to it EDIT:

Couldn't let it lie after yesterday, so despite all common sense I went back for more, this time with some small roach deadbaits. Result was two fat jacks which I'm very happy with. Had four dropped runs as well. If I had connected, could have been a really good afternoon! Unusual on this venue, I suspect that zander could be the culprits. All the action came as the sun was going down, but before dark.

Hi. Got out yesterday, so will add my experiences. Day didn't go off as planned with my local tackle shop closed and a couple of lager drinking chavs in my pre-chosen swim. Anyway, had half a dozen clonking bites on big baits intended for chub (but also happy to pick up bream or even that elusive river carp), but no hook ups. Also had a pike rod out. Couldn't face the task of trying to catch lives in these conditions, so reluctantly fished with mackeral tails (an appalling bait on this venue). Nothing all day, then remembered a 'hot spot' from spinninig trips in the summer. Put the bait in there and it was away in seconds. Big single/low double came off at the net. Recast the bait and the same thing happened and no more baits. Very, very frustrating

just a thought, the whole of the earth's atmosphere, all 60 or so miles of it exerts about the same pressure as just 10 metres of water. given the relatively enormous pressure changes a pike will experience as it moves through the water column, do you think that subtle atmospheric changes can really be detected?

As has been said, mainly to get out more, though a horrid time ahead due to work/exams may get in the way. I suspect my specific goals for 2008 are much the same as 2007: 1. River carp 2. Carp on the fly Not that I'm carp obsessed or anything, they just seem to be two things that I haven't got around to!

personally, i wonder why there are so many 2 piece rods still around. pain in the arse to transport/store, but each to their own of course . how about a 4 piece, you can then use it as a 2 piece if you wish.

Unfortunately, they seem to have degenerated in to the angling equivalent of 'The Sun'. If tabloid press is your thing, then fine. It's not mine, so I don't buy either.

i think the sentiment may be right, but too many variables to put exact figures on. personally, i wouldn't worry about it. i'd rather catch a spritely double from a fast stream on a trotted (live!) bait than drag in a 30 from some featureless pit on half a mackeral thrown over the horizon, but that's just me

hair rigged sweetcorn was my 'standard' carp method for years! i put 3 - 4 large grains on a hair quite tight to the bend of the hook. if fishing on the bottom, i would incoporate a fake, floaty bit of corn (makes it a pop-up and better withstands casting), but consider how far off the bottom it's going to take the hook. just off is perfect, so you *may* need to add a small shot just above the hook. it would work well for float fishing provided you fish the bait on the bottom as you would when fishing the lift method.

...or someone like me who regularly lure fishes for pike and fly fishes for trout, but has never held a pole and has no interest in doing so

With my pike angler hat on and as someone who enjoys the roaming/lure fishing approach, I think I have far more in common with the fly fisherman than the chap who is sat on a seat box with a 16 metre pole.

1. a very large goldfish from a london dock at a time when it wasn't common to catch goldfish 2. sea trout/salmon on ledgered bread crust (see pic posted on one of the perch threads) 3. another sea trout/salmon caught from the queen mother reservoir in datchet when after rainbows (long story)

you're quite right. it's a game fish, but often targeted and caught by coarse anglers. a good example of what i'm talking about.

Jolanta's post about grayling made me think how ridiculous the distinction between coarse and game fishing is. It's totally artificial. I enjoy catching trout on 'coarse' gear and catching 'coarse' fish on fly gear. The old stereotypes of coarse and game anglers just don't hold true anymore, I can see little distinction on the basis of class or money and I know a lot of people who 'coarse' and 'game' fish. How about we just have freshwater fishing. What do you think?

RECYCLED POST if you are a beginner and want to get a few fish on the bank, i'd recommend a simple, small maggot feeder rig fished on the near shelf and re-cast every 10 minutes or so. it overcomes some of the problems that beginners have when starting out, like regular and accurate feeding. it also puts the bait on the bottom where most fish will be feeding. thinking back i wish someone had told me this. i might not have wasted my time fishing a float 4 ft deep in a 12 ft deep river and throwing in a few maggots every hour with predictably poor results. you can use your float rod for this without any worries, but make sure it's a small feeder. also, if your venue is in full flood as so many are at the moment, i'd give it a few days to settle down at least. finally, i'd hold off on the spinning, until you get a *little* more experience. it can be a costly (in terms of lost lures) and frustrating branch of the sport for the beginner and predatory fish need special handling.

Here's one I caught on the Fraser River in Canada. A day's fishing cost me about 300 quid and the guide said it was the smallest sturgeon he had ever seen!!! Also lost a biggie after a long fight

It's getting a bit depressing . Would anyone fancy throwing a line into this? I'm getting desperate now, so actually thinking of fishing it.

For those that are interested, the footage was taken at Stoney Cove (http://www.stoneycove.com). I dive there on a regular basis. It's an eye opener to see the fish in their natural environment and I would recommend SCUBA to any angler. Fishing not allowed at the site before anyone asks

they do seem to be in vogue at the moment. a big stripey is a nice fish to look at, but they are poor fighters even on british match-type tackle and half-hearted predators at the best of times.

just in case anyone fancies bringing their catch home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-VlDqOPGzo

i thought someone was going to say that! there was an EA officer there at the time and he said it was a salmon. either way, an accidental and interesting capture.