darrell.cook

Thanks for the info guys. I went for this because it stated that it was broadband and always on line, it's sold as a 3X faster broadband connection - seems it's not!! It took 23 attempts to connect this morning, I'm going fishing now but will have words with tiscali ( When they answer the helpline phone!! )

Anyone tried the Tiscali broadband service ? I've signed up for the 3 x faster connection and have had nothing but trouble. I was fed-up with the dial up connection using Freeserve so thought the Tiscali service was the answer. First thing, I still need to dial up ???? If I'm lucky I connect - chances are it won't it averages 9 attempts before I connect - some days I just give up. :mad: From day 1 it just shuts dowm - NT authority alert or something - apparently this is due to me being infected with a MS Blast virus ? I've spent hours on the phone with them intalled and run Fix blast, a patch, etc. and it still happens every now and then. What's it all about ? I just want to swith on, use the internet and not be bothered with Technical jargon, problems or all the wretched pop-ups!! Can anyone offer me any help ?

It's been a long tome since I posted on AN, so hello again to everyone. I just wanted to share one of my best mornings fishing with someone - the wife doesnt understand me I've just returned from a couple of hours fishing on the rever Itchen, near where I live in Southampton, today I fished a stretch I haven't fished before and am delighted to say I caught my first river carp. Next cast followed my second! The first fish was not like I imagined a river carp to be - it was a mirror and resembled a football! It was as long as it was wide as it was deep and weighed in at 12lb 4oz. The second was so pale as to be almost Koi like, but had a classic shape and weighed in at 8lb exactly. I always thought a river carp would be long and lean, especially from small fast rivers like the Itchen. Anyone else had experience of river carp ? Certainly gave a good account of itself and was a little different to the chub I was targeting!!

Peter, you seem to be the reversal of myself! I came from Wales (S.E.) and now live in Southampton. To be honest most rivers would seem barren compared with the Itchen! I can't answer your question, so what can you tell me about the Itchen and other local venues. I've fished the Itchen along Chickenhall Lane and think it's fantastic, so good in fact that I havn't fished anywhere else yet (I've only been here a few months).

Welcome Mark, You've already made your best fishing investment - by joining this site! I've just moved to Hampshire, and the fishing here is excellent. where is Headley? I work in Bishopstoke and live in Hedge End. I can recommend Eastleigh and District as a club they have some excellent waters. Peter - did you ever fish the Itchen at Bishopstoke? Anyway back to your question, rod wise you could do worse than a John Wilson Avon, consider second hand - Ebay is a good source for fishing tackle. The avon style allows you to float fish or leger. I've not fished it but people have told me Longbridge is a good commercial venue.

How right you are Chris!I had a short 2 1/2 hour session this morning and managed a dozen, all mint, the biggest 2lb exactly. Others on the stretch were fishing maggot, and having the odd one. I used corn, and they really switched on to it. As Steve said big baits........ Yesterday I fished the same stretch with legered breadflake hoping for Chub - no luck with Chevin but did have a Salmon of 6lb! First ever Salmon so a memorable day. Being at the river's edge when the fields are covered in frost is one of Angling's treasures.

Surely this guy is just out to wind people up? It is a serious issue that has been constructively debated on this and other forums several times before, but in this instance B & P has dropped it in the gutter. Have you noticed how words like barbel are mispelled and yet words like oxygenated are spot on - forgive me for being cynical but it does beg the question about who's making a monkey out of who.

Brilliant Gray! Really is a great stretch that, noted for good silver fish bags on the float, particularly along the far wall. The river looks great, nice level and current. Are you fishing it a lot, what about the mouth where it enters the Wye? I really miss our trips.

Craig, Because the whip is probably all telescopic you would be better off just elasticating the top section, otherwise it wll be a pain when you collapse it. You'll need a bung - conical peice of plastic that sits inside the bottom of the section to anchor the elastic, elastic - no. 5 should be about right - this will handle fish upto a couple of pound. Lastly a connector to fix your rig to. Fix the elastic to the connector with a double overhand knot and fix to the bung using the same knot - this time leaving a large loop. The loop acts as an extra shock absorber, effectively double the tension. The elastic should be set with sufficient tension to retract back in a crisp manner, not hang out of the end. It helps if you give the elastic a good stretching first. All told it may cost you £5 to £6, so providing the shop give you the full spool of elastic - not just the piece they use - it may be worth spending the tenner and watching the process, better still buy the items from them and ask them if they will help you to elasticate it. If they refuse go elsewhere!

Pike. Last Autumn and winter I fished almost totally for pike. In the autumn watching them follow or just crash from nowhere into surface lures - fantastic. The variety of methods you can use include all sorts, legering, float, sunk float, etc. all add to the appeal for me. There is something hard to define about pike - top of the food chain and all that.

well I'm not a new poster - but it has been many months since I put fingers to keyboard. The reason being I've moved from South Wales to Southampton - new job and all that. At present I'm living in temporary rented accomadation, nearly all my gear is in storage. I say nearly because I kept two rods and reels and a small bag of tackle, net, etc. I've just joined the local club - Eastleigh and District, anyone here a member? The membership allows fishing rights for November to February on a private stretch of the river Itchen. Up until yesterday I'd never seen a 1lb Grayling - today I'm lucky enough to have caught five, two of which were nearer 2lb. Together with the best looking brown trout I've ever seen and a p.b. chub 3lb 8 0z - this weekend as been the Second best fishing experience I've had! (The first will always be the Barbel fishing weekend on the severn / Teme organised through A.N. with the barbel society, where Gray Catchpole and I caught our first ever barbel, all thanks to John Found and Steve Pope). Anyway its nice to be back, congratulations to Lyn - I bet you still haven't come back to earth yet! :cool: Graham E - I'm working on the wife for next years birthday present

Lyn, not yet. Have made an offer on a place in Hedge End, so we're going through the process, The Itchen looks fantastic! also not too far from Broadlands. I think there's fishing at Botleigh Grange in Hedge end, anyone know? Also found a lovely looking pond in Bishops Waltham

Lyn, not yet. Have made an offer on a place in Hedge End, so we're going through the process, The Itchen looks fantastic! also not too far from Broadlands. I think there's fishing at Botleigh Grange in Hedge end, anyone know? Also found a lovely looking pond in Bishops Waltham

Andy If you buy it with a credit card, then transfer the balance on to another one you can often get 6 months free credit!

Andy If you buy it with a credit card, then transfer the balance on to another one you can often get 6 months free credit!

My advise would be to take your time before buying one. I had a Drennan but found it hard work trotting with as they can "feel" very heavy after a period of time.

My advise would be to take your time before buying one. I had a Drennan but found it hard work trotting with as they can "feel" very heavy after a period of time.

Spot on!If you can find this groundbait it really is excellent. When I worked nights I would bait a swim on my local pond on the way to work and fish it on the way home. The Tench would be fizzing like mad!

Spot on!If you can find this groundbait it really is excellent. When I worked nights I would bait a swim on my local pond on the way to work and fish it on the way home. The Tench would be fizzing like mad!

Not got one myself, but my fishing partner has, lovely reel. £50 is expensive though, keep watching e-bay they often come up and are usually less than £30.

Not got one myself, but my fishing partner has, lovely reel. £50 is expensive though, keep watching e-bay they often come up and are usually less than £30.

On the subject of JW avons, does anyone have a butt section for the signature model? I've had a relacement on order from my local shop since January Apparently there are problems with the supplier (Masterline) :confused: so if anyone has just a butt let me know, alternatively if anyone is interested in an Avon top or quiver top also let me know.

On the subject of JW avons, does anyone have a butt section for the signature model? I've had a relacement on order from my local shop since January Apparently there are problems with the supplier (Masterline) :confused: so if anyone has just a butt let me know, alternatively if anyone is interested in an Avon top or quiver top also let me know.

Many thanks Lyn, look forwaed to it!