Del_R

Just been having a scout round on the web for the latest updates on this summer's expected drought - in the light of all this rain and swollen rivers I thought there might be some positive news. But I can't find anything. Then I thought I might find a webcam of the Elan valley or somewhere similar in order to have a butcher's at the water levels, but again nothing doing. So, how's it looking where you are? Here the Severn is very high, though back upstream seventy miles or so I believe they have the flood defences out. And according to Radio Five this morning, it's pelting down over the Welsh mountains and the grounds already so wet that it can't take anymore. All good news up to a point, I guess. That is, unless you live on the flood plains or your wellies leak... Regards, Del

It's me(*)! Is that not what the avatars are? I kind of assumed that it was through the avatars that we'll recognise each other on the bank. Del (*) Dressed for the motorcycle.

I recall the Donnington Monsters Of Rock 1981... AC/DC (albeit without Bon), Whitesnake (still in their bluesrock - rather than glamrock - phase), Blue Oyster Cult (eek - they were very poor!), Blackfoot (awesome - a mini Lynyrd Skynyrd!), Slade (they were brilliant - to me they sounded like ZZ Top from Brum. Though the bottles of pee that were flying all around the crowd kind of diverted attention somewhat), and More (don't remember them at all, I'm afraid. I suspect the bottles of pee were aimed at the stage during their set). Ahh... the smell of patchouli oil comes wafting back. Del

I remember seeing The Who waaaay back. Won't Get Fooled Again became my favourite song for a while after that gig. Behind Blue Eyes was another classic I remember from that night. Awesome. Derek

Cheers Mr Catchpole sir. You're a gent. And at least now no-one will muddle up John S and I if they bump into both (or either) of us on the bank one day. Regards, Del

It appears on my machine... little jpeg 48 x 48 pixels. Hopefully this is the right format. Cheers, Del

If all goes according to plan then a little image should appear in a mo'... If this is suitable can whoever has access to these things load it up onto to the list of avatars in order that I may then select it... Regards, Hopeful Del

John S, apologies about the avatar - I've now removed it. The profile page gave the impression I could choose one. There was no theft intended :-) I shall endeavour to create one of my own. Regards, Del

Exactly, Chesters! Pangolin, my being chuffed is directly in proportion to all the good memories that seeing that reel again brought forth. I've long been of the belief that we never lose any memories we just lose track of where they are and how to access them and that, given the right trigger, there they are again. Suddenly I'm remembering all those long bicycle trips to Sandhurst and Wainlodes and the fish that I did (and didn't catch) and the hooks that I got stuck in my fingers and the tangles endured and the races to see who could ride furthest up Wainlodes hill before having to get off and push and the day the only fish we caught was when a friend waded in and picked up a flounder (are these things still about? I've not heard mention of them in ages) by the tail and ... sorry, I was away for a moment there. Cheers, Del

Absolutely concur with all of this (poking about in poo aside). Two or three lunchtimes a week are spent walking down by the water's edge. I love to see a kingfisher streaking along just over the surface and the sound of a swan's huge wings slapping the air as she flies low and straight along the canal is a sight and sound I won't forget. And you can't beat a buzzard, too. Couple of times now I've seen them whilst out fishing. Brilliant. Del

quote: Are you saying you have a gramaphone!!! Absolutely. Doesn't everyone? Got some John Prine on now from 1976. Regards, Del

My father's been searching through his attic and has produced my old Prince Regent reel from way back when I started fishing(*). It's in good nick, too, nice and clean, and with a spare spool! Bit of oil and I think I might press gang it into action again. Chuffed Del (*) He also produced an old wallet of floats and hooks and things including amongst many other things a packet of "9 Baiting Hooks" and another of large barrel swivels - both unopened with the price still on - 5p from Woolworths!

Thanks for the correction, Mark. It is indeed an unweighted float I've bought (it was an error in my typing rather than my planning!). Interestingly the float is so buoyant I reckon a couple of these and they could have raised the Titanic with no effort at all. Kind regards, Del

Just sat here listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd (proper - pre-plane-crash Skynyrd, on vinyl, too!) and it occured to me that I may be the only person in the country doing so. And I've got a Little Feat album lined up next. The joys of working from home and proper music combined! Del

Few more gudgeon and you could have had yourself a three pound perch! Del

Thanks for the replies guys - though I'm even more confused now. The set up I'm considering is one that I've seen on various web-pages, books, magazines, and videos. Essentially, it's a weighted pencil float, cocked by tightening down to either a free-running ledger or some type of fixed weight (Fox Egg-Sinkers, for example). My logic tells me that with a float of such buoyancy if a fish picks up the bait and moves back towards the ledger then the line will be pulled through the free running ledger (by the buoyancy of the float) and thus I'll register the take by seeing the float rising up and/or dropping flat - depending on the amount of movement by the fish. On the other hand, if the weight were fixed, any movement on the trace side of the weight would not register on the float side of the weight (the weight preventing this) and thus I'd miss the take until the fish started to move away rather than towards the weight. I'm quite happy to experiment with both systems - and I've seen both recommended - I just don't get the logic of the fixed system. Cheers, Del [ 29. January 2004, 09:37 AM: Message edited by: Del_R ]

I'm trying to decide whether my ledger should be fixed in place or free to slide up and down the line in order to have the best chance of showing drop-back takes. The more I think about it the more a sliding ledger seems the most logical. But also, the more I think about it the more it seems that the fish could take the bait and move up to 18" (depending on the length of trace) before anything is registered on either method.(*) Slightly confused Del (*) Or do pike always take the bait in a violently enough manner that this isn't an issue?

There seems to be a connundrum here about how one would go about learning or gaining the experience in dealing with a deep hooked pike. Whilst appreciating that it's going to happen to everyone sooner or later (whatever their level of expertise) it's (hopefully) less likely to happen with the experts and the guides and the experienced pikers - in short the very people who the novice is encouraged to go out with initially. So a beginner could go out half a dozen times and not witness the unhooking of a deep hooked pike - and then on their first solo trip... Del

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. Pangolin, the lure - which has worked a couple of times for me in the last fortnight is a bright yellow and orange sinking diver (if that's the correct term - maybe I should call it a countdown lure, I don't know). Anyway, it's not too big and has a nice rattle in it. Closest thing I can find in the Harris catalogue is the Mean Hunter, though that one is apparantly a floating diver. The one I got was in the bargain bin at my local shop - wish I'd bought a couple now! Regards, Del

Had an hour's luring today and on my very first cast hooked into a nice pike. Eventually netted her (or maybe him) and found that I'd hooked her neatly right in the scissors. She felt and looked about twice the size of the one I caught last week and it was a fair old job lifting her out of the canal. Anyway, by the time I'd unhooked her she'd aleady been out of the water longer than I'd have wanted to be in it so I didn't take any photos or weigh her but I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't a ten... though maybe I'm just wishfully thinking. Didn't get any further takes at all. Maybe she went back and told all the others. Regards, Del

I always thought Sonny Rollins doing "It Could Happen To You" would be good at my funeral - but you're welcome to (hopefully) pre-empt that particular use of the number and play this suggestion at your wedding. Regards, Del

Jordan had a big leech attached to her breast so she went to see an Australian doctor. "Uhhhhm that's horrible," said the doctor. "Where did you pick it up?" "It was swimming in the jungle," said the leech. ;-) Del

It's one of those computer talk shortcuts: ROFLMA = Roll On The Floor Laughing My Ass Off Regards, Del

That reminds me... I must tell the uncle that we've "borrowed" his pole :-))

You could put a nice mural up there mixing various biblical and fishing scenes, then midway through a Mass, between the songs, it would give people something to gaze at... "Look there's a fellow up there walking on water, and there he is again feeding the masses with just three loaves and a fish, and look, there's a similar looking chap with a bivvie, three rods, a kettle, a bed and a pair of slippers!" "Now, you're just being silly!" Del [ 16. January 2004, 09:06 AM: Message edited by: Del_R ]