Del_R

I play guitar and gig a bit too, Pangolin. Alas, not every weekend. Or maybe that should be "Thank goodness, not every weekend!" There was a time when it was so but now I must admit the monthly residence we have is just about right. Del

That looks good! Cheers, guys.

I’ve read in a couple of places (including on the back of the box and in one of the monthlies) that one way to use a feeder is to attach it via big loop tied in the line. At the end of this loop you tie a smaller loop via which you attach your hook length. You can use a strategically placed shot or small rubber ball to prevent the feeder running too far up or down the big loop. This seems to work well and I caught a number of nice fish on it last time out. But is it considered a safe rig? Were the line to break above the larger loop surely the feeder has no way of being released. Or am I missing something obvious? Cheers, Del

Cheers Johnny! You've answered two questions in one as I've often wondered what a whip was (but have been too embarrassed to ask on account of either appearing dense or for fear of entering a painful and dark side of angling!). Kind Regards, Del

The lad's decided that he wants to try a spot of pole fishing next time out and to this end has borrowed his uncle's pole. Now I know nothing about poles but I suspect this one is fairly old. All the ones that I've seen bankside appear to come apart into lots of lengths, whereas this is totally telescopic. My question is this - what end tackle do I need to purchase in order to keep the lad happy? I've seen the end of the pole and all that's there is a tiny wire loop. This doesn't match up with anything that I've seen in the magazines/websites that I've been perusing (all of which mention bungs and bushes and connectors, none of which I can figure out how to attach to this particular pole). All help gratefully received! Cheers, Del.

I use a swing tip on an old split cane rod. A lad came up to me the other week and said he'd never seen one before - wasn't sure if he meant a rod made of wood or the swing tip! Nevertheless, the swing tip still suffices for me (until the day I bite the bullet and buy one of these new fangled quiver tip rods...). Del

Yeah!! This morning's short session resulted in my first fish on a lure. Well chuffed. It was a pike - my first ever pike, too. So that's two firsts today. Not particularly big - though it looked huge when it was laid on the mat looking up at me saying "so how are you going to get this hook out then, pal?" Luckily all the articles and advice I've read came into play and I did the whole kneeling over it, left hand fingers through the gill covers, slide up, open the mouth, oh dear the hook's way down there, forceps through gill covers routine, and it all worked a treat. Lord knows how sacry that would be on a twenty pounder though! I do need a bigger landing net, though. Even this small pike was too big for the one I have. I can feel a visit to the Harris site coming on. Great stuff! Apologies for rambling. Chuffed Del

Almost caught my first fish on a lure today. Grrr... the big blighter (well, medium sized blighter...) got off the hook just as I reached down for my landing net. I guess the lesson learned is to keep that tension on! It was a jack and it was the only take of two sessions this week... so close! Still, at least I know that these things can work. Sometimes it seems like a huge leap of faith. Anyway, that was only my third spinning session and the fact that I hooked something and got it all the way to the bank does at least fill me with some hope. Happy New Year! Del

Ah well... that's another few quid down the drain then. Ramblin' Gamblin' Del

Following on from Sunday's abandoned session I've been wondering how long a pint of maggots can be kept for? Cheers, Derek

An exotic fishing holiday for me please. Something involving Nile Perch or Blue Marlin or Tarpon. Del

Yep, we had a gravel pit at the end of the lane I lived in. My old man used to crush the barbs of hooks and send me and my mates down there. I recall lots of casting competitions (nothing fancy, just tie on the biggest bomb you had and aim for the horizon), a few perch, and lots of turning up rocks looking for newts. Alas, a fews years later they ran electricty through the lake, took all the fish away, drained the pit, filled in the hole, and there's now a housing estate there. Sigh. Del

Was looking forward to a Sunday's fishing. Had it all planned out... continue my lure fishing experimentations with a long roving session at the canal. I've spoken to a few people in the week and have been given some good location tips. But then I figured I ought to do the right thing and ask the GF's lad if he fancied a day's fishing (as opposed to Xmas shopping with his mum). Is the Pope a Catholic? Of course he'd love it. However, despite the eagerness there was a touch of reticence in his voice that worried me. Nevertheless, the plans were changed (no lure fishing, it's off down a commercial where he can practice what he's learned so far about floats and patience), maggots were purchased, and a last chance to pass on the opportunity was offered. No way, the lad is keen as mustard. He loves fishing. Took a while to get there. Got him set up and fishing. Just plumbing the depth on my swim when he needs a loo break. No worries. We take a break. Back to the swim. Pay the man £12 (there's no discount for 8 year olds). The lad catches a little roach before I've even put any bait on my hook. Help him with the disgorger. then he surprsies me as he asks, "What time are we going?" Going? I haven't started yet! "Why? Do you want to go?" "No, I was just wondering." Get my bait in. Catch a couple of good roach. Hook a few that get off inches from the bank, but it's all shaping up well. "I'm a bit cold." "Do you want your coat?" "Yes." Back to the car. Get coat. "When are we going?" "Do you want to go?" "No. Actually, yes. I don't feel well..." We pack up. He sits in the car whilst the other anglers who have watched my half a dozen casts ponder on the shortest session in angling history. Back in the car and off we head home. I've fished for about ten minutes altogether and am pondering wistfully on the missed roving session when he asks "When are we going fishing again?" He gets home and goes out into the street to play soccer. Deep breath. Smile. Anyone want a pint of coloured maggots? Del

I keep forseeing great catches, too. Alas my precognition seems to be slightly out of kilter with reality. Still, maybe one day...

I was indeed fishing the Quedgeley/Hardwicke section. I'd heard that there were pike to be had in the turning bay along by the Pilot Inn bridge and I'd also heard that there had been some zander and pike caught recently in the section just off Sims bridge (still Quedgeley) so it was the latter section I chose for my first attempt (it being closer to work). I think I metioned that I couldn't fish exactly where I wanted on account of that area was busy so I just headed for some likely looking weedy areas. It was as much to do with trying out the different lures and seeing what they looked like in the water as catching fish... though of course catching something would have been nice! I shall persevere with a few more lunchtime sessions when circumstances permit. The Tewkesbury suggestion is excellent. Many thanks. Though I fear it's a tad too far for a lunchtime. If I can get all my Christmas shopping out of the way and organise a free Sunday morning I may have a trip up that way sooner rather than later. Today would have been nice - the weather was lovely down here. Alas, I was doing the right thing and taking the good lady round the shops! Del

There was only one boat (a narrowboat) that chugged slowly by today. Occasionally there's a dredger or two that work this length and there are sometimes tall ships in the docks but that's sadly rare. Mostly it's pleasure stuff and so it's quite quiet at the mo'. I think I tried everything but a spinnerbait today: a regular spinner, a couple of diving crankbaits (I think...), and a spoon. All of them looked far more fishlike in the water than out, and it was interesting trying to impart some realistic action into them. A question - how does this "counting down" work? I understand the theory - cast in and count down until the lure hits the bottom (assuming it doesn't float, of course) and then recast but count down slightly less. I tried this but had no idea when the lure was reaching the bottom. It was quite windy out there and watching the movement of the line didn't help. Cheers, Del

Took the opportunity of having an hour's lure fishing at lunchtime. Didn't catch anything. Didn't expect to catch anything - on account of I've never lure fished before and the water was very colourful and I'm not sure there were any fish in the length of canal I was fishing anyway (*) (Gloucester & Sharpness canal). But it was an opportunity to see how these lure thingameejigs work in the water and it sure beat wandering down to the garage for a sandwich and a newspaper. Most enjoyable and I think I may make this a regular gig. (*) Apparantly some Zander and Pike have been caught recently on a stretch about a hundred yards back towards town, but as there were already a couple of guys fishing down there I figured I'd best take my splashing in the opposite direction. Del

I've taken the money I won from the Rugby World Cup and have put it on the kids from Pop Idol. Fingers crossed! Though I agree about the lack of soul. Suzannah is the only one who seemed to have any. Del.

I took the girlfriend's lad to one of our local commercials. He had a great day, caught a lot of silverfish including a perch that spiked him. "Ah, I meant to warn you about that," says I. Still, he'll probably remember the lesson better now. :-)) There was another older lad there, too, who was kind enough to pass on lots of wisdom and help and the two of them were fishing away like old buddies ("I want a pole for Christmas," says the GF's lad on the way home, after seeing how effective it was). Me, on the other hand. I had a good day in the sense that a bad day's fishing is better than a good day working. But it was frustrating. I felt kind of like one of those football players who faced with just the keeper to beat can't decide whether to go left or right and ends up kicking the ball right into the goalie's arms. I started off legering with a small feeder and just didn't feel right with the location so I moved and still it didn't feel right so I changed tack and tried float-fishing the margins, but with the lads chatting away and walking up and down I felt that was probably not going to be too productive so I changed swims and... and so it went on. I didn't blank but now I wish I'd just stuck to my original game-plan. Still, we made a new friend, learned some lessons, saw a buzzard, and got out of the washing up. I guess that has to be considered a result. Derek

It could be "Stems".

Aside from the folks already mentioned, Neil Hodgson is World Superbike Champion. Then there's Doug Lampkin, the trials rider, who's won the world championship for about the past ten years (he's so good I'm simply assuming he's won it/going to win it again this year). Then we have Nicola Cooke who's the female World Cycling Champion and I'm pretty sure we have a couple of other world cycling champions (Bradley Wiggins and David Miller spring to mind - but I wouldn't bet on it). And these are just the sports I'm familiar with. Of course, Jonny's going to win it, though I think Big Martin Johnson deserves it more. The overseas award should go to Tyler Hamilton who rode that amazing Tour De France with a broken collarbone. Two Wheeled Derek

Oops.. must have pressed send twice! [ 13. November 2003, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: Del_R ]

Two Gloucester props - got to be a good decision. Though we're missing them (along with all the other players we lost to the RWC) at Kingsholm. We even lost to Bath last weekend which is kind of like loading all your gear into a boat, getting to the deepest part of the lake sinking, loosing everything you own, then somehow scrabbling to the shore only to find someone's nicked your car; only worse. Del

So, as mentioned in my first post here’s Del’s opening question. How do you know where you’re allowed to fish when it comes to rivers? Looking at the Landranger maps I’m blessed with hundreds of miles of great coarse rivers round here – the Severn, the Wye, the Warwickshire Avon, the Teme, the Lugg, and many many others. Some of the rights are, I know, controlled by the BAA, or the GUA, (and other clubs that I don’t remember right now but that I’ve read about on the web and in the angling press). Some lengths are available to fish with a day-ticket, and some are free. All of this is fine (and no doubt I'll be joining an organisation or two) – but it only covers a tiny percentage of the rivers’ length. What about all of the other hundreds of miles of bank? I assume that much of it belongs to the farmers and landowners through whose ground the waters run. But what of the areas that flow through common land and forestry? Is there a register that lists who owns what and where a “commoner” can fish? Should I just leave such stretches alone or can I have a wander down there and see what happens? I don’t want to restart my career by inadvertently turning into a poacher, but equally I don’t want to miss out on fishing some beautiful waters, especially as the wild natural rivers miles from anywhere appeal to me much more than my local commercials (which, of course, still appeal a lot more than no waters at all!). Any advice will be much appreciated. Kind Regards, Del

Here's me saying a quick hello to all of you. I've been lurking a while and benefiting from lots of good advice (some of it pretty old thanks to the Search facility) and finally figured I ought to pop up out of the weeds and expose myself, sotospeak. I've just returned to this angling lark after twenty-five years or so. Back then I always borrowed my old man's cane rods and Mitchell reels, and so far this autumn that same old kit (which must be forty years old by now) has served me well. I have, however, just invested in a s/h carp rod (despite the old man - who's also getting interested again - saying "You don't need a carp rod, you can borrow the Mark IV if you're careful), a cheap Leeda waggler, and another reel. I can't believe how light the carbon rods are and how smooth the reel is. Times have changed. Seems like many other things have changed, too. There wasn't a single kid on the old stretch of the Severn that I used to fish most weekends all those years ago when I walked by last Saturday morning. Maybe it's no longer free (see Del's first question in the next post). The huge amount of Commercial lakes and ponds is new too - as is the amount of big carp being caught. Back in the old days it was a rare and wondrous occasion. Then there's the amount of bait used these days - I've read of ten pints of maggots being used in a day on some swims, and kilos and kilos of ground bait being put in. Maybe this is where I went wrong all those years ago when a half-pint of maggots and a couple of worms lasted us all day long. Anyway, I'm wafffling. So apologies for that. What happened was my girlfriend's son (hereafter known as "the lad") was keen to go fishing and I got the gig and darn if I didn't hook myself, figuratively, of course. I'm keen to have a go at some carp next year or even this winter if it global warming means it's really just a long autumn followed by a spring, and I'm keen to have a crack at some pike and perch (which have long been my favourite ever since my first ever fish as a sleepy eight year old was a two pounder from a lake which may or may not still exist but it was out at Newnham On Severn and belonged to the Rodbenders). That’s it really. I have tons of questions. Books and web-searches and my local dealer answer a lot of them, some of the others I’ll post here. I’m lucky enough to have a lot of decent waters close by and I’ve already pencilled in about six venues that I want to have a crack at sooner rather than later. That’s it! Apologies for being somewhat loquacious, I’ll try and keep the word count down in future. Kind Regards, Del