fenboy

Newt, I appreciate where you're coming from, but I do hope you remember how nearly every decent person in the world was shocked, horrified and sickened when 9/11 pitched up on your doorstep? What happened a couple of days ago was a catastrophe which could have been avoided - or, rather, all those tens of thousands of people needn't have died. Let's look at the facts. The scientists - the seismologists - knew of the huge underwater earthquake when it happened. They knew the effect it would have. But rather than warn the world, they were too busy getting excited by their dramatic graphs. I heard yesterday the rather feeble excuse that they didn't know who to report it to. We have been told that the tidal wave was travelling at 300mph. Now, I'd hazard a guess that Sri Lanka and southern India is probably 200 miles away. That means there were probably six hours in which they could have made the effort to figure out who to report it to. I expect they were more interested in celebrating the fact that they'd recorded the biggest earthquake for 40 years. Yes, I realise that most of the victims were poor foreigners. But dare I suggest that coloured people, peasants and Muslims die just as painfully and terribly as Brits and Christians?

I think the point is that hunting hasn't really got a great deal to do with pest control or killing. It's more a countryside social occasion where horsey folk get together for a brisk gallop across the countryside. More a tradition than anything else. And that's what those mean-minded politicans were so keen to stamp out. As Budgie pointed out, most don't get to witness the kill. They're not really interested. But I must take issue with you on one thing, Budgie - and that's the drunk in charge of a horse business. I've yet to hear of an accident, fatal or otherwise, caused by a huntsman while under the influence of alcohol. So why should there be legislation drawn up to prevent this (non-existent) "problem". I'm sorry, Budgie - nothing personal - but that's the mentality of the Government... banning things when there isn't any evidence of them causing any serious problem in the first place. And it's exactly THAT sort of mentality that will eventually get angling banned. The problem here is tolerance, or rather lack of it. The UK populace has become so small-minded that everybody wants to see laws passed against everything they don't understand or agree with, overlooking the rights of the people who just happen to have a contrary view. Anyone else remember the days when eccentricy was a valued trait among the British? When eccentricty was something you smiled about, and certainly didn't try try to outlaw? Everyone is so PC these days. They go with the crowd and ignore the real issues that are turning this country into a really nasty, mean-minded place to live in. It's also a country of double standards. In recent weeks I've been staggered by the David Blunkett saga as it unfolded. Let's forget the salacious elements of the story and concentrate on just one: the fraudulent use of a first class rail warrant by his lover. Once caught out, Blunkett offered to refund the £180-odd. And that was apparently okay. Mr Blair wants him back in the cabinet asap. How come? He was guilty of theft. And as Home Secretary he was in charge of law and order. It's an insane situation. If I'd been caught out stealing in my place of employment, to the tune of £180, I would have been sacked for gross misconduct. I expect virtually everyone on this forum would suffer the same fate. We are suffering a corrupt Government... and a populist one that will have no hesitation in banning angling if it keeps the right-on luvvies happy. The frustrating thing to me is that most people seem to be turning a blind eye to what's going on. In my opinion, an angler voting this shower in again is akin to turkeys voting for Christmas.

You've picked a good day for deadbaiting. There's a low pressure front coming... it's very windy and rainy outside. But I hope you've read all the stuff on this forum in the past of bite detection. Deep-hooked pike are bad news, both for the inexperienced angler and the pike itself. Best of luck.

There's something rather irksome about these must-have new bling stuff... insofaras many of them are promoted by well-known anglers who should know better. Every top angler I have known has succeeded because they have a wonderfully uncomplicated approach to rigs etc, concentrating instead on watercraft. Yet many of these same anglers are willing to promote junk they'd never use (not in private, anyway). There's nothing new here, of course. For as long as men have been fishing they've sought out "secret" baits and additives which fish can't resist. If they were to concentrate on their own shortcomings instead they would probably achieve their dreams. But, while there are suckers around looking for shortcuts, there'll always be unscrupulous people flogging garbage at inflated prices. Or am I being over-cynical?

Tim... lurebuilding.nl is amazing. Those guys really know what they are doing. The quality of the stuff they are turning out is amazing and I doubt if I will ever have the skills to turn out such beautifully-crafted creations. Hopefully the pike (plus perch, zander and chub) that I hope to eventually catch on my own baits won't sneer at the more amateurish finish I will be capable of achieving. My biggest pike to an artifical to date weighed 29-01. When I eventually get a 30, I want it to be on one of my own. Something to aim for, eh?

Newt, I just went through the site clicking on the "Add" button every time I found something I liked. But nothing seemed to happen and there wasn't any introduction on how to order, etc. I think I already have Java installed (never had a problem ordering from any other website in the past). Incidentally, thanks for the explanation for the fishing-free Cabelas catalog. All is clear. The trouble with being a Brit is you forget how big countries like the US are. When I drove Route 66 from Arizona to LA earlier this year, I stopped off at most of the small towns to seek out fishing tackle shops, but most of the items for sale were a bit small for my taste - ie aimed at bass and trout - I'd forgotten that I was too far south for pike and muskies. However, what I did find and buy were excellent value.

Peter, lathe appears to be good for getting a perfect turned shape prior to further working for finishing touches. At least I hope so - it's early days yet. (incidentally, some of my favourite pike plugs do have a perfectly round profile - eg Heddons Lucky 13). Newt, I've been trying desperately to spend some money on Jann's Netcraft site, but I can't for the life of me work out how to order anything (when I try to "add" an item nothing happens and I can't find any way of viewing shopping basket or, indeed, how to send my order). Am I missing something. Tim, Thanks for those sites... I'm working through them right now. Slodger, Thanks for that advice. I'm sure I'll have a lot of disappointments, but that should make the successes all the sweeter. ANd finally Peter again... Can't wait to see how to rig the circles. I've nver used them. Ever.

I think John Ellison has hit the nail right on the head. I've no interest in hunting, and I happen to think the fox is a beautiful creature that I wouldn't dream of harming in any way. HOWEVER... I fiercely oppose a Government that wastes its time on forcing through this Act on a clear basis of class spite, gleeful in the knowledge that they are upsetting gentry/countryfolk. This has little to do with preventing cruelty. If so, they would concentrate on factory farming, which is truly disgusting. But the fact is, there are much more important issues for Government to concentrate on... instead of Nannying us all. Sorry to be controversial - and I didn't think I'd ever have to say this - but any angler who votes Labour is signing the death warrant for his own sport. I bitterly regret voting Labour back in 1997 and will never do so again. Please don't make me laugh by saying "there are too many anglers" for the Government to legislate against us. If there are, say, 3 million of us in this country, then there are 60 million non-anglers. Government thinking is done by the chattering classes in trendy dinner parties and bars in Islington. And you can bet that they despise angling. Just wait and see.

Thanks for that, Slodger. I'll contact him this week. I'm on a steep learning curve at the moment, having invested in a wood-turning lathe and various other toys. I decided to do this for two reasons: 1. I'm not that impressed by the larger plugs available commercially with regards to durability of the rigging and quality of finish. 2. Bigger plugs and jerkbaits are absurdly expensive for what they are. Apart from spinnerbaits and spoons I've made in the past, the vast majority of the pike I've had on artificals over the years (since 1967, to be exact) have come to commercially-produced items. I'm therefore eagerly anticipating my first big pike on a home-grown. ANybody with any tips, please pass them on. As I said, I'm new to this wood-turning lark. Cheers.

I am not a PAC member. I dropped out several years ago, for political reasons which have nothing to do with this thread. Therefore I don't get Pikelines and haven't got contact details for Nick Green. Can anybody give details, please?

Crikey, another site I didn't know existed. This is turning out to be an expensive day! Thanks, Andrew.

Funny you should say that, Andrew. Although Cabelas hasn't got such a great range, I'm thinking of ordering some more stuff from them, too... Incidentally, Cabelas latest Fall catolgue (sorry, catalog) dropped on my doorstep (wouldn't go through the letterbox) last week. I was very excited, until I realised that there wasn't any fishing tackle in it at all. Lots of thing to shoot deer, bear, etc, though. Ah well, I'm sure the Spring catalog will be worth the wait.

Is anybody else out there making their own pike lures? Today I stumbled across an amazing website I hadn't heard of before, namely: http://www.staminainc.com/ It is stuffed with lure-making stuff I just didn't know existed, plus some other tackle items that are difficult to obtain in the UK. I have placed a sizeable order, accordingly. I will let you know how good the service is once the first order has arrived. Assuming the service is good, I will be placing a lot more, no doubt! Just a couple of question to AN regulars: Peter Waller, having read you waxing lyrical on circle hooks for piking, I've ordered some in size 1, 2/0, 4/0 and 5/0 (just to make sure). Could you please give us as much info as possible on rigging soft plastics and shads, plus any other applications you use them for? Ta! Newt, I'm sure you have heard of the above company. Are there any others in the US that sell the same sort of items, that you can recommend? Thanks again. And a belated season's greetings to all.

Just one more small point, how could it ever be proved that a record fish was caught by design? Too many methods/baits overlap. The sort of gear a specimen tench angler would use is similar to that employed by a carp angler. Likewise chub and barbel, etc. Also, tomorrow I may go fish for two species - pike and zander - knowing that the tactics I use are likely to catch both. If I was to catch either a record pike or zander, should it be disqualified because I was only devoting 50 per cent of my attention to that species. No, there is no real merit to the capture of most record fish. As JG and others many times in the past have said, it is merely a record of the heaviest of each species. We have to content ourselves that some records past and present - eg Walker's 44 carp - were genuinely meritous captures. Either way, they're a target to either aim for or dream of. I think I prefer the latter, as the likelihood of achieving the former is so slim as to leave me perennially disappointed. You never know, though...

It's not going to happen, Ratty, and I for one are glad. I love the fact that the record perch was caught by accident by a young lad from a carp pool. That's what fishing's all about - the mystery and the surprise. Long may it remain so. I hope tomorrow a complete beginner goes out and flukes a rcord barbel, carp, whatever. Hopefully one that hasn't ever been caught before and therefore hasn't got a "name".

Yes, I agree that the Sun and Star style of journalism has reached its sell-by date. But it still lives on in the local papers, where young reporters and sub-editors (headline writers) continue the groan-inducing tradition. The problem is that the journo can become so obsessed with puns that it makes the story difficult to read... and in which case neither the journo nor the story are doing their job, which is to present information in a way that the reader finds accessible and enjoyable. Personally, I find tabloid-style journalism tedious, but as long as millions keep buying the Sun every day, I guess it will live on.

There's so often an delicious irony to AN postings... Some of you wonder why angling mags (and UK press in general) publish people's occupations? Well, the general fascination with each others' occupations, as shown on this thread, probably explains why! Humans (UK humans, at least) are fascinated about what other humans do. In tabloid journalism it also makes puns easier to write, ie: Carlisle carpenter Harry Bloggs is a chip off the old block (or whatever). But as to why young men should want to waste their youth camped in bivvies for days on end when there are much more enjoyable things for young men do puzzles me greatly.

Or, even more cheaply... I had mine made by a friend with welding equipment about 25 years ago and still have it. It consists of two s/steel bolts, welded head to head (1/4in Whitworth and 3/8 BSF if I remember correctly - please correct me if I've given the wroing sizes, it was a long time ago).

Slightly off topic, but the trouble with jointed plugs of all sorts is that they are poor for casting any distance and extra-prone to getting rear treble tangled with trace, even when casting with a multiplier (worse with a fixed spool). But if you can put up with the above drawbacks, they do work.

Just a small correction, if I may. The jointed Hi-Lo plus was a sinker.

John S... How can Mr Crabtree, a cartoon character, be oiur greatest angler? He was/is ink on a page. That's all. Also, when did he take tench for the pot? I'm pretty sure he - or rather the cartoon fictional Mr C - did no such thing.

Mr Crabtree is politically incorrect and therefore unacceptable. He smoked a pipe. And he took young Peter fishing in winter wearing just short trousers. They'd call the social services in for that sort of stuff these days.

I've caught pike from, I'd guess, hundreds of waters. Doubles from dozens. Twenties from about 20. And I've never yet met any that followed teh rules. You get the occasional trends, but they are usually short-lasting and probably don't mean much anyway. So often it has been the exception to the "rule" that throws up the welcome surprises. Fish with an open mind for pike and you'll catch more. Oh yes, and move swims and work harder than you'd imagine necessary. That's the best rule/advice anyone could give.

But he's fictional! Surely there's a real one out there?

Can't remember where I read the statistic, but I can confidently assert that pedestrians run over by steamrollers are more likely to die from their injuries than those run over by bicycles.