Tog

Peter, to stir this up a bit I have started a new topic 'Would you Kill your Catch?'

So here's an argumentative thread continuing on the 'Greens' theme. If angling were to be turned into a 'food gathering' only pursuit would you continue angling? Answers on a postcard please to.... oh yes I must put my point of view! I started as a game angler - & don't have a problem with 'knocking them on the head' - but only because I ate them, Don't want to kill for fun. Therefore I would go back to game / sea if any such arrangement were law.

I'm lucky to have a 'wagon' long enough to take my rods fully built up with a swivel link ready on the line. Turn up clip on the terminal tackle and away you go. I've often put a bait out before the chap who arrived the same time hasn't even filled up his barrow.

Rather poor pics - but it don't look quite right for a sturgeon?(where's the diamond plates?) They certainly take baits - a camping lake I fish in France has them to 20Lb and they leap out the water like Tarpon! (use meaty - barbel baits on e'm).

Did you not get any flack from the local potters? I've had one give me a mouthful for 'being seen near to' one of his 'keel catchers' while out feathering from the boat. (Mudeford way).

7.5 Feet Newt? - Blimey that vaccum pump you got was good!

24% of the electorate (for England) actualy voted for Labour and 41% thought that 'none of the above' was the better option (they could not be arsed to vote). So don't think this time 'I can't be bother'd' as the US election proved - a few votes can make a big difference. Which brings us to 'Who to vote for?' which party is the most pro angling and likely to promote it? (the prob with Labour is the 'hunting issue').

Like you Pangolin I suffered at first with getting out with the controller - and it seems the fish can be very wary of them. I try to cast accross the edge of a lilly pad and bring the controller up on top of it. Savage takes ensue but you must get'em away from the weed quick! Also try a nice big chunk of bread - dip it just before casting and you can freeline it quite some distance. I'm after some of that 'plastic' bread this season as it stays on & the flying rats don't like it! With 'striking' I mostly wait a sec or two until I see the line move or slide (using bino's if req) If not I seem to whip it out from carpy's open mouth. Very similar to the 'fly fisher's delay. I've often left a floating bait and seen the same fish 'take' it many times before it finaly engulfs the bait and I tighten to the fish. Good luck

The problem with the Euro elections is the 'proportional representation' which as a true 'liberal type’ I should be in favour of - but it means we do end up with quite a few members of the parliament who's views are well left or right of centre. Then these groups come up with cosy little deals to vote for this and that and then you have 'no 'sport' fishing’ - as in Germany (all catches must be killed) Don’t think this can’t happen here because it can! The biggest postbag MP's get is not about asylum or abuse of children but about silly men in red suits chasing furry mammals. Make sure YOU write to your MP, Maybe not ‘supporting’ hunting as is but recommending that it be allowed under the rules suggested by the CA. I know many of you don’t think that the CA is helping us by trying to ‘rope’ angling into the ‘action’ but they do have a point and believe me that the people funding the current ‘Anti’ action have angling well in their sights. So if any ‘greenie’ try’s to get you to sign ‘a petition to stop abuse of furry creatures’ tell them politely that you’re an angler and you’d rather protect children or the help the elderly than squabble over the thickness of a cell wall. (Has anyone tried ‘foxburger’ they can’t taste as bad as a wrasse can they?) PS - next time a chum say’s how much they hate hunting ask them ‘what if the fox weren’t furry?’ - maybe a nice scaly ‘reptile’ with great big gnashing teeth – would they care then? (Or a fish for that matter!)

Newt's 'nightsneakers' reminded me of when I got my paws on an ex army set of night vision sights about 10 years ago. They were in a big batch that were being scrapped - I found a couple of pairs that looked OK and managed to sort out the leads and batteries ETC from a few more sets. Anyways - I found out why the squadies sent 'em back - they were brill for about 15 mins and just when you had your night vision sorted and were searchin out interesting things to view 'FLASH' they went right in your eyes! - like seeing an arc weld it was! - imagine that when you'r in Belfast or Kosovo - I'd have needed new pants! I've got a fine set of bino's circa 1950 all ally, ex navy sure the're big but hey - they were cheap!

Lures, Same as the latest fly,plug,rubber whatever - all designed to lure money from unsuspecting anglers!

I see this thread has got to the 'knock the others' stage now! As my earlier posts stated I find it very hard to knock any other forms of 'angling' and OK I don't fish carp puddles or match fish, But I do visit trout ponds where the stock level is 'generous' and can be quite happy to 'bag up'. I think 'in the wrong hands' this 'elastic handlining' is dangerous to both angler and fish - in the right hands and where permited it is just another arrow in the matchmens quiver. Now where's my eel dabbler and trident!

Gilby ain't got a mullet - just 'girly hair' Jason Donovan - now that was a most fine mullet if ever there was one! Must see if we can find piccy's of any 'famous' angler's with a mullet.(mind you most of e'm don't seem to have much hair - not caused by frustration of course).

see this:- http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/ubb/ultimatebb...ic;f=1;t=013098

I finaly stopped laughing at Niks 'Politics and Honesty' gag & then Peter come up with 'anglers party, if we can get organised!' Yup, all angling needs is one voice - all four or five of them! The 'Anti's have decided on a 'divide and conquer' approach to 'hunting' (in all its guises including angling) and certainly we anglers seem to be helping them along. The ‘Greens’ and other groups are very good at the whole ‘spin thing’ and it’s hard to explain to anglers why we should support twits in red coats, but I think we should (if only to divert the ‘anti’s attention). As I’ve said previously – look around the web and see the links between ‘the greens’, VIVA, PETA, CAA, Pieces, ALF, and even the RSPCA and RSPB. Many ‘so called’ animal ‘charities’ have and do indulge in some ‘iffy’ funding of ‘hard wing’ groups (and never seem to say much against the ‘militant’ types). In the Forest we had continual attacks against a perfectly legitimate mink breeder – didn’t hear much against the illegal actions by our local ‘anti’s, Only the angling club and landowners know the damage done by the ‘liberated’ mink! (Don’t think I’d give an otter much chance against 2 mink!) – Complete madness but our ‘leader’ seems to have made his bed in their tent so look forward to more of the same. Sorry about the ‘tirade’ folks! But if you’re not a ‘vegan’ or ‘fruitarian’, you keep a pet, ride horses, fish, shoot, use bug spray, tread on slugs, wear any ‘animal’ product, use some cosmetics and many drugs, or believe that an oak tree is more use to the planet than a slug - then they ARE out to get you!

Ah!, have just read said 'feature' and the 'system' is to use a pole & whip it back before 'handlining' the fish on the elastic to the bank - very quick it would seem. It would not seem to be very 'sporting' and is as stated downright dangerous if the terminal gear were to fly out into your face. Quite a few fisheries have banned it and expect more to do so! I can't think of a much worse advert for our 'sport' than innocent bystanders being impaled by flying floats and hooks!

Super southerner here - go anywhere with south in it & get wet! Seen e'm off South Shields pier / breakwater one evening years ago while working up that way. Don't that 'stringfellow' bloke still have one?

'Eer Nik - did she weigh y'er? Some matchmen would have bought you to the scales - fairly hooked I'd say! Is that the sum total of your facial piercings or can you be picked up by a scap yard magnet like a mate of mine!

Hmmm, 'None of the above' might actually win eh? Lets think... £xxxk pa + expenses + tax free company cars + rent and tax free housing + loads of freebies + ability to tell others what to do and do the total opposite + near unlimited power! Don’t sound too bad this 'ere minster'n lark! Don’t know if I could cope with the adulation of the populous and obligatory offensive wife though.

Nik - politics a more honest profession Stop .... Stop I can't take any more......

Yup, It's not 'Angling' & I much prefer to play the fish, but when conditions dictate one has to 'hit & hold' or lose the fish (and terminal tackle) in the weed. I have always had problems 'knocking' other forms of 'sport' when I indulge in the sport of playing with fish! Many moons ago I could 'tickle' out a trout in 10 secs - Angling it most certainly was not - but it was fishing and most sucessful to! As previous have said - seems the 'match' boys will try anything to win, not my game, not really fair for me to have an opinion but I do & it won't be long before fisheries ban it.

T'is 'fishing' but 'angling'-not! (is a pole not just a long arm w'lacky band?) I have not seen it used for carp but sea anglers and trout 'borrowers' have used it for yonk's. I suppose dangling a crust from the rod tip in the rushes in not 'proper' angling either! (but it works for me)

Yup super mega democratic UK is one of the few places where you cannot register your 'protest' by voting for none of them! Seems we should have compulsary voting but allow 'none of the above' in order to see how much of the electorate are 'disenfranchised'. It's a shame the 'Greens' have decided to be 'Anti-Angling' but when you look at their policy's and funding you see they are very pally with the anything to do with life which isn't 'plant' based brigade.(most odd - the 'Greens' policy is that a slug is somehow more worthy of life than an Oak tree?!) I'm not too sure but I'll soon be asking a friendly chub his opinion!

Use a light float/spin rod 4-6lb line and small 16+ hooks. set float 2ft above hook. use tiny bits of trout/sardine/mackerel but keep chucking in freebies. drift the baits down & strike quick. They are mini marlin as stated above!

Ah Peter , You wish to join my 'none of the above' party then? I wish to vote but find none of them worthy of my vote!