Tim Kelly

I recently bought a pair of Rapala 50lb scales and am delighted with them so far. I haven't got them soaking wet, so I have no idea how they will cope with that, but it is certainly much easier to get a more accurate idea of what a fish weighs than with my old Salter spring balance or my ultra confusing Avons!

I quite agree Cranfield!

Apparently grass carp only eat weed when the water temperature rises above a certain (very high) level, which basically means they are very little use for controlling weed in this country as the water temp is rarely high enough.

Just a reminder that the LAS AGM is coming up on the 31st August. Before the AGM there will be a lure demonstration from Dave Lumb in a swimming pool (the lures, not Dave!) and there will be fishing on the River Severn afterwards. LAS members only, but non members are welcome to join on the day. See the link here: http://www.timkelly.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/lasagm.html

Might be a cheaper and better option to put on a lure that casts better than the rapala if distance is the only problem. Sandeel imitating spoons, poppers, plugs like "The Maria" from Veals and many more will cast better.

Drennan Bubble Strength?

If you want a fluorocarbon hook length why not use one of the ones sold to trout fishers for leaders? Vanish has a bit of an iffy reputation and I believe it if a dipped mono rather than a true fluoro. I don't know many brands sold to fly fishers, but I seem to remember Grand Max being one. At least it will be available in shorter lengths so you can try it out. You can even test your own knots!

Vanish?

I bought some of the larger Atoms from this place, they also have the Landa Pikko spoons, which are great! http://www.lundgrensfiske.com/

Good article, I hope he offers as much as he promises. It's a shame he didn't even bother to reply when I contacted him, twice, about the whole livebaiting in the lakes issue months ago, when it was perhaps possible to do something about it. I suspect he is weak on livebaiting, so I'm sure he'll do better for things he believes in personally. Whether that means he supports "angling" though, might be open to question.

Completely moronic! If the roach were in troduced in Victorian times and their numbers have only just started escalating to problem levels there is clearly an environmental change that's caused the population explosion! Either that or Pike anglers have been transporting truck loads of the things and tipping them in without remembering to put hooks in them. I agree that is a possibility with some pikers, but most remember to put the hooks in! Bad science and people in charge who have too little interest to point it out. I presume that they are going to start a wholesale netting program now to reduce the numbers of pesky roach in these lakes, or will the "problem" suddenly dissapear?

That's my understanding too.

Many, many more people used to have shotguns and they'd occasionally go out to get a dinner with it, before you needed to apply for a license. Then you had to apply to the police for a license and the numbers of people who only went out occasionally didn't bother to keep their guns. Then they introduced a license which you needed to list all your guns, so they could keep track of them, then they tried to get you to provide proof of a need for the shotgun, etc etc etc... The point is that, little bits of legislation chip away at the freedom to do things and gradually more and more people who are only casual participants drop away, if at the same time voiciferous little groups start saying that what you are doing is cruel, and they get coverage from the press, who love a controversy, the tide of opinion starts to turn. Less people participate so less people know what they are talking about, so a diminishing sport becomes marginalised and eventually vulnerable to the moronic masses who want it banned. I honestly believe that if fishing doesn't sort it's self out in some constructive political way, it will go the same way as hunting has currently gone and shooting will soon follow. I bet in twenty years, the "public" will have a negative view on angling, and then....

Optilabs ones are great. Look at www.optilabs.co.uk (I think) It's also worth looking at the golf and shooting ranges, as the lenses are the same but there's a wider choice of frames.

Cheap Life Jackets advertise in the LAS mag. Their email is Cheaplifejackets@aol.com and Phone number 01922 419214

I sent this email to Richard Cowan the other day after receiving the defra letter: Dear Mr Cowan I was sorry to receive your letter about the ban on live and dead coarse fish baits. I am amazed that this piece of legislation has gone through as it is demonstrably unnecessary and draconian. There has been a perfectly adequate law prohibiting the unauthorised transportation of live fish for a long time now. If the existing legislation had been properly policed it would have had the same effect as the new law, which, by the way, will also be useless unless it's policed! It's hard to see this new piece of legislation as anything other than a step towards the banning of livebaits and, apparently, therefore coarse deadbaits, nationally. Which has worrying implications for fishing as a sport generally. I hope in future that your department will take the time to consult with the RELEVENT bodies within fishing for future legislation as the quango who were consulted for this law change had very little understanding of, or interest in, pike fishing. Yours sincerely Tim Kelly Chairman Lure Anglers Society I think that at the moment poltics is run in such a way that they decide on whatever piece of legislation they want to put through, then get together a quango of "yes" men to "consult" on it and agree with the proposal. This is a sorry state of affairs and may well have always been the case and I am only just becomming aware of how cynical politics and polititians are, but it definitely sucks!

It probably has a lure weight rating and a line recommendation written on it somewhere, something like 1/8 to 5/8 for a medium actioned spinning rod. Let us know what it says and you might get some more accurate advise on what it's best suited to.

Lead poisoning?

Our wonderful government have just agreed to a ban on freshwater live AND deadbaits in the nominated waters in the Lake district. The pole's getting slipperier. Maybe even "The Dacer" will be coming to London to march in September?!

Have a look at this site for a good range of knots and how to tie them. http://www.fish4fun.com/knots.htm The clich knot is what they call a half blood knot.

I would imagine that you can't. You'd need to get specific permission before you started.

Hi Richard I've not tried the lure you were talking about, though I did try out a few of Micks early prototypes. One was very similar to the one you described but it came unrigged and unweighted. I added a little lead to it and a couple of hooks and used it sink and draw style. The segments in the body helped give it a nice rippling action on the pull. I have used it very successfully as a follow up bait, when I have had fish following in other lures. As I fish it very slowly it's not very good at covering water. I have had fish pick the lure up from the bottom after it's been resting there for a few minutes. You do need to be watching the lure on the bottom to make this work though as the only indication they have picked it up is seeing them do it. If I've had a follower I cast Micks lure to the same place the cast went to get the following fish, hop it slowly back. If it doesn't get taken while I'm hopping it back, just as it comes into view I let it sink to the bottom and leave it there. Seb Shelton was the first to alert me to this technique and it can be deadly, if a little dull waiting for the fish to make it's mind up. That's probably why I couldn't do deadbaiting!

Thanks for that, just what I needed to know. Should the total length of line be about the same as the length of the whip of significantly shorter? Thanks again

The kids next door want to go fishing this summer holidays and I have volunteered my services. I fancy taking them to a club water that's supposed to be easy for small silver fish. I haven't done any bait fishing since I was a kid and fancy using a couple of whips to cut down on tangles etc with the kids. I have no idea how to rig the line onto the whip or what sort of breaking strain line is appropriate. Can anyone provide an idiot proof set of instructions for me. The plan is to get them fishing close together and constantly feed a few maggots and fish with a lightly shotted float to allow for takes on the drop. Thanks for youe help

Muppets are very similar to tube baits which are widely used for bass, especially smallmouths. Nice subtle presentation.