Ken L

Write to them and ask where you can buy a radio licence.

Emz. That happens when the guys stand up suddenly to get a better view. It's called "Postural Hypotension". What did you think I meant ?

Must be all the blood rushing away from the brain.

They're certainly not native to inland waterways in the UK. I did read one report that suggested that the birds that we’ve always had along our coast are still there and those ravaging the rivers and lakes are a different race of cormorants normally found in continental Eurasia.

The big difference is that Goosander are a native inland bird where the Cormerant isn't. They're not exactly common in the midlands either and the only pair I ever saw was on the Severn a couple of years ago. Kingfishers, Herons Grebes and Goosander are all part of an active and diverse freshwater ecosystem. Cormerant's arn't and their spead in large numbers negativly impacts on all of our piscavorious birds as much as it does anglers. Shame the RSPB can'r see that....

I confess that I'm not quite sure how you can skim a profit off the top and pay another group of people will will have to manage the contract a salary and still end up with better kit and a better service for the same money. Every experience of privatisation I've ever seen would indicate that the exact oposite is true.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4915722.stm

At the other end of the spectrum, you have this: http://www.swp.org.uk/ and this: http://www.respectcoalition.org/index.php?sec=24

Sad innit ? I have actually found myself agreeing with the greater part of what they have to have to say for the past 4 or 5 years. The only problem I have is that I despise and detest the rest of what they have to say and the frequently obnoxious people that I see saying it. I don't think I could vote for them though because much as I might like to see them strong enough to influence policy, I'd hate to think that I was part of putting them in power if ever they got into government.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news_web/...a7a_16x9_bb.asx

And of course at 10 seconds after 12:10 on the afternoon of the 9th of August (8th of Sepember if you're American) next year, it'll be: 12.11.10:09.08.07 Not really that unique either...

It's about three years old and runs XP. I have a 250 Gig external drive that I use for backups and try to keep at my parents house (I have no wish to loose all my data if my PC goes pop) but regularly burn data CD's for friends - another way to be sure I can recover data if something goes wrong. This is where the DVD drive will come in. Good point about the jumpers Kempo. I remember a mate of mine having to sort that out when he installed me a second HDD.

My machine is starting to show it's age but I'm a little reluctant to replace the whole thing until Mr Gates sorts ot the release of Vista and speeds things up a bit. I could however do with the ability to backup lots of data onto DVD's rather than CD's and I've not done a lot of PC surgery before. If I buy a DVD writter like this one http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw...gory_oid=-24858 can I just open the side of my PC and unscrew/unplug the existing CDRW drive and replace it with a DVDRW drive ? and is software like Nero usually bundled with the drive or downloadable or will I have to budget for that as well ?

Presumably that explains why you can never have to many ABU's. They may be crap but if your customers wan't them you have to be able to suply.....

Poachmeister ???????? Jerry. I used Askari's UK site a couple of years ago and they were great. I did the same thing at the back end of last year and they were useless - and their customer service sucked

Can't say I've used the transition line but I have tried two or three flourocarbon lines and they were all useless. Fireline is (for me) the best choice for spinning (using a fixed spool reel)with relativly light gear. If you're using a baitcasting outfit, you'd probably do better with a round profile braid like the ever-popular Power-Pro though. There are lots of good choices for baitfishing on the bottom. I happen to like AN40 but everyone will have their own preference.

Rod, reel, shoulder bag and that's it. If I have the fly or UL rod with me, I even dump the bag and put everything in the pockets of a waistcoat. Always fun to walk past some poor sod who's half way through carting 30kg's of kit to a peg 2km up the river in the middle of August and watching their face when they see how much gear I have.

Last time I tuned into the chart was the end of January, just prior to my India trip. I was actually astonished at how much good music there was in the charts because to my ears at least it's been about 95% crap for most of the last 20 years. Of course, despite the fact that maybe 55 % of the chart was rock music, Radio 1 was still playing the same pre-teen junk, corperate trash and washed out dance music that it always plays - and they wonder why nobody listens.... From you comments though, I asume the current chart is back to it's usual form.

I've had this reel for a couple of years now and although I only use it occasionally, I've come to the conclusion that it's a piece of junk. Bits keep dropping off ! First it was the locking screw for the handle cap. I replaced that and took it out again today for the first post repair session only to have the spool shaft tightening knob drop off at some point during my walk around a local lake. The drive system only re-engages immediatly the handle is turned on eight casts out of ten - occasionally, I end up looking like a complete idiot as I thump the bl00dy thing with the heel of my hand trying to get the gears to mesh. and It has tin plate sides that demonstraight the sort of build quality normally associated with a 1970's toy robot. Oh, I almost forgot; It also has the worst drag system I've ever had the misfortune to use. I'm going to buy a relpacement and at the moment, it's a tossup betwwen another Calcutta or the Okuma Induron. the Okuma is loking like a likely suspect but what to do with the ABU ? Should I: Ritually destroy the damned thing ? Buy another replacement part and palm it off on some poor unsuspecting sod via E-Bay ? or Repair it and keep it as a spare ?

Superstition wins the day again.

Hi all. I have a Shimano Exage 2030 boat rod that I take travelling with me. Does anyone know where I can get spare sections for these rods and is the reel seat/join between the butt and the next section a standard fitting ? If so, where can I buy one ? I want to take the original rod travelling with me for boat fishing but I'd also like to get a spare third section so that I can fit a bigger fist rod ring and use if for poper fishing with a fixed spool reel. If the reel seat/join is a standard fitting, I'll also be looking to build a lighter butt section so that it's a bit easier to use for extended periods.

Fair point Andy and I've also ordered some big Manhadden lues and jig heads but I do find the more central weight distribution on pre-moulded swimbaits to be very useful presentation wise - particularlt when fishing the baits slowly and or shallowly. Bob, I totally agree with you about US sites in general and Cabelas/Barlows in partticular and have recently ordered lots of the Storm swimbaits and bulk soft shads from these supliers but big "trout-plugs" tend to be expensive even from US supliers.

These were all taken in India last year.

Just ordered some of the 7" Mann's Swinnin' Fish from here: http://www.sovereignsuperbaits.co.uk/Lures..._jerkbaits.html and some big Wobble Shads From here: http://www.uk-fishing-tackle.co.uk/product...9cc47c137f570b1 In both cases, the prices seem unusually reasonable for UK compamies. Does anyone have any other recomendations for similar monster lures at sensible prices ? BTW. I e-mailed the guy at UK-Fishing tackle and he does do the full range of colours for the big Conrad lures.

Interesting. Looks like just another species that we lucked out on following the ice age along with Ide, Vimba and the rest. BTW, Why is it that the board always seems to refuse to show the name "Kevin Mad_docks" ?