Carl Douglas

Hi Tony Hope you are well, or at least on the mend. Yes still in KAPS so the Trout section sounds interesting. Would be good to meet up so you can have a laugh at my casting, but I can't find your number. If you still hve mine give me a call, otherwise could you drop me a pm. Carl

Thanks chuby Phoned and confirmed that Woodchurch is open so that gives me a couple of places to make a fool of myself when the rod and reel arrive. Carl

I'm looking for a catch and release fishery in Kent and saw the website for Woodchurch, but also found a couple of reports that it is now closed. Tried phoning and e-mailing with no success. Does anyone know if its still open or can you suggest any other suitable waters for a newbie to fly fishing? Thanks Carl

I've had a similar problem on a local pit. I found that hooksize was the problem, not the line it was tied to. I ended up using 18's to 6lb line (Drennen Specialist) to get bites on maggot. I found that I suffered fewer hook pulls than with larger hooks, even when bullying fish through weed and rushes. Suggest you try small hooks or counter-balancing the weight if a larger one. An Enterprise grub threaded on and glues to the hook eye/spade works well.

Does this suggest a stewards enquiry!

"Ohho Bugger" or something like that!

Oh Drat thought I had sussed it. Thinking cap on!

Newt I m sorry if my post offended, that was not the intention. I feel that we fight enough barriers as fishermen without introducing others. If one wants to fish that is enough, as should be in all aspects of life. Nothing else is important but personal freedom.

1st round 6 on each side. Throw away the lighter six 2nd round Of the six that are left three each side. Throw away the lighter three. 3rd round One each side. If one is heavier than the other youv'e got your man. Otherwise its the one you havn't put on the scales!

What the hell is this topic about! We are anglers. Whatever sex, creed, religion or nationality we enjoy the pursuit of fish and fishing. Nothing is more important. Fin

Will they never forget!

Try further downstream where the river narrows as well. The water is slightly deeper and I have had chub there recently.

In view of the weather I would suggest chubbing. Worm or flake on a light ledger, and keep mobile. Not too much loose feed, just a few hook samples. Give each swim 15 - 20 mins then try elsewhere. River is low and clear so move quietly to avoid spooking the fish. You should get some perch on worm too. Roaching will be difficult in the conditions but if you want to try use breadpunch on the float or pole, feeding a little liquidised bread. I've found this better than maggot in clear conditions. Are you fishing the day ticket stretch or KAPS water?

Which area are you going to?

The Medway is also very similar to the Warwickshire Avon which has seen a Barbel explosion in the last few years.

Nick Worry not, you were right on both counts. The Pike are not odd looking but seem to like Luncheon Meat and Bread! (and lures of course Leon).

Nick Are you suggesting that I am odd looking! Tis true, when I was born the Doctor took one look at me and slapped my mother [ 30. September 2005, 07:16 PM: Message edited by: Carl Douglas ]

Back to the first post! As I am the person who advised Jim of the rumour (given to me by the baliff of the Teston Picnic stretch) I feel I need to comment. Barbel are now showing from certain pegs on the Lower Medway in numbers previously unheard of. I do not think they are the Ashurst stocked fish as the ones I have caught are not dye marked (blue spot on the belly if anyone is interested). They may have come from Monks Lake after flooding, but if this is the case why are they not showing in numbers on the Lower Beult or the Medway between Yalding and Teston (areas I also fish). It is possible that the resident fish had a successful breading year and this is the result. I hope this is the case as it promises well for the future, but do not believe so as I would have thought we would have caught smaller fish in previous years. I feel that stocking has taken place (whether legal or not) and we are now seeing the benefits. I tend to agree with Dunk that the numbers are not yet sufficient to target specifically, and it is better to target the chub and look on them as a nice bonus (that's how I caught the first couple). However, as I prefer quiet fishing in some seclusion please disregard everything I have just written. THERE ARE NO BARBEL (OR CHUB, OR BREAM, OR CARP, OR ROACH, OR PERCH) IN THE LOWER MEDWAY, JUST BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF BLEAK and maybe the odd pike!

If it helps I recently got a copy from Coch-Y-Bonddu Books (tel. 01654 702837) at the cover price of £19.95 brand spanking new and I got the feeling that they had several copies. It is the best, most practical book on carp I have ever read. Its even better than Jim's previous works (sorry Jim).

Jim You have a PM if you wish to reply with questions.

Where are you fishing? If a natural water I can recommend Sensas Gros Gardons. Neat, or half and half with Sensas Noir if you are balling it, or half and half with brown crumb through a feeder. Even better if dampened with Sensas Roach Attractor

Anyone got a cure for insomnia, its half two and I need to sleep.

Thanks Paul The Drakes look like just what I wanted> Is their mail order OK? [ 03. September 2005, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Carl Douglas ]

Does any firm supply slider floats? I am looking for something that takes 4-6 SSG plus 20% loading built in. [ 03. September 2005, 01:24 AM: Message edited by: Carl Douglas ]

Tony was that the KAPS stretch of the Hammer Stream or the bit that flows into the Beult? [ 02. September 2005, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: Carl Douglas ]