Paul Boote

Nothing to do with me, guv. I am, however, delighted to see that the beast still exists and gets to a size. Well done, that man! As for fishing trips, I really cannot see the same sort of sordid little 'war' being waged over 'Tigris Salmon' trips as the one that broke out among competing East Anglian egos over Indian mahseer in the 1990s. The only way for non-Iraqis, when the US, British and other forces eventually leave Iraq, will be to stay out of Iraq for a good generation or two. I wouldn't much care to fish in one of Saddam's many minefields, or be expecting at any minute a revenge knifing or bullet in my back, many years down the line after the occupation - would you?

Bunch of rural GAMEFISHERS starting summat here - http://flyforums.proboards53.com/index.cgi...31788752&page=1 Anxious to protect their fish and their waters, they say (admirable, don't we all), but, in my opinion...

Like it. I feel a future thread coming on ... Subject: "Angling Rogues' Gallery - Where are they now?" In due course, we might extend the thing - make it international... I could change my online name to Rogue Hunter...

Interesting, Colin. Just goes to show the truth in the cliche: "You can run but you cannot hide."

Then there was the angling personality and author, back in the 1970s, who was relatively (and briefly, as it turned out) famous for catching big (stillwater) trout. No content with this, he then appeared in the Dangling Times one week, brandishing that creature of myth and legend, a double-figure Thames Trout. Only problem was, though, the thing turned out to be a salmon with something of a post-mortal paintjob. The man sank without trace after that.

Saw the following on a gamefishing forum just now - a Burbot may or may not have been sighted on the River Ribble (source: the "Hook, Line and Sinker" magazine for members of the Prince Albert Angling Society). Someone pass this intelligence on to Chris Yates, please.

But be warned: dangerous reprobates like myself are to be found on the board...

Such huffing and puffing, and b'all of it about what brings us here to this site - going fishing then sharing our experiences and resulting ideas with others. As Benjamin Franklin would have said, had he been a Brit: "In this country nothing can be said to be certain, except death, tax and foxes."

No, not a story. Just like another one today on the Telegraph's online British news page - "Government To Tax Views" (penned by its political editor, no less). Mere scare-em-rigid stuff for the "All Gone to Buggery Since '45" husbands of the Mail-reading Blue Rinse Brigade. Rich source of unintended humour, though.

Just popped in to this thread to let fellow AngNet-ers know that my nose is MUCH better after last night's sudden lapse into unconsciousness over the keyboard. But I have another problem, however - just now, after reading a few of the posts here since my last visit, quite inexplicably my vision has begun to swim and my ears to bleed. Not like me at all. Time for another little lie-down.

"These fish must be on something!" is an expression used pretty regularly by a young, Thames barbel-fisher pal that occasionally I fish with. Well, according to the Sunday Telegraph, it seems that they are: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...6/ixportal.html

And no, AngNet ladies and gentleman, that JW thing was NOT posted by me, or by anybody I know (or by anybody I don't know - Que?). Someone clearly taking the Miguel, somewhere Out East tonight, though.

Could well be. Check this out: BBC - Is the fox hunting ban working http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jsp...=20051105204730 Lots of predictably boring replies, including this one, added: Saturday, 5 November, 2005, 19:54 GMT 19:54 UK: "When they ban fishing then perhaps the fox hunting will stop. Arrogant left wing nonsense based on no facts whatsoever. If there is no hunting in the city then let those city dwellers just go back there and live. John Wilson, Norwich" Surely not?

Thanks for the tip, rabbit. Five minutes weren't enough, but ten did it. As a further gesture of profoundest thanks, here is some winter reading for you - http://seatroutfishing.proboards34.com/ind...read=1130412671 Try replies # 3 and # 6. Yours in sport etc, PB

Anyone know of a good, free, compensation lawyer? Reading this thread a moment ago I fell unconscious, fell forward heavily onto my keyboard and on coming to my senses found that I had broken my nose. Blood everywhere, sport... Must go. I need a little lie-down.

Sounds painful.

Nice reels. I have the 4in. ratchetless Stanton, given to me as a wedding present by my wife nearly 20 years ago. Caught me some nice fish, including several small-river salmon to 17.5 pounds. Still going strong - the reel that is, not the wife.

FYI, Steve No, not 'Fear and Loathing' H.S. (the American author who topped himself with a gun a few months ago), but H.S. Thomas, the godfather of Indian angling and author of the classic 1870s /'80s / '90s work, "The Rod in India". As for "the sporting implications of using explosives", well, a small but significant section of the population of India's many riverside villages realised summat horribly similar many years ago: one of several, largely unresolvable reasons why there are so few sizeable mahseer left in India today.

As I said earlier, catch them before they (Cauvery mahseer, in THIS particular case) become just another Glam-ed up, must-do, must-pay product. Jeez, I have recently only begun to realise just how lucky I am to have done a lot of what I've done (and not just mahseer), when I did it - doing it initially, as I used to say in talks that I was once often invited to give, to encourage fishers to go "that extra mile" and, in doing so, to transform their lives (and not merely their fishing lives), as much as for myself. Some, clearly, as a few always do, missed the message. Yet we New Wave British mahseer-fishers been fortunate, though - if mahseer had been anything like proper FLY-TAKERS, they would have been put beyond our means a good decade or so ago (you should have seen some of the Big Money offers I was made, and gently refused). The world's got a lot smaller lately, and with it have gone a lot of the things that made our pastime so very very special. Not some "educated reactionary" 's take on everything and everybody, this, merely an attempt at articulating what a lot of people now are silently feeling or thinking, and feel a touch 'out of sorts', even angry, about. Time, once more, for Anglers to make Angling the pastime they want it to be, I reckon - not to have it fed to them as some fait accomplii ("This is how it is now - take it or leave it.") by a largely craven, minority-driven Media.

Oh, you've had "Gurk-gurk, Squeak-squeak, Gobble-gobble Catfish Trouble", too? Fry the lot of them!

Indeed they have. You have just replied to a man who has the best library of old Indian fishing titles anywhere, including a 19th-century H.S. Thomas manuscript.

I couldn't care a monkey's about personal exposure, Lee (if, years ago, I had wanted to see myself everywhere, I would have made sure I did), I am more concerned about what's in store now for the Cauvery fishery: increasing international demand (British coarse-fishers have had it for a number of years now and, to some people's minds, for mere peanuts) and a MAJOR pricing-up. Get it before it's gone, lads.

Received today from a very old pal of mine long, and increasingly reluctantly now, involved in the travel trade: From: XXXXXXXX Subject: John Wilson To: paul boote Hi Paul Just received today a copy of the latest AITO Bulletin. On page 6, under the heading of "Incredible India Lectures", it states...."The High Commission of India has invited TransIndus to put together a series of lectures for the Nehru Centre, as part of the "Incredible India" programme......etc, etc....the 40 minute talks are followed by a short question and answer session and cocktails.... Forthcoming lectures: 1. Thursday 10 November - "Fishing the mighty Mahseer" by John Wilson. Britain's most popular & respected angler, & known to millions through his books and TV series, John helps us explore fishing possibilities in India, in particular fishing for Mahseer in the Curvery [sic] River. Isn't this where you fished and wrote about? J

Sent to me earlier by someone I know who lives north of Watford. http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticl...ticleID=1238122

For some, they certainly are a distraction. I haven't bothered to look at any of mine for years, except the few that I have in current use. An idea before I go: as it is unlikely that Britain will ever get itself a decent Angling museum (owing to personality differences, warring collectors etc), what about a wonderful website featuring all the lovely old reels and tackle that get photographed for the various auction-house catalogues, then, once sold, disappear forever either abroad or into a few Brit's dens and display cabinets?