JeffB

Hi all, I'm off to visit the parents in North Wales over xmas and can't resist getting a fly wet while I'm there... I have found a fishery, which is Troutmaster recognised, called Graiglwyd Springs Trout Fishery, near Conwy. Has anyone out there fished it or at least know of it? I actually want to know of the eating quality of the fish... The reason I ask is that having fished an Essex fishery near home recently (I won't name and shame) I was told by the owner that the fish ate really well. However, when I went to the on-site lodge/tackle shop at the end of the day with a good rainbow the young lad working there quickly told me that he 'wouldn't eat anything out of here'... I fould out why, having cooked my fish at home it tasted of nothing but rotten mud!!! Thanks in advance for any help! Jeff

Cheers guys, Well I and the rest of the fisherman all caught a few keepers, My best was a Cod of about 3&1/2lb, I also took a beautiful Whitting that must have been a good 2lb. The best fish of the day was A cod of 4lb 10oz. I fished lug/squid cocktail to begin with but was harrased by the smaller Whitting. I then (as someone recommended) switched over to whole Squid fish on a pennel rig and had less but better fish taking 3 Cod and the big Whitting. Thanks again guys,

Hi guys, I'm off out on an Bradwell-Essex charter boat this Sunday for the first time in ages. I'll be using the skippers fishing gear and bait etc but want to know if there's anything more I can do to improve my chances other than just simply dropping the line over the edge of the boat, wait and see-style??? The fish expected now are Cod and Whitting with a late run of Bass still very possible. With the skipper having 8 or 10 anglers to tend to I can't expect too much one-2-one attention but I'd love to know what sort of questions I could ask with regards to how best to present a bait on the ground we're fishing, where, if anywhere I should try and cast to (gullies etc), how best to register bites, what bait cocktails to try etc etc etc...??? Sorry that the thread is vague, I know the skipper will undoubtably be pointing us all in the right direction anyway, but I just want to know if there's anything at all I should or could be doing to boost my chances, even just a little...? Cheers, Jeff

Cheers for the info fella, I am trying to get a booking in the next few weeks so hopefully it may have improved on current form!

Cheers Dave, Didn't you used to run the Predator out of Burnham? If so I've been out with you a few times... jeff

Morning all, I'm hoping to get out on an Essex charter boat some time in the next month and wonder how it's been fishing lately. Reports on the boat form anywhere from Canvey around to Bradwell are most welcome! Look forward to hearing from you, Jeff

I see your point there Peter, but I'm actually going to be fishing a fairly choppy weir pool where a normal float set up with a susspended bait would be difficult to hold in one place and control. I appreciate that it might be good to allow a dead-bait to drift through the swim searching out the pike, but on this occasion I know where the Pike are most likely to be situated, which tight under an undercut bank...

Some nice info there Andy, cheers, I have been on the trail of thought that I would be inseting the floating material inside the fishes cavity, I totally forgot about these clip-on pop-up jobbies that you've pictured above!!! They'll be much better to use, I was affraid of stuffed fish coming off and endangering Pike, but with this method it will be problem solved... Thanks

Hello all, I am going to revisit an old favorite Pike venue of mine but know that a problem awaits me that I must over-come. The place is crawling with Signal Crayfish and I must therefore pop-up my baits. I'm all OK with how to pop em up using foam, polystyrine (spelling!) etc but my main concern is how best to extra secure the fish to my rig so to stop it dropping off during a cast or fight? How do you secure your popped-up dead-baits to you rig??? Cheers, Jeff

Why, you wouldn't be that fella with the Gimp-mask on chained to the radiator in the back-ground of the picture would you???

Can we keep the man-love to another forum please... LOL!

Cheers guys, Some sound advice there and I now plan to travel as light as poss' on my next trip out so as I can cover more water and get away from my fav'/safe spots...

Top man, cheers!

Pete, I know what you mean, tell one person and the whole world turns up with the enevitable cow-boys who don't have a clue how to safely treat and handle a Pike... I reckon it's time to buy an Ordinance Survey map and get hunting... That said, I know the venues I fish hold much bigger pike but I can't seem to attract them, what's your thoughts on that???

I have fished the Lea for years over in Hertfordshire, that's where I caught my current PB... I'm going to have a search on that other place you mention right now, cheers!