[Okuma reel, good or not?]

They're good reels. Great value for money.

 

Sure, Shimanos etc are better but you can't go wrong for £30.

 

I bought an IBF30 for for feeder fishing and river fishing etc. Caught barbel up to 10lb on it. No complaints yet.

[Monster Redmire Fish....]

I was under the impression that it was drained and netted quite regularly these days, so it's unlikely that there are any unknown fish in there.

 

Yes, that's what I thought.

 

Sounds like chinese whispers rather than fact. It's a small lake that gets hammered. Can't believe a fish of that size wouldn't get spotted. But you never know...

 

The Eddie Price photo is inspiring. Don't think it was caught. Didn't Yates refer to it as the King?

 

[Martin bowlers website]

It could be worse, Bingo, he could have the dreaded Essex Whine

 

I thought that is what he's got!

[Day tickets for the Hampshire Avon]

On Sky tv's Tightlines a couple of weeks ago there was a feature with Dr Mark Everard fishing Britford. It looked gorgeous and the cathedral looked close too so it can't be that far out of town. I think it would definately be worth trying to get there.

[Martin bowlers website]

Nice website. Nice videos too. I had to download 'DivX' but it was worth it. Fantastic quality.

 

I must confess to finding his accent a little grating at first (yes, you can call me a snob) but soon got used to it.

 

I've always liked his articles in AT (yes I know they can appear more like Okuma and Dynamite Bait adverts) but I like his writing.

 

Can't wait for his Hugh Miles project.

[Ringwood and District Anglers Association]

Not a member but looked into joining before I decided to go with Christchurch.

 

I'm fascinated by the Avon so I went for CAC. They simply have more of it. But there seem to be more restrictions (fishing times, times of year etc). They have quite a bit of Stour fishing too. Some gorgeous areas.

 

Also, very few CAC waters are available as day tickets. Whereas RDAA's premier fisheries (Throop and Royalty) are day tickets. So if I wanted to fish it i could. Neither are particularly quiet though! But I'm sure they have plenty of quiter waters too.

 

 

You can fish for longer into the night on RDAA waters though. Nice bonus.

 

Both have amazing waters so there isn't much in it really.

 

Don't forget other clubs have access to the Stour. Maybe quieter? Wimborne club.

[Vertical jigging]

Looks like a great session. Would love to try that kind of fishing one day.

[Angling Times vs Angler's Mail]

Yes, they can be trashy but they have some interesting news and stories too. I like buying them every now and again. I find them similar but AM is easier to read in the car

 

I noticed recently that AM had lifted a quote directly from a Fishing Magic thread user without his permission! So be careful what you say here if you use your own name. You may end up in print!

 

I find the news stories and articles more interesting and easier to understand than a lot of internet articles. Sorry, don't mean to criticise this site but I like the diagrams etc.

[Boga Grip]

There's no need for them.

 

As Budgie says, you'll have to extract the hooks by chinning them anyway.

 

How can you have the grip in one hand, open the jaws with your second hand extract the hooks with your third hand?

[Ban on patio heaters next...?]

Firstly, I belive in the concept of global warming.

 

Secondly, I believe that 'man' has had a role.

 

Thirdly, I believe that if Friends of the Earth etc want to be taken seriously they have to stop attacking the common man and get to the root of the problem. I.e. stop antagonising the common man and get head-to-head with 'big business'.

 

I heard a FOTE spokesman on 5live and felt my blood boil. They're so smug and arrongant that they will lose the argument and the moral high ground. They have to go for the big issues. NOT patio heaters FFS!!!

 

If EVERYONE in the UK stopped driving cars etc how long would it take China to make up for the CO 2 output?

 

5 Days! That's all. 5 days of China running as normal makes up the entire CO 2 output of UK cars., lorrries etc.

 

I'm not having a go at China. Fair play to them. I just hate the way that the Green Lobby has lost the argument completely.

[Monster Perch]

I think I'd better keep quiet in the future when my girlfriend wants to watch Eastenders or the like..

 

If the chap has caught the fish fair and square at the weight he has claimed then I would be inclined to feel a little sympathy for him.

BUT, IF, either of the two things Anderoo has heard of are true then the claim dosn't deserve to go through. The second potential offence is paticularly bad. Transporting fish is a no no whatever the circumstances. The 'I was just borrowing my mates rod' excuse is the oldest trick in the book.

 

I agree.

 

If 'we' as anglers want to be taken seriously as a legitmate body we have to abide the rules. Even if we don't like them. I go out of way to abide by rules (I just like to feel comfortable when I'm fishing). 'Guesting' and 'ignorance' are no excuse for not abiding by the rules.

[Blenheim Palace Lake]

This place is on my "places to fish before I die" list.

 

It looks wonderful. Good ol' Capability Brown. He sure did like his lakes. The English Country houses are a fascinating subject. They didn't just come out of nowhere. There's reason behind their madness............!!!

[Sausage Sizzle]

I tried to google sausage sizzle, usually works for information, but try it all that comes up is crap!!!

 

Was some of it 18+ ?!?!

 

Personally, I'm not convinced that adding flavour to SPAM helps that much. Just look at what Ray Walton catches on SPAM straight from the tin.

 

If you choose the right area at the right time, you'll catch.

[Wheres Everyone fishing this weekend?]

I'll be fishing on Saturday.

 

For those of you/us in the South West the forecast is good for Saturday. Terrible tomorrow (Fri) and Terrible on Sunday. But Saturday looks good

[Size of pike]

The biggest pike I've ever seen in a water was a tidal river pike. It was resting in no more than 2 feet of water (low tide). It had an unbelievable head on it. It really was like a shovel!!!

 

Went to fish the area the next day. Blanked...

 

I fish a very small river with an amazing head of 2lb chub. They're the average size! It's wonderful fun. Free lining or light legering for them in the summer. But the pike seem to be all jacks. The river/drain is low a lot of the time (2 feet on average). In the summer it can be almost stagnant. It's a fascinating fishery. I'd like to think there were a few 'big mothers' but I've yet to get near them. And because it's so shallow and crystal clear I wonder whether they're there at all...

 

Doesn't stop me trying though...

[Fish Stocking 2007]

The poor EA can't really win can they?

 

Let's just appreciate what they actually do for us.

 

I'm sure there's more that can be done but that's life.

 

Nothing wrong in complaining/wanting more but let's not forget the work that they actually do.

[pike books]

does any body have or read any read good pike fishing books preferably one that describes how to make your own lures? ,I have looked on amazon but there are quite a few to choose from and its hard to decide when you can't flick through the pages.

 

Has Charlie Bettell (sp?) written a book? He's well known for making his own lures. And catching good pike on them.

 

Mick Brown's book is very good. For a general, all round pike book.

[River Clyst]

Good news but.......................

 

24 January 2008

 

JUST weeks after plans for the first building in Cranbrook were passed at Knowle, East Devon District Council has been dealt a blow - the Government is now demanding a SECOND new town be built in the area.

 

News of the edict came as a shock to councillors in Honiton on Monday.

 

Town and district councillor Peter Halse announced the breaking news, saying the second new town was not an option and that it was being forced on the district.

 

It would be developed in the west end of East Devon in an area prone to flooding and where the National Trust owns land, it was said.

 

A further 7,000 homes are likely to be built - on top of the eventual 6,500 planned for Cranbrook.

 

 

I wonder whether these will be in the catchment............

[Dean, The diving Decorator (Pike film)]

The crayfish on that film are the white clawed variety an indigenous species that have co existed in harmony with all other aquatic things for thousands of years and represent no problem at all to fish and their reproductive effortsIts the red signals and the turkish ones that are the real danger to fish stocks and eggs but none were shown to be present during that film

 

Thanks for your help. I hadn't realised they were the native species.

[PERCH POPULARITY ON THE INCREASE?]

They're definately the 'vogue' fish of the moment. Size must be the main reason why. They're getting bigger.

 

I'd always liked them, have never caught a big one but it was the sight of seeing two HUGE perch follow a lure whilst pike fishing that really fired my imagination. Amazing things. I've tried half-heartedly to catch some (only a few sessions) but I get easily distracted! Roach, barbel, pike etc. There isn't enough time.

 

The magazines and weeklies are full of them. I live in fear of the day when certain carp anglers get fed up of the puddles and make their way to the rivers. Though of course there are huge perch in the puddles...

[Dean, The diving Decorator (Pike film)]

Even Newt can see British TV now!!

 

Actually I don't think it works overseas. It's only available to the UK because of the licence fee, I think

[Dean, The diving Decorator (Pike film)]

Amazing stuff. Fascinating footage. Thanks for the link.

 

Some of this footage was in Titchmarsh's Nature of Britain but I missed it too.

 

I believe that Hugh Miles has captured a perch eating a crayfish. I read it somewhere. Hopefully it will be in his new programme.

 

Watching the crayfish eating eggs is worrying though. At the moment they're helping fish to get bigger but I wonder what the long term consequences could be? (just a thought, don't want to hijack this thread).

[River Avon]

Hello there

My freind's and I hope to fish the Avon before the end of the season and whould be gratefull for any information as where to fish. I love stick and waggler fishing. I have just perfected a way of fishing the waggler so when you hold back the float won't pull under, it will be of interest to anyone who loves waggler fishing.I live in Kettering Northants

 

 

The Hampshire Avon?

 

If so, Chris is right about Amesbury, though I've never fished there.

 

There isn't a great deal of day ticket access on the river but London Anglers have a famous stretch at Britford (just outside Salisbury). Big roach...

 

London Anglers Association (scroll to bottom)

 

At Ringwood you have the Lifelands Fishery,

 

 

Then outside Christchurch there is Winkton (hard but neglected fishery)

 

Then there is the famous Royalty in Christchurch.

 

Also, for a few weeks at the end of the season the Bisterne Estate has day ticket access. It's between Ringwood and Christchurch. Dates depend on weather and conditions etc. Best to ring a local tackle shop to see when it opens.

 

Please tell me more about your waggler set up. I've never felt comfortable fishing with one on rivers.

[The Countryside Channel]

I've just had a thought, I wonder who's behind this Countryside Channel???

 

Probably Hardys!

 

Thanks for the link. John Bailey did a nice series on Home and Country (Sky Digital Channel 280). They sometimes show an episode every now and again but like all these channels there doesn't sem to be any kind of routine. The series was called "On the Fly" but there was a lot of coarse stuff too.

[Bread 'paste']

I've inadvertantly got a big lump of bread dough/paste in a bucket from when I tried to make up some mash and used bread that was too fresh and too much water. Now this stuff has got an amazing consistency. I reckon I could play a round of golf with a ball of it .

 

It seems perfect for burying a hook inside it for chub. Has anyone done this? Any success?