ginger

I have been told, having forgotte the box, that 'it against the law/rules to sell them in other than a proper bait box' by several different tackle shops both here in Norfolk and in Derbyshire. could be just a ploy to make the forgetful stump up for yet another box. I have more than a few to prove it. One related thing that gets my goat, why do maggot boxes have lids that are not interchangeable, I could swear that the lids shrink by a few millimetres as I never seem to to be able to match a lid and a box from the selection that I have!!!

Are fingers like Mars bars (short and fat) a prerequisite for fishing or the sign of a fhisherman? No way could I get mine in far enough to cause damage (finger and ree that is, PLEASE!). The understated elegance of the Aventa Pro is sufficient unto my needs, I can forego the flash and dazzle of the Sheffield.

I bought a Shakespeare 10' light quiver/bomb rod at christmas from Angling Direct in Norwich. I went to the shop to have a look but they do mail order and internet. It is, I think (can't be bothered to go and look!) a Ganza and is rated to 4lb line although I use 5 and it seems ok. Nice and light with two tips and great value for around £30.

Thanks, Bob, will PM you if my computer stays with me long enough! John, I haven't fished the res very much at all but will probably have a serious go when the weather gets a bit warmer. I reckon some of those introduced bream should be around the pound mark by now with carp approaching 10 ish. The perch remain an enigma, I have seen them but they remain elusive and perhaps a spinner might be worth a go to winkle them out. I find it odd that with some good sized perch I would expect to see smaller ones, along with rudd they seem to breed easily and are just about the easiest to catch when all other species are not interested.

Although I do have a cheapo 9metre pole I much prefer rod and line, normally, where practical, float but I do ledger and occasionaly use a feeder. I find it helpful to just sit next to someone and watch, surely the best way to lern but any useful info will be gratefully absorbed. I also do hit and miss right through the winter and lately I have actually blanked a time or two having fished right through from almost Xmas 2004 to a few months ago without failing to catch something. Went to Swaffham Club lakes yesterday and caught few roach to around 4ounces, half a dozen very small perch with one around a good pound along with a pike of around 4 lbs on ledgered worm, properly hooked too. (Would the pike have counted in a match?)

I say chaps, I have only been away for 2 evenings and this erstwhile compelling thread has come over all sensible, moderate and palsy-walsy!!! To the pro (or should it 'ant'?) tagonists many thanks for some cracking entertainment, can't beat blood and guts spilled all over the place. I see someone mentions 1865 views, I reckon 186 people have viewed the thread an average of 10 times each, as I said, compelling. Glad to see you survived John, you are welcome to come back to Norfolk to fish for those 2lb plus perch anytime! Bob, as I live in Norfolk and would love to fish the Yare, does your offer to fish with Jeepster extend to others on here, I would be delighted to have you show me the river ropes (Promise there is no ulterior motive or hidden agenda) I will send you a PM with my contact details but if you regret the offer simply ignore me. Keep it up everyone, but not too nice all of the time please!!!

Nice one Tony, looks almost as big as the one I caught. I see no mention of trotting, haven't you christened the new reel yet then!

Dream on sonny, see you at dawn on Friday, try to be up!

Once again, thanks to everyone, I expect my little brother will chip in with his twopennorth too as he is skulking around here somewhere probably looking for tips on how to catch bigger fish than his elder brother! The die has been cast, after talking to a very nice man from PADs who is going arrange for the gate to be unlocked at 7 on Friday morning we are going to give their stretch of the Trent at Barrow a go as it is literally ten minutes drive from Tony's house. He was fair wetting himself having seen their site and read about about huge chub and double figure barbel, we shall see but it looks nice and fishy and I will report on the session without too much gloating. Sorry not to have given you a mention in my last post Lidoman, I replied from memory and, like every other bit off me these days, it is failing too. Beeston Weir will receive our attention after Christmas.

Thanks for that guys, I have fished at Whatstandwell next to the pub and never had much but that was over 20 years ago, how about meeting up sometime Chav for a session? Beeston Weir sounds good Jon, I have found some more reports about it and all are good, any direction for finding it travelling from the old A52 through Borrowash towards Long Eaton. It is donkeys years since I went down that road and no matter where I venture in Derby it has all changed beyond recognition. How is it going darn sarf, lots of good fishing nearby I suspect. Les, I have also had a look at the PADS link and will phone the Sec. tomorrow, keep that one in reserve for next time methinks. I will let you where and what when I get back, bring on the minnows!!!

Help please, I am coming over to Derby this coming weekend and have been given dispensation to go fishing on Friday. The odd times I get to fish when over are usually spent at Butterley Res. although I have been to Higham Farm a time or two, however, I fancy a crack at a river and I would like to know if anyone can tell me where the day ticket stretches are these days on the Derwent or Trent. I don't want to spend half the day driving and then walking to a swim so somewhere with ajacent parking would be nice. I would add that My brother will coming along for some instruction and on the rare occasion when we get to fish together big money is at stake, £1 for the biggest/most fish being the norm. Last time we did Melbourne pool and he beat me with some nice bream so revenge is high on the priority list, A 6lb chub or large barbel would do nicely but it will probably come down to the most minnows. When I were a lad Bass's Rec and the below the weir at the River Gardens were favourites, we used to stand on the weir sill and fish ( must have been barking thenaday!). The most helpful suggestion, the one that enables me to win the money, could get you an invite to an unfished lake in Norfolk but more of that later....... Pete

All those flame retardents probably make them impossible to barbeque!

I agree with PW, great fun and the Okuma Aventa Pro (the gold one) is brilliant. I have been on the River Wissey at Hilgay twice recently with my 14' Shakespeare Ganza (a bit soft perhaps but on both occasions I caugh fish all day long. A 3AAA float will easily pull the line off the reel without difficulty. Makes your arm ache though!!! Good luck at weekend, shame we never got to fish in Derbyshire but perhaps you can give away some secrets now and tell me were the best bits are on the Derwent Pete

I too have fished there two or three times. Very good carp (I lost a couple of big ones!) Tench and all the rest. Decent tackle shop and cafe plus loos. One regular fishes it with a pole quite literally under the bank at his feet and he always seemed to be having his elastic seriously stretched.

The bloke who runs the Alcester Tackle shop has a stretch with around 30 pegs, it holds a bit of everything including barbel. I caught my first barbel there around 3 years ago. Ticket is around £4-5 a day from the shop before fishing.

My sentiments exactly Rudd, I feel sad for those who become over motivated, be it money in match fishing or chasing a particular named fish which 'hasn't visited the bank' for a few days. Fishing for me is about relaxation AND enjoyment, even if I fail to catch I do both. However, as your motto says, 'different floats.......' The matches I fish do add a bit of something but even if there was no match I would be fishing at that time anyway but, like you, I do feel a certain degree of satisfaction when doing better than regular match men. I will be playing at Fodder tomorrow, we have a six hour match on the lake that I have only fished twice before so I fully expect to contribute a tenner to the winner but that doesn't mean I won't be trying!

Bear with me while I set the scene. Ten years ago I moved to Norfolk to take up a new job and, soon after, I found what I thought then, and still do, was the fishiest looking bit of water I have ever seen. Not big, islands, channels, surrounded by trees, loads of features, 15 inches deep at one end with maximum depth to around 5-6 feet, get the picture? I fished then on a day ticket a couple of times and caught very little. For the past two seasons I have been a member of Swaffham A.C. which now leases the 'fishiest looking....etc., along with two other adjacent pits known as Bradmoor Lakes which, incidentally, held the UK Crucian record fish a couple of decades or so ago. Last year Kev of Kev's Tackle in Swaffham organised a series of club matches on Wednesday evenings and, although I had never fished in a match before, I decided to become 'pools fodder', a simple fiver a match entrance with a winner and a couple of sections which was all part of this strange new language. I fished as I always have fished (3-4lb line as it is very snaggy, 3 or 4 AAA float, 14 ot 18 hook etc., and blanked a few times, caught a few others but, as I recall, won nowt. This eason Kev added to extra incentive of an additional £1 to be used as an aggregate prize fund for the highest weights (first, second and third) at the end of a series (must have fished 10 out 12). I managed to wangle 3 or 4 section wins and fluked overall third in the aggregate, (tied with Kev but got it on largest fish) and I never blanked once. It was quite satisfying to beat some really hardened matchmen although, in all fairness, the draw is everything here. we are now into a few extra remaining wednesday evening matches and last Sunday there was a 2-8pm Charity match which I fished. Drew peg 2 and caught 13lbs of recently stocked small carp, a weight which would have won 9 out 10 wednesday matches pre stocking! really thought I had cracked it this time but Kev in peg three (the real flyer) scraped up 24lbs whilst the winner found the resident bream shoal and had 43lbs!!! Last evening I drew peg 2 again. Peg three managed a pound, peg 1 won it with 10lb so I got the section with 3lb 10oz beating Robin, who could catch fish out of puddle in the gutter, by one ounce! So, Rudd, be afraid BE VERY AFRAID, we fodder are out to get you. Best of luck though, let us know how you fare.

Many, thanks fellas, I had better get out in the garage and recue them from a watery grave! I have sorted then 3 times today and dropped them into an inch of water in a bait box, I'll nip down and transfer them, they will be used tomorrow evening so there should not be a problem with them going sour.

Having bought a maggot riddle to separate maggots from casters, can anyone tell me how long the casters will remain useable when separated and put in water. I have some left over from yesterday and would like to use the casters on Wednesday evening. Do I leave then in water all the time or remove and bag them at some stage. Any light shed on my dimness would be appreciated.

Sycamore Lakes at Burgh le Marsh near Skeggie, 3 or 4 lakes with a good mixed head including carp to double figures. Haven't stayed on the caravan site but it is new and very impressive. Usually stay at Pine Trees just outside Skegness on the Boston Road Small lake but well stocked some big carp but easy 'bite a chuck' for rudd if that is what you want, also a section of narrow river/drain through the site which is fishable. There are several other sites with fishing in the area.

I reckon that, by the time you have cast to the bubbles, the fish have moved much further than you would think. Try dragging your ledger slowly along the bottom if silty and then count the seconds until the bubbles appear, around a foot a second or just over to rise seems about the rate to me and in 8-10 feet of water that would mean a fish has moved on several feet. Casting to bubbles came up in a thread a few weeks ago and the concensus seemed to be that it was largely pointles and didn't yield a bite too often, mind you, it offers a great sense of excitement and anticipation and I have actually caught before when trying it although it was probably another fish rather than the original creator of the bubbles.

How do Polly. Theer is always Swanton Morley!!!

My trusty old (20+years, my now wife bought it as a first birthday/Christmas present when first lived together, cost around £40 if I remember correctly) 440A Match is still the reel that I use for float fishing. I have Shakespeare and Okuma reels, both of which I rate at the relatively cheap price, and they are lighter and a bit smoother than the Mitchell but I love the one touch bale bale arm (until it springs open when I lunge for rod to strike and accidentally knock it!!!). It has handled double figure carp and acquitted itself last evening in the club match allowing me subdue 3 Perch for 4 ounces without undue drama. The Match reels are in the 'love or hate' category methinks, I love mine and reelcare restored it to as new working order a few years ago for 20 odd quid.

It may be a bit of a drive but there is caravan site called Lyons Gate (it is a place on the map also) near Cerne Abbas (about a mile down ther road in fact). Stayed there for a few days the week before last and fished two of the four pools, one about 80x30 ish with two Islands inwhich I caught carp upto 10lbs or so along with small tench, roach/rudd and perch. the other 3 pools are smaller but in the one I fished for 2 hours I had bream, carp, roach and golden orfe. I fished simple waggler with maggot/corn/meat. The people are nice and it is tickets on the bank. Toilets, shop (snacks etc,) and bait tackle shop on site Do a Google for Lyons Gate Caravan and you will find them.

I have three Shakespeare rods, one carp, one pike and one 14 foot match, none of them the expensive models in the range, and am perfectly happy with them. I also have 4 Shakespeare reels, three of the same model called the Persuit, the first was £20 and a bargain at that, the other two £10 from Rugby Tackle (don't know if they have any left) but they handle double figure carp and 2 inch roach with ease. By all means spend big money on big names but, when all is said and done a fishing rod/reel is a fishing rod/reel and as starter tackle Shakespeare is hard to beat and much less painful when you do stand on them!