TheMargins

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About 40 years on and off.

I would have received a warning for that! Its foreign muck, and has no place in a british fishery. Instant big carp for instant carpers! No merit whatsoever, I'm more impressed with everyone elses matey! Why do you have it in your profile, you ought to be ashamed!

Not far, three regular venues at the moment, all about 35 miles, 70 mile round trip.

I thought it looked French. The Mongument -

Are Gobby Carp Anglers allowed? I'm not really gobby by the way, I just get a bit brave here at times sitting in front of the PC!

As Jim says, 'horses for courses'! One thing I beleive needs to be considered when using backleads, if you have a sizeable fish on and it does cross you other line(s), then it can be a nightmare sorting it out! As least without backleads it is relatively easy to pass one rod under the other to sort the potential mess out - this can't be done with backleads on the line!

Thank you.

Thanks for the reply Argyll. Any more views on this: "How is the line brought back onto the reel - I assume by frantically turning the handle on the 'pin'? So, what happens in the mean time to the barbel or carp in a river?" In particular the latter part? I ask because in this situation, i can see where Rabbit is coming from, and I think at the in-between stage where the line is on the floor and the bite occurs, and time it takes to get the line back on the reel, is the time where the fish is lost to snags?

There is one thing i would like to know in relation to fly-fishing for barbel and/or carp: And I ask this out of ignorance having no experience of it, and it is in relation to technique. When a cast is made with a fly rod, I believe I'm right in saying it is done so in a series of forward and backward 'flicks' with the rod, paying out increasing amounts of line; the line then is brought back pulling the 'nymph' (or whatever) across the surface enticing a 'bite' with the hand and with the line in coils on the ground. Have I got it right so far? So, in picturing this scenario, what happens when a bite occurs? Is pressure put on the fish buy gripping the line with the rod? How is this pressure maintained? How is the line brought back onto the reel - I assume by frantically turning the handle on the 'pin'? So, what happens in the mean time to the barbel or carp in a river? As I say, I am asking in ignorance, so please excuse me for that. But it might go some way to explaining why rabbit is worried for the safety of the fish in this situation?

The river Nene, Si.

Sorry chap, I did look but could not find one.

Excellent post Budgie.

Anyone of you chaps seen the Korda underwater videos. They are not the be all and end all, but they do provide the viewer with an insight into how carp and tench (the two species caught in the vids) inspect and mouth the bait, not quite as straight-forward as some of you might think! I've watched carp in the margins, as I'm sure some of you have also, they are far from the hoovering pigs with fins that some of you think they are! Sure, when they are in a proper feeding mood, they will do this, but this is only when they are fully confident! So, are they wary of the rigs? Are they wary of the bait? re they wary of the hook? In what way? Could it actually be that they are mouthing the bait and feeling the hook? Or are they mouthing the bait and not feeling the hook, but sense/taste/whatever that they is something there that should'nt be? Its all very well maintaining the attitude that we go fishing, we catch a few fish, and go home happy. But one step further from 'just' that is specimen fishing, it is very often necessary to constantly think about what you are doing and of ways that can bring a fish to the net. It is possible with specimen fishing for big carp for example, that one may blank on a particular water for a year - this is not uncommon! Its no good relying on a 'pub chuck' and hoping for the best. You have to try all sorts!

There's a bit of a difference between using a small enough hook to catch 2 ounce roach and a big enough hook to catch a 20 or 30lb carp! The smaller hook would be completely insignificant by comparrison! With regards to catching pike with metal lures etc, a slightly different scenario here too: Pike are predators and are tempted by vibration, they are hardly going to watch, scent/smell/taste(?) it before going for it are they?

Baaahh baaahh yet another sheep.

Perhaps 'Gaffer' would like to comment on the other thoughts put forward on this thread. I felt it was a good point he was raising, and agreed with him that just maybe they are put off by the hook - for whatever reason? Personally, I think the thread would have gone along ok, if MALC2 had not made the initial sarcastic response! Yet I got the flack for that! So Gaffer, it's your thread, why not respond?

"what is actually wrong with this?.." Because Steve, what he said, in my opinion is innacurate! Compared to some posters in some posts, i didn't go over the top! Excessive sarcasm and personal attacks? Why is it now all of a sudden wrong to have a wind up and a bit of banter on anglers net? For God's sake! It has become ridiculous! I'm all for the mods telling someone they have gone too far and doing something about it - but to warn - just in case! Its a joke! As for this: "I've noted a trend of increasing invective and decreasing informational content in your posts and that isn't healthy for the forum." Show me where in has become increasing? Show me the decreasing informational content? If anyone cares to make the effort to find out, you will see that I made more helpful posts to people genuinely asking for help aftyer I did the wind ups! Instead of everyone following like sheep, and stick you head - well I'll let you fish that one or that'll be another excuse to lock, delete a thread or war/ban the poster! Judge for yourselves! We all know the mods to a good job. But come on, its not me thats gone over the top!

I could'nt possibly comment - I might get another warning!

Bet that gets him a warning!

I can agree with most of what you say Mr Waller, and I'm sure this Newt feller is a jolly nice bloke, so I don't really mean anything personal, but I still a lot of its lost! I just think he's coming a bit unnesessarily heavy-handed!

I would say British humour is quite unique, would'nt you? We tend to enjoy a joke and a wind up at each others expense - it does no harm, and actually helps to forge friendships! In this connection, I feel it is wrong to have someone from outside of the British Isles overseeing and dictating what is or is not acceptable! I received the following PM: "Please ease back on the personal attacks and excessive sarcasm. You went well over the top in the Teflon Hook thread. I've noted a trend of increasing invective and decreasing informational content in your posts and that isn't healthy for the forum. Newt" The so-called 'personal attacks' were designed simply to get people going a bit, to get peole to open up and explain themselves instead of making sweeping statements. 'Personal attacks' - nah, just British banter mate! 'I went over the top' again I don't think so, just winding a few people up thats all, and did'nt it end up ok? As regards the last post - it was my ruddy second day of posting for God's sake! Check out my posting history folks - you'll see there is a balance of wind-ups and hopefully some helpful advice. I really do think that a lot of British wit, and humour is lost on people from outside of this country! I know this will probably be locked too but I feel that something has to be said!

What stella's? At the moment mate, yup! Why MALC2? Somebody else got MALC1? Or do you always accept that you are second best?

Ya can have a few barbel in TheMargins you know! Been fishing for Barbel long? Or are you the equivalent of the instant carper?

Ditto Tony U