Cameraman

Oh dear, I hope she's ok. It makes you glad sometimes that you're in the boring old UK with a hospital within an hours drive and an ambulance not more than 20 mins away. What a farce forgetting to buy a ticket, still mistakes are made but you would think they'd have a standing arrangement for cases like this. Make sure you get her good treatment, I've had many broken bones over the years and now in later years am suffering not looking after them. She needs to take lots of rest and let it heal in it's own time. Good luck

So that's your lunch sorted, what about bait??

Ex Army braces are the way to go with buttons on the outside, they don't dig in then. Remember when Grandad had buttons on the outside and the little raised backs of the trousers? I bet you still got some??? Alternatively look at braces in the shooting sections of adverts, ridiculously overpriced and fashionable colours but look like they could tow a tank.

Unfortunately you're 100% wrong, there are so many more people walking, running and cycling in the countryside at the moment. I shoot on a 240 acre permission and currently it's a nightmare and has been since the lockdown began. I can be sat quietly in a hide and a whole family of trespassers come moaching though. They trample crops, pick flowers, cut trees, interfere with wildlife in general. Poking sticks and throwing stones into fox and badger sets is one I have on film. I've not seen a deer since lockdown began they're that timid now. Motorbikes and cyclists, don't get me started. Right to roam they claim, rubbish! Right to vandalised and destroy. Always the same story, oh, is it private, we didn't know, we're lost. Birds now fly the moment they see people as before they had little fear. The farmer has taken to speading liquid pig manure on every farm track, every access point and every part of the farm people think is a car park. Doesn't bother the odd horse rider, but imagine a cyclist or motor cyclist spaying it up their back from the wheels. Or a family treading it back into the family car. It's a private farm with no public access, yet people are stood in the middle of the fields, openly stealing carrier bags full of peas. Wildlife hasn't stood a chance this year, its the poorest it's been for several years. Even the farm animals have to be penned up due to the "right to roam" morons. Litter, wow, I can spend a day/evening shooting rats and make no dent in the population. Maybe i should post some pictures of the left over carrier bags, choccie bar wrappers, burnt out bbq trays and just general tipped rubbish. The farm is 2 miles off the beaten track and last week had a double mattress dumped in the barley field. Surely it must have been easier to visit the local tip. Sorry Chester's, people have destroyed habitats this year and are continuing to do so.

That looks superb, I betcha can't wait.

Although I'd planned a few days previous my health kept me in doors. I was told of a pond, definitely not a carp puddle, localish and reasonably accessible. Despite an 80% forecast of rain I thought why not. It was my daughters fellas only day off this week so yesterday or nothing. Arriving at 0700, I couldn't manage any earlier despite my excitement, retirement has got to me and to get there at 0700 I had to be up at 0500. Early enough. One person fishing, 1st peg out of the car park, ha ha. No longer steady on my feet I don't walk round anymore. Five minutes with the binos and I'd picked the furthest peg and probably the least accessible, bubbles and cover generally mean fish. Shortly after and a short rest, cup of coffee and a pork pie I was set up. Crystal clear water and maybe 6" deep for the first 10 feet after which it looked sloping. I'd set up a centrepin and quill as I thought the slope by the lilies looked good. What a shock, at 10' it dropped off sharply to around 22' and became deeper towards the middle with leaf and tree debris on the bottom. I tried the centrepin rig at 20' out, set at 10' on the drop. Immediately assaulted by masses of 1 - 2oz perch and roach. Worm, maggot even a piece of meat the same. Change of tack and a feeder rod set up, cage feeder, ground bait, sweetcorn, hemp and chopped worm plus a few maggots. Size 10 hook, 2' tail, running rig and a full lob worm. First bite as I was tightening up, 4oz perch hanging on to the lob for grim death. After that it settled to the odd perch, roach to around 12oz but mainly bream around the 2lbs mark. Chopped and changed with hook size and bait all day, down to a 16 and up to an 8, searched out a few areas and found fish a plenty, mostly greedy perch snatching the bait but lots of very shy biting bream. Finished the day early as I'm really a fair weather fisherman these days and the damp was getting to me and I was in considerable joint pain. It's nice to find somewhere that you don't just scoop them out and have to work for bites and then convert the bites to fish. Actually think about what you're doing so that each fish is an achievement. Great that you don't have to fish banded pellets as standard too. £5.00 a day, if the balliffe calls is good value. In hindsight I should have not bothered with the float and fished feeder straight off. Also maybe a 14/16 hook, lighter cage full running and different tail lengths. Every day you learn something. If it wasn't for the Coronaviris this week and the next two, I had a cottage on the river booked in Norfolk. 1 sack of hemp, 1 sack of groundbait and lots other things sat in the garage awaiting better times.

Over here it would be packed with 5 - 7lbs carp, probably 200 - 300, 50 pegs around the edges and opened as a commercial carp fishery and popular match venue. We would then have people telling us they are great anglers cos they can put a bag of over 100lbs together in 5 hours. Or maybe I'm getting sceptical in my old age and it's just a pool.?

No not me? only there for the food? I was told it was a good place for a meal, at least I think that's what they said. Something about a drink and getting served up meat and two veg.?????

I have an ac/dc story too. I was having a drink in a bar with my mates in Singapore whilst on leave........... Maybe not.......

Noticeable change in what? Not quite understanding the question. In our health, no. In the public behaviour, yes, massively. In fishing, yes, most carp puddles are oversubscribed. My local reservoir (Dam Flask) is still closed yet people are ignoring the closure and fishing - not me though. Closed means closed, whatever the reason.

Only just seen this, my wife is on the highly vunerable due to a reduced immune system and other things. I'm on the vunerable. We've been isolating since the beginning of lockdown, however our daughter who's our registered carer has been visiting occasionally also the district nurse. So I guess I can give an honest opinion for you as before I do anything I take medical advice. During lockdown I was given permission by the Police to travel to my shooting permission for the purpose of crop control, shooting crows, pigeons and other vermin. Doctors agreed it was ok as I was on my own and before I came home completely de sanitised. On entering home, showered dogs, showered myself before touching my wife or anything else. I chose to carry on shooting as permissions are hard to come by and easy to loose, this was discussed with mainly my wife, but also my family, doctor the police and landowners. All my permissions beyond a 15 minute drive where given up. I kept just one. Fishing during this time No, as non essential. During this period of who knows what's allowed, same as above, but I'm allowed to interact with the farmers as long as I keep the 2m. Fishing I was told was ok, provided I kept 5 to 10m away from others as I would be sat in the company of others - possibly. If the pegs showed "much use" avoid. If a carp puddle you can spit across avoid. Generally I was told by the Doctor bank/river fishing would be better as more space, (She didn't know it was still closed season when she said this). No contact with bailiffs whatsoever as they are in contact with unknown sources. Basically that's it and that's what I'm sticking too. I'm also allowed travel with my daughter, her partner, my son and his partner as they all have to come in contact with me anyway. I hope that's some help as its advice taken from our local GP in the best interest of keeping my wife safe yet getting fresh air and some limited exercise.

Having a sort out recently looking for something I knew was there, (still can't find it), I came across some tins of chopped ham with pork, use by date 2002. Further into the depths, peperami with a use by date of 1998. Lots of unopened packets of things that caught my eye at the time obviously thought I needed and not seen for years. No idea why I bought them.

Whilst in the Army I served with Yanks a few times, the first time we went into the American PX, its like our NAAFI there was loads of chewing tobacco on sale with names like Indian Chief and stuff. Aged 17, never smoked I decided to try a packet (big western fan) all my mates did too. I managed maybe 20 seconds before I gagged and spat it out. Even the hardened smokers couldn't get through a pack. Smells gorgeous tastes like camel ? The things you try at 17........

I think it's a bit like stocks and shares, you pay your money, you takes your chances. If it goes up you make a profit less commission, if it goes down you make a loss plus commission. I remember going to the shops with three ha'pence for sweets. Ten bob was a xmas or birthday present if ya wa lucky. I used to get half a crown. I used to get a trepeny bit on a Saturday morning for a weeks pocket money as a kid. Bitcoin is the digital way to spend your pocket money on a Saturday morning, feel sick by dinner time, and have nowt to show by afternoon ?

It depends on the questionnaire and the amount of personal involvement. Generally I use lures when I fancy a walk about, it's too cold to sit about, or the water doesn't look right where I fancied fishing. I tend towards deadbaits, the bait depending on the water. Some waters, trout waters for example work better on trout or part trout. Other waters inc trout waters respond to sea fish. If a water allows live baits, I have no problems using them. It's really like asking how long is a piece of string or how much lead to hold bottom. Every day is different, every water different. Watercraft as in all types of fishing is what you use to catch fish, any fish.

Nice tribute to a great man?

Everything Mr Phone says is true. Absolutely. Except I wasn't on 6 figures unless you included the pennies.

Just retire early Martin, once you've convinced yourself it's the right move, you'll wonder when you found the time to work. Mid week fishing in deserted spots, Grandkids from school, all those little jobs you've been meaning to do for the last 25 years. Retirement is a full time ocupation

There are some really good air guns on the market today and some good spinning targets. Pellets vary in price and quality, you tend to get what you pay for in size, quality and fit. Killing animals/birds is a matter of respect, unless its vermin, if you can't or won't eat it, don't shoot it. In season we have Rabbit, Hare, Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant and pigeon. It's not really that far removed from eating fresh food grown wild or on an allotment. As a kid we survived by doing this with Grandads. As adults now, everything comes on a polythene tray in shrink wrap from a supermarket. Kids need to get off the computer outside and respect the countryside be it flora or fauna.

Phone, That's the Cooey, mines a 19 something early. Ammunition for the .410 about 9 English pounds for 25. More for the 20g. 12g varies from a fiver a box for 21gram lead through to, really skies the limit for more powerful or steel. I really ought to reload, some of my friends take my empties and can reload them twice before getting rid. Decent brass is hard to get here too. ?

My kids shoot, son a 12g and shoots regularly with me. He's also ex Army and used to many calibres. Daughter a .410 but she used to shoot a 12g SxS and .22 rifle and 5.56 rifle as well as air guns. Oldest granddaughter uses a O/U 20g and is quite proficient. Next granddaughter a .410 SxS and still at beginners stage. Next one down, no interest at all. Grandson age 6, I've just cut down a Cooey model 84, .410, you may know the brand, even the gun as apparently they're extremely popular as starter guns in the USA and Canada. I think about 1.9 million made before Winchester bought them. He loves it but mainly on statics at the mo with 2" 9gram cartridges. The reason I choose. 410 is the low or zero recoil and noise especially as starters. We have 28g but the ammo is prohibitively expensive. Even .410 costs almost double my 12g. 20g also costs more. I'm not a lover of 20g as it's too easy for a starter or occasionally someone using both to mix up. 20g into 12g could be fatal. Plus 20g cartridges can recoil more in a lighter gun than a heavier cartridge in my 12g. I'd love to explore the ammunition available in the USA as we are limited to the types we can use here. The law on ammunition is also complicated, for example, it's illegal to buy ammunition without a licence but legal to posses it. So...in theory, a licence holder may buy ammo and give it away to a non licence holder, and that's legal? We are also just into the phasing out of lead. A voluntary ban is coming in with a total ban on lead for game in 5 years. A ban already exists on lead for wildfowling or shooting over water. It's an opinion only, that within a few decades shooting in any form in this country will be either unaffordable or illegal.

Suicide rates are quite high in ex forces, I've no idea of the ratios etc. Especially in ex front line troops or those who have seen action. It's my understanding more have died since the Falklands war than in it, on both sides. That's one example and probably easy to look up. Homeless people are also a large percentage of ex forces that fail to live with the stresses of civilian life. PTSD is now a recognised illness, although going back a few years, WW1 it was cowardice, WW2 it was shell shock. I'm so glad we have moved on. There is another thing that is rarely mentioned or understood. Survivors Guilt. Fortunately I have a wife and family to help me, but theres rarely a day passes when I wonder why I survived and better men than me didn't.

When you result to personal insults as a keyboard warrior, you have lost. Simple as. Nothing more to say, nothing to add. End of.

Some nice pictures there, pity they don't also show the runners up.