gozzer

I posted this a few years ago John, you might find it useful, I will stress that white maggots make the best casters, John

Gentlemen, don't confuse 'cheap' reels, with 'inexpensive' ones, there can be a difference in meaning. I can only repeat that the 'Crivit' reels I've used regularly for the last couple of years, have been, and still are, decent reels that feel smooth, with a good drag, and have been exceptional value for money. More so since I bought them both second hand. John.

Same here HV, but I've found that it has a side effect, 'Lockdown Lard'! I've put the two stone I lost, plus some more on over the last year. Still the extra spending on trousers, with expandable waistbands, will have helped the local retail trade. John.

I've always liked using hemp, with or without tares, but I've used hemp more often over the last couple of years, mainly because of the explosion in the bleak population on my local rivers. It doesn't stop the odd bleak, or even minnow, 'having a go' but it reduces the chances dramatically. I've had some good catches of roach, dace, with a smattering of chub on hemp, and tare, but usually a bit later in the season. Usually I catch 'on the drop', with regular loose feeding, but in the deeper slower stretches, I've found that after the fish have been 'on' for a while, I can up the feed slightly, and go deeper, and hold back, or lay on, and pick up a better stamp of fish, especially if I put a tare on. It's one of those baits that can take time for the fish to respond, and when they do, it can be a very busy method, feed, cast, strike, feed, land fish, feed, cast, and so on, just a dozen or so grains max' each time. I often plumb the swim, and then drip feed while I have a coffee, and sarnie, before actually fishing. John.

Hi everyone, it's nice to see some 'old' names back on the angling section I've a couple of the 'Crivit' reels, One bought from a charity shop for a couple of quid, and the other from a guy who has a second hand stall in a local shop, for a fiver. One is a bait runner, and I've used it for feeder fishing regularly for the last 3 seasons, and never had a problem, biggest fish I've had on it was a 12 lb pike, that took a lob while reeling in. The other is a smaller reel used for light legering, and some float fishing, again I've never had a problem with it in the 2 seasons I've used it. Both have spare spools, and are smooth running, with aluminium, (not plastic) bodies. I've said before, that I don't look for tackle that will last me 15-20 years anymore, mainly because I'm at that age where I'm not sure that I'm going to last that long. John.

I see little has changed in my absence, The 'statement' was "Last updated 23 November 2020" The whole thing, MHRA Chief Executive Dr June Raine said: The results reported by Pfizer today are very encouraging and add to their announcement from last week. We look forward to receiving the full results of the trials as soon as possible, after which we will rigorously assess the evidence of safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Approval process for a potential COVID-19 vaccine Until the end of December, and as part of the transition period, COVID-19 vaccine candidates can be licensed (authorised) via the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and that authorisation will automatically be valid in the UK.   However, if a suitable COVID-19 vaccine candidate, with strong supporting evidence of safety, quality and effectiveness from clinical trials becomes available before the end of the transition period, EU legislation allows for temporary authorisation of supply in the UK, based on the public health need. The MHRA will evaluate the data rigorously for quality, safety and effectiveness to reach an independent, scientifically robust opinion. The data must include results from lab and clinical trials in humans; manufacturing and quality controls, product sampling, and testing of the final product.  Any COVID-19 vaccine candidate submitted after the transition period ends in January 2021 will not need to go through a European marketing authorisation for use in Great Britain and will instead be assessed directly by the MHRA. The MHRA is globally recognised for requiring the highest standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for any vaccine.  John

I haven't posted on this for some time, but I thought this might be of interest, Barnier and Farage on the same page, 'who'd a thunk it'? https://www.politico.eu/article/michel-barnier-french-borders-shut-pledge/ He even says he's learned from brexit! John.

Bloody hell Ant, they've really put you through the wringer, I can barely imagine what you and your family have been through. The good thing is that they have got all that crap out of you, and you're on the mend. I sometimes think that doctors only find what they've already decide will be there, and it takes another doctor with a more open mind to see the wider picture. Take care mate, and take it easy, slow and steady. John.

Don't know if you remember a guy coming on here some years ago, complaining that he had lost 1000s of cats from his 'fishery' in East Yorkshire during heavy flooding. He was asking for donations to compensate his loss. I remember saying he should be fined not compensated for polluting the surrounding waters. His fishery was surrounded by drains which fed into the River Hull, which in turn fed the Humber, and it's only a short trip up to the Trent and Yorkshire Ouse systems. Catfish have been caught, from parts of the Yorks Ouse for the last 6 or 7 years, and reports of them being caught from the Trent, as well as 'unstoppable' fish being hooked by barbel anglers. I believe it's illegal to return them to rivers, but some anglers do anyway. It's just a by-product of the obsession with overstocked commercial waters containing 'exotic' species, that leach into surrounding rivers. John.

Ant, you've got a PM John.

Hi Ian, My daughter works in a large hospital in Leeds, and has a different view of things than your friends. She usually phones us when she finishes work, last night it was 7-15, she started at 8 in the morning. She rings us for a few reasons, one to check up on me and her mum, and as a bit of stress relief. She can have a bit of a rant to let off a bit of steam to us. She knows we will listen, and can sometimes see things from a different, more distant angle. She doesn't work on the covid front line, or in ICU, but has friends who do, and daily sees the state they are in. She treats cancer patients, and despite what some of the media say, treatments are still going on, she has a patient who has a 5 hour session on the Gamma Knife today. Apart from treating, she is also in charge of the students, and band 4s, the future of the NHS. She has to hold regular assessment sessions with them, and has said that her usual opening line is asking how they are doing, many just burst into tears at the question, they are under so much pressure. The normal staff shortages are made worse because of those having to isolate, not just because they've tested positive, but if they have even been near someone who has, their patients already have a weakened immune system, so they can't risk any infection. They can't browse the internet, they don't have time, in fact my daughter rarely has time for her full meal break. The student care side of her work, means she has to keep in contact with other hospitals, and she also has old Uni' friends that work around the country, they are all under the same amount of pressure/stress. While I do realise that the levels of covid vary around the country, it would be interesting to know where your friend works, because they must have it very easy compared to the experiences my daughter and her colleagues are having. John.

Yes, as I said chesters, they can lobby the Government, just as any organisation can, but they can't legislate. They've changed their web site to read 'governing body' from the original 'representative body', so they are working towards some kind of power, but I don't think it will be in your or my lifetime. You can ignore what you regard as ridiculous laws if you want, after all their are thousands that already ignore laws that they think are ridiculous. At least you say you are prepared to accept the consequences, be they financial, or medical for you personally, or to others, many cry foul when they have to 'pay the piper'. I'll leave it at that, chesters. I hope you stay safe, this forum would be even duller without your input. Take care John.

As much as I dislike the Angling Trust chesters, you're wrong on this one. They haven't decreed anything, they haven't got the power, the Government have and did. All the ATr have done is ask the Government how this lockdown affected angling, and then reported back to the anglers, just like they did during the first lockdown. They did lobby the Government and eventually put forward a plan whereby angling could continue, as long as they followed the same criteria with regard to distance, sanitizing, etc as the rest of us. They will probably do the same this time. John.

Well said Peter. If I broke the rules and went fishing, then I would be a Dick, even if I went on my own to an isolated place, all it would take was another Dick to see me, and think, 'if he can do it, then so can I', and then you've got two Dicks fishing. I'm not sure what the collective nouns for Dicks is, but if a few more saw me then we would have a multitude of Dicks on the waterside fishing. What are Dicks usually good for? F**king things up, and P***ing on things. If you want to P*** on things, and f*** things up, then go fishing. If you want to keep your loved ones safe, and protect the general public, then stay at home when ever possible, and help us get over this (hopefully) last hurdle, and help us get back to some semblance of normality, and a much safer, and secure life. It will hopefully only take a few of months of hardship. Stay safe all John

Hi everyone, just logged on to see who's still about and to wish everybody..... well I would say the usual 'Happy' and 'Merry', but they sound a bit hollow this year, so I'll just wish for you all the same as I hope for, and that's a safe, healthy and as near normal as we can get, Christmas, and New year. Take care all. John.