Vagabond
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Posts posted by Vagabond
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At a time in life when most have hung up their rods, I was delighted to catch a personal best zander this summer of 6lb 4oz. True,my previous was a modest four-and-a-half pounder,but l was pleased to get a decent fish on a blazing hot day.
True,the writing is on the wall - Brian had to net and weigh it for me, and the fight left me warding off an angina attack, but what else is glyceryl trinitrate for but to keep me fishing.
Won't book any more marlin fishing though.
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Hi
Ide have been around for a long time. I first caught one in my teens - they were called orfe then. They have not just a few scales more than roach but a helluva lot more as others have said.
Don't catch them from rivers after March 14 - as the soothsayer said to Julius Caesar "Beware the Ides of March"
BTW , I'm 88 now,so my teens were a helluva long time ago.
Dunno how this got here . I thought l was posting in Tenchy's ide/orfe thread. Could Mr Mod move it ,please ? - thanks
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If only, Martin, if only. These were unsmiling Serious People - on a mission to Save Our Planet. and they have no time for silly jokes. Generous of you to suggest a way out - we kept a diplomatic silence - it would be a waste of time trying to put them right.
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It seems reasonable that fishery owners can make whatever rules they wish. and if you don't like them you just fish elsewhere.
Came across a new ban the other day - "only natural baits allowed" Seems fair enough... But wait, what is meant by a " natural bait" Worms ?, maggots ?, caddis grubs ?
You and I may think so - but we would be wrong. A list of "NATURAL BAITS" was displayed in a shed labelled "Bailiff's Office" Wait for it..........
Bread, Dog biscuits, Hot dog Sausages, Sweetcorn and Cheese. ......and they offer "fishing lessons"...................
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On 1/20/2022 at 1:40 PM, Ken L said:
I'd imagine this would be a nightmare to cast,
Can't see it would be any worse than casting a string of feathers. All sorts of wallies convert our harbour walls, jetties, piers etc, into a sort of war zone during the mackerel season. Torpedo leads, strings of rusty hooks (last season's) dodgy main lines (also last season's) flying about.
I remember as a teenager Newhaven E pier suffered many such. all aiming for the horizon, with crack-offs, birdsnests, overruns etc abounding. Not many were catching. then an old boy came along , lobbed out about twenty yards half a dozen times, and then packed up because he had enough fish. Somebody the commented on his success.
The reply summed up successful lure fishing everywhere, from dry fly to marlin fishing. "It ain't 'ow yer bungs the fevvers out, mush, Its 'ow yer 'oicks 'em back"
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On 8/19/2021 at 7:05 AM, S63 said:
Cheers Vagabond
a detailed reply which has given me some comfort and confidence going forward.
Good luck with the second eye.
Had the second eye done just over a weeek ago, Just as straightforward as rhe first one, despite my falling down a couple of steps (indoors) the next day ! Had my check up two days ago - all OK but doc said make a habit of staying upright. Good luck with your two ops. My wife is also on the waiting list, which has just got even longer so will probably go the private route.
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Fred J Taylor, Dick Walker and others who fished at Redmire in the 50s referred to a "feast" of gudgeons. Everyone caught some, Fred fried 'em, everyone ate 'em . Delicious but those days are gone - not many gudgeon there now.
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I have put a list of roll-film equipment in the "Sale and Wanted " Forum
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Vintage Canon Photographic Equipment for sale. Cameras well used but many lenses and attachments lightly used. Some unused items still in original packaging. Almost all items still have the original instructional leaflet/booklet . The whole provides a comprehensive set capable of coping with most land-based photographic situations
The equipment comprises :-
Two cameras, an A1 35mm SLR camera body and an AE1 35mm camera body, both fitted with FD 24mm f2.8 lenses. Nine additional Lenses :-
1. 24mm FD lens f 2
2. 50mm FD lens f 1:2
3. 50mm FD lens f 1.8
4. 35mm FD Tilt and Shift lens f 2.8 (for architectural shots etc)
5. 28mm-55mm FD Zoom lens f 3.5 – f 5
6. 70-210mm FD Zoom lens f 4
7. 200mm Macro FD lens f4
8. 300mm FD telephoto lens f4
9. 500 mm Tamron Mirror lens (this last is Canon FD compatible – all the others are Canon FD lenses). Thus, including those on the cameras, there are eleven lenses in all.
There are also many attachments Four FD extenders FD 1.4 x –A. 2x-A. 2x-B and CL 2x, three extension tubes FD 15, FD 25 and FD 50, a number of lens-hoods, (some built-in, some interchangeable). Plus over a dozen Hoya filters and adaptation rings. Red, yellow, cooling, warming and polarising filters – various sizes appropriate to the above lenses.
In addition to that, the following (all Canon) :- Two A2 Power winders, Two x High Capacity battery Packs BP 729, Auto Flash Speedlite 199A. Wireless controller LC1 Transmitter and receiver cable and remote switch (for wildlife photography etc) , Canon Autobellows , Slide duplicator 35-52R. and for those into photomicrography, Canon Micro Unit F (converts a microscope to Canon system)
Also a Canon EX2 Hi 8mm video camcorder with AE1 35mm camera body with 200mm lens CL 8-120mm 1:1.4 – 2.1, stereo zoom microphone plus multi Battery Charger MC100 and assorted Canon rechargeable batteries.
Obviously, that assemblage cost a lot. Equally obviously, it is obsolete in the digital age. However it may constitute a bargain for anyone determined to continue with vintage/roll film traditions. So before donating the collection to a museum of photography it seems worth asking if anyone would make a sensible offer for the lot. I have no interest in disposing of them piecemeal on e-bay – at age 87 life is too short to fiddle about with single offers, writing descriptions, photos, postage and packing etc. although it might be a business opportunity for someone willing to do just that. Send me offers by private message.
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On 11/1/2020 at 9:12 PM, Huge_Vitae said:
Very rewarding but I suppose a skill set like maintaining steam engines!
Yep, as someone who used to restore, fire and drive steam locomotives, build and use split bamboo rods (still use 'em) and tie his own flies I have every sympathy with roll film users, even though I went the digital route, Must dig out my vintage Canon equipment and see if anyone is interested,
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Nice work Ian
Now here is one for the philosophers
How small a roach can one catch and not be disappointed ?
Heres the story As a change from targetting perch, I decided to try to catch a decent roach on hempseed, which I haven't used for years. So - tin of hemp, emergency reserve of sweet corn (no tares available) and a 3 lb mono leader with size 20 hook, a mini antennae float and .... wait a bit, gotta get this shotting right. I know the depth (6 ft). Bulk shot to take line down 3 ft, then size 8 shot shirtbutton style for a slow fall from there to just short of the bottom, OK just try that to check I have it right. Cast (no bait on) float body goes under, halfinch antenna showing, then dip, dip, dip as the "shirt buttons" take effect one by one. Now just an eighth of an inch showing - perfect ! Pull in to start fishing for real...... but what's this ???
A roach 0.9 inches long - taken on a bare silvery hook
Why was I pleased to catch it ? As I took it off the hook I saw that in my haste to get fishing I had omitted to clip off the tag end of the knot. So put that right - Did it make any difference ? Dunno, I like to have the business end of the gear neat and tidy, but I caught no more roach on hemp, nor on plan B (sweet corn) Meanwhile Norma was pulling in perch on dead (frozen) maggot in the next swim so cadged some and saved a blank with a last gasp (not very big) roach. As I said - one for the philosophers.
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12 hours ago, chesters1 said:
Did you buy the Samual one new ? Titter!
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I never used to bother with forecasts. Angling is just like weather forecasting - you can always find reasons for success or excuses for failure AFTER the event. The trick is to make the best of the conditions at the time. I used to angle twice a week minimum - now down to once a week minimum - because since passing 85 years I no longer go if it is too cold for my comfort, as I am compelled to sit things out and can no longer move about to keep warm.
Before 85 the only fishing trips I regretted were those I didn't go on. That continues to be true...
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10 hours ago, chesters1 said:
Did you buy the Samual one new ? Titter!
No.it was a freebie in exchange for proof-reading it ! (smirk)
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My copy is the "Lonsdale Library" edition of 1930 352 pages of wisdom . Cost me a quid 2nd hand in the 1950s
I have most of the books in that series Salmon Fishing (Tavener et al ) for 12/6; Trout fishing from all angles (Tavener et al again) 25 bob; as well as vast tomes on sea fishing and three volumes on shooting from Jack Snipe through pigeon, pheasant, lion and buffalo to African Elephant (and yes I agree these latter are better "shot" with a camera)
As I said, there is much wisdom there - and elsewhere - My favourite amongst my collection of old angling books is "The Art of Angling" by William Samuel 1577 - Sixteen years before Izaak Walton was born...../
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On 9/17/2021 at 8:41 PM, Tigger said:
Your gonna get fat eating all those !
SEVENTY years ago, at age 17, I took my first exotic holiday. Exotic in those days meant South Devon - to be specific, the Tower Inn at Slapton. Fished Slapton Ley (but that's another story.)
One day, for a change, I spun for mackerel at Start Point Got a huge bag, four of which I took back to the Inn. Next morning Mrs Davey, mine hostess, asked "if I would like a couple of grilled mackerel BEFORE YOUR BREAKFAST" Her breakfasts were king-size full English jobs in themselves, but I managed both.
The Tower was a real anglers' inn* in those days - huge breakfasts, huge dinners, no lunches (packed lunch optional) I wonder what its like now ?
*an anglers' inn that offers in-house lunches is inadvertently telling you the fishing is not much good,
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With restricted mobility there are fewer swims accessible to me and its a lot of hassle to move swims. Therefore there is a strong incentive to get things right first time and not scare the fish. What with aging and angina, on reaching my swim I have to have ten minutes rest whether I like it or not. I use the ten minutes by flicking in a few bait particles and observing what happens. A ripple, a flash underwater, a bulge, movement of water plants (other than by wind or current), bubbles, an underwater "smokescreen" - you might even see a fish ! Whatever, do not be in too much of a hurry. Flick a little more loose feed in and set your tackle up with minimum noise and movement. However careful you are, you will scare more fish than you ever know,
If swim goes dead STOP FISHING, loose feed for ten minutes then start again.
Fish are roughly as wary as wild birds When did you last have a wild bird perch within a rod's length of you ?
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River Hi Have now dug out the piranha records and find I have caught ten different sorts. Whether they are all counted as separate species depends on which taxanomic "expert" you believe, Its a bit like trout used to be in the nineteenth century. Nowadays ferox, seatrout, gillaroo, brown and sonaghan are all treated as subspecies of trout. Latimeria and I spent some time trying to make sense of the nomenclature but gave up as life is too short. Taxonomy is only a man-made system after all.
Anyway, here they are
River Napo, Oxbow lake Red-eyed, white belly spilopleura
Amazon delta, White-eyed, red belly nattereri
River Xingu Red-eyed black tail "Preta" rhombeus
R Xingu Gold-cheeked White-eyed "Camari" serrulatus
River Tele Pires Go[d-cheeked red-eyed "Shibito" humeralis
R Tele Piires Red-eyed spotteg telepiri
R Aquidauna White-eyed yellow headed paraguayensis
R Aquidauna Speckled "Catarina" maculatus
Pantanal lagoon Spotted aqipensis
I don' t know how many of the specific names are valid ! !
I had the Xingu "Preta" to 4 lb and three other different sorts to 2 lb most of the rest were average about 4 oz
Piranhas are the big problem if you are trying to catch something else, They make excellent soup. Every cook in Brazil makes the best piranha soup in the world -and each is unique
Here is the 4 lb black it wentback but some of the others did not the red-bellied bunch made soup for everyone on the ha
cienda
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Hi Tigger I don't know the caribe piranha it comes from the R Orinoco and places north where I have not fished. There are many species of piranha (I must have caught at least eight different species) but will dig out my records tomorrow and give you a bit more detail,.. What I do know is that several species grow to over 2lb - I've caught 'em. The biggest was a black piranha of 4 lb. So you need a bigger tank as you would not fancy sharing your bath with piranha that size.
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Went fishing this morning. In the absence of access to the River Xingu or the Pacific Ocean I had to make do with a local pond,
Made up about a couple of pints of loose feed - sweetcorn and live maggots , Which gave me three options on the hook - maggot, corn or one of each - arranged to resemble a young planorbis snail. Fished a four foot deep swim close to the bank and a morning's fishing produced a mixed bag of roach, crucians, gudgeon, perch and bream. Nothing over half a pound, but par for the course, time to go home for lunch. However, I was playing one last long shot ( for the fifth time this summer ) based on what I knew about feeding times of the bigger perch Put on a bigger bait (how many maggots can you get on a size 16 hook ?) fished close to the bank on the edge of my swim. ................
YES !! A two-pound-plus perch from a club water with a record of 2-15 set fourteen years ago
Not a Xingu payara nor a Pacific sailfish, but you can only catch the fish in front of you.
Got a pic which was rejected as "too big" for here - is there a way round that ?
PS Yes there is shrunk the pic a bit
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I have caught the occasional mullet on maggot, but would agree it is not a particularly good bait for them. But then, what is ? Statistically, I have probably done best with wet fly (brown or green nymphs) If you seek mullet it pays to be versatile (and philosophical) as success is rare, whatever method you choose. However, once hooked (both angler and mullet) it is the nearest thing i know to fishing for bonefish.
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Noma and I only met him once (at a zander fish in) but he was clearly "one of us" and we mourn his passing.
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Dunno why the above post has come up a second time - not by my hand anyway.
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Yep, agree with y'all - they are a good lot on this forum. Being deaf, I miss the repartee and badinage one gets at the local pub/club, This is a good substitute - I even have a glass of Highland Park beside me.
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Personal best at age 88
in Coarse Fishing
Posted · Edited by Vagabond
Afterthought
Free - lined dead bleak in deepest hole l could find. Yes Blackbird- River fish. 8lb mono #6 barb-less. Mk4Avon split-bamboo. Watch the meniscus where line enters the water and strike at any indication to avoid deep hooking. Whether zander are"alien" and should be returned or eaten l leave up to you.
If you fish after dark you will need to touch-leger