Vagabond

I have the pics (seven of them - one still in camera) in jpeg form on my computer, and would dearly like to put them on this thread - have tried, and failed. Probably because I ain't doin' it right Have recently asked on the Non-fishing forum for advice re posting piccys, but this morning the thread has disappeared. Could someone let me into the secret Pleeaeeaeease PS Thanks Poledark and Richard for the offer via E-mail, If I find I can't post the piccys here, will take up your offer - but the scanner is a new toy and I'd like to be able to use it to post here. [ 06 March 2002, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: Vagabond ]

I have the pics (seven of them - one still in camera) in jpeg form on my computer, and would dearly like to put them on this thread - have tried, and failed. Probably because I ain't doin' it right Have recently asked on the Non-fishing forum for advice re posting piccys, but this morning the thread has disappeared. Could someone let me into the secret Pleeaeeaeease PS Thanks Poledark and Richard for the offer via E-mail, If I find I can't post the piccys here, will take up your offer - but the scanner is a new toy and I'd like to be able to use it to post here. [ 06 March 2002, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: Vagabond ]

I know this has been asked before, but how is it done? Tried to put some on a perch thread, and failed. One kind offer to do it for me, but I'd really like to learn how to do it for myself. PS I'm pretty dumb re tekky jargon, so words of no more that three syllables please.

I know this has been asked before, but how is it done? Tried to put some on a perch thread, and failed. One kind offer to do it for me, but I'd really like to learn how to do it for myself. PS I'm pretty dumb re tekky jargon, so words of no more that three syllables please.

Yes, I rember my first perch, when I was about eight years old. I could see the spiky dorsal fin, so held the fish carefully from below, between finger and thumb. It then shook its head a couple of times, driving its opercular spines into my thumb and finger. I said a couple of words I really shouldn't have known at that age!

Very interesting Richard, and it sent me back to look at all the photos of perch I've taken from Deerdrink since September. Remember, these all took fish baits. These break down to 5 "blunt-nosed" fish (Weights 2-12,2-12,2-14, 3-0 and 3-1) and 3 "zander-nosed (Weights 1-12, 2-0 and 2-4) At first sight it is tempting to say that as there is a bimodal distribution of weights against head shape, then the head shape changes as the fish gets older/bigger, rather like human males growing in body length up to age 18, after which they only increase in girth! However it may be more subtle than that - Lets say for the sake of argument, that both a proportion of longnosed, and a proportion of bluntnosed fish develop the habit of eating fish rather than invertebrates. What these catches MIGHT show, is that blunt nosed fish are more efficient than longnosed fish at catching small fish, and therefore grow bigger. What is surprising is the lack of any intermediate-sized perch. I've caught a couple of hundred tiny perch on maggot whilst roach-fishing, and some more tiny ones on worm. Only ONE intermediate sized fish taken (half-pound on worm) - and almost all the perch, big and small, came from the same swim. Until I start getting repeat captures I can't estimate how many big perch might be present - but commonsense suggests something between 12 and 20 - its a small water. Lack of repeats MIGHT indicate that once caught, these perch learn to leave livebait rigs alone - but if this were so, then the catch rate would decline - but not yet it hasn't, had another on Sunday at 2-14. However, no big perch today - just roach up to 13 oz.

Very interesting Richard, and it sent me back to look at all the photos of perch I've taken from Deerdrink since September. Remember, these all took fish baits. These break down to 5 "blunt-nosed" fish (Weights 2-12,2-12,2-14, 3-0 and 3-1) and 3 "zander-nosed (Weights 1-12, 2-0 and 2-4) At first sight it is tempting to say that as there is a bimodal distribution of weights against head shape, then the head shape changes as the fish gets older/bigger, rather like human males growing in body length up to age 18, after which they only increase in girth! However it may be more subtle than that - Lets say for the sake of argument, that both a proportion of longnosed, and a proportion of bluntnosed fish develop the habit of eating fish rather than invertebrates. What these catches MIGHT show, is that blunt nosed fish are more efficient than longnosed fish at catching small fish, and therefore grow bigger. What is surprising is the lack of any intermediate-sized perch. I've caught a couple of hundred tiny perch on maggot whilst roach-fishing, and some more tiny ones on worm. Only ONE intermediate sized fish taken (half-pound on worm) - and almost all the perch, big and small, came from the same swim. Until I start getting repeat captures I can't estimate how many big perch might be present - but commonsense suggests something between 12 and 20 - its a small water. Lack of repeats MIGHT indicate that once caught, these perch learn to leave livebait rigs alone - but if this were so, then the catch rate would decline - but not yet it hasn't, had another on Sunday at 2-14. However, no big perch today - just roach up to 13 oz.

Yes, this water (Deerdrink) is surprisingly clear though, despite the presence of bream, roach-bream hybrids, and a lot of carp up to 10/12 lb. Will press on with these perch until end of season, and after some trouting hope to tackle the Wingham tench. New ball game there - no doubt I will struggle as most of my tenching has been on estate lakes.

Yes, this water (Deerdrink) is surprisingly clear though, despite the presence of bream, roach-bream hybrids, and a lot of carp up to 10/12 lb. Will press on with these perch until end of season, and after some trouting hope to tackle the Wingham tench. New ball game there - no doubt I will struggle as most of my tenching has been on estate lakes.

quote: Originally posted by Steve Burke: I find that fish baits often score well in the more coloured stillwaters, worm in the clearer ones. However, this is a very broad generalisation. It may just be that the coloured waters are like that purely due to the numbers of bottom feeding fish of course, many of which are food for the perch.

quote: Originally posted by Steve Burke: I find that fish baits often score well in the more coloured stillwaters, worm in the clearer ones. However, this is a very broad generalisation. It may just be that the coloured waters are like that purely due to the numbers of bottom feeding fish of course, many of which are food for the perch.

Waterman has already said much of what I intended to post. Every angler should read his post carefully. My parents were against angling on religious grounds, so I got a good leathering each time I returned from fishing if they found out that was what I had been doing - my tackle was kept at friends' houses. This is probably the reason I value my hunting shooting and fishing so much. As far as I am concerned it is my instinct to hunt, shoot and fish - I concentrate on fish only because mammoths were extinct before I was born! One point to add to Watermans lucid argument - whatever happens to a fox that does not get "torn to pieces by dogs". There are no hospices for elderly infirm foxes - when it can no longer defend itself it is likely to get "torn to pieces" .......by other foxes!

Waterman has already said much of what I intended to post. Every angler should read his post carefully. My parents were against angling on religious grounds, so I got a good leathering each time I returned from fishing if they found out that was what I had been doing - my tackle was kept at friends' houses. This is probably the reason I value my hunting shooting and fishing so much. As far as I am concerned it is my instinct to hunt, shoot and fish - I concentrate on fish only because mammoths were extinct before I was born! One point to add to Watermans lucid argument - whatever happens to a fox that does not get "torn to pieces by dogs". There are no hospices for elderly infirm foxes - when it can no longer defend itself it is likely to get "torn to pieces" .......by other foxes!

Recently we have had members reporting early signs of spring - frogs mating, frogs and newts spawning early, rooks well on their way to raising a family etc Today I saw a fisherman's sign of spring - wanting a change from my winter perch programme I had a go at the river - Upper Medway for chub. Only one chub of about a pound, but sailing down the river like miniature Bermuda-rigged yachts were some Large Dark Olive duns - I saw about half a dozen in the two hours before lunch. Taking up Chesters thread on sods law, I bet the hatch will be over when I come back in April with a fly rod!

Recently we have had members reporting early signs of spring - frogs mating, frogs and newts spawning early, rooks well on their way to raising a family etc Today I saw a fisherman's sign of spring - wanting a change from my winter perch programme I had a go at the river - Upper Medway for chub. Only one chub of about a pound, but sailing down the river like miniature Bermuda-rigged yachts were some Large Dark Olive duns - I saw about half a dozen in the two hours before lunch. Taking up Chesters thread on sods law, I bet the hatch will be over when I come back in April with a fly rod!

Just a couple of recent perch from Deerdrink Dam - compare the shape of the two heads. One long and zander-like, t'other short and blunt. Many years ago Fred J Taylor drew attention to two forms of perch from the Great Ouse - it was thought then that the two forms night pursue different life styles. Ie one was thought to eat fish with t'other being a bottom feeder - more likely to take worms or crayfish. However, both these perch took fish baits. In fact all the seven larger (2 lb plus) perch I have taken from this venue since September took fish baits, and although I've had stacks of perch on worm from the same swim, they have all been small (one solitary half-pounder and all the others an ounce or two). I'm getting a bit mystified as to the make-up of this population. It is a very tiny water (just about an acre and a half,) so I would not expect more than a dozen big perch present. If that were so then by now I should be getting repeat captures, but despite close examination of all the photos I can't see any likenesses between them . Perhaps there are more big perch there than I thought. Any thoughts on numbers Steve ? Certainly there is one perch that had a wipe at one of my baits which looked rather bigger than any I've caught so far, and there is a tale of a huge fish two years ago. (I'm not telling you the alleged weight 'cos I don't believe it either!) A little piece of the jigsaw has fallen into place - remember my comment on the perch coming out from under the roots and seizing the live bait, then making off for open water ? They all did that. I wondered why they did not return to their hidey-hole. Having spent a long time motionless and head -down over the dam watching my livebaits, I think I have now solved this problem. As soon as the perch comes in sight, the bait bolts for the roots. The perch does not always catch it first time, and abandons the chase when the bait gets into roots. At that point I cautiously ease the bait free again and then sometimes the perch comes back for another go. As soon as the bait is successfully grabbed, the perch goes for open water. The penny has dropped. The perch wants its prey in open water so it can easily grab it again if it escapes whilst being turned. It doesn't want it dashing into nearby roots. When I was eight years old I did precisely the same thing with my first good fish (2lb Crucian) I waded in, scooped it ashore, picked it up and ran twenty yards away from the water before putting it down! HELP ! Thought I could paste in a couple of piccys but can't get it to work - someone please explain how to do that - I have converted them to jpg and copied, but can't get "paste" to work.

Just a couple of recent perch from Deerdrink Dam - compare the shape of the two heads. One long and zander-like, t'other short and blunt. Many years ago Fred J Taylor drew attention to two forms of perch from the Great Ouse - it was thought then that the two forms night pursue different life styles. Ie one was thought to eat fish with t'other being a bottom feeder - more likely to take worms or crayfish. However, both these perch took fish baits. In fact all the seven larger (2 lb plus) perch I have taken from this venue since September took fish baits, and although I've had stacks of perch on worm from the same swim, they have all been small (one solitary half-pounder and all the others an ounce or two). I'm getting a bit mystified as to the make-up of this population. It is a very tiny water (just about an acre and a half,) so I would not expect more than a dozen big perch present. If that were so then by now I should be getting repeat captures, but despite close examination of all the photos I can't see any likenesses between them . Perhaps there are more big perch there than I thought. Any thoughts on numbers Steve ? Certainly there is one perch that had a wipe at one of my baits which looked rather bigger than any I've caught so far, and there is a tale of a huge fish two years ago. (I'm not telling you the alleged weight 'cos I don't believe it either!) A little piece of the jigsaw has fallen into place - remember my comment on the perch coming out from under the roots and seizing the live bait, then making off for open water ? They all did that. I wondered why they did not return to their hidey-hole. Having spent a long time motionless and head -down over the dam watching my livebaits, I think I have now solved this problem. As soon as the perch comes in sight, the bait bolts for the roots. The perch does not always catch it first time, and abandons the chase when the bait gets into roots. At that point I cautiously ease the bait free again and then sometimes the perch comes back for another go. As soon as the bait is successfully grabbed, the perch goes for open water. The penny has dropped. The perch wants its prey in open water so it can easily grab it again if it escapes whilst being turned. It doesn't want it dashing into nearby roots. When I was eight years old I did precisely the same thing with my first good fish (2lb Crucian) I waded in, scooped it ashore, picked it up and ran twenty yards away from the water before putting it down! HELP ! Thought I could paste in a couple of piccys but can't get it to work - someone please explain how to do that - I have converted them to jpg and copied, but can't get "paste" to work.

Cheers Duncan, I'll have a look at a Wulff TT3. The narrow, twisting, overgrown brooks I sometimes fish mean the fishing is at very short range, and a delicate presentation is essential. Hence my need for a light outfit weight-wise but a neutral one colour-wise. As you say, the old Aircel was pale green (still too bright though IMHO) and not made in DT3 Thanks for the comment and advice

Where can I get hold of a DT 3 or DT4 floating fly line of NEUTRAL colour ? ie soft green or light brown Most floating fly lines are either in very light colours - white, peach , yellow etc, or in some hideous fluorescent orange or red. Sellers of white line claim it is the least visible against the sky - so a predatory fish looking up cannot see it - ie good camouflage, like the underbelly of a prey fish. Well, that sounds a clever debating point, but if I have put my LINE directly over a rising trout , then I have spooked it whatever the colour of my line. What needs putting over the trout is the FLY, and as little leader as possible. Once the line is on the water, it should not be visible to the fish - so in that sense line colour does not matter. What DOES matter about line colour is what the trout sees at the EDGE of its "window" when the line is in the air. Out on open water, the trout's "window" is all sky, the line is seen against the sky, so a light colour is fine for reservoir fishing from a boat. In any case, in open water a long leader is used, so line colour is less important. By contrast, when fly-fishing small streams, the trout's "window" includes the banks and overhanging foliage - against which a moving white line is VERY obvious. The angler is fishing at very short range, and leaders for this type of fishing need to be relatively short - so the line is that much nearer to the fish. There is little point in stalking a trout by creeping on hands and knees through nettles and brambles (stacks of those on my Wealden streams) only to wave a glossy white line in the air to let it know someone is fishing for it - you might just as well stand up and wave a white flag! So - I can understand why lines of 5-weight and above designed for ressy fishing are white - but not why manufacturers persist in white lines for short-range low-weight floating lines meant for dry-fly and upstream nymph fishing - it's a handicap I could do without. If nobody can suggest a maker who offers neutral colours in DT3/DT4 - can anyone suggest a way of dying polymer-coated white fly lines - the chemistry of these polymers is designed to repel water, and therefore they also repel water-soluble dyes, and of course anything drastic used as a mordant might destroy the coating. All shades of neutral greens and browns are offered for sinking lines - PLEASE could the tackle trade offer similar shades for DT3 or 4 floating lines.

Yes - I support my local tackle shop when I can, but if any specialist sea gear is required, I'm straight on the phone to Veals. You always find the person on the other end sounds as if they know what they are doing (rather rare these days) - their service is prompt, and most important, they do have everything in stock. None of this "to follow in a few days" nonsense which many mail order companies indulge in, with the unfortunate customer finding that "a few days" means a couple of months.

Once tied up a series of tandem lures to represent leeches - with a stiff hackle each end to protect the hooks so that they could be fished slowly over the bottom. Joined the hooks with a couple of inches of old salmon fly line - which gave the bodies bulk and flexibility Caught rainbows up to 7 lb - and that was before the days of big triploids. Leeches are quite time consuming to collect (did a project on them many years ago when I was a student). The success of lobworms (nightcrawlers) for perch may be because the perch take them for leeches - and lobworms are a darn sight easier to get. But yes, I think leeches may be worth trying - we have about a dozen different species over here.

Once tied up a series of tandem lures to represent leeches - with a stiff hackle each end to protect the hooks so that they could be fished slowly over the bottom. Joined the hooks with a couple of inches of old salmon fly line - which gave the bodies bulk and flexibility Caught rainbows up to 7 lb - and that was before the days of big triploids. Leeches are quite time consuming to collect (did a project on them many years ago when I was a student). The success of lobworms (nightcrawlers) for perch may be because the perch take them for leeches - and lobworms are a darn sight easier to get. But yes, I think leeches may be worth trying - we have about a dozen different species over here.

There is a lovely story by Dick Walker about Fred Taylor and himself finding a long-dead sheep in a field beside the Gt Ouse, and suggesting they did just what Walton did - ie hang it from a tree over a good swim. Fred then said "If we cut it in half, we could bait a swim each" To which Dick's response was "Good idea Fred, here's the hatchet"

There is a lovely story by Dick Walker about Fred Taylor and himself finding a long-dead sheep in a field beside the Gt Ouse, and suggesting they did just what Walton did - ie hang it from a tree over a good swim. Fred then said "If we cut it in half, we could bait a swim each" To which Dick's response was "Good idea Fred, here's the hatchet"