Anderoo

I think a smaller, finer wire hook near the head plus a little stinger is ideal. When they're feeding well they tend to hit the head of the lure (or just fold the whole thing up in their mouths) and when they're not they tend to nip at the tails. Either way you're covered. A big, heavy gauge hook can have difficulty sticking in their bony mouths. And yes, it can end up being a bit of a money pit (The 3 packets of lures I have coming from Germany are costing me £35, if I could get them here they'd be £15...!)

I won't be around to answer questions much after Wednesday evening, so I'm copying info from page 1 here as a reminder: Directions The nearest postcode is LE15 8HD. Address is Normanton Road, South Shore, Edith Weston. When you get there Press at the barrier for a ticket to let you in. Follow the road down to the right, the marina and lodge is then down on your left. There are a few parking spots down by the boats, if those are full there are plenty of others nearby. Make sure you take your parking ticket into the lodge when getting your fishing ticket - they will validate it which lets you leave at the exit barrier later (so the parking is free). Boat bookings and payment All boats will be booked under my name but you will need to pay on the day in the lodge. The cost of boat hire plus predator permit for 2 anglers sharing a boat is £60, so about £30 each. When paying for your boat you'll be asked to provide a mobile number in cases of emergencies. Life jackets are mandatory and are provided for free. Times The lodge opens at 8am, so I suggest met all meet by the lodge at about 7.30-7.45am so we can sort out who needs what gear, etc. The fishing is until dusk, which changes as the days get shorter. I guess about 6-6.30pm, but we'll be told on the day. We can arrange a time on the day to meet back at the lodge and debrief! Boat partners Anderoo + Tigger Rob Ward + mate Kappa + Steve Walker JV44 + Rusty Alex + Matthew Simmons Errrm I'll PM you all my mobile just in case!

I usually use 3/0 if I can get them, if not 4/0. 5/0 is a bit big but OK. The main issue with the bigger hooks is the thickness of the wire.

Errm, they were the 13.5cm ones. You can get them here: http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17083/product29192/FOX-RAGE-FORK-TAIL.html

Yes it did get rather blowy at the end of last year's day didn't it...! If the forecast is to be believed, this year should be dry with light winds Fox are now only doing a few of the above colours (salt n pepper, gold glitter, lemon tiger and I think hot olive), all the rest have been discontinued. That's why I've been buying up any remaining packets! I thought I had them all but then found a few remaining packets in Germany I think maybe the colours I haven't done so well on will work in certain conditions, and I just haven't worked them out yet. The bright sparkly ones certainly seem to work best on sunny days, and the dull solid colours best on cloudy days, so I expect there's either a type of day or time of day/year where those colours work. Perch can be funny with lure colours too. Many times I've had a perch or two from a spot on a lure and then it goes quiet, but a change to the same lure but a different colour then produces another fish or two.

The hot olive one I thought was going to be great, but I've just never done any good with it. It looks so nice!

Oh btw, I've had 2 days so far using the 3kg PP and so far it's been totally solid. It needs a few more days yet to test it properly but so far so good.

I'm feeling rather pleased with myself as I've found a few more packets of my favourite discontinued lures, now winging their way to me from Germany. When these run out I'll be forced to find new favourites (noooo!). Lure colour is such a funny thing as I said above. I have fork tail lures that are identical apart from colour and some are very successful while others look great but just don't seem to work. It's relay odd. Why would they care that much...?

Hi Matthew, you'll be with Alex so will be free to plunder his lures! Colour still baffles me, I can't believe it could make much difference in such deep water, and yet it does seem to. Very basic advice seems to follow the old fly fishing maxim of bright day, bright fly.

It's a very slippery slope Errrm...! BTW Rusty, apologies, I can no longer make the post-event curry ( ) - I now have to get up very early the following day and can't afford to get home too late. Sorry about that.

PS I ordered a few bits from Friendly Fisherman on Wed and they arrived today, so you should have your stuff in plenty of time. I'd echo Rich's point about AGM too, always excellent service and very quick, plus usually a refund on part of the postage too. Weather for next Fri is currently looking good, no rain forecast and a good wind

I wouldn't go below 10lb flouro personally, I use 13lb seagaur.

Not really, unhooking tools is about all I can think of. If you want to start doing it more regularly it would be things like a drogue and fishfinder, and if you get really serious an electric outboard! And before you know it you have boxes and boxes of lures... Oh and rod, reel, braid and leader material of course.

...

Alex has confirmed he is coming, so Errm you'll be in a boat by yourself - hope that's OK.

OK great, no need to book another boat as Vagabond and Norma aren't able to make it, so there's a boat spare. I have a couple of spare H block markers you can borrow. Jig heads: 30g 3/0 or 4/0: http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17083/product25534/FOX-RAGE-ROUND-JIG-HEADS.html 40g 4/0: http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17083/product29017/SPRO-FOOTBALL-JIG-HEADS.html [these are not an ideal shape but about all you can get at short notice] 50g 4/0: http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17083/product29020/SPRO-ROUND-JIG-HEADS.html Stinger trebles (size 10 or 12): http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17062/product23013/OWNER-STINGER-TREBLES-ST36BC-BLACK-CHROME.html [or if you have trebles already, use them - or you can not use a stinger, personal preference] Loads of lures to choose from; best overall size is 4-5": http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/section17083/pike-and-predator-tackle/lures/soft-plastics.html http://www.lure-world.com/soft-lures-c-26.html PS the one you caught most on was a 4.5" lunker city shaker, you can get those at lure world. Good fork tails are fox rage fork tails or lunker city fin-s.

Hi Errm, yes it's perfectly safe and actually there's very little to it. On your other points: 1. This is a day of all fishing together, so don't worry about following successful drifts. If you want to go off and find other fish then of course feel free, but if you want to stick close to my boat then feel free. 2. Cost is about £34 I think for a single man boat, so it costs about the same whether you're alone or with a partner. If Alex can't make it, Rich has a spare rod to lend out, so Matthew if you want to borrow that please say. Both Errrm and Matthew, you can borrow whatever lures you like for the day

Errm, would you be OK if it ended up with you having a crash course (not literally ) on using the outboard and you being in a boat by yourself? You can borrow my spare rod as Rob's mate now doesn't need it, a spare drogue, a few lures, and Rusty's fishfinder, and you can follow our drifts anyway. After last time I'd say you were more than prepared for the actual fishing! Then if Alex does come you'd be in a boat on your own, and if he doesn't you can share with Matthew? At least this way you know now whether to book the time off work, etc.

Errrm I'll try to find out today. Rob that's the cast version (ie for baitcasters), for fixed spool feels you want the spin version (spinning reel).

Actually I just checked with Alex and he is currently 50/50 whether he can make it. If he can't, you could share a boat with Matthew. I can lend a drogue and Rich can lend a rod, but it will mean that boat won't have a fishfinder, so you'll have to follow our drifts. You might find it hard to buy jig heads and lures in time, but if you want to try let me know and I can recommend some places. If not, we can lend some out.

Hi Errrm, I think it is the boat experience/parafanalia that's the issue. I think we can get enough tackle together for you but it would mean 3 in a boat, which is possible but not ideal to be honest. Depending on how deep the drogue sits, it might not be possible for the middle person to fish without constant risk of catching the drogue. Yesterday, for example, it would have been extremely difficult. Can you make the back-up day 2 weeks later? If so that might be the best option?

Vagabond, sorry to hear you can't join us this time. Errrm, let me talk to rich tomorrow and see whether we can fit you in - we may not have enough spare stuff but I'll let you know.

The 3kg PP has arrived, it looks like the claimed diameter of 0.06mm is right, i.e. it looks to me as thin as the 8.5lb jig silk. I'll try it out next week and see how it performs...! I suspect it will be stronger than the jig silk even though it is not as striong

Elton/Newt/someone - please help! AN is now almost unusable. Page loading times and time taken to post is crazy, both on mobile and desktop. It's really putting me off visiting let alone posting, and I doubt I'm alone. If I wasn't sorting out the Rutland day I don't think I'd attempt to grapple with it any more.

Hi Rob, no problem, he can borrow my spare rod and reel.