Mike_pk_Waters

I dont need to see the swim from the photo, I just know where the good perch live. a large prawn on a 6, lowered very carefully into the forest, and a small bobber set just over depth. then sit and watch the world go by, just feeding the small fish to get some interest. Life is good some times. On the strike I try to strike into the bank, the therory beign the natural reaction is for the fish to go the other way , and fast, which mean out into clearer water. Then is all down to the rod and feel of the angler. sometimes it actually works, but sometimes just being there and watching the kingfishers is enough. It make the enventual capture worth more knowing its watercraft and skill rather than a dubious stocking policy that has created the result

There are some good fish in the club lake at scaland, I know because I have had several over 2, including a 3lb 2 and a 4lb fish. There is a bigger one because when the 4 came out the fish following it was wider across the shoulders and longer. I have been back several times but no luck , although some good fish came out. You just need to be brave and fish right into the roots!!!! Mike

Reading through the names here brought back so many memories, Ilike most I started on my own. going to a school 400yds from Keston ponds was always going to be trouble!. I consumed books like sweets at that age, but with age I can now say that the 2 'writers' who stand out for me are Ivan marks and Len Head. Two more different anglers you could not find, but the one thing they had in common was enthusiasm and a love of all things piscatorial. It is sad that nowdays there are so few will sit and read a good book , not only to learn but to bring out ideas and questions. I fear that the instant gratification age will mean we have a generation of anglers that are narrow in there approach. All I can do is hope my sons enthusiasm persists and in later life he remembers the lessons and pleasures that a day by the water can bring.

Just got mine, and then realised that its is my 40th licence, I remember getting both a south eastern and thames for a period , but always had one for the last 40 years without fail. They should do a nectar card .

My seven year old son, He serves as , netsman, groundbait mixer, trolley puller, drink maker, bank runner, fish spotter, occasional depth gauge for magins (found this be accident and only works providing you know his current height, also has a audible temperature function with a default setting of 'its freezing') and my apprentice. I do this so that when I am too old and decrepid (not long now) he will repay the favour and take me (although I will not pull the trolley) Mike

steve, hope it goes ok at the hospital, not my favourite places. I am seriously considering applying, would love to see how the water has come on from when i first came over many years ago

Vagabond, now there is a shock, I am sure we have met, I am on commitee!! . I have to be proud of the club for its attitude, and proud of the boys for trying to learn and understand. Since I wrote the original Ross has managed to win his first comp (fished over 3 hours in a toal downpour), which at 7 is a great achievement. hopefully we xan encourage more kids to try and fall in love with the wonderful world of angling. Having read some of your posts about small stream fishing , and living close to lots of those streams has meant many walks looking with the boys, and we have found some interesting things. And on a personal note your comment about trying to catching mullet on the fly has meant I am going to have to go to lewes real soon! Fishing is so much more than catching carp after carp, and 1 wish more youngsters could do what i did as a child. Today its seems if you dont catch a 'double' then its not worth going. What happened to the pride of catching a 2oz roach from the local park. Maybe I am trying to relive my youth , but thats only because I enjoyed it so much.

Is that ilegal in sussex, I moved from kent 10 years ago and i believe it is a justifiable defence there

Dave, This brought back so many memories. In the early 70's I went to school 400 yds away from these ponds, and this is where I learnt to fish. many ties skipping school to fish instead, and spending most of my school holidays here. a black prince reel, a glass fibre rod , crow quill floats oh for the old days. I used to go to a tackle shop on masons hill, almost opposite the tigers head. the owner used to give me free maggots was really helpful. I remember watching in awe as a man caught a Tench from the top end of the pond where the waters comes down. It was this fish that made me an angler. I read all I could find and practiced as often as I could. I often pass the ponds and think about having a go. your post has renewed that thought.

Phone, I agree thats an impresive list , and a fair target The only thing they need is encouragment, transport and sweets !!!!! feel so much happier that there out doing things rather than sitting in front of a computer/playstation. lucky with my local club who have a great attitude and some nice little ponds ideal for them to learn proper things like watercraft and fish handling without camping out for days on end. Actually to be truthful I enjoy reliving my youth again. Mike

This is how my week has gone, I have a son and his friend who thanks To crowborough angling club are now well and truely hooked, Lets start on tuesday, Teaching 7 year olds to cast in the garden has not gone totally according to plan, 1 he is right handed I am left, so the reel has to be changed and then I have to think about everything backwards. 2 after first cast with 2oz lead decided to replace with a rubber as less items ( greenhouse) will need fixing. 3 after ten mins we had managed, to hit the greenhouse twice ( see what the rubber was for now) , caught a 12lb bramble , bounced the rubber of next doors car roof and hook our summerhouse which I may add put up a spirited fight. Final cast concussed the dog who stupidly stood 4 foot in front of Ross. All this and I am taking the 2 boys fishing in real water tomorrow. Help We then move to wednesday A quick summary of this morning, now I have recovered. Taking 2 seven year olds fishing is up there with invading France in the valour stakes. Sitting them in separate swims 25 feet apart may have been a mistake. As fast as I run to one to help unhook, or bait the other one would invariably hook a fish,ear,chair or tree , meaning a 25 foot sprint for an overweight unfit 53 year old. On arriving the first question was have you got the lollipops. This at least was consistent for the whole session. Letting them cast was also fun, one had the timing completely wrong and so either caught the grass behind or the lily 3 foot in front. When I cast for him as soon as I gave him the rod he would bring in a fish, thereby restarting the whole procedure. Meanwhile the other one ,having worked out his timing on the cast was attempting to beach fish at Eastbourne 12 miles away. I am sure the rod tip was going supersonic at one point. Loose feeding was interesting as well, but the local duck seemed to enjoy it, and was defiantly lower in water when we left. At one point I was in one swim and the boys were having a discussion in the other. But with all the mayhem, hooks in various bits of the body, tangles,spilt maggots and strawberry sweet corn stains we had fun and caught loads of fish. I now know why when I was younger why my dad would take me miles to the lakes, and leave me. He sure had more sense than me. And then today The boys fishing this mornings CDAA comp, Ross was 3rd and Patrick 4th, and they did it mostly on their own. Now for a relaxing coffee and a kip It seems stressful at the time, but at least i have 2 new boys to keep the sport alive.

I have series 7 avons in 1.25 and 1.5 test curves and a mk11 tench float , all of these perform beautifully and have taken many double figure fish. I cant fault drennan in that respect, but it is alway a personal choice. The rods are good quality and have never once have I felt under gunned.

i think it depends on the pudding, real black pudding is hard to come by, the stuff from supermarkets and more preservitives than blood. I have used blood from slaughterhouse before and it is brilliant, The problem is now is that you cant get it easily. There is a company that does kits for making your own black pudding online (I get my bacon cures from them), I was wondering if the dried blood would make a good additive. Might have to go and try it now

Phone, bet the people who want to beat you use all sorts of suspect things in there boilies and pastes not to mention groundbait. Roe is the most natural source of cheap (in terms of effort) protein for fish and is available at a time when they need it most. so why not use nature to help us.

hi steve, its nice to be back , i think. Have just spent a day with 2 juniors on there first comp, and they got 2nd and 4th and I think I have 2 boys who are going to be good anglers. Hopefully they will learn the same way I did, and have as much fun on the way.

I have been using john west black lumpfish caviar in my groundbait recently, thought is that most fish will readily consume the eggs of fish and at this time of year activly seek them out. my idea is that once they are switched onto this the caviar will seem like a bouns and keep them interested. 1 jar in a kilo mix seems about right , The results have been good, with tench actively grubing about after 20 mins or so and the stamp of fish seem larger than normal. If my theory is correct this should stop being so effective as the season goes on and the fish forget about the eggs of others till next years spawing. then its time to come up with another idea.

I think the club here should be very proud of its commitment and forsight, we need more of this to encourage the kids and to promote the sport. We all have memories as to how we started, and all have very fond memories of our time angling. it would be sad if this was not passed on to the next generations. It is a small club, with some nice little waters, genuine mixed fishing and the effort put in is great. To spend the 16th showing kids how to fish, and to make sure they go away smiling is real dedication. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Crowb...183757568310546

hi, Long time since i fished a match at hawkhurst, but as far as i remember the fish were suicidal , keep bait going in and fish pellet up in water, when i last fished I didnt frame with 60lb so its going to be tiring. Mike

I admit to a little selfishness here, I see all his peers at school playing video games and being sheltered to the extreme from anything slightly dirty/wet/cold and think to myself how much my childhood differed. I made a decision that he would at least try things. We built a proper tree house at easter, which he loves and luckily he prefers outdoors to the tv. so while I still have a chance I thought it was time. He has always liked going to my 'shed' and looking at the vast array of tackle I have aquired over 40 years, coarse,sea and fluff chucking, so it was easy to kit him out and explain some of the basis. The biggest issue was where to go, and if it wasnt for my father in laws pond it would have been much harder. The day ticket lakes although you will catch would mean that you would be always worrying about upseting others sport, and while most people are ok there is a limit, and children do have a short attention span (so do I) Today we went down to Tonbridge park and walked round the river. He was genuinly interested in looking for fish and It looks like we will be going here next, because if I can keep this going it will be great.

All my time was given over to helping him, although he got the idea quickly enough The pond was 'restored' about five years ago , it was dry so we relined with clay and as it is spring fed so it filled up over a year or so and no one has ever fished it, in fact we never thought there was anyting in it except a few sticklebacks and a couple of goldfish we put in 3 year ago. So the fish was a real surprise, more of a surprise was the fact there were load more. I make it about 4 year classes . i have questioned the neigbours and I said he put 3 or 4 small perch in from a pond in his garden so I assume there must be some of them too. Ross is now asking to go again and has already been to tackle shop cause he wants a chair like mine. i get the feeling this could get expensive. but to see the look on his face when he picked it out of the net is priceless

Today I thought I'd take Junior and see if he likes fishing. father in law has a pond on some ground he owns in Tunbridge wells so that seemed the perfect place. We had seen some small fish occasionally so I thought this would be ideal. Set him up, threw in a few maggots and then after several attempts managed to get him to cast in, float sank,and junior pulled, then pulled some more and pulled , he was winding away and I thought the reel must be broken, but actullay it was the clutch !!!!!, After 3 or so mins I got the net under the fish, he had done so well holding the rod up and trying to pull. The fish -- Roach 2lb 3 oz, the little s*d, what a way to start. we stayed for 3 hours (and for 5 that is a long time) , managed 26 fish, some small but 6 or so very respectable, 1 at 1lb 6oz and finished with aout 8lb of prime roach now I have fished for many more years than i care to remember, but still havent got a 2lb I will be going back without him and armed with the proverbile kitchen sink

Once agian its that time of year when your better half buy's you pressies. Now with the best will in the world non fishing partners just do not know what you need, or more specificly 'exactly the right one'. :confused: This dilema has been overcome this year by some very cunning planning, and I have managed to get exactly what I wanted, made the better half belive she has got the bargin of the year and brought a new rod without having to explain why I needed another one. Oh the joy's of christmas. Here is how it all works. I spent the 2 months running up to the day dropping large hints about a new centre pin that I wanted,this got the seed sown. Last week I casually announced that during a bait buying trip at the tackle shop I had seen a beautiful boxed version and it was a shame that I had spent all my money on christmas gifts for others, ahhhh. The reply was you will have to see what santa brings. The only thing to say to this is HOOK LINE and SINKER. Now onto the clever bit. On friday last week the better half announced she was going shopping with her mum saturday for my pressie and I had better go fishing to keep out of way. No problem there. So Friday afternoon nipped to tackle shop to get bait etc. Also took along a photo of partner, explained that she would be in on saturday to purchase my present. Explained in detail which one I wanted. I also wanted a new 'Barbel Rod' so I brought the one I have been after for the last year, and set up with the dealer that if someone brought one of 'these' reels they got a free rod, then left the rod with him ready for saturday. She has seen these offers in the press often enough to make her belive they are normal. Just spoken to the shop, mission accomplished, so come christmas day I will get my new 1.75lb 12ft Barble rod and gleaming new pin. So all I have to do is work out how to get out of the washing up and go test it. Anyone got any ideas

A quick thank you to Elton for the impressive service from the collectors guild. I ordered a model of the other half for christmas (A WITCH) on Friday last week. Last night on arriving home there it was, all safely boxed and delivered. Such service and he still manages to look after all us reprebates on here. Mike

My best suggestion for your own safty is to only kiss girls, men are bad . And Santa claus is not real no matter what they say. PS please send pictures

If you want to give it a try without buying a pole drop me a line, I live in kent and am more than happy to come with you and lend you my pole, that way at least you can see how it all works Mike