Reporting

Fishing

Visited a mid-Trent Fishery with my next door neighbour arriving a little before 6am.
Approached a swim below the weir and found barbel spawning. River low and clear.
 I decided it was not the done thing to fish for them in this mode, not that they would be interested, so we moved away and found ourselves a deeper stretch.
Apart from a couple of perch between us, it was bite less and the sun was starting to crisp us so we packed up at noon.

Tried out my cane rod for the first time,it remains a virgin.
No the Trent isn't that blue!!











No apologies necessary I think!

 Mike... oh wassis name? Joyce, that's it, thinks yesterdays post about Abu Hamza was racist or, at least in bad judgement.

The blokes a terrorist you plonker!

Straw clutching comes to mind. Now, do you see what I have to put up with???

Dilemma's

Football

I couldn't make up my mind.
Do I watch all the games I can?
or
Do I watch just England?
Watch England only was the choice, so that's that out of the way then!

Question

This is a real tough one!!
This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally.
The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision.
Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous..
Give due consideration to each line.
THE SITUATION:
You are in London.
There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane, with severe flooding.
This is a flood of biblical proportions..
You are a photo-journalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster.
The situation is nearly hopeless.
You're trying to shoot career-making photos.
There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing into the water.
Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.
THE TEST:
Suddenly, you see a man in the water...
He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris.
You move closer... Somehow, the man looks familiar...
You suddenly realise who it is... It's the cleric Abu Hamza - the hook handed guy
You notice that the raging waters are about to take him under forever.
You have two options:
You can save the life of Abu or you can shoot a dramatic Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the country's most notorious and powerful men!
THE QUESTION:
Here's the question, and please give an honest answer...
Would you select high contrast colour film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

Fishing

On a river from sparra's fart tomorrow, what river has water in, is the choice I have to make.
Not certain I have much of a choice to make though.
I urgently need to test out my first ever full split cane rod, made for me during the close.

Back to the real world

He'll be alright

I've just had delivered a hand made thank you card, entirely unexpected, but shows me there are still parents out there guiding their kids in the right direction. It's from Eliot who is very proud to admit to being 5!

The reason for the card?
Well in November 1934 my dad was given a 13th birthday present of a third size snooker table,about 8'x4',solidly built with a slate bottom, weighed a ton.
That same table was played on regularly by my 3 brothers and me usually on a Sunday, no television during the day then, and radio after the Navy Lark, Jimmy Clithero, or was it Archie Andrews, was mainly religious stuff or, classical music I think? 
Anyway, after the seven of us finished Sunday roast we took the table cloth off, and lifted the snooker table onto the G Plan dining table, making sure we put down four beermats to protect the surface.
It was played on from probably 1950 something, until my youngest brother got fed up just playing with my dad, sometime in the mid 1970's.
It still had the original cues, and balls, although they were a bit faded, the baize and pockets were renewed at least once.
It had been sitting behind my mum's sideboard since that time gathering dust.
I brought it home with me not too long ago and I offered it to local clubs, free of charge, just come and pick it up.
Nobody wanted the put in the effort to collect it!
So it sat gathering dust once again, in my spare bedroom, waiting for me to make up my mind if I wanted to put it on eBay.

I've known Eliot's dad since he moved up to this part of the world to set himself up with a fishery and B&B just about 6 years ago. His mum and dad are our next door neighbours.
He's got a big room for his guests to have breakfast, so I asked him if he would like the table and maybe have it for his guests.
To cut a long story short he said yes, but for Eliot and his younger son Ethan when he gets older.
 That's where the card comes in, I'm real chuffed the table is starting life again.
 I'm sure my dad is too!

Banned

Ah Blogs!!

One of the  benefits I have already found in having my own Blog, is the freedom it gives me to respond, or give an opinion, rather than on a forum.
I do think though, that my responses on forum's over the years has helped to get rid of the people using them, mostly anonymously to belittle people and to attack an organisation many know little about. This may have put some off the organisation as they only saw the negative side that took place on line.
I'm not certain that my retaliations did the organisation any favours, it has however moved those spoilers on elsewhere. So we shall see.
Forum managers/owners cottoned onto the fact that although their hits increased at times of strife,the content of the site in general suffered.
Will they recover to their former glories? I'm not sure, time will tell.

Having now been banned from comment on el presidente's Blog, for having an opinion,which he calls a mental illness,I'm quite chuffed, because he, one of the spoilers, doesn't like it up him,if you'll pardon the pun!!
In the meantime,I won't stop anybody commenting on my Blog or, giving a reasoned opinion.
I will try to make this Blog a place to visit, hopefully those spoilers out there will stay away. If they don't well...we shall see.
Despite allowing one through, anonymous posts will be rejected..... probably.


What you see
One or two people have commented to me on the font size and colour  I use, please let me know how today's entry appears.
Thanks Tom & Bob.



It wont be long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnzHtm1jhL4
or
Especially for el Presidente
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iihYcRjFpGY&feature=related

Memories

Bleak

Catching bleak the other day has taken me back to my  teens when I used to travel by London Transport bus, the 174 from Harold Hill and then the District Line from Dagenham to Richmond, to  fish the Thames at Hampton Court opposite Kempton Park racecourse. Between a line of willows I seem to remember.
Trotting a river like the Thames was totally different to my escapades on the Lea, Roding, Chelmer and Suffolk Stour, my self taught trial and error method of fishing, long trotting, became just that little bit tougher.
Especially when the tide ran!
On my early visits, fishing only with maggots and Spratts Silver Cloud ground bait, the only fish I would catch were bleak, and they were there in their hoards. Not unlike the minnow of the smaller rivers I experienced.
After reading the usual weeklies, but mainly books, I became more aware of other baits, like hempseed and stewed wheat. Do people still use wheat for roach?
They were both tried out, and roach of varying quality became the main prey, the bleak were no longer an annoyance.
I've not been back to the Thames for probably 45 years, and was wondering was the, what I thought then idyllic setting  still the same, and are those hoards of bleak, and the roach still there?

Another trip to add to my list of  jogged memories.

Comment

Whinges, half truths, snide comments, innuendo and the negative!

All one of the same?
There are some in the angling world who do nothing but whinge.
They are not happy with their boss at work, they are not happy that an organisation that is trying to resurrect itself for the good of angling, and they are not happy because the club/society they belong to, wont let their mates get their own way.
They are the carp boy's who want the club lakes turned into carp fisheries, and they are the match fishing boys who want the pleasure fishing lake so enjoyed by the members turned into a match lake.
Apparently, they are also the single species anglers who think their way is the only way.
You've seen them,you've heard them, they are everywhere.Fortunately a small minority in any organisation.
 One similar individual, in particular does nothing for the Society I am part of, although he claims he has.
Well I tell a lie,  he gives a day's fishing to a member of the Society, who bids in the Society's annual Research and Conservation Fund auction.
Well , he claims to give, but in reality as all the members of his syndicate pay the annual rental, they in fact give the day, he just puts it up on their behalf, not that they who were once apparently the Society's members, are asked!
A guest ticket by the way is £5 divided by say 40!
Not that I, or the R&C fund are complaining.

While I was a member I never did see any accounts, not that I asked. I trusted the one man in charge to do all he could for the membership.

Anyway, that very same Society that a few others (and we need help) and I, put in a considerable amounts of our time to provide the membership with apparently, what the vast majority seem to be happy with.
We do that of our own free will.
We are those that are quite happy to get up off our butt's and do. Some of us have other jobs to do, let alone a life to live.  Do we get paid? No
Do we get expenses? Yes, well some of us do,those that claim.
In fact we get a total of 20p a mile to attend meetings, which this year meant , those that do make a claim  travelled 7000 miles, got a total of £1144, which is the equivalent of just over 6p a mile!!
Yet this individual makes the snide comment about the Society's accounts that it's "the only thing that went up" "by 300%" and he repeated it. Half truths?
What he left out was that there was an increase in the bank balance by 21.56%, as well as many other positives.
But hey, there are none so blind as those that don't want to see, or even attend an AGM given fair notice.
He also claims that there are many detractors, and says that one or two committee men have left, over 15 years, blaming the long term chairman for their reasons for leaving.
This takes no account of the other committee members that have stayed on without personal hangups, and who have more of a say in running the Society.
After all a chairman is the guy who sits in the chair and gives a casting vote after a stalemate,and is the figure head, isn't he?
Well in my view that's not a bad turnover when compared to many organisations, it just so happens that some these people have felt it necessary to throw stones and call silly names from outside the organisation, they have been given the tools to do so by fishing Internet sites.
These openings, as we know, are very fast becoming a thing of the past, many of the site owners have seen the spoilers for what they are.
These individuals may now only have their own Blogs to give their personal gripes,if they really want to, but in the end nobody will give them the time, as Internet site managers have found.
One other thing he states, "Now lets be clear I don’t have any personal grudge against Steve" but then goes on to imply that he is a back stabber...no personal grudge, yeh right!!!
....... and who was it who said name calling looses an argument ? Err...  I know it was himself, now calling Rich names. Isn't it funny how he don't read his own stuff?

 So,Tony ( el Presidente)...cya!
My guess is though, it's just a threat used for effect.
Now,who was that little guy who kept shouting wolf?


Viewers

To all my national viewers, from Glasgow via Waterlooville and London(morning RW) then back up to Dalkeith already, have a good day today and don't forget it's only fishing, and for later.......it's only football.

Reporting

Small river fishing

Well two small rivers in a week, the Idle and today, the Upper Witham both an hours drive for me.
The Idle proved to be tough on opening day with just one bite for an eel .Put a bend in the rod though, only 1:8 but a great looking fish, returned safely.
Net snot dried out yesterday!

Up at four this morning to head for the Witham, what a lovely little river.
I didn't know what to expect never having seen it, but the stretch was very low and clear the type of river you need to rove. Reminds me of the Tove, a river I last fished probably 10 years ago.

Decided to long trot, having not done enough stick float fishing for some time. I got a good bit of practice in mainly small fish,chub,roach & bleak, a good net full, except I don't use a net now, and anyway not enough depth.

As the morning wore on, I was only catching minnow,

so decided I had enough fun and packed up at noon with bright sunshine and 25c in the shade.

May give the Bain a look next time!

                                                      Time to go!

Queer as folk!

Bob Roberts

Now Bob and I used to tussle a bit over on Fishing Magic mainly about the way he had a dig at a friend of mine, a former Secretary of The Barbel Society and The Society.
It never got personal between us though, as far as I can remember.
My perceived view also was that he was encouraging individuals to fish a part of the middle Trent which was/is being managed for the holding club by a small syndicate,to which I belonged.
The "discussions" no longer arise.
It also became apparent to me, the more you took Bob on the more likely the very people you didn't want to know, became aware of the location of the fishery.
That was perhaps two years ago, and as time goes by these things become water under the bridge.

There is one  individual however,who wasn't even part of the syndicate when this "discussion" occured, he seems to have appeared out of the woodwork to continue a vendetta against Bob.
Now, I don't think he is under orders, my guess he is  just trying to keep favour with 'el Presidente'.
A bit like the kid that hangs at the back of a gang and shouts from a distance.
He is of a view that because I acknowledge the works of a talented writer, we are the best of mates.
Having shaken hands and met the man twice in two years, certainly not, I would say.

(There is perhaps another story of another rather ill looking individual, for a future Blog,where my hand of conciliation was offered and turned down. I'll save that for a time, if it's needed)

Well,  you can make your own minds up about this individual, he is one of the "two faced".
I have allowed him to make comment on this Blog to show the childishness of the individual. For a business man (probably daddy's) and a family man, the more I come across him the more I wonder just how real his life is.
I would feel sorry for him in other circumstances and help him out, but I'm afraid I've passed that stage.

Anyway, if you have not read anything Bob does,(where have you been) and you want to see what somebody with a bit of  writing talent puts across, especially about fishing, see his website here.
http://www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk/    Have a look at his Blog while you're there.


Tomorrow

Another small river trip tomorrow, just defrosting my hemp and maggots. I will report back.

Benniworth Haven

In the shadow of Belmont Tower, no longer the tallest structure of it's kind in the world at only 1153 feet, and not too many miles from my house, sits a pair of lakes in woodland and which are the subject of Maurice Ingam's book Woldale.
Part of the Hainton Estate, the lakes were the home of the Wold Angling Association, and it was carp fished in the mid 1950's and 1960's by Maurice, Richard Walker, Fred, Ken and Joe Taylor, Bernard Venables and 'BB' to name but a few.
Photo's of one of the lakes today may be of interest.
Access is not possible, although the public footpath passes close by, and I didn't need to climb a fence to have a closer look.

Looking westLooking east

There are Private Fishing signs, but to this day I haven't seen an angler there, in fact although I have tried,not to hard I have to say, I don't know if it's fished at all.
In fact I've never seen any indication of fish, or come to that bird life!!
A very quiet still place apart from today, there was a noisy motor cross type event in an adjacent field.

Sign                                                                                                                         Life!

I have the book but if anybody has any idea of the current status of fishing the ponds, please let me know.


Published by The Medlar Press

It's a hard life

Dilemma

Had the nice relaxing few hours fishing on the 16th which was good, because I needed my wits about me to think about considerable expenditure needed on my house.
Dealing with the double glazing man!!
We had started to notice that some of the sealed units of our windows were beginning to show signs of water/condensation between the seals.
My options were to get each one repaired as it happened, replace one by one, or a complete job.
I ruled out the repair,because on the face of it, I had no guarantee it would last any length of time, and it looked to be overall just as expensive as a one by one replacement.
Replacement was ruled out,because our windows which are getting on for 14years old are of the type not those preferred by the insurance company's from a security viewpoint.
The modern units are aesthetically different,and  we are not people who can put up with random patterns. Pauline will obsessively, and unconsciously I'm sure at times, straighten pictures in other peoples houses and pubs. So we ruled that out.
So after discussion, and the decision to send Pauline* out to work, we've committed to full replacement.
The job is  being done by that firm who had the bald head on top and  long at the back actor, shouting at you from the tv screen, and  recently Reg from Corry. 
If anybody is interested I will report on their efforts, work starts in mid-July.
The biggest problem we have now, apart from shuffling our remaining retirement pot about, is worrying if we will have enough funds available for long haul holidays, wine, and eating out, before our pension funds start to pay out,
At least we won't have to worry about the windows when we make our final house move.

*couldn't get away with that

Fishing

Trying to sneak out for a few hours on the tidal Trent, but I'm expecting a skip anytime now for the disposal of our old wooden fence, another job.......and more money!!

June 16th

Steve Pope

The Big Six-oh today, happy birthday Steve, born to fish!.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HxZKa4NwGo&feature=fvsr


First day

Up at 4am, birds had been up a while already!
Took the ol'boy next door to a new stretch, for me, of the River Idle ...........hard work.
2 gudgeon for him, and a rod bending pound and a half eel for me, safely returned.
Had a while to sit back look and listen, heard a mewing and a return, and watched a pair of buzzard jousting and wheeling on the air currents right above my head. A magnificent sight.
A few anglers about, and apart from one, who was fishing from first light and had two bream, no further fish to report.
Left at noon as we were starting to fry!! Talking of fry, the river was full of them!
http://www.scunthorpepoliceangling.co.uk/

Anonymous

As I said at the very start, anonymous comments, favourable or otherwise will not be put up.

Have courage, if you have something to say, put your name to it, after all it isn't real life....is it?.

Opinion

Fishing pet hate

This may lead to some comeback, but as may have been noticed I have a thick skin.
The more I have been involved with "public" angling the more I realise too many people take to much for granted when it come to anglers in general, and the ability of some to use a bit of common sense, or even have the knowledge needed to put such advice into practice.
It's the question of advice given by "experts" on how to fish, when to fish,what methods to use and equipment to use.
What does not appear to happen, in the explanation  to other anglers, who after all maybe new to the sport, is that what the "expert"specifies is the way to do it, is not necessarily the way to do it on all occasions.

A for instance the fact that what may be ok on a still water to suggest you wrap yourself up in a sleeping bag, inside your tent (for some reason they are called bivvies) with the entrance zipped up, with two lines, or more in the water,waiting for the bite alarms to belt out their tone, is the way to go. 
This is not good angling practice on rivers, no matter what size the river is, but we all know it happens.
I'm not certain it's good practice on still waters either, but hey ho each to their own.



Thanks again Ray Whittaker
Please if you're going fishing overnight, go fishing, not camping. At the very least remove your lines from that potentially unknown watery environment before you !!

Good Luck for the new season to all coarse river anglers.

I'll report back tomorrow

Public Service Bulletin

On the basis that I had been to a wine tasting followed by a nice lunch, not much else thought about today.


For those who were fishing this morning, and for those who may have an interest in what goes on below the surface of our waterways, have a look at this.
It will be on Channel 4 for the next few weeks (7?) at 7am Sunday morning, or on 4od if you can't get up in the morning.

Catching the Impossible

See it here
 http://www.channel4.com/programmes/catching-the-impossible/4od#3077452


R.I.P

Charlie Bettell 26th May 2010    Pike angler,author and guide

I met Charlie just the once, for a days pike fishing in Norfolk with another old friend Adrian, also gone to another life.

Rest in Peace Charlie

Today

I had a trip out this morning which may interest local readers £4 to get in. It's a garden and nursery with some interesting artwork/sculpture thrown in.

Could gain you an extra house point at home, if needed for the coming weeks.

(Forget your wallet, just in case)

Open until 20th June

http://www.the-ropewalk.co.uk/sap10/index.htm

Just thought I would let you suffer too!

Name that tune! 

I may do a "joke" a post!







Off out for an early visit to the Taal in a short while, should make it back in time for kick-off.

Is it here yet?

First day today without rain since Sunday, all butts full, the pond and stream are up to the brim.



Christmas comes early............nearly!!
My red legged came back today but was disappointed, I had cut the grass!
So he sat on the neighbours fence next to my pear tree, and I thought...partridge ...pear tree, but the bugger wouldn't play.

This was as close as it got,  and that really is a pear tree on the right!!
Note the cow parsley, that's a 4 foot fence. No wonder the barn owls aren't about.



Football
A great deal of excitement locally, especially from the ladies, but not me. Over the years I've progressively lost interest in the wonderful game.
I shall try to watch all the England games though.

The magic must still be there.

Adams Mill

Once again this great fishery is available to the many. A fishery which I believe ranks along with the Royalty and Redmire as a must to visit, if only just the once, to soak up the atmosphere of the place.
My visits there as an MKAA book holder were for only the two winters before the water was syndicated.
Only about 5 miles from my then home, but I never fished the stretch before that time because of the stories I heard about joining the early morning scramble to get onto the fishery.
http://www.fishingmagic.com/features/diaries/10653.html

I fished the river around Stony Stratford,Haversham and Bradwell, but only for the chub and occasional good perch.
At that time barbel was the accidental 8lb7oz I caught at Throop in the early 70's.

My times there were the winters of 2001 and 2002, more often than not, despite the stories, I had the fishery to myself, well almost, the two black Labradors were always about, but seldom were there more than two other anglers in attendance.
The place was electrifying and the anticipation of what lurked below was edge of seat stuff.
I just do not accept that you only fish a place for it's record fish potential, there were and I'm sure still are, very good fish to be had, not specificly barbel.The membership lost out,without doubt.
I shall be back, at £34 a year for the MKAA ticket it's a must,despite what is now a 5 hour round trip.
http://www.mkaa.co.uk/341_adam.htm

Not long to go!

Weed or wildflower?

For the last 3 days it's been raining up here on top of the hill, that slow soaking stuff.
I hope some of it's getting into the rivers for those starting on the 16th.
It's certainly getting the grass growing, I do like it that there is no need to get out the mower, most people I'm sure only mow for the neighbours anyway.
It gives the grass a chance to seed, and in turn get's the seed eaters in the garden, like the red legged partridge yesterday.
I'm damn sure he can't get to the seeds in the field, the cow parsley (anthriscus sylvestris) is as tall as I've ever seen it!!

Apparently it's a help if you suffer kidney or bladder stones. I wonder if my mum knows that, I'll have to ask, perhaps she could come up and graze?

I think it's the same stuff we tried to smoke as kids when it dried out, no bladder stones for me though....yet!!

Garden Birds

Found a pile of pin feathers in the garden and automaticly looked at the blackbirds nest which has suddenly become still, no rushing parent birds!
Four young blackbirds just starting to develope their feathers...gone. No obvious signs why, but we have a magpie around, an unusual sight in this garden, in fact this year is the first time.
Of the nests I've found around the garden this year, only the two successes so far, a blackbird and the cat got one of her two, and the great tit, they fledged at the weekend while we were away,never did see how many.
So we've had two failed blackbird, two failed dunnock, an abandoned song thrush, and a wren that was probably the show off nest built by the male that failed to attract the female, well to this nest anyway.

I know we have a robin feeding young, but I haven't looked too closely for the nest, and the greenfinch, starling, and sparrows(loads of them) are actively feeding their offspring in the garden.

Fox
I'm not convinced about this fox attacking kids thing !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfMUwCKtWMII



Adams Mill
Back on the MKAA £34 a year book apparently!

Life & Art!

Red legged partridge in the garden today.

Mick the painter
                                  Henry Liam Ward             http://www.henryliamward.com/index.html

Thoughts today

Thanks to Ray Whittaker

Will this Blog stop me posting on fishing websites?

Not Bloody Likely!!!

.

Are we really what the media think?

Alright I know the Cumbria shootings will affect a great number of families linked to the dead and injured, BUT do we need to be told by the media, that the whole of Cumbria needs special thoughts and prayers at this trying time?
Shades of Dianna methinks, just a bit too much grief mongering in my book. Life's too short .

Tiger