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And finally finished Bismarck I think that the reason I left it so long was it got so fiddly to add in the smaller gun mounts and masts. This must be the closest HMS Hood and Bismarck have ever been... At 1/600, the range of the battle between them would work out at 23metres apart!

Thanks guys, i had hoped this opperation might not happen till March onwards next year but i have been sent an appointment for Friday 6th nov to attend Leeds Surgery unit for xray another ECG and a meet with some of the surgery team to discuss my case, really dont want this doing before Xmas

Best wishes!

Speedy recovery. 👍

Good luck and best wishes

Best wishes for a speedy recovery fella..

Hope it all goes well and you're on the bank soon 👍

I am not on here very much lately, i have already told Nick, im having lots of hospital appointments leading up to Aortic valve surgery to replace my worn out valve in the heart as a result not been fishing in a fair while. I have known about this for 7 years and it has been stable but recently it has got worse, hoping the opp wont be till next year, have to wait and see

I am of the make sure you wear decent clothing and have a decent sleeping bag brigade. I can remember a few nights wrapped up wishing I was warmer though, from inadequate bedding and being soaking wet. I've been through the brolly and wrap, EasyDome, Apotheosis and gone back to brolly and wrap, with a decent sleeping bag. I've woken up with condensation frozen inside the brolly, but I was nice and warm in the bag. Come to that, I have had to get up to reel in as the lake froze over or woken up with the lake surface gone solid. At night the jacket, hoody, (not many decent fishing ones around) and overtrousers come off and I sleep in my (Regatta) base layer. The important thing for me is socks, Merino wool socks keep my feet warm in my boots, either combat boots or Tundra boots. Now while I prefer not to be using a heated blanket, if it does keep you fishing go for it. However if it is that cold, I'm not likely to be fishing now.

If it doesn’t hurt anyone else’s fishing and it is not against any rules then fill your boots with whatever makes your fishing more enjoyable. boat drone baiting pole hair rig nylon line or a bite alarm

My 2p for what it's worth..... The best and cheapest source of heat available to you at any time of year is the heat from your own body.... you just need to harness it. If you get a really good set of insulated togs (i.e. jacket and salopettes), they store the heat you produce. The trick, which most guys miss, is not to wear too much underneath. A decent base layer and micro fleece mid layer is all you need. Anything thicker than that (like a hoody) interferes with the system and prevents your body heat from heating the insulation. Same as a sleeping bag basically. It's why I'm happy in a brolly all year.... I've just learned how to use the heat my body produces. I'm with you on this. Not a big fan of technology in angling but when it comes to winter fishing and warmth, you fill your boots imo. Use whatever you want mate. The situations we'd put ourselves in back in the day were frankly stupid and certainly a little dangerous. It's easy now to look back with rose tinted specs but I think back to the completely inadequate gear I'd use in the depths of winter and I shudder. If I caught my lad heading out in minus 8 with the rubbish I used to use I'd go ballistic at him 😂

Not a doubter mate, does make me think when you reach a 'certain' age.... whatever that is but you will know, night fishing in winter probably not a great idea tbh. Completly understand a days pike fishing with heated stuff, also I remember having a Zippo hand warmer when winter day fishing in my younger days.

** just as a correction - Actually Wychwood 101's

Well done mate - great stuff! I was on Bluebell Swan Thurs to Saturday with a mate, nothing came out despite the favourable conditions but good to get the feel for it ahead of the winter ticket I guess. Picked the shallower end after seeing some fizzing close in but could only get drops, no pull back so ended up swapping over to hinges for the 2nd night. Think I probably ended up fishing in eel grass and not presented well enough despite all rigs coming back clean every time, weird one!

One from last week just prior to the storm and right on dusk at a days only water. A lovely half-lin at 21-8, one of the nicest looking fish I've ever caught.

Managed to get out for storm Austen and it was great fun. I really enjoy being out in extreme conditions and while it was a bit sketchy at times, I came out the other side free of injury and/or death. I got myself right on the end of that massive wind so careful placement of the brolly was required to prevent losing it. The rain wasn't actually too bad where I was, but the wind was every bit as strong as forecast. Just as the storm hit, I managed a nice low/mid twenty common which made the trip worth it. I added another little one later that went back without a pic. Saturday morning was fantastic..... wandering around surveying the damage, branches all over the place. All in all, a fun little trip.

I've sued size 2's on spinners. Absolutely fine.

That's good, you know to ask the naming committee first - i.e. me and Elmo 🙃 and NO Dayvids Mirror/Common is not allowed!

Looking at this again they have other fishmeal baits that haven't gone up in price, so it can only be the GLM content. I'm gonna stick with the bait as it confirms to me that it's their best one.

Not got one, but for the doubters I bought a heated Gillet for pike fishing on the boats and an absolute game changer tbh Go for it, I'm sure it will be good

It's Lifesystems btw, used by the military so my mate says when recommending it. Also do a spray for the shelter itself 👍

That's the Mother of all stringers! I remember the baiting rules. We used to roll our own baits back then and also tested them under the trees between Reeds and Ski slope, you could almost have them eating out of your hands! My mate Phil's capture of Digit was from Digit corner, he see it go down on his rig it was that close to the bank. Chris had a mug made up with his pic of that fish lol! I also remember Gary too.

This was a Brackens setup! Snowman hookbait on a combi-rig with a 3oz lead hidden in there, stringer attached to the hook and the mainline above the lead.

Gary and Chris are two I can remember, Chris caught Digit from Boards. I think that I can remember a Steve. I don't think that I ever fished the Reeds or Rushes swim, although I did spend a lot of time in the 'aquarium' to the right, and to the left of Ski-slope. It wasn't a swim, but overhanging trees and snags that fish loved getting into. I would test baits in there, if they took them in there I knew it would work in the main lake.

When I fished Brackens the people I can remember are.. Jimmy, Scott, Darren & Steve, all local ,Chris and my mate Phil (who caught Rocky & Digit) Good times fishing there.