kevtaylor

I think its nonsense to say that if you have cats you wont have prey fish, there is a balance found. Big cats are in Bluebell Lakes yets all hold good numbers of Tench, Bream, Roach , Perch etc and I've seen these prey fish masses on sonar in the winter so I know for a fact they are rich in prey, despite holding many huge cats, many! I was a young angler when they used to say kill Pike because they eat everything, I left one on the bank then thought hang on this is nonsense I'm never doing that again. It was ignorance on the part of the clubs or whoever was supposed to be running the venue. Predators will go for the weak first and foremost and that can be seen as a good thing for a healthy population. Biggest threat to prey fish is Cormorants, carp Otters. I'm not a cat fan at all btw

I fancy 3 nights if the standard is 2 👍

Seems like you've got everything covered, maybe a comb/brush coz they get sticky seed heads stuck to them. Good luck - hope it goes well. 👍

Oh I'd be bang up for that one, we are talking Ashmire here right? - i'd jump at the chance to fish there literally anytime, make that happen lads please please 😎👍

Was the first thing I thought but still not sorted one out deffo useful and protects the pole from grit, slight prob is that you might be moving it a lot, the angles you use through the day can change a little with the effects of the breeze, you can be relying on getting it out there quick and straight then drifting onto the spot with the breeze and that doesn't always go right first time either.

Got a baiting pole and bait boat, don't use either much but I love both. Baiting pole can get closer to trees and under branches that a boat cannot, also a lot quieter with no motor noise. The Nash one is the nuts as it's stable and limitless in length, I've got nearly 50 metres. The stealth side of it is amazing - dropping a rig on a bubbler cannot be beaten and for accuracy, only downside using in a heavy crosswind could be frustrating and having enough space behind for the made up sections. If you've pole fished in the match scene that will be useful experience. 👍

tbh I didn't have to raise my voice at Jack really, he tried chewing my sleeping bag but I caught him straight away so no damage. Max though now wants to play ball from dawn until dusk which is no big deal coz the swims are well spaced and it's quiet so not annoying anyone but he doesn't quite bring the ball all the way back then barks at me hurry up - such an annoying little bleeeeep. Male cockers, who'd have one/two? 🤦‍♂️ 😂 I think I'd leave the tennis balls at home if I went somewhere busy - or just take Jack lol

Double post

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Jacks first session, safe to say he loved it - no dramas - no kit chewed - success! Also seen his first fish - a tench, I'll take that in Feb 👍

I'm no expert but in my mind you've already got the reasons right there. Natural food could be being carried to the windward bank, but it's also migrating to the shallows now and maybe that's all that matters to the bugs - head for the shallows not necessarily the back of the cold wind and shallow, so effectively from what I've seen you have snails and other naturals coming right up into the edges and that's possibly where the first new algae grows for them to eat. Sun - again its warming up all of the water, we cannot claim to understand where the warmer water is ending up, or whether they always need or want to be there, the draw of food could be much stronger than comfort. Cold winds -again what feels cold to us is not necessarily the same for them, it could be freezing to us but a tiny bit warmer than previous days to them so they go off on the hunt for whatever. Just because it is said they are dormant in winter I have also had many many liners on a freezing Jan night when they moved from one end to the other with a wind change. I got the liners as they left then 2 guys got them when they arrived 300 yards further away. I'm going for my first night tomorrow, will be interesting, I imagine I will walk the back of the wind first but will be doing laps looking for any early spots showing up. The work begins - cant wait

I dislike the phrase Fisher-them when the generic term 'Angler' already covers all. Everything his is doing now is for attention and could be potentially damaging to young minds.

Winter I tend to start at the back of the wind, but you can never write off the teeth of a cold wind even in the coldest periods, but yes it's definitely time that the fish are active and getting everywhere. As soon as the daylight hours are going the right way it's time IMO.

anywhere that would allow dogs would be important for me - sorry guys

Eeek- there is a reason to quit fishing - the fisher-them on a venue near you! God help the youth of today! 🙏