stevetheangler

So March 25^th we went into ‘lockdown’ – for most people it started around 0001 on that day but for myself it didn’t happen until midday … as, as I said in the ‘report’ of the day, I don’t read newspapers and watch TV news broadcasts even to the point of switching channel if there is a sniff of one about to start – and nothing has changed there since I must say!! If I don’t see/hear the things directly via my own organs of sense then being e-mailed or via Facebook are usually my only other sources…. but even then I only read/listen if it looks like it might be something that applies to me personally….

BTW… it was announced today that night fishing is now also allowed after talks between the Angling Trust and the government. Under the general rules currently in force you are allowed to travel out to exercise BUT have to be back home by nightfall … however, as I say angling has been given a special exclusion from this requirement so night fishing is now allowed again.

Anyway, time has passed, the great lockdown is giving way, and various activities, including angling, now sanctioned to be allowable…. and I’m still alive … LOL!

So … angling actually got allowed from Wednesday 13^th May legally … some waters opened immediately … others remained closed whilst ‘measures’ were put in place mainly due to the wishes of the land owners rather than the entities that control the actual fishing (eg clubs who lease the fishing rights). Three waters for which I either have a season card for or am a member of the club opened their waters immediately and two others delayed to perform determine which pegs they would open or close on each of their waters. However, all my clubs’ waters are now re-opened to fishing … which can’t be bad!

I’ve not actually got out myself yet – had things to do plus sorting out baits, etc meantime – but I will be out Monday 18^th all being well – and I’m hoping to be at the pool side by 0600, if not before! :)

Tackle sorted – a few days ago I dug a bait tub full of worms from the worm pit – yesterday made some ‘special’ boilies and paste – later today I’ll be going through my bait fridge to check out my frozen particles, try to revive the maggots that have been suffocated and stored cold (been like that for a while so it may take 2-3 days before they re-awaken). Plenty of dead maggots, frozen old groundbait (although a bit stinky when last used, so may need to discard that), old cheese (covered totally in a blue furry jacket and like Loudon Wainwrights III’s “Dead Skunk” is ‘stinkin’ to hiiiggh heaven’ so probably going to the foxes and badgers! :) Also loads of other stuff in there long forgotten I suspect! Sunday will be a trip to Sainsbury’s for my crusty cobs and other munchies for Monday’s midday snack. Anyway, all on track for that day :)

AND … over the ‘layoff’ I’ve been tackle-tinkering …done a couple of ‘semi-major’ things and many minor ones (changing types of swivels and clips, switching from round soft shot to Dinsmore Grippa Styx style where possible – basically, I now use Styx AAA to No.6 shotting – AAA being the biggest available – for SSG and bigger I’ll have to use standard round shot and I’ve never find a use for weights smaller than No.6 although I do have a dispenser with standard No. 8’s in it so if I did ever need such then I’d use them.

‘Semi-major’ items include (A) a system of extension arms to sit on my rod pod and (B) DIY landing net rubberisation.

• Rod pods as standard are built so that rods lie on a line parallel to each other. Great if you’re fishing 2 rods 20 yards or more directly out in front of you BUT if you wish to fish with baits perhaps 50 yards apart then the line from the tip of at least one rod will be angled – so increased resistance and desensitizing any movement on a bobbin. Not a problem with self-hooking/bolt rigs but I like to hook my own fish not let my tackle do it for me (to me, the actual point of capture of a fish is the moment the hook is set, the landing an extension from that) and rarely fish any ledger weights of over 1oz (25g) which in itself is a rare occurrence and 90% of the time I use 3g-14g weights. Anyway, my ‘mod’ is a pair of arms, each 2 feet long and have 3 positions along them, that screw in to the usual head/alarm fixtures. I don’t envisage using both arms at any one time actually but if I needed to I could. Anyway, just attaching one arm would allow the rods to open out to an angle of 30’-40’ thus the rod could be aligned almost perfectly along the line direction ie the line not angled at the tip ring. And, yes, banksticks could be used BUT not many places these days are bankstick friendly – hardcore pitches and wooden platforms tending towards the norm now AND also banksticks tend to wobble, don’t end up giving exactly the 100% alignment that would be liked, etc … I 100% prefer to use a pod if using 2 rods – and even if only using 1 rod I find it easier, quicker to set up perfectly to your desires and sturdier to use a pod PLUS if you need to move the rod around a few degrees, just pick up the pod and point where you want it to without hassle.
• I have a fold-down 30” pear/oval shaped net that I use for all but my pike fishing – a great net size BUT the mesh is not rubberised and after using rubberised nets for pike fishing I find them far far better than just fabric mesh which when wetted is heavy to lift from the water (also takes a long time to dry out at the end of the day) – I suppose when the mesh gets rubberised that air get trapped in the fabric which adds buoyancy? Anyway, I find them far easier to use and manipulate… SO… I bought a 30” rubberised spoon net, manufactured by the same company as my original, but bought it mail order … BUT on receipt I found it does not fold down and thus is always in its full 30” glory and a pain to carry and transport to swims etc from the car – and imagine difficult to get on a bus with. Still, I had a good thought – just take the rubberised mesh off its frame and put it on the fold-down frame… HOWEVER, despite both nets being 30” the rubberised one was more circular in shape and thus of smaller circumference to the pear/oval one! UMMPPPHHHH!!! However a solution (literally) was discovered on YouTube when I searched for ‘rubberising nets’ which threw up 3 videos (all from USA) on how to DIY it! Basically covering with a rubber paint (the solution, get it?) either by dipping from a can version or using a spray-on version. I’ve used the latter and it appears to work well although I’ve used a whole 400ml spray can (3 coats applied though) and so not enough to do Liz’s nets. However, I’ve ordered a 750ml dip/brush-on can now which will allow me to add another 2-3 coats on my own net and do 5 coats or so on Liz’s.

Anyway, I’m pleased with the results of both (A) and (B) although I’ve not had chance to try ‘in the wild/in anger’ as they say but garden testing has proved to be good. I’ll post more in detail about how-to’s and what you need after trying both items successfully in a real situation.

Right signing off now – got that fridge and freezer to dig in to! Nose clips on and …. submerge!! LOL

Tight lines to all in the restart of our lives!!