William's blog

It's snow joke....

2012-02-05T21:40:00.001Z

Well bang went my plans for a session this week instead I've took over a grand in cash selling car batteries, bulbs, wipers & anti-freeze, jeez it's been an hectic weekend & all thanks to 3 inches of snow, looks like the week ahead is going to be busy as well, I cannot wait but an urge to get on the river bank is niggling away at me so I'm considering booking a day of in the week, we shall see how it goes, man I couldn't believe I've took well over 4 grand this week alone, that's good going & I'll bet the likes of the RAC & the AA have been rushed of their feet all weekend too.

Had a look in on facebook this afternoon at some of the pics of the snow, had to laugh at some of them like this'un 3 to push a panda car cos it'd got no traction.


Pushing the law

Well it happens to them too ! & on my way home from work this afternoon a couple of streets away from home on the new housing estate I walk through that used to be the old paper factory the kids had got some talent there building snowmen & igloos, I did not bother to take any pics though as I was gagging to tuck into my Sunday roast & I enjoyed that too, now just washing it down with some carlsberg.

So lets get things back to normal...

2012-01-31T18:55:00.001Z

Alas the central heatings sorted, got some work on & the spate of bad luck has ran out, well almost I can tell ya it comes in threes but not this time it were four because, after the central heating packing up & i'd ran outta work & lost me phone, the bloody electric kettle decided to give up the ghost on me, now thats some run of bad luck, it were almost as if i'd been cursed by the gypsies or something of that kind.

Now there's a bit cold weather business has picked right up, batteries, bulbs & wipers, not selling much antifreeze or screen wash or de-icer yet but it'll come around.
We've had a bit of a snow shower this morning, hoping to get some more & it settles, then business will boom.

Planning a session on the river bank this weekend, not sure whether to have a go for barbel or dead bait for pike yet it's gonna be down to the weather & or if there is any flood water on the river.
So a bank side reccy is a must, always best to go find out for yourself rather than ask others, at least you know where you stand.

Right off to get straightened up at home now.

Last night...

2012-01-29T12:27:00.000Z

I watched two films on the box, the 1st one escape to victory, now that was some game of football !

The 2nd, escape from Sobibor, now that was depressing, man I'll never watch another film about concentration camps in the 2nd world war, it weren't as explicit has you can imagine what really happened there, but enough to explain how it happened & how those Jewish people were treated by the Nazis, very disturbing.

Anyway I'll finish here with this post because I've got some moving about to do ready for the central heating contractor in the morning.

& 1 more..

2012-01-28T12:52:00.003Z

Some more...

2012-01-28T12:50:00.000Z

Today I'm mainly listening to...

2012-01-28T12:39:00.000Z

Well things are starting to get better already...

2012-01-26T14:19:00.000Z

Having not really had a good start this month things are starting to improve, a few weeks ago I'd dropped my mobile phone out of my pocket whilst looking at an oil leak on a customers car outside his shop, the phone was picked up by another customer who phoned half of England with my credit but returned it a few days after, then work dropped to an appalling level to almost non existent I then ended up with the dreaded man flu, they say so I've been told bad luck always comes in threes ! Well it certainly has for me, but things are getting better, I've managed to get my driveway & path at the rear of my house concreted at last, I've started laying slabs in the shed base which is gonna be my workshop when completed & I've finally got round to having the central heating replaced for next week by a local company this time because it's passed it's life of use & I'm sick & tired of having to keep replacing the water pump every year which every time it packs up the damn thing keeps tripping the electricity mains out.
The guy came out from the central heating company this morning to measure up all the radiators in every room & work out what other materials were required including the new combi boiler & gas fire that are going to be replaced has part of the job, gave us the quote & estimated about a days work, so not doing bad here for the last couple of years I've had the roof redone new windows & doors, new kitchen & bathroom completed & I've also got round to redoing my back garden where I was going to turf it but changed my mind & decided this next spring I going to start growing my own vegetables in again like my father did when I were a kid.

I don't think gardening is hard work, it's just time consuming, I've got it dug over last year before the first frosts & raked level, there were plenty of lob worms in it I can tell you, that's a good sign & also I've built a new compost bin out of some old sheets of polycarbonate from an old conservatory roof, that'll last a fair few years.
Next job in the garden is to build a greenhouse, I've decided against a glass one because of neighbours kids with footballs etc, etc. Will probably go down the road of polycarbonate again which is quite strong material & build the frame for this greenhouse out of timber.
Now I'm just deciding whether to use manure or leaf mulch in this prepped patch of garden, so not really a deal left to do & see how it goes.
Most of the veg I'll be growing will be spuds, leeks, onions & radish along with carrots lettuce, cabbages & cauliflower.
The tomatoes in the greenhouse when it's built & go from there.

I was at one time going to have my own pond but unfortunately there isn't going to be enough room for one so I may consider in the future another water feature of some kind & another thing I've also done with the garden is put a border along the back fence to put some plants in where the old privet hedge was to tidy it up a bit.

So now all I need to do is get some fishing done : )

New year & a slow start with work.

2012-01-25T21:25:00.000Z

First of all its a bit late but happy new year, works been steady but still coming through, not much happening with the fishing at the moment but I'll get there.
I've had a few clutch & head gasket jobs on in between the usual batteries, bulbs & wiper blades, the odd tyre job & wheel balancing work, but not so many services as I normally get so things might change by next month.
speaking of the new year I've never been one to make resolutions, well apart from one not to make any that way i don't break them right ! well this year I've made one but i won't say what because i know I'll break it by doing so.

Forum world still the same !!! lol best off out of it from my point of view, is it really worth arguing the toss over a fish ? Now don't get me wrong there is a time & a place to make a stance but on these occasions it ain't right when a few boil over pretence & spit out the dummy over otters, eels & barbel, where exactly are they making their points about said situation or more to the point what exactly is the point ?

Blimey it's almost February already, not long then before the annual closure of the coarse season, that'll cause some mayhem on the forums.
Hope you enjoyed your Christmas mine was well spent with family & friends having a good old catch up with those I'd not saw for awhile had a few drinks too & really enjoyed myself, must keep in touch with people more often than not at all.
My grandmother didn't feel like going to any parties so the parties came to her lol, bless her she's 82 & widowed but made the most of it at the very least, still trying to get up there for a dance she were lmao.

Merry Christmas....

2011-12-23T21:09:00.000Z

Yes that time has come around again, almost the end of another year & the beginning of the next, I've been busily grafting my ass off & now the time is coming to put in some hours on the river bank during the festive break, I cannot wait, the weathers turned mild & damp, there are plenty of blewits coming out of the fields, still some leaves left on the trees & wheres that bloody snow ? lol.

It's done nowt but rain today so there should be plenty of water in the river, especially after the other nights down pour, shall find out in the morning, has I'm having a bankside reccy, might be wise to wait on those leaves flushing through 1st before I attempt to get the rods out on the bank again, so we shall soon find out.

Been having a catch up on forum world today, no change there then ! My my you'd have thought by now folks would've buried the hatchet & moved on, but not has it seems, still the same old, same old arguements/debates about stillwater barbel etc, etc Wonders will never cease, what on earth is it with single species anglers that cause such pent up anger to be vented for all to see ? I can tell you I've been there, after all it's only fishing, so whats the need for it all to explode ? Suppose some folks need to get out n about more often than not.

Peace n good will to all...

To the scum that did this......

2011-11-23T11:43:00.000Z

I hope you realise for the sake of £50.00's worth of scrap platinum you just cost an old guy three hundred quid for a new catalytic converter, luckly they didn't get the one on the otherside, otherwise it would've cost the guy double, there are some right utter cunts about who'll pinch owt these days.

A couple of songs I've mostly been listening to, Today......

2011-11-20T00:34:00.000Z

Both by Nickelback.....

: )

Weekend almost here...

2011-11-18T17:01:00.000Z

Works just stepped up a gear, with people getting their motors serviced, before the big expected cold weather that's just threatening to appear around the corner.
I'm looking forward to it actually because, when it's cold headlight bulbs & batteries always seem to fail first, at the moment it's all oil changes, anti freeze & wiper blades, also tyres & exhausts, makes a change from getting all the hard work of engine & gearbox replacements/refurbs, clutches & suspension jobs I normally get that are a pain in the butt.
OK the trouble with working on the spanners is that u have to take the rough with the smooth but the best thing about it is you can reap the rewards after.
Saying that I've nearly been taken with my pants down a couple of times this year, fortunately on both occasions I were more than clever enough to realise what was coming my way & that's only through experience.

Thought of the day for me has to be.......

Miracles have known to be performed, demands just happen now & then.

Today's song I've mostly been listening to is......

Enjoy your weekend :)

& Then there was Ssweden....

2011-11-16T11:28:00.001Z

Yessssss, go on then my sson, England beat Sweden 1 nill last night, something that England hadn't managed to do for 43+ years.
Watching last nights game, England should've tranced Sweden by 5+ goals, but settled for the 1 nill win like the Spain game at the weekend, if England carry on this performance they should get a fair way in Euro 2012.

So it's Good night Spain....

Good night Ssweden, n up ya larse sson.

Yes I know it's been a while......

2011-11-13T15:32:00.002Z

I've been busy with work, it's now at the time of year where work is going to get busier & that means i'm going to be on 24hr call out right through the winter time, so bang goes getting any fishing done, saying that I'm gonna try & find the time to get a few more sessions in before & after christmas.

I had a few sessions on the bank since the last blog post, didn't do very well though as the Trent was still low & clear n lack of flow caused more blanks with the barbel fishing, even the chub have gone off the feed for me so it looks like the coarse gear is gonna get some more use yet as dace & roach in the river have made a comeback for the foreseeable future.

Well done to Lewis Hamilton who came 1st in the Abu Dhabi GP & Jenson Button of Mclaren Mercedes F1 team who came 3rd in a spectacular race that saw Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel spin out with a puncture on the first lap of the race, what a result that was.

Also well done to England for beating Spain 1-0 last night & last but not least....

A song I've mostly been listening too today and haven't heard for a while, in fact I haven't heard this song since i was a teenager.....

Still hard at it....

2011-09-04T15:03:00.000+01:00

Plenty of work & no fishing going on yet, but the rain may have put some life back into the river, we shall see.

A new interface for the blogger dashboard, makes it look a little more like wordpress.

Anyway being brief with this post I'll leave it with a song by John Denver....

Recently...

2011-08-16T14:19:00.000+01:00

It's been a busy summertime with lots of work on & not much fishing, but I've managed a few sessions so far, I have had no success with the barbel fishing yet mainly because the middle Trent where I fish has got no flow at the moment, almost like a still water it is at the time of writing this blog post, we are in desperate need of rain to flush the river through, even tried the Levas stretch at the weekend which is just below the Colwick sluices & still no flow, it's hardly been fished down there & the weed growth is unbelievable, plenty of streamer weed & silk weed congregating the river bed, now normally near the sluices it's like fishing the run off of a weir pool, but not this one it's like fishing the Victoria Embankment which has always, apart from times of flood water been known to have no flow.
This is not like the Trent at all, not seen this happen with the river before, even during the mid 90's when we had those red hot summers the Trent would be low & clear with some flow on it at the least, the only reason apart from the hot weather has got to be the amount of water abstraction permits issued to various farms, recycling plants, Armitages pet products factory & the Total oil company, but to name a few, OK there is also the National Water sports centre as well & various other still water complexes that have abstraction permits on the river to top up their lakes during the summer months.

Anyway have had some success with perch on the lures spinning & chub on the barbel gear during the dark hours, so i may go back to the drawing board here & fish lighter tackle, such as maggot feeder, or fish the waggler for a change, because the roach are making comeback, now the cormorants have gone elsewhere or so the regulars keep telling me.
This maybe the better option with hardly any flow at moment, suppose a change of tactics could be the answer, or just stick with fishing during the night time & pray for rain, not that that would make much difference at the moment because every time we get some flood water the authorities like to run it off faster, as part of the new flood prevention schemes, seems crazy but that is what they do.
Speaking of flood prevention, there is still a lot of flood bank restoration going on, the Levas stretch has been completed & now they are working further down stream still in Colwick, behind the industrial estate working their way from the Armitages factory through to the waste recycling plant, which looks like they could be busy with through to some time into next year, so we'll have to fish elsewhere in between time, it can be a preverbial pain in the butt, but the work needs doing due to bank side erosion, which made some stretches of river bank unaccessable.
One part of the river bank behind the Armitages factory was getting in a real bad way, that you couldn't walk down there as it all collapsed into the river, leaving just a flood bank & boundary fence as the river bank side, OK it's all being restored now, but that area is on a bend of the river very close to the run off of the sluice gates & the bank side there has always been steep, bit like the stretch of the river Severn at Iron bridge in the lady wood area, always remember having to climb down there lol every time we fished there, so this could be an hard job to keep the bank side in place, saying that though the piling plates & concrete re-enforcing equipment was the first bits of gear to be moved in after the clean up began.

Onto an old subject now, aww it seems the clowns of certain website are still in a bitter way, be best if they dropped the subject now to prevent any further embarrassments on their behalf's, they really do suffer fools gladly, one should'na go around pickin fights they cannot win thou knows, sitting back here watchin what has been posted over there really explains a lot about them doesn't it pmsl.
It is better to have loved & lost, than to have not loved at all ;)

Well now we've even had the rioters & looters up n down the country, how very dare they, but one thing I will say is....... Enoch Powell was right what he said, when nobody could be rsed to lissen, & now look at it, this wasn't because the police shot that black guy, this is Serious Organised Crime on a nationwide basis, that these fools didn't even begin to realise that only good thing that would come out of it at the end of the day, would be the the police, magistrates & judges would all get a load of overtime, not good for the taxpayers of the country is it?

Mind you we all got penalised with the football matches being postponed, do they now see what they have caused? I'd guess not, but that is what former governments have made this country into, leaving the rest of us to pick up the peaces, & where in this was the BNP & EDL ? when all this was kicking off, I'll tell ya nowhere to be seen!.

Heard a couple of good jokes about the riots, this one being the best'un.....

Tottenham have just signed a new black Italian striker, his name is grabbatelli.

Ok, back to work now, as ever plenty to do n not enough hours in one day.

well well....

2011-07-23T12:18:00.001+01:00

Seems some muppet tried gettin the blog banned, nice try tho NOT, appen yer a loser thou knows, no doubts of where it came from tho shall have the answers later!
obviously some folks need to get a life!

bitterness ooooooooooooooh dear pmp's

Edit: aaah seems they've gone quiet over there now ! wonder why? hmmmm

been a fair while....

2011-07-20T13:28:00.001+01:00

got shitloads on at the mo with work and haven't managed to get on the bank yet this season, so hope to be on the bank by the end of this month.
Been having a browse around the riverside and not many about, mainly due to alot of floodbank restoration going at the mo.

Just had a look elsewhere n well, eh I gotta hand it to'em this time---> here pmsl was an entertaining read that were.
You know over the past year and into this 1 a lot water has passed under the bridge, lots of shyte has happened not only to myself but also to others so is it time to call a truce yet ? n move on from the shyte lol, we'll have to wait'n see.

Admin-Edit:
Footnote:
Chunky not fuckin about m8 if yer want ur cash send us a text message n i'll sort it out with you !!!

BBC News - Nottinghamshire group tackles 'alien' Himalayan balsam

2011-06-20T23:08:00.001+01:00

BBC News - Nottinghamshire group tackles 'alien' Himalayan balsam

See we do not just have to rely on the Angling Trust to tackle these problems, I think it's great that there are other groups out there with the power to sort these things out.

A lucky scrape through for England.

2011-06-17T19:03:00.001+01:00

Euro 2012 European Championship qualifiers - Group G table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
ENGLAND	5	3	2	0	11	3	11
Montenegro	5	3	2	0	4	1	11
Switzerland	5	1	2	2	7	7	5
Bulgaria	5	1	2	2	2	6	5
Wales	4	0	0	4	1	8	0

You see Monty we're still beating you, even if it's only by goal difference ;)

Worse things have happened at sea...

2011-06-17T13:35:00.000+01:00

Going on from the previous post, last night (16/06/2011) two more bikes started to bomb up & down the streets, yet finally the police were like a magnet to them, about time too, so at least somebody somewhere is taking notice of the situation & clamping down before the vigilante builds up, at the very least we know where we stand & the problem being that people need to come forward & make the complaints to the police to get this whole situation resolved, if not just for the time being.

OK the other problem is a mass police presence in the area, but if that's what it takes then so be it.

Was going fishing yesterday but had been called out to do a job so that put that plan on the shelve, never mind there is always the weekend. (not speaking to soon though).

Zero Tolerance....

2011-06-16T19:26:00.005+01:00

When you tackle hooligans, is it worth pursuing with the law or adopting a zero tolerance policy? as in this case.....

Operation Arsehole

And that is what happens to these thugs with off road bikes bombing up & down my street, 9ft of scaffold tube ready to take his head off the next time he attempts to ride it causing a nuisance to the local neighbourhood, yet he is released on bail the next morning free to ride his bike again, with no insurance, no vehicle registration, no MOT & no road tax, Also the possibility of no licence, as you can see he's also not wearing an helmet whilst innocent motorists get penalised for daft things such has not wearing a seat belt & speeding, makes you sick doesn't it?

Admin Edit: what is also annoying about this ongoing activity is when 999 is called their reply is "We cannot do anything about it" whilst young kids get injured & killed in hit & run incidents.
I feel that the police in this country are begging for people to start vigilantes against this activity.
Either that or they need to appeal to the general public to come forward & assist in putting a stop to the activity of the local & nationwide hooligans, but then the problem lies with the CPS & district judges &/magistrates, whom have an habit of letting them off lightly, due to red tape of bureaucracy & you can thank Tony blairs government for that.

Back now for a little while..

2011-06-08T18:04:00.002+01:00

It's been a busy weekend & busy beginning of the week with plenty of work coming through, you'd think it'd be a good sign, well it is & it isn't but that's the way things are going at the moment, plenty of service & general maintenance work, one welding job & a couple of mot's so far & to think I used to get all the technical jobs under the sun at one point in time, still it's nice to see some work coming through, yet I hear others doing less! something to do with that big word that starts with an M & ends with Y methinks.

Anyway here's another song I've been listening to recently, whilst enjoying some Belgian chocolates.

Right must get back to it..

Offline for a while...

2011-06-03T22:18:00.001+01:00

For all those that read in regular (the stats don't tell no pork pies) :) I'll be offline for a little while due to an increased workload (well i am a popular person) ;) though it seems. So just bare with us guys & the 16/06/2011 is not far away now, can't wait to have a chuck.

I'll leave you to listen to this one by the Black Eyed Peas, which reminds me of a certain anti-barbel website & the members over there ; ) (the song that is) Just turn up the volume, as loud as you can, it sounds better.........

Cheers,
See y'all soon.

Here's another song, I've not heard for a while...

2011-05-25T22:42:00.002+01:00

God I just love attracting attention. Or so some would have you believe!.

Also used to be a bit of a fan of R.E.M...

2011-05-23T17:17:00.023+01:00

So here's a few of my old favourites, in no specific order...

Another song I've been listerning to recently...

2011-05-23T14:04:00.004+01:00

So just turn up the volume & enjoy....

Here it is then, post number 100...

2011-05-22T13:20:00.001+01:00

OK in a couple of previous blog posts, I'd wrote about how boring our TV programmes had become & how the adverts were better than most of the programmes, well yeah they are, but there are still some good programmes on TV worth watching like channel 4's Balls of Steel, which has got me hooked, my three favourites in the comedy show are the pain men (Pritchard & Pancho), these two have me in stitches most of the time, also Negs urban sports, this guy is absolutely crazy & then there is the annoying devil, that guy is absolutely bonkers with some of the stunts & pranks he pulls.
If you've not watched this show, believe me your missing out big time, forget Jackass, that is crap compared to Balls of Steel, if it weren't for the fact that YouTube has put a downloading block on the channel 4 'youtube channel' I'd be doing a series of video blogging from the complete previous & to date series of the Balls of Steel programmes, but because at the moment I cannot do that, I'll just have to supply you with the link.
But never the less at some point in time I shall happen upon the necessary software, to be able to do a bit of video blogging of the show, so in the mean time here is that link.

Then just recently, well & also from a few months back in time a channel called Quest which is part of the Discovery channel has aired some fishing programmes, alright they maybe repeats but to me they have been worth watching, mainly Matt Hayes Total fishing & the greater rod race, so at least I've got a little bit of value for money out of my TV licence, not that I'm complaining.

Edit: Slight adjustment, to make, balls to the other side, they ain't gonna beat me.

OK, I'll have to end this one here I'm afraid as there is lots to do in so little time.

Nearly a century of posts..

2011-05-16T22:31:00.000+01:00

Ninety nine blog posts later, just shows how much time has past since I first decided to jump in the deep end & have a go at blogging, suppose you just get out of these things what you put in, ok I'm no proffessional writer, don't intend to be neither but this blog was just men't to be a past time/diary of what has happened in the past with other stuff & basically the up's & downs of my fishing in general & music I listen to but ok it's made a few friends along the way, not so many enemies & one or two who have decided to jump around criticising, if they don't like it don't look in is the simple answer to that, but no I've so far enjoyed doing the old blogging & who knows what the future holds, we shall just have to wait & see, after all these things take time to build.

Next up blog post No.100.

Time certainly does fly....

2011-05-14T21:54:00.000+01:00

The dreaded work commitments have put paid to the canal fishing, so it's now a case of wait until the glorious 16th of June for the new river season, yes there is only one last month to go & then the river banks will be loaded out with the fair weather brigade, bombarding each & every swim that is accessable with bait day & night until they become bored with blanking.
Then it all becomes a formallity of how many barbel, chub & those illusive Trent carp all line up waiting to get caught, still you can only but dream on about it eh?.
Again I've not posted for a short while on the blog, for the simple reason of not enough hours in one day with work & everything else in between, taking up most of my time, you know the thing that annoys me most is that without thought or consideration, everybody always want their stuff sorting out like right now sort of thing & they just do not realise how much of my own jobs & stuff I have to also get sorted in such a short space in time.

Enough about the old dreaded work & stuff, woke up this morning to some sad news, an old life long friend of the family passed away, during the early hours so I've another dreaded funeral to attend some time next week.
I dislike funerals, I've been to a few & the reason why I dislike them is when people become so damn selfish because they've lost one of their parents & take it upon themselves to assume that that particular time in life revolves just around themselves only & that nobody else should be included at all, ok lots of dissions have to be made especially where there is no will involved, but at a time in life like that people always tend to show another side of themselves, it's all silly really but these things happen, yet there have been other funerals I've attended where folks are so much more appriecative of the turn out on the day of family & friends who attend the funeral.

Ok that's enough about funerals an all, saying that I cannot stand weddings either, considering I've a catholic family, but that is the way I feel especially when these weddings don't last very long, seems a common thing these days, but not going into specific details & that's enough about weddings aswell.
One thing I have not got round to yet for this year is an holiday, but I'm working on it, lifes for living so enjoy it whilst you still can.
Been working on a few LGV's recently, even they're has hi-tec has cars these days with ECU's & service lights to reset, some vehicles now have a new bolt/screw fitting on them called torx plus which is a five lobe version of the original six lobe torx fittings.
It's a way manufactorors get around stopping the back street garages & diy enthusiasts from earning a bit of work, so that all the main dealership/franchises get the monopoly in the trade, but there are ways around that, lets just say I've a few friends within the tool making industry, whom can supply the requirements.
Actually these torx plus fittings aren't quite that new, they've been fitted to all vehicles after 1999 so they're a little over 11/12 years old now, so they've been around a fair while then & are most commonly fitted to diesel fuel injection pumps, ECU's, seat belt anchors & also them plastic inspection panels underneath vehicles, what we call the under carrage or even better known as splash panels, also like the original torx fittings torx plus also have a tamper proof version aswell, all that just so a select few can gain the monopoly in the trade, I believe it's called jealousy, in other words, your not pinching my work, still there is nowt like a bit of friendly competition is there?.

Well that's it for this latest blog post as ever lots to do in so little time.

Bank holiday weekends & some angling news..

2011-04-23T18:33:00.000+01:00

Not like me but this last/past week I'd decided to buy the Angling Times, don't know what made me because I've given up with angling rags due to the same old, same old content week in week out, which to me was a waste of the hard earned, but just recently there are a few topics of interest going on in the wonderful world of angling, like the recent rant by Keef Arfur about he's not going to have his licence money spent on finding out on the basis of science proving why we don't need the annual coarse fishing three months closure on our rivers.

Then there is the clout of the Angling Trust winning a war with the government investment funding of our rivers, yes a nice sum of £100million secured to tackle the likes of invasive species such as signal crayfish & prolific weed growth choking our waterways on the top of the list, looks like the EA has been finally caught with their pants down.
So a big well done all round goes to the Angling Trust, certainly an answer to the aged question of joining the trust whom are now showing just how much clout they really have.
They aren't stupid, if comes to something like this that you have to join forces with the WWF to sucessfully campaign for angling, when the EA are foot loose & fancy free, riding rough shod, then so be it, at the very least the EA has a lot to answer for, if such organisations like the AT, can get it right the first time around, now if that hasn't answered the questions thrown against them in the past of the earlier days of just starting out, then there is something wrong with peoples minds, because to me it answers a hell of a lot & a shame the way the AT had to come about through the demise of the former ACA, but still times moved on with a lot of water gone under the bridge, so if you haven't brought this weeks angling times, just get yourself down to your local supermarket or news agent so you can read the full story of the ATr's latest sucessful campaign.
I've not got it in for the EA but they sure have let their foot off the gas for some time now & shame on them for doing so, because it's become the same old story of just passing the book along.

Hope everyone is enjoying the easter break, I like chocolate although nowadays I'm not a big fan of it like I used to be when I were younger so tend not to go over the top with it like some folk who like to indulge, nah now and again is nice but that's about it, seems when you grow older you tend to get out of a few of those habits you were used to, also I used to like filling my face with ice cream but don't bother so much now, strange, eh, suppose it's summat to do with moving with the times, who knows?.

With being busy with work & diy in my spare time, I'm beginning to get the urge to get away from it all & wet a line, I think that local canal is just shouting for a good session or two so hopefully within the next few weeks time I'll not be able to resist the urge any longer because I've not been fishing since the season ended on our rivers, it's almost becoming stressful, must be down to the glorious sunshine!, saying that whilst writing this blog post & having just looked out of the window LOL it's just turned overcast, now hopefully all those noisy BBQuers out there might just sod off, after all it's a bank holiday weekend & it wouldn't be the same without some good old British weather, time for a rain dance methinks, oooooh that loverly cool breeze & now I can hear thunder rumbling....

Truckers & their tarted up rigs.....

2011-04-22T15:08:00.000+01:00

Out on my travels not far from the outskirts of Notts city centre, I passed this scania arctic rig parked up on an industrial estate yesterday & decided to get a pic of it because there is some moneys worth of artwork on it, bit like Eddie Stobbarts units but with a bit more attention to the detail of it, looks like somebody is passionate about their business, don't know about the pink though, just doesn't do it any justice but nice all the same with the chrome trims & stuff.

Tarted up.

Here we go!

2011-04-21T20:15:00.000+01:00

Law breakers are wrong over their illegal river match says Keith Arthur | Coarse Fishing News | Angling Times | Gofishing UK

So there is going to be an out of season match on the river Severn, things like this are what it's going to take to prove the reason why we don't need the annual coarse fishing three months closure, but it'll take more than a single match to gather the research information, however I feel the angling club in question is going about it the wrong way, if we're to get the closure abolished, things need to be done in the more appropriate manners, not by the way this is being sought by force majure on the authorities, because after all it'll only cause all sorts of implications.

The one & final thing from me on this subject is good luck to the club, as they are risking some serious penalisation.

Blimey, time is moving fast this year!

2011-04-21T14:08:00.001+01:00

Plenty of work & stuff to do during the close season on our rivers, so not had the chance to get on the local canal as yet, suppose it's always gonna be that way, not long left of the annual three months closure, not much left of April & it'll soon be May, then June will only be around the corner.
Doesn't time fly by when your busy? Well I certainly find it does. It has been nice to have a rest from the fishing & to be able to get all the other stuff done, this last week I've been sorting out one of my sheds in the back garden which is now nearly finished, just needs a new coat of paint, not in bad condition to say I've had it for the last 5+years, unlike the other one which had seen better days & had to be dismantled.
Next plan of attack is to start preparing the driveway for concreting & then hopefully finish off the garden which I've plans to set a lawn on, all this & try to get a few sessions in on the local canal before the beginning of the new season, on top of work commitments, should allow for plenty of time, me thinks.

I see a certain blogger has been spouting on about the alleged threatening messages he's received! how very dare he after all the torment he's induced else where, now personally I wouldn't threaten anybody over the Internet, because I prefer to do it face to face in person, so if this clown assumes the retort to "provocate more snide rumours &/or dirty lies" then we may just have to meet up some day some time or other to sort out the situation, man to man if you like! if the allegations are aimed at oneself otherwise I've no interest in Internet pranks what ever yer wanna call'em, after all tis way beyond the joke now.
I used to enjoy havin a laugh & a joke, just being one of the lads at one point in time, but alas there are those whom like to push it that little too far & that to me is where you need to draw the line, any case that's enough of talking about all that kinda crap, time to move on, there are plenty of better things on the Internet to amuse yourselves with at any given time.

Now I've heard in the news that our government are planning to combat illegal immigration, well good luck to' em because from where I'm situated it's to little too late, should've been done years ago, shame on those that didn't listen to Enoch Powell, though, eh, when they had the chance, after all the man was right with what he was talking about, OK a little before my time but there are plenty of stories to read & videos to watch out there on the big World Wide Web that explain how right Enoch were about the mass immigration problems we were to receive years later down the line, now I'd seriously like to see exactly what David Cameron & crew are going to do to sought it out.

So there are still ongoing discussions/debates about the reasons for & against a close(d) season on our rivers, on various websites, some believe nobody on either side have come up with anything constructive to remain with the status quo or go ahead & abolish.
I'm against the status quo because we have still waters & canals, also commercial coarse fisheries open year round that prove to have no scientific detriment, so why are rivers different because they are flowing water? You would only have to go diving in any still water during windy conditions to see the undertow created by said conditions to know otherwise, which leads us back to why are rivers different.
I can understand the need for a closure on waters that are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest but not all rivers & any other waters need to be shut down for three whole months.
If it were given a trial period on the basis of scientific research, one way or the other we would then be able to see whether or not there is any detriment or not, if there were then the status quo could be reverted back to & if there weren't then those whom shout up & down to keep the closure enforced would look silly & be proven wrong.
For me it's about time within the whole of angling in general be it coarse, sea, game & specialist got together & united rather than the old skool labour governments way of divide & conquer myopia because then we'd at least get somewhere near to sorting out the age old problem of the close(d) season enforcement, because if you ask me the closure is actually in breach of a certain new law called theft by finding, meaning those who want to keep the closure are taking away from us who want to abolish the closure, therefore the "theft by finding law becomes breached!" & another thing if you were to go over the pond to Europe you would see there is no closure on their rivers with non what so ever detriments of any kind, just the usual situations like pollution incidents just like here in the UK, the facts are there & just need putting forward.

Another thing that annoys me about the annual three months coarse fish closure is that there are regional byelaw's allowing folk to fish for eels with an half inch gape hook, doesn't matter what bait you use as long as the hook is the right size, that is just in the midlands area, nowhere else 'I.e Severn, Trent area', so what is the point of the closure if you have regional byelaw's allowing to partake in fishing for certain species in one area but not the rest of the country, smacks of the old divide & conquer again, doesn't it?
OK when the old National Rivers Authority was disbanded & the environment agency formed, the regional rod licences were united to one for country, but the only problem there is the prices keep going up! So you see that smacks of the old political rule "if your going to give something in one hand, something needs to be taken from the other!" Be it a no win situation for us unfortunately that's the ways things are always going to be, unless everybody were to unite, stand their ground with the government & say no, but alas it far to little to late again.
Some also believe the abolishment of the closure will never happen in their lifetime, still remains to be seen though, it might happen sooner than most think!.
Alright it may take a large group of anglers to put their money where their mouths are to do the deeds of getting the closure abolished, I certainly would contribute to it with my hard earned, if only the rest would also unite & do the same, it may take at least a couple of seasons of research to achieve the info required but these scientists don't come cheap so, if there are anybody out there who don't mind also contributing to cause let us know, I'm sure we could all work something out!.

Anyway I'm ending this blog post here, because I've lots to do in so little time.

For when you feel the need!

2011-04-03T01:11:00.000+01:00

Alas the fools of April, have appeared...

2011-04-01T14:40:00.001+01:00

If be it myself, Fred or even Bob, to be on a list of pre-baiting campaigns by a certain fraternity within the angling world, then so be it.

Personally I could not care two hoops what the fraternity has to say about others but snide comments left on this blog referring to various individuals partaking in paedophilia (however you wish to spell it) along with the self obsession of another individual, type references will not be published.
The one thing that annoys me at the end of the day is exactly what all of this is trying to achieve, apart from the insults & the likes of, all it does is boost site traffic & show visitors what kind of people 'this certain fraternity' is.
So I've held back those comments left here, for future reference, if not just to clarify exactly what was said.
Even if it were mean't as an April fools day prank, it sure as hell didn't sound like it to me, be it a warning to the others or not, this kind of hassle will not be tolerated here.

Ah the need to provocate....

2011-03-31T17:37:00.005+01:00

So it seems 'ol bamboo brace likes to provoke a response then, eh? Yes the word 'provocate' means to provoke, before anybody asks.

Yes Tony, I've read your latest post on your blog, but let me advise you of this, the reason I'd agreed with Bob Roberts was because of Bobs comment being this, "Why is it that whenever there is abuse, confrontation or any kind of outrageous behaviour on angling web sites it is invariably the same few people, a relatively tiny insidious clique, who are at the root of it?" Ring any bells? You should know Tony! Not the bullshit you make it out to be then, is it?

Link

I neither agree nor disagree with criticism, which you of all people are guilty of. As for your spout about me being racist, well read it again Tony, the words 'being jewish' in my neck 'o the woods, refers to folks being tight fisted! Now once you were discriminative to folk who have disabilities, weren't you Tony! So before you start playing the criticism/racism/discrimination card at me, just take a look at yerself.

Ok, is this comment not referring to sexual discrimination then?

Seepee says:

March 30, 2011 at 7:29 pm

I always thought Biggun was a reflection on the size of his nob !!!!!
PMSL at thought of all the work Popey has been doing scraping the bottom of that particular barrel,just how low can someone get !

Smacks of the old, Pot, Kettle.... to me & that is just the 'short' of it...!

However daft this is, cheers for the plug. ;)

Finished a draw...

2011-03-29T22:11:00.000+01:00

If Andy Carroll had been left on I don't think Ghana would've got that last minute equalizer.

Still an entertaining game to watch & one of the best friendlies, I've seen for some time.

Well done to both teams.

England Friendly with Ghana tonight...

2011-03-29T19:52:00.000+01:00

Ok it's just a friendly, but an international friendly & they all count one way or another, so come on Engerland keep up this winning streak, you can do it.

Will report the result back here later...

A very well done, Engerland...

2011-03-27T00:52:00.003Z

That certainly silenced the big mouthed taffs, maybe next time they'll learn to play football. instead of sounding off....

With the score only being 2-0 to England, it's still a win, Wales still have lots to learn, like try gaining some points first, before attempting, snide rumours & dirty lies, eh! At least Scotland know how to do both & Ireland also. ;)

European Championship Qualifying : Group G Table

Saturday, 26 March 2011 18:45 UK

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	England	4	3	1	0	9	1	8	10
2	Montenegro	4	3	1	0	3	0	3	10
3	Switzerland	4	1	1	2	5	5	0	4
4	Bulgaria	4	1	1	2	1	5	-4	4
5	Wales	4	0	0	4	1	8	-7	0

Next game against Ghana, bring it on....

Recently & other stuff...

2011-03-26T11:22:00.000Z

Had a busy past few days of this week, with a bit of grafting, England V Wales tonight, shall be an interesting game, considering all this Welsh shit stirring that has appeared in the press all week, well they've gotta find something to do with their spare time, ain't they? So come on England put this one to bed & silence the critics.

Now don't forget this Sunday, the clocks go forward by one hour, has it's that time of the year again, known as British Summer Time, begins.

So whatever, your up to this weekend, have a good'un.

Blimey, something else, I ain't done for a while....

2011-03-22T19:55:00.001Z

I finally got round to another one of those projects of mine today, making an extension (side tray) of my platform, which I'd been meaning to do for some time, after spending most of the morning measuring up the steel and cutting it to the required sizes & then this afternoon (the bit I ain't done for a while) welding it up, yes I finally got the mig welder out, just need to get the strengthening piece sorted out & some paint, also some wing nut clamps & basically drill out the holes, required to fit the legs onto & of cause clean up some of the excess welding spatter, prep it for painting & then it'll be nearly sorted, that's not of cause forgetting to make the adapters to attach it to the platform.

Personally, I don't often do welding, due to my disability, but don't let that interfere with it, no I'm the kind of person who likes to just get on with these things, look at it this way, I'm saving a fair few quid in the process, as these kind of side tray extensions can easily cost anywhere between £45 to £50 plus, it's not that I'm being tight or anything of the sort, just from time to time, I like to make my own stuff, that may not be worth owt to others, but is to me & it's great in between work & all the other stuff, that comes & goes to be able to achieve the odd DIY project of my own.

Same Auld, same auld...

2011-03-21T12:33:00.000Z

Sign up to my website All for a princely sum, donated to a charity of choice? Using your real name & we'll curb all the trolls/garbage, that has generated on our site, that we later cannot control on the internet has it is on earth, so give us this day 'our baited swim & forgive those who trespass against us, for thy will be done you just believe me, for things can only get worse, as time goes by.

UH??? No change there then is there!

Bit of a gamer....

2011-03-19T23:08:00.000Z

Apart from the fishing & all the other stuff, I'm also abit of a gamer & why not, I use the pc for just about anything & everything else, so I utilise some of my spare time into gaming, mainly FPS games, such as Alien Arena & Warsow, which are freeware, so why pay for them when you can get them for nowt.
For those that don't no what FPS stands for, it means first person shooter, so anyway here is a link to a vast data base of freeware games, that I've been using for a few years called Gamershell.com where you'll also find regular updates & patches for your other games such as World of warcraft, grand theft auto & so on.

What I like about FPS games is that you do not have to have a joystick or gamepad, just your mouse & keyboard. Some FPS games have the options to use joysticks & gamepads if you want to use them & I think joysticks for gaming are a damn site more comfortable to use than your average mouse, but then that is just down to user preference.
Apart from FPS games, Windows OS's & Ubuntu Linux OS's come bundled with a few games packages, I don't no about Apple Mac pc's, cos I've not yet got round to trying out a pc running Mac, that's something I intend to have a dabble with sometime in the near future.
I know the FPS games are available for both Windows & Linux, of cause some of them are available for Mac pc's, there are also some dedicated servers for online gaming aswell, if you wish to partake in that past time, I do have a dabble myself from time to time.

Another song, I've not heard for sometime....

2011-03-18T13:08:00.002Z

From a hit tv series of when British prime time television was at it's best & for me has to be one of the best programmes in history (ever) to grace our screens, called Auf Wiedersehen Pet, & the song by Joe Fagin called- that's living alright....

Wow, now there's some memories.

Dont, forget the switchover....

2011-03-17T18:57:00.000Z

BBC News - Re-tune reminder for East Midlands TV viewers

That's nearly the end of our analogue TV transmitters.

Bob Roberts offline?

2011-03-16T20:06:00.000Z

Is it me or is it Bob Roberts ain't online ???

I tried to view Bobs blog on & off the past few days, but cannot get the site to load, have tried clearing my browsers cache, that didn't work, even tried a different web browser from the one I normally use, still cannot view it!

Has someone hacked it? or even pulled the plug? as daft as it sounds I even tried a different pc & still cannot get the site to load, which leads me to believe that possibly Bob don't exist anymore ! Hope not, cos I enjoy reading some of Bobs tales, articles & blog posts.

Amusing stuff....

2011-03-16T18:31:00.000Z

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English

will be the official language of the European Union rather than German,

which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that

English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a

5-year phase-in plan that would become known as 'Euro-English'.

In the first year, 's' will replace the soft 'c'. Sertainly, this will

make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard 'c' will be dropped in

favour of 'k'. This should klear up konfus ion, and keyboards kan have

one less letter. There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the second

year when the troublesome 'ph' will be replaced with 'f'. This will

make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expected

to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have

always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent 'e' in the language

is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing 'th'

with 'z' and 'w' with 'v'.

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary 'o' kan be dropd from vords kontaining

'ou' and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu

understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in

ze forst plas.

If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza

The new rod licences...

2011-03-15T12:41:00.000Z

Are as follows

Don't get caught without it.

The end of an era...

2011-03-14T18:26:00.001Z

BBC News - Chimney demolished in Colwick, Nottingham

Well that's nearly the end of our old sugar beet factory.

A few jokes....

2011-03-14T17:44:00.000Z

1 sperm has 37.5MB of DNA information in it.
That means a normal ejaculation represents a data transfer of 1403808.59375 GB in about 3 seconds...
And you thought virgin broadband was fast.....

The three laws of American Engineering:

1. Always use the right tool for the job.
2. A hammer is the right tool for any job.
3. Anything can be used as a hammer.

A young man walking along the Pier notices an old man with his shoes off, trouser legs rolled up, legs dangling in the sea and fishing with an imaginary rod.
Puzzled the young man asks, "What are you doing?"
The old man replies, "Fishing for cunts."
"Sounds good. Can I join you?" replied the young man.
"Of course you can, pull up a pew son."
The young man sits down and casts an imaginary rod out, and then says, "So, how many cunts have you caught today?"
The old man replies, "You're the third this morning."

This is the transcript of the ACTUAL radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995.

Radio conversation released by the Chief of Naval Operations 10-10-95.

Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED By THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTERMEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

Authorities have released the names of some of the asylum seekers who drowned when their boat ran into cliffs on Christmas Island. There was Flo Ting, Sin King, Drow Ning, Scree Ming, Gurgle Ing and his son Dunk Ing.

After having dug to a depth of 1000 meters last year, English scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1000 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 1000 years ago.
Not to be outdone by the English, in the weeks that followed, Scottish scientists dug to a depth of 2000 meters and shortly after headlines in the UK newspapers read; Scottish archaeologists have found traces of 2000 year old fibre-optic cable and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech digital communications network a thousand years earlier than the English.

One week later, Irish newspapers reported the following: After digging as deep as 5000 meters in a County Mayo bog, Irish scientists have found absolutely nothing. They, therefore, have concluded that 5000 years ago, Ireland's inhabitants were already using wireless technology.

Jon Smith started the day early having set his
alarm clock(MADE IN JAPAN) for 6am.

While his coffeepot (MADE IN CHINA) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG ).

He put on a clean shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA ), designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE ) and tennis shoes (MADE IN KOREA )

After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (MADE IN INDIA ) he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO ) to see how much he could spend today.

After setting his watch (MADE IN TAIWAN ) to the radio (MADE IN INDIA ) he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY) filled it with petrol (from SAUDI ARABIA )

He then spent the rest of the day at the job centre, wondering why he couldn't get a fucking job in England!

Start with a cage containing five monkeys.

Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.

After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana.

And that, your honour, is why I was at the border shooting at illegal immigrants - to deter the rest.

Why doesn't Viagra work on chavs?

'Cos they only get hard when they've got ten mates behind them.

Well, that's that for another three months...

2011-03-13T21:52:00.002Z

Yeah the coarse fishing close season ends tomorrow 14/03/2011 at midnight on our rivers, but you can still fish for eels with an half inch gape hook, if you wanted to.
Me, I'll not bother because I'll most definitely be canal fishing, so that'll be that.

Had my last session of this season this afternoon on the river & blanked, Frank was down there fishing the stick, he had one chub, another angler also blanked in what looked like ideal conditions for a few fish to show themselves, but alas was not to be.

Considering it's nearing the end, I'd have thought the banks would've been very busy this weekend, but that weren't the case, just three anglers, half a dozen or so cyclists, a few bird watchers & the usual local dog walkers, just about sums up your average weekend then.

Footie

I see Doncaster were very lucky to hold us "Notts Forest" to a Nil-Nil draw, next time we'll have yer.

Rugby

England were lucky this afternoon against the jocks, considering their poor performance, still a wins a win.

& finally, I'd just like to say a big thank you to all the people who have helped, assisted & advised myself this last season, cheers guys, I probably wouldn't have done it without you.

So whatever you get up to in the next three months, have a good'un.

Video of some fishing images...

2011-03-12T09:43:00.001Z

Although it's a first attempt at creating my own vids, you won't find it on youtube, because I'd just uploaded to this blog straight from the PC.

Videoporama, can be downloaded here.

Planning ahead...

2011-03-10T18:52:00.001Z

Still busy with work & stuff at the moment, only 4 days left before the close.
Hoping to get out on the bank again this weekend because it'll be a long 3 months, unless I'd go eel fishing in that time, failing that there's always the canals & commercials to have a dabble at.

Been having a bit of a sort out at home, this past couple of day's it's amazing what kind of stuff/junk we hoard/collect/save over the years, still needs sorting out regardless though.

Must get back to it.

Ah sod it, there's plenty of time, to finish of sorting out tomorrow.

They don't like it up 'em

2011-03-08T17:12:00.005Z

Once upon on a time, on a website, not to far away, there were a band of so called anglers! Whom took it upon themselves, to think they were something very special, by going around taking the piss out of others etc, etc of which I'd became part of, for one reason & one reason only, to specifically fight fire with fire.

On the first occasion of retaliation's, I'd prebaited a swim on the old fishing magic forum, where various members of this website not to far away, quickly rose to the presented bait & oh how I'd pissed myself laughing at the responses, just wasn't justifiable, no this slowly carried on further over the next few years, further than my expectations, so much so I eventually met up with a few of the members and got to know them a little more & planned my next campaign, unbeknown to them.

Here's how it went, they have regular fishins on the Trent & last year I was booked down to attend, but didn't go, surely they must 'ave sussed it by now? but no they hadn't & so this year the same thing happened & oh I was just really ROTFLMFBO at their mardy responses, just take a look here A classic case of we can only give but not take, is the assumption there!

Oh has it really cost me that much? I don't think so ;0) for the laughs on you, yer silly twats.

Coops (the mouthy one), soaves yer right, look what yer did to a certain BBQ! & don't forget the Severn barbel record prank you pulled,up yours...

Big Kev... I never ordered yer curry, get over it.

Chunky... well that'll teach you an yer mates, takin the piss know, won't it... toodle pip.

Finally, apart from pissing myself at the fact these lot can't take & still haven't sussed it, I'll end this post now with a short quote, that sums it up from the best Prime Minister, this country ever had...

Never in the field of human conflict, has so much been lost by so many, but won by so few......

GOTCHA.....

What a disgrace!

2011-03-07T21:40:00.002Z

Muslim fined for burning poppies - UK News - MSN News UK

All he got was a £50.00 fine & the others found not guilty!
If this happened in their country, they'd probably have had their hands chopped off or imprisoned.
This country is far too soft on immigrants, compared with our own native citizens, whom are punished more severely, when commiting minor offences.
I firmly believe that UK law is racist towards native whites! & feel that it's about time something was done about it.

One, I've not heard for some time...

2011-03-06T22:16:00.001Z

This song, by China Black, certainly brought back a few memories.....The original was done in 1992 & remixed in 1994, happy days.....

More madness...

2011-03-03T13:28:00.001Z

BBC News - More Europe migrants to gain access to full UK benefits

Putting it this way, I'd love to get to know who the person/s with permissions are? to be getting away with selling our nation off to the Europeans, through the back door, bring back Enoch Powell.

To the hoardes of immigrants....

2011-03-03T12:48:00.002Z

Other stuff, again....

2011-03-02T22:50:00.003Z

Friends, re-ignited...

Ouch....

2011-03-02T22:02:00.002Z

23 more swans discovered shot dead - MSN News - MSN UK

I remember this same thing happening on a local fishery, of ours a few years ago, the local band of bird watchers blamed, anglers for their benefits of getting the place turned into a nature reserve & got their own way, thus we lost a nice fishery in the end, there really are some right wankers out there, just hope the same thing doesn't happen with this situation.

Sad, sad News - MoD sets out first redundancies

2011-03-01T17:25:00.002Z

BBC News - MoD sets out first redundancies

How much worse, can these "un-necessary cutbacks" get, before this country becomes- demilitarised & unable to defend ourselves? The way things are turning out, civil war, will be just around the corner, enough is enough.

T'is about time our government stopped using the excuses of being in a recession, to make these unjustified cutbacks.

Flippin Lucky...

2011-02-28T16:38:00.006Z

I know I've said in a previous blog post, that I'll be away for a while, fortunately I won't be & luckily it's only cost me £250.00, that'll teach me ter keep me big mouth shut in future, still not going into specific detail on the big WWW about it & I'll certainly not be doing that again.

Speaking of being lucky, it's about time I had some luck in the fishing department, which I'm currently planning the next session, for somewhere around about mid week. With the river levels up & some cold North, North easterly winds, the temperatures plummeting back down to low single figures & more rain on the way, it's gonna be hard work, but as the saying goes, you never fail till yer stop trying, time for another riverside recce, me thinks.

Tactics, well I'm considering the ground bait feeder approach, for a change, using Sonubaits hemp & hali crush ground bait laced with 4mm feed pellets and for the hook bait is gonna be the usual 15mm boilies. Blimey that just got me thinking of how baits in general have advanced over the years, compared with what I used to use, suppose it's a case of moving with the times, come to think of it so has the fishing tackle.

Worth a try in my opinion

Barbelhunting blog

2011-02-26T17:09:00.003Z

Interesting tales from an Austrian barbel angler, called SixPack, who fishes the River Danube.

You might be better off using Google translator, to view the site, as it's in German...

Back end of Season-part, 2.....

2011-02-25T10:28:00.006Z

Decided to have a roving session yesterday (Thurs-24th,Feb), got the gear ready after dinner time and arrived at the river for 14:20pm after navigating three sludgy water logged footpaths and one village idiot later, to find the river still about half way up it's banks with coloured flood water and pushing through at jogging pace on one particular stretch I'd chosen to fish, not the best of conditions to fish but what the eck I went for it anyway, got to my swim of choice and tackled up, using the minimum of 4oz to hold bottom in this pacey swim, cast in and waited 15 minutes later, nothing, so I re baited and gave it half an hour, still nothing, and then the spot directly downstream was given a go and having not had a sniff after 20 minutes I was pondering what to do next, so the thought of moving to a different stretch was to be the next plan of attack.

Selection of leads, I use.

Arriving at the stretch up stream from where I started out the session, I spotted what looked like the ideal flood water swim and hastily got comfortable in, I decided to try a 3oz lead in this swim has it looked not so pacey on the surface as the previous swims I'd tried and found it to have very little flow for a flooded swim, perfect you'd think! "There would be a few fish lurking in and around this area", but unfortunately that wasn't to be.
I carried on into the dark hours, plundering away to my hearts content at this perfect spot to not get one bite at all and decided to call it a day at 19:30pm, with the thought of returning to this swim next time with different tactics, which may or may not be the bait and wait approach.


Waiting for a bite

To say the river was half way up it's banks with flood water, there weren't a deal of drifting debris, only the odd bit of streamer weed clinging to the line, if I'd had a session earlier on at the beginning of the week, there would've been all sorts of crap coming through, to say the least.

Good luck to all out on the bank this weekend.

Back end of Season-part, 1.....

2011-02-22T11:50:00.002Z

With the river being high and brown coloured with rain water, leaves only one of two options, either fish for barbel and chub or pray the levels drop and wait for the colour clearing and fish the stick, not much of a choice is it?....

So the barbel gear it is, the main approach for the next session, the decision to fish the flat lead and use pva mesh to put a bed of pellets down and fish a 15mm hair rigged boilie seems all but the main method to use for the resident barbel, but worms can have a devastating influence on chub and also perch if they are more obliging to feed.
Bearing in mind I prefer fishing the feeder, as you can put more bait in but in flood conditions a feeder would be more prone to getting snagged up than a flat lead would, has I know too well from my own experiences in the past, apart from that I'm looking to fish for bites and catch at least rather than feeding them and blanking.
Travelling light has it's advantages of covering more ground and increasing the chances of catching in coloured floodwater but if your feeling lazy and prefer sticking it out in one swim of choice, then the chances of blanking increase and at least then you can perch under your brolly, if it keeps raining, it's purely a decision of choice.

I've usually found the back end of a season to be a very productive time of the year "catch wise" no two back to back seasons are the same for me, some more prolific than others with the odd red letter day, others not so good and that's fishing. The only things that have changed are the fact I'm getting older, also my gear and approach has changed somewhat over the years and I now use different bait compared with what I used to use when I first started out, maybe because I've moved with the times, but what used to be consistent yesteryear is not necessarily going to produce the goods in the future. Finding out what others have been successful with has been a key to my own rewards, so being nosy has it's advantages and so will it continue to do so.

Having had a bank side recce on Monday afternoon along a few stretches of the river I'd already decided where and how I was going to fish my next session, sticking it out in a favoured swim and or moving later if nothing happens and time allows me to do so is my choice due to the changing weather conditions. For this I'm lightening the load and not carrying a burden of bulky/heavy weight tackle, taking two rods is more than enough, a chair is essential as is the landing net and handle. I won't be needing the case with the feeders and bait droppers in because I'm using the flat arlesley type leads and pva mesh netting. Shall be using the brolly and be taking the unhooking mat, scales and sling and of cause the box with the terminal tackle in. Do I take the tripod or use a bank stick with a quiver rest? sod it I'll take both just in case one or the other fails, after all this is fishing where if anything can happen then it probably will.
That just leaves the bait oh and the flask, and not forgetting the "camera". So now this gives me the opportunity of moving swims more easily if I need to!

The reason for carrying the unhooking mat is due to fishery rules, but I normally do carry one anyway, whether I sit on it if I'd not took the chair or use it for exactly what it is, I've always got one with me each time I go. Now all that's left is to get down there and see what happens. The day is planned for Wednesday or Thursday and that depends on me and I cannot wait. I've also been taking note of the daily weather forecasts, which show a rise in the temperature, since the weekend which was 4 degrees C and is now "Tuesday" 6 degrees C if this keeps up then the conditions should be favourable, but that doesn't alter anything I'll be going regardless...

Shall be away for a while, but don't worry, I'll be back....

2011-02-16T16:09:00.001Z

So I've had a moment of madness which means I'll be away for a short while. I'm not goin into specific detail on the big WWW, but I've told those whom needed to know.

No I haven't converted to Islam, before anybody asks, because I cannot stand it and wish Islamism and Islamification would disappear.

See yer some time soon.

Today I've Mostly Been Listening to, this one by Katy Perry...

2011-02-04T08:51:00.000Z

How would you approach this swim?

2011-02-04T07:58:00.000Z

To say the least it's got plenty of features, but I'm struggling to find a way into it.

Wonder what killed this Mallard?

2011-02-03T13:06:00.001Z

Dog?

Otter?

Cormorant?

Mink?

Or a fox? Nah definately not a fox, a fox would've probably carried it back to it's den.

Maybe then an angler, for dead baiting? who knows?

Me thinks by a dog, but possibly could be by a gang of it's own or even a swan!

Update of the work on the Levas stretch, near Colwick park...

2011-02-03T08:23:00.003Z

Took the afternoon off yesterday and decided to have a walk down the river and Colwick park as well, the wind weren't all that bad, at least it's warmer than of late. The river is now gin clear and has only about 2ft of extra water on, so fishing into the dark hours could be the key to success, for me and a few other locals that frequent the river banks.

Another reason for having a walk down there was to see how phase one of the flood bank work along the members only Levas stretch had gone on, which I had blogged about in a previous post some short time ago last year. Basically trees had been cleared, the flood bank raised and also a foot path installed on the top of the flood bank, so that's phase one complete, phase two is expected to start around about July time this year and will begin with re turfing the sides of the flood bank.
The work should be completed by around about 2013, so until then it's not worth having membership with Levas, unless you want to fish other waters run by the club.

What is it with some folk?

2011-02-02T09:27:00.004Z

The reason I ask is because some folk like to go around, thinking that they have, the star of David, shining above them! Yes I'm talking about people whom are being Jewish. I fully understand that there is a worldwide recession and mass unemployment, but when folk cannot be arsed to pay £25.00 to have a complete exhaust fitted or £30.00 to have a battery charged along with the alarm code reset and also the radio code reset, it becomes a poor tale doesn't it? Especially when all they want to pay you, is a couple of packets of fags. Now come on this is getting beyond the joke, the local charity shop is only down the road.

That's just two ex customers, I have had. My reply to those were, when you've got the money in yer pocket and can afford to do it, come and see me and I'll sort it out, but not until. Then there is the other cheeky bastards that like to come along and ask to borrow the tools to do various jobs, for nothing. Now come on people, I don't buy thousands of pounds worth of tools and equiptment, just so you think you can become Jewish and then I may never see them again or they come back broken, then it costs me to replace 'em.

Now don't get me wrong, I've a fair few customers who don't mind paying the going rates for the service I provide, those genuine customers give good feedback, but the tight fisted tend to tar all the garages with the same brush, all because they cannot be arsed to pay for it and that's the problem. I'll admit some folk are well off than others but we've all got bills to pay, etc, etc, that don't just happen over night does it? Owt fer nowt, no not with me the fecker's ain't gerrin it.

I'm not being discriminative or racist, it's just some people are so tight fisted, I incorporated the word Jewish into the aquasion because when some folk have decided to read the bible they then think that they have the star of David shining above them and the god given right to become Jewish, as far I'm concerned they can fuck right off, FFS.

Has England really become a Communist Jewish state, I ask yer?

It's been a while, since I last posted.....

2011-02-01T08:56:00.000Z

Hope you all had a good Xmas and a nice start to the new year, as for me! Well I've been busy for most of it and only managed to get down the river this last weekend, which resulted in a blank "not a good start" but nice to be out on the bank again.

The weather keeps changing everyday, it's either wet and windy one day and dry, cold and clear the next. Speaking of clear, the water authorities don't mess about with flood water nowadays they just run it straight off leaving the river low and clear, not good in freezing conditions. Anyhow rather than moan about it, me, I just crack on regardless with it, as they say, a bad workman always blames his tools, where as anglers always blame weather conditions, road salt influx + cormorants, otters, etc etc! Pah, yer just make use of the time you've got in any given condition.

Now I'd not been out on the river bank since mid October, due to my work commitments and apart from that November and December were bloody freezing and some rivers up and down the country had frozen or had drifting ice, not ideal conditions but well done to anyone brave enough to have had a bash at that.

So I see the angling forum world hasn't changed much, still the same ole, same ole names preaching the same ole, same ole what ever yer wanna call it. Isn't it time ter move on? some people, eh! Get over it FFS.

I never used to make new year resolutions, because if you don't make them, yer can't break'em, can yer? well we'll see.

Till the next time enjoy whatever ye get up too and tight lines to one and all.

Well, something else that wasn't mean't to be....

2010-12-03T18:09:00.000Z

Seems like those Europeans still have it in for us when it comes to hosting the FIFA world cup, maybe that's because we won't join their Euro monopoly and why should we? The Euro is definitely to blame for a recent worldwide recession, just take a look at what's happened to Southern Ireland, it went bankrupt, never mind, however we hosted a world cup back in 66 and won it. Now the Europeans don't want that to happen again do they!

Well one things for sure it would have cost a lot of money to host the world cup, but on the other hand there would have been places like pubs, hotels and restaurants earning plenty of income from the tournament.

Still we could always try try again next time!

By Eck it's cold...

2010-11-28T08:56:00.000Z

It was minus 10 last night, here in the East Midlands and it's minus 8 this morning, the snow we had late Friday night/early hours of Saturday morning has turned nearly into rock hard ice and looks like there are sheets of glass out there in places.

The weather forecasts say there will be more snow on the way this afternoon, brrrr, it's bloody freezing, I've never felt so cold has this before, even though it was once a few years back colder than we've ever had.

I'll admit though we'll never have it as bad has Siberia, who have temperatures of minus 55, now that's cold, could you image what your gas and electric bills would be like then? I'd dread to think.

Been Extremly Busy of late....

2010-11-19T15:07:00.002Z

Ok, I've had a lot on recently, with work and other things and unfortunately never got the chance to get out on the bank with an old school friend, last time I'd blogged and that's the way things are at the moment, plenty to do, just not enough hours in one day.

I see Bennetts of Sheffield as gone bust, shame, as I used to buy some of my gear from there.

Been having a browse around the big WWW. and happened upon a new barbel fishing group called The Association of Barbel Fishers Seems like every ex member of all the other groups such as BS Etc, etc, are forming their own groups with websites and different approaches to barbel fishing, good luck to them and I hope it works out.

And what about those muslim pigs that set fire to the wreathes on remembrance day, I hope they rot in hell, after all we've done for them, the ungrateful bastards, anyway back ter graftin again.

Edit: Almost forgot but not quite, England's friendly with France didn't go very well at all did it? Hmm lots of improvements to make there, if we're going to host another world cup let alone win one!

Almost The Weekend....

2010-10-22T14:31:00.000+01:00

Yesterday whilst in the local indian takeaway, I bumped into an old school friend who I hadn't seen for years and used to fish the river with, after an interesting conversation of what we'd both been upto led to, lets have another session this weekend, so yeah I said great, it'll be interesting to have a proper catch up, so Sunday it'll be, great stuff.

This is another thing I like about fishing, the people you make friends with, the places you get to visit and the things you learn, great int it?

Still haven't got rid of this cold bug-man flu, whatever you wanna call it burrit ain't gerrin me down one jot, no I'm still tryna work it outta me an everytime it eases off it seems to bounce back wiv avengance, grrrr.

Time to try some different bait tactics then me thinks, havin had some nice chub and bream out, as mentioned in previous posts, cos it's gerrin coader and nows the time for some curry powder laced maggots with hempseed in the feeder, instead of boilies and pellets, I may even go for the two rod approach, if I can be arsed, we shall see. I've always been one who is prepared to try new things but there aren't that many new things left to try, so a change of approach can been as good as rest!

Might even be worth gerrin back on the worms, although when something works why do you need to change it? well having blanked on the last session it could well be worth a change of approach rather than floggin it out on the same ol 'same ol tactics. Sometimes when I've had a blank it normally means it's sign of needing to change my approach, that's one lesson I've learned in the art of angling and another reason most others moan on about not achieving much, sometimes finding out what others are doing also helps, you know like what bait they are catchin on and how they are presenting it, daft things like that are the key to sucess. Otherwise you'd end up getting frustrated with pluggin away at the same thing to no avail.

So having had an interesting conversation in my local tackle shop a few days ago with another barbel angler, who fishes the same local stretches of river as I do, was very informative! the guy was explaining to myself about how he'd changed his line of the same breakin strain but in a lower diameter, strangely enough his catch rate has improved, strange how changing things such as that, increase your catch rate, well yeah it could do and well worth thinking about when considering a change of approach.

Now what about hooks, there are that many to choose from sizewise and like lines diameters or rather should I say gauges it becomes a hard decision to make, some swear by Drennan barbel hooks others use Korum seamless hooks for knotless knots and then there are others who use those camo coated ones made by Middy, the list is endless again what do you prefer to use and does it work? is it really worth changing what hooks you use? sometimes yeah it can be like take for instance I prefer long shank type hooks for worms and Drennan barbel hooks for pellets n boilies hair rigged. S'pose it's what you get used to.

Then theres backleads, do we really need to use them? again if the swims clear of snags then backleads can be useful in pinning your rig down on the river bed, but if the swims snaggy I wouldn't bother with backleads because you can always guarantee every hooked fish will become tethered down, these things I've learn't about when actually fishing not what others have advised.

Is it really worth using an angling guide? now come on really? Me I learn't alot of my fishing from the old man and his friends, but if your unfortunate enough not to be able to do just that then yeah having a guided lesson would be practicle and believe me there are some folk that do guiding. Mind you I know of experianced anglers still learning and even I still learn stuff from time to time, but the only guides i'd use more often than not other than the line guides on my rods would have to be venue guides!

Anyhow to all whom are out this weekend, even though it could be a coad'un have a good'un, I shall be.

Could This Be The Way Forward?

2010-10-22T11:45:00.000+01:00

Having read a bit of this weeks Anglers Mail, I came across this bit of news from the Angling Trust, seeking value for your licence fee. Now don't get me wrong but the idea of getting the Environment Agency "reformed" couldn't be such a bad idea but if you ever read barbel fatwa world? Would you want those kind of clowns policing your waterways? Nah I certainly wouldn't, especially if it meant being dictated to by a bunch of know it all barbel policemen!! So if the idea of reform goes ahead with the Angling Trust, Association of Rivers Trusts et al having more say in how the EA is run would that mean that I You They and Us, "WE" actually get a say in what goes with the day to day management of river fisheries? Personally I think it would work BUT! only in the right hands!

As I said in the above paragraph, it'd be no good having BFW know it all policemen managing our waterways. It has to be the right people, those with the skills and knowledge to maintain the general management of river fisheries, so the EA can concentrate on dealing with poachers, illegal fish smugglers and polluters. But that doesn't mean that I am personally prepared to tackle licence dodgers, no the EA still needs to concentrate on that subject too.

Link to the news from Anglers Mail I think the only way forward with this idea is to give it a try and see how it goes, if it works then great, but if it don't then at least it been tried but at the end of the day it really does need to work and hopefully the BS will join in and put some of their funds and time into the equasion, then and ONLY then I would consider membership with!

Read An Article, The Other Day....

2010-10-18T13:45:00.005+01:00

On Steve Popes blog, about using the bait dropper to keep the feed going in and achieving better catch results which made myself remember the days when the lads down at Clifton Grove on the Middle Trent, used to use this exact tactic around about the late 80's to early 90's in time. The results always won matches down there regularly with weights of 30 to 40lbs bags earning those 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Mainly chub, barbel and bream being the target fish at the time in question, but a tactic really worth adopting to your fishing in my very honest own opinion.

So having read the said article, made me think about using one of the pair of carp rods I originally brought for dead baiting. Something that I'll now make more use of, in future to my advantage.

Link to said article

Cheers, Steve for reminding me of a very useful tactic, one that I'll be using more often. ;)

Out on the bank again Last Night...

2010-10-14T10:29:00.002+01:00

Decided to fish another stretch a bit further upstream from where I normally fish and on a different swim too, but didn't even have a sniff, zilch, nothing, nada. There were plenty of Kingfishers, a few herons knockin about and the odd kestrel hovering around the bankside in what was a nice afternoon (weather-wise) to be on the bank.

Come around 6 oclock I moved downstream to a well known more prolific swim and as the sun set, by christ did the mist rise and the temperature dropped, not to the freezing mark, but not far off. Now I started getting bites in the more prolific spot, but couldn't connect with owt, there must've been a shoal of skimmers in the swim as everytime the rig was cast in place, the amount of knocks, rattles and slight pulls on the rod tip resulted in a 15mm boilie smashed in half. Some would say I was plagued by crayfish but not where I were on the Trent, no twas definately a shoal of skimmers.

So a total blank was had, maybe it's time I stopped chucking three to four rod lengths out and concentrated more on the boat channel area! At the present time in life the Trent's low and clear, could really do with another good rain storm to get some colour and flow back into it. Otherwise the stick float gears coming back out again, after those roach and dace.

Speaking about the wildlife I forgot to mention, the amount of dragon flies still hovering around, amongst the other flying insects and surface skaters was also a sight to see and by the end of the session the huge flock of noisy Canadian geese finally settled down in one of the gravel pits at the back of where I were fishing and on the walk back home there were plenty of rabbits dartin about in and around the fields and bushes surrounding the fields and here was me thinking to myself that the last dose of mixy had killed 'em all off.

Last Nights Game...

2010-10-13T09:18:00.001+01:00

Not a very productive first half, the second half was more pacey, but no result, just a point for both teams in what England should've had a penalty awarded amongst those freekicks given for the amount of crap Montys team can produce in a match,was unbelieveable and the amount of times england almost caught them with their pants down was unwearable.

Monty yer teams just a buncha handballing, barging, diving drama queens, collectively known as CHEATIN BASTARDS...

Come on Engerland....

2010-10-12T14:56:00.000+01:00

Yes tonight England take on "Monty"negro (pun intended) in a Euro qualifier, kickin off at 8pm on ITV1, This'll be an interesting game to watch, funny how the team has always played better in friendlies and qualifiers, but tend to let us all down in big tornaments like the world cup, s'pose that's the thing with being a fan, but ther yer go...

And will they go all the way to performing the "full monty" this time round, we shall see, Come On Engerland, engerland, engerland, Engerland, engerland, engerland Engerland, engerland, engerland, Engerrrland, ENGERRRRLAND...

Still Catching Chub, but no Barbel...

2010-10-10T23:19:00.004+01:00

This afternoon started out t shirt weather, but soon turned cooler into dusk with a brisk north easterly blowing it's way through just to remind me that winter is on it's way. The river has lost it's colour since Friday and gone back to being low and clear, near enough normal summer level. Frank came down and blanked on the halibut pellets. he never had one bite all afternoon. Then those flippin speeding idiotic cruisers came through and got caught out by the regional officer for the area of BWB, bless yer, it couldn't of happened at a nicer time, I was laughing my socks off when this ginger haired guy was walking past myself on the river bank calling the boaters a right bunch of wankers and he had the decency to explain to me who he was and what was going to happen Monday morning back at the office, nice one it looks like some clever prick of a boy racer is going to lose his boating licence, well that'll teach'em, thanks to the British Waterways Regional Officer patroling the river banks. A case of it's not what you know but who you know that counts, superb.

So after all of that I only had one bite resulting in a nice looking chub, weighing in at 4lb 6ozs.....

Next time hopefully I'll catch another barbel, personally I reckon Frank scared 'em off, nah just kidding, if their there they'll have it if not they won't but that's what it's all about seek and ye shall find, till the next time, tight lines.....

Other Stuff part 4....

2010-10-09T22:04:00.000+01:00

This one certainly brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "the truth hurts".....

There's never a true word spoken in jest is there?

Having Another Session On The River Tomorrow....

2010-10-09T20:14:00.000+01:00

Been sorting the gear out for tomorrows session, in fact when I'd sorted the gear out I even decided to tye some spare hook length rigs complete with hairs on, all stored on a rig board inside the rig wallet which is a handy bit of kit to own, so much so I'm considering buying a second one. Hopefully tomorrow the barbel shall play ball, if not I'm happy enough to catch owt that's having a go, that's the thing with my fishing whatever happens I enjoy it regardless of not catching what I went for or even blanking I don't care, I just go with the intensions of enjoying it and why not?.

You see the trouble with some folk I've come across in the fishing world are all so so serious and must catch fish all the time' as if they have made up demands to themselves in mind and what happens when they don't catch, they call the place/venue crap. That sought of thing to me is all wrong, you've just got to learn to enjoy it first and then consistency will reap your rewards of comitment there after. Yeah even I have my moans from time to time apparently, or so I've been told but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. Well who wouldn't go fishing to not enjoy it?.

Just read an interesting article over on Bobs blog about a capture of a four pound barbel, that even I assume was grabbed by a wels catfish down on the tidal Trent, that took bob three hours to land, ouch that must of been a painful experience, but that's fishing for you, these things happen and by the sounds of it even bob enjoys telling the story of what happened. Annoyingly this has happened to myself when stick float fishing for roach, dace and other stuff, the pike have come along and grabbed the hooked fish, then tore off down the river and snapped the line, but I just re-rig the rod carry on fishing to my ut most capabilitys of enjoyment and why not?.

Anyway to all whom are out on the banks this fine weekend, have a good'un, I know I will, even if I cannot shake off this dreaded man flu that is doing the rounds in the big wide world.

Out On The Trent Again Today....

2010-10-08T23:52:00.002+01:00

Had a good session, was really fishing for barbel but the chub, bream and eels were more obliging and Frank had other stuff to attend to so he couldn't make it, sod it thought I, I'll fish all by myself then OK Frank popped down to see me later in the afternoon, bearing in mind I didn't get there myself until half past three, with the boilies and pellets intended for the barbel, that just weren't to be but I enjoyed catching some kamikaze chub for a change along with a nice slab bream and a foul hooked bootlace eel, not bad to say the river is still coloured but fining down after a flood..

First chub weighed in at 2lb 10oz..

Then the bream at 6lb 12oz

And then a parrot faced old warrior of a chub weighing in at 4lb bang on the dot...

I didn't bother to weigh or photograph the foul hooked eel.So all in all a nice afternoons fishing was had again, hopefully I shall be out on the bank again on Sunday for another bash. And Frank will most likely make it this time! We'll see.

Trent Roach....

2010-10-07T21:33:00.003+01:00

Whilst out for a walk along the River bank this afternoon I happened upon an angler who I used to go fishing with regular, his name is Frank Sharpe. Frank is someone who is a bit of an all rounder and is equally happy to fish with stick float tackle as he is to fish for barbel. Anyway I got talking to Frank, asking him what he had caught and he said a few roach and the odd perch, but he said there are two nice roach in the net, which he showed to me and boy were they nice roach, now we didn't have no scales but I decided to take some photos of this nice pair of Trent roach. One roach had this orange streak across the side of it's mouth, something I've not seen before but quite common apparently! has you will see in the photos......

A nice pair....

And the one with the orange streak across it's mouth taken on it's own.....

Like I said in previous blogs there is a nice stamp of roach in the Trent at this present time in life, coming out on stick float fished hemp and casters and also maggot tactics. After a discussion with Frank, tomorrow we have decided to have a session for the barbel, seeing has the river has a few inches of coloured water on for a change. This usually is the best time to fish for barbel but we shall see how it goes.

Other Stuff part 3....

2010-10-07T13:31:00.001+01:00

MEMORANDUM

TO : ALL EMPLOYEES

RE : ADITIONAL TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF

a. It is now, and always has been, the policy of this company to ensure it's employees are well trained. Through our SPECIAL HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING programme, (S.H.I.T. for short), we have given our employees more S.H.I.T. than any other company in the area.

If any employee feels that he or she does not recieve enough S.H.I.T. on the job, or that he or she could advance to another position by taking more S.H.I.T., please see your immediate supervisor.

b. If you graduate to the top of your list by taking all the S.H.I.T. that is given to you, you can then qualify for our Supervisors programme COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY ACTION PROGRAMME, (C.R.A.P for short).

So to become a member of our management team, simply take all the S.H.I.T. you can, and then with all the additional C.R.A.P. you recieve, you will soon reach the top. Any employee who has the initiative and drive to take both S.H.I.T. and C.R.A.P. will soon become one of the elite.

c. For a limited period only, the company is offering all employees the chance to try for our latest scheme, ADVANCED SUPERVISORY STAFF HELPING OUR LOYAL EMPLOYEES, (.A.S.S.H.O.L.E. for short).

d. We recommend an academic qualification and will encourage you to strive for membership of PARSIMONIOUS INSTITUTE OF SUCCESSFUL SUBORDINATES (P.I.S.S. for short). With this benefit you will evenyually know your job from back to front.

Work hard. you will find that the more S.H.I.T. you take and the more C.R.A.P. you can handle, will qualify you as a P.I.S.S.ing A.S.S.H.O.L.E. for sure.

Todays Tip...

2010-10-06T14:13:00.046+01:00

Having frequented the fishing sites for a few years and having noticed how most single species anglers want it on plate than rather think for themselves made me realise how easy it is to get carried away with not thinking for myself. Today I did just that, I thought for myself! Rather than go out there on the big WWW I thought stuff it there is another way and whilst pondering over a cup of coffee and a fag "bang" the idea came straight to my mind, just like that. Strange isn't it when you think for yourself, you will always find an answer to any given topic.

So having thought about seeing if my fishing scales are weighing as near enough to as close as damn it acurate, I decided to use two different sized club hammers, one of which weighs 2lbs the other 4lbs and were placed individually into a carrier bag to see if the scales were weighing right.
First up the 2lb club hammer weighed 2lbs 12ozs next the 4lb club hammer which weighed 4lbs 12ozs, now bear in mind both hammers have a hickory shaft so they obviously weigh a little bit more, but that's just one way to find out if your scales are near enough acurate and you haven't got the hassle of posting on a forum asking questions and possibly getting ripped to pieces all because you couldn't think for yourself.

Ok there is also another way of calibrating your scales the easy way by using your clip on feeder leads or Arsley bombs, it really is that simple to open your mind and use your imagination to suss things out for yourself it really really is! What's beyond belief is the kind of questions that are asked on internet forums and the same can be said for the know it all replies, which really do piss me off "especially" from those whom are glued to the screen 24-7. It really ain't worth it, however it really does pay to think for yourself from time to time after all isn't that what fishing is all about? Not folk like me spelling it ouf you and making it so, so damn easy. And the moral of the story goes... Don't tell someone how to do something if you cannot Do It Yourself.

Other Stuff, part2...

2010-10-05T14:47:00.001+01:00

Before you ask me for a day off, consider the following statistics:

There are 365 days in the year. You sleep eight hours a day making 122 days, which subtracted from 365 days makes 243 days.
You also have 8 hours recreation every day making another 122 days and leaves a balance of 121 days.
There are 52 Sundays that you do not work at all, which leaves 69 days. You get Saturday afternoon off. This gives 52 halfdays, or 26 more days that you do not work, this leaves a balance of 43 days.
You get an hour off for lunch, which when totaled makes 16 days, leaving 27 days of the year.
You get at least 21 days leave every year, so that leaves 6 days.
You get 5 legal holidays during the year, which leaves only one day.

And I'll be damned if I'll give you that one day off!!!!

Other Stuff....

2010-10-04T19:50:00.002+01:00

Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the english language today is the word "Fuck". It is one magical word. Just by it's sound you can describe pain, pleasure, love and hate. In language fuck falls into many grammatical catergories. It can be used as a verb both intransitive ( Dave fucked Anne ) and transitive ( Anne was fuckd by Dave ) ; as an adverb ( Anne is a good f uck ) and also as an abjective ( Anne is fucking beautiful ). As you can see there are not many words with the versatility of "Fuck".

Besides the sexual meaning of the word, there are also the following:

Greetings.......... How the fuck are you.
Fraud............... I got fucked at the car auctions.
Dismay............. Oh fuck it.
Trouble............. Well i guess i'm fucked now.
Aggression........ Fuck you.
Difficulty........... I don't understand this fucking job.
Displeasure....... What the fuck is going on here.
Incompetence.... He fucks up everything.
Lost.................. Where the fuck are we.
Retaliation......... Up your fucking ass.

And remember General Custers famous last words:- "Where did all them fucking indians come from?"

And also the last words of the mayor of Hiroshima:- "what the fuck was that?"

And last but not least those immortal words of the captain of the Titanic:- "Where is all this fucking water coming from?"

Another Old Haunt Of Mine...

2010-09-27T11:07:00.044+01:00

This place used to belong to British Coal and was called the Gedling Colliery gravel pits, there were originally five pits altogether, that were situated at the back end of the viaducts stretch of the river Trent and was fishable on day tickets at the time the coal mine was still working, eventually they filled three of the pits with slurry, before the coal mine closed down, leaving just two of the gravel pits one large un at the back and a small pit near to the Trentside, which then became free fishing.

The smaller pit was full of tench, roach, a few pike, rudd and perch, with a few bream, carp and bootlace eels. We used to fish this pit on a regular basis, in fact more often than the larger pit, which had the same species stocked.
Both pits were great to fish but were ruined by the litter lout brigade, there always was a years worth of rubbish in a couple of weeks, all around the place, it got that bad in the end, the place got closed down and turned into a nature reserve, shame, though it was at the time a great loss of local fishing.

Unfortunately I haven't the time to add photographs of the place due to being busy with my work, but later on! in maybe the next week or so I'll add some photos to this post.

An Old Haunt Of Mine...

2010-09-25T20:58:00.005+01:00

Just had a nice walk this afternoon down to an old haunt of mine, this place is called The Loop, it's the former coarse way of the River Trent at Colwick in Nottingham, it runs through the out skirts of the Colwick country park that is owned by Nottingham City Council, who charge day tickets on their bankside. It runs back into the re-routed Trent just below the sluice gates and the opposite bank is free fishing, as you can see from the images below.

I used to fish this place regular, when I was younger, sometimes all by myself and other times with a few friends, where we caught dace, bleak, roach, gudgeon also plenty of perch, this place in the summer time was great for watching fish cruising up and down, such as carp, bream and double figure pike, I used to fish waggler and the pole on occasions using maggots, casters and hempseed, sometimes with chopped lobworms, but unfortunately I stopped fishing the place, due to the dreaded work comittments, some fair few years ago.

Just thinking to myself has I were walking around the complex, all it would need is raking before a good session, but at this moment in time or rather until this December, the Environment Agency are doing floodbank improvements work, as you can see in a couple of the above photos, this is just phase no.1 of the said works which has been funded by DEFRA and phase 2 and 3 are expected to be finally completed by 2013, so to all the moaners on certain barbel forums,that complain of the EA not doing a deal for the licence revenue (you know who you are!) there you can actually see where your licence money is being spent, anyway the loop used to colour up in the colder months when the Trent was in flood, which was ideal for a spot of chubbing.

Hopefully when the EA has completed all this flood bank improvement work, I shall be getting back down there for another bash, we shall see.

PS: to any of the barbel police that lurk upon here (yes there are a few), this place is has popular as is Ironbridge on the Severn, so no need to jump up the high horse about swim naming!!!!

Nearing The End Of Another Month...

2010-09-24T19:19:00.011+01:00

Yes, not long to go now and it'll be October and winter time is around the corner, here's hoping the river will have some colour in very soon, mind you saying that, the Trent isn't a coloured river any more, only when it's got flood water on nowadays.
Still plenty of choice in various fishing methods, whether it's coloured or not! and another good thing about winter time being just around the corner means, the boat season will be over, ( thank fuck ) so I won't have to put up with those speeding loonies tear arsing up and the river, causing tidal waves.

Speaking to my younger brother on the phone this morning, about yesterdays weather, he was telling myself all about the storm over at Gunthorpe, which had a foot of water on the road surface, he said it were that bad you couldn't see past your window screen, for it were raining that much, it should do the river some good then, me thinks! we shall see.

So far it's been a good season for me, achieving a new Personal Best double figure barbel and not doing so well with the lure fishing, but getting back on the stick float, catching a nice stamp of roach and dace, before the pike came along and knackered it up, has certainly made it worth while, well you can't always have your cake and eat it. Onwards and upwards as they say, for it'll soon be that time to get the barbel gear out again.

Another Good Session On The Stick...

2010-09-23T19:46:00.002+01:00

Had another great day on the river again, stick float fishing for roach and dace with the odd perch in between, was building a nice weight of fish in the net until the pike came along and knackered the swim.

There were roach and dace around the 8oz mark lining up to take the trotted maggots in what could have been a potential winner, if I'd been in a match on the day, unfortunately the pike wanted their share, so that put paid to that, there was also a thunder storm and a few showers today," that weren't worth bothering with a brolly" I wonder if that turned the fish into a feeding frenzy? hmm, maybe.

Apparently it was pissing it down bad over at Gunthorpe and Burton Joyce got flooded out, so I was told in a phone call, I was about two miles away from there and missed it all, so there you go, another good session on the river bank and cannot wait to go again.

Well Well Well...

2010-09-22T19:27:00.010+01:00

From what I've read recently on BFW, it seems to me it's reverted back to the same ole, same ole SHITE as before under a yuku forum, but now you have to pay for it! using your real name!

So why do you have to pay to use a site/forum to wind up/take the piss, outta each other? The mind boggles it really does, take this bit for instance ( high lighted in red )....

On the 6th January 2010 we switched forum software from Yuku, to vbulletin. Login details for the old Yuku boards will not work on these new boards. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

And this bit...

Welcome to the NEW Barbel Fishing World forums!

EH ? funny it still looks the same to me, and all one new poster did was offer 'em a service and boom it's back to square one again, oh dear, ok that's not forgetting the other thread "Trent fishin" So if that's the case then! I'd rather invest in a second rod licence than waste my hard earned on that shite.

Barbel fishing what? I used to enjoy browsing that site, looking through the galleries on each river section and the river reports, so much so I eventually joined in myself but now oh no, not now.

What can you say?

Bye, bye, bye fishing world, la la la laaa

Bye, bye, bye fishing world, la la la laaa

When they come to break down the dooooor, forgive me BFAMWEE, I just can't take anymooooore....

But there you go.

One I've been listening to this afternoon and an appropriate album cover...

Shall Be Out On The Bank, Tomorrow And Other Stuff...

2010-09-22T15:33:00.002+01:00

Booked tomorrow off, for another crack at the stick fishing and just sorting out gear ready, cannot wait to get some more of them good looking roach and dace, with the odd perch in between again.

Just acquired some decent steel box section and a sheet of square mesh from a ~~friend~~ village idiot/come Nottingham's No.1 shit stirrer up the road from where I live, for nowt, that's for another project that is going to be made into an extension of my platform, when I get round to it, so there is a bit of work for the angle grinder and mig welder, saying that I don't often do much welding because of my eye sight and haven't done any for a fair while, so I'll have to at some point, get a practice session in again.

But saying that mig welding is easier than arc welding or even gas welding! Which I have plenty of experience at, saying that I used to do a lot brazing and also soldering as well, but like I say I haven't done any for a while, once you've got that gift of "achieving miracles" which I have, any things possible.

This Evenings Playlist...

2010-09-21T21:18:00.001+01:00

To start with, this un from The Byrds....

Next up Racey...

Here's one I've not heard for a while, by Mike And The Mechanics...

Another I ain't heard for a while, by Phil Collins...

And last but not least UB40...

Very Busy Grafting At The Moment...

2010-09-21T19:54:00.002+01:00

Busy start to this week, plenty of work on and hoping to get a day of near to the end of the week, for another go at the stick float fishing, which I enjoyed at the weekend, so we'll see what happens, fingers crossed! Because I may end up working at the weekend, which happens to be a pain in the ass, but it all pays the bills and what not.

Well Well Well...

Whose been a naughty boy then, non other than Graham Elliott, the two faced back stabbing user! Talk about taking liberties at the cost of others, to gain for ones self, is poor standards for running a business, maybe the reason it was done was because if he hadn't, this so called business would've gone bust! Don't they teach professional business skills at colleges or universities, any more ?

Edit: at the time of posting this blog, the site with the info about the above has been taken down! But well done to Fred Bonney for naming and shaming, in my honest opinion...

Enjoyed The Fishing Today...

2010-09-19T21:42:00.002+01:00

Had a great session on the stick float, plenty of roach, dace and perch were caught, in not so ideal conditions, that were gusty and more suitable for fishing the feeder, but I stuck it out till dusk on the stick and that paid off, for me, also I'm glad I've still got, the knack, with the stick.

There were also a few bank side loonies, walking their dogs and them fucking idiots on them fucking bastard cruisers, tear arseing up and the river, like they think there in the fast lane of the M1, cunts, fortunately this time, I didn't get drowned by tidal waves and didn't let that spoil an otherwise enjoyable day.

At the present time in life, there is a great stamp of roach coming back to the Trent, I noticed the weeklies have dubbed it "the Trent roach revival" from what I've read, so far nothing to write home about in sizes but certainly worth a dabble, in my honest opinion.
I reckon if it hadn't been for the gusty wind today, it'd be worth fishing with hemp and tares, for definite, with the current gin clear and low water condition of the river.