Fishing

How do you attach strike indicators to a leader? Not got any, been looking at them but can't see how you actually attach them? Example here

Slit in indicator fits over your line, plastic peg through centre of indicator secures line. Then it falls off....

@EB; would you take a tenner? I still feel mildly guilty about giving a fiver for my MKIV Avon back in the 80s, with the total bullshit of 'would've given fifteen for a MKV'. Only slightly guilty, the bloke was an unpleasant twat.

@jupiz and @bobble; simply awesome trip, thanks for the write up. Bastards!

An expensive couple of weeks for me, broke two rods in separate incidents, dropped my Swiss Army Knife in an 8' deep margin and bust a keep net carelessly lifting out too many tench and bream.

Caught a fair few carp to lowish 20s, mainly on the barbel rods (which could do with new handles). On the plus side, my pole fishing is improving, which isn't that difficult....

Think with those boys, they attach to the leader through a slot in line in the foam. You then pull the two foam bits apart and twist them so the line wraps around the rubber doohickey. They then slot back together and grip on.

Past experience is they float fantastically but have a tendency to slip on the line and eventually go awol due to my vigourous casting style

Spent hours filling and sanding the cork handles on my 1 3/4 barbel rods, they're ancient and irreplaceable and deserved some tlc after years of abuse and god knows how many fish.

It appears my offering was accepted, new syndicate lake pb and it did pull a little on the barbel rod and 8lb line, 29:10.

On the strike indicator theme, I can't fault the Loon floss, simply half- hitch to the leader and forget, easily remove too.

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beastly fish

Nicely done. Looks like a nice spot too tucked away there.

Just had one of the best days of my life with my dad and an amazing Ghillie called Robert in Northumberland on the Tyne.
I had 2x 4lb sea trout on the spinning rod and a 6lb grilse on the fly
Dad had a 10lb sea trout and 18lb salmon both on the lure

More later! I only caught my first trout 2 months ago

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Out again on the frome this afternoon for a few hours, after a short session on Thursday with @bobble.

Heavy showers made seeing the fly pretty tricky and I missed the 3 takes I did have. Nice just to be out though for a bit.

These seemed to be doing the business though in a 16 https://www.dryfly.co.uk/product/heron-para/

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Took afternoon off after scaffolders finished this am. More successful today - despite being pretty sunny and low water.

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Firstly, congratulations to @bobble snr and jnr! Catching salmon and sea trout on fly or lure is quite something. My annual trip to the Lyn is in a fortnight and apparently the river is currently full of grilse, they doubtless will have disappeared by the time I get there. I haven't bothered to fish the last five years I've been down.

On the brighter side, just got back from 24 hrs on the syndicate lake. 14 carp, 3x 20s and 5 tench to 7 exactly, ridiculous fishing! Also had a rare mirror, there's probably only about 20 in the whole 50 odd acres. Also had my first visit to the Darent for 2 months, my wife hasn't been well so travelling any distance has been out.

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Lac d' Soustons, France. Had the biggest roach you've ever seen, thought it was a small carp at first.
Hooked a couple of carp but don't have the gear to haul them out of the lilies so fishing a different spot this morning with more open water and hoping for a big one but most likely will be roach and bream. Maybe a little catfish if I'm lucky.

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That's a fair old sheet of water! Show us your catch, whatever it might be. Also, keep an eye on the weather forecast, if it blows up it will end up looking like this....

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Anyone here fly fished in the salt?

Wondering about having a go on some of the estuaries on the severn channel (Weston most probably or highbridge) for bass or mullet but haven't a scooby what I'm doing. Seen a few things on youtube etc but anybody got any pointers?

Have you got any kit yet ?

The lake is 4km long. I'm staying on a site at one end. It's full of fish, they're everywhere if you go out on the lake. It's pretty shallow with some huge lily rafts and you can hear them all sucking at the pads. Loads of little things that will nibble the bait off without any discernable bite too. Next time I'll bring boilies.
A storm blew up earlier and we had waves like your pic! Calmer now and rods back out. Haven't caught anything worth a photo today, just small roach and skimmers.

Fly fishing yes, not specifically for salt water though. Got a £20 10ft 7wt that packs up into about 30cm long and an old rimfly with a decaying £5 line on though so not too worried about sacrificing it to the salt. Currently eying up an 8wt on eBay though - possibly foolishly.

Edit - should add ive cast half heartedly about in estuaries/near piers etc before using the same set up but normally whilst with friends/family. Never given it a proper go, although I know of some good bass marks further afield. Just looking for some tips when you haven’t got a scooby otherwise!

We did a bit on saltwater fly fishing on here a few years back, heavy reservoir gear is a good start. Wash everything with fresh water EVERY time or it will die instantly. If you're tying your own flies, stainless steel hooks only, fry patterns are all you need, nowt fancy. Heavy leaders, 15lbs tippet is plenty light enough. Floating lines are your friend, don't even think about trying on a breezy day. Rising tides are better, make really sure that there is an escape option and no channels behind you where the tide can cut you off.

Here's some I tied earlier...

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Tip 2a, buy a fishing kayak, here's one that's hopefully going out on Friday.

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I forgot the single most important thing; if you're fishing alone tell someone exactly where you'll be and when you expect to be back. Keep them informed of any changes. The sea in its most benign mood ain't a reservoir.

Two double figure carp this morning. Finally!
Stalked off the top with floating crust. Had to work hard to control them in the lilies and keep pulling them back to the same hole I hooked them in.

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Nice!

And @ColinTheBald, lovely Carp

I had one scraper double the other week at my syndicate lake, then as I was on a slow packaway the next morning, I had an absolutely blistering take (from right in front of/between the two trees/bushes on the RHS of the picture), it felt really good, heavy and just stayed low and lumped around.. couldn't do anything with it, before I knew it it was around the back of a small island and cut me off. Absolutely gutted, felt like a twenty +, would have been my Scottish PB

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Cheers - hadn’t thought of saltwater hooks, was going to use some white eyed lead heads I use for river trouts in likely looking holes in desperate times. Will look for some sand eel/fry patterns.

Re tide times etc, current places I’m looking are Usk, somerset axe and parret estuaries. All of which are a shortish drive or can go by train. Big tidal range but apart from possible quicksand should have decent escape routes. I’m guessing there’ll be some schoolie bass which will take fry patterns and I’ve got some shrimp and bloodworms for the mullet.

Good point re letting someone know, though I’m gonna try drag @bobble along if he’s keen?

cheers - was a sick day. Nice fish your end. What's the story on the trout?

Hi all, congratulations to everyone who has actually caught something and commiserations to those who have lost one. I have failed to catch a salmon on Exmoor so far (this is unlikely to change), but please have a look at my post on the dog thread to see why we should all be incredibly careful with end tackle, I'm sure everyone on here is but this is a reminder of why we must never get careless.

Sorry you had to go through that. That’s shit. Handled it really well and keep an eye on it!