How did you get on?

no-one in particular

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It all went wrong today, firstly the bloke didn't have any maggots' after I had walked a down there, said he had just got back from America, so I said why didn't you bring back some maggots with you, but he doesn't have much of a sense of humor and I don't think he has forgiven me yet for saying his shimanos were rubbish. Then I picked up a loaf of Warburtons Danish bread by mistake which was rubbish. Then it rained when I got to the river and it was not supposed to so I got a bit wet. To cap it all, I was just changing swims and slipped head first into the mud, covered in it rods and gear as well. Anyway the weather did improve a bit but I packed up early, had enough by then and needed a coffee. However, I did have a few knocks on some blue stilton molded round my 10 hook. Probably chub but small I imagine, stuck to the rolling bomb for now, river has gone down but still pushing fast. I had set down to the very last swim on the river on the club card, the river just about widens and deepens a bit here which is where I thought the chub might be although I was hoping for a big roach. Another day maybe and a bit better planning.
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@Clive

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Do you mix the blue cheese with anything? I use a sheet of ready made pastry from the supermarket, sprinkle grated white cheddar on then break up and sprinkle the blue cheese on. Roll it up, fold it, knead it and keep working it until it is a homogenous blend. The pastry adds body to the paste.
 

no-one in particular

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Do you mix the blue cheese with anything? I use a sheet of ready made pastry from the supermarket, sprinkle grated white cheddar on then break up and sprinkle the blue cheese on. Roll it up, fold it, knead it and keep working it until it is a homogenous blend. The pastry adds body to the paste.
I used it neat which your right it doesn't stay on well although I found by squeezing it hard around the hook it did just about, it was still on there when I reeled in most of the time and I was only gently lobbing it in. I have read about mixing it with pastry but I was in the supermarket and was going to buy strong cheddar which I usually find as good as anything and no need to mess around with it. I bought the blue stilton for its strong smell knowing the river would be very dirty and just thought I would give it a go. And it doesn't hurt to try something different now and then. I had a few knocks on it and it was better than the Indian cooking cheese I tried last time, I will try some cheddar next time but thanks for the tip, maybe I will do that if I have any stilton left over at home which I do buy now and then for home consumption. I never have pastry so I might try just kneading it with flour, see if that works. In fact I have some left over from yesterday and try that and put in the freezer department of my fridge for next time, will it freeze OK?
 

no-one in particular

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Try grits Mark or milled / ground oats as a binder.
I don't know what grits are but milled oats sounds good, fish like oats but I have half a bag of flour on me which I don't use for anything else so I will try that, usually flour binds most things. I might melt the cheese a little first in the microwave, see if that helps, thanks for the tip. I will put it in the freezer as I am not sure I will be fishing for a while, its all getting a bit arduous what with the cold, rain, mud and fish not biting.
 

mikench

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Grits are a type of porridge made from boiled cornmeal. Hominy grits are a type of grits made from hominy – corn that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization, with the pericarp removed. Grits are often served with flavorings as a breakfast dish. They are what Americans have for breakfast among other things. Quaker sells them in boxes just like porridge.
Lakhyaman uses them with corn as a ground bait. They bind very well with most things.
 

@Clive

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I used it neat which your right it doesn't stay on well although I found by squeezing it hard around the hook it did just about, it was still on there when I reeled in most of the time and I was only gently lobbing it in. I have read about mixing it with pastry but I was in the supermarket and was going to buy strong cheddar which I usually find as good as anything and no need to mess around with it. I bought the blue stilton for its strong smell knowing the river would be very dirty and just thought I would give it a go. And it doesn't hurt to try something different now and then. I had a few knocks on it and it was better than the Indian cooking cheese I tried last time, I will try some cheddar next time but thanks for the tip, maybe I will do that if I have any stilton left over at home which I do buy now and then for home consumption. I never have pastry so I might try just kneading it with flour, see if that works. In fact I have some left over from yesterday and try that and put in the freezer department of my fridge for next time, will it freeze OK?
Yes, I freeze it between trips. Then add to it with a new batch. The pastry comes ready made in thin, round sheets. Quite cheap and very handy. I get the shortcrust type. If you want to you can use ordinary flour or maize flour as an alternative binder instead of pastry. It has to be fine in order to properly mix with the cheese. A tip from old Isaak Walton is to mix in some cat fur to act as a mesh that will bind the cheese better. Not tried it yet, but cotton wool would do too.

What I didn't mention is that after kneading the ball thoroughly I split it into two and work some Marmite into one of the halves. The Marmite cheese paste seems to do well in winter. One final tip is to dip the hookbait in the water for a few seconds before casting for it to to cool and hold better.
 

nottskev

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There are various ways to get your cheesepaste to the right texture - between coming off prematurely and going hard and impeding hooking. Archie Braddock's recipe is 50/50 blue cheese and cheddar with milk powder to tweak the consistency. Another of his kitchen baits tips, which I found made some improvement in keeping the bait on: for crust, flash hand-sliced pieces in the toaster for 60 secs ie don't brown them, cut up and freeze.
 

no-one in particular

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Yes, I freeze it between trips. Then add to it with a new batch. The pastry comes ready made in thin, round sheets. Quite cheap and very handy. I get the shortcrust type. If you want to you can use ordinary flour or maize flour as an alternative binder instead of pastry. It has to be fine in order to properly mix with the cheese. A tip from old Isaak Walton is to mix in some cat fur to act as a mesh that will bind the cheese better. Not tried it yet, but cotton wool would do too.

What I didn't mention is that after kneading the ball thoroughly I split it into two and work some Marmite into one of the halves. The Marmite cheese paste seems to do well in winter. One final tip is to dip the hookbait in the water for a few seconds before casting for it to to cool and hold better.
I suppose I could stomp on next doors neibours cat and pull some hair out but better not, thanks for all the info, I will freeze some down and see how it goes but may wait until the weather improves for a while.
 

nottskev

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At the mention of Archie Braddock, I have just asked Santa for his book on feeder fishing.

All his books are stimulating; he's an original thinker and experimenter. This, his latest, is a super book, too. Steve has my copy at the moment.

 

rob48

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At the mention of Archie Braddock, I have just asked Santa for his book on feeder fishing.
I'm sure you'll enjoy that, it's a very interesting read.

Be prepared to spend lots of money on flavours afterwards. I blew a small fortune on essential oils alone.

I bumped into him a few years ago on the Trent and he was more interested in his ST Focus that he'd just bought than he was the fishing.
 

chevin4

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Have spent the last couple of weeks fishing my small locall stream. I bumped into Alan better known to this forum as Whitty who whatever reason does not post now. A very good angler he packed up early and sat behind me and we had a nice chat about all things fishing. I caught plenty of barbel best 7lb 15oz. On my last visit there I left the Barbel gear behind and concentrated on roach I caught plenty but nothing over a pound but will be back there in the new year trying for a 2 pounder. On Wednesday I pike fished at my syndicate lake the conditions wernt ideal as it was flat calm the lake in question fishes best when there is a good blow. What surprised me was the vast number of mute swans on the water one of the local dog walkers mentioned there was a only a few a couple of weeks ago so it is interesting where they came from. Thankfully they kept well away on the far side of the lake.
 

chevin4

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I'm sure you'll enjoy that, it's a very interesting read.

Be prepared to spend lots of money on flavours afterwards. I blew a small fortune on essential oils alone.

I bumped into him a few years ago on the Trent and he was more interested in his ST Focus that he'd just bought than he was the fishing.
Archie is full of knowledge but not sure making traces from 45lb bs braid for pike is advisable
 

no-one in particular

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Have spent the last couple of weeks fishing my small locall stream. I bumped into Alan better known to this forum as Whitty who whatever reason does not post now. A very good angler he packed up early and sat behind me and we had a nice chat about all things fishing. I caught plenty of barbel best 7lb 15oz. On my last visit there I left the Barbel gear behind and concentrated on roach I caught plenty but nothing over a pound but will be back there in the new year trying for a 2 pounder. On Wednesday I pike fished at my syndicate lake the conditions wernt ideal as it was flat calm the lake in question fishes best when there is a good blow. What surprised me was the vast number of mute swans on the water one of the local dog walkers mentioned there was a only a few a couple of weeks ago so it is interesting where they came from. Thankfully they kept well away on the far side of the lake.
Give him my regards if you see him again, could have the mute swans been whooper swans, I believe they are coming into this country now, we had one on a marsh near me that was a bit unusual and I believe they can be in big flocks.
 

chevin4

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Give him my regards if you see him again, could have the mute swans been whooper swans, I believe they are coming into this country now, we had one on a marsh near me that was a bit unusual and I believe they can be in big flocks.
Will certainly pass on your regards. The swans were most certainly Mute swans.
 

Roger Johnson 2

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Yes, I freeze it between trips. Then add to it with a new batch. The pastry comes ready made in thin, round sheets. Quite cheap and very handy. I get the shortcrust type. If you want to you can use ordinary flour or maize flour as an alternative binder instead of pastry. It has to be fine in order to properly mix with the cheese. A tip from old Isaak Walton is to mix in some cat fur to act as a mesh that will bind the cheese better. Not tried it yet, but cotton wool would do too.

What I didn't mention is that after kneading the ball thoroughly I split it into two and work some Marmite into one of the halves. The Marmite cheese paste seems to do well in winter. One final tip is to dip the hookbait in the water for a few seconds before casting for it to to cool and hold better.

And did “old Isaak” mention anything about removing the cat first!?


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