Fishing or F****n abaht ?

I do wonder sometimes.

With the forecast dry today I charged off to Bury Hill to renew my battle of wits with the increasingly indifferent zander. It was busier than I've seen for some time and I think this might have been because the All England Freestyle Sprat Flying Championships was taking place.

Now...I'm not entirely sure of the rules but after careful observation today I think I've worked them out.

Each competitor is provided with a large bag of sprats
All competitors must have at least 4 rods in play at any one time.
Rods must be spread over not less than 2 swims...preferably 3.
Alarms must be switched ON at all times and set to maximum volume.
No competitor is allowed within 30 metres of their rods unless casting.
No sprat is allowed to remain in the water longer than 2 minutes

The purpose of the competition seems to be to have all 4 Sprats in the air at the same time as all 4 alarms sound. Should any alarm stop while the associated sprat is still airborne then the sprat does not score. The sprat must stay attached to the hook at all times or it does not score. Sprats up a tree do not score [in front or behind].Two sprats up a tree in consecutive casts and that rod is disqualified.

You might think I'm exaggerating...I am....BUT NOT VERY MUCH ! There were at least 4 "anglers" competing today and the sprats spent far more time in the air and/or trees than they did in the water. Now...call me old fashioned but I think you are far more likely to catch with your bait in the water than up a tree or in the air.

And when did Delkim launch "The Kookaburra" because that's what I swear I was hearing all bloody afternoon.

None of them had a fish btw. I did...but sadly the only zander I hooked unsportingly returned itself prematurely.

It does take the shine of the day don't it? I hate when you have the lake to yourself and the next angler to arrive takes the adjacent swim and talks at you all day. Sometimes wonder just how stupid they are when I say "Sorry can't hear you I am a bit deaf", and they still keep talking.

Why waste your time fishing that place for zander go on the Thames. Go to KINGSTONE and fish the south bank about a quarter of a mile down stream of kingstone bridge there is a restaurant called the Slug and lettuce it is built out over the water and has a verandah . The zander live under the restaurant and move out in the evening it peaks for about an hour have had three in a hour up to 14 pound and the fishing is free . Molsey weir is another good spot by the fish ladder big perch as well. Nice place Bury hill but to much pressure makes the fish switch off and have a good feed when everyone has gone home.

S-kippy - There are anglers, and there are Danglers. Pity, but sadly they are like lightning in that they strike anywhere, anytime, Anyway I, m off now , just retrieved my bait for the day from the fridge having decided on a days sprat wobbling!.

I was on a club lake and sat on the opposite bank to a lad who insisted on giving a running commentary, to his mate, on everything that he was doing. He had three runs on ear-splitting alarms and managed to get broken off on two of them.

After an hour of his blather I was wishing that I had brought a high-powered rifle in the holdall.

When you think back the first thing you were taught about fishing was to be quiet and not let the fish know you were there. Even more so at night some of the ticket fisheries are like sea side illuminations these days. Has nobody ever explained to them what the rudiments of fishing are.

One of the problems is that sound travels further over water.

One day I was at a large lake and apart from myself there were just two guys in a boat. I could hear their French conversation going on well over a kilometer from where I was and I know it was them as every time one of them mentioned the word 'Clonker' the other would start hitting the water with a wooden spoon.

In another month all I'll hear will be bl00dy cuckoos. They are at it from dawn to dusk all day, every day, no matter where you are in the Charente. Then in May the damn nightingales start, and they too are at it all over the place. Relentless. It's hell out here! :w

Know what you mean nicepix. Off to BG in March. Cuckoo's will be calling all over, Hoopoes too! Then those blooming Storks will be clacking all the time..either with
their mate or trying to get one. Mind you in the summer when those Golden Orioles decide to lead the dawn chorus. Gosh...life can be so tough!



Sympathy Skippy; perhaps 3 or more sprats from prats up a tree allows the quiet angler 3 free insertions of the sharpened rod rest in the traditional manner and location,

tiinker said:

Why waste your time fishing that place for zander go on the Thames. Go to KINGSTONE and fish the south bank about a quarter of a mile down stream of kingstone bridge there is a restaurant called the Slug and lettuce it is built out over the water and has a verandah . The zander live under the restaurant and move out in the evening it peaks for about an hour have had three in a hour up to 14 pound and the fishing is free . Molsey weir is another good spot by the fish ladder big perch as well. Nice place Bury hill but to much pressure makes the fish switch off and have a good feed when everyone has gone home.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that Tink. The only problem is that as far as I'm concerned Kingston is bandit country. I cannot settle if I'm constantly on the lookout for raggamuffins and wondering if me car is still there and if it is how many wheels are left.

You got BH right except that the zander seem to have switched right off at present...either that or they are skulking about somewhere I haven't found yet. I am rather better at this lark now than when I first started after them and I'm confident if they are there & have half a mind to feed I can catch them. Yesterday I had one pick up and one run which I hooked and lost. I dont count pike...bloody things !

I had a sprat too. I think it baled out mid cast from competitor no 3's 2nd rod. mg: