Lower itchen fishery - fm fish’in 2014

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Possibly would go with presentation, bait and river conditions rather than being stupid enough to make a definitive statement.

Tim,

Those that have made the statements, i think you will find have done so as thats is what they have done, and caught.

I wouldn't go to a new venue and think i could start off with a size 12. I would start off much smaller, and work my way up to a bigger size, but only if i think i needed to.

 

[aebitim]

Tim,

Those that have made the statements, i think you will find have done so as thats is what they have done, and caught.

I wouldn't go to a new venue and think i could start off with a size 12. I would start off much smaller, and work my way up to a bigger size, but only if i think i needed to.

No problem with that at all, though I would suggest that float size and pattern is a factor in hook selection as is water colour and bait, I could have worded my post better.
Modern hook sizes vary so much, some supposedly size 16s will easily take 2 maggots, some middy ones I bought recently are the same gape as Kamasan 12s. Most of my grayling fishing is done on the Frome or Stour, fished the Itchen a fair bit [4yrs] in the late 90s and grew up in Reading not far from the Kennet, The Wye also has Grayling. The point is that varying the method to suit the water conditions [rather than specific methods for specific rivers] is much more effective than fishing the same method all the time. I dont see a problem starting off with a 12, it is easy enough to change a hook, though I started off with a 16 on the LIF and didnt get round to changing it, didnt catch any grayling either . . .

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Each to their own

One can only try make suggestions
or give advice based on personal experiences.

No one has to take the slightest bit of notice. Or agree.

Graham

 

[dorsetandchub]

Isn't that one of the best things about our sport? Experimenting until it all comes good - the conditions, hook size, bait, floats etc.

Then, hopefully, you end up with a Binka weekend on your hands......

 

[nicepix]

Isn't that one of the best things about our sport? Experimenting until it all comes good - the conditions, hook size, bait, floats etc.

Yep. Trouble is, just when you think you've cracked it the successful method lets you down

 

[greenie62]

Isn't that one of the best things about our sport? Experimenting until it all comes good - the conditions, hook size, bait, floats etc. - Then, hopefully, you end up with a Binka weekend on your hands......

What your chair collapses? - Again! mg:

 

[binka]

Then, hopefully, you end up with a Binka weekend on your hands......

What your chair collapses? - Again! mg:

Lol... To be honest fellas I would have been grateful of a chair collapse as a distraction from the boredom if last weekend was anything to go by.

Actually, I took my trusty Wychwood folding stool (because I'm a lazy git) to sit on whilst performing a fairly poor impression of someone drop shotting and it's outlasted everything in the chair department and still going strong.

If you could imagine a mini parked on a shoe box... mg:

 

[dorsetandchub]

Yep. Trouble is, just when you think you've cracked it the successful method lets you down

That's what I love about it most of all, Clive - rethink, revise, retackle and review....

Thinking, I love it....

 

[nicepix]

That's what I love about it most of all, Clive - rethink, revise, retackle and review....

Thinking, I love it....

Rebait, recast, return to sleep. Ooops, sorry. Thought I was on the carp thread mg:

 

[dorsetandchub]

Rebait, recast, return to sleep. Ooops, sorry. Thought I was on the carp thread mg:

Each to their own but I really, honestly prefer not knowing what the next bite will bring. I've never got the single species thing personally but I can understand the barbel being a chosen quarry.