Esoxworld 9

The on-line pike and muskie fishing magazine, Esoxworld, is into it's ninth edition, and it's another good mix of topics.

As usual there's some great photography that puts mine to shame. If you like watching big muskies being caught there's a video from Bob Mehsikomer. That man has been producing big muskies and pike for the camera for a long time now and is a very professional presenter.

There's a nice feature on Serbian piking that looks superb, and Bertus is back with a lavishly illustrated article about the Baltic

More down to earth for UK anglers are Gary Knowles 's piece on slow trolling and Micky Jones's recollections. There's some rambling nonsense from yours truly too.

If you don't already subscribe get over to www.esoxworld.com and sign up. It's free!

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Shop local

In this day and age it's always tempting to take the easy, and usually cheap, way out when you need some new electrical product. So it was I checked out printer prices when mine packed up last week. It was only a cheapish print/scan/copy machine but I needed it replacing urgently for work. Google revealed my local camera shop stocked the one I wanted but it was £15 more than I could get it on-line. However I could have it that day rather than wait, or pay some £7 for next day delivery.

The week before the printer packed up I'd bought a couple of ink cartridges as two colours were getting low. I buy them from the camera shop for convenience and because they are reasonably priced. Of course a new, but very similar, printer has new, but similar, ink cartridges. I'd be stuck with two useless plastic containers full of expensive ink.

Cheekily, I asked if I could swap my unopened inks for the ones to fit my new machine. To my delight this was accepted. Yay! Taking into account the cost of the cartridges and the next day delivery I would have had to pay for I ended up saving money. Which I always like!

Although this is about photographic shopping the same applies to tackle shops. Support local businesses whenever you can - especially independent ones.

So by way of a thank you I shall point you to the photographic extravaganza Wilkinson's are holding next month. It's a camera show called Digital Splash 2012 with talks and demos being held on Sunday 14th October at UCLAN in Preston.

Unfortunately I can't make it as I have a trade show to attend in the Midlands on that day. A shame as I'm sure it will be a great day out.

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Another GB Gold!

It's not often I win anything. There was a poll on the Pikers Pit forum to select the 50th article for The Pike Pool - and for some reason my article got the most votes.

It's a piece about paternoster rigs for pike, and can be read here.

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Exciting News

This will be of no significance whatsoever to people who don't know the shop, but to those who do it will come as a huge shock. Ted Carter's is now...










... opening on Thursdays!

Relax, it's only from 10am until 3pm.

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Another three years gone

I still can't get into tench mode. The changeable weather isn't helping. Yesterday, when I was driving to and from the Derby area in radiant sunshine, watching the hawthorn blossom sliding past in the hedgerows, I was eager to get the gear sorted and boil up some hemp. Today I stepped out the back door into another chilly morning and changed my mind. There's also the frustrated urge to fish for something else this spring/summer which isn't coming to fruition for various reasons.

What was I doing in Derbyshire? Attending the PAC's three-yearly committee handover. The newly retired committee have been accused, by the ranks of keyboard warriors, of not doing much for the last three years. Financially they were somewhat restricted in what they could do. A steadying hand was required on the tiller to get the club back on fiscal course.

That they have done what they have done without shouting about it from the roof tops before the event has actually helped their successes. A recent issue involved someone taking pike for sale as food. This was brought to light on the internet and the KWs were out for blood. The PAC acted quietly, under the radar of the internet lynch mob, and got a result. The force of the law was brought to bear on him by a diligent and careful approach from the PAC. The seller had to remove mention of pike from his website.

The new committee is brimful of enthusiasm and ideas to drive the club forward in this modern age of instant communication. The vision is to be applauded. If it all gets pulled together and pulled off as planned the club will have a superb virtual presence. Whether that will result in an increase in real membership is another matter. An old cynic like me will have an interesting time watching things develop over the next three years!

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Photos from the LAS Lurefair

It was a bit of a quiet day at the Lurefair, but good to catch up with old acquaintances. Old  being the relevant words as the hottest topic amongst a few of us was getting old, but not something mentioned by the oldest - still fishing at 86!

The Derby University venue had been used before, but using the lower floor space was much better than in previous years.

By all accounts the talks (which I never manage to get into listen to) were very good.

Not much to report from me, but I got a few snaps.

Before the doors opened

The upper level

During a talk

Chico's Lures

Chico

Dominic Garnett's cuddly fish

Alex Prouse has lunch

My 'couldn't be arsed' stand!

Martin 'Knees' Godliman

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EsoxWorld Issue 4

For those of you who haven't subscribed yet, EsoxWorld Issue 4 is now available to download or read on-line. I only mention this as I have come out of retirement to write a few angling photography tips for this issue!

There's more great content about pike and musky fishing from around the northern hemisphere, so you won't be wasting your time taking a trip over there if you are a pike angler.

You'll have to register to read, but it's free. The more who register the more advertising will be attracted to enable the magazine to remain free to read. Go on. You know it makes sense.

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Broadland fish deaths

I've never fished the Norfolk Broads, but it's place in the history and heritage of UK pike fishing is undeniable. One would imagine that the organisation tasked with looking after the area, the Broads Authority, would have the whole ecosystem's welfare at heart. Sadly it seems not.

Fish are dying, yet despite evidence pointing to  their current work as a potential cause they are carrying on regardless.

For those of you who don't follow Michael Hastings's blog I suggest you pop over there right now to get a feel for how angry the Broadland piking regulars are, and for how incompetent, blinkered and uncaring the Broads Authority appear to be. You could almost think they only give a stuff about boaters and revenue. Surely not...

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D'oh!

Sometimes I don't read my own instructions. Yesterday I whipped a rod up in black as standard only to discover when I came to do the lettering and consulted my work sheet that it should have been whipped with ruby thread. So I had to do it all again...

Anyway, I've started work on a series of blog posts about fishing photography. Simple stuff, I hope, that might help improve some people's picture making efforts. Call back in  day or two for the first one.

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PAC Convention 2011

The year passes quickly, and before you can blink it's time for the PAC's annual show, complete with it's regular cast of reprobates. This year there was one of the best turnouts ever, and plenty of book and tackle stands to take money off the people there - including yours truly.

Here are some snapshots of the kind of characters you missed seeing in the flesh!

Pete Haywood has difficulty staying upright, as usual.

Colin Brett wants a closer look at my lens.

Steve Rowley asks Neville Fickling who the strange old man is.

Gord Burton muscles in on Mick Brown's book signing session.

Not only has he a way with pike, Gord has an inimitable way with women too

Eric Edwards tries to look youthful in preparation for a junior coaching session. And fails.

The rarely seen, and empty, Fickling wallet

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All fired up

The PAC Convention was a good day out by unanimous agreement. Talking fishing with enthusiasts like Gord Burton has got me back in the mood. Trouble is that I've got too much work on now to get time to hit the water! If all goes well I'll manage to fish somewhere next week. Here are a few characters from the show.

The one and only Gord Burton

Mark Barrett and Denis Moules, book barrons

Bill Palmer tests one of Billy's Backbiters

Broadland dredging

I have never fished the Norfolk Broads, and probably never will, however it has a long history in pike fishing and has in the past been an inspiration to me. For decades it has been blighted by fish kills brought on by outbreaks of prymnesium, which releases toxins fatal to fish when it dies, and massive fish kills have resulted. Seemingly pike are more susceptible than other species and pike stocks have collapsed after each outbreak.

There is a threat of another, man-induced, outbreak in the near future. I urge you all to read the excellent appraisal of the situation in Michael Hasting's latest blog post. This appears to be a prime example of fish and anglers taking low priorities to other wildlife and recreational interests, with neither the country's main conservation body (Natural England) nor the Broads Authority listening to any of the anglers warnings. If fish die it doesn't matter because nobody sees them. It'll be a different story when the rotting corpses are floating around.

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The change is made

It took a bit of fannying around, but Lumbland is now relocated here - at http://blog.lumbland.co.uk/. So I guess the blog will continue despite my misgivings. When that will be I'm not sure as I have rods to build and deliveries to wait in for. And with only a week of the river season left I'm not a happy bunny. Neither is Fred - and he really is a bunny.

The original www.lumbland.co.uk address still works as I have managed to fix it to automatically redirect straight here - so there's no need to update your bookmarks/favourites unless you want to. But if you have a feed subscription or have lumbland.co.uk in your blog list that will need changing.

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Two posts in one day!

I was checking through some blogs I look at now and then and saw that a customer of mine has his new Game Fishing Instruction website up and running. Chris is a nice bloke who knows his stuff, so if you're a would-be fluff-chucker or fly tier take a look.

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