Zero stretchOne of the major advantages of braided lines is the almost total lack of stretch. Braids typically have between 3 and 5% stretch, compared to the 25% of nylon lines. This means that hook sets are far superior to nylon line, particularly at very long range. Believe it or not, at distances of greater…

There are now several paste baits, specifically designed for barbel, on the market and these baits really come into their own once the water temperature begins to fall. John Baker and Action Baits produce a range of baits which can be relied upon to produce the goods. Most carp baits can also be used in…

Mark Ackerley’s Pike Report – Lake of Menteith – Sat 6th November40 anglers from all over the country assembled for the 9 am kick-off. Weather was good initially but a strong wind blew up later. Fishing was with lures and deadbaits only. All fish under seven pounds were transferred to another water, all other fish…

Although common around the coast of northern Europe, the smelt is rarely seen by anglers. For most anglers, the first time they are likely to encounter this fish is in the freezer cabinet at their local tackle shop! In fact, one of the main areas where this fish is found in the UK is in…

If you never fish for cod then their appeal may be hard to fathom, but for those driven to fish for these golden flanked hoovers of the sea, then the next few months can be an exciting time. Your own regional season may be long or short and it may well be a success or…

What sad creature perpetrated that? I thought. And then I realised that I actually knew who was behind it, because I’d met her. That was back in the ’80s, in the USA, in a field near the little town of Higgins, Pennsylvania. She was an Englishwoman named Ingrid Newkirk and she was leading a PETA…

While the incredible 90 degree heat might have threatened to bring the many thousands attending to their knees in a state of exhaustion the event was a credit to the organisers who had to change venues at short notice because of F&M. Then there was the personal thrill for me of a first time experience…

This experimentation gives me a lot of fun and adds a fascination to my fishing, but for all that, when it comes to catching fish, the right bait(lure), in the right place, at the right time, is the only sure way to consistently catch fish. And the only way you are going to learn this…

A tall order perhaps especially considering the unpredictability of both highland trout and the weather; still, sometimes I think the straight forward approach of just a few flies rather than legions of assorted boxes works better for wild browns. Trout no matter whether they reside in a chalkstream or a remote highland tarn, are creatures…

Considering that I had just one day on the Ballynahinch, it was a piece of serious luck that I’d drawn Beat One of the Ballynahinch Castle Hotel water which took in the pool immediately below the lough. (A German guest at the hotel, indeed, sidled up to me and wanted to know how much I’d…