Pete Springate's Guns

Very sad news. Great entertainer on TV who made fishing accessible to a very wide audience. Demonstrated a great variety of skills-a genuine all rounder.

Thanks-I’ve always loved Tim’s session writing, particularly the original ‘From the Bivvy’ where he documents his Birch expeiences. I’ve just joined the winter syndicate having never fished it before. I was curious about any forum members’ more recent experiences.

Appreciate the replies fellas. Anyone had experience with the Avid Benchmark Sleep System? It’s a lot of dollar but could be a real investment for better sleep, particularly through the long winter nights.

Anybody fished it? Experiences, findings etc?

Looking for ideas on a new bedchair. I’m primarily looking for comfort above everything. As a 52 yr old with more aches and pains and struggling to sleep I’m prepared to sacrifice weight etc for a decent nights kip. Might consider a ‘sleep system’ integrated sleeping bag thingy.

I picked up a set of 3 original RX Digitals (including receiver) off of ebay a couple of years ago. Brilliant alarms, best I’ve ever had. Couldn’t afford them when they first came out but still happy to pay £200 for them second hand.

Like most of us long time anglers I’ve had my share of disasters over the years. My most recent was early this year during that blooming awful, cold spring period when, after boating out at range to block up a couple of areas I returned to the swim only to fall in whilst attempting to clamber out of the boat. Getting [censored] wet through was bad enough with 3 nights ahead of me but the embarassment of doing it in full view of the many dog walkers, joggers and other sundry visitors to the park was infinitely worse. Last year on the same, very public bank, in a different swim I was almost reduced to tears of frustration. It was during the school summer holidays and the park was at it’s busiest with hundreds of folk out enjoying the fresh air. It was around 10am and normally I’d have wound in for the day due to the proximity of the activity centre and the hordes of sailors, canoeists and paddle boats that make fishing during the day time in this area a write-off. However, I was convinced it was worth risking it for an extra hour or two due to the conditions and fish activity evident at first light. By now there was a group of kids having an introductory sailing lesson in the vicinity but the instructor was showing an uncharacteristic degree of consideration by keeping them a little distance away, off to the right. I was just getting round to sorting out breakfast when the right hander was away. Despite the tight clutch it virtually flat rodded me before getting weeded up. No matter, I was straight into the boat and wound myself out to the fish which proceeded to bury itself further into the extensive beds of Canadian. The wind was gusting and I was struggling to make much impression and the fish was less than impresed with my efforts. One further surge and the rod sprang back, leaving me to retrieve my now fishless rig. Dejectedly, I paddled back to shore only to become aware that one of the sailing kids had become separated from the others and was heading, rather helplessly towards me. The instructor bellowed all sorts of encouraging noises but the young girl didn’t really have a clue and ploughed, very apologetically, right through the margins, picking up my two remaing lines in the process. It was carnage. Both lines were dragged along as she careered off to my right, picking up speed as the gusting wind filled the sails. Eventually, the instructor was able to get her under control and tow her off to enjoy the rest of the lesson. The lines (both damaged from contact with the dagger board) were knotted together in a huge ball of weed leaving me no option but to drag them in by hand. It must have taken a good half an hour, in and out of the water to retrieve the end tackles and make some sense of the mess I’d been left with. I had certainly worked up an appetite for my interrupted breakfast. But fate dealt me a last cruel blow. Just as I was propping the rods up against a nearby tree out of harm’s way I heard a commotion and turned to see a rather fat Spaniel re-appearing from under the brolly with my sausages.......[censored]!

I disagree-I might not like it and its not practical for me travelling long distances but I’ve seen at first hand the impact of a sustained baiting programme a specific swim can have. All the way back to fishing Redesmere when the ‘Meadow’ would be ‘hemped’ for weeks on end to the ‘full timers’ on the southern gravel pits.

Your bailiff story has touched on one of my pet hates-people who bait/pre bait a swim and tell you all about it, like it gives them some kind of right to fish it and everyone else should leave it alone! If I’ve paid upwards of £500 for a ticket and travelled 3 hours to get there, no swim is off limits!

I’ve been fortunate enough to join a number of syndicates over the years. Some well known, high profile that simply required adding my name to a list and waiting my turn, others required purchasing a ‘winter ticket’ before being considered for full membership whilst another required a recommendation and interview. They all had different rules but more importantly, a unique ‘culture’. Whilst the ‘rules’ on each were/are largely adhered to it is the accepted ‘norms’ on each syndicate which I believe have more influence. I’m not saying one was better than another but the difference in atmosphere between waters is quite striking when ostensibly the ‘rules’ are the same; even on the same complex!

If it is a Dinton original it will be the second one in a week to break 50 after Tripple Row was caught ounces over by long-term member, ‘Hutch’😎👍👏

I hear that this fish was a possible Dinton escapee from the floods around 2007. No idea if its true but I reckon Simon at Dinton could possibly trace it back if he had a mind to. It wouldn’t look out of place amongst the White Swan stock, thats for sure!

Big bottle of Clearspring brand, double strength Tamari sauce to glug freebies and a pot of Baitroom Tiger & Toffee wafters.

In terms of license checks, twice for me in well over 40 years on the bank. Last time was around 20 years ago on a Cheshire club water. I was on a hush hush midlands syndicate a few years ago when 2 EA employees walked towards me and stopped for a chat. I asked if they wanted to see my rod licences. They didn’t bother, just wanted to check the state of some trees on the adjoing dam; a quick glance and they were off, ‘inspection’ complete. Nice work if you can get it.....