Recent content by Dan Whitelock

There's a really interesting podcast called Big Cat Conversations on Spotify, definitely worth a listen... I'm part of a team of researchers for Cambs/Beds/Northants... Some of the reports we get coming in are very credible and a stark eye opener to how many of these cats are about. It's an...

Usually around 6ft of fluoro with a soft braid combi for the last inch. Usually no more than an ounce lead... It's rare I fish more than a rod length out, often just a couple of feet, rod tip down by the surface pretty much pointing towards the bait. If on a rare occasion I fish on the far bank...

Agreed the member's section below Kings Weir really does have an atmosphere, the last season I was on there it just really freaked me out and I've no idea why, to the point I was head down and almost running to unlock and get through that gate one evening. The only real spooky occurrence I've...

Never really given it much thought as I use very long hook lengths and I'm 99% sure that I'm drawing fish from downstream so they get to the bait before the line. Plus it's usually dark when I fish anyway... If I do fish during the daylight then I try to keep the bait as far from the line as I...

Dinsmores 36" triangle net from my local shop. Not a trendy brand but for £20 and bombproof it's perfect. Also comes in a really ghastly carpy camo style so the barbel can't see it.... Much prefer triangle nets nowadays as the river runs slow where I fish and I like the fact I can just roll it...

Very very sad news. He was a good friend and mentor. I will miss him. Sleep well my friend.

I've used Drennan Continental Boilie hooks for years now and just don't ever look for anything else. They've never let me down and I'm confident every time I swing a bait in. I've never felt the need to sharpen them when barbel fishing however I often sharpen other hook patterns when carp...

Been reading this with great interest. As a result, last night I had a late one after a long day at work, absolutely knackered so I took along one of my Delkims and receiver. I was fishing my local river that follows a really weird pattern that I've learned over the years: I'll get a pull, or...

Just the two for me this year. Dropped my two carp syndicates and for the first time in 24 years I've not got a Gt Ouse ticket. Moved a bit further away and due to the nature of my work I'm restricted to local short evenings and dawn at weekends once harvest is over. Will miss 2023 spring tench...

I used to use this tactic a lot on small rivers.... Usually just backwind a feeder in between streamer weed or under the nearside bank. Made my mix from simple scalded trout pellets, big halibut on the hook with a 6" hook length. A couple of blobs of plasticine above a foot of rig tube and it...

Always used to make my own and caught some cracking fish on them, however given the nature of my work and lack of spare time I tend to buy shelf life and additional hookbaits from reputable companies, but tweak them slightly adding liquids and powder coatings. I still catch a decent amount on...

I've used it for barbel and done well on it all year round, use very little of it and enhanced my hook baits, it's a decent bait.

I use about 4' of Pro Logic fluorocarbon with an inch combo of soft braid by the hook. It's rare I cast as most of my fishing is lowering it off the edge of the marginal reeds and hiding out of the way.

You've pretty much nailed it there Joe. I work in the industry and we are already ramping up to cater for larger agri businesses. How it will all work with phasing out subsidies remains to be seen. We the public effectively buy food from the supermarkets at round about cost price. The subsidies...

I fished it, it makes the tidal trent look like a backwater! The levels were relatively low so I fished with my regular 1.75 rods. It's a rocky old bottom so I fished 5ft of lead core with big feeders helicopter style. If it's pushing a bit then 2lb-2.25 rods would be better, especially if...