Recent content by Les Watts

Thanks for all the replies. There's some useful info there. The problem with the Fox Duralite is that the locking plate and spring are enclosed within a moulded plastic housing which I can't work out how to dismantle without potentially destructive and irreversible results. I'm wondering about...

There's a lot of chairs and bedchairs out there with adjustable legs. I'd never had any problems with my ancient Fox's [with square-section legs and locking pins] but a couple of years ago I treated myself to a new "duralite" model and have slowly realised that one of the legs was struggling to...

I hadn't realised that otters picking up barbel baits was such a problem. Something definitely worth avoiding for so many reasons. It would be useful if anyone could identify what the circumstances were when this has happened previously e.g. after dark? coloured/clear water? type of baits picked...

Hello Ste. I tried to word my post carefully. I didn't say that otters aren't a problem but rather that they aren't the HUGE problem which had been inferred by the post title "Demise of the Barbel" which I thought was somewhat excessive. I also tried to limit my comments to the lengths of the...

Whilst this loss of fish is a obviously a big shame, I don't think that otter predation is a huge problem on most of the Ribble where anglers fish. To put it in perspective we have just had extremely cold weather conditions coinciding with low water levels. Any otter living in this area (which I...

Alas - some words of caution. I'd been after a change from my 36" triangular net for some time and, after reading this thread, I decided that the large Wychwood net looked like the way to go. Trouble was, due to Covid, I didn't have the option to inspect one of these nets in a tackle shop...

One of my local shops had a Korum lightweight chair on display when I last went in (summer 2020!) and I was amazed at how light it was (2.3kg as stated above). I was very tempted but soon spotted the limited (and consequently practically useless) leg adjustment range. I'm still using one of the...

I've come across this before (it dates back to 2013). However the intro doesn't really add much to the basic "legend" referred to in the OP. The original Ribble stockings would be nearly 50 years ago now and all the original fish will be long gone - and probably some of the anglers involved too...

I use the Snagsafe clips or simple paperclips all the time. These are pretty well standard methods to prevent the loss of all the end tackle. However, I'm keen to minimise the amount of lead getting dumped into the river and the idea behind this thread was more aimed at getting views on which...

Hi Steve -a long time indeed. Trust you are well. Only problem with lead alternatives is that, because they are all less dense, their ability to hold bottom is compromised. They would need to get snagged just to hold bottom in some instances and you'd be fishing expecting to lose the weight...

Hi Tony. Thank for replying - the plasticine dodge is worth knowing but realistically it's a bit limited to shorter ranges and low flow situations.

The history of the first Ribble Barbel is vague to say the least. Legend has it that the river was stocked near the M6 Tickled Trout junction with fish illegally moved from the Severn by local anglers in the early/mid 1970's.....and that seems to be it! I for one am curious to know a little more...

Just to put this thread in context: My local river is the Ribble where fishing a majority (?) of swims will result in snagging at some time or other. This is not due to overhanging or sunken vegetation/tree trunks etc. but rather because the river bed mainly comprises of sizable pebbles, stones...

Thanks to Richard for the offer to look at the reels but I've made some progress: I had a good look at the two 6010's that had been giving me the greater problems - these have been attached to my lighter barbel rods (1.75tc) and only been in use when river levels were low. It turns out that the...

Thanks for all the replies. A permanent solution that will get the reels performing correctly is what I'm really looking for and I suspect that the problem does lie with the washers as described. My clutches won't have been loosened for (...cough...) years!