Londonlad1985

Along side at the Ribs of Beef.

You're more than welcome, I can always wax lyrical on fishing! 😃 As for telescopics, they have absolutely been transformed in the last few years. Gone are the days of heavy stiff fiberglass tubes with glued chrome effect eyes on rings. (Not that I am doing that design down. My most favourite session ever was with one of those) but these days they have whipped eyes a thinner lighter blank, a choice of handle material and length. Any strength or casting weight you could hope for. I have found that there is still a bit of a reluctance to embrace them from some quarters. But for occasional broads fishing they're great! The Chinese Market offers a great selection. And even if says something like "spinning rod" or "lure fishing" then don't discount it. Even some of the hardened carp boys have embraced them for their weekend behind buzzers!

Thanks for the mention Griff. I'm just an enthusiastic amateur but I'll give my 2 Pen'orth. There's no finer way to spend a few hours than a bit of dangling on the broads (imho) The pub does it close though 🍻 If you're just looking for float fishing, then the split cane sounds like it would be great! 👍 If you're looking for something lighter and newer any modern 10 to 12 ft float or match rod would be ideal for float fishing. I must admit I've never used a 2 piece as all my fishing is done by bicycle usually. I use a few telescopics and 3 pieces. If conditions don't suit float fishing then my next favourite method is a quiver tip with a ledger or swim feeder. something long enough to fish from a deck of a boat and have the rod in a reasonable position to see the tip would be handy. Maybe 8/9ft plus. As for reels I so rarely buy them that I can't really offer much advice, although I almost exclusively use a centrepin for float fishing as I enjoy the feeling of being in constant contact with the fish without a drag. I use what ever is laying around with a suitable line on it for anything else. I'm not one to buy specific brands, or reccomend anythin strongly. Generally I try not to spend a fortune. I tend to shop online as most of my local tackle shops are a bit carpy for me. Although there are some great shops on the broads and they'll all be able offer good advice, and give the opportunity for a rod in the hand before you part with your money. In terms of online stuff I've heard reasonable reviews of the advanta sets from Angling Direct. They are certainly entry level price and they may have them in the Wroxham branch if you're nearby. If you want something bit lighter and refined but still on the lower price range there is a tackle shop in Dartford called TackleBox. They sell online and I use thier 8ft Darent Valley feeder rod and its great. I also get a bit adventurous from time to time and buy stuff from Ali Express or Joom (China). I got a 10 ft 6 piece quiver tip for £13 and its Brilliant, and very portable. My float rod is a 11ft John Wilson, it was £29.99 from Angling Direct, ingkt it some years ago and it's discontinued now. I'll caveat all the above and say that the fish only see the last 6 inches of line, and you can use any rod for any type of fishing it just depends on what you want outbid the bit you're holding, so I'd say use what you've got and upgrade where you need to/ want to. Landing net wise I'd advocate for separate handle and net, the brand NGT do a great Sturdy telescopic 9ft handle although it's heavy, and Dinsmores a light triangle net that folds and comes in several sizes. Also don't forget your fish care bits, a few disgorgrers in various sizes (one for every pocket as you'll forget it's behind your ear as soon as you need it😅) sharp scissors, maybe some small forceps, perhaps an hooking mat for a hoped for big bream on a gravel B.A mooring. I hope some of that is useful. I film many of my fishing adventures (mostly tiddler bashing) you can find me on YouTube and Facebook just search "The Budget Angler" Tight lines 😃 I look forward to your catch reports!

A great idea, it's incredibly effective at raising money for local authorities, it's the 3rd biggest income generator next to business rates and council tax for most London boroughs. It's also pretty effective at keeping designated spaces free of those not supposed to be there. There'll always be those few rule breakers that chance their arm to nip to the shops and get caught, and they effectively pay for the schemes. The new mooring attendants could get a smart navy blue uniform with a yellow banded, peaked hat! 😉 Of course the money generated must be ring fenced for navigation purposes and the least polluting vessels should pay the least to moor. 😃

My understanding is that the the EA do undertake some enforcement work on the broads around rod licences but that is routine and is part of their general remit. The rod licence gives you the right to use a rod but doesn't give you a right to at a given location.

It was announced today that there had been a successful prosecution of the theft of fishing rights from Horsey Mere, it sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant case. https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/latest-news/angler-found-guilty-fishing-without-permission-norfolk-broad A positive to take from it, imho, is that this case does strengthen the argument for some uniformity and consolidation of fishing rights and also to protect the broads fishery from irresponsible or criminal behaviour. BASG have been scoping the potential for a broads fishing permit that would be required by anyone wanting to fish the broads. While this may sound a bit like having to pay for something you've never had to before I think the money raised could do wonders for fishing on the broads. Full disclosure: I've been asked to post this by the BASG, although I do so as I am on favour of the proposal. Some more details on the proposal can be read here. https://basg.online/angler-found-guilty-of-fishing-without-permission-on-norfolk-broad/ I'm interested to hear the opinions expressed here, they've been fairly mixed on Facebook.

Looks like a bit of a win for the BASG and the Angling Trust. Taken from BASG website: https://basg.online/fish-legal-forces-environment-agency-to-back-down-over-hoveton-great-broad-fish-barriers/ " Anglers can today celebrate winning the first round in their battle to save an important bream spawning site in the Norfolk Broads. The Environment Agency has announced that it is conceding the first of four grounds in a judicial review lodged by Fish Legal. This included “unfair and unlawful public consultation as evidenced by the failure to place relevant information, including the objections from Environment Agency fishery staff, in the public domain.” Acting on behalf of the Angling Trust and the Broads Angling Services Group, solicitors at Fish Legal last month issued a legal challenge against the decision by the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England (NE) to press ahead with plans to install fish barriers to block off vital spawning grounds in Norfolk’s Hoveton Great Broad. Top fisheries scientists at the Institute of Fisheries Management, who formally reviewed the project, came to the same conclusions as the EA’s own fisheries experts judging the barriers to be potentially harmful and recommending that they should not proceed. The previously ‘hidden’ EA Fisheries Team advice stated: “It follows that the proposed bio-manipulation methodology, involving the installation of fish proof barriers to prevent fish accessing the habitats currently found within HGB [Hoveton Great Broad] carries a high risk of detrimental impacts to the fish populations of both HGB and the Northern Broads system.” Other grounds in the Judicial Review which are still to be determined include: Failure to follow obligations under the Water Framework Directive. (The WFD requires getting waterbodies and linked waters to “Good Ecological Status” but failed to take into account the fact that Hoveton Great Broad would go from being a prolific spawning area to having no fish). The breach of the written assurances from Natural England that it would not go ahead if the Environment Agency’s fisheries specialists considered that there would be a “significant impact on fish”. Justin Neal, Solicitor at Fish Legal said: “In July 2020, the EA granted Natural England the permit to put in fish barriers. That was despite calls from the EA Fisheries Team not to do so and investigations by the fisheries team which suggested that the impact on spawning fish would be catastrophic. None of this information was made available to the public during or after the consultation, so it had to be dragged out of the EA afterwards. We were then left with no alternative but to issue a judicial review claim at the High Court. “The EA has now conceded on the first legal ‘ground’ – that the they had failed in their statutory and common law duties by failing to publicise and properly consult on the application for the permit – and have agreed that the permit application should be ‘remitted’ for ‘redetermination’. “NE has said that it does not contest the argument that the consultation was flawed, but is defending the other legal grounds. It is likely that the Court will approve an order to ‘quash’ the permit decision.” Kelvin Allen, Chairman of the Broads Angling Services Group (BASG) said: “It was very evident that BASG and the public were excluded from available evidence used by the Environment Agency, within the permitting process, which meant the process was flawed. Common sense has prevailed with the EA admission that the permit will be withdrawn. Anglers all too often don’t realise what the role of a governing body like the Angling Trust is. This is a clear demonstration of why anglers need a professional governing body and legal representation. Together, we can make a difference.” Martin Salter, Head of Policy at the Angling Trust, said: “Whilst the EA’s concession is good news for fish and fishing in the Norfolk Broads it is also a scandalous waste of public money to see government agencies pursuing such an absurd and environmentally disastrous proposal, particularly when their own Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology team in East Anglia, who had spent seven years on fish surveys, studies and tagging at a cost of more than £250,000 of rod licence and taxpayers’ money, warned against it. “These studies showed beyond all doubt that the proposed barriers would be harmful to the recruitment of bream stocks in the Northern Broads. Bream are one of the iconic species upon which the £100 million angling economy of the Norfolk Broads depends and with the support of the courts we are hopeful that we can put an end to this nonsense once and for all.” "

There have been some reasonably bad salt tides this autumn, we struggled all week during Lads week this year, although I caught a flounder float fishing at Ranworth Staithe which was a 1st for me.

Cheers Charlie, great pics of them! I hope they bring you a few bites. It was a brilliant way to kill a bit of time during the 1st lockdown when I couldn't get out fishing - now it's a great way to spend a few hours with the radio on. Roll on the next reed Harvest 👍

The links don't seem to be working in the above post this is the document. Hoveton-Project-FRAP-comments-from-FBG-21-Feb-2020.pdf

An interesting update from the BASG Website https://basg.online/environment-agency-fbg-objection-paper-on-hoveton-barrier/ "We formally requested via a FOI request to see the internal EA Fisheries teams response to the – Hoveton Great Broad Flood Risk Activity Permit Consultation Responses, this post includes this response to view for yourself.. The Fisheries Team form part of the Fisheries Biodiversity & Geomorphology (FBG) team structure withing the Environment Agency. The document was withheld from the public within the consultation response and material on fisheries surveys as part of the wider consultation. This gave the impression that the applicants proposals were accepted. Indeed its still not available in the consultation response documents. https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/east-anglia-c-e/hoveton-great-broad-temporary-fish-barriers/consultation/published_select_respondent However this is referred to many times within the consultation response and it’s final determination. The FBG response lists 8 key objections, supported by 53 explanatory statements.is listed below. Hoveton Project – FRAP comments from FBG 21 Feb 2020 How this can be ignored astounds us as of no consequence and is to be formally challenged by our continuing Fish Legal action. More to follow on this shortly."

I don't think the video upload worked. Here's a link to the video. https://basg.online/northern-broads-track-spring-2018/

This is an interesting little video given to me by the BASG, it shows the tracking of bream ID 50645 during the period Feb-May 2018 and the migration to its spawning grounds in Hoveton Great Broad and Hudsons Bay. The data was provided by Bournemouth University. It's amazing how far the humble bream will travel to spawn, all those people holidaying on their boats or the chalets in Potter have no idea they're on a wildlife migration route.

Sadly the EA ignored their own local and national fisheries team, they strongly advised against installing the barriers and recognised that it will be detrimental to the fishery. Their argument for putting in the barriers were that bream were a common fish and that this one colony would have little impact on the species nationally. In other words "stuff the broads bream" This comes from a telephone conversation with the EA's East Anglia fisheries manager.

Hi I'm really glad someone other than me started this thread, thanks JM, I don't use the forum as much as I used to, but I've been banging on about this for months on the FB group. Regardless of the people and politics it's the broads that will suffer if this goes ahead. I am a keen pleasure angler so have an interest in that camp, however I do feel this issue is not just about fishing, in fact it's a shame that it's down to anglers to lead on this issue. Bream which will likely bear the brunt of this disaster are a fantastic species with their own unique charm, they're big eyed, and docile and in my opinion very striking. Imagine the distress that will be caused when they migrate from Hickling Broad to HGB to spawn as they have done for generations and find a fence erected. This will likely cause them to not to spawn and their numbers to dwindle. If these creatures were birds or furry animals such as the sand martins netted from their cliffs or the Tesco house martins then anglers wouldn't need to lead this charge. The general public would have made its feelings known. Sadly fish are a bit cold and wet, and invisible to many. The bream are also a huge part of the food chain in the broads, feeding a huge number of predators of all shapes and sizes, the vast shoals of fry will feed lots of other fish, and also carnivorous insect larvae such as the great diving beetle and the various dragon and damsel flies, which feed lots of bird life. As the bream get bigger, they'll feed the apex predators, Herons, Terns, Grebe, Cormorants, Pike, and otters, while many of these predators may also die out some of the more intelligent ones may seek other prey, currently otters and herons will take young water fowl However there are already reports of otters opportunisticly taking fully grown geese where they are fed by tourists in wroxham, and lots of people blame the lack of moorhens on the broads on otters. Fewer fish for them to eat will inevitably lead to them seeking out a new food source. As a broads boater before I was a broads angler I've seen the conflict that can arise between activities, but I love the diversity of the wildlife you can see on the broads, whether I'm fishing or boating or walking or cycling and I fear for it. Aside from the destruction of an eco system, pleasure anglers on holdiays brings a huge amount of money to the broads economy, lots of the general tourists are also anglers and there aren't many families out on a hire boat that don't drown a few maggots while they're out and afloat. I'm a member of BASG and admin on their FB page. However I'm making this post in a personal capacity. I did raise the petition in their behalf and I'd be grateful if you could sign it. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/334111

I think this is the original article, basg have moved their website. https://basg.online/campaigns/hoveton-gb/

I see that this is back on the cards again, despite the science showing that it will decimate bream populations. I can't help but think that if the poor bream had fur or feathers things wouldn't have gotten this far. The Broads Angling Service Group did some great work in showing the impact to the fish and the potential knock on effects, after reading it I can't help but feel this is a ecological disaster that is unfolding as we watch. At the the risk of sounding like a cynic or even conspiracy theorist is this just a rich powerful family successfully lobbying for work on thoer broad to be carried out at no cost to them?

Have a great time! I'm out on Evening Shadow tomorrow we'll give you a wave if we see you 👋

I've seen the nav plan for the week, there is ample opportunity to take on additional liquids!

The idea did spring to mind, but I think Charlie might have a thing or 2 to say about bottles being ceremoniously or even unceremoniously thrown at BA

Thnks Mr N. It's got a week of bottle conditioning before we try it! 🤞 let's hope it tastes alright!

Hi everyone, sorry I've not posted for ages! I've been keeping my eye in though and do keep the NBN facebook group aprised of my broadsy wanderings and (fallings in recently) as and when, however for last couple of weeks I've spent a couple of evenings making some beer for Lads Week, and I thought you might appreciate some pictures! It got a bit bigger than I originally expected, when I mentioned I wanted to do a brew to a mate that is into his beer and uses "brew club" facilities whereby you can rent the equipment and space for a pretty decent sum to make some beer. So I decided to give it a go, and asked him to help me, during our discussions he mentioned that he'd spotted "wild" some hops growing by a railway line In Walthamstow Marshes. I've since discovered it probably seeded it's self there from hops that fell out of trains heading to the the Truman's Brewery in Hackney. I booked a spot in the "brew club" and we went and harvested the hops. 2 hours of , cooking??? Hopping... and other words, I can't remember followed by 2 weeks and fermentation and then some bottling and labeling tonight we've got about 60ish pints of Broad Ambition The Beer! CHEERS!

I think we saw you actually. Were walking along the B.A. moorings. Also is your facebook profile pic a wanted poster? (I was walking with Robin and a Mate from London)

You did indeed, we'd had a bit of excitement as the landlord of the Norada had been for an involuntary swim on the opposite bank. He was helped out but some chaps rigging a dinghy nearby.

Passed you on the Bure yesterday morn, on Evening Shadow, north of Salhouse. Exchanged a wave with Selsie. Boat is looking fab! 👍