JennyMorgan

I've stopped at the Reed Cutter three times now in recent years. The food has been a tad bland, in my opinion, albeit huge helpings. In other respects good moorings and good beer. Personally I'd head for Coldham, Surlingham, Rockland, Reedham Ferry or even St Olaves, all good to very good pubs/eateries.

Inevitably an investigation is under way into this terrible tragedy. Guess work is pointless but if nothing else I hope that folk will be more aware of the dangers. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-53851931

Thanks for sharing, enjoy your new boat.

That was the way it was, I did the summer season in my gift shop at Burgh St Peter and then worked in the brochure dispatch warehouse at Hoseasons during the winter.

Catalogue prices back in the day were famously inflated, lots of commission for the agents, like my mum-in-law to be, for whom it was a little earner. I bought a camera from her, silly me, I paid well over the odds!

Although I've been a keen ABU man for 60 odd years I'm not familiar with the 540. I started with an early 505, graduated to a 1044 some twenty years ago which I still use. More recently I bought a modern 506 mk 2 and am over the moon with it, especially as it will handle lines up to 10lbs albeit I rarely top 6 lbs unless piking. Granted that it's not Swedish made it is still a well thought out tool so if Timbo wants to use heavier lines then I'd happily recommend this one: https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/abu-garcia-506-mkii-reel Re our respective Great Grandfathers, mine was not a matchman, indeed he apparently despised them, claiming that with their fine tackle they'd ruin Broads fishing. GG's idea of bream tackle, passed onto my father, was to use 10lb line, size 6 hooks, paternoster booms (sea fishing style) and one ounce coffin leads. Hypocritical old fellow then went roach fishing with Nottingham style gear although he regarded a size ten as small therefore that's what he used. Personally I'm a great fan of the Nottingham style but a forty yard cast off my centrepin is ten yards further than I can comfortably manage, even with a gale blasting from astern.

Or eternal damnation and excessive central heating!

Paella from both Vesta and Lidl, yummy! Twice had paella in Ibiza and enjoyed neither of them, despite being Spanish! What makes a good paella? Never had it at Stracey though, am now wary of paellas cooked by Spaniards!

I have a Hardy Silex that was made for my Gt Grandfather and adapted for float fishing, the finger grips being fitted to his fingers, the engineering incredibly fine, such was the service offered by the likes of Hardy, Farlows & Allcocks for example. As for his Coxon, likewise tailor made, it had for the drum a lignum vitae core rather than the usual metal work. Gt Grandfather wanted a reel for beach casting (!) and salmon fishing and it was deemed that the wood core would not distort under the pressure of line being wound on under some loading. I still use it for pike fishing but it is now looking rather the worse for wear although it still spins perfectly. I don't know how far the old boy was able to cast off the beach, the drum is not that big! His fourteen foot long, green heart rod is an awesome tool that weighs many pounds if not stones, I used it once and only once. He must have been a tough old begger, he also had made a double built, split cane salmon rod with a steel core and that too weighs the proverbial ton. On the other hand hand his float rod is a delicate tool, floppy as hell now and effectively unusable. Even a gentle strike sees the tip drop a foot or more!

At one time Stracey was hugely popular as the last stop before or after Yarmouth, only the hire fleets are now less than half what they were thus the passing river trade is not what it was, not by a long chalk.

Some folk might contest that mooring fee, or any mooring fee for that matter.

I believe that running water was one of the attractions to this particular religion.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/ludham-store-owner-to-rescue-stranded-seal-1-6806656

The road, during the winter, is relatively fast. When it is dark and wet it is not an inviting location. Unfortunate for the Tapas bar because it was a very sociable way of eating for small groups.

The problem with Stracey was that it was a six months of the year business and the Tapas Bar especially didn't adjust to that.

I suspect that he'd claim that his is the finest! That aside, where weed is prevalent, I generally use four pound breaking strain when float fishing and six when feeder fishing. As for pike, something of an addiction, I don't recommend a 'sleeper rod' approach. For a kick-off I'd lure fish if a pike comes into my swim at this time of the year, using a thirty pound braid, that should cope with any weed. This might well be Jayfire's chosen brand!

Don't worry, he's our resident 'innuendo man', he means well and just occasionally he's very funny!

It was good whilst it lasted though!

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/bring-back-tradition-plea-as-pub-shuts-1-692086

Stracey, the Pontiac something or another.

Tony, I'll start the ball rolling, what do people recommend for inland waterways by way of life-jackets & buoyancy aids? https://crewsaver.com/uk/yak/home/

I doubt that a responsible boatyard would hand out lifejackets that weren't up to the job on inland waters. What you might gain by buying your own would be comfort.

Do I remember? That's a leading question. Not gaga, at least not yet! I don't remember red steps but I do remember the ladies of the house scrubbing their stone thresholds with Vim and vigor! Having scrubbed it was common practice to use the clean step as a sharpening stone or 'rub' for the household knives as well as gutting knives for those who worked in the local fishmarket.

The likes of thee and me have long been educated by experience and can judge for ourselves, and long may that be the case. However, even such as ourselves can and do fall in, even drowning, Alec Hampton of Hampton Boats immediately springs to mind. However, being in possession of wisdom and experience can not be assumed for very many of our visitors and guests.

That should be mandatory. Places like Great Yarmouth Station should become 'life jacket aware' areas, where use of the mooring is conditional on wearing a lifejacket, perhaps.