There is a bad trend within the fishing world of dumping leads. I feel this is a bad trend due to the safety of the fish. Now, I have been fishing for over thirty years and I understand that some fish have died because of being tethered. However, are we using this as an excuse to dump 100’s of leads all over the place? We moan and complain when we see rubbish in our swims, but we are very happy to dump leads in the name of fish safety. Or is it because the hooked to landed ratio has improved? There is also an issue with Spomb’s laying around on lake beds as they don’t float, I have put small poly balls on the end of my one, and so it will float. It is a simple and cheap answer.
I also have a big issue with fake baits. When your hook link breaks, there is a bait sitting around for as long as it takes for a carp to pick this up, gets hooked and possibly tethered up. At least if this happens with a traditional bait, it would break down in the water. Now here’s the rub, I have had the need to start using them over the past six months. This is due to general pests who interfere with carp fishing and your bait presentation. The only safe way I feel that I can combat this is by changing the hook link after every fish.
As anglers, we need to take more responsibility for all this rubbish lying around on and off the bank.
I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself;
My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl!
I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes.
My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband.
This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish.
I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work.
Richard
UK Carp & Coarse Fishing 