Pre-fish shopping...

Yes. I know, down the slippery slope...

New stuff!

I can justify it - honest! On Sunday I am going fishing with my brother and, as both of us will be fishing at the same time, there are a couple of things we will need two of. The starter set I bought to get us going included most of what we needed, albeit of only 'adequate' quality, it did allow me to catch fish. Now we are lacking a couple of items, namely, a second rod rest and a landing net.

Today I forced myself to make a trip to my local fishing tackle shop, Hemmings Fishing  Tackle in Beckenham, Kent. I have to say, at this stage, that I have been there once before and apart from the fact that the place is stuffed with stock, the staff are really helpful and very friendly indeed. I was very good, I went there with a purpose in mind and I left there with only the stuff I went to buy - how's that for discipline!

I bought an adjustable bank stick with rod rest, that looks a little better than the bent piece of wire I have been using, and a telescopic 3M landing net pole and separate landing net. The bloke in the shop said that the net would hold a 14lb Carp... All I have to do now is catch one! I avoided all the really expensive stuff. The landing net, complete, was a few coppers under £30.00 and the bank stick/rod rest was under £9.00. That will do me for now, I will see how I get on with it and go from there. Tim can have the cheap landing net and rod rest for his first day out on Sunday and if he decides he is going to continue fishing, he can upgrade it at his leisure.

Ralph.