Irish bass need your help

I'm an Aussie ex-pat living in Ireland.

One of Irelands great fishing treasures has been the recent resurgence in the inshore bass fishery due to a moratorium on professional fishing of this important sportfishing species. (see some of my trip reports for examples)
However recently the Irish Govt appears to be leaning towards reinstating this commercial fishery, despite advices from fisherys watchdogs to the contrary and despite the short and long term damage this will cause to both the fishery as a whole, but also to the associated tourist trade.

I'd be grateful if you could all take the time to visit http://www.irishbass.org and send an email or letter petition to the relevant minister to stop this.
I have today asked Steve Starling to make a representation on behalf of the Australian recreational angling press and am hoping an article will be written comparing this lack of foresight in Ireland to the opposite shown in Australia with the removal of professional netting in estuaries and in the US with the removal of professional fishing for Striped Bass (a close cousin of the European Sea Bass) and the benefits that those 2 economies have experienced as the result of their strong stand.

Unfortunately the situation is that the Irish Govt showed commendable foresight in the 1990s to ban a commercial fishery for this species, but they are now on the verge of undoing all the progress they have made since.

As an Irish bass fisherman I am asking my fellow Australian fishermen to provide the help we are known for so this wonderful and unique fishery is preserved.

Thanks in advance
Nick

Some links:

http://www.irishbass.org
http://www.irishbass.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:irish-bass-opposes-re-opening-of-commercial-fishery&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=114
http://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog/irish_bass_need_more_of_your_help_please.html
http://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog/please_help_to_protect_the_irish_bass_stocks.html
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/sbbce/ - online petition - 15 seconds please sign!
http://www.probassfisher.com/2010/03/there-is-no-doubt-that-tourism-is-major.html
http://www.probassfisher.com/2010/03/goal-posts-have-moved.html


http://www.lureandmore.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=6187
http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37975

Please sign the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/sbbce/
And please write or email directly to the Minister if you can

Nick

Torn Soft Plastics?

One of the great things about soft plastics is that they are ... well ... soft

One of the downsides of them being soft is that they can and do tear

Of course they are cheaper than a hard bait and easily replaced

But (and theres always a but) what if you're on the water amd you're down to your last magic bait or your favourite is no longer made or you want to customise a bait?

Mend it with Mend-it (snazzy huh?)

EBAY Seller

Seems pretty easy

Unlike Super glue it doesn't add a layer of glue that acts as an adhesive and which subsequently hardens and goes brittle.

Instead it chemically melts the plastic and when the 2 pieces are held together it rebonds to form a permanent and contiguous bond (and in most cases almost invisible)

I order mine from the eBay seller (its eems to be the same people who sell it on the website?) and it took 3 working days formo the US to Ireland

I'll test it tonight and update this ...

Gloves

The sun can be a b*tch. It shines when you don't want to, and its goes in when you need some brightness in your day. Plus if you're out fishing the damage it can do is SCARY. Fishermen in particular are more susceptible to sum damage beacuse the sun reflects back off the water (and sand and snow), and because the water we're in washes sunblock off, plus a lot of fishermen won't use sunblock due to the smell scaring fish. So how do you avoid ending up with hands that have backs like chopped liver? Simms sungloves are good -- very lightweight, easily washed and do the job. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewsimmssungloves.html And now Buff have introduced the Angler sun glove: http://www.planetbuff.com/p1070/Angler-Glove-Fish-Camo/product_info.html?osCsid=266b4e21665a35875a60c2dac7e5302b and http://www.planetbuff.com/p1113/Angler-Glove-Skoolin-Sage/product_info.html They are on the way and I will test and report ...

If you can't buy it - make it

Flash ain't great
Link

Its here

LL Bean jacket arrived today

So, lets start by comparing the 2 pics side by side (or one on top of the other whatever, stupid formatting restrictions)

Some initial differences I have noticed from a 2 minute "play" at lunchtime:

1. Bellowed pockets aren't as high on the chest on the LLB as on the DWJ
2. Both bellowed pockets seems the same size/capacity
3. Zipped handwarmer pockets on the LLB - nice and necessary here isn sunny (ha ha!) Ireland
4. Guttering over the zip doesn't seem as well designed as the DWJ - it stops mid chest whereas on the DWJ it went all the way to the bottom
5. DWJ had a separate storm flap button on a lapel arrangement at the bottom of the zip - LLB has a one piece arrangement - it's a bit like vents on suit jackets (none, 1 or 2?) - they look different but hard to make a for or against argument on either option
6. Hood on LLB folds up into the collar very easily - DWJ was a constant attachment arrangement
7. Hood tightening cords on LLB captured in holders already - very neat and tidy
8. Hood on LLB give better all round vision - even when sat bare on head with no cap
9. LLB folds into one of its own pockets for storage - nice - handy for travel
10. No instructions on how to do this though! Aaargh! WTF! Typical - they go to the trouble of designing this feature into it but then they give you no instrcutions leading to the inevitable struggle to do it without crushing the hell out of it and/or busting a zip - whyinthehell can't they explain how to do this so its flat and neat like in the pics on their site - or supply it like that so you know???
11. Material is thinner and lighter than the DWJ - good/bad? good for summer, no problem for layering
12. Cuffs are the same but thinner material - more snug fit around wrists
13. Both have an internal hanging loop
14. LLB has 2 material loops for accessories. DWJ had 2 d-rings. have a little more faith strengthwise in d rings than material loops, but that may be just me. Anyway with Stonefly limpit d-rings this may be a moot point
15. Both have a d-ring at the back for net, mesh grip etc - super handy
16. LLB is longer - more like a standard rainjacket (as opposed to raincoat) than the DWJ which was definitely a "shorty" for wading
17. Neither have any internal pockets

So there you go - initially a few differences, and few similarities - nothing to complain about, nothing to write home about (except the handwarmer pockets - me like!). Coming from different makers to address a common cause (i.e. keeping dry when its raining - which is the acid test of a rainjacket IMHO), you'd expect them to have adifferences but they are similar enough that I'm happy so far - if the goretex in this is as good as the goretex in other products I have I'll be ecstatic (remember - its GUARANTEED to keep you dry)

Real world fishing test comparison next

Sunny here now (a)typically but I'm sure that will change

Clare at Easter. Will no doubt get a lashing then as I'm freezing my butt off trying to rip some lips either on a trout lake or chasing nasty toothy fish

safety first (warning pike have teeth!)

so anyway
when you're wading for pike
a gaff is not good for catch and release
a net is ok until you have carry the damn thing
a folding net is ok until you have to open the f*cking thing and find the fish is too big

this: http://www.risingfish.net/LippaSB.html is much better




especially when latched to the coiled leash/lanyard (link)

now even when waist deep and a 3 foot slime monster looks like it wants tea bagged macadamia for its din dins you can clamp onto its lower jaw and hold on with this baby

much cheaper and less poncy than booger grips
and nice and safe from those sharp teeth




hold it in the water and unhook ...
... gone

And Bob's your monkeys uncle
no wait ...

wading carefully with tackle

NOT tea bagging

last weeks "sea in the snow" and "pike under ice" trips, sans SWJ :-(, reinforced the need for a good accessible yet mobile tackle carrying system

fly-fishing?
no wucking furries - simms G3 vest

luring? - hmm more of an issue
especially when piking or bassing given the size of the lures used

enter - patagonia double haul:







Ok so a few acessories are needed to get it right:

retractor coil with pin and some limpit d rings (could also be handy on the new wading jacket hmmm ...)

It's gone! (i think ...)

http://nicksgearreview.blogspot.com/2008/10/stuff-to-be-reviewed.html

I've lost my beloved Patagonia DWJ
and the new Patagonia version doesn't match up by half

Over the last 18 months this has become more than just go-to gear
its become the first thing in my bag for all my fishing trips:

3 d-rings (2 front, 1 rear)
deep bellow pockets with hand warmer entry behind
decent hood
100% waterproof
stretch no leak cuffs

it was simple, it was brilliant, it was perfect

I still hold out hope that it will show up
Hopefully I put it "somewhere safe" (mothers all over the world will understand ...)

so the search was taken (grudgingly) for a replacement:

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/36449?parentCategory=503878&feat=503878-tn&cat4=2103



looks the goods so we'll see
its en-route ...