Simon Atkinson wrote:
: "Phil.L" wrote in message
: ...
:: Simon Atkinson wrote:
::: "Phil.L" wrote in message
::: ...
:::: Laffinkitten wrote:
::::: what''s wrong with virtual fishing?
::::
:::: nothing, and i never implied there was.
:::: but as compared to the real thing its no substitute.
::::
::::
::: but as a tool for searching out features such as snags and the make
::: up of the bed I can see the use of it, no dragging a lead covered in
::: weed spooking fish, it would be a visible marker on the surface so
::: you will know exactly the location of the features and if you fish
::: some of the smaller older pools not the usual gravel pits there are
::: often submerged trees etc where a lead snags and often has to be
::: pulled for a break you could accurately find the areas where you
::: could fish safely.
::
:: they may have a small amount of fans who've just forked out a
:: fortune to buy them, but they wont become commonplace, simply
:: because a lot of anglers (most in my opinion) fish the same places
:: time and again, and once they 'know' what the water is like, maybe
:: after one or two uses, it will be left in the shed, or in the small
:: ads in the local rag for a fiver.
::
: I agree most anglers fish the same lakes, the same swims in the same
: lakes, to the same feature in the same swims in the same lakes or
: three rods fanned out cast as far as possible in the same swims in
: the same lakes (getting repetative but the point is there)
::
:::
so would you use a gadget on every visit?
obviously not, maybe on new waters, but even in this case, theres nothing
can match local angling knowledge - ask someone!


::: I know we are talking gadgets here but I've seen pole fishers use
::: fish finders and I'm sure once people scoffed at bite alarms when
::: swing tips were satisfactory.
::
:: swing tips are still satisfactory, as are baitrunners without
:: alarms, and for that matter an old washing-up liquid bottle top.
:: they all do the same thing, IE, let you know you've got a bite, the
:: only thing they dont do is let everyone else know youve got a bite.
:
: you missed out a piece of foil twisted around the line next to the
: reel.

and the obvious bite indicator - the humble float.
:
:: That said, bite alarms are a bonus for night fishing, but other than
:: that, they fall nicely into the 'useless gadget' dept.
::
::: Even the guy who reviewed it for the AT (who
::: I suggest is a competent angler) found a couple of fish holding
::: features on his local river that he did not know before, it is just
::: a tool, a aid to fishing and as a tool I can see a swim being mapped
::: out quicker and easier allowing more time to fish.
::
:: i wouldnt read too much into ATs reviews, as i've been getting it
:: for years and i've yet to read a bad one.
:: They get paid a lot of money for 'reviewing' new products and almost
:: always give the product in question a brilliant write up, then when
:: you buy it, it turns out to be a pile of crap.
::
::
::
: Is it me or does any one else find some of the posts a little bit
: cynical? In stead of looking for good points people seem to be too
: interested in slagging off.

if you're not prepared to accept the opinions you asked for, feel free to
ignore them.

maybe when you've been an angler for a long time, and you've seen all kinds
of bait, tackle, reels etc launched in a blaze of publicity, bought them,
thrown them away, and gone back to tried and trusted methods which have been
used for decades, you may become a bit cynical too!