Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Ultra was the Billy Lane brand....
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
flightliner
Well-known member
Kev, correct, The "ULTRA" floats were the Billy Lane brand if I remember correctly.
I still have one or two in my floatbox.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Me too Mick, their Avon's, balsa's and duckers were excellent floats...
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
Anyone who can remember Billy lane must remember the two float series he did for one of the angling weeklies.
I collected every one, and made several of the floats. I finally met Billy in Denmark when he was one of the experts on a Sunday People prize fishing trip!
Nothing wrong with catching trout on trotting tackle, great fun!
flightliner
Well-known member
Steve, I was drawn next to BL in a Witham open match, circa 1965/66 at age 20/21.Anyone who can remember Billy lane must remember the two float series he did for one of the angling weeklies.
I collected every one, and made several of the floats. I finally met Billy in Denmark when he was one of the experts on a Sunday People prize fishing trip!
Nothing wrong with catching trout on trotting tackle, great fun!
He weighed in 22 or 23lb of roach on the float, I weighed in 14+lbs of Bream using the swingtip.
BL won the event,
I came nowhere.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
I fished in several matches against Billy, one against his first club Coventry New Star at Radwell, which I won, drawing a good peg with slack water on a high coloured river, weighing 11lbs odd 70% gudgeon on a fibreglass pole with a crook elastic system, he came along the bank with a couple of other Coventry lads, Micky Hiatt was one, another very good angler who made his own floats(still have a few of his stick floats), Billy watched me fish for about 15 minutes and as he turned to leave he gave me a compliment, which stayed with me and made me feel 10ft tall at around 18 years old...
flightliner
Well-known member
BL was a superb float angler Alan, that day on the Witham he taught me how indispensible the float is.
Up to that day I'd drifted away from it and was concentrating on the swingtip (Witham, Welland, Nene, South forty foot, Coronation cut,Ancholme and many Boston/Lincs drains) unless I was fishing a match on the Trent.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
The float is a weapon that gives so many options that the lead can't, on any water, in majority of conditions, trouble is there is so much to master and so little time(grasshopper, lol)....
mikench
Well-known member
First time out fishing today for me and just the second time for Gordon. We managed to locate a muddy pool( quite a nice little lake really and one which rarely produces a blank. Gordon fished the float and I the feeder just for a change.
It was dark and foreboding but dry. A SE wind made it feel cold though and I reverted to wearing gloves after an hour or so. Gordon did as Gordon does and caught roach regularly on maggot. He didn’t get a touch on anything else. He probably had 20 or so but few troubled the net. I feared a blank but managed 5 carp on cell pellets. This was the best of the bunch at around 6lb.
The photo makes it appear to have a damaged mouth but it didn’t. One other angler turned up around lunchtime and asked if we had checked the weather forecast. It was forecast to be dry after early morning rain but now heavy rain was due from 2.00 pm . Gordon had omitted to fit his brolly attachment to his new chair and as we were both cold and not fancying getting soaked overmuch, we packed up at 1.00 pm. No rain as yet here in Llareggub - typical.
We both enjoyed the day which was long overdue and so far this year I haven’t blanked.
Cheers Gordon and let’s try again next week. I will bring an NGT net handle for you to try.
It was dark and foreboding but dry. A SE wind made it feel cold though and I reverted to wearing gloves after an hour or so. Gordon did as Gordon does and caught roach regularly on maggot. He didn’t get a touch on anything else. He probably had 20 or so but few troubled the net. I feared a blank but managed 5 carp on cell pellets. This was the best of the bunch at around 6lb.
The photo makes it appear to have a damaged mouth but it didn’t. One other angler turned up around lunchtime and asked if we had checked the weather forecast. It was forecast to be dry after early morning rain but now heavy rain was due from 2.00 pm . Gordon had omitted to fit his brolly attachment to his new chair and as we were both cold and not fancying getting soaked overmuch, we packed up at 1.00 pm. No rain as yet here in Llareggub - typical.
We both enjoyed the day which was long overdue and so far this year I haven’t blanked.
Cheers Gordon and let’s try again next week. I will bring an NGT net handle for you to try.
@Clive
Well-known member
My wife hasn't well for a while and neither has the weather so when I was presented with the chance to go today I jumped at it. The conditions were heavy mist in the morning, sunshine forecast in the afternoon, but the air pressure and humidity were a lot higher than ideal. I packed a light float rod, and headed for a small river near home.
On the way I decided to take a chance on a channel of the Vienne where the flow is diverted to a weir. There was someone else already fishing it. Looks like he had been there a while. I joined him and trotted a worm bait down the rocks on the near bank. I got two chub, both around 6 oz.
After half an hour I drove to the small tributary, swapped the box of feeders and ledgers, catapult and centrepin for my sandwiches, flask and bait. Seemed like a good idea as it was almost lunch time. The river at this time of year is deserted other than walkers. It is classed as a trout river a few hundred yards upstream and will be in the process of being stocked. Where I was fishing it is classed as a coarse fishery and nobody bothers fishing it outside the trout season.
I had a perch by letting my trotted float loiter near to a snag. A bit further down I had another perch and then even further downstream three roach while laying on in a slack. They all came to worm bait with no freebies offered. Once the sun cleared the steep banks and lit up the shallow water bites dried up.
I went back to the car and drove further downstream. Unfortunately the best swims have been taken into private ownership so it was a wasted journey.
On the way I decided to take a chance on a channel of the Vienne where the flow is diverted to a weir. There was someone else already fishing it. Looks like he had been there a while. I joined him and trotted a worm bait down the rocks on the near bank. I got two chub, both around 6 oz.
After half an hour I drove to the small tributary, swapped the box of feeders and ledgers, catapult and centrepin for my sandwiches, flask and bait. Seemed like a good idea as it was almost lunch time. The river at this time of year is deserted other than walkers. It is classed as a trout river a few hundred yards upstream and will be in the process of being stocked. Where I was fishing it is classed as a coarse fishery and nobody bothers fishing it outside the trout season.
I had a perch by letting my trotted float loiter near to a snag. A bit further down I had another perch and then even further downstream three roach while laying on in a slack. They all came to worm bait with no freebies offered. Once the sun cleared the steep banks and lit up the shallow water bites dried up.
I went back to the car and drove further downstream. Unfortunately the best swims have been taken into private ownership so it was a wasted journey.
Woofy Chivers
Well-known member
Had a day on the Wye with my pal Rog today. First time for what seemed an eternity as river been out of sorts lately with all the rain we’ve had or been to cold.
I caught a barbel approx 10 lb and two chub 4 and 5 lb. Rog had a chub of about 5 lb. Makes a change for me to do better than him !
The river was up 2 m so was pushing through quite hard but had a nice bit of colour. Had a robin keeping me company most of the day so I kept him fed with some groundbait and crust of my sarnies.
I caught a barbel approx 10 lb and two chub 4 and 5 lb. Rog had a chub of about 5 lb. Makes a change for me to do better than him !
The river was up 2 m so was pushing through quite hard but had a nice bit of colour. Had a robin keeping me company most of the day so I kept him fed with some groundbait and crust of my sarnies.
Enjoyed a pleasant days pike fishing with a good friend on Wednesday. We elected to fish a club water which is popular with carp anglers. By the time we got to the water day was breaking and the wind was dropping after Storm Joclyn came through on Tuesday evening which didn't really amount to much in Hertfordshire with maybe gusts to 48mph for a time. I fished with two rods with a sunken paternostered dead roach on one rod and a small mackerel on the other rod. The roach was fished on the drop off whilst the other bait was fished at 40yards before the depth shallows up to round 3ft. My friend was first away with a fish of round 7lb. I dropped a decent fish after a very decisive drop back. By lunchtime the conditions became spring like and the wind has dropped to a light breeze. I had another run at 3pm on the mackeral rod the fish gave a good account of itself it was in superb condition and weighed 10lb 11oz.
With the river at a normal level for a change, I spent the afternoon at the marina where I was met with blue skies, sunshine and a soft breeze
I was also greeted by this fine cat, which settled down on the low wall behind me for a couple of hours. A woman from a houseboat came to check it wasn't disturbing me - as if - and I told her she'd be welcome to come and sit with us too ( she was a bit feline herself) but I had to settle for the cat.
I set up the usual light slider in about 12' and fed the usual two swims, one with maggot for the perch and one with hemp and tares for the roach.
As you'd expect, the perch were straight on the bait, whilst it took an hour and more to get a bite on the tares. The first time the float dipped with a tare on the hook, I came back with this, a PB skeleton. Your guess is as good as mine.
As is the way with seed baits, the swim got better as things went on, with some nice roach
The sun shone, the fish fed and the cat purred. I had my heated gilet, but I didn't switch it on. By 4pm, the roach were taking the bait 4' off the bottom, but I don't like to get involved in the 5pm traffic, so I wrapped up
I was also greeted by this fine cat, which settled down on the low wall behind me for a couple of hours. A woman from a houseboat came to check it wasn't disturbing me - as if - and I told her she'd be welcome to come and sit with us too ( she was a bit feline herself) but I had to settle for the cat.
I set up the usual light slider in about 12' and fed the usual two swims, one with maggot for the perch and one with hemp and tares for the roach.
As you'd expect, the perch were straight on the bait, whilst it took an hour and more to get a bite on the tares. The first time the float dipped with a tare on the hook, I came back with this, a PB skeleton. Your guess is as good as mine.
As is the way with seed baits, the swim got better as things went on, with some nice roach
The sun shone, the fish fed and the cat purred. I had my heated gilet, but I didn't switch it on. By 4pm, the roach were taking the bait 4' off the bottom, but I don't like to get involved in the 5pm traffic, so I wrapped up
Hugh Bailey
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Lovely net of roach!
flightliner
Well-known member
I'll second that Hugh!
flightliner
Well-known member
At last, at long long last the weather was giving me a reprieve yesterday, the tidal Trent was within its banks, so I took the opportunity to get there hoping for a zander or even a pike.
On arrival I saw that several other anglers were of a similar mind and myself and my first choice of swim taken but my second choice swim was available so I dropped my gear down there.
I set up both rods, one with a float paternostered deadbait the other with a standard pike ledgered deadbait the first bait hooked nose first so the currant would hold it in a swimming position, the second bait tail first.
Both placed, the paternoster downstream the other upstream near some slower moving water then a sit down for a coffee in the morning sun to wait for any developments.
There were none until 2-10pm when the ledgered deadbait tore off for some two feet before it was dropped like a hot brick- zander, pike? my bet was on zed that must have felt some resistance, possibly from the lead that when recasting could be seen to be fouled up with drifting detritus between casts (note to self- figure some way to prevent this in the future when out after recant floods).
I felt that my chances of a fish were receding as time was moving on and I was due home at 6pm and besides, packing my gear away I had a four hundred yard walk with my gear over wet slippy ground to my car.
Then at two fifty the float paternostered bait screamed off catching me by surprise. Reaching for my rod i wound down and struck and felt a fish deep below shaking its head and telling me it could be a zander, it fought really hard, hard enough to have me thinking if they fight bettter than pike??.
It finally slipped in the net where the hooks dropped out of its mouth ( luckeeeee).
On the scales it went 5-10, a chunky thing that made my day complete, an hour later I was on my way home.
On arrival I saw that several other anglers were of a similar mind and myself and my first choice of swim taken but my second choice swim was available so I dropped my gear down there.
I set up both rods, one with a float paternostered deadbait the other with a standard pike ledgered deadbait the first bait hooked nose first so the currant would hold it in a swimming position, the second bait tail first.
Both placed, the paternoster downstream the other upstream near some slower moving water then a sit down for a coffee in the morning sun to wait for any developments.
There were none until 2-10pm when the ledgered deadbait tore off for some two feet before it was dropped like a hot brick- zander, pike? my bet was on zed that must have felt some resistance, possibly from the lead that when recasting could be seen to be fouled up with drifting detritus between casts (note to self- figure some way to prevent this in the future when out after recant floods).
I felt that my chances of a fish were receding as time was moving on and I was due home at 6pm and besides, packing my gear away I had a four hundred yard walk with my gear over wet slippy ground to my car.
Then at two fifty the float paternostered bait screamed off catching me by surprise. Reaching for my rod i wound down and struck and felt a fish deep below shaking its head and telling me it could be a zander, it fought really hard, hard enough to have me thinking if they fight bettter than pike??.
It finally slipped in the net where the hooks dropped out of its mouth ( luckeeeee).
On the scales it went 5-10, a chunky thing that made my day complete, an hour later I was on my way home.
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Ray Roberts
Well-known member
I fished a section or the Medway that a few of the bailiffs and some other anglers said wasn’t productive except for some really large chub, apparently the club’s record came from there and it usually provides the best chub each year. Everyone I spoke to said it was usually rock hard. I was emboldened by the fact on the three previous visits when I fished there in the summer and autumn for roach I had some good catches of roach up to 1lb12oz. This time I wanted to target the chub. Well in a nutshell they were right. I fished hard all day quivertipping with bread and liquidised bread in the feeder. Not so much as a touch all day. I fished a variety of swims using bread flake, crust and lobworms. The other downside was dog walkers, it’s a country park but in one swim someone thought it was a good idea to chuck a stick in for his lab. I couldn’t help myself, I managed a couple of sentences that had more expletives than normal words, even by my high standards it was pretty remarkable. What a (@&(. As I was the only person fishing the entire park it couldn’t have been just thoughtlessness.
The only really good part of the day was the wildlife. An egret was fishing almost opposite one swim. He seemed to be faring no better than me. A pair of kingfishers darted back and forth for most of the day and some bunnies were doing rabbity things on the opposite bank. I will persevere on this stretch as there could be something special in here. If was far milder than the last trip and that raised my expectations. The water temp had risen from 2.5c last week to 8c yesterday, downside was bright sunshine the whole day.
The only really good part of the day was the wildlife. An egret was fishing almost opposite one swim. He seemed to be faring no better than me. A pair of kingfishers darted back and forth for most of the day and some bunnies were doing rabbity things on the opposite bank. I will persevere on this stretch as there could be something special in here. If was far milder than the last trip and that raised my expectations. The water temp had risen from 2.5c last week to 8c yesterday, downside was bright sunshine the whole day.
markcw
Exiled Northerner
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Are you Stingray on Maggotdrowners ,Ray ?
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Well, well, well, I actually went fishing today, on a club lake(work party on the river, lol), fished punch on the waggler, ended up with 7 skimmers to 1-4 and a roach around 8ozs, it wasn't very warm, but nice to be out...
I have hardly got the rods out in recent months with other commitments in the way so with the temperature rapidly rising and warmer rain coming in after a period of freezing conditions I was gagging at the bit to get out. With levels still high on the main rivers I thought one of the little streams may offer a chance of a Roach & set off to a suitable destination. For no reason other than I fancied it I decided to float fish & setup to run a bait slightly over depth in a little eddy on a deeper bend. The venue itself is a tiny stream you can jump across, inches deep in places but can hold some really good fish at this time of year.
The little wood it ran through was alive with birds in the milder conditions, woodpeckers tapped away overhead. Fish rolled in the slack & as I was confident I was on them I didn’t feed anything at all and teased the float round and round the little eddy. 5 Roach came to the net in the next couple of hours all good fish over a pound with the best going a pound and a half which are crackers for such a small water. They gave some hairy moments during the fight as the stream is overgrown, wild & full of snags and they tried to jag their way into all of them. I was well happy with the result, it was nice to be finally wetting a line again & I enjoyed watching the float.
The biggest three of the day ..
The little wood it ran through was alive with birds in the milder conditions, woodpeckers tapped away overhead. Fish rolled in the slack & as I was confident I was on them I didn’t feed anything at all and teased the float round and round the little eddy. 5 Roach came to the net in the next couple of hours all good fish over a pound with the best going a pound and a half which are crackers for such a small water. They gave some hairy moments during the fight as the stream is overgrown, wild & full of snags and they tried to jag their way into all of them. I was well happy with the result, it was nice to be finally wetting a line again & I enjoyed watching the float.
The biggest three of the day ..