Ivan Marks on 'blacks'

[Match Aerial]

They are just gold coloured hooks .
In days gone buy they were very popular with anglers,the only ones I now see are branded as sweet corn hooks.
If you think about trout flies red and gold are common used colours,red tags, gold heads etc.

[Phil Arnott]

Interestingly Phil I have had similar experiences. It may not be one singular thing ,it could be everything hook,line,shot and the float combined.
Whatever it's so startingly obverse to them it's the fake. No wonder we catch better with a bit of colour in the water lol.

I've been convinced for many years that educated fish see hooks, line, shot and floats as things to be avoided. I think it's when fishing off the bottom where this is a real issue.

Having said that I used to fish a tench water which fished well at the start of each season for about six weeks after which when most of the fish had been caught or lost they could not be tempted on line strong enough to land them.

Fish definitely learn to avoid being caught but they do forget given time. Also in most populations there are some fish which never seem to learn and get caught regularly and fortunately some wily fish do make a mistake.

One technique I've used both in stillwater and slower rivers is to fish a paternostered bait right in among the fish and watch until one takes the bait. Most fish ignore it or even flee at the sight of it but often one will eventually take it long enough to strike the hook home. I think this method could be classified as persistence. All part of the fascination of fish and fishing.

[Phil Arnott]

I think I have some old packets of gilt hooks. I will check tonight. How will I tell if they're gilt?

I bought some gilt hooks from Italy on a certain auction site about three years ago they were Au Lion D'or crystal hooks. I ordered a packet of 12 and 14's and got a packet of 13's thrown in. They're quite nice sharp fairly lightweight hooks. A good bread hook for large roach. They are still available.

[Match Aerial]

I think those hooks you have Phil are the same ones my uncle used in the 80s the packet looks very similar to what I remember.
Do you have a link for those?,would not mind a few packs myself.

[Phil Arnott]

I think those hooks you have Phil are the same ones my uncle used in the 80s the packet looks very similar to what I remember.
Do you have a link for those?,would not mind a few packs myself.

Just have a search on evilbay. You will find them.

[Match Aerial]

Ok found them Phil
Cheers

[Mitch300]

This a fascinating thread! Perhaps someone can explain this observation. Years ago, when I used to fish the Thames in Winter, ledgered maggots would always yield plenty of bites from gudgeon (obviously indicated with a swing-tip). When I switched to a couple of casters, I got no bites from gudgeon but occasionally caught roach. Both baits were offered on a bronze Mustad size 16. Did the gudgeon have no interest in or dislike something about casters, leaving them for the roach to try? Did their barbules tell them that maggots were worth eating but casters were not? Any ideas?

G. B.

[Match Aerial]

Mitch its one of thise things some of the match guys used to feed a mixture of maggots and casters together. They would change hook baits on the hook to find which worked the best on the day. Sometimes it was caster other times maggots.Once they worked out which was best they would change over and only fish and feed the must sucessfull on the day. Fish can be funny things.

Think of it like yourself sometimes you don't fancy chips you may prefer rice that day.......

[Ian]

I was fishing for bream last Thursday on the red loch and had corn and mixed coloured maggots in the feed.i tried three red mags on the hook as that was what they wanted on the Sunday we fished it.needless to say I couldn’t get a bite on reds this time,it was the corn they were interested in.even when using corn tipped with a red maggot it was the corn that got took,leaving the maggot alone.
The roach were fussy too,they wanted the maggot and wouldn’t go near corn.
When the weathers settled and the fish are feeding,but suddenly stop,they haven’t stopped feeding,they have changed their feeding depth.the only thing that I’ve found that can stop fish feeding is a sudden wind change or going from dull to sunny or a sudden overnight frost,that can stop fish feeding in their tracks and there’s nothing that can be done about it.
I’m off to the red loch tomorrow again,but it’s to be a frosty morning with a light easterly so I’m not expecting too much,but fishing behind the breeze in a shallow bay might produce some roach and perch,as the perch are now preparing to spawn in a week or two and will now be hanging around these areas.

[Match Aerial]

To be honest I don't mind a challenge like these. Just imagine how boring it would all be if it was just so predictable gents.