Powercable advice

[Hoppy]

[PB unplugged]

It sure can jump gaps, or want to. I was trotting a southern river with a 13ft graphite float rod, and in one swim found myself below pylon-strung power cables. The rod I was using has an aluminium reel fitting sandwiched between a short foregrip of foam and a main rear handle of cork. I fished for a time without incident, then on raising the rod high to swing in my float and rebait, I felt an incredible charge of static crackle from the reel fitting into my hand. I moved on and fished elsewhere, returning to the same spot later to see if my imagination hadn't been playing tricks. It hadn't - same tingle from the reel fitting. The power cables were a good sixty feet above me. Won't fish the spot again, with a long float rod at least.

[Teifi Terrorist]

PB said:

It sure can jump gaps, or want to. I was trotting a southern river with a 13ft graphite float rod, and in one swim found myself below pylon-strung power cables. The rod I was using has an aluminium reel fitting sandwiched between a short foregrip of foam and a main rear handle of cork. I fished for a time without incident, then on raising the rod high to swing in my float and rebait, I felt an incredible charge of static crackle from the reel fitting into my hand. I moved on and fished elsewhere, returning to the same spot later to see if my imagination hadn't been playing tricks. It hadn't - same tingle from the reel fitting. The power cables were a good sixty feet above me. Won't fish the spot again, with a long float rod at least.

Interesting point that, Paul. It has been said that this energy is passed down into the water below, and that when you find power-lines passing over a river this usually makes for a very good fishing spot - well, directly below the cables anyway. As the power is passed into the water the fish aren't as keen to pass through it, and hold-up below such 'obstructions'. How much fact this carries I am unsure, but it's worth keeping in mind.

TT.