The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Not so much traditional clothing as traditional preoccupation.

Anyone puffing away on the bank? If so, any tobacco blend recommendations? I noticed some 'three nuns' adverts in Creel issues I've seen, and Arthur Ransome was a big fan of navy plug tobacco.

I've also heard discussion about whether or not tobacco-fingers can have a detrimental effect on fishing, that the 'smell' on the fly/bait puts them off. Any thoughts?

Wouldn't be without a couple of pipes and a pouch of tobbacco myself - black cherry and vanilla my preferred blend.
Jim

For years I smoked St. Bruno, I couldn't get on with anything else available other than this and Black Cherry (when I could get it).

Favorite pipe in the rack is a Falcon - the type with the metal stem - not so traditional looking but keeps the spittle at bay quite well and seems to give a cooler smoke.

seems a suitable thread to post a link this site: http://jwh.fastmail.fm/index.html

Jack Howell wrote one of the best books on making a bamboo rod 'The Lovely Reed'. Not easy to come by now although I think a second edition came out recently.

His interests now seem to have turned to making pipes, with equal skill it seems.

Pete

I used to smoke a pipe regularly. The best of all was on a warm summer's evening, just as the light was beginning to fail. I was a regular night fly fisher for sea trout then and you dare not start before nightfall, lest the fish were spooked by the line. The rod would be set up, the fly for openers, carefully selected..everything checked..and then that magic hour of waiting...laying quietly in the grass, out of sight of the fish, just listening..watching the bats and gently drawing on a well-packed briar full of Navy cut plug..rich..mellow..and that sweet tang of molasses...

..and it kept the midges away!!

Have to admit to really enjoying my pipe then. Sometimes, on a warm, still night, I would fish in the company of a friend who also smoked a briar. His favourite was a Falcon, full of St.Bruno.. If I close my eyes and remember the scene, I can still smell the occasional whiff of it, wafting gently through the black, night air from the next pool where he was fishing...the soft music of rapid water from the head of a pool...the screech of a tawny (usually right above your head where it would frighten you out of your boots!!) ..the sudden crash of water as a fresh run sea trout, newly arrived in the pool, exploded on the surface..

..Magic nights indeed..fondly remembered..

I've always hated the smell of cigarette smoke but must admit to quite liking the smell of pipe smoke, what makes it so different?

stalkingluke wrote:I've always hated the smell of cigarette smoke but must admit to quite liking the smell of pipe smoke, what makes it so different?

I'm no expert but i think it's the tabbacco

Most classic 'english' pipe tobaccos are blends of richer latakia and perqiue tobacco which gives it its aroma. I can't stand cigarette smoke but love the smell of pipe tobacco.

A falcon Hermit. They look like good pipes. Jack Hargreaves has one permanently stuck to the corner of his mouth throughout all his films I've watched.

I used to smoke a Dr Plumb/St Bruno, as I mentioned in another thread a few days ago, used to also love it for it's hand warming qualities in winter. Quit smoking c1970 though.

Pipe smoking goes so perfectly well with traditional angling. I started 18 months ago with a cheap little briar and some St' Bruno. Since then (and it's been great fun seeking them out), I have acquired 25 pipes of all shapes and sizes. There are so many tobacco's to sample, and I like try a different one each week. Pipe smoking feels so marvellously 'old school' and I would dare to suggest that a summer's evening spent with a Mk IV on a quiet pool and with a bowlful of mellow tobacco smouldering away, is an experience that is hard to beat. It's enough to make you come over all Basil Rathbone!