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Many very respected anglers of course totally disagree and are convinced that weather is far more of an influence on fish than the silly old Moon, but when circumstances occur like the past weekend, it makes one wonder.

Keith Arthur
Quotes of the week

Fish are odd creatures. The past weekend was unseasonably mild; I left home at 4.50am on Saturday and Sunday mornings with the temperature at 13ºC and 14ºC respectively.

This was accompanied by a stiff south-westerly breeze, which could be considered better than perfect for still-water fishing in January. Whilst some fish were caught - not by me I might add, pressure of work kept me off the bank again - results certainly were not mind-blowing.

When these situations occur I turn to my Moonstrike chart, composed by Chris Lyons (http://www.moonstrike.co.uk) just to see what his forecast is. Surprise, surprise, his predictions were for poor sport.

Now Chris believes that the Moon phase, set and rise, and position to be more important than the weather. Well, that isn't quite accurate as he also believes the weather is affected by the Moon.

In September 2005 Chris predicted three dates when snow was likely that winter: it snowed on two, ironically in the only snow of the winter in these parts.

Although he didn't predict it, mostly because he wasn't looking for it, Chris proved to my satisfaction that the tornado that struck Birmingham in 2005 was foreseeable via a study of our lunar satellite!

The gravitational pull of the moon is massive; without it we'd wobble about on our orbit and become inhabitable. If that gravitational pull can move the amount of water that it does, it must have a dramatic effect on everything within water, more so than terrestrial creatures and that is what prompted Chris to begin his observations.

Chris tells me that 84% of record fish and outstanding specimen captures that he has been able to obtain capture times for fall within a very narrow parameter. He is so convinced he will go fishing on some days purely to fish for the 'good hour' or whatever length of time the lunar forces dictate.

Many very respected anglers of course totally disagree and are convinced that weather is far more of an influence on fish than the silly old Moon, but when circumstances occur like the past weekend, it makes one wonder.

Unfortunately Chris hasn't been too well lately, a situation that has curtailed his angling activities. I'm sure you join me in wishing him a speedy recovery.

Floods - the Return!

I had cause to drive the length of the M40 last week and from junction eight to 10 it felt for most of the way like driving through the Everglades, so much water was laying in the fields either side of the road.

Both the River Cherwell and River Thames had burst their banks and had infiltrated gravel pits and other pools.

When this happened last summer many fisheries lost many of their valuable fish, especially carp: one well-known pit on the Richworth Linear Fishery complex near Witney has closed its gates until the situation can be properly reviewed as angling results seemed to indicate that a majority of the fish had simply swum off to pastures new.

A friend of mine has the fishing rights on a short section of River Thames upstream of the complex and has seen, and caught, several carp that possibly weren't there before. These were not large, identifiable fish but they were carp in swims where bream usually dominate.

There was also an instance of a carp of 35lb+ being captured from Kingston in Surrey that pictures seem to prove had somehow arrived there from Reading, a distance of nearly 40 miles by road, maybe as much as 60 by river, a journey which also includes 19 locks and weirs.

Whilst some people believe the fish made the journey unaided, most are extremely sceptical. I am fence-sitting and half-convinced by both arguments. I may even favour a third option: although the scale patterns on mirror carp are thought to be unique, this might be a doppelganger.

One thing that the flood waters have done to the Thames is cut down on the amount of massive perch that are often landed from the river at this time of year. Conditions were similar last winter, if not quite so extreme, and the 'clear water window' opened infrequently.

With a potential record fish already reported and, as I write, news of a fish with a claimed weight of 7lb 3oz is breaking, who knows what might have been with the Olde Father at his clear, cold normal winter state. Maybe it's a good thing that the perch can have a bit of a breather.

Next on the agenda will, I suspect, be 'The Great Close Season Debate' and this year, for a change, there is actually going to be one. Des Taylor, the famed Angling Times columnist, proposed the motion as the basis for the talk that usually accompanies the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives.

Unfortunately circumstances have arisen that prevent Des from being there, a great shame as I had volunteered to oppose the motion. However, Des's baton has been picked up by Trevor Johnson of Milton Keynes and District Angling Association and we will debate the matter on Saturday February 16th at the Garden Room at Hampton Court Palace.

Tickets are £12, including coffee and a buffet lunch; cheap enough for sure! Space is limited and tickets are available from John Ellis on 01525 381280. Maybe I'll see you there.

Keith answers your email...

Dear Keith, It was muted recently that Mark Lloyd of the ACA would be appearing and answering questions regarding the 'unification' of Angling's 4 main bodies, on Tight lines. Could I ask you if this is true, and if so, when is this likely to happen? Best regards, Peter G. Jacobs

KEITH REPLIES: Hello Peter, I am delighted to tell you that Mark Lloyd of the ACA is my studio guest on January 25th. We will have a film on the sterling work carried out at their offices in Leominster and a report from the banks of the River Wandle, the subject of their most spectacular success.

Of course we will also be discussing the possibility of a new governing body for angling, which will replace the current regime of independent coarse, game and sea angling bodies when dealing with issues at the very highest level. This could be the defining moment for angling as we know it and it is a chance that I believe MUST be taken. I would greatly appreciate your, and anyone else's questions for Mark. You can ask them via e-mail to our regular address: tightlines@skysports.com