CRAFTY CARPER'S LATEST NEWS
15/05/12
THE STORIES THAT MATTER TODAY!
Good day crafty carpers. It is Tuesday, a particularly annoying day because it’s the beginning of the week; well, not really, it’s halfway between the beginning and the middle of the week, and it’s entirely too far from the weekend. But here at Crafty Towers we seek to brighten a pointless day with stories that matter.
François Hollande is going to be sworn into office today, Greece are probably going to leave the euro – with a few others likely to follow. Despite the deluge there are still drought-hit areas in England, and the red side of Sheffield are cheering their progress to the play-off finals...
That pretty much sums up the ‘proper’ news, now for the stuff that matters!
Team Crafty.
Leptospirosis: Weil’s Syndrome, Canicola Fever, Nanukayami Fever, 7-day fever, Rat Catcher’s Yellows, Black Jaundice, Pretibial Fever...
It goes by many names, like Gandalf, and while it may not look like much, it’s not to be messed with – like Gandalf!
Lord of the Rings jokes aside, this is an important subject for anglers. Leptospirosis is contracted from urine of an infected animal when it comes into contact with unhealed skin or the eyes. Imagine the scene; you’re bivvied up, tucked up for the night, you forget you’ve left your water bottle outside, a rat takes a whizz on it and... well you see where this is going.
And now for the science: in the infected urine come the Leptospira bacteria, which cause the enlargement of the spleen, jaundice (a yellowing of the skin cause by blocked liver function- they mention it on House a lot) and nephritis (inflammation of the kidney tissues). The liver and the kidney sieve out the toxins from the body, so it is better they’re left to do the job unhindered.
Leptospirosis is recognised as one of the world’s most common diseases transmitted between animals and humans, but it is still relatively rare. That doesn’t mean that anglers should scrimp on the antibacterial gel. It isn’t just rats that are carriers – dogs, deer, rabbits, hedgehogs, cows, and sheep are also possible transmitters. The infection can cause flu-like symptoms and severe headaches, and the severe form of the disease (known as Weil’s disease) causes jaundice and liver damage.
So it doesn’t hurt to get a little OCD on the bank. Keep an eye on your gear, keep some antibacterial gel close by (it’s about £2 in Boots), make sure any cuts are properly covered, and if you start getting headaches, fever, sever muscle aches, loss of appetite and/or vomiting, make sure you get to the doctors pronto.
The Anglers Trust – Time to Sign Up
As most of you diligent anglers may already know, the Angling Trust is a unified, single organisation set up to represent all game, coarse and sea anglers in England. It supports the rights of individual anglers, as well as clubs and organisations, and makes sure that angling’s voice is heard.
Members play a key role in getting angling’s message heard. Membership helps to promote the fight for clean, healthy marine and freshwater environments, and aids protection against the threats our fishing faces. Junior membership is free, 18-21 year olds pay £10 for a yearly membership, 22 years or older costs £25, and a lifetime membership costs £400. Membership can be set up online or over the phone, and it comes with plenty of benefits, such as the nifty Fish for Free loyalty points scheme, which gives you points when you purchase from participating retailers, to contribute towards the licence fee, fishing permits, and tackle.
Head over to www.anglingtrust.net now for info on how to sign up.
Cygnet Snugs Now Available
Cygnet have released the aptly named Snugs buzzer bars, which have been designed to keep tackle tidy, tight, and a little bit sexy. The anodised black aluminium that the buzzer bars are constructed from is lightweight but very hard-wearing, and is designed to keep your setup as snug as a Zig-Bug in a rug in all weathers. They are available in two- and three-rod varieties, and in a number of sizes.
Head over to www.cygnettackle.co.uk to find your local Cygnet dealer.
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