In reply to Post #1000
with regards to post 21 i appologise profusely and have removed the post.i make no attempt to cover my own back but thought you were talking about something completely different.

In reply to Post #31
Takes balls to say that.

In reply to Post #31
.

In reply to Post #33
chirst!! some serious sh+t! roughly how long after contact would these symptoms occur, just out of interest?

In reply to Post #34
on one of the local waters near me the owner of a fishery had a problem with rodents (probably his own fault as he never seems to empty the bins on site) and bought two cats. they have got rid of all the rats and mice they used to have and have bred like crazy. there is about 9 of them now living wild around the lake.

when he mentioned it to me i didnt think much of it but after reading this i think it seems a very good idea indeed!

the only problem is when you set your bivvy up in the swim with the bush they live/sleep in! kept me up all night making all kinds of funny noises... my mate said he even saw one go in my bivvy and eat my grounbait out of the bucket lol.

anyway, as already said i think people should take things a bit more serious about this. i know im not putting my hands in the lake with cuts etc. from now on!

In reply to Post #29
Hi Ken,

Thanks for the grim reminder... this should be a picture set that comes up on a monthly basis... just to make sure people don't forget just how serious Weils can be.

That slim downed shot of you looks very spooky.... reminds me of my triple bypass shots, a few weeks after the op.... there was me thinking I was OK... all me mates saying I looked OK... and me looking like a bloo8y skeleton !!

I always carry the anti bacterial slime now and probably use it too much (if that's possible !!)

In reply to Post #36
Glad to hear it was a moggy helping itself to your groundbait. better than being visited by a rat.

It's a pity more fishery managers don't employ cats around their waters. Apart from the odd tin of Kitty food it must be cheaper than bringing in Rentokil to take care of rodents.

A few ferral cats chattering through the night is a small price to pay for a rodent free venue.
At least your fishery owner is doing his bit, and reducing the risks.

I imagine cats around the place may deter otters too!!

In reply to Post #38
A word of caution I would not treat them as you would the household verity. The little buggers can cause damage way beyond their size. The only thing stopping them dragging you into the undergrowth is that you are bigger

In reply to Post #1000
May i also add , i hope this discourages anglers from tipping water over other anglers when they have banked a target fish , as it may well be his last

In reply to Post #38
well funnily enough that groundbait was meant for the cats i was targeting.... the ones in the lake though not on the land

but yeah he didn't even used to feed them at all at first they jut lived off the rats they caught. anglers give them bits of food too, they really loved the squid i gave them! he just leaves a bowl of food out every other day and they seem to get on fine.

very good idea and as you mention a little price to pay in terms of putting up with the noise to potentially saving anglers lives. more fishery owners should definitely look into this i reckon

edit: not completely sure but sounds like you may have a point about the otters too!

Is there a spray that you can use to spray your tackle with that kills weils disease? Or after how long will the disease effectively die when out of the rats body?

But it isnt just tackle that you can get it from. Wonder how many people return a fish into the water, dry their hands and then eat something later without cleaning their hands. I know I don't and could pay for it one day I guess

In reply to Post #42
Dry gear shouldn't be a problem, if you are worried about wet lines on reels and so forth a spray of vinegar would do the job. Important kit is dried off as soon as possible.
A disinfecting hand gel is the other best option.
Below is further tips from decease control web site stuff



Disinfecting your kit and non-porous materials is extremely simple, as the leptospira bacterium (Weils) is very sensitive to disinfectants, soaps and many other household chemicals even at low concentrations. Despite the bacteria being extremely dangerous during an infection, they are one of the easiest to control.

Any non-porous surface that has dried for more than a minute or two will be safe, and will remain so even if it becomes wet again - the bacteria are instantly killed by drying.

Normal concentrations of detergent, disinfectant and soap can be used to clean your tackle; there is no need to use specialist chemicals or higher concentrations, no need to use hot water or to soak items for a long time. - for infection control you only needcare about killing them.
Any commercial brands of cleaning products, but any product with a proven antibacterial action (disinfectants, bleaches, alcohol-based solutions, etc.) will be effective against leptospires even if they are not mentioned on a label.

Where cleaning chemicals are not available, some benefit has been found in the fact leptospires are very intolerant of acid - a solution of acetic acid (vinegar) or citric acid (lemon juice) will work as a disinfectant, for example to wash hands on a fishing trip.

In reply to Post #1
Really interesting reading,

I am just starting carping again and will be starting some night sessions soon. I have taken some good tips here guys. Anything thing else I can do to help prvent this?

Thanks
Dave

In reply to Post #1000
had a jab a few years ago for this weils disease but how long does it last b4 i need to have it again ..??

oh and by the way it can also be picked up from cattle and pigs aswell chaps