DIDO.1

The ea blokes are all wrapped up in stab vests

I can think of a certain lodge that held a handful of carp. 5lb maximum. Those carp haunted our dreams. We did see an odd photo of one on the bank and my mate hooked and lost one. Today the lodge has been dug out to 4 times the size and sourrounded with a 'canal lake' aswell. All the old features gone, just clay holes in the ground. Young fishermen these days can catch two dozen carp there easy now, all identical, all starving and been dragged on the bank a hundred times. All the mystery, plans, preparation and wonder has gone. Get me on a river any day

Yeah. Ribchester

Gonna give it half an hour then pack up. Really need a poo

Lost a fish first cast.

Well iv packed the car and alarm set for 3.30. Spent last season trying to catch my first barbel, mainly in low water when we prob should of gone fishing for something else. High water tomorrow and I'm giving it a go.

The minute my mortgage is paid I'll do the same, bit of farm work, dry stone walling and catch a few moles.

Always amazes me how few pest controllers are aware of rats in sewer entering property via a break in a soil pipe. When numerous rats are in the fabric of a building almost my first thought is sewers! I regularly follow other pest controllers that have havnt even checked sewers and have told the homeowner that rats are climbing drainpipes etc. Today I visited one house that has paid other companies £1500 in 4 years, not one had even mentioned sewers, the whole house had been filled full of expanding foam to try and stop rats . One council pestie had filled some pipe boxing with broken glass . A recent dig out and seal round a soil pipe joint.

I often get emails asking about job vacancies and advice about getting into pest control. Recently a member on here sent me a message asking advice about courses and starting working in pest control. I thought I'd answer his question on here then other members may like to offer their opinion, or even tell me if I'm talking rubbish. Also others will have more experience with training etc. Once upon a time the big companies would take on switched on lads with a bit of practical experience and then put them through the courses and qualifications. It seems to me these days that if you want to work with the big companies you have more chance of getting a start if you are an ex salesman than if you have experience with rural pest control. That just sums up both the big companies and even the industry in general. It's all about sales and big contracts. Even technicians have sales targets. You go look at a mouse job and up sell to 6 fly killers. I believe a lot of big companies are requesting you to already have rsph level 2 unless you are an exception salesman. Almost every email, letter and cv I have received has mentioned air guns and sporting types of pest control. Don't mention this. Your way in will always be communication skills, health and safety, risk assessments, method statements and sales skills. With regards to courses the rspha level 2 is standard entry level. Qualifications in anything else from health and safety to access equipment certification will always help. If I was thinking of starting from scratch I'd start collecting easy courses from different certificates to the one day pest courses that the suppliers all do....killgerm, edialux etc. I'd then apply to the big companies while pushing the sales and communications skills on my cv. With regards to working for yourself id say its hard. Every year they come and go, from keen amateurs to ex big company lads that go solo. Once upon a time you put an advert in yellow pages and answered calls in your town. Now advertising is hard, complicated and expensive. I went from hating computers and refusing to use one as a keeper and hunt servant to now being able to build a website (not totally but I do a lot of the work under supervision) and do seo etc. I hate it but have to. Iv been through 4 websites and ripped off left right and center. Also what works in one area won't in another. Local magazines and newspapers never got me much work but others use that more. It's a long expensive learning curve. I drive 35,000 miles plus a year and have to work outside my comfort zone. Can you approach big companies, get through the door, get to the right person and make a pitch? I hate it, the though of it makes me sick, but you gotta go do it. Hope that helps the member who asked me.

Did two proper wasp nests today. First ones of the year.

I was 100% on her side till she started mouthing off and began to sound like a leftard

Fanta limon tastes more lemony than Fanta lemon.

Fck me that hit hard, wouldn't want to be working in that engine room