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First year on the syndi complex I did a night on the medium sized lake after being chucked off the big lake due to spawning. This turned my head big time. After a couple of sessions I found what I believe to be the main holding snag within a bay. With the lake quiet I took the entrance to the bay fishing directly at the snag locked up as it's the best option. The spot did 3 bites that day and I was made up thinking I'm gonna catch them all over time here. Next trip I'm obviously keen as mustard, arrived early to get the swim and quickly got a rod on the spot, I have another fish quick time - happy days! Mid morning a guy plots up within the bay itself, he sees I'm there but doesnt come and speak to me, we're 40 yards apart as the crow flies. Now he's casting near my line that's accross the bay. I'm fuming now, loads of swims available and his is a poor poor choice, you'd never choose it EVER imo obvs. I have to reel in and can't get it back out coz I'm cutting accross the bay and dont really want him seeing me recast and give the spot away. This happened again the following week and the next, so I move on, spot can't be fished from the side pegs safely. Now we talk about etiquette being lost but these are old boys they fish the same peg every week regardless. I honestly get much more respect/consideration from the young super keen lads than the oldies, they get it. Maybe I should have just shouted accross or gone round and asked him to move, I really dont know but the situation angling wise is the most frustrating I have ever experienced? What would others have done?

I have been seen up to my chest in the lake raking a swim to make it fishable, plain ordinary garden rake. I think we all go through 'the struggles' at times. I had a bad year on Nazeing on the Lagoons; I couldn't get onto fish with people in the swims as I was arriving late after work and there were full-time anglers on there as well. It made me more determined to catch. If I had not gotten a job locally I might well have stayed on there rather than fish Alton Water, but travel time put it into touch. Not nice finishing work at 11pm and then having a 2hour drive before setting up. I even struggled on this syndicate first year, not really getting a feel for the water, but I think that was the numbers of fish, or lack of, in 45acres. A 45minute drive is bearable, but it does mean that I can't spend time or a day watching and looking for fish. I even struggle doing a day's pike fishing as really hurt getting up at 6am and taking Sky for a walk before fishing. At least now I can spend a few days at the lake, and watch and walk Sky. I do tend to fish one rod over a bed of particles, one just off them and the third at another feature. Saying that, last year I did fish one on hemp around 10metres out, and the other two were on the edge of the weed where I was convinced that I had seen fish. All 3 rods produced! I've also caught fish within an hour of Spombing in a bucket of bird food, or a day later when they move in. We can be trying to compete with a lot of natural food, yet boilie only or over particles both produce at times.

For time being i am gonna stick to margins or back bay, the bay is shaded a lot so the weed dont make a lot of progress in there, may get a rake to clear some close in spots

Can you Rake it to make a clear spot nice little sea lead can make a dent in the weed enough to present 👍

I don't know you obviously mate, In the past I have seen so many breakups with families because of the carp obsession, not worth it all, family more important than posing with a water pig in your arms, without a dought

He's certainly not my cup of tea either. As you say, to loud for me and in your face. Missing a parents birthday isn't good either. That said, when I was on on a mission, in total I've missed 3 of my mates weddings, the odd Christmas and new year celebrations and my niece's birthday most years as it's at the end of September when I always have the week off. She understands 🤣, though my sister doesn't.

When I was fishing Nazeing Meads and Bromeswell I landed a 10lb carp from Bromeswell, and was chuffed to bits so photographed it. The same week I landed a 10lb mirror from Nazeing and slipped it back unphotographed, disappointed. I did lose a fish 2weeks ago myself, the week my phone crashed, but got it right last week. I hope this week goes smoothly and the fish are over the bait I keep putting in.

I must admit that Ali Hamidi went down in my eyes when he wrote an article about extending a fishing session rather than go to a family function, a parents birthday. I also dislike his 'loudness' on camera and I did find him a difficult watch, and his attitude with Korda. OMC seemed to have missed the market with silly prices, although the 'Ali followers' will buy it. As, despite not watching it, the Dragons would say, I'm out.

Managed to get over to the syndi this week. Tough going but I managed to get on them eventually. Spotted 3 of the bigguns so was pretty excited. Had to wait until an hour before home to get the bite..... a little fully about 10 lb 🤣. Chucked it back without a pic. Just on pack up I got another take.... lost it in the weed🤦‍♂️. Such is life. Roll on next month for more punishment.

Sadly whatever Ali does now will be tainted by the infamous 'twig' thing! I acually liked the first few series of Monster Carp he was in, but I suspect as ever Social Media has turned him into some sort of monster, and with new business venture obviously needs to get all interest and purchasing he can. As for the boilies, I won't be interested at all, in fact recently gone over to method feeders again and happy to do it with the lakes I now fish.

I'd like a mat that's also a sling and can carry rods and net inside for stalking, trouble is this then doesn't have sides like a cradle. I don't want yet another mat, but one doesn't seem to do everything 🤷‍♂️

Sounds like margins are gonna be the best bet, and the back bay as the canadian is making main body of lake darn near impossible unless you have a fancy winch camera to visibly find that little clear patch

Found this one from 2023. With the tips up, it looks like I was fishing over a bank of weed. The water tower in the background is the last remains from a WW2 prisoner of war camp.

I must admit I really don't like metal framed cradles, fish thrash and damage themselves, or thrash and get dropped onto metal. I have 2 unhooking mats, a big Rod Hutchinson Cabrio Unhooking Mat, and a Chub Xtra Protection Mat. I do struggle with a mat with deep sides due to a screwed back, lifting a fish can be painful, and having to bend over a walled cradle is a killer, so the majority of the time I use the Chub Mat. If I need to use the barrow to transport my gear I take the Cabrio mat as it makes a really handy barrow bag. The Chub mat folds in half and stores my pod bag and centre bar, my weigh sling and sack, and a spare pair of storm poles which double as distance sticks and camera phone mount.

Fox Easy Mat or the NGT copy

I do frequently even in shallow margins. I've seen fish in the margins on my syndicate with their backs out of the water feeding. Bruce lowered a bait on a fishes nose in around 60centimetres. Two hours later he caught his first syndicate fish, followed by another that night.

Sorry but I've disliked these raised-frame ones from the beginning, seem dangerous, stuff stabbing through from underneath or just the fish flipping out your hands and missing the thing or bashing itself on the frame. I ordered an Avid mat with sides but was out of stock so they sent me a Tracker one instead, it is bulky packed down to be honest but great for the fish. Might look for something smaller packed down - suggestions anyone?

I was gonna buy the spring one that pops off snags, but as this gives anyway it seemed sound 👍

If it ain't broke, just save space somewhere else, my mat is pretty massive but tbh I quite like having a big mat as I know it protects the fish I occasionally catch lol.

Yeah I’m thinking my Avid Compact cradle mat is better

A lot of places are now banning these type of cradles due to fish being damaged by them. Just a heads up as in all honestly there’s some great packaway mats out there now, sonik just released a zip up one.

Found this on YouTube a while back. Hmmm, not sure I am really that impressed, the guy doesn't really explain it to well, however that speaker on the front does seem like an invitation for water ingress. Also the underlit rollers not for me. I prefer the led on my older alarms. Think I will be saying 'I'm out' for this new one tbh.

One good thing about these jake rakes is that if you get snagged badly, the prongs are made to 'give ' a little ,so it's easier to get back ,and the prongs can be bent back into position easily .. It's part of the design..I use mine fair bit

Went to my local days only park lake and started at 4:30 and had 5 doubles to 18-8 by 10 O' Clock and packed up in time for tea at home. I boated out a fair bit of spod mix to the far bank trees to keep the bites coming.

I'd be targetting real close in that case 👍