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If you don't soak your line Vs once it's been in the water for a while it just seems to cast better, wrap better and sink better once it's wet. I saw those things at the Essex carp show, good idea but not for me at that price, they were pricey I thought. I did use some sweatbands for a while that I would soak but I left them in the car or somewhere once and didn't bother doing them again.

I also thought that although mono does absorb moisture if soaked, it dries out again and pretty well reverts back to it's original state. It definitely makes it easier to spool up and is worth doing. If you are going for the big chuck, it's probably worth pouring a bit of water over the spool or alternatively do a couple of test casts to get it properly wetted before going for the big one.

If it does, it will be negligible imo mate. A wetted (not soaked) line will cast further as there's less friction on the rings. I honestly have no idea if a soaked line would cast further.... the extra weight might offset the reduction in friction.🤷‍♂️

It is probably the biggest factor other than the rod (and technique) that will influence casting distance. Has a huge impact mate. You will, 100%.

Hi all, How much does line diameter affect casting distance? Is there any empirical evidence or tests that have been carried out? I was out a few weeks ago and found that I couldn't cast as far as I expected, but then when I checked my line, I found that I had 18lb (0.4) loaded on my spools. I think this was because I was struggling to get any 12lb (0.33)/15lb (0.37) Daiwa Sensor Brown line last year. I have a feeling that if I use 15lb or 12lb line, I should be able to cast significantly further.

I've bought myself one of the new Reel Rapz at the Big One. It seems like a great idea if it does what it says on the tin (makes monos much more supple and heavier), but there are a few questions I have that you outstanding gent might be able to help me with. Firstly, does soaking a line affect it's diameter or breaking strain in any way? Secondly, does a soaked line cast any further/differently to an unsoaked line? Looking at The Tackle Box line tests and the stated line strength, I'm guessing those are based on dry lines. Does anyone know if breaking strength has been compared when dry vs when soaked?

👏👏 congrats

As you say GP , wait a while before your next trip - Easter ? . I must admit my local lake is only producing the odd Carp , the fish seem to be having a bit of a lie in ! . 😃

Quick update on the pond/fish. The covers are back on temporarily as the trees are blossoming and there's petals everywhere. On a more positive note, water temps are around 10C now and the koi are eating every day. Water quality is looking good and the fish are looking absolutely fantastic. You'd never guess they've been overwintering. I've been busy this week installing a 3 x 3m square parasol that can be erected to cover half the pond. It sees a lot of sun so my thinking is that A) it should help a little to prohibit algae and blanket weed growth, and B) it'll give the fish some shade at the height of summer. I have some bacteria boosters ready to go in when temps are 12+ and the bulb in the UV filter is being replaced again this month. I have some blanket weed treatment ready to go in case I need it but thus far it's not required. The bio filter is topped up with media. Shed loads of food in the garage. Basically all is ready for growing season.

Years ago I used to take the water temperature in the winter virtually every time I went but with the warmer, wetter winters of the last 10 years, I got out of the habit. I was fishing a 4.5 acre lake in an enclosed wooded area which is about 6 foot deep. The water certainly felt warm enough but the weather was pretty non-descript and cold and I wasn't totally surprised to blank.

Well glass half full it sounds that you did nothing wrong , Golden Paws . On my local water I registered a water temperature of 11C ; I don't know what type of water you were fishing , G.P. ? .

New wands 😁

a mid double common to christen the new rods

Great result @commonly well done!

Probably not earth shattering news for most of us but it's worth spending 5 minutes on.

Two days after the full moon and moon set on Thursday was about 7:15 a.m. so according to the theory, it should have been a good time. I did my first 24 hours session of 2026 on Friday and started at 6:30 and within an hour saw 3 good shows close in and put a rod on it and the other 2 out tight to an island. I had 3 slight pulls within the first couple of hours on the close rod and that was as good as it got. The water has good night form but I didn't have one bleep or didn't hear one fish roll. I went in light with the bait, only about a dozen boilies and a small scoop of boilie crumb in the boat and poured some dip/oil over it so it was more smell than food. I also put on a small mesh bag of crumb on the hook and dipped that and the bait in the liquid before sending it out. I chatted to the bailiff earlier who confirmed it was hard going and I spoke to 2 blokes in the next swims up on the way out and they reported the same. The water didn't feel too cold for March as we have had a pretty wet and warm winter but I'll give it a bit longer before my next trip.

Only 75p a pack on Total Fishing Tackle, ordered 35 packs to get the free shipping. bet that don't have them. https://www.total-fishing-tackle.com/avid-armorok-chod-hooks-barbed

Have you seen the crimp-it or whatever it’s called. Same thing but not a toaster, could use it to prepare them before your session and then just pop it in a toaster device if you’re choosing to heat it up. Interesting to look at RM as a business. A redesign of a toaster device, simple and easy, has propelled them in to what they are now. Goes to show how something incredibly simple can lead a business to be extremely lucrative!

Sadly I have had to do a bit of an edit, so this thread doesn't read as well as I had to take out a few debatable posts. We can get back to specialised hookbaits, what makes them work? Is it the flavour combination, the attractor package, or additional ingredients, even the ph of the lake or in that area? We keep going round in circles, and its possible that glycerine is an attractor, or maybe the flavour itself, be it spicy or the base of a product. Vanillin, iso-eugenol, glycerine, black pepper oil, garlic oil, bromelain or n-butyric acid all have their place, maybe even lemon juice or citric acid or flavours containing terpenes

Still great for fried eggs lol

I had one of them! Back before RM was invented 😅

No offense mate at all... its just me having a pop at the bait company for using the SAS name... i'm getting on so a bit of a moaner lol!

Here's ya secret to the BEST pop ups in the WORLD, that i discovered recently from talking to a secret blackhat Carp fisherman on a HUGE 200 acre Gravel Pit lol! 1 egg mix: For best results NO Cheating! for 2 weeks coat ya cork balls in egg white only! add the following to ya 1 egg mix: : Thaumatin - Citric acid - Butterfat store in the fridge for exactly 27 hrs! now take ya liquid and mix ya paste, now store in fridge for 7 days, then coat ya cork balls & make popups, back in fridge for 7 days... ...now finally remove the baits and coat 'em in pure Citric acid, boil for exactly 69 seconds, dry for exactly 29 hrs, now the BIG SECRET...*microbial inhibition! BUT sorry i can NOT tell ya *that cos then YOU will discover how the carp can detect ya pop-ups from 1.2 miles away!

We have a breville from 91 when we got married lol still gets used.

I think you could do some good stuff with those crimped edges, put a tomato in it and you could use it as a hot water bottle, because it would be too hot to eat for 6 hours like the old brevilles.