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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 👍

£45 Jakes Rakes

Recommend me a sensibly priced carp cradle ( metal framed one ) Ideally packs away flat and isn’t huge in size ! I have the Avid Compact Cradle Mat and it’s nice but packs away a bit bulky. Thinking of a frame style with legs but I’m confused on what size to get ( UK waters only ) Ideally less than £100 !

2 new 20l Jerry cans new set of scupper valves new fuel filter new electric pump tube of mastic to reseal fuel tank don’t buy a boat lol broke down last weekend was going on a double figure smoothound hunt..

Yes margins mainly start at at least 3-4ft depth

Looks like a good margin stalking water to me, has it got some depth in the edges?

I have taken on board all the helpful comments on here, i will say last session there was a peg i really wanted to fish, i knew i could place both baits on clear spots, but wife said it would be cold as its in shade! I will knock up some Ronnie rigs and see how i get on next time out, might take the boat and put a bit of bait over each rod also take more time to try and find some clear spots

I've just had to top mine up, squid, blueys, soft shell crab and black lug. I'm happy with shelf life boilies in my chosen food bait now. For years it had to be freezer baits, but after catching as many on decent shelfies, I was happy to switch. As for sea fishing, I do catch a fair few fish on squid and bluey or squid and crab. The thornbacks do like them!

Little bits and pieces to restock at the end of the session, rig rings, swivels, hookstops, and bait for sea fishing, squid, blueys, black lug and soft shell crab, soon made light work of £45

Double old skool 2+1 on deep slate , opencast mine

Pin on the pod..

Got the same one, a mate recommended it thankfully, can see it being well used come summer 👍

I got the 12incher,it's great for 'disturbing ' the margins and putting a bait on it Good choice ,and company