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I agree totally, blanking but learning is progress, knowing what you did wrong is as important as getting it right I guess - the bigger picture of understanding. I think the pressure of catching spoils it for many or they allow it to, but I'm doing this for me no one else, so I set the bar!

Hi I'm knuckles and have been carp fishing for over 40 years and love it.

I have just bought a boatman cl4 carbon with sonar and GPS, but there was no instructions with it, as anyone got a manual that could please send me some screenshots it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I can relate to this massively. It was an 80 acre nature reserve with a very low stock that did it for me. I was nowhere near ready for it and blanked for a whole season before catching one right at the end (to this day one of the best I've ever caught). What a learning curve it was. The buzz from catching that carp set me on a path that I could never go back from. There are very few blanks that wind me up. As long as I learn something (i.e. literally anything) about the lake or its inhabitants on a blank, I'm not bothered. Every now I'll have a blank session where nothing is learned and that's the only time I'll be a little peeved. Best thing for that is get back down there and bag one!

I have just bought the cl4 carbon bait boat but there was no instructions with it, can someone please send me some pictures of the manual it would be greatly appreciated, thankyou.

That's my point, when it comes right it does mean so much. The common went in in 2018 at 18lb, it's now over 30lb, the linear was a 2020 stocking that was double figures. Last season I did have a very good year, although a 6 fish session really made my season

I'm like Ian in this respect, if it's easy what's the point? Blanking is a natural part of the process and even if I were top rod on the venue there would still be lots of blanks going on. The only people bothered by me blanking are friends and family who think it matters, I'm perfectly happy learning in my own time and enjoying the experience. Looking back now I'd have hated to catch my target early, almost a fluke, not understanding what it means to be so fortunate - if and when my time comes it will mean more to me than 10,000 fish from easy waters. Back in my 20s we fished a fairly large water, choked with weed and only 37 Leneys stocked in the 70s, we blanked for over a year but loved the lake, learning and social elements. It took away any pressure to catch coz everyone knew the size of the challenge, we didn't really think about that or understand what we'd signed up to - we just enjoyed it. We didn't know how lucky we were looking back was a great early experience that I still draw on now.

See I don't get this. I tend to fish harder lakes with very limited time so blanking is part of the furniture. Sure it can be frustrating, but it doesn't break me and I never question my tactics (unless I see something that tells my I'm using the wrong tactics which in itself I would consider to be a result.... critical info learned innit). Ultimately, I'm not going to get the buzz I seek from easy, heavily stocked waters. If that means I have to go for longer periods without catching then so be it. I'd rather spend my one night a month doing everything in my power to find and catch something special than queuing up on a day ticket to catch a fish that comes out once a week. Again - I don't get this. In years gone I've retreated to easier waters when it looks like a blank year is on the cards but the result is always the same - catch a few doubles or twenties that mean very little to me..... feel like I've wasted precious time that could've been spent chasing the proper ones...... go back to the hard lake and stay there until I've achieved what I wanted to achieve. Basically a pointless exercise. Of course it's all personal choice but for me: the harder the task, the bigger the buzz when it's job done. That's in all walks of life imo - not just fishing.

I'm still amazed that this trend has taken off. Don't get me wrong, I've no problem with high TC rods, but for me they exist to hit distance, and for that you need length too. If you don't need to hit distance then I cannot see why anyone would choose a higher TC. It's a compromise for casting because you don't have the length, and a compromise for playing fish because the TC is too high..... worst of both worlds!

Hard lakes break your goolies mentally yes you question everything you do including even being there at all just remember to smell the flowers and enjoy the camping side which is very good for you as for gear well just enjoy the process and let things happen, if you want something posh use Klarna, Clearpay, PayPal pay in 3 etc but don’t go too mad and keep using all that for endless bundles of little things or it can bite we all have our own style or develop it, I don’t care much about test curves I just want enjoyable actions and happened to find that in and end up with nice (very old) Harrison’s which I rebuilt myself

As I said elsewhere I believe the main problem is short high test curve rods.. too much torque.. but also low stretch lines, and simply playing fish too hard, not letting them run carp should always be played calmly and gently and tricks used to stop them running for snags other than slamming the brakes on

The funny thing is that the lake I'm on gives so many difficulties; 185 carp in 45acres, with loads of natural food, so not overstocked. It is very weedy, and has plenty of birdlife, which the swans can be a right pain as it is not particularly deep. The carp aren't spread equally, the water can be devoid of fish in certain areas, and they don't show regularly. It has a pretty much East to West orientation and the east end is the shallowest, so a westerly wind doesn't push them all the way. Then we have the syndicate, I can be the only person on there for a whole week, and see absolutely nobody. I walk Sky round almost every day I am there, as it's a 2mile circuit, a slow walk so I can watch the water and look for fish. Then we have bait, the fish don't need it, but you might need to bait heavily to compete with naturals, or the hi-viz attractor bait. BUT, don't bait up on them as they are wary and will move away. I should say that this is the hardest lake I have ever fished, but you know when it comes right.

Fair play Im not really into bait making I just get excited by ideas sometime carp adore dog biscuits so there must be something in their makeup which switches them on they are high tech and very scientific serious money and research goes into petfood, I think you dumb them down a little more than what they are really about/deserve.. closely guarded secrets and good stuff.. subtle feeding triggers which are needed to get fussy or I’ll pets to eat properly carbs.. well some old fishing gurus reckon some lakes are carb deficient and high carb baits can score Its not my area The rods are out and I sadly spooked a big fish when I cast out I had no idea he was there but I have the whole night and am sitting up through all of it

My new Rod Hutchinson Sceptre 10ft 3.5lb rods arrived today lovely looking bit of kit but maybe a bit to stiff for my fishing needs, would of been better if they did them in 10ft 3lb option, will just have to see how i get on with them, google image as i have put them away

I just bought some of the latest small Abu cardinals to see what they are like loaded up with braid for chucking lures after the bass of the back of the boat. for 20£ each can’t complain if they are plastic then at least they can’t rust lol Dam rod the kids are currently chucking the older version of this around the rod is fully orange that were bought from AD and they get sling in the bilge when we leave the boat. the only problem so far on one reel the handle rusted so didn’t spin properly wd40 sorted that out

My latest rooblinos arrived today it's a 2000 sized reel that I bought to go on my old browning match rod, cos t me a small fortune £7 smooth as anything though lovely little reel.

Was a time when you could get lower poundage rods, now 3lb seems the minimum and to be honest for a lot of waters it just isn't needed... My 9' Dwarfs are 2.75lb through action, lovely playing rods for small waters, and I think they are a bit heavy... But the "Stars" as you rightly say advocate heavy rods to cast big weights a long way... for goodness sake a 3.75lb rod (4lb Kaizens... really...????) They are beachcasters or light spod rods fer crying out loud... these rods have no business on a carp pool in the UK... and I don't care what others think, these rods in the wrong hands are prime suspects in mouth damage...

old school Pay the lake … 👍👍

The problem is the “distributors” (I use that word as most are made by someone else anyway) are telling us that’s what we need so the lower test curve rods are just not available anymore because the “celebs/stars” are using heavy rods whether that be 6 footers 10 footers or 13 footers. I don’t have a problem with higher tc rods per se but the action isn’t kind on them as most are fast to enable distance casting. Couple that with the modern reels that the clutch is either tight or loose because everyone of the “stars/celebs” and their dog are using quick clutch reels.

There are plenty of hard baits that don't use eggs as a binder, and there is a very simple basic addition that is used in many pellet manufacturing processes, and has been known for years, gelatine. There is a big point being missed, although @nutty squid and @hutch did mention it. Dry dog foods contain less protein than wet dog foods, typically around 18% compared to 30% +, and animal protein is better able to be utilised for growth than vegetable proteins, due to the amino acids. Not every essential amino acid is available in vegetable protein, leading to a shortfall of growth rate. Have a high protein rate of vegetable ingredients with limited amino acids and the bait may be totally wasted. If you are blitzing an already 'low' protein content to add other ingredients you are lowering the protein content even more. Dry dog foods are already a mix of grain, rice and beet pulp, then processed meat, or fish. That processing takes the protein content from 65% down to 20's, then add the binders and ingredients you are around 18%. Adding extra semolina and other wheat products and it could drop to a couple of percent. If it doesn't give off 'eat me' signals, not enough valid food attraction and is basically just a ball of carbohydrates it may need extra attractors, be that a flavour or the soaking in of hydrolysates. Carbohydrates are of limited use to carp, their natural food contains very little. The main foods are just protein and fat, and the main protein source is animal, presuming snails, bloodworm, flies and mussels are animal, although they will eat some weed. The baits I made using a dash of garlic oil, liquidised mackeral, herring and chapatti flour were rock hard, with no eggs. The chapatti flour was a maize and wheat flour mix. Boiling time 1minute and 30seconds, and a 24hour drying time. The other thing is mixing, mix ingredients together properly, it can take a while for dry ingredients to take on liquids. Gradually add powder to the mix, not add liquid to the powder, keep working it until it is only just too wet to roll and then allow to stand for probably 5minutes, then roll into sausages. Through a bait gun gives a totally different texture to a rolling table!

Your right to a degree, some baits are probably to high in protien, although there isnt massive amounts of information out there regarding carp and protein utilisation its more widely known tha the magic number is around 38% protein in a bait/mix other ings are more functional eg.. binding, texture etc.., the dark rabbit hole is the conception that because an ingredient is high in protien that protien's AA make up may well not be suitable for a bait.

Its not going to be the best carp nutition, although quinoa is very high in protein I did say I was maybe using it very sparingly indeed mate - like a third of a kilo over 72-96 hours sparingly If I use it which is a doubt I don't know much about carp nutrition mate, but do know that a lot of pritein in baits is wasted on them and posh HP baits are too rich and overrated (no I don't mean brown sauce : )

Im interested in what you think your providing Mr Carp nutritionally with something like the above, part of making your own for me is not always about cost but providing a good nutritional bait that can be utlised by the fish, the above is very carb heavy and seeing as Mr Carp has limited ability biologically to break down or utilise carbs to any great effect unless i have missed something

Thanks for reply

One of my pet peeves is anglers using rods far too heavy for a water... I was on a small clubbie a wee while ago, and a lad was using a pair of 3.5lb rods and big pit reels on a small water with fish of less than 30lbs... probably using 15-18lb line where you can quite happily land a 20 on a light 1.5lb/1.75lb rod and 8-10lb line... balanced tackle is far better than overgunned rods... I appreciate that it may have been that he can only afford one set of rods, but I think a chunk of the blame has to be laid at the feet of the media for advocating heavy gear on their videos, and not making a point in telling folks the heavy gear isn't required for a large majority of UK carping. Unforgiving, heavy poundage rods are just not required and in the hands of the inexperienced can and will cause mouth damage, especially in conjunction with a tight clutch...