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One of the biggest mistakes you can make is choose a swim before arriving IMO.

if there is no swim bookings this cant happen

I agree. What you want on any lake is a bunch of members that will treat the water, its inhabitants, and the other members, with respect. You cannot achieve that by setting silly rules. It's counter productive. An idiot will still be an idiot regardless of any rules in place. You need to ban the idiots so the good guys can get on with their angling in a pleasant environment, using whatever gear/tactics/baits they want, sensibly and safely. These stupid rules solve nothing.... bans on moving swims, using braid, using retainers, nuts, maggots, floaters....... the list goes on...... but you still have a lake surrounded by idiots that will misuse some other tactic or piece of kit. To fix the root cause you have to get rid of the idiots.

I'd love a couple of 6's, 9's, 10,s and maybe 13's coz they all have a place. I used my 12's for stalking and didn't really struggle or think at the time if only they were shorter, I had never seen anyone using shorter rods back then. I have however since seen situations where the 6's or 9's were needed in at least 3lb or higher TC for stalking out of trees and such like and wish I had some. My mate stalked a 66lb mirror from under a tree on hols and to say a shorter rod would have come in handy is an understatement, what a struggle, we asked everywhere for a 9ft rod and no joy. Theres deffo a market for shorter rod sets, but I'd question anyone buying them as a fashion or thinking they are the normal all rounder.

My 12.6 Torrix TE's are players rods and they can cast long and accurate that's for sure. Does 12.6 ft make any detrimental effect on playing and netting fish NO imo. On weedy waters (nearly all waters I fish) the 12ft or more length helps extract them from the weed beds. I want short stalking rods just for under trees where you cant lift the rod upright coz it's too long. I dont understand why you think a shorter rod casts more accurately, I'd argue the opposite is true

I refer the honourable gentleman to the reply I gave some time ago or I'll move round to where the fish are... except cast where the overhanging tree canopy dictates otherwise😋 one thing I have learned over the years.... there are precious few absolutes in fishing... not being contentious... just a few thoughts

Terry is the casting world record holder! I'm pretty sure Usain Bolt can run fast in steel toe caps but that doesn't mean steel toe caps are good for running. If the carp are 100 yards away it's not good enough for any folks! Just my opinion you understand buddy.... a 12 footer can do everything a 10 footer can but that doesn't work the other way round.

Add some marmite and premier baits fish goo to the belechan and you've got a flier mate. Put the marmite in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it goes from a goo to a liquid, makes measuring it out easier. Also measure out your oil first (assuming you're using some, will help you rolling as the belechan can make the mix very sticky) then once oil is measured put the marmite and goo into the same measuring pot as it slides out easier with the pot having the oil in it first. Add this to the eggs and belechan in the blender and blitz. Yes its messy, yes it stinks but the fish love it. Been using that recipe for years now, me and my mates have rinced lakes with it. You'll also find a very similar recipe in Mike Wilmots first book. He rates it massively.

@smufter out of interest what happens if you want to stay longer than booked but someone else has booked your swim and the carp are in your area ? p.s nothing personal against you just that your chosen water uses the system .

Casting distances, yes... but accuracy? I'd argue the point. And as for playing.... again I'd argue that point. My current 11 footers, (FreeSpirit TS's) and my previous Chub Outkast Smallwaters are/were brilliant "players" rods. And the little shorter length helps with netting fish, which surely is all part of playing???

I'd rather fish somewhere that doesn't have the membership numbers to mean every swim would be taken, but that's just me.

I'm considering buying a couple of short rods but for stalking ONLY. I'd never use those for my general fishing IMO 12 to 13ft rods are better for casting, playing and getting them out of weedbeds. One member on my previous syndicate bought the Scopes for fashion purposes only. He said to me he massively regretted it because he was hopelessly under gunned for the water and he lost fish because of them, weeded up - no backbone no length.

I've been guilty of making this mistake,a very silly one to make also what if you find fish in an unfancied unloved area you prebait create a great situation then you have to then book it and give the game away,

ive got 12ft6 torrix and they can cast a very long distance and playing fish on them is a dream waters I fish are pressured so need the distance to reach the fish if I fished over grown swims where I needed the smaller rods id have to buy some but atm I don't

have to disagree partially with that Yonny... Terry Edmonds (I think it was he) got 170 yards with a 9' Dwarf 3lb rod.... and to be honest there's very few anglers who can hit that with a 12 footer, and of course you are right about fashion. (I bought mine because.... A, I fish small waters... & B, they fit in the boot of my car without lowering the back seats... and C, the wife bought me them as a prezzy for looking after her when she broke her pelvis... I think the biggest chuck I've had since I got them is just under 90 yards... more than enough for most folks in response to the original Poster, the old adage "if it ain't broke don't fix it comes into play"... why change your rods if you are comfortable with them... they'll still land what you hook...👍😎

No I haven't used molasses. Stick with that recipe and you'll be just fine. Well you might need spare batteries for your alarms Haha

Swim booking isn't a rule I would enjoy I bet the bailiffs mates always get the best pegs saved first as well, or If someone enquired about one they would get a text first before finding out if it was available

I think that depends on the substrate. On a clean deck with no weed between you and the spot I would agree, but I've not fished a spot like that in at least 10 years. Normally I'm dealing with heavy weed beds which can influence bobbin position i.e. line can get hung up or hooked round fronds of weed as the line moves with the fish causing the liners, even with very tight lines. As long as the line stays in the clip, I'm happy. Absolutely agree mate, it's a fact we're getting done a lot of the time, therefore we need to use resetting rigs - hinges, ronnies, that kind of thing - to avoid constant recasting.

wow says more about society than rules ! So even with rules in place this still happens instant BAN imo . You'll always get idiots unfortunately carp fishing seems to attract its fair share.

I apologise, I didn't see the striking bit. I agree and I never recast liners but if the bobbin moves up without returning to its original position or drops down then odds are you've been done and the lead has moved. After watching underwater footage of fish picking rigs up and leaving them in a way that they aren't effective and without a single indication at the rod end has left me paranoid. as for the "kiss of death" on recasts over feeding fish then that's something you'd have to weigh up the pros and cons, The places ive fished it doesn't seem to bother them.

Having to book swims and not being allowed to move is CRAZY !! I wonder what the reasoning behind this rule is @smufter

Finding the opportunity to do a nighter we took to our club waters, pondering about which lake to go to, one lake stood out above the others with no opportunity to prebait and only 18hrs we chose it was the wheal rashleigh. Following our last nighter on a hard lake, around 20 acres with a low stock and depths to 70ft, we decided to go to one of the clubs 'easier' lakes. with fish to 25lb+ and a slightly bigger stock and a slightly smaller lake, we took to the lake with a van full of gear and on arrival it was clear which spot to fish, a double swim with fish leaping around it- the only downside was the trek- we did not have the barrow. We foolishly thought we would be at a 'car park swim'. What a mistake. After 4 trips between us we managed to trapse our gear up the path and down the steps to the swim. I would be fishing on the right hand side, fishing my two rods to the far margin. After casting a PVA bag of 2mm pellets out on one rod and a sringer of 20mm boilies on the other rod I commenced with setting up my brolly. Once the brolly was setup and my gear was organised, I took to the chair and decided to watch for any signs of activity, annoyingly the only activity that could be seen was a carp repetitively mocking us by jumping out of the water at an unfishable area every ten minutes. Leaving the rods out for an hour it was clear that I was not using the right tactics, winding in both I took a gamble, putting both of my rods on a red dynamite baits wafter with 30-40 boilies pulted loosely around the spot. Another hour passed as biting time drew nearer, I slackened my line off on my rods as I had been fishing tight lines; there was an almost instant postitive reaction as my bobbin dropped and came back up, I instantly struck, but the fish had run into the middle of the lake and lost the hook. I had, almost instantly another repeat of this and as light drew to a close I put out quarter of a kilo spread around my bait. sleeping through the night without a run (but loads of single beeps apparently- I was fast asleep) I was woken up at first light to a run, reeling this in it was clear it was not big but it was a fighter, struggling to keep this away from my other rod I managed to get it within a few foot of the bank only to have the hook pull. The landing net was to stay dry for the moment. Recasting and baiting with 10 freebies I dosed off for an hour, only to be waken up to a ferocious run, dragging the rig along the lake , as i started beggining the fight it was clear that it was bigger than the last, not too big but still a fighter. Reaching the net under the fish it was clear that this was a beautiful carp, a lovely dark mirror, a long and pristine fish was put onto the mat and transferred to the sling to reach a 13lb 14oz. Not a huge fish but a fighter and a good looking natural carp. It was clear that biting time was over in the morning as we started our tedious trips back to the car, sitting there with just a net, a mat, a sling, scales and the rods out, I wound in my first rod to find a stick snagged on it- no wonder that bite alarm had no action. As i put that rod back in the bag, my other rod screamed off at a rate of knots, taking the lead miles away from the peg, I struck- it felt unusual, like nothing I have ever had before, I thought that it was just a small carp with loads of energy - Or the dreaded bream- but it felt better then a bream. Popping it into the net, it was my first ever tench, coming out at 5lb on the dot. Well I was the only one to have any action, and I landed two of the three fish so it was a succesfull session and with one of the best looking fish I have caught so far. It was time to go as we said our goodbyes to the lake and drove home to breakfast and warm shower as we discussed about our next session...

If you're not connecting then yes, wait; see if you can figure out what's doing it. You need to recast, how else would you know you're presented?

That is an issue with technique mate. It is not possible to cast further with a 10 than it is a 12 ft rod bud. The blank simply cannot be compressed with the same load.

Go for it mate. I went last night. Got down there about 9pm. Couple of the regulars were just leaving looking burnt and they blanked. I stayed till 12,30 am and had 2 . In this weather the 1st couple of hours of darkness always produces for me. Ain't like I can sleep in this weather anyway so would of just been indoors all hot and bothered.

The only time I've seen our Bailiff fish was in France a couple of weeks ago mate. Look at it from another angle. Say you had booked your "favourite" swim to then turn up and see that somebody else has been in there 10 minutes before you, filling it in???

On the lake I fish, you have to book a swim in advance. It's not a massive water, only 8 swims in total, and I tend to alternate between my two favourites, depending on the time of year. There's no stalking, and officially you are not supposed to move swims once there, but the lake is fairly quiet mid-week (when I fish) so if another swim is free you are able to move in, you just need to clear it with the bailiff. It also has a tubing rule. I'd much rather fish without it, but dem's the rules. Our fish are absolutely pristine. I fished a lake the other week. It's a membership water. No hard and fast rules. Caught 6, but they were in a terrible state. Deformed mouths, some of the worst I have seen. I'd rather stick it out and blank on my lake than pull 6 of those poor things out every visit.