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Well after 2 winters talking about zander fishing on Rutland we finally did it with just a week to go before close season. It was a very calm day which was good as it was my first time in a boat over very deep water, but you soon forget any nerves once the rods are out. For the first few hours we tried the vertical jigs, but with almost no drift it seemed a dead loss and I started feeling the cold and a bit like captain noddy! Late morning we travelled round a corner to a slight bay and tried the pike lures and vertical jigs again, no joy. We ate lunch then had another go before heading back to the initial area for the final couple of hours. This next go over the central ground was different as we had a light breeze and slight tow and straight away you knew that you had better presentation. On our 2nd drift I got a bang on the vertical jig whilst looking the other way, I couldn't believe it, then another bang so I hit it and slowly pulled it up, felt like a pike or decent zander and I was made up when a 5-6lb Zed hit the surface - that's a first for me! On the next drift my mate had a bang on his sleeper rod, then another and he lifted into another Zed, this one went 7 1/2 and was a PB - so a great day overall, brilliant to catch on a method you've not done before - can't wait to go again next year.

I was sorting a cupboard out and found some old pics. One made me chuckle as if I'd not had the picture no one would believe it. It's not super imposed as one mate reckoned. The pigeon was a racing pigeon that landed in front of my mates bivvy and was obviously very tame. My mate took it home in the end and it flew off the next day. Anyone else got pics of things you didn't expect to see on the bank?

I once saw a mole swim which I thought was strange. I was searching for carp with my mate and we came into this swim and this little creature had just left the margin. We couldn't work out what it was at first but those massive claws gave it away. It swam right out into the middle of the pit and gulls started dive bombing it so it came back. I actually called the mrs there and then (she's got a masters in zoology) to make sure I wasn't going mental. She told me that all mammals can swim which was news to me. Either way, there is something about a mole swimming that still makes me chuckle to this day.

Makes you wonder how it can be that cheap when all the top brands are twice that. Either the top brands are ripping people off or the quality of this one isn't as good. I don't use a bait boat and never would but I know people who do and it comes back to the same old thing, buy cheap buy twice.

Not for me , but I'm sure they will sell well , RM have a good following and a lot of pot noodles want the latest most expensive gear .

Get it from the supermarkets

I haven't mentioned this to anyone before as they would think I was mad but I heard a splash in the margins and saw a squirrel swim on his back across the river and climbed up a tree on the far bank!

It was hilarious. I've got more pics of it some where. I'll try and dig them out.

Three times the weight of its competitors. It's a NO from me.

Anyone got any reviews on freshwater shrimp by trent baitsI am torn between a few companiesTrent baits freshwater shrimpAbs hydra kRolling baits game boilie

Hi guys I’m making some fish meal boilies and I was also wanting to make some matching cork ball pop ups with the base mix, what I wasn’t sure about is if I have to add anything to the mix for the pop ups or I can just use it as it is. Here’s the base mix that I’m using... 20% predigested fishmeal 30% white fishmeal 30% soy flour 20% semolina salmon oil liquid egg

Yep.

Anyone go this weekend...? a few of the big names were conspicuous by their absence this year.... Trakker, Mainline, Greys, to name a few.... still the show was heaving when I got there at 10.30 this morning... Bought a boilie chopper from NGT for a tenner, one of their Tackle Banks for a fiver and some Rubber/Plastic baits from the Gunki stand for my drop-shotting... Laughed my socks off at the barefaced front of RidgeMonkey's £1000, £1250, and £1500 bivvies.... utter joke...! Tons of Pop-up bait companies, and by that I mean "here today, gone tomorrow" types... a few names, faces, & mates.... Had a natter, had a wander around, had me foot run over by a lass with a pram (why...?) had a right laugh at some of the prices for old tat and slobbered over the new Sonik Xtactors... an okay way to spend a Sunday morning, specially as the wife dropped me off and picked me up afterwards (I only live 8 miles away from the place) Home for a nice cuppa decent tea that didn't cost nigh on £2 (rip off)... always moan about it, but go every year... Ho Hum....

Nearly spat my Tea out when you compared a toastie importer with Apple LOL

I use one that’s got nothing going for it but it works well closed texture,smooth,bland colour can’t even air dry it... but stinks lol

FYI - the egg albumin goes into your mix at 10%. A handy tip, stolen from a very well respected cork ball pop up makers guide on another forum: Soak the cork balls in egg white. Not yolk (the white is the gluey bit). Allow them to go dark, soak the egg white for at least twelve hours in the fridge. Do not swim them in egg white, just a light coating. You want them damp, but not soaked in egg white, so do not flood them. When they are damp, sprinkle egg albumen over them in a bowl, until they all have a light covering. Stir them around with a spoon. The cork balls will end up with a glaze of egg albumen, and egg white. When you put your paste around the cork ball, the moisture from your paste, will reactivate your glue. The paste will be welded to the cork ball. You will find, that you pick it off in little bits, instead of it just falling off when they are cooked. It also helps with mixes that are hard to roll in a cork ball form.

I keep looking at the salopettes but keep walking away until my trakker ones fall to bits I’m going to hold off.the only thing that stops me is mine are waterproof as well as warm mine are part of a set I think it’s the F32 but I have had them years so it could be another model it has the yellow trakker writing on them rather than the new logo

What’s the general make up of it yonny is it a soft bait,hard,bitty etc

Oztent.

Lightweight alternative 😁

They don't work either... my good lady snores fit to bust and we bought a memory foam pillow with an identical profile.... save your money

Ok thanks mate il have a look for some.👍

I did just make it up but it would've made excellent viewing 😁

Thankfully bait boats are banned on most of my waters .

Hardly compact either Yonnie... it also slopes down at the back meaning you've as much room as an ordinary brolly at the back... & the one man is bigger than my 2 man JRC STi with the extended porch on it... it's mahoosive and a mickey take with the price

Didn't even spot that 28kgs for smallest one plus accessories wow that's gonna hurt someone that's a proper lump Needs a power porter to carry it 😳

The one man compact version is 30kg with all the extras. Absolutely ridiculous😂

Fishing a megga weedy water this coming season...and reviews on gardner tackles hydro tuff ??

It's absolutely brilliant👍

You need to add egg albumin buddy, it's essential. It toughens the mix up. Without it they don't last long at all before the mix wants to come away from the cork.

No comment lol.

For £870 and the spec id say good value their, assuming it all works well consistently and the price doesnt slowly creep up .

Thanks I am OK for one tbh, we can't even agree on deeper usage and whether that is cheating and you cast that , I think bait boats with sonar may cause a riot 😱😱😵

I use Hydro Tuff , Cpt. , and so far I am happy with it . Have you decided to use HT after finding your answer ? . 😄

Never used it but trents always get good feedback

Seems some companies are just pushing the boundaries it will be interesting to see how they sell and what the competition do . Price seems extreme but when you've got people paying £1000 a year for one water and turning up in vans that they only use for fishing , may be it isn't. I'm more against the size of these things (I don't like big flat man made swims argh)to be honest the two man with extra front is NOT a bivvy its a tent , maybe ok for the sort of foreign adventures the ridgemonkey boys do but not for the average joe . One reason the size may be big is due to Jay Cater be a lump !

Spent the evening reading up about the SJ3 Yonny, and after watching a video on them decided to go with one. The guy in the vid said they tend to come up a bit big so bit the bullet and went for a Large. Managed to pick one up for £102.00 which is the cheapest I've found. Camo of course.....🙄 I'll let you know what I think when it arrives (early part of next week apparently). Thanks for your suggestions guys

Snugpak are the dogs danglies in my opinion. I use their sleeping bags and have the softie shirt and sasquatch. Amazingly warm. I wouldn't use anything else.

How do the Snugpaks come up size wise Yonny?? I usually buy extra large as I'm about a 43" chest. That's at the maximum for their large. I don't want it too tight but I'm worried that their XL will be too big

As Yonny says - https://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/sale?p=2 or the Keela Beelay jacket , I don't find fleece keeps it thermal properties once it looses its body if you know what i mean.

Sadly not...🤣🤣🤣