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I think you can go backwards in some ways. I fished a local pit and had a few good fish to begin with, then a savage run of blanks before I eventually realised I'd become a clone of the regulars, baiting heavily with the spod, looking to get in certain areas etc etc Quite why I looked up to and copied anglers who were not catching much is beyond me, as soon as I went back to doing my thing I started catching again and more than anyone.

If I don’t get out often I get a bit rusty make silly mistakes things just take a bit longer to set up on a 48hr trip. But I get there in the end.....could be I’m getting on a bit tho 🤔

went down that rabbit hole a few years ago... went off on a tangent and went back to old school methods and baits, freelined prawns, beans, pulses, etc... doing summat different kick-started my catch results.... I think fish wise up to the same old rigs, same old, methods same old baits, so I tried stuff that was outta left field... worked for me... Too many folks rock up to a water and chuck out 2 or 3 rods, (one in the margins one on the island and one in open water) with 30 baits round each one (sound familiar...?) especially on commercial waters... ask yourself what did the last angler in that swim hoof into the water...??? I ignored the well flattened bare "flier" swims and dropped into overgrown jungle swims and found fish and poked a rod into a spot with a bit of bait.... you'd be surprised what comes out

After lock down, the banks have been busier than ever as people made up for lost time. Chuck in the "French" brigade who couldn't go so stayed closer to home and those on furlough who have time on their hands and it's obvious why the banks are busier. Until recently Linear was fully occupied most days with only a few swims on Hardwick/Smiths going. https://www.linear-fisheries.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.start The fish are being constantly fed and on their guard all the time and it's not too surprising that things are getting harder. The late autumn period should see most "fairweathers" hanging up the rods and so the lakes should get quieter but that coupled with decreasing temperatures will reduce the fishes appetite. Watching the weather forecast and getting out when their is a warm and wet spell after a colder period will always pay dividends. Back to your original question, I don't think you get worse (but I used to get more tangles on June the 16th than the rest of the season put together!) but I think the fish are definitely getting more wary.

Welcome to Carp.com Don't over think! Fish waters or a water where you will catch. I know that sounds obvious, but if you are going to sit it out for one big fish then you may well be sitting out and blanking for a long time. You may need to lower your expectations, you aren't going to catch 20 after 20, you may be having to fish for single figure fish. Don't 'faff' with rigs, or bait. A knotless knot (possibly line aligned) rig catches most fish over the latest fashionable rig. Fish your bait to catch, get the carp feeding on it. That may be boilies, or boilies over groundbait or particles. The more you pressure yourself, the harder it gets, the more you go round in circles. Fish to your strengths and find the fish. Don't just turn up and fish the last known producing swim, unless you are sure the fish are there. Don't necessarily pile the bait in, forget piling your spod mix in, a single bait or stringer quietly put in often produces more.

I use a Drennan original Boiliepult with a smaller pouch than it comes with. I found a few in the tackle shop and bought them all, but am down to my last one. Think they were Middy pouches. I can get 3 20mm boilies in them. I can push 55metres with a single 20mm, but that is it. If there is any cross or head wind out comes the throwing stick (still got a Cobra Ace). I will use the stick for 4 or 5 baits around 50metres. @yonnymentioned 2 handed use, that is the only way I can use a Korda stick, whereas with the Cobra I can go one handed, and once I have worked/adjusted for the wind, accurately.