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Yes, I’m having some doubts myself having watched a few YouTube clips! Plus, I’d be a bit squeamish about chopping up my ‘pet’ worms!

Try the YouTube if you haven’t already lots of info there Very wise

" As the water warms up, the bottom 'turns over'. A layer of algae silty stuff floats up from the lakebed, hits the surface. You will see what looks like little patches of a thin layer of floating lichen covered in tiny bubbles. " Ooh , thanks for that reminder , Nick . 😃

I find that down here in the south east, they usually start waking up about now. Personally, I look for signs from nature to know when the “right time” is, I look for the first buds on trees, when the days start to lengthen out, snow drops starting to bud, spring lambs etc. It might seem daft, but I find that when the trees first start budding, that’s a good natural sign. Waters that are shallower (hopefully with good sunlight to warm it up) usually wake up sooner, they seem to react to rising temps quicker. I’ve got 3 waters that I keep tabs on, the lake that’s got max depths of 6ft is already producing fish, I had 5 out in 4hrs on Monday. The 2nd lake is only 2 acres, with depths of up to 9ft, but it’s very sheltered and doesn’t get much sun this time of year, it’s quite dark and dingy and hasn’t produced a fish in months. The last water has depths of 18-20ft and usually doesn’t regularly produce fish until mid March - beginning of April. It’s slower to warm up. Yet this year, after a stocking of 15 carp, it’s done half a dozen bites over the last few weeks, which is against the norm, we think the new fish have spurred the old stock into having a munch. Simple way to know if your lake has woken up is to fish it really, but when I see the hours lengthening out, blossom buds on trees and bushes starting to open out, I feel more confident. I think the increasing light hours wake them up, although cold deep water can keep them more sluggish longer then carp in shallower water.

Every water is different. Deeper waters may take longer for the fish to start moving, or waters with low food stocks. No point in wasting energy looking for food if there is little about.... Or conversely the fish might be looking for food and constantly moving. Some waters will fish all the way through. Pretty much any water above 4degrees and somewhere a take is possible, be it on a zig, (hurgh, spit) or on a float fished or ledgered bait. Lengthening days might get them moving, but on some waters there is another factor. As the water warms up, the bottom 'turns over'. A layer of algae silty stuff floats up from the lakebed, hits the surface. You will see what looks like little patches of a thin layer of floating lichen covered in tiny bubbles. This can be the time carp start moving. The best way to find out, is to spend time watching and fishing.

Can’t you buy low fat mini baby bells nowadays instead of red wrapping it’s blue? or am I imagining it

Chopped worm and casters, devastating combination.

The match boys use scissors with 3 blades for chopping there worms up. ... I couldn’t do it iv must have got squeamish as I got older

Definitely gave me something to think about, cheers for the info, think I'll have a shop around an see what suits my style of fishing the most, got a few weeks till were able to get nights in so no rush..👍

I looked into this a few years ago mate. We do actually have one that we use solely for composting (she wont let me nick the worms our of it lol). Be warned, they're pretty disgusting to work with. Harvesting the worms would be an awful job🤢 I chose not to pursue the idea after checking inside ours as the worms got established. It's rank in there.

That’s just catch and release at its best nick! 😁 good result mate, well done

Thinking of something a bit mote aesthetically pleasing to help maintain domestic harmony😉

My brother in law made one out of a tarpaulin years ago filled it with dirt and worms and used it for years assumed it worked because it was always moist

Aargh! Schoolboy error: Get a pike close to double figures in the landing net, as I released the tension the hooks fell out, dip landing net as I lifted and pike swims out....😳🙄 Who wants dirty wet smelly hands anyway? 😂😉 Ended up with 5 in the end, nothing massive. I might have to start comparing pics for more recaptures

I gave up smoking in 2013 and went to vaping I gave up vaping in 2017 and went up to 90kg I joined a gym and went down to 70kg going twice a week even had a 6 pack lol and I’m over 50 started doing stretching yoga it all made a massive difference. lock down is killing that all however I walk over 10000 steps a day even on a work day this week I have managed over 100k steps and do so most weeks come rain or snow lol i can’t wait for the gyms to open again need to start doing the yoga again though as I do feel the joints stiffening up again since stopping. try the couch to 5 k app it’s good to motivate you you can choose your trainer I used Michael Johnson when I had it . the hardest part is the first session