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When I used to fish for carp, I used to keep everything as basic as possible so that the only significant variable was where I was sticking the bait. As long as the bait was likely presented cleanly enough on the bottom, that was good enough for me. It was incredibly stress free. All my effort went into finding where the fish were and moving onto them - or away from them as was more often the case.

Hi Ian, I hope you are well. In my hiatus, I went a bit off the rails and ended up going to university at the ripe old age of 27. Whilst there, an Albanian girl thought it would be a wise idea to hide my teaspoon (not a euphemism). Suffice to say that when she found her own teaspoon embedded into the centre of a hollowed out cucumber - again, not a euphemism - she realised she was dealing with a professional. She conceded immediately and I am now, in my own mind, the world champion. I don't spitefully hang toilet roll incorrectly anymore. However, I have been known to turn a microwave upside down to see how long it takes people to realise - you'd be surprised at my results. Although I'm becoming interested in carp fishing again, it seems that finding unkempt and underfished lakes is getting increasingly difficult which is making me hesitant. I suspect there is a few little unearthed gems on some cheap club tickets, especially given I don't really care about the size of the carp.

Crows, foxes etc will have likely cleaned up the original carcass, so I think it is a fresh one. Even though it has not rained heavily or at all in East Anglia since the New Year, the dew point means the ground is still wet and muddy. It looks like either the carp are shoaled up in an area on the lakebed (quite probable in winter), or the spot is the otters preferred eating spot, both are possible.

Very unlikely imo. They rarely last a couple of nights on the bank. Foxes and rats will have those bones cleaned up in no time.

Thinking about dusting off the old carp gear after about 6 years or not touching it at all.

Going Bluebell tomorrow for a night will try to get info on what's been eaten so far this winter, mid-December I heard 2 x 30's from Kingy. Has to be a LOT more by now. Trev might not tell me any more, I already know too much lol

Looks a lively chappy, can see the Beagle shape and the Dalmatian looking head/ears, also colour. 🤞

It can be a good distraction from reality 😂 I'm not sure the palm test is totally reliable but I have more confidence In a rig that's effective on a palm test, every little helps as they say 👍

It may have frozen due to it being winter and that may have preserved it, but rats and stuff will take easy meals so it's probably a different one I would say

I probably shouldn't but I'm blessed with one of those brains that massively overthinks tiny things like this, I noticed it when I did a palm test once where the bait rolled because of the swivel it seemed to stop the hook turning, then the thoughts just move on from there until I ask a possibly stupid question or find an answer 🤔😭😂

Thought I’d bump this one up to the top again as it’s how I’ll be approaching my reintroduction to Carping this coming spring . seems appropriate as float fishing , like most of us , is how I fell in love with fishing in the first place . it’ll be a quill or waggler straight through on the lift method , a couple of Swans 4-5” from the hook and Bob’s your Auntie’s , Rod dependant on what’s still in one piece once I’ve emptied the loft . I used to use the Avon type one I floater fished with so if it’s in good nick I’ll probably start there . looking forward to it .

I agree with the others, new kill. Fence the lake or this is the future! Sad times