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Oh I don't know, put a repaired brolly in a charity shop, or donate it to a fishing charity. Much rather that than ending up in landfill. I had to search for a specific garden wire, think that was a B&Q trip to search for the right stuff. Years ago when unhooking mats started coming into 'fashion', and nothing commercial was available I converted a baby changing mat into an unhooking mat, covering it with old parachute material. The padded foam outside shoulder was better than the polypops used in the beanbag style. A friend new to fishing bought a second hand bedchair and was complaining about had it sags and was giving him a bad back he was saving up for a new one. I had a look at it pulled the elastic then snipped off about a foot redone the knot resulting in a firmer bed and no more bad back for him A length of rope or paracord can be better than the elastic which I found could break inside the outer sheath.

I've had several fish on the same bait and will happily cast it out again as long as it looks as though it will survive the cast. I won't put a used bait back into the pot though. The issue about the smell of your hands is valid and I could argue that smokers should never catch a carp in their life but unfortunately I know a lot of good anglers that are addicted to the weed. I try to remember to wash my hands in lake water prior to casting out. I know some people use disposable gloves to put the bait on. It's easy to chase your tail so don't worry too much about it, Carp still pick up baits whatever.

I will try not to change a bait unless I have to. I have cast out a bait smelling of me, once it has been taken by the fish it is now acceptable to the fish, putting a new bait on may mean I have to start again, and that may be having to wait for 48hours. I have had takes where I cast out at the start of a session, and it did stay in place until I got a take. I knew the water, I knew some fish were particularly wary of 'new' baits, and would leave boilies for a couple of days until they were 'convinced they were safe'. Every other angler would reel in, fresh bait and recast. Even on day trips, I have had numerous fish on one hookbait, until that bait is 'marmalised', or pulled off the hook/hair. Get your rigs right, use PVA to protect the hook and there should be no problems with the hook being masked. At the end of a session, my wafter or meshed pop-up hookbaits get taken off, put in a tub and reused next trip. By drying out, they regain their buoyancy. I've again had loads of fish caught on those reused hookbaits, in fact the 23 from the other week was caught on a meshed hookbait out of the re-use tub. The very fact that baits take on water may be to their benefit, especially if fishing over any groundbait or particle. If you are reeling in every day on a longer trip, a fresh stringer, mesh or bag and leave the hookbait alone, do not change it unless you absolutely have to.

Bespoke recycled Carp materials . Has to be a few quid in that I should think …