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How big? Frameys' advice is spot on. On big waters I tend to find they're much easier to catch than on on small waters. The hard bit is finding them.

Find em feed em catch ‘em you just need to break a larger lake down into smaller lakes find the best view of as much of the lake as possible in each area follow the winds. just visit as much as you can and walk don’t even take the gear if it’s not too pressured

A buddy of mine visited Hitchin museum today to see the exhibition of Richard Walker total items in pic below whilst I appreciate fishing isn’t everyone cup of tea this is an abysmal showng

Just a Bream so far...

Thanks, but I think Chris Ball (RIP) did it as your version. I do recall Brian Skoyles version in a Nutrabaits Bait catalogue magazine. I never got on with fake plastic mixers, or even cork balls. For some reason I found using 'fake' surface baits they were rejected even faster than mixers or bread, and that's fast enough, even if I had fed constantly. As much as feeding constantly frequently works, for some reason sometimes, the carp will pick up one surface bait then bog off and disappear. Difficult to gauge, but in this case, hookbait first, hopefully catch one while you have the chance. Normally though you can feed, get them feeding and then get them to take the hookbait. This is one of my favourite 20's, a ghostie mix common. I'd gotten the fish feeding on surface baits around the lily pads behind me, but the ghostie would only take a bait touching the leaves. It took ages to work a hookbait in between the two lily beds and get it to take. It looked like the largest fish in the group as well. I'd say it was stalking, so not bad for an afternoon fishing at Hintlesham when the other anglers were all behind the artillery waiting and blanking.

Skoyles that’s it well done nick

@framey I did an edit on your post as the shortened form of Richard is in the censored group after insults years ago. Sad isn't it, that an angler who probably started the mainstream fishing, not just carp, has nothing but that small memorial and a blue plaque. Richard Walker was innovative, fishing for many species, catching big perch on a fly creation of his own as well as carp. He was also a champion rabbit breeder I believe, writing a book on the subject.

Brian Skoyles used to put some in a bag and add a dash of flavour, pour in around half a cup boiling water, shake and leave them until it was all absorbed. They would be slightly tougher but soft enough to put a baiting needle through.

Kind of the same Mixers in a bag pour on hot water blow air in and shake tip hot water out leave for 10 mins and they go rubbery when blowing air in can then add colour and or flavours think that came from Chris ball

Slow sinking bread is always a good shout 👍 can recommend the bread bombs from nash when fishing with bread 👍 With mixers we used to soak them in hot water until they start expanding, drain it then lay out in the sun for an hour. They shrink and toughen a little 👌

Dynamite Fresh Fish Pop-Ups look a very good match to dog biscuits, cut it into a square and it's pretty bang on. The fake weighted floaters are good as the hook sits on top, out of the water, you can literally bounce them over weed to get it into little clearings where the fish are sitting. Zigs work whilst feeding mixers over the top, especially if they are rejecting the hookbait. My mate is a good floater angler, he uses the dog biscuits on the hook, but prepares them in a bottle of water and adds pressure to get them to take in the water to what he finds the right amount, I've only seen this once so can't remember the fine details - but that really works well.

I had an old guy and a woman ask me all about jack and whereabouts the breeder lives just an hour apart the other Sunday. Neither seemed interested in me lol 🤷‍♂️

I used to use Bakers Complete rather than the meaty chunks, but use the larger chunks in the pack as hookbaits. When I set up my hooklink, I tie a Uni-knot loop at the end, and put a hookbait in there, then knotless knot the hook on, usually a size 10, Drennan Super Specialist or size 12 Korda Longshank. You can use a brown 'neutral' or lower flavour pop-up or the meaty chunks, although the meaty chunks can be slightly different sizes, whereas a pop-up is more consistent. Even a low flavoured or 'food source' coloured pop-up will work if you need to be able to see it. I know some people don't like the knotless knot for floater fishing, but it does work for me, for both carp and chub fishing on the surface. The hooklink is usually Berkley XL in 7lb or Preston Reflo in 10lb for me. Another alternative is feeding bread, on Bromeswell we'd feed whole, ¼ or ½ slices and wrap a size 6 in that. Great fun to get them feeding right under your feet with only the hookbait touching the surface, but a half slice can be cast out quite a way. Reeling in if the bread comes off the hook is leaving freebies behind...

Use a brown pop up and trim it down until it sits perfectly. You're dead right that overly buoyant hook baits will be ignored if they sit too high in the surface film. By trimming down a pop up you can get it just right and the hook bait will last for hours. I certainly wouldn't be inserting cork into mixers as they'll still fall apart pretty quickly. As long as the hook bait sits ok in the surface film and you have them feeding properly, you'll get bites. 👍

Only went in for some kickers 🤣🤣

1st trip of the year to the syndi, looks like a blank but you never know 🤞