Leaderboard

Been running past few weeks, so we decided as a family to do the Race for Life (tonight) My lad, being the lad he is, had to sprint off and finished in 31mins, instayed with the wife whonhad a little struggle, 38mins us.

Sunrise out the bivvy

Me too - once you start with the technique it's cemented in the brain. I started after trying to get it to drop in a thin gulley but the lead would either stick in the far bank clay or swing too far back.

Good tip that. I actually use this method regardless of the size of the spot, makes it easier not having to adjust for small spots surrounded by weed. Just remember that the spod will have to be wrapped up slightly shorter to accommodate the pull-back (if that makes sense).

Did Thursday to Saturday in one swim this weekend, had a stocky on the stiff hinge rig in the thickest weed bed in the area. Then back Sunday for the night as I was super keen having caught. This time chose a swim round the corner as all the fish were there on top but despite expecting a take come first light nothing materialised so back home tail between legs. Can't wait till Friday to get back down, but might have to fish a flooded swim just to get in the area if it's busy. Loving my fishing more than ever at the moment - gotta keep pushing on!

Hi all I have just signed up as i have been away from fishing for a few years due to other "2 wheeled" interests taking priority. I used to be a member of the SDAA (Shefford and District) ticket for many years then moved to the Priory ticket in Weston for a few years. Not been on a ticket for a couple of years but just rejoined the SDAA ticket for the coming season. I dont claim to be an expert (or even that good) but i just enjoy carp fishing and am hoping to get time to spend some time on the bank. Hoping to get (and give a little if i can) some advise and guidance from like minded anglers.

Well done 👍

Welcome to carp.com

Just to add to find the drops in weed you will only do this if you alter your leading technique or how you get the lead to drop down more vertically, it's no good going down in the usual arc you'll just hit the weed either side of the tiny gap, hang up in the weed and you'll think theres no gaps. Hit the clip, pull back instantly (rod up verticalish) so the lead is pulled back up towards the surface if you like or scimmed accross the surface, then follow it staight down, reducing the arc massively. If you can get a drop like that every time and whip the rig back out clean it's perfect. Hope that makes sense.

I'm not looking for big holes or clean spots as such, just a drop every time and a tiny amount of pull back and you're fishing. In my mind at the moment I'm not looking for clean spots anymore, if only to avoid and find the drops in weed nearby. Every venue is different but I think on lower stocked venues with wary fish clean spots are treated with extreme caution and hold little natural food e.g. gravel spots. How many people pick the same obvious far bank markers, find the obvious clear spot, pile bait on it and are surprised when nothing happens, wheres the natural food, wheres the thickest weed, what are they showing over? I'd rather set up and watch all day for them to show me where to put the traps than rush in crashing leads everywhere, not always possible I know but once you've seen them feeding in an area you dont have to wait next time as everything is written down and measured up.

Likewise but thankfully the need to spend fell on a sale weekend so I got some good deals. So the ceramic lining on one of the butt rings on my Torrix has cracked and fallen out - my fault rod not secured and fell on the barrow. I couldn't be without my babies for weeks in May/June so bought a new set of Aviators and Lighter reels than my Shimmy Big Pit LC's as much as I love them to bits. Line, back leads, floss, butt and tip protectors, 3 x Delkim line clips oh and 50k of Pro Stim Liver boilies. Oh and decided to get all 3 Torrix rebuilt instead of just a single eye replacement and the 3 Shimmy's serviced whilst I can be without them so to say it turned out to be an expensive weekend is an understatement. Thats gotta be me done spending now for the year!

I've had a little spend up this weekend 2 9ft sonik extractors, cult tackle rod bag, Gardner unhooking sling, korda boom and boom tubes, some korda pouches for lighter and better organisation, collapsible bucket, few other odds and sods but I now have some rods for my gold emblems and will have a nip out for an hour or two mobile set up for some fun fishing