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only a couple of little ones, but first one each of the new year

If I didn't need too I wouldn't spomb, catapult wins everytime. My rule of thumb for should I recast or not is just trust my gut, if I feel I should have had a bite or have doubts I rechuck it, I've had many quick bites from a recast to the same spot for it to worry me these days. You need to feel confident and if you think your rig isn't working for whatever reason best to check. I don't have confidence in plastic baits, which goes back to confidence. I would go where I think they were and fish for liners. Also somewhere I could see a lot of water so I can look for signs. Just enjoy it and don't worry if you don't catch, it's the blanks that make the captures more worthwhile.

Put it in your sleeping bag, just the gas not the stove it will warm it up a bit.

Had this 5lb 4oz Chub back in November from the Nene, lure caught on the ned rig 👍 Pretty sure i could get a 6+ here with a bit of luck 🤞

So this morning, I went down to christen my new Fox Horizon X3s rods at the local pond, first cast with the new toy and… not what you want with a new rod!! quick call to Poingdestres to explain the situation, and after taking my name and order details, tell me they will call me back as soon as possible. 10mins later and true to their word, they call me to let me know that having found my order number and details, a new tip section is already being packed and posted and should be with me mid week. for after sales service, I can’t fault them, excellent service! as for the rods, I own 10 fox rods (well 9 and a 1/2 right now!) 3 fox warriors, 4 fox torque and these 3(ish) horizons, so I reckon I was just unlucky with a dodgy blank this time round

my rods out into open water

What its like in behind @elmoputney 👍

I'm getting Wilson with tailwalking pike vibes.

That reminds me of " Jaws " , and yes I'm weird 😁 .

All set 🤙

Well done pongos

the boys rods out against the reeds

After a few hand me down kitchen blenders and most of them burning out, I took the plunge and got a dedicated manual version! Just the job, a nice combination of part baits and fine crumb that should the carp grubbing around for quite a while.

🥶

@elmoputney that’s a great way to look at it mate. The catches are more worth while.

Put the gas bottle between your legs in the sleeping bag your body heat will help …looks 🥶 in your pic

Abit fresh this morning, gas ain't working properly 🤣

It’s almost like your boat fishing 😂 ..take care 👍

Adjustable zigs for me into the centre area of the lake. I set the alarm on my phone and adjust the zigs every hour, work the depths of water if no luck cast all rods to a different area starting over again. If you want to use a bottom bait I personally prefer maggots at this time of the year.

No mud that’s a result in its self. Great pic and best of luck…just don’t trip 😉

Yeah mate tbf I'm on the one that is further out, the others are cut off with snags etc so each one has its own area to fish 👍 I'll get some pictures when I leave mate there's snags everywhere to the right of me 🤣

Yeah mate really nice place to fish from 👍 it's a new water for me and totally different to the reservoirs I fish so its a bit of a learning curve, got weed beds, lillies, lots of snags, clay spots, gravel bars etc. I'm on a clear spot 10 wraps out and fishing to that has been a challenge as I've been used to casting the rod as hard as I can 🤣 I plan on fishing to the snags when I get a better idea of the lake, but will settle for open spots until then, I'll also need to up my line to a fluro or braid I think. Also need to finesse my rigs and go a bit smaller lol So I'm fishing the top end of the lake mate which was flooded to make the lake bigger, there's no swims as the water just goes into the trees etc, looks like mangroves 🤣 at the top there's 4 platforms that go out of sticks for you to fish from 👍 You can also feel the platform rock when you move 😬🤣

Why is that there, Is the question I want to ask? Seems such a weird thing to build right out into the middle of the lake, looks fun though good luck 👍

Where it is in the lake 👍

overall opinion seems to be i just dont need the 6ft so for once i will heed the good advice and give it a miss, the 9ft rods will do just fine

I don't possess a carp rod over 9'6" can honestly say I don't miss the length of the 12 footers, my shortest (8') is great for getting into little nooks and crannies and winkling the odd fish out... I love the portability, and the easy handling of the short rods... to be fair though, I've borrowed a pair of 6' 3lb Scopes paired with my shimmy Aero 400X runners and hated them... too short, too stiff not nice at all... my Dwarf 9 foot 2.75lbers are a nice playing rod, but sit idle these days... My Sharpe 8 footer see's more use, with a pin they're superb for margin work

I'm blooming cold just standing at the smoking shelter at work. Hope you catch one, good luck. I'm going in to get warm.

Welcome to Carp.com OK, let's go through this in order, and it will depend entirely on your waters. Would I Spomb or spod on a 1acre lake? Yes if it is the best way to get the particles, groundbait or pellets out to where I'm fishing. How long between a recast? I've left a bait in place for 48hours. I was convinced that after baiting up and casting in, the carp would not come onto it for 2 days. It worked! If there is no sign of showing fish? I'm nearly always binoculars and watching the lake. If I see fish I will move onto them. If I don't see anything then I'll leave the bait where it is until the morning on an overnight or longer session. Yet on a day session fishing I might recast after 15minutes or less if I have had no action. Are plastic or imitation baits effective all year? They may be, but I refuse to use plastic baits, I don't like the thought of me leaving plastic in the environment in the event of a crack-off. A hook will rust away, plastic takes years to break down. I would use wooden balls soaked in glug in a crayfish infested water, but on my current water, all plastic and fake baits are banned. On arrival at the lake, if I don't see fish, I will go on weather, current and predicted, my hunches, or whether I have prebaited swims, or areas that I know that the fish move onto.

@framey thanks for replying mate, much appreciated.

Welcome in Tom 1 no limit only limits are your baiting ability 2 depends on time of year 15 mins or so at a start but also depends on method of fishing 3 don’t see why not 4 this time of year ? fish the warmest side, they will most likely be there somewhere anyway.