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Got out for a night over the bank holiday. The syndi is closed for spawning so I visited a day ticket down in the Nene Valley. It was absolutely rammed as one might expect given the timing, but I managed to find a few carp in a quiet corner. It was dead hot, so I flicked a couple of zigs out just under the surface. It was clear the carp were just sunbathing, so I was expecting to have to wait for the sun to drop behind the trees for any action. So it proved with a take around 19:30 which resulted in a lovely grey linear. Onto the deck for the night and I realised I had a problem – I’d forgotten the spod rod! I found one of those Wolf X-Spod jobbies in my bag (bought it ages ago and never used it) and bodged it onto one of my carp rods. It worked a treat…. those X-Spod thingys are great! I put 2 on the deck and left one up in the water. At 02:30 I was away off the baited spot and a nice little cricket bat common was landed. Re-did the rod and 04:30 saw an awesome chestnut linear landed - worth a pic this one. Photo’s done, I was half expecting that to be it but at 09:00 the zig rod went. It kited to my right past several other anglers and the hook pulled when I over-gunned it trying to stop it. Still, a good sign. In come the rods on the bottom, zigs on all of them, and back out they go. About 10:30 I get another take and another cricket bat common is in the net. I planned to stay a bit longer after that but as the heat increased, I decided I was happy with what I’d had so called it a day. A great little session in the end.

Thought i'd fill in the blanks from a couple of recent syndi trips. Back out tonight for another go, buzzing 🙏💪

Bit of bait for the summer. Gave £100 for this lot! 20kg of boilies (12/15mm) plus liquids and hookbaits (popups, wafters, hard hookers). Chuffed.

The missing link, no not me - apple pie, forgot how much I like these on the bank - gotta catch now! 💪

Hi mate I found a set of nash dwarfs 9ft 2.75lb were ideal for most of my pond fishing, stiff enough to send a 2.5oz lead as far as needed and they felt really nice playing carp, done more 20s than I can remember on them, and they would certainly be enough for bigger fish. For a cheap bait boat, me and my dad share a actor baitboat by boatman. Its nothing fancy but will get your rig and some bait to them island's and over hanging trees 👍

I can remember fishing a local foreshore comp with the mrs the practice was to dig bait then fish, must have been 20 fishing in a line all men apart from the mrs. She used a multiplier cause she refused to use a whisk as she called the fix spool she couldn’t cast more than 50 yds us men were casting way past her and not catching but she was catching from the off with eels and flounder, I then realised she was casting over where we had dug worm you would always damaged worms on the fork and that was why the fish were there and maybe with the holes in the mud from digging I dropped short and started catching. Iv often wondered about pre baiting 🤔 Iv done it for mullet with bread on the rocks and it works.

I had a chat to a couple of sea anglers on my last trip they said they were happy with it saying it was solid having dropped it twice down rocks. The thing with using it for sea fishing you’re opening it up 3=4 times a hour baiting up but they said the bait still stays chilled The one guy said his mate just filled it up with cans of larger and he was always happy with it till the last can went 😁 The last trip I had a gull take a packet of squid and Iv had rats taking bait so it’ll help with the thieving Not sure it will be Jack Russell proof as my old Trakker found out

One of last years stocking, I think went in at 11.12, now 19lb.

Just enough to redecorate the house plus new soft furnishings and a few bob left over to go towards a bit of summer pocket money, was thinking a holiday but she is still having ops so not much point, plus the prices for UK holidays are shocking.

That's what happens now on dinton pastures i think, they close for 4 weeks or so once the spawning starts. The other lakes I had tickets for had a similar policy. In fact I have kept one ticket for a lake in colne valley. Took me years to get the ticket after being proposed and seconded by a couple of mates who were members, so I may return to it one day.

Absolutely right the Pike go first then Perch so their offspring can predate on the later arrivals - very clever isn't it. 😎 Fished a few waters through the Nene valley and they all seem to spawn Late June maybe into early July, not sure if it's a depth/temp thing, the small stockies may well go for it early but the better fish seem to wait longer. On these particular fisheries closing for a few weeks once they actually start spawning works OK but not if they choose to start when the tiddlers go first. If it were my choice I'd ignore the tiddlers and close for 3-4 weeks once the proper fish start. Tough to get it spot on every time, I saw one of the big girls spawning early Aug, just that spawn bound fish and a few males - mad sight.

I think the March 15th til June 16th was because you have different species spawning at different times. Correct me if I'm wrong but the pike and probably perch spawn first early spring so that their young then predate on the fry of the fish that spawn later so the time scale was to hopefully cover all the spawning of all the species. Always certain lakes that buck this trend . My old lake dinton pastures white Swan lake nearly always spawned a week or 2 after the season opened on June 16th and the anticipation was something I looked forward to. Used to spend the close season pre-baiting, sorting gear out, rigs etc. Maybe the odd day ticket session but everything geared towards the opening night. You had to do a work party if you wanted to fish opening night and the draw for your peg was a buzz. I obviously don't fish Freshwater now but if I did i certainly wouldn't bother me if the close season was to return. When dinton scrapped the close season the fishing that first spring was insane to the point that a fair few members literally only fished it for the 3 months of what was the close season each season after that because it was so hard the rest of the season.

12 weeks garden leave and then I got made redundant 2 weeks before covid hit and lockdown happened. You would have thought after 23 years they could have furloughed me and then Made me redundant. 25k redundancy later and a new job in July on more money I think I won. 👍👍 the MD who made me and the others redundant was made to resign or get sacked 18 months later. just checked he has done 4 more jobs since “leaving”

There was always an air of anticipation on June 16th (usually followed by disappointment ) I think it should be re introduced but as a floating shut down once any of the species starts spawning then close for the 3 months not just carp. Nature would also appreciate it. think back to covid everyone was gagging to get back to it thats how it felt way back when. and from memory it was March to June

I was taken aback by how good it was tbh. Never really liked the look of it but needs must. It cast well (although I was only baiting ~30 yards out) and opened every time. Seemed quieter than a spomb. Really impressed.

When it comes to line I try to use the highest BS I can cast and manage on the the spool I only fish small waters so I can get away with stronger lines you can use the Gardener lines without much concern for a rubbish cast or spring like behaviour on the spool.

Almost everywhere started spawning this week. We had some rain show up with that fresh north easterly last night over my way so it'll be interesting to see what happens today. Significantly cooler this next few days with cold nights. Looking like we might have one of those stop/start/stop/start years.

Brilliant tbh, within a few clicks it can be locked up and then each click back allows it to move a little easier.

Can't go wrong with daiwa, if I was to moan about anything it's the random addition of folding handles to some but not all of daiwa reels, I'm looking at two small dawia reels one nearly twice the the price of the 40 quid reel, yet it's the 40 that comes with a folding handle, nice little float and ledgering reels.

Our syndicate is shut for at least a week, they have started to do exactly that. May starts today...

Someone on the VE day flyover managed to get this picture, proper aerial view:

Enforcement of a court order without the correct warrant not as drastic as it sounds, forced a payment out of me by threating me with bailiff action then tried to recover legal costs, it was at that point I took them to court for execution of a court order without warrant as they removed my property without my agreement to cover an outstanding debt, which I did owe and offered to pay they were asking for unrealistic instalments I couldn't agree to, so I let them do their worst knowing they would step over the line, the court order they had agreed I was liable for the debt and they could recover their money the way they went about it was a problem, for them. Couldn't get a solicitor to touch it on a no win no fee, Tort law which is complicated and they only do cases that are above 25k for the kind of lawyers that do this kind of a case it includes loads of consumer goods laws and protections, got my money back with a little bit on top.

When I'm fishing the complex it's like a morning ritual I will walk to lidls and get fresh chocolate croissants, they go perfect with a coffee, sometimes they are still warm 👌👌🤣🤣

Looks nice there Kev, enjoy!

How you getting on with it? My Trakker bucket is a perfect fit, the Ridgemonkey bucket has little tabs in the corners that prevent it going upto the rim. Planning on putting my front bag on top - first trip using this starts Thursday night 😎👍

New bucket holding front barrow bar (left) to replace existing (right). Not only is this a great idea they've fixed the 2 things my mate and I were discussing previously, too high and shelf not as low as it could be. Might help me to get round without tipping over (live in hope) 🤣

Having just got back from a blank night on the park lake, the boy and I were unloading the car when a neighbour came up and asked me if I was interested in rehoming some “old” reels and bits that she was about to chuck in the bin. I said I’d have a look, after all, I could clean them up and find a home for them (or bin them myself!) so she soon returned with 3 diawa windcasts z5000 reels, spare spools still in their boxes! One has a bent handle, but they are otherwise pristine! she also gave me half a dozen fox single sticks and a pair of what appear to be fox micron M shaped (they’re copies) alarms! She wouldn’t accept a penny for them either. the alarms will be checked that they work and I’ll gift them on to a youngster in need of a first set, the single sticks have been snaffled by the boy and the reels already have a home on my spare carp rods… just need to repair the 3rd. anyone know much about the windcasts? They seem lovely reels from what I can see.

Terry Edmonds used them when he broke his casting record if that means anything lol I like them and had them years

Great result mate, that lin is a corker, well in

I caught my first/ last fish just before lockdown around the 20th March first session back and caught my first after lockdown 18th May I had a 10 fish hit and the next morning whilst sitting in my bivvy, I got a call from my boss telling me I might be on a short list to be made redundant. That was a week after my dad's funeral. So it sticks in my mind a bit. I'm all for a shut down post spawning but 3 months feels excessive to me.

Well done mate - great stuff 😎👍

Well done Yonny some cracking bangers there 😎. X spods are better than spombs, Also me TFG Airbombs are better than spombs 😂

I personally think the closed season is an outdated concept and shouldn't be reinstated. What I would like to see is fishery owners being more responsible and closing once they spawn and remain closed for a month or so to give the fish some recovery time. I think media is better in many ways, you can learn what you want, find out about products you might want and ignore the rest.

Since the locking of the car parks that sort of trouble has stopped. The local kids could be a pain down at Lemons Hill big car park, sitting on the nitrous canisters. I was getting out of the car, putting gear into the swim (which about 2 weeks ago was under water), although there is another quite sloped swim in the car park cut since. I also used to park down the lane by the White Horse and go 2 swims to the left, about 200 metres. The first swim was a snag pit, the remains of the old road from Tattingstone to Stutton, I've put up a pic so you can see. You now have another car park, entrance by the layby and houses on Lemons Hill, so that keeps walks short. The longest walk I had was The Wonder Car park and going left to the end of the bay on the far side. Birchwood can be a pain, but although I fished it a few times, never caught carp in the area. I never found it busy on any day of the week, although there might be a few people fishing, you never felt like they were close. The only thing I would say is try to reduce background on any pics you put up, or don't let everyone know you are catching. There were a few problems with lure anglers casting over lines (Eastern European) which put me off, and got me in trouble when I spoke out about it.

Got a set of dwarfs, for the money they are amazing. Tbh I actually love fishing with them on the smaller waters. Couldn't recommend them higher

Ohh the waggler is looking positive, no action as such yet, but I did think it would be a fine morning to go have a looksie at a few spots on the Grand Union canal, I already know where I'm heading nice and local. looking at a 10 foot beefed up waggler rod that can handle 8lb line the Drennam red rage is looking good the ten foot float version with a dawia 25 rz 2500 reel. Size 16 hooks might even need a 4lb hook length for a size 18 hook, going big perch fishing stepped up enough should one of the canal carp take a liking

Yeah use this company for my liquids, very happy with the liver and did buy the 2.5ltr.. great price for it. Mainly use it in my groundbait mixes, done me well

Never had much luck shore fishing/beach casting, always seemed to catch dogfish. Tried eating one once and not a fan of it 🤣 There's some big carp on this tidal stretch, seen some right chunks which has gotta be high 20s low 30s, my mate who fishes the tidal for bass etc has had them swimming around him while wading, but trying to find them then fish for them seems so hard, like they know you're fishing for them 🤣 I'm gonna get a swim cut out in the reeds that's a nightmare to get to, so hopefully it will only be me who's fishing it. Gonna get a patch raked out down the near side margin at low tide then fill it with maize etc, keep topping it up every few days and see if it produces when the rivers are open again 👍 I've found you won't see an angler on the stretch, but a day or two later after creating a swim there will be someone in it lol.

Don't think there is any denial not for those that champion rewilding as they call it, what was once open land and waters are now trusts run by enthusiasts, they are more than happy to have wild Otters at the top of the food chain, some groups do use predator fencing and shooting teams for mink and foxes the hypocrisy is wild. Not what anglers want to hear but protecting carp in UK waters would be seen as a non starter for the various trusts that are very politically connected with great international influence, they definitely have the legal system on their side.

I don't know where you are currently fishing, or the size of fish, so this is a personal, generalised view. Obviously you have the lake, is it snaggy or clear? Are there loads of weed and rushes. Are you casting long distances? What size fish are you fishing for? For the clear water, maybe just double figure carp I'd be 10lb or 12 quite happily, if they go to 20lb+ 12lb, if 30lb I'd be using 15lb line. Even with reeds and weed, and 20lb fish I'd be around 12lb. I landed a lot of fish from Taverham Mills and Earith on 12lb line even with lilies, and that was Daiwa Sensor. I'd had the same thoughts as you. The other thing is line diameter. A 0.35mm 12lb line is going to have a breaking strain well over 15lb, 0.32 is going to be between 12 and 15lb, 0.30 is going to be 10lb to 12lb. If you need to cast long distances and can use a leader safely, then 10 or 12lb line is going to be the choice. The other thing obviously is lake rules, do they insist on a minimum line breaking strain? I know a number of waters insist on 15lb line minimum or maximum.

other than the usual stream of end tackle bits and bobs, i plan yet another pair of rods these will be 10ft 3lb torn between sonik Herox or wychwood riot and going to get a budget cheap bait boat, cant order just yet as i will be away for a while and no one to take parcels in

Breaking strain is dependant on water fished and size of carp in such a water, on my local its very snaggy so i use Gardner Hydro tuff in 15lb

Just get. Bit of tape cover over the Sea and write carpdra, nobody would notice mate 👍 My temu one hasn't arrived yet

Had to get a cool box for sea fishing £25 could use it for carping 🤔…just don’t tell Kev 🫢

Bits and bobs

My new Rod Hutchinson Sceptre 10ft 3.5lb rods arrived today lovely looking bit of kit but maybe a bit to stiff for my fishing needs, would of been better if they did them in 10ft 3lb option, will just have to see how i get on with them, google image as i have put them away

A original version two ,Solar Sod pod ,the exterior leg version so I can fish two plus one on mega slate quarries ,( can't get banksticks in,, ever )... Bit of autosol, elbow grease ,proper job ...totally against my minimalist principles, but ....needs must ... Should be good ..

Threw £20 at a little temu haul, pair of croc type shoes for any night time dashes (more to the tiolet than the rods these days 😆), water bucket to replace my leaky old one, bait spoons, tackle pouch and some bait pots for my pop ups, plus some tiny pots ideal for soaking zig foam in, all in all pretty happy

I was fishing last weekend when a mother and her son he must have been 12 ish turned up to fish the nx swim the wind had got up and they were struggling to hold onto the bivvy and put the pegs in, the ground was solid I popped over and between the 3 of us got it pegged down I mentioned bringing a mallet nx time, the granddad turned up late afternoon and brought them a pizza and gave me one as a thank you The gesture made up for a iffy trip 👍

Really happy with this, keeps it all organised 👍 also got rid of the stuff I didn't use 🤣