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During the long blistering hot summer we've endured, I've had more joy with the camera than the rod on some waters! The shot with the rods were on zigs just under the surface and the dragon fly was on that Common for quite a while.

I felt the switch Sunday night. After a few trips not using the bivvy it was put up as soon as the rods were in this trip. As I was setting the rods up we had a light shower in North West Suffolk, and at 2.30am it rained properly for an hour, and fish started crashing. Yesterday a massive difference, fish moving during the day. First time I have felt comfortable putting in any more than a PVA stringer or bag full for months.

Big switch this week lads and while it's still warm, it's looking mega outside in Northants. Overcast. Rain overnight. Great temps. I predict the carp will switch on big time this week. Best of luck to anyone out this week.

I almost always do this nowadays, albeit with a micro ring swivel. Even for chods. Dead easy.

Yes , I guess I have , Yonny you wise old owl . I'll start of with a basic plastic screw , and maybe then upgrade to a small rig ring and attach the pop up with floss . 😃

If you have seen that with your own eyes, I think you've answered your own question!

Like @InteraX I don't like them. I would prefer a bit of nylon or bait floss on the D or rig ring as I have found that bait screws can work free and drop the bait, no matter how much a swelled bait is supposed to grip better. It takes a big plastic one to grip properly! Incidentally, I save cut down used rig materials for that specific reason, to use create a hair or for mounting pop-ups. It doesn't matter whether it is monofilament, coated or uncoated braid. The only thing that doesn't lighter blob nicely is fluorocarbon.

I just walked Sky round the lake and to talk to the bailiff who was fishing. As we walked round I was keeping Sky calm, she likes James, so bounces, and because I thought he was margin fishing I called out 'hello' well before I got to him so he could come back to the main track past his swim, rather than me walk along the bank and possibly disturb his fishing, especially as I could see fish in front of him. We did stand talking fishery, syndicate and rules for around 30minutes, and the fish in front of him evading his baits. He was no more than 5metres from his rods even on the path. Hopefully it is respect.

I hate them! A bit of floss on the end of a micro ring swivel gives the bait a bit more movement.

I've not set the bivvy up since May! Instant!

I use the ESP bait screw and haven't noticed damage, but that makes good sense, will keep an eye on that. Also got the Korda ones which are plastic screws moulded onto a metal swivel - these are buoyant so no affect on the po-up itself 👍

A fair few ways to use rig rings on pop-up rigs: Tie a rig ring onto the end of the hooklink material and then do basic knotless knot. You have the pop-up close to the shank and bend of the hook. Again, a knotless knot leaving your tag end, but thread the rig ring, tag end through the eye, and you have a basic D-rig. I frequently slide a rig ring onto the shank, hookbead fixed on the shank opposite the barb to point. That can be used on various rigs; Ronnie's and Spinners, Reverse combi-rigs or plain and basic straight on the hooklink and counterbalance.

I don't know whether it is amusement or annoyance, but one of the fish in the syndicate has picked up the name of a Darwin Award winner to its name or features. Last year in June I had a really nice linear at 33lb, part of a 2 fish catch, with an 18lb mirror on an overnight session. Really nice fish, beautiful, and while I enjoyed catching it, returned it unnamed, and put pictures on our FB page. Going through the captures this year, that Linear has put on 4lb and been given the additional moniker. One of the grievances I suppose for me is I know how much stroke pulling this person did in the background, yet despite being friends with the fishery manager kept it hidden from him. No rule breaking as such, but just sneaky...

Oh yeah. Went away for week and pulled out masses of it Ive tried a few treatments, but they dont seem to have much effect. Record temps maybe part of the reason. Well, I put 3 x 10cm grass carp in on Sunday. Haven't seen them since 😕

I was out Sunday as soon as my fishery reopened. Whilst it was still hot, it was overcast. The fish were a lot more active. From about 11 am, I had 8 bites and landed 5, all mid to upper doubles. I lost 3 in what I think was snags that were unknown to me. My mainline just parted which started to get concerning. Overall I used least thank 1/2 a kilo of boilies and packed up around 5. I think they're on the feed now. It's good to hear others are able to get out and are having good sport.

I went yesterday to my local days only park lake and managed 14 with 13 doubles with a 16, 17 and an 18. Kept them coming all day by regularly sending out the bait boat and got through a pressure cooker of spod and about 3kg of pellet split over 2 spots. Probably going again in a few days time and have 2 pressure cookers soaking as it's cheaper then pellet. That said, I have started buying my pellets in 25kg sacks as it brings the cost down a fair bit. It really is a case of "buying your fish". The more I chuck in, the quicker and more aggressive the bites.

Thanks , Yonny .

Had a look at the website. All the flavour combos are classics, tried and tested.

A Dragon Fly hitching a lift on a Common , extraordinary ! . The only way I can think of to get an even better 'photo would be a Kingfisher sitting on one of my rods . 😃

So, I'm continuously being plagued by the blanket weeed, it literally grows while you watch it! I added 10 more snails, ive only seen a few lately, so fear that the pigeons, or magpies have eaten the majority of them. I hadn't want to, but am going to try a grass carp, or two. The Copdock pellet is certainly doing the trick @yonny, they're certainly growing and looking very healthy👍

Hi everyone, I'm Caprini, from Spain. I mostly fish freshwater: shore fishing, reservoirs, a bit of carp fishing, small predators, float fishing and fly fishing when I can. I'm joining to learn from real fishing communities and understand how anglers actually organize trips, keep notes, find access routes and protect their spots. I'm also validating an Android fishing app idea, but I'm not here to sell anything. There is no app released, no download and no product to promote. I'll keep things respectful and will use one separate thread if the forum allows it, so I don't mix the app discussion with my introduction. Thanks for having me.

Well the extra air supply looks to be working. All of the fish seem happier and they're all feeding well. One is still heading to the filter return regularly but he's also socialising and eating food. I'll be keeping the extra air going in for now, especially with temps heading back up next week. I now need to get the balance of food right. Digestion uses lots of oxygen so I don't want to pile the grub in for growth until the water temps are down a little.

After my Son excitedly watched his tadpoles growing in our pond a Magpie went and ate them 🤬 .

Sadly Mate, my local club is 'overfilled', so I had to join a syndicate.