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With the big pit covered in a giant weedberg on the end of the wind where I wanted to be, I decided to pop to the local day ticket for my monthly session. I experienced all the highs and lows associated with such places - plenty of carpy activity but got casted over, spombed at, hemmed in...... but all's well that ends well. Caught a few with these being the prettiest. The linear is typical of the stock of this water, but the other one is a true leather. Quite a rarity nowadays.

Went back to Belgium Carp Arena Lilly Pool late July-Aug and was regretting the booking in the run up with the extreme heat forecasts. First day set up camp and got my son fishing and he got off the mark with 2 x 30s within the first 12 or so hours so all pressure was off. Sunday I got my rods sorted and didnt take long to get off the mark too with another low 30. The heat midweek killed the action but we got a couple late on in the week. We ended up with 7 for me including the biggest in the lake and 4 for my son. Mega week for me practicing boat skills to drop rigs, bait up and play a few that became weeded up, my son loved the bait boat and wasnt keen on the actual boat as he felt unsafe with me moving all over the place trying to help him hand line fish out of the weed etc. Tactics were my low pop-up rigs, match the hatch baits and small scatterings of boilies which seemed to work well considering the conditions. No night bites which seemed odd but great, all fish came between first light upto 10pm with 7am - 10am the most productive. Will go back coz I love the boating element and a lake exclusive.

Last week in Belgium, rods far and wide on a lake booking between me and my son.

View OF the bivvy doors - this is camp from the last trip, thankfully the trees left side of the swim covered us from mid morning until 7pm. We moved the Nash tarp and used as a wall to block the early morning sun - worked a treat. 👍

At Brackens I knew everyone else was going to recast around 6pm at night, so I would make sure I had my baits in place long before that, and use their disturbance to move the fish out of their areas. Quite frequently I would get fish about 8 o-clock at night while they blanked. I also try not to change hookbaits, even after a fish. The smell of 'me' is gone, the first fish found it acceptable, so changing it might upset that. That attitude also comes with me now at the end of a session. My pop-ups are already counterbalanced, on floss and lighter blobbed, so don't come off unless pulled. I can quite easily just attach a fresh bag or stringer without actually touching the bait. The only time Sky goes silly, talking and jumping, when someone comes to visit, and most people she loves, but there are one or two who she is not keen on for some reason, possibly because they are nervous about her. I don't mind the majority of people if they move in next door, but sometimes there are some you wish hadn't. I make sure Sky is on bark mode, lol. I try to spot fish, and if I do have to move in next to someone I will just stringer and one cast rather than make a massive disturbance.

Well done for rising above all the provocations and triumphing . I mean did these numpties not realise from your hat that they were dealing with a serious carper ?. 😁

You've certainly got the swim covered lad!

From a few years ago.

I laughed about the boat... my sons were the same. Scared of getting wet??? Glad you had a good time mate

Awesome @kevtaylor

Is that you Ollie? 🤪

Exactly! What's wrong with these people? 🤣

Tru dat, didn't give them an inch to hide lol

Gets me when on a pretty quiet lake a new arrival will choose to go right next to you or bang opposite - I mean really?!?! I've been doing this fishing lark for a long time now so if I want to go down a particular end of the lake but find it to be busy down there I go the other end instead of fitting in and spoiling it for those already present. I'm not desperate to catch these days and it usually works that the pressure pushes them away anyway. 🤷‍♂️

Yes his hookbaits are the real deal. First night in using them i had a 40 coincidence or not they do work well, hence his catchphrase. Buy with confidence

Hi Paul Been looking in for some time now and have struggled to register for some reason? However, here I am. I hope this place offers you a good place for discussion and where opinions and alternative views are welcomed. Reading through a large number of previous threads, I think you are going to be ok.

Another independent tackle shop in Norfolk is closing down https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/26400533.wensum-valley-angling-taverham-closes-final-time/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcATOnNxjbGNrBM6cy2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHgalWGfu_javnoI9KBSUAaSfkhngP-WUgEQcjOWnitQ__0pSrDEgeXFhuORX_aem_4aDPBQbhD_J0Qb0H614Leg#Echobox=1784743154