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New swim, more work done, a fish but overall frustrating 48hrs. The quicker they spawn the better imo.

This side looks knarly already lol Some lake ❤️

Mind boggling session on the syndi, arrived 6am Friday to beat the crowds and more importantly beat the long awaited weather change to westerlies. Whilst the lake was fairly busy noone was at the East end of the lake and I got the swim I had hoped for. The Easterly wind had died off and it was nice and calm whilst I quickly found some spots with the boat as you can't cast left with the overhangs. It was very weedy at 5ft to half way across but then when it dropped into an 8ft gulley the weed became more clumps with clean holes dotted about. I got 2 rods out and was baiting the last when the first was away after 10 mins and I landed my first of the year - a cracking little stocky, already looking nice and dark. The wind started up soon after and to cut a long story short I spent the next 48 hours watching the most banging conditions of the spring come to absolutely nothing, they just didn't turn up as expected. Plans to do an extra night were ditched Sunday lunchtime. I can only assume they are waiting to spawn somewhere out of sight, come Sunday afternoon the lake was almost empty.

few from last night on a tricky little park lake the boy got one too

Only time I'll recast at bite time is if I know I should have had a take, but it's not happened. I love to see this personally! I make sure to have any spodding/baiting done in the early afternoon. If everyone else starts doing the same in the evening I just chuckle as the fish are pushed to the only quiet spot on the lake i.e. in front of me! It's not uncommon for me to bait up then go on a wander or chat with other members. As long as the rods are clipped up ready to go I'm happy to keep the swim free of lines for a while.

The last thing I'd be doing is recasting at first light as that was a predominant bite time on the lakes I fished. I'd recast in the dark with no issues, as long as I hit the clip and felt that lead down with a thump I'd be happy. Be that wind, rain or what.

Hi all , I have been carp fishing on my local lake for a couple of years and use the method feeder . I feel it’s now time to move to other lakes and learn how to fish with rigs and actually try to become a better angler. So will be reading lots of threads and asking questions . Thank you in advance . Arms

I use Airbombs or x spods as long as you hit the clip right they are both pretty stealthy compared to a spomb. I do use a pult or throwing stick also though if I just want to bait some boilies. Everything has advantages and disadvantages though. I mean you can just fish singles but most of the time "you gotta get the bait out somehow"

I'm guilty for doing the rods half hour before it gets dark 🤣 also baiting up with a throwing stick in the dark so the gulls don't catch them 🤣 no idea if they were going on the spot but it did produce a few fish 🤣 What I sometimes do is if I'm fishing two rods I'll keep a third clipped up and ready so if I get a take in the night I can send it out without fuss 👍

So basically, syndicate anglers that see no benefit from license funds are now covering the cost of the EA checking the licenses of syndicate anglers that see no benefit from license funds!!!!! I always get my license and have zero problems with the price when I'm fishing open access waters - clubs for example. However, in the last 20 years I've fished several syndicates and none of them have benefited from any reinvested license funds. No benefit at all. £50+ then seems expensive!

Walk round the other side of the lake and check your margin lol bet it looks just as carpy

Indeed I am, nice reels solid with a good line lay 👍 Today Iv had them returned to me I lent them out to a mates kids they had them for around a month to try out carp fishing the one lad is keen and looks like he’s going to give it a go the other is defo not. Been awhile since I got all them all together so I thought a family pic was in order, all Okuma

48 hour social at Bluebell lakes. Sandmartin Lake. Managed one on the first evening but despite looking good for more the following day no more bites.

I use the stick late evening into dark, the damn gulls make it impossible otherwise. 👍

I am a lot more fussy these days,with my casting close enough isnt good enough, I will take more casts to get it spot on if I need too, I'll recast onto fizzers and will recast at night if something is bothering me,I've learnt I can't relax unless it's perfect, take the other week as an example, my first take went through all my lines, just into darkness, I had to redo them all, but 3 rods went out back onto the spots perfectly in darkness and I got a take on the distance rod first light, that had taken a couple of casts but hit the clip and got the drop I needed, I know I wouldn't have slept if it wasn't bang on. After the first light bite I got 2 rods on the long spot, spombed it up and 2 hours later got a take on the extra rod I had put out there. I think a lot of the reason I don't mind spombing is because of my spod mix, washed out boilies flaked maize and pellets, some stodgy, some fresh into the mix, a good helping of lake water, smart liquid and squid brand fish sauce makes a hell of a cloud and not loads of actual big food. I have run out of smart liquid now so might sub it out cos it's stupid expensive but it has worked pretty well. and the boilies are washed out but actractively primed for them to eat,

Recasting is a tough one, for a long time now I've tried to get the rods set and baited long before evening bite time - it feels like the big fish way, I wont touch them until late the following morning after bite time has finished, however if I'm getting occurances I'll check and recast at anytime. It does feel wrong watching people re-baiting and recasting late evening when they've had all afternoon to do this? I do find it very odd that on so many occasions I've reeled a cast in that was pretty much bang on, certainly good enough but something tells you to re-do it and bingo it was tangled or something not quite right - sixth sense? I think there are times I should recast definately, but probably too set in my ways, depends on the water to a degree I think. Reading other comments, at first light I really dont want to recast which is mental torture if you think you may have been done, but very unlikely to reel it in until much later, sometimes too late.

I'm always up before first light and give the hooks a quick lick with the polishing stone, a fresh bait attached and a hopper full of fresh bait stealthily boated out to the spot. I'm a bit paranoid that I might have been cleaned out overnight and the amount of times the hooks come back with a blob of weed masking it, makes it a no-brainer for me. I don't fish particularly weedy waters but always check when I'm adding more bait. When I read about people fishing Rainbow Lake who cast out and then leaving it for 4 days, my brain doesn't compute!

They caught 3 on Bluebell Lakes without licences last week. They've also requested and been given the access codes to my current syndicate complex - which is a first according to the manager.

I used to do try and avoid casting and still would mainly at first light, but if something is niggling at me that it isn't right, I will now just recast, and I'll spomb at first light too if I need too quite happily, I quite like knowing my spot is bang on and freshly primed for the morning bite time.

Cracking fish well done Kev.

They look good too

Went with the kids this weekend. Blanked the first 24hours. Then we got focused. Decided I wasn't happy with my main spot, so I put my big boy pants on and went for it 18.5 wraps, 2 rods or the horizon and one on the edge of some reeds where I had seen some bubbles, I had prebaited my daughters spot the night before with some boilies and left it, naturally that one was the first to go at 10pm, she cast it and felt for the drop herself and we baited it with 5 x spods and a few extra boilies she pulted into the zone, it ripped off when we were tucked in and listening to a book on audible. The summer I robbed a bank by David O'Doherty, if you have kids it's a great book. And naturally it decided to wipe out all my other rods, but we got it in and I cleared up the mess it made. (yes I was done in and a bit sun rouged) We lost her rod in the carnage and she wanted to sleep so one of mine went onto her spot, one to the long spot and one to the left. We were awoken to a savage take from the long rod. This came in like a ball of weed until it got in range of my other lines. Took the right one out. During the photos I had an out of body experience. Then I ditched the right hand rod spot and went long, so with 2 on the spot I whacked out another 10 X spods and had breakfast. Then the right hand long rod was away,we had spotted them all showing in the middle the evening before and this spot gave me the best shout not being able to move, this one came in well and we moved the other rods out of harms way, fought hard close in but without hassle, and although the smallest of the trio of commons but finished off the trip nicely. Lovely weekend with the kids, had lots of fun and caught 3 and lost none, we did some bird spotting, saw some fish on the other lake spawning and caught some fish Happy days.

One caught on Friday after putting a rod on some fish bubbling.

i managed to get out for the first time in over a year this week and did one rod on method and another on solid bags, method i recast every 30 45 mins or so and tried to hit the same spot but also prospected a bit with it. the solid bags i did about every 45 mins and always near the margin. solid bags caught me about 5 lovely carp over the course of 6 hours but the method only managed a skimmer during the same time frame. i do love the feeder set up though but must admit on my little local water thye solid bags work every time

That tree would make me a bit nervy

Love watching Myles, he has a real style to his angling, always thinking and working it out and gets the job done,A great watch.

My boilies pre soaking in smart combo

I've had that myself. One that really sticks in my mind was on Brackens when fishing with Big Dave. I'd had a couple of fish, and had run out of my rigs, so I pinched one of his tied with a Korda Kurv. I had bleeps, but no hittable indication. I reeled in, put on a freshly tied rig with a Gardner Mugga and within minutes had another carp. I later checked his rig, and the hookpoint just was not as sharp. If anyone remembers it, it was the hook in the finger and lift the lead off the desk test. That was always my thinking on Brackens, let them push the fish onto my already positioned baits. I was always using running leads and very slack lines, so the fish wouldn't be spooked by a tight line running through the swim. This is a weird one on my current syndicate though. When I arrive I tend to put a fair bit of particle in on arrival, expecting to write the first night off on that rod. Yet within an hour of spodding I have had fish. I'm thinking the fish are constantly travelling and find the bait.

I've just realised I've owned my Okuma 8k reels for over 4 years now. Firstly where has that time gone? Secondly they are still as smooth and brilliant as the day I got them. Normally I get bored with tackle or fed up with it limiting my angling but these reels do it all. The simplicity of the drag, the line lay is perfect and they are a joy to use. Even with 0.40mm line the line falls of the spool with ease when casting. I can honestly say they are the best reels I've ever owned and have no desire to change them. You know what I might even oil them as a treat for being such loyal servants.

So I popped out yesterday afternoon, fishing the waggler and led rod, grabbed two bags of frozen corn and some rubber bits out my carp tackle, was having silver bream on the float rod and one small carp, the led rod went mental two large carp about 15 to 20 lb just smashed my hook size 10 just spat it out after taking my gear on a lap of the lake, they really did want that corn. Got to be some of the finest close in fishing I have done in a while, can't believe I got carp looking for corn on the deck they were cruising the top all day the confidence they had on the corn was saying something.

As far as I am aware I don't think a Carp / Bream hybrid is actually possible. Deff get a Roach / Bream hybrid. Also with the Carp family there are so many hybrids: F1s - Crucian and Common carp Fan TaiL Crucian - Crucian and Goldfish Ghost Carp - Carp and Koi Sure there are many more too? One thing that is a real shame is I very much doubt there are any true 'wild carp' left, long lean bodies and always common carp. I think I actually caught some wildies many many years ago from a lake in surrey, now long gone tho

Agree 100%, Done to death but makes me laugh when I read casting as close to far bank margins,,,, err they are under your feet, obviously depends on venue but seen it, done it and works too

Margin fishing the most overlooked feature on a lake

Just got back from my birthday trip to benidorm, we spent most of the time at the strip, I can't drink like I used to 🤣

That one is a beaut.

Awesome @kevtaylor.

Pair of Gardner ATTS IW alarms and deluxe receiver

Yeah I looked at some other reels it's comparable to other loads more expensive reels from shimano and daiwa on weight and if it performs better than the 8k it would be a great reel.

Now I’m confused here ( I know it doesn’t take a lot ) iv got a set of set of Korum 10 ft all rounders in 2 .25 and a set of Dave Lane Classic in 12 ft 3.lb with a 3.25 that I use for marking and Spoding ..umm oh yeah 🤔 A set of 12 ft 3.50 Prologic Fulcrum … and not forgetting the very naughty set of ESP onyx Quickdraw 10 ft 3.50 The reason for purchasing the ESP set was I needed to get my gear down to a minimum and they pack down to 50 inches, the 3.50 because I was using bags as I thought I couldn’t complete with the bait that was going in the water I was fishing and the thinking a bag approach would be the best option Soooo am I a fashionable or unfashionable angler? 🤔 Or just got to much gear 🫢

There you going again spoiling them 🙄 Nice reels 😎

went on little lake today here is a rod shot pic with Diawa Proteus rod on my single rod pod, this pod is ideal for this lake as all the pegs are platforms and the ground either side of each platform is dam near impossible to get a bank stick in and one rod rule on little lake

Wide n snide baby 😎 Not really the 4th was my daughters.

You're mistaken Nick. The laws of physics prevent this. There is no mechanism that makes it physically possible. I was the Manager of every lab and quality function in Europe for one of the worlds biggest metal-forming and heat-treating organisations in the world for 17 years. So I know this. Modulus of elasticity of steel is a constant. It is slightly different for different grades of steel but all in the same range. It is a physical property of steel that can only be altered by heat treatments: - Under-treated steel has a lower yield point so the hook will be subject to plastic deformation more readily, making it impossible for a hook to regain shape after straightening. Over-treated steel will lead to embrittlement which means tensile strength will be exceeded more readily (which means a snapped hook). Again, impossible. There is no characteristic in steel that can feasibly vary from batch to batch that can result in the phenomenon you think you saw. Perfectly feasible and I expect most seasoned anglers will have seen this at some point. But a hook straightening out and springing back into shape is not possible.

That's not accurate. Hooks are made from high carbon steels and heat treated (sometimes referred to as spring steels). While it's true that a finer gauge wire or hook is more prone to straightening (obviously), elasticity (or Youngs Modulus of elasticity to be precise) is a physical characteristic of steel - there is no 'may' about it. A hook is essentially a spring - it is critical that it can flex during the fight (this is known as elastic deformation), otherwise it would just snap because it would be too brittle to deal with the loads applied to the steel. However, it's not possible for the hook to flex to the point of straightening without the yield strength of the steel being exceeded. The yield strength is the point at which the steel deforms under load permanently (this is known as plastic deformation). So yes, a hook flexes (to a point) but no, a hook cannot straighten and then spring back into shape. The physical properties of spring steel do not allow it. If a hook straightens, you know about it.

Another 3 night blank, new swim, position seemed good for traffic, only one stuck it's head out the whole trip. Did hours of swim improvements/clearance for no reward, out again Thursday night for another go - same conditions 🤦‍♂️ Still nice view lol

Been doing quite well on tigers nuts recently and this one is the best so far at 33lb 5oz.

Had a lot of bad luck on little pond today started out with a light carp rod set up and lost a small common to a hook pull, later swapped over to the old cane float rod with mitchell 410a lost 3 carp in a row on stick float fist to a hook pull second lost to knot letting go 3rd the 3lb hooklink parted, re rigged and a blank saver 10lb common, it put up a very lively fight and i was well aware of the 3lb weak link but some skillful playing on a very light clutch and in the net, awful pic of me

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

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.