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31lb 8oz 👍

Had these from the canal today 👍 24lb 12lb 14oz 19lb 4oz

I’ve not really had the rods out in anger for a while, but my daughter has been showing me how it’s done with her first carp from a little campsite pond.

View from last weekend, got excited with my bait mix smashed it all in then had duck wars over it all night lol On the plus side I found what feels like a banging area so might well be back on that tonight, less bait lol 🤞

Back on it post spawning, great to be back out at long last.

A 31lb 12oz mirror from the weekend. Also managed a 25-4 and 18-10. After a windy start on Friday, it got really hot but managed a bite on all 3 rods by boating out about 20 Creamino boiles and a bit of pellet every 3 hours tight to an Island.

I think the quote to be used here is don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.. typical journos

I got a Korda Spring Bow net delivered last week. I have a thing about real decent nets and have inadvertently amassed a bit of a collection. It drives the Mrs mad. A pal of mine showed me his Spring Bow a while back and I was well impressed so I've had a search set up on fleabay/marketplace for a while. The right deal finally came up so it's now racked up with the various Dymags and Chris Brown nets in the fishing room, much to the Mrs' annoyance. I'll use it on my next session out of principle and then decide if it replaces the Dymag mk2 I tend to use most of the time.

Linda lusardi or Maria Whittaker was my preferred totty.

That's amazing - and the cheeky sods! My mate spends a lot of time looking for stuff on facebook etc got the collecting bug from another friend. I've not got a fishing room, just fishing kit in every room, garage and attic 😀

After a chat on here about mats I treated myself to the Thinking Anglers mat, its very light and actually will be great for stalking 👍

There are certainly some still around. My old syndicate lake had 4 known originals in it when I fished there, all from an original stocking of Leney's. As far as I'm aware they are all still in there, I stopped fishing there 5 yrs ago but I still chat to mates on there and the usual one was caught last year and the most sought after one came out this spring. Some members had been on there years trying to catch one but luckily for me my second fish from the lake was one and the most sort after one at that when I fished there. I had it in 2017 and it was 50yrs old then. It wasn't caught last year but made an appearance this spring so still going strong at 58yrs old. Another lake that may well hold some original Leney's is Frensham ponds.

Feral carp reverting towards the original wildie type have what is referred to as a Danubian Notch. However true wildies don't have it. I think it is like the straight head to the body, whereas bred carp have a slight dip.

I also used to make my own baits back in the day when you had to. i can’t be bothered to make them so I go to baitworks now as I like the ethos of the whole business. i happily pay what ever it says in the shopPing trolley I don’t want or ask for any further discounts or to beholden to any company for tackle or bait I buy and use what I deem the BEST for the purpose that I need at the time. happy to use almost any tackle company from A-Z apart from 2 one that starts with O as I don’t like their company ethos and the other I haven’t bought any from since they started blaming customers for incorrect use of their flame thrower stoves. i do own a few Nash products but yep they seem to have lost their way. was watching someone use one of their bushwhackers yesterday and it went out miles lol

Seriously been thinking about this. Nash bait, well did very well back in the day with ready mades when from memory was only competing against Richworth and maybe a few others? I used them a few times, not to bad tbh. Times have changed, they have been so much overtaken by sooo many bait firms, can't compete. Also the whole Nash brand I suspect will now do a nose dive, Alan Blair, that Jamie bloke, Carl and Alex. etc etc on social media will eventually die a death, tbh if I was the bloke I would sell the lot at his age and just retire with his own lake to fish. As an old git I actually don't care anymore about these old firms...... except the demise of Premier Baits who actually sent me a free T Shirt, which I wore for many a pic 🙂

I got hold of Hutchy's Golden Years after pre-ordering it almost as soon as it was given a release date. Rod Hutchinson was, or is, an angling hero of mine, and I have read many of his own books; from bait to tackle he was a pioneer and understood more than us mere mortals will ever get, so I was really interested in his early life and journey into carp fishing and this book most definitely does not disappoint. From his time at Redmire with Chris Yates, to Savay, with chapters on his captures by long time companion Brian Hankins and his joy for fishing and life by Simon Crow.

On my water they do the job for tufties, coots, moorhens and swans. The mallards aren't bothered but they tend not to cause a problem in anything over around 3 ft depth. I got rid of my laser pen several years ago after I saw how the carp react to it. I was perched in the lower branches of a tree watching the carp that were on my spot just up the margin. A couple of coots were diving on it so I got the pen out to scare them off. Big mistake. As the laser hits the water it refracts, and a bright green stripe akin to a light sabre trails through the water. The water is that much denser than air that it really accentuates the laser.... it looked awful. The carp were absolutely horrified - they immediately bolted right out of the bay I was in, and didn't come back until the same time the next day. It was that bad I literally binned the laser as soon as I got home.

Yeah dropped about a foot and a half to what it looks like is the natural level, it's mega, got 3-4 foot in the edge in most places still. Pressure drop and rain, hopefully I'll guess the right section if none spotted, but wind is swinging mid session. In it to win it 😎👍

Denise van Outen on Big Breastfast

Dusting off my old shimano aero 11ft 2 1/4lb tc carp rods and 6000 shimano baitrunners on a little pond in the Mole valley. Literally fishing under the rod tips, my baits are each side of the end of the boards. I’ve not used these rods in maybe 15yrs, but this lake didn’t suit either my 12ft 3lb fox torque or my 12 3.5lb fox horizon rods, average carp mid-high singles, with the odd low double, so a lovely through actioned rod like these ones are so much more matched and more fun to play carp on.

The weather forecasters predicted a heatwave this weekend and they weren't wrong! I booked a 48hr session on a pay lake back in November and was in 2 minds whether or not to go. Got there on Friday afternoon and they were all sunbathing, some with their backs out of the water. Chucked out 3 zigs in desperation but wasn't surprised they didn't take them. An hour before dusk I would them in and replaced them with bottom baits and boated them out with the first loose feed. An hour after dark they started spawning and spent virtually all night doing it and I got practically no sleep. I did manage 2 overnight and then another 2 at first light up to 24-5. The day was another grueller but luckily I was sheltered right back amongst the trees and avoided the worst of the sun. I had another 3 during the second night and luckily no more spawning. It died about 2 hours after dawn and I packed up at 10a.m. despite booking on 'til 6p.m. It you would have offered me 7 fish in those conditions I would have had your hand off! I did lie on my camp bed for 10 minutes after dinner and woke up 2 hours later!

I suppose you could argue that Terry Hearns first book, in pursuit of the largest and Dave Lanes obsession with carp are creeping into old school territory now? After all, they are documenting famous waters from the early 90s, nigh on 30yrs now! Where has the time gone?

I can guarantee you right now that they will sell. They've drummed up loads of interest. It is a complete no-brainer to offer one with a speaker. For every guy that prefers the speakerless version, there's one that prefers a speaker. It's a win-win for them to offer both. Their only other remote alarm is based on a design that's nearly 30 years old (TLB+), and even that needs the ATT receiver.

Been making do with a folding camping chair since i came back to fishing, but fished yesterday and was so tired kept thinking need a recliner to snooze in mentioned to my mate on the lake Smithy and he sold me his JRC recliner chair in mint condition for 40 notes ideal

Sold my 9 footers a few months back because I had no need for them.. just bought a set of 9ft scopes, picking them up tomorrow 👍🤣

Believe it or not I can possibly beat that 😅 I have a full size faux taxidermy carving of the ex record carp, Two Tone, fully mounted in mahogany case. The centrepiece of my fishing room. There's a funny story that comes with it too. I came across it on ebay. It was advertised as a carving so clearly not the actual stuffed fish. I bought it, knowing full well it wasn't real, for the fishing room and thought I'd see if I could find some info on it. I posted it on the old Anglers Forum but no-one could tell me anything about it. But, the Anglers Mail got in touch and asked to do an article on it. Me being me, I told them I don't really want to be in a magazine, and turned them down. So rather than just leave it.... they made a story up. They published an article, using the picture I'd posted on the Anglers Forum, that said the buyer had purchased it thinking it was the real thing i.e. the actual stuffed Two-Tone. The cheeky gits. Naturally, I went back to them and called them scum of the earth A) for making the story up, and B) for stealing my photo. Needless to say they never replied. This was maybe 10 years ago but the story was still available online not long ago. I just Googled it and found the image but the link no longer works.

Bivvy fetishism struck again !

Then back on home territory and ,part of a 7 carp hit ,using single bottom baits over a scoop of dried maize

Then a night float fishing with prawns ,after eels ,not a carp I know !

Across the border, forgot my passport and facial recognition but made it...OK.. lol

I sometimes look on this web site, normally a bit banal about how to.... etc But found this small insight into possibly one of the best angling series ever broadcast: https://www.carpology.net/article/features/an-interview-with-hugh-miles/

@emmcee. lovely looking fish, glad there are still some around 👍. @salokcinnodrog Frensham ponds still on a Farnham angling club ticket, sadly as you say had a massive fish kill and tbh the big lake is now just unfishable, even if you wanted to in summer as rammed with swimmers and tourists. Used to be a lake near there many years ago that was an old skool venue tho, think Andy Little used to fish there??

I have a Leney from Redmire that as a baby made its way to Norfolk. The excessively successful spawning of the Redmire fish, with other originals, many of the netted fish were sold off to various buyers across the country.

Do any of you watch dave lanes videos? He had a bit of a shocker with some swans this week. I won't spoil it but it was a funny story.

Wow ! , I'm guessing not from the canal ? .

Duck free lol aaaagh!!! On the plus side I learnt to fill them up with mixers late evening Saturday, that worked - no more diving and 3 passing single fish stopped and had a few too, Sunday morning they weren't too much trouble. Before that basically all day Saturday they destroyed my 2 spots - I reckon they've eaten about 15kilo over the last 2 weekends most of which was boilie! So much for getting spots going 👎 I did catch one (a duck) Saturday early evening and that did scare them off for a while, tapped him on the beak and called him 'Stupid', that showed him lol Next 6 weeks I'm in work on Fridays so will be getting there late or going early Saturday. I need to find where these fish do their early morning feeds because I'm not getting enough traffic in this part of the lake and the ducks well they're just being ducks - and lots of them. Might need a complete change of approach going forward tbh

Well done , jh92 , especially in this heat . My favourite is the last 'photo , the smaller dark mirror . 😀

Every few minutes........... Ian.

Today's Thought? I'd really hoped that growing old would take much longer than this. 😗 Ian.

Certainly does and much better than the new craze of massive bums - just enormous, lip fillers etc etc look like freaks tbh bring back the old days!

Sam Fox, she still looks good for her age now in my opinion.

I still use it every now and again rather than using PVA bags or mesh. I don't necessarily resort to a Method feeder, but mould groundbait round a flat lead. I don't think Ardleigh ever qualified as a runs water, and that moulded groundbait round the lead produced a lot of fish, and well into the 20's. My favourite groundbait is not quite the same as it was, Vitalin as a dog food company sold the makeup to Gladwells, who now make it as Vitacarp, although I don't think it is as 'sticky' as it was, with less rolled maize in it. I used to pour boiling water over it the night before use, or add in soaked and boiled birdfood, sweetcorn and hemp and allow to stand for about 30minutes before balling it for groundbait and moulding around the lead. Not forgetting some crushed and crumbled boilies in the mix. I wasn't keen on shop bought Method feeders with the elastic through the middle, but there is now a decent choice.

With a line lay like this you won't be disappointed. Smooth a silk, excellent drag, great retrieve, much better than my aerlex spod reel tbh.

Shock horror i managed to winkle out a little carp from the smaller pond, i was fishing mainly a bunch of maggots on size 10 hook with 10ft Diawa spinning rod and small freespool reel caught an Ide about 1.75lb, then a snotty (the Ide was a new species for me) i was just packing up and went to switch of bite alarm when it sounded a full on run, landed this nice little mirror just under 10lb but sadly the rod snapped for an unknown reason, might just be its age

When I set up on Monday it was absolutely scorching, but was able to get positioned in as much shade as possible. Well back from the water, and positioned so we only get the full sun from 4 until 8pm. I say well back from the water, when the lake is full, this spot is actually underwater.

I was talking to someone yesterday and he just came back from a week in France he actually witnessed a delkim melting in the heat lol that one definitely won’t be waterproof

I don’t think you can fault the Fox Micron range. They just work and the new basic ones are perfect value for money £25 each ( why pay more ) !

So to start the thread I mentioned the steak, so here is the real deal. And that is a Fishing Dinner: Rare rump steak with mushrooms, sliced green beans and sliced fried potato, a dash of mixed herbs and a crushed clove of garlic.