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  1. Back down for another 3-4 nights potentially, picked back of the wind based on what I saw last trip and after setting up I saw several shows to my surprise, showing me where to put the rods, fingers crossed might get lucky - think I've dropped right on them unless they're passing through, some chunks to - fingers crossed 🤞
    6 points
  2. emmcee

    Tactics for big park lake

    When I first fished a big pit I set my stall out and fished at 40yds or less for 90% of my fishing, especially when seeing most anglers casting as far as they could. I also concentrated on the bays on this particular lake as the fishing was comfortable for me and more into my style. Im not someone who likes to fish as far they can so I only ever launched baits to the horizon if that's where the fish were. Don't get sucked into what you see everyone else doing. And the obvious one is location, location, location. Also Write down where you see them , the wind direction, weather, the atmospheric pressure (in my opinion and my findings were these factors play a bigger part on larger pits than smaller ones)all these will help you get a picture of the fish are up to.
    5 points
  3. All of my fish at Ardleigh Reservoir were caught at around 40-50metres maximum. One was caught at about 20metres when I saw fish moving around an inlet so cast a bait where I saw them. Even on Alton I don't think I cast more than 70metres.
    3 points
  4. Great advice that 👆 do your own thing
    3 points
  5. Jone5y

    Scaling back

    Here's a picture including all the items above in their respective pouch and my other tackle pouch which has all my tackle for river fishing (chub, barbel, and perch). The bottle of scotch is for scale purposes obviously.
    3 points
  6. Jone5y

    Scaling back

    To scale back you really need to decide what you actually need for the vast majority of your fishing. You also need to be content with the fact they you will never cover every possibility. I really do not enjoy carrying loads of unnecessary things in anything I do - whether that be fishing tackle or tools for a job. If I can buy something that has multiple uses then I will prioritise that. When I stopped carp fishing exclusively, my items of end tackle all fit into a 9" by 6" zipped bag which I have attached a picture of. The little box has a few beads, swivels etc in, the bit of pipe lagging as a few pre-tied rig bits pinned on, and the cut down pva tube has the hook section of hinge stiff rig/chod rigs in - which can be used for either rig obviously. I have three packets of hooks only. I think most people would shudder at the idea of taking so few items of terminal tackle with them. Personally, I always found it very relaxing to have a very simple approach to work from. Granted I may add items as a situation dictates but I never found myself feeling the need to try something for no reason whatsoever. I would advise seriously considering concocting a very basic approach to carp fishing (i.e. deciding on three rigs that cover most situations you can envision) and decide EXACTLY what you need to do that.
    3 points
  7. bluelabel

    Scaling back

    Korum Opportunist Mat Bag, with a Korum fully loaded tackle box in the kit bag, along with alarms, sticks, catty, pva tube, bait tub (bait tub since replaced with a Korum EVA eva bait and tackle station), Chair, rod bag and I still have a hand free for gates etc... I travel fairly light these days... short trips for me nowadays, even reverting to the use of a trolley as my back is totally naffed Do yerselves a flavour and travel light... it do tickle me sideways when some bod with a barrow piled higher than the Shard say's... "Ya gotta stay mobile man"... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
    2 points
  8. jh92

    New purchases

    After a few beers yesterday I wake up to find I've ordered this 🤣🤣🤣 Also just spooled the sportsmatics with 15lb korda long chuck, they feel great 👌 excuse the socks 🤣
    2 points
  9. framey

    New purchases

    2 new pick up buoys and inflators bilge pump. Who says carp fishing is expensive…
    2 points
  10. 4 night blank to get me into the swing of things, lots to learn and a new playing field as the water is up 4ft on last year's drought level. Great trip loved it - spring is in the air, the birds are at it, frogs in the margins being hunted by pike and masses of bugs crawling out the lake especially during rain - so many caddis or whatever they were that it freaked me out - all coming under my door by the dozen. Can't wait to get back down asap.
    2 points
  11. ouchthathurt

    Snowman help

    I’ve always used floss as the “hair” on the slip d, then tied the hair stop on with a couple of granny knots then blobbed with a lighter. I then remove that bait and hair stop and discard it, then turn the floss loop so the blob is half way down the loop, then rebait, so the blob ends up in the centre of the boilie, then hair stop as normal. I do this because when I bait up, then give the bait a quick sniff, I can smell the melting/burning smell left from the blobbing process, but by replacing the bait and positioning the blob in the middle of the bait, this is eradicated. Extremely fussy I know! But it makes me feel happier! yet when I lasso and blob a pop up using floss, I can’t do that, and catch perfectly well, so the “blobbing burnt smell” can’t be that off putting… 🙄
    1 point
  12. ouchthathurt

    New member

    Welcome to the forum buddy 👍
    1 point
  13. salokcinnodrog

    Snowman help

    Not just your problem, in the wind lighter blobbing the end can be a nightmare. Even worse for me, is this trip I managed to leave my lighter and spare at home. 2 days of lighting cigarettes from a gas stove until I went to the local village to get some supplies... The pop-ups had been tied on with dental floss on one, Merlin on the other (to compare). They both lasted 48hours no problems.
    1 point
  14. Lovely looking lake that Kev, and really nice choice of spot. The weather conditions feel ripe for some fish, let us know how you go mate.
    1 point
  15. mrmud

    Snowman help

    I usually blob the braid but couldn't this session(didn't think of that causing such a issue 🤷🏽‍♂️), couldn't get the lighter working in the lovely weather we was having. 40mph winds with a bit of rain thrown in for good measures.
    1 point
  16. framey

    Carp forum

    Check the Facebook page Latest news is all on there as of last night
    1 point
  17. salokcinnodrog

    Snowman help

    I've been tying hairs onto rig rings (or swivels) for years for snowman rigs and pop-ups, and because I had to deal with crayfish which can cut dental floss, mono or fluorocarbon, settled on Kryston Merlin braid. I found hair braid is too 'slippy'. Any brand uncoated hooklink braid should work, but I bought loads of Kryston stuff when Dave Chilton sold the company. I even go old school and have a loop at the end for a boilie stop for snowman rigs. So I tie the loop at the end of the braid, and normally using a plain simple blood knot tie the hair to the rig ring. There are occasional alternatives if I've been using single bottom baits or even wooden balls on the rig and they are tight to the loop and bait stop; I'll tie a dental floss or braid loop a pop-up onto the original hair loop. Uni knot a loop, put your pop-up in it, and pull the loop tight. With the two tag ends tie them into the original hair loop with 4 overhand or granny knots, then lighter blob the ends to stop any pulling free. A faff certainly, but it doesn't put fish off. I've found overhand knots or granny knots can slip, but lighter blobbing the ends stops them pulling back through.
    1 point
  18. yonny

    Snowman help

    I just use floss and blob it with a lighter..... unless birds are a problem in which case I use floss and a hair stop with 4 overhand knots! Not sure why yours will be coming undone. Try floss instead of the hair braid. The braid could be slipping.
    1 point
  19. Hi Nick, Plano tackle box - that takes me back and puts a smile on the face, wow!
    1 point
  20. jh92

    Scaling back

    Doubt it mate, I keep all pva stuff in a bait bucket where I keep pellet to make bags etc 👍 I normally take the kitchen sink with me. Prefer to have it just in case 🤣
    1 point
  21. Scaling back? I tried that and struggled, simply because it wasn't where I had gotten used to it over 30years of fishing. @elmoputney has a fit as my Plano tackle box ends up like a bombsite, just after the explosion... The top level tray is full of hooklink materials, leads, my hygiene stuff, pocket knife forceps, Klinik etc. I do have 2 rig bins for bottom bait or snowman rigs and a rig wallet for pop-up rigs, although one rod is my helicopter setup for big chucks, and stays setup for that. I simply tie the linklet onto a boom, basically hinge rig style. If I need a pop-up rig on one of the other rods I can grab a whole rig out of the wallet and fish that with run ring pendant lead.
    1 point
  22. Whitstable Jack

    Scaling back

    Does it fit mesh pva tubes mate?
    1 point
  23. jh92

    Scaling back

    Bought the ridgemonkey armoury tackle box about a year or so ago and haven't looked back. Love it, it fits everything I need in there 👍
    1 point
  24. kevtaylor

    Scaling back

    I still use the same tool box I found 30 odd years ago coz it fits in my rucksack and seems to be the right size. I also carry a zig disc (fox) - thats good because it's 1ft round so use as a measure and rig storage. Theres lots of stuff I rarely use which lives in a big rig wallet - only goes in the car on big trips where I dont know what might happen, multiple zig lines, bait drills and corks, various leaders, tubing sets, spares on top of spares. I used to carry a big float tube full of spods, marker floats, floater floats - again only on big trips - but left in car. For normal fishing trips (95%) of the time I carry just one spare spod, one floater/zig line, one marker float, PVA funnel web all in the lid of my rucksack, one tackle box FULL of rig making essentials, rig box (Korda) and the zig disc (Fox). Spare leads can stay in the car, I carry some in a lead pouch - enough for a few fish, back to the car if I run out. You could spend a fortune buying all new stuff that goes together perfectly or just make what you've got work - I'm kind of reviewing what I need on a venue to venue basis.
    1 point
  25. welder

    Tactics for big park lake

    I too tend to find larger venues a bit intimidating, it's like fishing an ocean! I agree with all that Framey says, particularly the part about breaking a large lake into a series of smaller ones, psychologically. I try to remember to never overlook the margin, it's the one feature that every water has and is frequently ignored. I remember being told that three things will find fish. Observation, observation and observation. Ian.
    1 point
  26. kevtaylor

    New purchases

    I don't take an extra groundsheet, just by keeping the groundsheet and bivvy separate - the groundsheet is handy to chuck over if it rains whilst barrowing back and forth, I don't cover it once fishing - everything goes inside the shelter 👍
    1 point
  27. bluelabel

    New purchases

    Dem sox is funky...🤣🤣🤣
    1 point
  28. framey

    New purchases

    Someone’s put the handles on the wrong side for you 🤪
    1 point
  29. bluelabel

    New purchases

    Wunno these... nifty bit o kit...👍
    1 point
  30. kevtaylor

    New purchases

    Groundsheet from bivvy - store separate 👍 Why buy something extra?
    1 point
  31. salokcinnodrog

    Chod rigs?

    Correct.
    1 point
  32. framey

    Chod rigs?

    Can also tie everything in place using pva string tape etc
    1 point
  33. yonny

    Chod rigs?

    Yup
    1 point
  34. salokcinnodrog

    Chod rigs?

    As @yonny says a knot below the chod will keep the lead clear. In fact, with a chod (or helicopter) setup should you unfortunately have a crack-off, you need the lead to allow the rig to come off the top end past the beads.
    1 point
  35. yonny

    Chod rigs?

    Not necessarily. You can tie a knot below the chod to keep the lead away from the rig. As long as the top bead can move, it's safe.
    1 point
  36. A buddy of mine visited Hitchin museum today to see the exhibition of Richard Walker total items in pic below whilst I appreciate fishing isn’t everyone cup of tea this is an abysmal showng
    1 point
  37. MRVIIX

    Barrow recommendations

    Thanks Ian I've found one collecting next week
    1 point
  38. Floater fishing was quite possibly my 'goto' method on a couple of waters, Taverham Mills and Earith. Taverham is where I really 'formulated' my floater fishing style. It was handy for an evening after finishing work in the summer, and also for days to catch extra fish if I was fishing for a couple of nights. The daytime probably from lunchtime on I'd be walking round firing Chum mixers in, looking for fish. Good floater spots were not always in the main lake; Bruce and I used to find plenty of floater takers in some of the small channels and bays. At Earith we did try the same, but for some reason that was a lot harder in Virginia pool although George's, Pats and Reeds lake produced a few. Weird considering that Reeds and Virginia were joined. In fact the only Earith fish I caught twice I caught once in Virginia on a bottom bait, and once in Reeds on a dog biscuit. I ignored floater fishing for too long at Brackens, but eventually twigged (too late) that in summer it was worth taking a floater rod with the rest of my gear. It's something that I will be doing I think on most waters, always take some floating baits and tackle. Rods on alarms at night, and if you can get them on floaters during the day...
    1 point
  39. Just the hook baits 👍
    1 point
  40. Hi Nick, Thank you for the great feedback on how you fish with floaters, I will be trying the uni-knot loop and your other tips. Also any mention of Chris Ball and Brian Skoyles is always welcome - have you seen their book on surface fishing? It is superb. I know the norm is to get them feeding, then cast out. I've done it the other way round a fair bit - cast out, then work the swim up. That said, just like fishing on the bottom, sometimes a single hookbait can work. That ghostie common is a cracker Nick, and great work getting the bigger fish from the pack.
    1 point
  41. MRVIIX

    Barrow recommendations

    Just found a carp porter mk2 fatboy local to me for £130 is that a good price ?
    1 point
  42. @framey I did an edit on your post as the shortened form of Richard is in the censored group after insults years ago. Sad isn't it, that an angler who probably started the mainstream fishing, not just carp, has nothing but that small memorial and a blue plaque. Richard Walker was innovative, fishing for many species, catching big perch on a fly creation of his own as well as carp. He was also a champion rabbit breeder I believe, writing a book on the subject.
    1 point
  43. Walk and look as much as possible, often leaving the gear in the car or at home. I used to fish a 400acre plus reservoir; 4 or 5 days a week I would walk a section (as @framey says breaking it down) or all the way around, then fish my 2 days off. The walking often gave me an idea where they were, weather and wind dependent, or I expected them to turn up. Wind may have more effect on big open waters than tree surrounded lakes. A big westerly based wind used to push them up to the North Eastern end, whereas a northerly I would be looking into sheltered bays. Don't forget your binoculars and polarised sunglasses, and even on big waters, the margins or close in can produce.
    1 point
  44. Dress your dog up as a ferret, there's no rule against ferrets. Sadly, the rule of no guns rules me out.
    1 point
  45. Got out today... over me club lake... a nice scrappy common got in on the act and gave me a good tear up all the way in from about 30 yards out... Rod was a 9'3" Sharpe, reel is an Abu 77 Cardinal, had a smaller carp which didn't stay still long enough for a shot... also had the scabbiest Bream in the lake...🥴
    1 point
  46. kevtaylor

    Rod Shots

    1st trip of the year to the syndi, looks like a blank but you never know 🤞
    1 point
  47. Did a quick overnighter on my winter estate lake last night, wind hacking into my face, mild night, overcast with showers on and off. This lake is a typical mixed fishery, rather than an out and out carp fishery, but has a good head of carp to 25lb(ish) the frogs were active in the margins, a sign spring is springing. I had a hectic night, with 14 carp landed plus 2 bream from 18 takes, a few low doubles, a smattering of singles and a couple of 20s to top it off. 15lb 20lb ghostie 22lb 14lb
    1 point
  48. Been 4 months since I've been able to get onto the syndicate, but even in the wet weather I still love it here.
    1 point
  49. elmoputney

    Spring 24 social ????

    I moved here yesterday into bogmageddon, I'm not looking forward to packing up, been a fun weekend though, bbq and a curry and some good laughs.
    1 point
  50. bluelabel

    Rod Shots

    A trip down the river... caught nowt...😒
    1 point
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