bluelabel

One of the clubs I'm in have known 40's and a poss 50 in the water so pegs are at a premium on those waters, there are rules regarding stays, 48 on 24 off etc, but it still doesn't stop idiots taking the pee... and if there are swims available, better make sure you are a 100mt runner to get one, I've seen buckets chucked up the bank and fights break out. Hence my secession from the big carp hunt... I'll be on a tiny water tomorrow where the fish don't get much over 10lb so nobody's interested, and I'll be fishing with cane and glass rods with small pins, and I won't get the bum ache if I blank and blame a moody water or the price of elephants for my own ineptitude... tight lines

All of the above is why I quit the circus of syndi waters and concentrated on my club waters... , that said, even one of my clubs has waters where there is an air of entitlement about swims and baiting... I've turned up as one guy was packing up after his 48 hrs was up and he told me his mate is coming in after him so I couldn't have the swim... totally out of order... had a word with a committee member but it still goes on...🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ Sick of it really... the attitudes of some carpers leaves a lot to be desired...👎😒

Yup... it is 17 years old and its ISO rating only goes up to 3200... to catch a fast moving bird in flight, in low light, you need a very high ISO rating and better burst rate than one shot every second... looking to get a used Nikon D7200 (I'm a poor penshunner y'know😛) can't afford to go mirrorless either...😒 And yes... the old gimmer behind the lens ain't as quick as he used to be...😢

It was a Bird of Prey Photography workshop ran by professional Photographer Daniel Bridge and a Bird of Prey business... cracking day out... tons of static shots as well as some flight shots. Turns out my 17 year old Nikon's not up to fast moving Kestrels Harris Hawks and Owls and I'm well out of practice...🤣 Atticus didn't fly as he was too hot

At Hanningfield reservoir today... took this of a lovely Great Grey Owl (had to use the phone camera for this shot) His name is Atticus...

A busy day on a club water today... 5 fish in 6 hours... a nice day in the sun with a bit of action ... met at home by SWMBO with a cold beer... heaven...👍😎🍺

Had 5 today, 2 mirrors and 3 commons... On snowman rigs with a small bag of pellets with a dip of Manilla glug

Owdo...😎👍

Was a time when you could get lower poundage rods, now 3lb seems the minimum and to be honest for a lot of waters it just isn't needed... My 9' Dwarfs are 2.75lb through action, lovely playing rods for small waters, and I think they are a bit heavy... But the "Stars" as you rightly say advocate heavy rods to cast big weights a long way... for goodness sake a 3.75lb rod (4lb Kaizens... really...????) They are beachcasters or light spod rods fer crying out loud... these rods have no business on a carp pool in the UK... and I don't care what others think, these rods in the wrong hands are prime suspects in mouth damage...

One of my pet peeves is anglers using rods far too heavy for a water... I was on a small clubbie a wee while ago, and a lad was using a pair of 3.5lb rods and big pit reels on a small water with fish of less than 30lbs... probably using 15-18lb line where you can quite happily land a 20 on a light 1.5lb/1.75lb rod and 8-10lb line... balanced tackle is far better than overgunned rods... I appreciate that it may have been that he can only afford one set of rods, but I think a chunk of the blame has to be laid at the feet of the media for advocating heavy gear on their videos, and not making a point in telling folks the heavy gear isn't required for a large majority of UK carping. Unforgiving, heavy poundage rods are just not required and in the hands of the inexperienced can and will cause mouth damage, especially in conjunction with a tight clutch...

Bobby's lakes are near there (Bobby George, ex Darts player now pundit) he had some lakes up that way

They work well.. they finish off "The Look" that said Buzz bars weren't about in the 60' and 70's but I can live with that...👍😎

Had mine for yonks, sold em on when the rubberised finish started to get sticky... my lass surprised me with a full set of new Delks as a replacement... as far as I know my old ATT'S's are still going

Hi Crusian... pm wouldn't let me send a pic...(odd) so posted the pic here...

You have a PM...👍

The darker cane on the sharpe is achieved by soaking the blank in a phenol based resin and then autoclaved, (heat and vacuum or high pressure) to force the resin into the cane fibres... it makes for a tougher rod... sadly as phenol is now banned you don't see many impregnated rods... A guy called Barry Grantham bought the process and found a way round the ban on phenols but I think the venture was short lived...

You little tinker you...🤣🤣🤣

One is an impregnated rod t'other isn't, the darker rod is how a sharpe should look with the screw down reel fitting, I had the pale rods's reel fitting removed as it had seized up. In not too precious about matching everything, that ship sailed long ago... life's too short to worry about that sort of thing any more...👍😉

Trad day today... well nearly every days a trad day now... just lost one off a big drop back, probably a Bream... bit of a stuttery movement on the bobbin, but I'm out and freezing in a north easterly..., got the wind off my back so its not too bad, no carp out this morning but plenty of Bream... giving the new banksticks, buzzbars and bobbins a run out... Rods are Sharpes 9'3" and the reels are Leszek Delag fettled Mordex Merlin centerpins...

He's a lovely bloke, the covering letter and descriptions of the work he completed were very detailed and a joy to read, he dismantled each reel completely and rebuilt them to exacting tolerances so they run true and freely, they are my go to pin for carping... if you see him, tell him Aitch from TFF said Hello, and the Merlins are still cracking on...👍😎

Got my name down for one of Leszek's reels, they are a thing of beauty. Sadly I doubt I shall ever own one, as he is in his 80's and has slowed down over the last few years... an utter gentleman and an artist... I have a trio of Mordex Merlin pins that have been modified by Leszek, they have been fitted with brass center bosses rather than the plastic ones that are prone to cracking... they look as if they were factory built...

Korum opportunist mat bag, 2 rod quiver with landing net and brolly, chair... Job done... My back and osteoporosis has called time on overnighters now so I have to travel light... Does tickle me the amount of gear we lug about...

Owdo mate...👍😎

No worries mate...😎👍 'Arry

Owdo Roughtor...👍😎