bluelabel

I have the Fox Black Label Pod (the dinky one) and that's great, (christmas prezzy from the missus years ago) but only when coupled with my Interlok banksticks, buzz bars and goalpost adapters... Seriously... have a look at Interlok bankware... its really nice gear and VERY long lasting... I've had mine 15 years plus and I wouldn't change it Not cheap mind... but then quality rarely is

Tip.... don't leave your bag on the bedchair... I learned the hard way I left my Frostbite Sub Zero 5 season all singing, dancing and tea making bag on my Wideboy ( Fnaaaaar!!!!) and strapped it up to save a bit of time getting set up.... biiiiig mistake.... I froze me bits off... all this does is compact the fibres in the bag and essentially stop it working as it should.... I was told this by a duvet salesman.... he said before you put a bag on the bed chair give it a good shake out to open out the inner fibres and don't sit on the bed as this does the same thing as leaving it on the chair compacted... I have since bought one of the "across the bed chairs" and I give the bag a good shake out before putting it on the bedchair... as for night wear... I keep it down to light layers unless its going to get freezing cold, in which case I stay home... 62 years old & I need some comfort in me life🤣😎

Been using pins for carping for the last 8 years (as well as fixed spool reels,) the downside is casting any distance... 30 yards is pretty much at the limit and take a special technique which is hard to master (Wallis casting) One way of getting a rig out is to peel line off the spool onto the grass at your feet and underarm it out.... beware though this can lead to tangles... If stealth is required I use a baiting pole (6mts landing net handle) and put my rig into the spoon and ship it out and drop it into the required spot... this is a dead sneaky way of baiting up.... Most pins do not have an anti reverse but they do have a ratchet which can make an unholy shriek when you get a screamer of a run (you won't need an alarm) The rigs in the above pics are Sharpes 9' Scotties (approx 2.75lbsTC) with Mordex Merlin 4.5" pins with 12lb line

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All the best lads and lasses.... lets hope this year is better than last....👍

Missed this one... all the best to all on the site... have a cracker (if you can)👍🍺

I get the weed and snag bit... and watching the line for indication (but I do that anyway) but saving the weight of 1 bankstick....? seriously...???? Seen it done on commercials with no weed or snags, and on my club lakes with the same conditions and the pegs about 3' above the water... Seems like an affectation with some folks... copying the mags or the youtube vids... Call me cynical... mumble mumble ! Not like that in my day... mutter mutter ! Yoof o t'day... gripe gripe ! When I were a lad... grizzle grizzle ! 😛

what is that all about...? is it a trend ? a fashion...? Is there a point to it...? I always have my rod tips low, to stop wind movement on the bobbins, or even dip the rod tips in the water... I've seen some ridiculous angles, even down to having no back rests and the rod tips high above the water.... on a windy day thats going to get on someones wick... anyone any ideas...?

It was using live bloodworm and joker in matches that the problem first surfaced... I was bare handed and after handling it I scratched the back of my head and within minutes I had a swelling the size of an orange , basically just a mushy fluidy mass... (I used latex gloves subsequently actually nitrile) and took anti histamines and even though I was trying to be careful, accidents still happened, resulting in the day being cut short whilst I went home to wash the affected bit with warm soapy water and germolene... thinking on, I may be better of staying away from the stuff altogether... It just occurred to me after watching a CC Moore vid about treating baits with dead bloodworm and juice that I thought about trying it again with the sanitizing fluid as a barrier... cheers for the replies chaps

Hi folks.... got a question for yis.... I am highly allergic to Bloodworm and I feel I'm missing out on it as a bait, whether as an additive, or boilies... especially as there are large bloodworm beds on my club waters If I used it as an additive or boilies and used an alcohol based hand cleanser after handling, would it nullify the histamines on my hands...??? If I touch my face after handling the stuff there is massive swelling and irritation.. (I daren't go fer a pee) with all the use of hand cleansers I wondered if this might stop any irritation....?

2nd hand quiver off the bay of E....?

Good luck with that mate...👍

S'called Carp Tax mate... I won't buy anymore fishing clothing.... it's well overpriced compared to places like Go-Outdoors or Decathlon, plenty of hi tech clothing for half the price of Carp gear ( just not green) Stoves.... £59 for a Trakker that's a rebranded Bulin (or some such) I got a cheap stove from Go that takes the aerosol cannisters... £7.99 years ago... its still going I looked at the Trakker Armo cookset in Angling Direct £42 (no I haven't got anything against them despite the examples) and bought one for a 3rd of the price in Go.... all the firms are the same.... have a look at the gear you want then have a look at the cheap and cheerful stuff from China... its the same gear with a different name.... I wanted a new kettle.... Go... £3.... Nash... £20.99 People moan about the demise of local tackle shops but when tackle manufacturers post prices like this it's not hard to see your average angler saying "B****r that" and going somewhere cheaper.... I'll buy second hand or cheap stuff and look after it and save a fortune in the process...

Tackle companies have a reputation for finding solutions to non existent problems and charging like a wounded Rhino for them... Preston Pellet wetter...? Trakker baccy pouch...? Guru water bucket on a string...? C'mon stop taking the pee with the overpriced tat

This is one of the reasons that the tackle trade gets right on my thunga's... items like this is nothing but rank profiteering... Get down yer local pet shop and get one fer a 10th of the price and give the tackle trade the finger for being so greedy

Apparently Blaze Wear is the stuff thats getting the good reviews... thinking of some socks, as me toes suffer in the nippy weather

I think carp anglers are rather formulaic in their approach... 3 rods out, 1 margin, 1 open water, 1 long... 30 to 50 baits around each and sit on it... or all 3 rods on a baited spot... seen it too often... do summat different... different bait, less of it (especially on day ticket, pressured waters) try a floatfished bait or a big worm or prawn... do summat different from the crowd... sorry if this sounds a bit negative, but I see too many lads get stuck in a groove... do the same old same old, and leave the sport... honestly... try something different or stay off the beaten track/ known swims... you may find your results skyrocket

So sad... he'll be sorely missed, passed away peacefully with his family around him in the early hours of the morning RIP Sir

Second hand Nash Titan Hide... brill bit of kit, goes up on seconds sturdy and I got it with groundsheet, front infill panel and overwrap for less than £200 And I recently picked up a Korum Day Pack for short sessions on the river or for general fishing... fits all my kit in it nicely

I use the Korda Stows... they do the job nicely on overnighters

a lot of waters ban elasticated feeders... clubs too, far better to have an in-line running method feeder

I'm on the River tomorrow... forecast round here is rain for the rest of the week... been out 4 days out of 6, so I may have the rest of the week off

Essex has been deemed tier 2 and at serious risk... To be honest I'll be at a club water tomorrow and I bet my last bootlace I'll be the only one there... I went on Friday and I had a 5 acre lake to myself and the carp were boshing everywhere... Sadly I was on the silvers.... Tomorrow I'll be there for a few hours... My Lass has to work through as she's a key worker, but her firm are thinking of getting some of the staff working from home, which is probably better for us as it means we'd save on fuel... we are still gloved and masked when we go to the shops and I sanitise everytime I handle a lock or gate... To be honest, theres not a lot more you can do, other than not mix with other folks and the isolation can have its own evils.... Stay safe folks tight lines if yer out and take care...👍

As light as I can get away with.... having seen carp deal with heavy leads, I believe they have more trouble dealing with lighter leads... 1.5oz being the heaviest, 12 grams olivettes quite often, or sometimes just a single swan shot... and I often freeline... My methods don't work for everyone, but I often feel carping has become slightly formulaic in its approach, so doing summat different from the norm can often pay off...

Looks okay, but I'm not a fan of really aggressive curves/bends, as I feel it closes off the hookpoint... that said it could be a goodun... try it and let us know the results