bluelabel

There is a vintage tackle group on Facebook they regularly have posts from folks selling gear... might be worth looking them up and joining to sell them there

Sorry, but I think Mr Warwick is at odds with other anglers, inasmuch guys like Ali Hamidi advocate a 2.75lb rod as a good starting point... his comment on the different actions is valid though... there is a world of difference between actions... I once had 2 sets of 2.75lb rods, one for close in (Fox Warriors) and one for punching a bait out (Shimano Hyperloop FA'S) the letters FA stood for fast action which meant they were a casting tool. The Hyperloops could certainly outcast the Warriors, but I preferred the Warriors for playing fish on, as the Hyperloops felt poker stiff in the middle, with only the last 3rd of the rod having any playing action... All this said my Dwarfs are 9' 2.75lb and are a delight to play fish on, but are limited to about 70-80 yards max with me casting them... My 9'6" Sharpe cane rods are only approx 2lb to 2.5lb but have a much faster taper and easily hit the same distance due to the extra 6" and the stiffer mid section

I used to match fish quite seriously... captained my club match team, fished in the Nationals for Chelmsford and at club level for quite a few years... I fished at Armigers lake on Billericay's club book and caught 103 carp in an afternoon... after that I was sated... had enough of it... I went back to carping albeit with different gear, but I took a lot of match knowledge and applied it to my carping, sometimes it works... sometimes not... Match fishing is fun... but now my interests have changed and I no longer feel the need to compete... that said if I go out with a buddy there's usually a quid on the day...😛🤣

To be honest for just a day session any brolly or day shelter will suit... for the odd day session I just take my old flatback match brolly ( its lighter than my Nash Scope oval) and quicker to put up and down... a full bivvy for a day session is overkill

I'd drop the mainline to 15lb too... too thick a line diameter will certainly hinder casting distance

For a long stay... more than 48 hours a big bivvy is (to my mind is essential... ) up to 48 hours and I'll use a smaller 1 man Titan Hide... on a long stay I like to spread out, take more gear and be comfortable... a smaller bivvy makes me feel cramped on a long stay... that's my preference anyway... everyone's different I did a week on redmire in a JRC 2 man bivvy and that was fine... did a week on Les Quis in a 1 man and hated it....

Given he's British, a solicitors letter and small claims court... failing that slag him off mightily on every place he advertises... make his life hell

The Shimano 5500's are perfect...

A lot of the big commercials are banged out solid at the mo... with 2 of you, I think you'd be hard pushed to get 2 swims together... A mate went up there a last year pre lockdown and every lake was rammed midweek... The problem is, the big fish waters attract time bandits and hot swim merchants... TBH I tend to avoid them nowadays... Sorry if thats not what you wanted to hear, but its an honest appraisal...

As a general rule of thumb, if the fish only run to doubles, I use stepped up match gear... over 20lb I use proper carp gear... fishing a lighter softer rod will alleviate any damage in smaller fish... plenty of stepped up match rods, float or feeder, that are perfectly capable of landing doubles.... 3000 for float and 4000 size reels for feeder is plenty for carp up to mid doubles

Have a look at the Daiwa SS2600, not a baitrunner but a lovely stalking reel... the 4000 baitrunner is a good one too (especially the 4000 Aero X)

Small carp have much softer mouths and are more susceptible to damage... if the fish don't go over 20lbs in the water I'd consider a softer rod and lighter line... the thing with using a 15lb mainline is with small carp you tend to get em in quick so the damage could be occurring at that point... and if, as I said, the fish don't grow much over mid double size then I'd say that a 2.75lb rod is a bit heavy... I'm sure other lads will have their own theories... but thats mine for what its worth

I have arthritic knees and collapsed discs in my lower back... it hurts to fish but the drive to fish pushes the pain aside.... I dose up with paracetamol and ibuprofen if I know I'm going out, I also wear a back brace to help with keeping my back stable and warm... I also make sure I stay as warm as possible as the cold is a reet b*gger with arthritis...

Keep at it Elmo... yer doing great man... it isn't going to happen overnight... just be patient

When I needed to lose weight I found that the smallest steps produced the biggest results.... cutting out sugar in tea, having lactose free skimmed milk in tea, (you don't notice after a day or two...) cutting out biscuits altogether (my biggest sin) stopped putting butter in mashed spuds, it's all little things that mount up, grilling meat rather than frying it, having only a couple of rashers of bacon instead of 4... smaller portions, more veg, less spuds and meat... another big tip is to regulate your eating times... we never eat later than 6pm now, and drinking less tea or coffee before bedtimes helps with better sleep, and having decaf tea instead of normal... and the last cup no later than 8pm... sounds odd, but those changes have helped me no end... I feel healthier and fitter and I sleep better

There's a pair of Dwarf 9' 2.75lb rods on the FB Marketplace at the mo...

I was using my 9' Dwarf's yesterday (blanked) they work well enough and I have handled a pair of 9' Scopes... my opinion...? Go for the Dwarfs... the extra cost of the Scopes isn't warranted when compared to the mk2 Dwarfs... the carbon on the Scopes has less resin and is brittle... I personally think that the Dwarf is the better rod...Does everything a Scope can do and over a hundred quid cheaper... as an option I think that a few other companies are getting in on the act too... Sonik have a range of 9 footers I believe, and I think Fox have a range to look at... have a good look round before you splash the cash... more expensive does not necessarily mean better....

Well one of my local lakes has done 4x20's already.... I had one in January so you can catch them all year round, but as for targeting them, I'd start on mild, low pressure days preferably with a south-westerly wind about now...

Don't be too sniffy about 2nd hand either... have a look on FB marketplace... loads on there... I picked up a Nash Titan Hide with groundsheet, front panel and overwrap for £200... it was as new... list for that lot is close to £500

When I left Sainsburys in 1999 (bakery manager) I was 14.5 stones... I cut out sugar in me tea, went over to skimmed milk for everything and cut out biccies and went down to 13" within 6 months...

I wish.... I hobble in.... jump in the deep end and they laugh em'selves sick as I flounder about... but as well as the fitness side if you work out with other folks, the social side keeps you going back, as you don't want to miss hearing about Ethel's "Problems" or Joan's "Little Trouble"...🤣

Laughed me socks off at this...

I found the best way to keep in shape was aquafit... when I retired I started eating properly not junk on shifts as I was before and I put on weight... I started going to aquafit as the low impact work was kind to my back and knees... its great... twice a week and I was toned and fit... then lockdown hit... I have an exercise bike but its not the same... sadly the pool is closed til further notice... I'll be glad to get back after all this is over... theres a social side too and as most of the folks in the class were ladies of a certain age, I was the eye candy🤣🤣🤣🤣 62 and a cobra-back studmuffin...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I use swan shot... you are always going to lose weights in snaggy areas... another wrinkle is to use plasticine as a weight... far cheaper and easier to use and looks like a stone if you mix up the colours

I spent loads of time in my youth fishing and very little time learning... now the boot is on the other foot.. You get out what you put in... And to my mind rods reels and rigs matter less as much as location and watercraft... When my young padawan takes the pee out of my old gear, I think he's missing the point.. its where you put it and why, that matters... not what with... Elmo... not having a pop at all mate... tight lines...👍