bluelabel

The old Willow is sadly gone,but there's still a bit of the old magic there

Me shop... at Redmire in Walker's Pitch (the Dam wall is in the distance )

My barrow is a converted XL Match Platform made by RCT Rigger... it has two front wheels... it doesn't tip over, even when loaded to the gunwhales... (not that I do everload it)

Travelling light...

Strewth... I had less than that for a week on Redmire...😳😎

I don't normally... but if I think it may edge over 20' I do...

Lobworms...👍

All very well Yonny, but for "going bush" a 12 footer can be a bit unwieldy... those tight swims where you have low branches above and either side...?

This is one of my pet hates... for stalking I use a split cane 8' Sharpes of Aberdeen rod with test curve of about 1.5lbs... there really is no need to go heavier than 2lbs for stalking with a ahort rod... my normal go to carbon carp rods are Nash Dwarf 2.75lb 9 footers and my vintage rods are again Sharpes of Aberdeens 9' 3" maybe the same poundage probably less Tackle shops are always trying to sell you what they want you to have rather than what you want... a good stalking rod can be had from NGT its a 2lb tc composite of 8' a through action and lovely to use... £20 to you sir.... (Go Outdoors also sell them)

Have a look at the Sonik Xtractor 6' and 2lb tc only about £50 or £60 quid

The hooklink was a bit curly as it came off the spool, but was worse when I stripped it back away from the knot.. another upside is it makes the knot bulkier and grips your putty better

This looks much better...

One thing I found that makes a difference to how the rig sits, is to strip back the coating towards the knot.. if you do it the other way it makes the link behind the break in the coating curve instead of laying flat... but the you probably already knew that I s'pose

I'm not holding me breath...🙁

Well, my old wallets are full up, I'm bored witless... and I had some spare match rig winders, so I thought... why not...???

Couldnt find a Kurve... tried it with a krank.. not too sure about that... tied with semi stiff N trap (the bait is a bouyant rubber tiger) looks odd

I remember buying a bait years ago, it was one of those mix it yerself jobs called 'Black Magic" you mixed it up to a paste and then had to knead it like a dough for 10 minutes and you got a sinking bait that skinned off if you left it..... 2 days..... 2 BLEEDIN DAY'S I kneaded that flippin paste... would it sink... would it beggary... went in the bin so it did... tried making a few baits over the years gave it up as a bad job... my young apprentice is giving it a go as I type... good luck to him...

they are nice little reels but they do have a bit of a habit for getting line behind the spool... lost mine when a Carp pulled my rod and reel in at Docklow a couple of years ago... I was gutted I have the BP6 as a spod reel on my Dwarf spod rod... works a treat

A 6000 size shimano works... my young apprentice is using a pair of 4000 Aero X Shimmys on his 10 Scopes and they don't half look tasty

Can you go through your gear in a week...☹

It amazes me the amount of folks trying to find a way round all the bans and gatherings.... WTFlip do they think this virus is....? Its a killer ferchrissakes... there is a very good chance you can die if you get it.... I want to slap some folks rigid with some of the rubbish I've heard

Few inlines, few 1oz, couple of 2oz and some 2.5oz... think theres 3 of each... Couple of micro inlines too just for summat different

My kit looks like that... I took 1lb 3oz out of me lead bag t'other day

It was Yonny.... and I'm a fan of Rod's stuff... if someone had finished it for him it would have been okay but it's ending was just abrupt and left the book incomplete

Not about carp per se but with a few nods to it.... have a read of Rob Olsen's "Waterlust" Finished Rod Hutchinson's "Before I forget" and whilst the start of the book was great it was rather picture heavy and was basically unfinished and cut off without much preamble.... sad to see Rod meet his maker, but I think that this is a book that should not have been published as it is, but completed by a close friend or family or not at all.....