bluelabel

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...👍

Elmo... the guys who are in the forefront of the carping world are usually working in the trade and therefore have less time than we do to fish... this makes the gift of watercraft the deciding factor in their catch rates... yes good gear makes a difference too... but I know many anglers who are really good at their craft and they use old tatty gear and only ****** the odd hour on the waters and their catch rates are far better than mine... its the watercraft aspect that makes the difference...

Time spent watching the water for a few days without a rod will teach you more than sitting behind silent alarms day in day out... watercraft can be learned, but the best bits of tackle you have cost you nothing... eyes, ears and your brain... too many folks put their trust in the latest bait or rig, without looking at the water and having a clue where to put it or where the fish hold up... this is where to top lads excel...

You'll not catch owt on the sofa... don't matter the cost of the ticket... if yer not on it you'll not catch... anyone with a ticket stands a chance of bagging that fish... elite angler or not... if its hungry and yer baits in front of it you've got a chance

Yup... got a set of 3 rods, reels and Optonics... Old School = Old's Cool

This is how they look now...

Try "The Secret Carp" and "Casting At The Sun" by Chris Yates... utterly superb books... I have retired the MkIV now... for most of my carping I use Sharpe's 9', I have 3 of them now, they were Salmon Spinning rods so quite powerful, but have had them converted to carp spec (extra rings and had the winch fitting removed)

They are a pain in the bum to do but the rod certainly looks better for them.... My old MkIV is a kit rod, mullered and soft with a bit of delamination near the butt... retired now sadly...

You could try getting one made... Halkon Hunt do match fishing suits in goretex to measure, there should be no reason why they couldn't make you a carp suit

Give ArmyAndy a shout, he might be able to make one for you

Try em they might but my Dwarfs didn't fit properly in the scope bag... the ops might have a different reel seat position

The only rod/bag disparity I know of is that the Dwarf's don't fit in the Scope bags, as the reel seat is in a different place and moves the reel out of position in the Scope bags... Found this out when I bought my Dwarf's years ago... bought a Scope bag as I figured the padding would give better protection..... WRONG.....!!!!!

I'll have to get a "Tips Up" shot of the Cane rods and Mitchells next time out.... 🤣 I can remember when it was the old Gerry Savage SU's with Mitchell 300's pointing down at the water on LONG (3 foot) banksticks and Herons with a 2' drop to your squeezy bottle top with an isotope araldited into it... how times change.... yoof o' t'day mutter mutter when I were a lad... moan moan never in my day.... gripe gripe

Much Tartiness...🤣😎

what he said....👍😎

Looks plain daft on a weedless commy thats 4' deep with nary a snag

On three occasions I've fished under power lines and seen plenty of shows but not had a touch

One of my local commercials has a set of power lines running over the lake... the carp seem to congregate under them... can't get a bite mind you

Ooooh you little tempter you.... 🤣

Those aren't Delks, they are old Sundridge Hi/Lo Optonics.. I like my other alarms better they are ATTs, the little dinky ones... My optonics need a set of leads and a sounder box (always a recipe for disaster) to use overnight as they are VERY quiet, gotta say if I fish overnight the ATTs get the nod, but they are quick to swap out

I can go single stick and alarm. Single stick with buzz bars Goalpost with buzz bars And pod with goalposts.... My work here is done.... I have got the best of all worlds (in my opinion natch...😍😍🤣🤣🤣)

Got my new sticks and adapters from Interlok and they are a sweet fit on the Fox Pod....