welder

Mine is four ordinary rake heads welded together, all at 90 degrees to each other on a length of 20mm steel tube. I pass a length of polypropylene rope through the tube, form a noose and just chuck it out. No photos, sorry, but it works very well. Ian

Richard, if you're looking at the re-issue of the JRC STi 2-man don't go there. I have one of the originals and there is no way it's a 2-man. Unless you both share a bed............. Ian

I have similar back problems to Will's and struggle to get up out of a chair. Problem solved when I bought my Nash Indulgence Daddy Longlegs chair. It's high off the ground, has armrests and will recline to almost flat if I fancy a snooze. Recommended. Ian

Some years ago, when fishing Rushes Lake in France, I rented a Viper Icon for the week. It was well used but entirely reliable and very useful. I'd have no problem with buying one. Ian

It's a cracking water, harpz. I've fished there many times but not in recent years, sadly. I wish you luck with your application. Ian

Regardless of application the only batteries I'll buy are Duracell. Ian

I wouldn't have said that, Nige. Well, not if you were within earshot............ Ian

Like Trigger's broom, then................. Ian

I have the Nash Indulgence which is sublimely comfortable but could never be described as light. I know a "mature" carp angler who has a lightish bedchair supplemented by a mattress cut from 50mm thick memory foam. He swears that it's the most comfortable thing he's ever lay on. Ian

harpz, Willesley Lake has gone all secret squirrel for some reason. It's now managed by Redfins Angling which is a tackle shop in the area of Willesley 01530 272864 will find them. Also, they have a presence on Facebook as Willesley Lake, funnily enough. From what I can glean it's now gone membership only which is a result of litter/rubbish being left by day ticket users in the past. I found an old link from a good while ago referring to the lake being for sale, other than that......dunno. Ian

He's almost as wide as he is high. In the nicest possible way, of course. Ian

It's all a balance between value for money and the cost of quality. I bought a set of three Diawa Sundridge Optonics with receiver some years age and got change from £90-00. They represented very good value for money and were very reliable. Downside was that the slightest indication resulted in a perishing cacophony of noise and more lights than on the start line at a drag race. Drove me to distraction. The I bought three silent head, underlit ATTs and receiver which cost appreciably more. Now I get a good night's sleep........... Ian

This was going to be my response but beaten to it by a pleasant, friendly answer. Gentlemen, think on. This forum has always set out to be helpful and friendly. Certain members are already skating on very thin ice. Try not to fall through. Ian

Cromwell Lake, near Newark, is just about within your suggested range and is a cracking fishery with all the facilities to make life pleasant. It used to be a "first come first served" arrangement but you can now book swims by phone. Ian

Bugsy, while these are very good alarms, if a little "busy", they aren't dreadfully expensive from new. I had a set of three for some time. If I were you I'd just get on Ebay and buy a new one. Failing that you need a 3/8th BSF setbolt ,fully threaded, of circa 1 inch in length and alter the hexagonal head to fit within the base of the alarm. The only reason I changed to my current alarms is that the mounting studs in the Optonics had all become loose within their bodies. My son had the same problem with his after some heavy use. Must be a common fault. Hey, you get what you pay for. Ian

When my wife says "I've had it for ages" she really means just over an hour........ and there's so much fishing stuff in my garage that she'd never notice new stuff. My son also stores his gear in the garage and we're both strangers from the truth when appropriate............ Ian

Sufix Synergy in 15lb. on my Longcasts. Diawa Sensor in 15lb on my 10000XTEAs. Ian

The old Diawa BRi 5000's are big reels, trust me. Many used to regard them as big pit reels. I still use one on my marker rod. Large spool means rapid retrieve if needed. Google Diawa Regal Plus 5000BRi and take a look. My son uses my old ones and loves them. Ian

My brother used to live over the road from me and often kept ducks. Once he took his family to Greece on holiday and it fell to me to tend them, ie let them out of their shed in the mornings, feed them twice a day and usher them into the shed in the evenings. I enjoyed doing this, finding them friendly and quite intelligent The evening before brothers return I was a little late in arriving to put them away and found that foxes had found them to be delicious, too. Our Kid was very understanding, relieved almost, as he'd grown sick of duck eggs............. Ian

The only time I've caught cats was while fishing for carp and on every occasion I was using 24mm boilies on a long hair and 18lb line, Sufix Synergy. Rods were, and still are, Greys Prodigys in 3lb test and reels were Diawa BRi 5000's. If I were to go looking for cats I'd use the same rods, my more recent Shimano Longcast Big Baitrunners which also carry the Synergy line and liver as bait. Ian

Bow, every word written above could have come from my mouth. The Fox Warrior range of rods are considered to be amongst the best value for money that are available. If I were in your position I'd opt for a 3lb test curve. As for reels, over my decades of carp fishing I've owned and used many but I always default to Shimano or Diawa with a distinct preference for Shimano as I've never, ever, been let down by one. My current favourites are Big Baitrunner Longcasts but I'm happy to use my 10000XTEA's, assuming, of course, that my son hasn't "borrowed" them.....like he does...... Ian

The magic words "westerly wind" are all I'd need to be having a go. I'd be facing the wind and fishing down the edge with one rod, at least. More, probably. Lots of sweetcorn loose fed. Our local Farm Foods do 1kg bags for £1-00 or three for £2-00. Corn on the hair, topped with a grain of fake. Weather is forecast to be the warmest for the time of year since records began, whenever that was............ Get amongst them! Ian

I have that identical heater and find it useful but not essential. I also have a quality bedchair, 5 season, fleece lined bag and a Trakker peachskin over blanket. There have been times when I've opted to light the heater an hour or so before I intend to retire. Then get sorted for the night session, into the bivvy, switch off the heater and take full advantage of a warm space, aided and abetted by the items mentioned previously. Mostly I don't, though. Ian

Sun? I saw it but the howling, icy gale blowing onto the frozen bank negated any of it's warming effects. There were people on your warm bank wearing t-shirts and shorts whilst I was wearing every item of clothing that I then owned. I've bought more, since. Ian

Quite often, on an otherwise bland water, the marginal edge is the only feature. Nick and I have fished at socials together several times and I feel sure that he'll confirm that I always have at least one rod down the edge. Often more than one. Ian