salokcinnodrog

Lake gremlins, their nastiest trick yet. I got to the lake to discover that the stock fish were interested more in reproduction. I parked next to the cottage so I could see if I recognised any of the fish. It looked like the new stock rather than originals and the syndicate manager said we can fish, just nowhere near the shallows, so I went down towards the causeway and deeper water. After a quick play with the marker rod, the first two rods were easy to sort, at around 40metres. I got my 3rd rod out of the sling, the tip wrap caught up and snapped the tip eye of my RH Enduro rod. Not a happy bunny! On a postive note I have just spombed in a bucket of Vitacarp, mini maize, maples, 2pints of maggots and 2 tubs of worms up the opposite end of the lake I intended. I'd been bringing them specifically for BC, but with spawning in the shallows I had to use them elsewhere

Thanks, I do have a couple. I've doubled up on HMS Belfast in 1/600. I bought it myself, then a friend stayed over after I took him for a days pike fishing on the reservoir and for thanks gave me another Belfast. I ordered Prinz Eugen, and unintentionally picked 1/740 instead of 1/600. Rather than send it back I just bought the 'right' scale.

Although I hve purchased and been given a few more I'm paused on Bismarck at the moment.

I use Fabsil Universal cleaner on my bivvy and waterproof smock. Just reproof afterwards with Fabsil

I love fishing at around 100metres. Despite what they think, few anglers still go beyond that. When I loaded my reel with braid I purposely only put 150metres on. Mine was an ebay special as well, AngryFish 0.36mm 4PE braid. 8PE is more supple, but does not have the same abrasion resistance as 4PE. Either way, braid does not have the resistance of mono.

Latest purchase this week was obviously the Trent Baits Shrimp, but a quick trip to Markham's tackle shop also found some original and possibly still the best, John Roberts run rings or ledger rings, Kodex PVA bags and a new Gardner Stringer needle to replace the one I broke my catching the tip in my chair. I was feeling it for Gary at the time, poor guy had 3 Eastern Europeans in who he had to keep an eye on the whole time. 'Want this, want that, and no idea'. I also need to replace my Bulin T4 which will hopefully just make it through 2 more nights, but the burner grill is rusting through after years of service on the bank and beach. The replacement is another already ordered.

@yonny I did try braid straight through and did crack-off, I think it was Berkeley Gorilla line, so ever since then I have used a leader. I did also skin my finger badly with a miscast. While I would love to say 'it's safe', the amount of marker floats, spods and Spombs attached to the broken braid knot convince me otherwise. I have also retrieved a whole length of braid, around 40metres attached to a Spomb, that I presume cracked off at the line clip.

I think that it may be an idea to go through my marker float and spod set-up again. For years I used a specific spod rod, and a specific marker rod, however plenty of bankside features have meant that I can now use one rod and spod rod for both. My standard marker rod set-up is 50lb 0.36mm braided line, with a 30lb Amnesia leader, a run ring and an Amnesia lead link of around 150mm, or 6inches, and the leader going to a ball bearing swivel and a Breakaway spinlink clip to take the float. Don't forget a buffer bead or couple of large beads. I vary the float size on distance needed to cast, visibility etc, so I would use the ESP Mini Marker for close in with a 2.5 or 3oz lead, going to a big (both found) Korda or MCF float for longer distance with a 4 or even 5oz lead. If I switch to Spombing or spodding then I attach that to the end of the line spinlink clip, and clip the lead link clip through the spod swivel and the other spin link. The leader gives enough elasticity not to crack off the spod, and at 4turns on the reel and casting drop does not reduce the sensitivity of the marker float set-up. The lead link I think also allows the float to come up most of the time, it is down to feel whether you can put a bait in it. I have found numerous spods and marker floats, and every single one was attached straight through to braid, so the mono leader, I think is important, unless you go to silly braid strength, like 80lb!

Nice result. The seals on stoves can be a pain. A mate had exactly the same issue last week in his back garden, I think it was also a Webtex, but his involved a flame-out and having to dowse everything with water as it actually caught fire. I'm glad you found it before it became dangerous!

I used to add molasses to my Vitalin, (now Vitacarp from Gladwells) which is a large quantity of flaked maize. Condensed milk is one of my favourite liquids in my particles and breadcrumb, it clouds up the water and does a good job at confusing swans on introduction in the Spomb.

Don't forget that carp love eating the spawn of other species. It is one reason that pike and perch are hanging around the margins, waiting for other species and a sneaky meal

Pike being predators go at the end of February to mid-March (sometimes outside the old close season!), followed by perch, then roach and the cyprinids. Tench and carp are usually the last British species to spawn.

Bit early! The water temperature is not high enough for carp and I don't think the days are quite long enough yet, be about right towards the middle of May.

The double figure pike that snaffled a purple pop-up on the retrieve before walking Sky didn't! It totally covered me and itself in mud as it went through the margins. Deep hooked and somehow didn't bite off the hooklink until I went to get the forceps at which point it slid out of the net and returned itself.

This has to be one of my favourite rod shots, taken this week, with the sunset.