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salokcinnodrog

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Posts posted by salokcinnodrog

  1. 7 hours ago, S34MH1 said:

    don't know if I'm missing something crucial or if I've lost sight of what truly matters. Whenever I feel this confusion, I always default to fixating on my tackle: should I buy a dissolved oxygen meter? A device to analyze the bottom substrate composition? A thermometer that reads water temperature at different depths? Or perhaps invest in better groundbait and hookbaits? But I suspect that's not how a truly skilled angler thinks. So how do I become a real master angler?

     

    3 hours ago, S34MH1 said:

    I have polarized sunglasses and binoculars. I’ve never tried observing from a tree, but thanks for bringing that up; it’s helped me see just how important this is.

     

    6 hours ago, yonny said:

    Your eyes....... they're the most important piece of tackle you have.

    Pressure, depths, temps etc etc are all good starting points but I'll not fish until I see a carp to fish for. You cannot catch what is not in front of you.

    As @yonny says, your eyes are the most important tackle item you have, although I do sometimes set up without seeing fish, on a 'hunch', in a swim I have been baiting or down to what I expect from the weather forecast.

    Although I do sometimes get it wrong that hunch often pays off. It may be that without realising it I have noticed some sort of indication that there are fish in the area. You may walk around and see obvious signs, coloured water, bubbles, fins breaking the surface, even rolling and jumping, they are obvious reasons to set up in an area.

    When I am in my swim, my binoculars are always close to hand, but I also put store on hearing fish. At night I spend plenty of time just listening to the lake while I read a book, you can hear fish crashing, which can give you the need to move or recast towards them.

    I don't own any of the technical equipment you mention. My bottom substrate composition finder is a marker float and lead. The lead on the marker rod, cast out and retrieved slowly tells me the lake bed, if it is weedy, silty, gravel, sand or clay. 

    Each feels different. Cast the marker float and lead out. If the lead goes into silt it will plug, and need a fair pull to move, it then glides back but feeling 'sticky'. Hit a gravel patch it's like wheels going over a cobbled road, sand and clay is like a smooth road. Cast into clay, the lead may stick, but then pull and glide easily. Look at the lead when you have reeled in, clay and silt will often stick to the lead, weed will be caught up around it. Hit weed with a cast and it can stick, reel in, it feels like it is pulling back. 

    Any of those spots you can normally find the depth by letting the float up to the surface, although weed is difficult.

     

    Do I think about bait?

    Yes and no! Sounds silly, but! If I am fishing over particles I don't normally want a big boilie, I want a bait the same sort of size as the particles, so maybe a 8-12mm boilie. If I'm fishing boilies I use the same boilie as my free baits. I know my boilies are acceptable, I know that the fish eat them. What works on one lake will normally work on another. 

    To be honest, the main reason I change what boilies I use is down to baits becoming unavailable or occasionally just because it doesn't seem to be working.

    Originally when I joined Brackens Pool I was using Smokey Mackeral, and it worked. The company I was testing for gave me a new bait, I just could not get it to catch, so I I had to change. That new bait did work on other waters and was released, it just didn't work on Brackens.

     

    I was using KMG on Nazeing Meads and Alton Water and I loved it, it was catching me fish from both, and on Nazeing, possibly the garlic element was reducing crayfish interest (not sure, don't know, but I had less problems than with other fishmeal boilies), I took it to Botesdale, and started catching on it, then the bait company stopped making it. Again, I could not get confident in the new bait, hence a change to Shrimp, which I have caught on within 3 trips on a very temperamental water.

     

     

     

     

  2. 12 hours ago, S34MH1 said:

    Yeah, that’s exactly where my anxiety stems from. I’m not from Europe, so I’ve been learning carp fishing online. Countless articles keep stressing how wary carp are, covering line diameter, line colour, sinker concealment and whether hook coatings reflect light. It’s left me pretty anxious and unable to tell what matters most, haha.

    For years, around 1995 to 2008 ish I used Daiwa Sensor in brown, on various lakes and reservoirs. From 2008 or 2009 I started using Gardner Pro, normally light as the waters I fish are normally clear. I mentioned above about leaders if I was casting long distances, Drennan Greased Weasel in grey, Amnesia in clear or black has never been an issue.

    13 hours ago, yonny said:

    The thicker it is the easier it is to see. I've watched carp spooking off lines numerous times.

    I've watched carp spooking around lines, and it's usually tight lines. I've also seen them spook off fluorocarbon mainlines, whether it was the shadow on the lakebed or possibly the vibration (?) I don't know.

    Unless your rod tips are mega high, and fishing super tight line, at anything above 40metres the line near the end tackle is likely to be on the lakebed, unless you have 'raised' features like gravel bars to hold it up. 

    I've not been one for 'fish protection' * as with monofilament or copolymer lines, I think the line rarely damages the fish. Braided mainline/leaders and leadcore however I do think can cause cuts, grazes and scarring if they rub.

    I occasionally fish with tubing, but it is a rarity, and it is for the real name, anti-tangle tubing, to prevent braided hooklinks tangling around the mainline.

     

    I normally fish with my rod tips as low as possible, often underwater, to keep the line down, and if I can with running leads and slack lines. 

     

    *Fish protection, that doesn't mean I don't think they deserve protection, but just that the line is not at fault.

    We normally fish rig rigs or floater fishing with naked mainline, and hook carp on tench gear, or accidentally while float fishing or ledgering for other species.

     

    Camouflaging weights, (sinkers), is it necessary? On my current water the lead in many swims is in the silt. Just dropping a lead in the margins, it is a job to find it. I have lost a few that I have seen fall off the link clip, the run ring fell after a pike bite-off, or where I dropped the blooming thing. I do paint and coat my leads, with a hard varnish, but I think its more a confidence thing camouflaging than a requirement.

    The fish I had this week and subsequent casts, I had to pull the lead free from the silt!

     

     

  3. 2 hours ago, S34MH1 said:

    What pound test fishing line do you use? Do you think the diameter of fishing line affects your catch?

    What are you fishing for?

    How big do the fish go?

    Is the lake snagged, weedy or clear?

    I fish waters where the carp go to over 40lb, my normal line is 15lb, 0.35mm. I need that line to cope with weed and algae, occasionally long casting as well as playing the fish.

    If I go to an 'easier' water with carp to just maybe 20lb and few or no snags then I will use 10lb 0.30mm line.

     

    Does diameter make a difference? On a water I used to fish my shockleader was Drennan Greased Weasel in 40lb with a diameter of 0.58mm, or 30lb Amnesia which I have no idea of the diameter.

    I caught with that diameter line as I do now.

     

     

  4. 1 hour ago, Asterman said:

    Hi

     

    Quote

    Any ingredient in a boilie is denatured, or liquids evaporate as they are boiled, less so if they are steamed.

    That is really interesting when you consider the hottest byproduct of boiling water is steam itself...If added to boiling water it will take longer for that to come back to steam temps and also far longer to reach the centre of say an 18mm boilie where it rarely gets higher than 60 degrees up to a 2 minute boil. Less so if steamed?

    However, i do like to learn. Feel free to explain.

    Steaming baits are not done in the water itself. 

    The boiling water is below the bait, (food) so strictly speaking the term boilies is a misnomer, they are now 'steamies', which has been used by bait companies.

    You are using the steam to cook the baits rather than the water itself. 

    A pan of water, a grid above it, and a lid keeps the steam circulating around the items being cooked.

    Because the steam is essentially just cooking the outside of the items, the middle does not get heat damaged (denatured) to the same extent as boiling. It also means flavours and liquids do not get washed out like they do when boiled.

     

     

     

    images.jpeg

    Screenshot_20260529_175222_Chrome.jpg

  5. On 26/05/2026 at 23:43, Jack Acres said:

    hey everyone,

    i’ve been in east sussex, near hailsham, for a couple of years now, and i’ve done many a session on hawkhurst, isfield club and a few other day tickets but none of them (other than hawkhurst) really tick my box for carp.  Is anyone able to point me in the right direction of a decent sydnicate within a reasonable distance. Any replies or PM’s are much appreciated,

    Cheers, Jack. :)

    Welcome to Carp.com

    I don't know if it is any use, but https://spsfishing.co.uk/coarse-section-info/

  6. On 27/05/2026 at 10:44, OldBoy said:

    Never tried that, so long ago I can't remember if the underside of top skin was actually reflective or not 😀

    Do have a couple of pics from way back with the Hutchie dome covered in snow tho! Last week of the then close season, bright sun in morning then woke up to snow!

    Deff wouldn't like to be bivvied up in this weather atm tho! 🥵

    I know that a few people on Taverham Mills put it on 'upside down' to try to keep the sun from making the bivvy too hot. I never knew if it actually worked or not.

     

    I've had heatstroke a couple of times, even just under a plain brolly when fishing a couple of days. I can guarantee it is not fun, the headache and occasionally being physically sick really knocks you out. I've gotten to making sure that I have some shade to put the bivvy up in or able to sit in if at all possible if the forecast is for hot and dry. Not forgetting plenty of water to drink!

     

     

     

  7. 17lb. Despite the grimace, it made me smile, and laugh.

    I'd only just cast the rod in after getting back with Sky after a walk round the lake when it went off, I was sorting out the next rod, mid PVA bag making. Bait was in the water 2minutes, not sure the PVA on the first rod had even dissolved.

    First fish on the Shrimp!

    Screenshot_20260528_131946_Gallery.jpg

  8. On 25/05/2026 at 13:26, crusian said:

    Hello Newmarket . 

    I was sad that West Ham got relegated ( would have been much happier if it had been Chelsea ) , but you'll now have all those " friendly " local derbies against Millwall to look forward to .

    😁

     

    On 26/05/2026 at 07:00, yonny said:

    I would have preferred to see Spurs go down but WHU will have to do😅

    To see my beloved Sunderland go to Europe for the first time in my life (and I'm 47 years old tomorrow!) is absolutely mind-blowing. Still can't quite believe it. 

    Chelsea going down would have been my ideal as well.

     

    Sunderland in Europe, that quite a thought, and not being funny, Europa League is a 'better' competition than Champions League. The teams for Champions League are almost nailed in at the start of the season, whereas Europa League can be anyone.

    Mind you I do wish that we could also go back to European Cup Winners Cup as well, but UEFA and FIFA make too much out of CL.

    8 hours ago, elmoputney said:

    Well done to Sunderland, Could you imagine how smug arsenal fans would be if that happened though. No one wants that, they are already smug enough.I'm quite happy West Ham went down instead of spurs though 😂 

    I've not been watching much kickyball lately, I'm all about womens rugby these days, went to Twickenham to watch the Red Roses the other week. They make footballers look like a bunch of Daily Express reading Karen's. 😱 

     

     

     

    Rugby altogether I love, although it has gotten a bit silly on head to head and targeting, especially in the mens game, and that's players who are going in too high and not wrapping up rather than referee being picky. 

    The Red Roses have definitely brought the game to life for everyone. Women's games sold out, and in some big stadiums.

    Mind you, I do miss Abby Dow, not as spectacular as Ellie Kildunne, but could she motor.

     

  9. On 24/05/2026 at 08:45, newmarket said:

    Morning Gents . I’m a moderator on a football fans forum and I’ve had exactly this problem . 
    we have set in place a system where all new applicant members have to have their details ratified by a Mod and then have their application activated . 
     

    The majority of new applications come from Eastern European spammers so their IP addresses give the game away straight away .

    Those that are not so obvious get sent a related question by email to answer .

    you’d be surprised how many Romanians think Bobby Charlton used to play for West Ham 🤣.

    It means I have spend an evening once a month cleaning up the Spammer new account applications but it’s better than spending your whole life deleting and banning , which is what was happening before .

    Genuine applications usually make themselves heard on the forum pretty much straight away and the obvious spammers can usually be spotted by their ridiculously Eastern European usernames .

     

    I set the membership to include a non bot verification. Unfortunately I don't necessarily see new members joining if they go in bulk.

    I've added loads of Eastern European email and IP addresses and suppliers to the ban filter, but Asian and Indian are as bad.

    The joy of VPN's is a problem as well, and I think that settings currently restrict access from them.

     

  10. 11 hours ago, OldBoy said:

    I got my Hutchie dome from Penge Angling, had to be the alloy pole version of course!

    Did try to argue a 'cash' price, they were having none of it though 😂

    Did you reverse the top skin in bright sunny weather and did it actually keep it cooler?

  11. 17 hours ago, framey said:

    After moving from a brolly

    I purchased a Shakespeare cypry dome 

    (oooh ark at me dead cool….🤣🤣🤣😵‍💫)

    Penge angling post dated cheque spread lol

    I never had a Cypry Dome myself, Bruce had one which we shared a couple of times in the winter on the Meadow swims at Taverham.

    I did get the Rod Hutchinson Apotheosis, the one after his first dome, when I fished at Earith, very comfy, even in winter, although it did end up smelling of damp. I'd pack up in damp cold weather and not get the chance to dry it until the next session.

    I always wished that I had gotten a Yateley and Horseshoe ticket, but money and travel was always restrictive until around 2000 when I got my Hotel and Catering Manager HND. 

    I've moved this back to UK Carp Fishing as although it is 'venue based' and referring to Horseshoe I think is history and worthy of general conversation.

  12. On 22/05/2026 at 12:29, OldBoy said:

    That explains it mate, btw I did notice the brolly with 'storm sides' fitted? 

    I used to have a WaveLoc brolly with an overwrap fitted back in the day, then moved onto a Hutchie bivvie dome... luxury at the time 😂

     

    I used to love my Wavelock with the Fox Jekh Shelter overwrap.

    I think that I went mark 1 Fox EasyDome next. 

    That is a Taverham Mills swim, and Delkim ST's and Fox Swingers as well.

    image.jpeg.753a501856acb28300dccdb9470434c9.jpeg

  13. 6 hours ago, OldBoy said:

    Leaving aside the obvious faffing around making this stuff.

    It might be me not understanding, but what would you actually use these liquids in?

    If added to a boilie base mix, wouldn't the boiling process actually kill any 'benefical effects?

    I get adding to a groundbait might work, as for a spod mix, wouldn't any effect just vanish in the volume of water in any lakes..... guessing a lot of this 'science' might have been tank tested?

    And here you have raised very pertinent additional points.

     

    Any ingredient in a boilie is denatured, or liquids evaporate as they are boiled, less so if they are steamed.

    By denature, the food value is reduced, the protein level is lowered, and enzymes 'killed', even vitamins and minerals are reduced, especially those on the outside skin of the boilie. The inside of the bait may still not be 'cooked' on short boiling times*, as the full temperature takes time to get to the middle. So the only part of the boilie that still contains fully effective or as you nicely describe it, beneficial effects is the middle.

    The best way to get these liquids to continue working effectively is to soak or glug the baits after boiling.

    You can add these liquids to your spod mix, your particles, your powdered groundbait, your pellets.

    I don't know if anyone remembers the days of the CarpWorld/Nutrabaits Lac Fishabil trips, but Bill Cottams favourite mix I think was a bucket of birdfood, boilies crushed and whole with added Nutramino, Multimino PPc and condensed milk.

    This is where you have different effects in water, the solubility of the liquid, how it mixes in the lake. Some liquids will spread out across the lakebed, others will cloud lakebed to surface.

    The 'hope' is that the carp will follow the reverse track of the water current if any down to the source, and it creates a spot to investigate.

     

     

    *My aim when making my own bait was to have a solid skin, but a paste middle.

     

  14. 13 hours ago, BBQ King said:

    Not only is the effect the same, the products you mentioned are more or less hydrolysates. 
    Yeast extract is typically produced through autolysis/hydrolysis of yeast cells.
    CSL contains degraded proteins from the steeping process.
    Products like Minamino/Nutramino derived much of their effectiveness from predigested soluble protein fractions, 
    meaning proteins have already been broken down into peptides and amino acids, which is essentially what a hydrolysate is.

    So yes, those products worked long before “hydrolysate” became a fashionable buzzword — and they still contained hydrolysed material chemically speaking.

    That is still completely different from saying “adding water creates a hydrolysate” or that oat milk is automatically one. Hydration and hydrolysis are not the same thing. Hydrolysis specifically means actual cleavage of chemical bonds, particularly peptide bonds in proteins.

    "Not only is the effect the same, the products you mentioned are more or less hydrolysates"

    Oh dear, you really need to be right if you do want to try to make a point.

     

    If you really want to get in an argument I will wear you down with facts, and be correct with my facts, which sadly yours are not.

    I can get my data from the original research I did years ago, quite frequently back in the early 2000's when I was working with bait manufacturers. (Some of the references and sources are listed)

    The oat milk research was when I was working in the catering industry as we had to do full allergen test and have full data sheet to hand. Also standard oat milk will not produce a cappuccino with much 'body', you won't get ⅓coffee, ⅓milk and ⅓froth, you'll get a milky coffee, almost identical to a latte.

    So far I have shown many of your arguments as incorrect, and instead of 'cherry picking' and missing words out like you. (You were close on Nutramino)

    13 hours ago, BBQ King said:

    adding water creates a hydrolysate”

    You missed a bit:

    Hydrolysates are simply formed by adding water, adding an enzyme, or acid to create a smaller particle.

    I do mention adding an enzyme or acid, which you ignored.

     

    Yes, commercially produced oat milk is a carbohydrate hydrolysate. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10534225/)

    During manufacturing, oat flour and water are combined and treated with natural food-grade enzymes (like amylases). This enzymatic hydrolysis process breaks down the oats' dense, gritty starches into smaller, sweeter, and highly soluble simple sugars (like maltose and glucose) 

    This controlled hydrolysis serves three critical purposes: 
    • Texture & Creaminess: It prevents the oat starch from turning into a thick, gummy paste and ensures a smooth, milky liquid.
    • Natural Sweetness: It breaks down starches to naturally sweeten the beverage without requiring the addition of processed sugars.
    • Ingredient Labelling: Because the starches are broken down intentionally to sweeten and smooth the drink, labels will often list "hydrolyzed oats" in the ingredients. 
    Multimino is a form of pre-digested liquid food. However, instead of being a traditional animal-protein hydrolysate, it functions as an amino-acid-rich syrup based on Phosphorylcolamine (PPC) and natural extracts.
     
    • How it works: Because the protein chains are already broken down, this highly water-soluble syrup is considered "pre-digested," making it extremely easy for fish to digest and absorb.
    • Ingredients: It is traditionally a blend of PPC, predigested liver extracts, spleen extract, fruit extracts, and natural sweeteners.
    • Difference from Hydrolysates: While pure hydrolysates (like Salmon Hydrolysate) are the direct breakdown products of whole animal flesh, Multimino is a specialized medical-grade nutrient supplement that provides a similar profile of free-form amino acids.
    Nutrabaits Nutramino is essentially a human-food-grade pre-digested liquid food. While Nutrabaits sometimes uses the term "pre-digested," the process of breaking down complex proteins (like liver, spleen, and gastric mucosa) into highly absorbable, free-form amino acids is exactly what enzymatic hydrolysis entails. 
     
    Because it mimics a pre-hydrolyzed or pre-broken-down protein source, it gives carp an irresistible and instantly digestible amino-acid profile. 
     

    Standard corn steep liquor (CSL) is not naturally classified as a hydrolysate. It is instead the raw, concentrated liquid byproduct of the wet-milling process, generated by soaking corn kernels in water and sulfur dioxide. 

     

    Liquid Yeast is an interesting one, it is actually the soluble liquid left behind after the hydrolysate has been removed.

    This is used as a flavor enhancer (like Marmite or Vegemite) or as a nutrient for cell cultures.

    Active Liquid Yeast: This refers to intact, living yeast cells used in baking or brewing. This is not a hydrolysate.

    •  
  15. 1 hour ago, BBQ King said:

    In a simplified angling conversation you could say “more digestible or usable protein”, but technically that is a shorthand, not the definition.

    The human sports nutrition comparison also does not really settle the bait question. For humans, normal dietary protein may be digested perfectly well, and hydrolysed protein supplements may often be overpriced. I don’t disagree with that.

    But in baitmaking, the point is usually not digestion after eating a meal. The point is solubility, leakage, free amino acids, small peptides, smell, taste signals and how quickly compounds become available in water. That is why a fish/liver hydrolysate, liquid liver, CSL or fish sauce-type product is not the same thing as simply boiling hemp or saying “protein is digestible”.

    So I’m not saying every product called hydrolysate is magical, or good value, or even good bait. I’m only saying the word has a real technical meaning. It refers to controlled breakdown, not just “more digestible protein”.

    You are missing the point, it does not need hydrolysates to have a 'controlled breakdown', to enable protein to be more easily digested, or solubility and leakage. Absolutely everything you have put down about free amino acids and peptides does not require hydrolysates.

    That was accomplished for years with Multimino, Nutramino, Minamino and various other brand names, Corn Steep Liquor and Liquid Yeast or other ingredients. Soaking and glugging baits after boiling in them did exactly the same thing. They could also be mixed in with the base mix. 

     The effects are the same.

    Hydrolysates are simply formed by adding water, adding an enzyme, or acid to create a smaller particle. A basic hydrolysate is oat milk!

  16. 2 hours ago, Paul S said:

    None of my own baits use any preservative, natural or synthetic, including hookbaits even though (and before someone points out) they are not consumed..

    Bet you they do😉

    If you put a flavour in a bait, it has the base solvent, which is in many cases a preservative. If you put in a powdered ingredient, it likely contains either an anti-caking agent, or an ingredient to slow down or prevent it going rancid, they are preservatives. 

    Even basic sugar and salt are forms of preservative.

    4 hours ago, BBQ King said:

    hydrolysate” is not just a posh word for digestible protein. It usually means a material where proteins or other polymers have actually been broken down by hydrolysis.

    Actually it is, to quote myself "Hydrolysate is a posh way of saying more digestible or usable protein".

    If you copy my statement above, go to Google and then type in 'is' followed by pasting my wording above you will get the answer "Yes, basically it is", and then a scientific process review.

     

    I would not have said it without knowing what I was saying, and buzzwords get put into baitmaking just like in convincing humans that isotonic, hydrolysates, are better for you than a standard diet.

    However, for the average person, regular protein is digested and used just fine. Hydrolysates often come with a much higher price tag, so you are mostly paying for the speed of absorption rather than a magical increase in overall nutritional quality. 

    Then you have potential side effects of hydrolysates, poor palatibility, bloating, gas, diarrhoea or constipation and funnily enough, many contain preservatives, sugar alcohols, thickening ingredients and artificial sweeteners.

  17. 55 minutes ago, framey said:

    Liquid yeast or liquid liver doesn’t sound as scientific though lol.

    Are you saying that anglers are being connived into buying products by scientific wording?😜😆

    I have used Liquid Liver and Liquid Yeast for years, various companies sold forms of CSL.

  18. On 19/05/2026 at 08:59, BBQ King said:

    I get your point, but this a bit like shouting 'I LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK' when people are discussing wines. 

    Not necessarily. Even soaking and boiling is releasing attractors, additional fermentation of particles releases hydrolysates. 

    Aging certain beef cuts, steaks, increases the utilisation of the available protein.

    Hydrolysate is a posh way of saying more digestible or usable protein, and can refer to meat, seeds, beans, legumes.

    Soaking and boiling hemp is doing just that. In fact while hemp is edible 'raw', it is more attractive when heated and oils are released. Even plain crushed hemp is more attractive after boiling water is poured over it.

     

     

    On 19/05/2026 at 08:59, BBQ King said:

    I get your point, but this a bit like shouting 'I LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK' when people are discussing wines. 

    You have never read the Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series of books. Myron Bolitar would rather drink Chocolate Yoohoo over his friend Win Lockwoods choice of wine.

     

    On 19/05/2026 at 18:47, framey said:

    Or a quick way to empty your pocket.

    They can do, but have been used for years, and quite probably many anglers have used them without knowing that they have done so:

    CSL Liquid, Liquid Yeast, Liquid Liver, various liquid fish products.

     

     

  19. 4 hours ago, ouchthathurt said:

    IMG_4066.thumb.jpeg.7201238692c00de51572b15d7df13ebb.jpegsomething a bit different, Leeda Icon Elite Match rods and Daiwa 7HT multipliers, hunting bass at 5am! 
     

    had a nice brace of bass, best going 4lb. 
    (3 doggies too 🙄

    I had no bass, but 11 doggies on Friday night.

    Mine are Daiwa 7HT's on a 12ft6in Daiwa Sandstorm and a 12ft6in Daiwa SeaHunter Z.

     

    20260515_225936.jpg

  20. On 05/05/2026 at 09:47, yonny said:

    had an angler mate round on Saturday. Probably the first other proper dedicated carp angler to have seen my koi. He put 33+ on Whopper (the big white one) and 30+ on Big Bad Barry (a big white mirror with plated black scales who, like Whopper, was named by the kids 🙈). I can't wait to get them all weighed next weekend to find out.

     

    On 11/05/2026 at 08:29, yonny said:

    Weight wise, 31 and 30 lb are the biggest.

    It was actually a bit of a stressful operation. When you net the white ones you can see them going pink as the blood vessels expand with stress. This just makes you want to get them back as quick as possible. Obviously you don't see that when you catch a normal carp as their colour hides the pinkness.

    If they had spawned and dropped a bit you know that you can trust his estimates on fish sizes in the water.

     

    I have seen the stress of a carp with the blood vessels and blood pressure increasing after capture. I don't know if you can remember it the 29lb fish I had from the syndicate has a 'birthmark' of blood vessels near the pectoral and right gill, it goes red during capture and stress. I've seen it in other fish as well.

  21. I made the standard anglers mistake of going into Birds tackle shop today, ended up spending £40 on bits, more Gardner Incizors, Running lead systems, quick lead clips, another pair of forceps, a few Sea fishing hooks, squid and crushed hemp.

    I really should make a list of stuff I need rather than trying to remember my way round fresh and saltwater tackle boxes.

     

    It looks like the standard tackle shop spend is now £40 for 'odds and sods'.

  22. On 15/05/2026 at 09:34, BBQ King said:

    Yes, my post disappeared and I have no idea why. It was a link to a blog that directed people to the Bait tactics youtube channel
    I have experienced good results with fermented particles, will try the fish next time. an easier solution is just to use anchovy or fish sauce from the Asian shops, its basically fermented fish in salt too

     

    I told you why it was removed:

     

    On 14/05/2026 at 21:05, salokcinnodrog said:

    Yes it didn't link to any hydrolysates link, it was a 'rant' by someone about people copying their bait.

     

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