salokcinnodrog

Are you trying to light it with any wind or breeze? Has the sparking plate gradually been eroded away over time? To both of the above on my Bulin, I tend to use a lighter nearly all the time. You replied just as I was composing my answer, so the spark plate is likely to be no. As for gas, most are much of a muchness, in terms of lighting, Coleman, GoGas, Primus, Sunngas and CADAC

The Shot on the hook posts I have split into UK Rig Tying

Thanks. Strange thing is I was never prone to tonsillitis as a child, despite being asthmatic, yet my brother was. I'm rarely ill, or wasn't until 2020 and Covid, since then any cold or flu and I'm struggling and my right hip joint started to break down. I keep saying that I didn't know how serious it was or is, and didn't realise such a 'minor' problem could be life threatening; sepsis or blood poisoning from any insect bite with the abscess filling up. Then the unable to breathe if it swells, possibility of breathing in the gunk if it bursts. I've been on and off antibiotics since April, visits to my doctor, A&E, Urgent Treatment Centre, Ear Nose and Throat clinic at the hospital with a couple of overnight stays.

Wow, where has this year gone? My sessions this year have been interspringled with illness, this poxy quinsy and hospital visits and a few fish and one good session. When I have fished it seems like I got mostly gremlinned... Anyway, today is 1st September so who will be starting us off?

I've gone back to Century's Big Bertha which I got around 2007. She is still a beast! I've found: a) Avid and Sonik Spod and Marker rods have awful rod rings, with liners falling out and the frames bending easily. b) after replacing them, the rod just doesn't have the life or grunt to put out a medium Spomb much above 60metres. Neither is a bad rod for a marker but despite being hybrids, not Spodding. The Tackle Box Spod rods do get good reviews.

Did you try the Gardner kickers I suggested? I've not used them myself, but most Gardner stuff is spot on. Rusty hooks seem to be a thing on some lakes, like some (usually) silty lakes do seem to be hook point blunters. I have noticed that out of the packet Muggas are good for a few fish before getting blunt enough to need changing. Not caught anything on the Incizors to say anything about them compared to the 101's on Multi-rigs. I changed the last 101 hook I had last week, not had a pick-up this week. I'm annoyed I can't get hold of standard 101's, I did like them! I think that is a problem with spinner rigs full stop. The Ronnie/spinner was supposed to be as good as a 360, but I have not found it so, despite fishing them side by side and losing fish to hookpulls on the spinner, but not on the 360. Losing fish on my syndicate is not a pleasant experience, it could be anything from 15 to 50lb!

I used to cook Sunday dinner for around 1pm, and got to take Levi for a few hours on the whip for silvers after lunch while Liz washed up. He loved it. Then it got to the stage of I would carry Lily and Levi's gear and rods to the park while they cycled up. When they got bored fishing they'd leave me with the rods and go for a cycle, then come back for a bit more fishing. Hard life being left in charge fishing... He soon learnt to trot a freelined dog biscuit downstream for chub as well as I could, and on days I couldn't hit a bite he would manage chub to 4lb. That was on my rod and reel as we'd just take the one between us and the other would land the fish. I might split the 'children into fishing' to a thread of their own back in Carp Fishing, so if some posts disappear, please don't panic and I promise to try not to delete them😖

Tonsillectomy on Monday. I got a phone call from the hospital and they got me a priority date as it is so serious. It is supposed to be day surgery, so I should be out Monday evening, but just needing overnight care or supervision at home. I called my mother to ask a series of favours: Sky sit, pick me up from hospital and put me and Sky up for the night. Even better, she has developed my taste for real coffee

Open banks with no trees or rushes are often mozzie free, they don't seem to be a problem, any breeze blows them away or past. Add trees or rushes, and they have somewhere to hide. The other thing is that disturbing the ground and you end up with mosquito or other insect bites. You (usually) put your groundsheet on the ground stopping the little blighters getting to you, so as you packed up it's quite possibly you became fair game.

Not a secret at all, Megaspice. You may also find that Versele Laga Garlic Oil at around £17 for 250ml is a better buy. I go to putting liquids in eggs, get a better mix through than adding it to the eggs and base mix. Don't forget that I use the Garlic spice baits for hookbaits only, so the flavour level is that recommended for 4 eggs in a 1 egg mix. https://rodhutchinson.co.uk/product/legend-flavour-megaspice/ I did put the whole recipe I've dropped the additional liquids just relying on garlic and megaspice

Looking good Mate, bet that scratched an itch!

My first bucket will go out in a bit. Only had 2 fish over the hemp and bird food last week, but I really can't complain both were 20's and I had 4 others over boilies I've got until Sunday back on the syndicate, just me and my dog...

Mines gone simple, hemp and birdfood, 50/50 ratio, soaked and boiled.

I googled it, and had no joy. I think you may have to get onto your feet and have a walk, see if you can find signs onsite for club or owner.

I'm still fishing until Friday. Went quiet today, but had this one at 24lb, 5 rod lengths out this evening, they do like the Monster Crab.

A decent westerly yesterday, and I was able to keep my rods tips underwater. Brilliant session!

This is an interesting thread again, and I have got more answers and probably questions. I'm probably not the most adventurous person when it comes to rigs, for years I stick to plain basic and simple, then every now and again I swap something around, sometimes based on hookpulls (I had a couple on Spinner rigs) I honestly don't know why I do it, but this trip I juggled again. A 360 rig, with the eye covered with tubing, to stop it getting caught in the landing net, and a size 4 Gardner Incizor, a sinker and putty tight to the ring swivel on the hooklink, a short Multi-rig with a size 4 101, putty just below the hook, and a reverse combi-rig, fluorocarbon section tied to the size 6 Gardner Mugga with Merlin braid boom. Every fish has been nailed and come through the weed.

Thanks Mate. As an aside, I was sent the stocking picture of the 21lb fish by the syndicate manager, and I am seriously shocked, it went in in January THIS year, have a look.

I'm honestly blown away! I lost a fish after the 26, where the fish ran over the middle rod, when I recast I didn't check the line and got smashed. I recast it while Michael Hawes was down chatting and just after he left I had the dark 21lb mirror, on a different pop-up, a pink Nutty Bait. I hadn't even sorted that out and had another take, this was 29lb, back on the Monster Crab.

Loving life right now, another fish at 26lb 10oz, you've guessed, Rod Hutchinson Monster Crab pop-up in a PVA bag of Monster Crab pellets only over a bed of hemp.

Thanks, I am still smiling every time I look at the pics. For the syndicate records we have to photograph every fish with accurate weights so we know the growth rates. I worked it out that with known originals and stock fish around 165 carp in 45acres. I say around as there are a couple we have seen that have not been caught yet and the occasional loss during spawning. This fish was stocked in 2018 at 17lb, and is the first time it's been caught. There are others still uncaught from then and subsequent stockings.

I'll change that slightly as I have managed to land 2 in just wellies and from just standing in the water. ( ) I have found the clear spots, and put my rig on it. Slight change in rig, a 360 rig using a size 4 Gardner Incizor and RH Monster Crab pop-up and putty on the hooklink knot. Cover the hook eye with shrink tubing to stop it catching in the landing net. It looks like time to change rig on the other rod in the same area, as both came to the same rod.

Rod Hutchinson Monster Crab pop-up working again. Proper wake-up call this morning, an absolute screamer from around 40metres out and a clear spot in the weed, so I can fish my preferred running leads, 27lb 8oz

I can normally get away with a citronella and lemongrass based skin spray since Avon Skin So Soft has changed, although mosquitoes the size of vultures did used to get me at Taverham in the back channel swims; Jurassic park round there, and I needed to resort to Deet and Jungle Formula. Permethrin impregnated clothing could be handy, and @elmoputney now your not wearing Crocs, tuck your socks over your trousers. The stuff below works, and don't laugh, it's from a company called purple-turtle. It's that mosquito buzz beside your ear just as you are ¾ of the way to sleep. Other biting bugs are deer flies, they hurt, and of course the horsefly.