salokcinnodrog

Don't know how I missed this first time around, must have been offline for a fair while and not using the forum or it was that horrible word Chod, so I purposely avoided it... There is a horrible possibility with the ring swivel on the mainline. No matter how you go, the naked chod is a risk in as much as the ring swivel under tension can wear and abrade the mainline, causing unexplained snap-offs While in this case it would only (or should) just leave a small rig and hook in the fish, it is a snap-off that should not happen You would be far better off to use what I suppose is a chod bead. Have a read through these: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=51296 http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=37603 The second link contains a pic of my 'Heath Robinson' looking Silt Rig set-up, which can be fished as sliding or semi-fixed

I'm really glad that the publicity ban on West Stow and Nunnery has been lifted. Both have been excellent fisheries, although I do know sadly a few fish have been ottered (I do NOT know about total losses if any). These lakes are definitely places worth a look

I must confess that while I appreciate tidiness in rigs I'm sure that mine don't always come out as the best looking. I have a habit of lighter tagging the end of braids at knots to stop them fraying as I think it looks tidier, but when it comes to knots on mono or braids I do prefer to use the Grinner/Uni knot as it is what I am comfortable with. I do make sure that I bed all my knots down carefully, and then give them a darn good pull to test them before casting out, and I very rarely have a break, unless I need it, when it will nearly always go at the knot. That need it, should a fish find the snag, or if I overcast into a tree etc, then I want the line to break at the knot, so that I am not leaving lengths of line hanging around (and I can then go and grab the rig out of a tree if possible). I also believe in keeping things as simple and possible. I think that as anglers we often overcomplicate the issue, cute fish, they can out-think this rig or get away with it so we go to adding too many pieces of metal around the hook that we really have no need for when all we need to change is the length of the hair we fish, and learn in some cases to fish and feed better to keep the fish interested in the area

Thread moved in UK Where to Fish section. I know that you have a rather large (oversubscribed) club near to you, but also nearby are a fair few waters that may well be day ticket as well as Thorpe Lea. Have a shout about at local tackle shops as they may well be able to give some very good advice.

I've said it before, and will probably say it again. The best and most simple rig a knotless knotted rig with a hook and hair on the end. It can be made of supple or stiff hooklink materials, braid, coated braid, mono, basically the works. It can then additionally be line aligned, shrunk tube with kicker or whatever you wish to call it... http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=55800

A while ago I came up with the idea of tying a hair to the tags of fire extinguishers tags, or even the little tag that often holds labels to clothing or other items, and using the pointed end to push into my bait, a stiff broom bristle could also work. It sounds really awkward to tie, but is actually easier than it sounds; Put your hooklink material through the eye of the hook, and then tie the material onto the tag end. You then have a stiff bit at the end. Then attach the hook with a knotless knot so you then have a stiff and supple hair that you can attach the bait to. I will try to come up with a pic, but I'm not sure when that will be as I will have to go back to old fashioned methods

Strangely enough I just brought a leader thread up to the top of the section as I don't believe in their use for much fishing: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=51792 If you do decide that you must use a leader or that a fluorocarbon leader will help (not necessarily true in my mind as mono can be made to 'disappear' underwater) However I do use the same knot for for combi rigs; joining Amnesia to braid or shockleader to main line and it is a Uni knot to overhand conection: Tie an Overhand knot in the Shockleader and then thread the braid through it, then do the Uni knot loops around the Leader, wet and pull tight.

To me fishing programmes can't be any better than John Wilson's Go Fishing, and Passion for Angling, although Jeremy Wades River Monsters does come close. Sadly I have not seen any of Martin Bolwers Catching The Impossible. I found Total Fishing a bit too techy and they would change subject too often, with some absolutely awful fillers, best cup of tea, best pork pie. The Greater Rod Race from Ireland to Lowestoft I did find quite interesting with Mick Brown and Matt Hayes, trying to get a decent weight to make that many miles. I did struggle in the last programme though as I know where they were supposed to be fishing rather well, and it did not look like the banks of Taverham that I know and fished a lot, so that may have meant that a few other places could have been 'fudged'

I originally read this book years ago, but recently decided to read it again. It is an absolutely brilliant book, giving the life and cycle of Cypry, a carp who comes up to be well above the British record (of the time, it was originally published in 1973) and Andy a young lad who becomes a true angler. The book gives the good and bad of fishing from back then, and is definitely well worth a read if you can get hold of it.

I have accepted this thought with my fishing, yet I can't understand why Tackle Manufacturers still insist on selling set-ups like this when it is such a potential risk? It must be a case of money making over fish care and to heck with what anglers think. Unfortunately it means that many anglers are NOT fishing safely, or think that because it is available from shops it has to be safe... As I've said before, in my mind the only need for a leader is to fish at maximum distance, when giving it the biggun, a shockleader for casting. In that thought, the rig in the event of a break-off, or lost fish the only thing that should be trailing is the rig that can be ejected. If there are any snags, then a trailing leader becomes a risk, as does a lead that cannot be released, by a jammed up, overtightened tail rubber on a lead clip.

I wonder how many lost fish are on helicopter set-ups where I think the angle of pull is different to that on pendant or inline set-ups? I know that I used to lose far more fish on silt/chod helicopter set-ups than I ever did or do on 'normal' leads. I also found me personally that a line aligned hook and rigs with a good length of tubing (about 10mm above the eye) were also better at preventing fish losses than a plain knotless knot or tied on hook with an additional hair.

Totally agree about generators being temperamental. I hate Coleman stoves with a passion after an incident: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=56036&highlight=coleman+stove

I like the boom to have a bit of ply in it so that it has a chance of settling if over a stone/twig etc?? I tend to use a loop knot if joining the Amnesia to a standard swivel, or use a ringed swivel. I think that in most cases it sets down nicely on the lakebed with that.

Sort of I could give you a couple of phone numbers to get you into syndicates in Suffolk (places that I'm not particularly interested in or are too expensive for me), but unfortunately not much good. How far over are you looking to come from the Midlands? Can go over as far as some of the Cambrigeshire area for a few waters if you want, look at Lily Fisheries on t'interweb, may be some use

Aye, can understand that I also understand that syndicates are often very hush hush, and people who are members won't or don't want them publicised There may even be some very well known syndicates but you won't get in unless you walk the right way, have the correct handshake and are friends with exactly the right people

For boom materials I'm still old fashioned, and use Amnesia. It works is stiff enough and as an added bonus, the black fits in nicely over silty lakebeds, and the clear is just that, clear The black is slightly softer and more supple than the clear. My usual for boom sections is the 20lb, but occasionally I resort to 30. One thing I will say with Amnesia, always check and double check your knots, a 3 turn blood knot works to a swivel, but I still prefer that Uni/Grinner knot for security. Amnesia can be a pig, as you will need to check it almost every fish. I believe that Tim Paisley was using the hinged set-up with a silkworm mini hooklink section and a bottom bait.

I've given up using leaders as much as possible, now only for long distance casting, and will still use tubing or go totally naked I consider the theory of tubing to 'stop the fish rubbing or catching scales' as absolute rubbish. It may very rarely happen, but it is very rare, and you don't use a leader or tubing when floater or zig rig fishing, so that puts that out as Bones kind of says. I'm quite happy using mono straight through, just take your time getting the line down and putting indicators on, and no problems

Perry, My hate for Korda is that some of the tackle that hits the market is not always the best (or safest) for that which it is released for and the overly aggressive article advertising. While I agree that some products are ok, and Korda are NOT the most highly priced equipment, there are some things that just are not safe or necessarily properly thought out, yet are advertised as the be all and end all. Don't get me wrong there are some things that I think are best from Korda, a certain marker float springs to mind, and the original ready made coated leads (someone will say that Gold Label did it first now ), yet other things are not always the best, and customer service and advice has on occasions been misled. To be fair I would say with any manufacturer, don't stick with one tackle brand, you have to try all and get feedback to be able to make an informed decision as to what you use. As it happens, when it comes to hooklinks, other than a few spools of mono and Amnesia in my box, I haven't used any brand other than Kryston for years.

Either Go Outdoors or Blacks or check on Ebay. I'm still using the Web Tex Warrior stove I recommend on this thread: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=28868&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=stove&start=25

Take your pick, Rig Tying or Tackle and Equipment Sorted and placed in Rig Tying as you can then add any additionals about the rigs you tie up with the material.

My thoughts as well A nice straight hooklink always looks so good, but the fish may be able to feel the 'extension' of the link and lead if it is laid out straight. A heap of hooklink, the fish don't know how long it is and so may be more likely to move off, giving a proper run

Braided rigs can tangle with running leads, but there is PVA to cure that, and feathering the cast also helps. The lead can also end up with the rig around it on landing on the lakebed, but is tangle free, but tangles on the retrieve as the lead pops free

I actually think that a number of people are unintentionally fishing Zig rigs on helicopter set-ups, hence the Chod rigs reputation for cast anywhere. I try to work out the depth of the silt where I am fishing (a piece of wool tied to the lead will take on the colour of the lakebed), and then adjust the top bead accordingly. As for the use of leadcore, I had best say no more than the poxy stuff should be banned, there are far too many emotive threads on here about that subject

While I agree that on casting the bottom bead should in theory stop the rig sliding down towards the lead, it may actually slide down towards the lead anyway under pressure during the fight from a fish. You play a fish, and usually the line thins some, so a stop knot may well slide down the line towards the lead anyway. This can still result in the fish getting banged about with a lead close to the head. It may actually be better to fish a longer rig to keep the lead away from the fish during the fight, so thiose mega short 3 inch rigs could be a thing of the past The top bead you want enough rig travel so that the bait is presented on top (if that is where fish feeding) of the silt. As for whether you fish tight or slack, my view with a silt rig is that you want a very tight line, so that you get all indications. Single bleeps can often still be fish hooked. Secondary bleeps can be the fish doing a disappearing act, minus your hook. With a slack line, you may well be missing indications, especially as the lead is semi-fixed.