salokcinnodrog

Not quite. I already had confidence in Carp-R-Us patterns, always had some in the tackle box, but also had some ESP patterns. Then when this article was published and accused me of being an armchair angler with nothing better to do than "argue" over something as trivial as leadcore, and not actually fishing, in fact the response almost totally avoided the actual opinion about leadcore, I decided to boycott ESP. Please also note, this was not the Keith Moors "Against Leadcore" piece, but the other anglers response.

Having tried Keiths test many times over the years, some intentionally and some not so those slack lines really do make a difference. Attempting to cut through the water is a whole lot harder than pulling through it. If you think of a tight line in water, and what happens on a take, the line is cutting through the water at any angle. You will only get any indication if the fish is actually able to move the lead any distance, but there is pressure holding the line in place, and again it would be cutting through the water Now with this running lead and slack line you have the line under no tension. On a take the run ring allows the line free passage, it slides through the run ring, the line is not cutting through the water, it pulls through this tube. I went back to run rings again, as even though you have your set-up shown with a running lead, I'm not 100% sure of the true effects of an inline running lead. I think that on most occasions that they actually dive into the lakebed, and go "nose down". Now on most lakebeds, there is always likely to be sediment build-up and as the lead lands it will put its nose at the very least into this sediment. Come to that, over time the lead may start to sink into the silt. Or even the nose just dinks into the gravel, clay or sand; This would prevent the lead being free running. Now with a run ring, again a lead may pull the whole lot into sediment (no arguments, it will happen), but as we tend to fish the least silty areas , is less likely to be buried; for those who do actively fish in silt and sediment, the simple addition of a lead link (curse and darn it, possibly made of leadcore), will keep the run ring and end tackle above it.

I used to have great faith in Carp-R-Us Centurions and Nailers, but found them difficult to get hold of. I used to use ESP hooks, and again, one hook landed plenty of fish with no resharpening, including fish to over 26lb, but after a "dispute" (over Leadcore of all things) with a well known angler and his views and what he wrote in a magazine, I started boycotting ESP products. I started using Covert Muggas over a year ago, and have yet to lose a fish on them (although I have lost fish in that time on other patterns). In that time I have landed a lot of fish, to over 30lb at ranges from the margins up to 100metres, so I have played fish under plenty of pressure. I don't worry about sharpening hooks, I test them out the packet, and if they are sharp enough they get used.

That's a bit close to the truth. My grandfather came over from Russia at the turn of the last century

Gary, I honestly think we "overthink" situations sometimes. I much prefer the run ring pendant set-up of running leads. I don't think that inline running leads behave at all as we think that they do. You need a heavier lead to have the free movement of the line through the lead, and you have to hope that the lead is not nose down and trapping any line, which unless you place the lead by hand you can't guarantee. In my case I accept the reduction of sensitivity with a length of tubing and the run ring on that, but again, with the heavier lead (3oz in my case), I think that the lead holds bottom well, yet light leads obviously do work as Moorsey has proved time and time again. Under this little lot is a couple of rigs, complete with tubing and running leads. These were taken from directly above the rigs, even with normal rubbish on the bottom in what is actually quite clear water, it is reasonably difficult to pick out lead, line, run ring and hooklink. It is the hookbaits that are the most visible and easily distinguished.

Fly fishing hook, for trout I think, probably not strong enough for Salmon Fishing in smaller sizes

Is this any use? http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=39298&highlight=rig+mechanics I think the only change I have affected in my fishing since then has been my change to an inturned pattern for pop-ups, like Kamasan B175's. The rig I worked out then, is still pretty much my standard rig on that water, and its still catching

Black and clear Amnesia worked for me, even the green when I could get it. I used the loop knot at the swivel end, 3 turn blood knot the hook on and then tie a bait floss or whipping thread hair down the shank from the eye. I did try it with a knotless knot from the Amnesia itself, but found it a little stiff and got a few hookpulls doing that.

I'm not sure with pop-up rigs whether that the fish suck the bait up at all, I think on many occasions that they pick it up, especially if it is higher off the lakebed. If it is very low and no more than a couple of centimetres off the lakebed then they may suck it as if they are sucking and blowing the rest of their food. If they are picking it up, then that blob of putty may not cause any problems as the fish take the bait anyway, and the hook hopefully take instant hold, especially with pop-ups with the hookbait tight to the shank. If they are picking the bait up and it is a bottom bait, then that putty may cause no problems. However if the fish are suckers and blowers then the putty may cause problems for the hook to even move off the lakebed towards the fishes mouth. I hope that makes sense, but you have to decide whether the fish you are after in the lake you are fishing are "suckers and blowers" or "pick up" feeders, or if the addition of putty to the rig rig will make a difference in the area or spot you are fishing as fish may have different preferences dependant on whether they are feeding over silt or gravel, or other harder bottoms.

Nick, do you ever find your controller flys back on the cast? I used to use a similar presentation but the controller flew back on the cast and the swivel started to weigh the hooklink down, thus dragging the bait closer to the float. Since then I have been using a rubber bead behind the float to hold it in place. The controller is firmly attached onto the tail rubber by the size of the swivel eye in the controller itself, it doesn't come off it, and the tail rubber sits on the hooklink swivel tightly.

If you want to find the actual depth of the silt, try tying a length of wool up your line from your lead towards your marker float. It may sit at a slight angle in the water, but the wool will take on the silt colour if it sinks into it. BINGO, rough idea of actual silt depth. 1 or 1.5oz lead should be able to get out to 50metres or so. I believe Moorsey uses 1.5oz at close on 100metres if he needs to fish that far out and casts it out.

Looks like the original D-rig going back up the hooklink line. The shrink tubing tidies it up very well. I used to do the same sort of thing, only using cotton or whipping thread to hold the tag end in place and the tag end of the whipping went under the "body" and was then cut very close. A drop of melted candle was used and held it in place quite nicely, although that way was very fiddly to do.

For years I've used various dog biscuits as my freebies, but occasionally the hookbait has been a bit of cork, or a fake dog biscuit. If the carp are feeding confidently enough they take everything as they mooch and munch around the area. At the moment I use Bakers Complete Dog biscuits as my bait, its very rare for me to use the big cubed meaty chunks as freebies, but often do as my hookbait. Its the same as bottom fishing. You may feed with pellets, particles or groundbait (stick, method or spod mix), yet your hookbait is often a boilie or the current fashion, a piece of fake plastic corn . Surface fishing is the same.

Yes Zig bugs do work as surface baits, at least the last 20lb carp I landed took one, and I also lost one that took another. Get the fish feeding confidently and they will take almost everything on the surface in the area.

Thanks for the comments Gentlemen,and I appreciate the chance to contribute to threads like this I dont know Nick personally,but I asked for his opinion on Pro-Carp because he seems to know what he's talking about regarding Carp gear,and has used a popular economical line for years.He ties a good knot and I hope He likes the line after a thorough testing. Pro-Carp and Gt80+ are based on a copolymer,which we have used for many years with some slight adjustments to help sink rate ,but not at the expense of casting performance. Lewis Read deserves a mention for developing these lines,and I confirmed his results with knot and abrasion tests. We are both responsible for any complaints---That keeps us on our toes. As I mentioned on the first post on this line I have only used the line to test it. However, it has made it onto my reel spools as I know I mentioned about the slightly smaller spool quantity than I would have liked to fill my reels to the brim. If I didn't like it, it would have gone into the bin, as a few other lines have gone that way in the past. Get a spool, it doesn't do what I think it should do, so it gets binned, or given to someone who is happy to accept my handoffs . I'd much rather spend money on what I know works rather than what may or may not work, so nearly all of my tackle gets tested thoroughly before being used in an actual fishing situation. (I think the only exception to this is leads). As for the knots, when I did the breaking strain tests I used a Uni knot (my standard fishing knot); however just to be sure in my own mind using some shorter lengths I have tied a few other knots in the line, and it holds well. Uni, Blood and Palomar knots haven't given way when tied to swivel and hook and pulled hard as you would (or should) test a hooklink. I have not found many lines that will take various knots and still work. I don't use Superglue on any knot I tie, every knot is just the knot holding the tackle together I'm currently juggling life again so I can get some fishing time in, but I have a distinct feeling that Pro-Carp is likely to be my choice of mainline from now on.

Only when all the slack is taken up. I fish my indicators at maximum drop, or resting on the ground. I use running rigs over groundbait (which I think is creating the same effect as particles), where the carp are just hoovering up the whole lot as they "graze" along the lakebed, and where I am fishing with scattered baits, stringers and bags and have not noticed any problems. In respect to when all the slack is taken up surely then slack lines would give worse indication? If a fish picks up you're bait and pulls 2 inches of line through your leads run rig does your alarm beep and your bobbin move? I believe it does, which is resistance, causing the bolt effect. Imagine a slack line running through a tube, you can pull it quite easily, the water acts in this way, as a tube, so there is minimal resistance. The indicator lifts up easily with the slack line. I think the only resistance is when the slack line has been taken up and is now pulling tight Now try a tight line cutting through the water, whichever way it moves there is resistance.

I must admit that I avoided GR60, for its breaking strain it was a very thick line (15lb was 0.40mm I think from memory), and compared to some other lines was expensive. With the price of the Pro-Carp I'm a lot happier putting my money that way now

Only when all the slack is taken up. I fish my indicators at maximum drop, or resting on the ground. I use running rigs over groundbait (which I think is creating the same effect as particles), where the carp are just hoovering up the whole lot as they "graze" along the lakebed, and where I am fishing with scattered baits, stringers and bags and have not noticed any problems.

I must admit, I don't think that the weight of the lead drives the hook home, but more the speed that the carp moves away. (Have a look at the 2 pics I put on this thread about hooksharpness, http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=53280) If it is "spooked" and panics (bolts), then the weight of the lead may have some relevance, and the heavier the lead, the more chance of it pricking the fish. The hook actually gets driven or pulled in more during the fight. A carp can actually eject the hook with a semi-fixed lead, from what can be a very good hookhold (see Ken Townley's chapter in Tim Paisleys Big Carp), by mouth movement alone. With running leads you are getting indication that there is interest in your hookbait, from those first bleeps, to a proper run due to the slack line allowing line to be pulled through the run ring in whichever direction the fish moves, whereas with a semi-fixed lead the carp has to move past the length and arc of the hooklink.

Gardner Pro Carp £9.99

Gardner Pro-Carp Monofilament Mainline. I was asked to test this line in 0.35mm diameter, so this is my initial findings, and as I did breaking strain tests on a spring balance I may have slightly different findings from professional tests. As of yet, I have not used the line "in anger" as it were, everything has been done on the workbench. First test was to cut off 5x 1 metre lengths of Pro-Carp and attach them to a standard lanyard at both ends with a Uni knot, I then attached one lanyard to a fixed point (my garage wall), and the other to an old set of scales. (This is NOT recommended for your best fishing scales) On 5 pulls until breaking the line, I got slightly different results, but that is down to eye on a set of scales, and hand working at the breaking point. Test1 18.5lb Test2 19.5lb Test3 20lb Test4 19lb and a bit Test5 21lb Please note, as I said it was my eye checking it as I pulled gradually backwards, so readings are NOT 100% accurate, but every test was well over the 15lb rating. Next test, obviously how supple the line felt, and it was very smooth and supple, more supple than my other mono Daiwa Sensor, and it was actually visibly thinner. I did cut another metre length, and dropping it in a bucket of water, it sunk very easily of its own accord without needing pushing under to break surface tension. Loading onto the reels from a bucket of warm soapy water, it was smooth and went on very easily, no kinks, no twists and had a good line lay, again, better than Sensor. As I said, first impressions and it has now been made my first choice line, it is on all 3 spools of my Baitrunners. My only point of disappointment, and that is simply because I'm awkward is that the 15lb 0.35mm spool is supplied in a spool length of 920metres, I did have to put some backing on my 10000 baitrunner spools to get to the spool rim.

With a slack line and running lead, there is no such thing as a drop back. Line gets taken whichever direction the fish swims. Simply wind down to the fish and play.

i know that the lake bed wont be truely flat, my understanding was that if you let the line sink allowing it to fall over the contours of the lake, then add a back lead obviously it tighens the line but closer to the lake bed, reducing, not fully eliminating, liners, clearly not the case, cheers for the advice again sal much appreciated not much weed in this lake, just on the bank when im there anyway lol using the running lead set up with the back lead i was getting twitches at the rod tip, without the alarms going off, ive often been on the move to pick up the rod, before the alarms have gone off due to the rod tip moving so much, also i thought the whole point of this kinda set up was that everything was tight, so that bite indication was almost instant the moment the fish picks up the bait and starts to move off. this is kinda the whole reason ive tried to gear my set up to this so i get almost instant indication of fish even if there just picking the bait up and dropping it, lets me know at least there in the swim, and feeding even if they dont taking my bait, i can change that accordingly. Adding the back lead, doesn't allow the line to follow the lakebed contours, it just tightens it up over them, so with a slack line that may fall down onto the lakebed, your're actually now pulling it tight again. The line twitching at the rod tip with running leads and slack lines can actually be small fish hitting the line between the surface of the water and the lakebed. The running leads will give you instant indication, and indication of almost every sniff and miss, you don't hit it until you get a proper screamer. You need to have the indicator at maximum drop, laying on the ground and with the line running slack through that as well. In fact the line should be touching the base of every ring, properly slack with loops in between the eyes. Not saying its right, but since I use running leads almost every time I fish, it works for me; Cast out (and I'm fishing at ranges from 0-100metres), and feel the lead down on a tight line. With the line on a tight line, put the rod tip underwater and pull slack off the reel as you move the rod back to the buzzer. Keep on pulling line off to allow extra slack, then put the rod on the buzzer and attach indicator, pulling even more line off the reel. As it sinks through the water, it may start to pull your indicator up, each time, slacken off again. It may take as much as 20minutes for the line to go totally slack.

The backlead may be part of your problem; they can reduce the time it takes for any indication to reach your rod, by the time you've picked up the rod the fish could have gone seconds ago. If it was bream, the chances are you'd actually reel in after no indication with a bream on the end of the line. You are adding an extra angle from rod tip to backlead, then from the backlead to your lead and end tackle. Add to that, its extremely unlikely that every lakebed is perfectly flat and smooth, your backlead may actually be pulling the line into a weedbed, or onto a gravel bar, and from that it is then tight to the main lead or another gravel bar or feature, so it does NOT necessarily reduce the chance of liners.

Have you ever surface fished at all before? I put a tail rubber through the eye of the controller, (I use a Fox Exocet, Margin Tackle or a Drennan controller (being as I have them to hand), and then the mainline through the tail rubber and attach it to a size 8 swivel. Attach a hook/zig bug to a long hooklink of at least 60cms long, to as much as you think it needs to be to avoid spooking the carp, as much as 1.5metres, strength dependant on fishing circimstances etc (I use 12lb Drennan Sub Surface Fly Leader, 7lb Trilene XL, or 10lb Preston Reflo line). Then the other end attach to your swivel. You should be able to cast this fairly easily, the controller adds your casting weight. Any use: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=34583