salokcinnodrog

Way to get a rough estimate is to tie a length of wool from the (marker) lead back up the mainline and leave it out for a few minutes. It will be at an angle as you tighten down the line, but should be enough to work with. Running leads and softer more supple hooklinks for me every time. I don't like using Helicopter set-ups unless I absolutely have to.

Do me a favour, turn the CAPS lock off. It is seen as shouting on a Chat room/Forum. If you look at the venues mentioned in Bowza's post, go to the search facility, and type in the names he has posted. You may find information on each water, possibly with what you are after.

You probably didn't get a reply because you were so specific with ESP tube on the other thread. It can take a few days for someone who has the particular information you asked to get onto the forum. Even your headline question on this thread is misleading,, it is only because I usually read EVERY post that I even bothered reading this thread at all The best Shrink tube is NOT bought from a Tackle shop at all! Go into Maplins and have a look at the 1.4mm, or go to Mo's Co on e-bay or and have a look at the shrink tube he sells. In my view those are the best and I do use B175's, but very rarely use shrink tube on them

The last few posts on this thread: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?p=482770#482770

I had a quick search for a pic of the Anchor rig on t'interweb, but unfortunately I can't find one. From Memory there is a published picture in a Tim Paisley book, To Catch a Carp, it is in the Frank Warwick rig section chapter. As you tie the rig using a line aligner or piece of tubing over the eye of the hook you push a stiff piece of mono through the tubing at 90degrees to the eye of the hook so it goes from side to side. This piece of mono (bristle) then forms an anchor shape that helps prevent the rig being ejected. (in theory) There is also another with a bristle used to prevent ejection, it extends beyond the hair at the base of the shank, and is basically like that "hair in the mouth with food" that you are constantly trying to split the 2 up with your tongue I can think of a number of rigs that look rubbish in my hand, but hook very effectively. As Dan says, it is NOT how they work in the hand, but how they hook the carp, hopefully causing minimal damage. I CAN'T comment on the effectiveness or any potential damage of the Anchor or Bristle rig as I have honestly never used them.

Graviers, and Lac De Curton (Rainbow) have definitely been advertised either on forums, in magazines or even in Books. In fact if I remember rightly, Nutrabaits did a Video filmed at Rainbow years ago, advertising the lake and showing a session fishing. Graviers, Bill Cottam mentions the lake a number of times in his book, so to say that they are not advertised is incorrect. In the first place I am pretty positive that advertising space WAS paid for The main 3 lakes mentioned are full because of the "Biggest is Best" approach by some anglers, and some genuinely go to those lakes for the challenge. I don't think that Fishing in France was chosen by all because the fishing is Better or bigger, but to many anglers as a holiday experience. Each angler will have his own reasons as to what makes the lake they fish as the best. To some it may be the numbers of fish, and in others the chance of the size of the fish, or maybe it is simply the holiday and the food package and being made to feel welcome. The numbers of anglers who go to other lakes in France is also high. I am willing to bet that many still go to St Cassien, Lac Du Der, Orient or Chantecoq, and these fisheries have very little advertising, (public fisheries(?). The anglers generally go for the challenge of these lakes. For many years Richardf refused to allow advertising or blatant plugging of fisheries, links were removed (Mrs_Rusheslake even by anglers who fished), and basically there were no commercial posts of any form. Those who advertise on this forum have been pretty much handpicked; many were asked, some lakes refused to advertise, some wanted to advertise, and some were refused by the site owner. Many hours of research were carried out by Richard and others, so that those who advertise were felt to be offering a genuine package that was able to appeal and fulfil their blurb.

Richard did pretty much handpick the lakes with a bit of help Admittedly those who use the forum to advertise and have links have paid to advertise, but reputations have been checked. When the advertising was first allowed (as for may years Richard refused to allow advertising) there were some who were a bit "fly-by-night" as it were, these have been weeded out until those whose positives precede them are left. I said on another thread that Mrs_Rusheslake has a reputation of being very positive, if I remember rightly, she actually has an almost full book year after year from anglers who book almost immediately on returning home. The advertising and link just gives another positive on the lake. Incidentally that is a slight "mistruth" about some of the lakes you have mentioned not advertising, as there were adverts (or plugs) on them in magazines in the past and even on forums

I can think of a number of lakes in the area. You have Bobby Georges Lake which although has a long list of DONT'S, you will catch fish from, you have Tiptree Lake, again another small fish water, both you will catch on various baits, from maggots to paste to sweetcorn etc. You seem really out of your depth attempting to fish Weeley (OR at ALL ), which does not give fish up easily. That thread basically about it "Essex Carp Waters" the general findings are that the fishing is far from easy. Possibly your best bet may be to join CAPS and fish some of their waters which have a number of fish in. Fish some of the easier waters and work your way into fishing, learning and gaining experience

Unfortunately I have never had the pleasure of fishing Rushes Lake All I can say is that Kim (mrs_rusheslake) does not hype up her own lake, and seems almost reluctant to post about it. I can only point you in the direction of other threads about Rushes Lake (of which there are a few), or ask Mach3, Welder, Jemsue5 and others. I think the general consensus is all positives.

same tbh, but that wasnt the question was it Nick In a way it is the correct answer to the question. I probably should have added that I use John Roberts clips, but I am pretty positive in the Semi-Fixed, Bolt or Running leads thread in Stickies the answer is in there Not that I can remember, but its on Page1: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=26640

How about the answer that I don't use Lead clips at all! For ages I have been using Solar, Korum and Fox Running Lead set-ups, and on the few occasions that I want to use a Semi-fixed lead I have my own way to fix it, and can do so in the knowledge that the lead will be ejected if I need it to.

Welcome to the forum Best suggestion for the River Medway is to get hold of a copy of Neil Waytes River Carping as there is a chapter or 2 on it. While it may not give specifics on location there is definitely some useful info in there

I think that much of the stuff with Korda on the label is overpriced or over rated. If you want Running Lead set-ups then to my mind the better ones are Fox, Solar and Korum. They come complete, run rings, buffers/beads and tubing.

If your bait is buoyant enough to lift the hook and hooklink, Fluoro may work, but in long lengths how do you test it out?

Just add pics: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=37603 There are various lead set-ups on that thread in the pictures and diagrams

If you can save it as an Adobe file on a host server it may be able to be linked to, (the same as pictures and image links) I will see what I can find out.

This ais a quote of mine from another thread: While I applaud the idea, that is not the whole truth, as proteins from different sources sometimes have amino acids in common, and other times some totally different. Carp have a requirement for a certain number of amino acids, and others are synthesized from those already present. Add into that by "blending" proteins you don't necessarily increase the protein content, or even needing a binder can radically drop a protein level. In theory, by having a vegetable protein, a fishmeal or meat meal and a milk protein you have covered all of the essentials as long as you have a bait that ends up around that 35-45% (ish)

So do I

I tie the mainline to the rig swivel. I don't like Quick link clips, I have seen them "let go", had it happen to myself, and watched an angler lose a very big fish when the rubber slipped off one of his. Also the quick link clips allow extra movement on the rig which may negate indication of a pick up at the rod end. To me the fastest and most instant way of getting indication is with no swivel, but an "O" ring buried inside the tail rubber. Not practical to tie mainline and rig to that so I make sure that my rig swivel buried as far as possible inside a tail rubber or rubber tulip bead, with only the rig side sticking out. It also makes it fairly tangler free. While writing this I actually wonder if the quick link clips are responsible for more tangles as well allowing more movement?

Pretty much the same here as the last 2 posts, although I do prefer a longer link when using PVA bags

Do the experiment yourself, it DOES NOT straighten itself out under tension, the twist pulls tight and stays in the leadcore! Sorry I have actually taken the trouble to get into the water and test it. Leadcore is horrible stuff for fishing, and in many cases it is used "so that fish are landed". At times being fished in situations where fishing should not be undertaken because it is so snaggy. The majority of excuses for the use of leadcore are simply down to people who HAVEN'T actually done the tests. What is published in magazines is not always the truth as the editors or whatever simply follow fashion. I have had long debates with magazine editors over it, from where I DID do tests and experiments to prove or disprove its safety. Beanz' comments about it rubbing along the flanks are slightly off the mark as well. Yes, fish damage themselves, particularly, or especially at spawning, but that is a natural phenomenon, NOT one we create. Leadcore can create a burn along the skin, but that burn is not always apparent at the time of the capture. A couple of hours or days later it can start to show up, the same as a burn in humans which may blister or scar but not be immediately apparent. Now lets get back to the "losing the lead on a take". You do NOT want that to happen with a heli set-up, as you would want the weight to "hold" so that the rig can be ejected, otherwise the beads etc will not be able to pull off the leadcore until the leadcore is back under tension.

Hope that is not my Sliding ring version or I will be causing trouble EDIT: Oh dear, they have overcomplicated the issue and made it slightly more ineffective to my eyes. Adding the rig putty is actually stopping the rig working as effectively, and the "Blowback" version is using the current fashion for Blowback rigs to make it a "seller". I don't suppose you have any idea how long that has been on their website? Just asking, as last year I sent off pics of my version above (with schematics underneath) to CarpTalk with a Catch report.

Is this any use? A leadcore free version: A piece of rigid tubing a soft rubber bead or two (if you want the sliding version), tail rubber ring swivel and quicklink style clip for the lead. The pics and ideas are ages old, so they are NOT my current hook patterns.

I had to do some pics to help somebody out the other day for tying a combi-rig, so I will add them onto here: Cut your braid and stiff section to lengths required. I have used black Amnesia for clarity as clear does not show up particularly well on the scanner Tie an overhand knot in the stiff section, but don't pull tight, and thread the braid through the loop. On the braid tie a Uni knot back down around the stiff section, wet them both and pull tight While you can use a standard knotless knot my current version is along the lines of a sliding/revolving version, so I add on a line aligner (shrink tubing not yet shrunk down) and add on a rig ring with hair and a small stop to stop it.

Near the car park last time I went they had the allowable dates for night fishing every other weekend. I honestly don't know how busy it has been recently, but yes that roped off swim seems to be the first choice. Carp do move all over the lake, I have seen a few down the other end cruising mid water around the brambles. There are also a couple of other swims that give (stalking) access along those margins where the fish do cruise around though, so the roped off area may not always be best. I know that when I was "doing day ticket" lakes, for Trimley I would get the ticket for that weekend and then arrive before first light for that weekend. It would give me time to walk around and listen and look for fish before setting up. I would walk both lakes and decide which I fancied. A number of years ago the bigger fish from the top lake would be put into the bottom lake, but I do know that the top lake does contain carp to over 20lb, as I believe I had the 1st recorded 20 from the top lake. The top lake has a lot more submerged features than the bottom lake