salokcinnodrog

Looks like my pike fishing season has ended, they have started spawning and pike don't need the extra stress as they simply can't handle it. So back onto carp.

Problem is that eel numbers are down, probably down to various causes, pollution being one, and eels were apparently otters favourite food. Back in the 1980's the Wensum in summer you could see 100's on the bottom, then they started being caught with sores around the area of Hellesdon, just below the chemical factory outlet. The Broads, lakes and rivers, it was almost impossible to use maggots as a hookbait if you fished the bottom. On the Gipping I used to stand on the bridge to Sugar Beet pits and feed maggots to the silvers, what they missed, eels would pick up of the bottom, you could see them. However this lack of eels is not restricted to East Anglia, it's nationwide. Behind Barham Pits there was a pair of otters, the river was full of big chub, gudgeon, perch, roach and pike. Then an otter explosion saw more appear in the valley, so where 4 or 5 were between Ipswich and Stowmarket, 18miles, (by road) there were now at least 15 otters, and 4 were on Barham, and another 4 on Bosmere, munching everything sizeable. As I mentioned though, my syndicate is not fenced, yet has little trouble. Coots go missing in winter and we lose occasional pike, not many. I think that at night otters stalk the rushes coot hunting as they will suddenly chirp and scatter. That is also pike territory!

I think the term, or initials, HNV are a misnomer. I think that the correct term should be balanced baits, as the best baits were a mix of protein, roughage, vitamins and minerals, fats and carbohydrates. Pick up on Premier baits and the 'fishmeal' revolution, Big Fish Mix from Nutrabaits, which were a mix of fishmeal, milk products and birdfoods, not just fishmeal. The birdfoods provided the vitamins and minerals and the fishmeal the protein. The low level of milk provided another protein source. Go to Trigga, various seafood oceanic meals, shrimp, krill, fishmeal, a birdfood and a milk protein, again balanced. Various Nash baits were the same. I did have Andy Little's original recipe for Savay, can't remember which book it is in, I think Tim Paisley's Big Carp, there was from memory another protein source, so dropping the expensive Casein didn't do much harm. Don't forget that baits can complement each other, a high protein bait can be balanced by a high roughage bait, and that the first requirement is for energy, not protein. Protein may be for health and growth, but if it is being used to provide energy first it is effectively wasted, so a fat/carbohydrate bait will work with a protein. Add to that the binder is often carbohydrate, be it semolina or wheat gluten, lowering the protein content.

The Beanie mat will make a good pike unhooking mat or dog bed... Is this any good Mate? https://fishdeal.co.uk/t/carp-cradles/ultimate-carp-comfort-cradle?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhL25l9bziwMVFJJQBh2mHB7KEAQYAyABEgI-iPD_BwE I have a couple of Ultimate items and have no complaints

Basically an emulsion is a mix of oil and water, as in emulsion paint, which is just dye, water and a type of oil. Shaken or stirred, then painted on. In water, using the emulsion to create dispersal, so the oil and other water based ingredients to spread into the water column and current. In theory, oils normally float, but on solids that takes time to happen as they have to break free and even oils have different densities.

I've never added brewers yeast to liquids. In theory adding yeast could make it explode as it ferments and creates alcohol and Carbon dioxide, I've heard a few people have had exploding bottles of ales.

Yeast is one of the few non meat or fish sources with all of the required essential amino acids. It is also easily digested, where unless processed, meat or fish sources aren't. In theory beef is the best protein source for carp, but due to lack of enzymes it is indigestible to them. Liquid yeast has long been one of my preferred bait soaks for boilies.

The first swim this morning from 7am until 12.30, not a touch. Had to move, and it immediately paid off. Both on the same rod, first before I had even cast the second rod. First one was 11lb, unhooked, weighed and returned it, bait was still in good nick, so I cast the second rod, got the first one back in, and almost instantly had the second pike at 10lb and ounces, both on the same whiting deadbait. And number 3, long and lean at 14lb on a dead coarse fish. I'm slightly miffed, I broke my chair, but still have a seat in the emergency boat. I should mention that I have a glove on my left hand. At the end of 2023 I got a severe case of blood poisoning leading to abscesses in my throat. Pike rash was a possible cause, so to avoid it I try to remember to wear a glove. They have rubberised palms and are soft leather, they were my American football receivers gloves. For the 3rd fish, the fish opened its mouth itself, and a quick twist with forceps the hooks fell out.

Sky's a lump, 😆, and I love her to bits, wouldn't be without her. What a lot of people don't know or forget is that huskies have a high prey drive, and in Siberia, often fend for themselves in summer. I have seen her go for a muntjac, in fact she slipped the lead as I fell over with my foot in a rabbit hole. I caught up with her around half an hour and a mile later, and that was only because her lead got caught up on a branch. I think that she has chased or spooked an otter off the current lake, but I am not sure as I could not identify 100%. She then decided to go for a swim followed by mouse and rat hunting. I've seen an otter take on a fox and win, in fact Ellie Harrison on a Countryfile episode caught the same on a trail cam.

We have a fence on Bromeswell, including the stock ponds and a branch fell across it one night. Within 24hours we found a carp that had evaded the nets in the stock pond dead on the bank with the tell tale gut damage. The otter had worked its way up the feeder stream to the River Deben. We removed it by the simple measure of letting Sky off lead into the stock pond enclosure and opening the gate. She chased it out and off. It was actually the only place I would let her off lead on the fishery anyway when I was there so she could get a run around. I've seen a few 'run over' on the roads in my area. I'm not sure all were actual traffic hits.

With a butt rest on the top that's a very good idea. One of those two types or even a small John Roberts butt rest would work a treat

I'm trying to remember the Chris Yates book it is in; I've got it I'm sure.

And when the wind changes strength as you start the cast... I know about seeing a marker float can be difficult, I found fluorescent orange stands out to me, where I lose yellow or black tops even in shiny pale water reflection. Would a white marker float work for you?

53!

Coffee and Wagon Wheel break works. I do pretty much the same. It's a reset, you check your feet, casting spot, clipped up distance and it's bang on. A heavier lead on the marker rod can give a donk through the light weed, or silt that the lead on the fishing rod doesn't. I normally use 4oz for the marker rod, and 2.5-3oz on the fishing rod, but the lighter lead can sometimes get 'hung up' as the lead drops down on the line clip. I may be a couple of degrees offline but that miss is as good as a mile. That's where actually having a marker float in place is a benefit rather than relying solely on line clip. Even better if you can wade out your baits...

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Have a look on eBay, there were a good number of Solar Undercover bedchairs for sale, they look like unsold stock. I've been using mine for a few years now and if I was to be really picky, it would be legs don't lock out, BUT, if it's properly levelled out there is no problem. When you break the 30lb it is really special!

I don't like dumping the lead unless I absolutely have to, and never on helicopter setups as it is the lead staying on that ensures that the rig can come off the other end of the break-off should such a thing occur. The slimy green algae silkweed in any water is a nightmare but Canadian is not too bad. Even with a plain lead you can pull in plenty of weed, with a marker lead or wired lead like @ouchthathurt pictured you should be able to clear quite a patch, just don't leave it obviously on the bank. I've done that on my syndicate and one person was waiting for me not to be there to take advantage of my effort, so I started clearing at an angle, i.e. not directly in front of the piles of weed.

Hope all goes well Mate.

They had to fence the area in Norfolk that Springwatch was filmed on. Quite amusing seeing on television an otter raiding and killing a coot and it's nest on a bird reserve.

I got a text message from the GP yesterday, he had checked with the hospital after the appointment and they have taken me back on referral to ENT clinic, so now waiting for an appointment. For weeks I have just felt so tired, exactly as I did last year when I first got the throat abscesses and blood poisoning.

Weird how different people get different results. I've never had problems and my ST's got submerged when the lake flooded, and the TXid's have been out in monsoon conditions. Switch it off, give the sensor a blow, maybe a wobble with a baiting needle and see if you need to pull out spider web... Try that a couple of times, it worked with my mate Big Daves EV's Blooming money spiders can get behind the sensor.

It depends on what you mean by expensive hookbaits. I roll my own Spiced Garlic pop-ups, usually enough for a season, the other hookbaits are simply standard pop-ups, sometimes trimmed down if I fish sweetcorn or Vitalin/Vitacarp as my background feed.

It's still a big thing. Waters that can't be fenced are under threat, even a water that is fenced, the fence needs regular inspection. A fallen branch, a hole, otters soon get in. Like @kevtaylor my water isn't fenced, and I have seen otters on there, although the fish we lost were pike, one common had tail damage. A syndicate member was playing a pike and then just got reeled. I found his trace around 50metres away from the lake in the meadow, and I have found pike heads and skulls on the bank. The only protection is the gamekeeper!

Should last 3 nights. They get cut normally if the ring twists and the line gets wrapped around it.