salokcinnodrog

Daiwa Sensor Monofilament, in the Natural Brown colour. Don't think Clear is quite the same mono, although I could be wrong. The Brown/green finish on the original is camouflaged anyway when its in the water. The water I fish is Dead Clear, and I couldn't see it against the bottom from 30cms away while I was standing in the water. As for spool size, to fill a Reel or 2 you should be buying Bulk Spools anyway. Don't get into Braid vs Mono, there is a vast difference between the 2.

I use the same as Adam, Daiwa Sensor in 15lb. Reliable, Abrasion and Sheer Resistant, and Budget Priced (cheap). Still check it and change it regularly. Method fishing 12lb should be ok, don't blast as hard as you can, cast to a comfortable sensible distance. Worry about your rods more, a Method Feeder can weigh up to 5-6ozs with a loaded Method feeder on it

Mind you, wonder if I can convince a Bait Company to produce a Chop Your Own?

Can't claim the Idea, its already been in Print, CarpWorld, the GREAT Jim Gibbinson wrote about it. I had used the idea previously though, to try and throw off the Bait Sneakers who occasionally go through the Bivvy when you are playing loads of fish to find out what your up to. lol:p :D That messed them:D :D

I use the Kryston Coated Braids for most of my fishing now, Mantis, Mantis Gold, Snakeskin and Snakebite. If you want to remove the outer coating, I use my Thumbnail and work it free, although the Plastic Child Safety Scissors are good at breaking just the outer Coating apparently. Always use a Grinner or Uni knot. Allow yourself plenty of extra to work with. If you use a Knotless Knot put your bait on before you tie the Hairlength and hook. When tying your swivel on at the other end of the hooklength make sure you lubricate the knot as you slide it tight. It knots the same on the Inner Braid/Multistrand as it does on the coated outer, just take your time making sure your knots are nice and tidy.

lol You make your own Baits? Instead of cutting and rolling the sausages into Balls, you boil the sausage as you would an ordinary boilie. I don't think any Tackle shop sells them and no I don't think Boilie Sausages have a website. :D

Try using Liquidised bread, luncheon meat, peperami mashed/liquidised and chunks, sweetcorn (dry it out with breadcrumb), tuna chunks in sunflower oil. See also point about BFM chops You can mix all of the above as a groundbait, use it as a Stick or put it in a bag. Nick

I'm past all that, honest! I've left my Rule Breaking days behind me, besides No Rules that strict on my water at the moment. (Thats probably closer to the Truth)

lol Hi Sam, and welcome. Hooklinks materiall I have found Mantis is very good, because of the outer coating it is quite Tangle free, but of you want a green Flecked Braid have a look at Merlin as well. I keep quite a few secret baits hidden in the Tackle Box. BFM Boilie sausages that look like peperami, complete with Peperami wrapper around it:cool: Also try the real peperami, that will catch carp and is fairly small fish resistant, just don't eat it all yourself. If you put sweetcorn in as a freebie, use Maize on the hook to put off smaller fish. And I don't ever advocate Breaking Rules.

My Thoughts exactly, stuck with what you get. Right Pain if you need to change hairlength or have a longer hooklength. Occasionally I'll tie a hair on out of nylon or Hair Braid, something a bit more supple than the Continuation of the Hooklength. You will need to tie decent knots for that as well.

Please don't say buys Ready Tied Rigs... Urgh:rolleyes: If you tie your own rigs its easy enough to Knotless Knot the hook on giving you the Hair. You can even get the exact Hair length if you put the bait on the end as you tie the Knotless Knot.

Blooming Heck! Using granny knots is not at all safe for you, or the fish. NEVER use a Granny Knot Learn to tie the Uni knot or Grinner knot, never had one of these come undone or break. They are probably the safest knots to use in fishing and you'll use them for almost everything, Braids, Mainline to swivels. Have a search around the Forum as there is a knot tying thread on here somewhere. When tying each and every knot make sure you lubricate them with spit to prevent the coiling/curling up, it will also prevent damage to the line as you pull the knot tight. When you have learnt to tie the knot properly then practise it until you are 100% certain of your Knots every time. Then when you tie each knot test them before you cast out.

I have a mate who had an Unexplained Breakage last week using Hybrid, he's since gone back to the Kryston Coated Braids and landed fish with no problems.

I've used an Inch Braided Hooklength when Particle Fishing, bit of a sod to tie tho'. Worked a treat, the Carp were just so pre-occupied on the Particles this was the only way I could get a decent indication without being bitten off.

I tie on a Power Gum stop Knot and use either Kryston or Solar Putty, never had any fall off, except when I play a fish, and I don't mind then anyway.

Another 2 Carp from my Reservoir this week, still with Tubing on 1 rod and Leadcore on the other 2. Even the Bream I had came on the Leadcore Rod, not a Bleep from the rod with Tubing on it Both Carp came to the rods with Leadcore on and all 3 were on and around the Baited Area. Both Takes came on the same night and both were on very Slack Lines again. Even the Tubing rod was fished with a Slack Line, and I checked the Camoflage effect in the Margins. The Tubing was weighted and hidden in the weed, so it must be down to feel I reckon. Leadcore must have a different feel compared to Tubing.

If I need a Shock Leader I've been using Drennan Greased Weasel in 40lb Grey, my Leadcore Leaders, I use ESP 45lb and have no worries about them. As for the Wychwood ones do you feel comfortable with them as they are, or do you think they need a bit more Camouflage?

Hooks I use: Carp-R-Us Nailers in size 6-8, Centurions size 6-8, Longshank Nailers size 6. Drennan Super Specialists from sizes 6-12. Owner FLB's amd Mustad Ultrapoints. Oh Look! no trendy hooks, just patterns that I know work and do the job I want from them.

Myself on the odd occasion I use a Zig i use Drennan Fly leader in 12lb or Clear Amnesia

supercarp28 says I think 15 pound korda IQ does the job well

The Size of the Lead I use on A bolt rig depends where/how far I'm fishing. On a Running Lead I nearly always use 3-3.5oz of Lead. I know my rods can cast that and that much lead stays on the Lakebed when a Carp takes. If i'm Bolt Rig/Semi fixed fishing up to about 30yards then I'll use 2oz, more distance than that I'll go up to 2.5-3oz. I also check Lead shape, depending on whether the Carp are in the swim when I cast. Different shaped leads make different noise underwater. Trilobes tend to flutter down to the bottom, whereas a Zipp/Distance Lead will bomb down and create a lot of noise underwater

I use Braided Hooklinks a lot for my Fishing and have hardly any Tangles. Strangely enough when I do get tangles, it seems to be as I reel in. (I do get in the water to check and have someone reel in for me at times ). I use Leadcore for most of my fishing, which braid can tangle around, so I always fish PVA in some shape or form, either stringers or Bags. You can avoid Braid Tangles with Tubing better, but I prefer Leadcore at the moment. If you put your hooklength in the PVA Bag, along with some pellets you have no trouble with Tangles at all. If you want a single bait as Mick says, Use Kryston Superstiff

Marcus, I agree with you about the feel of the End Tackle, but I think there is something else in that as well, The Behaviour of the the Bait and Hook. I think it was Rod Hutchinson who first queried this in The Carp Strikes Back although I think it was in relation to fishing Sweetcorn at Redmire and how the Bait Behaved and how the Carp were coming onto the Baited Patch. If everyone is fishing 4-6inch rigs made with Fluorocarbon or Mono with the bait tight to the hook then the Bait is going to behave differently to that presented on an Inch Hair and a 18inch Braid Hooklength. The bait/hook on the 2nd rig is going to behave with more freedom and is more likely to find a spot to take hold than that on the "Usual" rig that the Majority are using. But to be sure that we are getting the best from our "Unusual Rig" we need the best Lead Fixing possible, so I would if possible fish a Paternoster, failing that a Running Lead and Slack Line.

Humpy, If you are fishing a water with no snags and very little weed you don't need to fish with a Korda or other Lead Clip where the Lead can come off. The Lead Clip does not make it a Bolt rig... As I say on the other Thread you need to understand why you are fishing a particular set-up and why it works.