salokcinnodrog

Good to see you back. If you have the base mix, that should be right as it stands. Just mix with your eggs and boil. The boiling time is probably 1 and a ½ minutes, maybe 2 minutes. You don't or shouldn't need egg albumen. However, if you want harder hookbaits, you may want or need to add some to a single egg mix for hookbaits.

I am positive that I caught Covid back in January/February 2020, pre-lockdown, pre- restrictions when you simply could not afford to take time off ill, not knowing if you would get sick pay, or how long it would last. If there is a positive it is that numbers of companies have taken to paying sick pay. It is only since covid I've had my health issues, which started as pains in my right calf and shin, that my doctor thought from the pain, was a stress fracture. It spread through my right side since, hip, base of back up to right arm and shoulder. The left side is fine, but is the knee I had surgery on, and is no problem. To be honest, I'm not sure or convinced on the vaccinations. The symptoms vary so much from person to person, complications from person to person, I do not believe that the vaccine is effective, nor healthy due to side effects.

I reckon something like that, nice work Sir. I think a lot of places have relaxed the ' 10day rule', now it's just stay off work until clear or you are fit. One of the girls I used to work with did her test at work, tested positive (despite being vaccinated) and I had to send her home for 10 days. Two days later I tested positive, had to take my 10days off, despite not having another positive test. My symptoms was just a headache for a day then nothing else, but still had to be off work.

On one rod being fished as a rover I might do that on a 'runs' water, to find which is the preferred bait and/or spot, although I haven't been on that type of water for years, but the other rod(s) I will leave alone. On my 'big fish waters', once its cast in it stays in unless I get a take or reel in to walk Sky (which does now stop me leaving a bait in situ for a couple of days). Any type of boilie hookbait might be overloaded with 'smells' on the first cast, after time in the water those smells will be gradually getting less, or those smells could be an attractor or not off-putting. Those smells could be flavour, your personal skin or body smells, even the smell of plastic from a bait tub or bag on a warm day. I'm sure some people's smell is a repellent to some fish and to other fish it's an attractor. A chap I used to fish with regularly caught a couple of fish from a lake, anywhere around it, he had one of them from a few swims at opposite ends, yet he could not catch some other fish, it was like they avoided him. I have done so many trips after work, where I have to smell lovely and fresh, so put the BO Basher on before work and others from home. I honestly don't know if it is off-putting or not, but from home I try not to spray, although after 24hours in summer on a hot day I probably smell like a polecat. Probably nor me after I've had a dinner with extra onions...lol

Depends on what tubing and bits you have, but I think it can be repaired. A swivel onto the Spomb wire, maybe some high breaking strain pike trace wire crimped to it, or even the same type of wire as the Spomb stuff, then the same at the other end. If you use a large diameter shrink tube you can get the swivels inside. Put a bit of foam inside on the wire and you won't need the Spomb float.

I was going to say I normally have a tub for used hookbaits, but my wafters have gone back in the wafter tub, and my meshed mini pop-ups have gone back in their respective tubs still attached to the rig ring from the multi-rigs they were on. (I put fresh rings on while in storage so the hooklink doesn't pull tight, and then put the ring and hookbait back on). As for smoking, I quite frequently arrive at the lake or swim and roll myself a cigarette while I'm looking around. I don't bother washing my hands in lake water. One thing I do use disposable gloves for is if I every have to put fuel in on the way, something I do try to avoid, but occasionally it happens. My hand washing is sanitiser between meals, but the boiled washing up water after, and a baby wipe wash. That is a possibility. I have caught fish on baits that have been cast in within minutes. One within 10minutes of casting in a series of 30bait (!) stringers, and another at Brackens when I was sure I was marginally short of the undercut bank, so reeled in and recast. Yet it was Brackens where I had to leave a bait in the water for 2days before the take from a 30lb mirror. It was Tim Paisley who first highlighted the 'used bait' smell. I can't remember whether it was in More From the Bivvy, or from Carp Amid the Storm, but I'm positive that I wasn't changing my bottom bait or toppers on snowman set-ups unless I had to before I read it. Other than wooden balls, wafters or pop-ups I don't think I've used many hardened or specific hookbaits, I've nearly always used bottom baits out of the bag, with a couple of exceptions. My personal best river carp was definitely on a special glugged hookbait, 2x 16mm glugged in Nutrabaits Bait soak with added Cinnamon and Peach, but other than that fish I never found the need when comparing my results to other anglers on the lake. Big Dave has offered me baits in glugs at Bromeswell, and I would still catch as many on out of the bag baits.

I will try not to change a bait unless I have to. I have cast out a bait smelling of me, once it has been taken by the fish it is now acceptable to the fish, putting a new bait on may mean I have to start again, and that may be having to wait for 48hours. I have had takes where I cast out at the start of a session, and it did stay in place until I got a take. I knew the water, I knew some fish were particularly wary of 'new' baits, and would leave boilies for a couple of days until they were 'convinced they were safe'. Every other angler would reel in, fresh bait and recast. Even on day trips, I have had numerous fish on one hookbait, until that bait is 'marmalised', or pulled off the hook/hair. Get your rigs right, use PVA to protect the hook and there should be no problems with the hook being masked. At the end of a session, my wafter or meshed pop-up hookbaits get taken off, put in a tub and reused next trip. By drying out, they regain their buoyancy. I've again had loads of fish caught on those reused hookbaits, in fact the 23 from the other week was caught on a meshed hookbait out of the re-use tub. The very fact that baits take on water may be to their benefit, especially if fishing over any groundbait or particle. If you are reeling in every day on a longer trip, a fresh stringer, mesh or bag and leave the hookbait alone, do not change it unless you absolutely have to.

Oh I don't know, put a repaired brolly in a charity shop, or donate it to a fishing charity. Much rather that than ending up in landfill. I had to search for a specific garden wire, think that was a B&Q trip to search for the right stuff. Years ago when unhooking mats started coming into 'fashion', and nothing commercial was available I converted a baby changing mat into an unhooking mat, covering it with old parachute material. The padded foam outside shoulder was better than the polypops used in the beanbag style. A friend new to fishing bought a second hand bedchair and was complaining about had it sags and was giving him a bad back he was saving up for a new one. I had a look at it pulled the elastic then snipped off about a foot redone the knot resulting in a firmer bed and no more bad back for him A length of rope or paracord can be better than the elastic which I found could break inside the outer sheath.

I did a Google search on Hamworthy, and it came up as a 'variety of course fish, including carp, tench, roach, rudd and pike'. I'm not one for recommending pike fishing in the summer, as a member of the Pike Anglers Club, the season doesn't begin until October for me. If I was fishing the deeper colder lochs or Lake District waters I may think differently. I don't know if there are perch in there, it may be worth a few trips fishing with worms and maggots to find out. If there are, a small lure or drop shot lure may sort out a bigger fish or two. Save the deadbaits for winter.

I don't think they're noddy questions as I know I do or write things with no explanation as to me it may seem easy. I'll do the pop-up explanation first, as you've got it, it is simply trimming the pop-up by degrees until it's right. Braid blades and snick tiny pieces off, checking it in the margins. I do do the same with Multi-rigs as well. Sounds like more work than it is, as after a few tries you'll know roughly what to trim, then it's just the fine tuning. To get the lead, either inline or pendant, and the whole rig in the bag, I dry off the hookbait and hook totally, cover them in powder, then hook the inside corner and lay the lead in the opposite corner and fill with bits. Gently pull the lead up and shake the bag, topping it up. Gently squeeze, shake, squeeze and then lick and stick and twist the bag shut. Helicopter leads are easier, bits in the bag, lead on top, then fill, lick and stick. Hook the rig in outside corner.

Yes you can repair it. Its fiddly, 2 or 3mm wire. You'll need to get it through the spoke ends, pull it very tight and twist the ends together, then cut the surplus off the twisted section.

It's not just the space Mate, it's the atmosphere. Inside a Capability Ground Park Estate, a bit of history from the Second World War, a PoW camp and hospital, scenery and some good fish. I can't remember a small water with that sort of atmosphere and I just end up chasing big fish without enjoying the chase, almost like there is pressure only to catch. If you are talking about Earith, I enjoyed it, but somehow found my limit was 2 years on there before I needed a change. I don't mind catching, who doesn't, but a 20lb fish every trip...

I'm seriously contemplating splitting some of this thread off as it appears to have become a happy topic in its own right. 200 acres? Small water then🫢😅 Brackens was the last water I fished that was small, at 2 acres, most of the other lakes have been 20acres plus, with Ardleigh at 120acres for the main reservoir, Alton 400, Nazeing Lagoons at 20, 40 and 60, and this lake at 45. Both big and small have different challenges, from finding the fish, to rigs on the smaller waters, to baiting, from weaning off natural food, or 60lb of carp per acre. Then consider that that 60lb of carp could be 2 fish, or potentially 1! 'My happy place', this water really is, it is not just the fishing, it's the whole atmosphere, the surroundings, there is an indefinable quality of things there that draw you back.

Last night it rained from about 11pm, but amazingly I have the bivvy with the wind coming from behind so no problem, and I didn't need to drop the front. I'm a bit more worried about the ground water as I didn't bother putting the groundsheet down.

Sadly Mate, pretty much not being able to work life is nearly all fishing for me at the moment. I know it sounds strange, but I hate not working. Boogered back, hip and shoulder put that to bed. I hope my body can straighten up after the new hip! My car is only until its MOT in August, hopefully I can get PIP approved and all back pay since September last year before then.

Definitely not the knots weakening the line then! The Uni, Palomar and Clinch knots are supposed to be the strongest knots going with almost no loss of strength. 0.38 for a line is usually an 18lb rating, so some brands are still over-rating their lines, although newer co-polymer lines are higher strain than standard monofilament in the same diameter, and usually sink faster.

Until Saturday. Was a horrible experience pushing 2 barrow loads of gear again, but until the track is dry, I'd much rather not get the car stuck. Should have dried out by Saturday so I can load up into the car

Not in any hurry to cast in, so set up the bivvy and chilling with a coffee

I think that this proves one catapult or bait delivery system is not the answer to every problem. I've got a Drennan Boiliepult and a Rod Hutchinson Boilie Catapult, both have had the pouch changed to a smaller one, which I can get 4 15mm or 3 18mm boilies in at a push, or a small handful of floating dog biscuits. The Boiliepult has been my goto for years, maximum range about 50-60metres, for 3 boilies, a little further for singles. I reckon I tend to use it more for floaters than boilies! Only problem is elastics are getting harder to get. The RH one I bought around 4months ago I guess (maybe a little longer) has had limited use so far. I do find that I use my throwing stick more for boilies, putting 5 or 6 in at a time to get a decent spread at that 50-60metres, or single 18mm boilies to 100metres. I've been Spombing boilies out recently when I want to keep them tight. As good as I am with the catty and stick, wind veer, mishapes or splitting baits (with the stick) or seagulls mean baiting can go awry.

Oops! Got a load of back paid ESA this week, so ended up getting a load more bait, Rod Hutchinson Infusion, Monster Crab and KMG, and although the Fox Warrior landing net is still good, I bought myself the RH Sceptre one piece landing net as I do like the idea of having 2...

I think in weed that 'blowing the hook mid run', is where it hasn't penetrated past the point, and falls out, the hook may be masked by weed. A barbed hook is often worst for this, so a barbless or crimped barb hook can be a better hooker. A size 6 is the smallest I would go, try Gardner Muggas or Solar 101's, on a Multi-rig. I really don't like helicopter setups in weed, bite indication is 'slow', hookholds can be funny, and lost fish can be the result. I've found that inline or pendant setups far better at hooking fish.

Did you Google it? https://www.claypitfishery.co.uk/

I'm not one for dropping leads, rarely found the need even on very weedy waters. I am as close to my rods as possible, and have my alarms sensitivity very high on my Delkims (other vibration alarms are available). Try not to let the fish get into the weed in the first place, stepping back to strike and play fish helps, and can actually pull them 'off balance'. I had one fish last season that as I struck you could see it turn on its side as I had unbalanced it, and 2minutes later it was in the net, a 23lb common that usually fought much better. Admittedly I was fishing about 10metres out, so it never really got up any steam. Hook size, I'm usually on 4 and 6's, and bait in weed tends to be balanced to just lift the hook up, so buoyant, but not mega pop-up. In the weed short hairs, bait tight to the back of the hook, so a D-rig, ring on the shank or multi-rig. Personal opinion, I found a standard Ronnie rig too heavy. The counterweight could pull the hook and bait down into the weed, reducing hook-ups as the hook is masked.

Made another batch this week using a mix of liquidised sheep's liver, tinned anchovies and tinned sardines in olive oil. Bit too much oil to roll on the table, but by hand it was OK. Actually just put a couple of kilos in the lake to get the fish accepting boilies, and fishing over the top. Of course I didn't do that last week either...

@Danny Hearn, I love reading your posts, even if I do have to merge a few into one, 😂 I have been trying to think about my largest common, think it's 28lb, although I know I've had plenty between 20 and 25lb. I do prefer mirrors, although the 2 biggest commons in my syndicate are probably closer to 45 than 28... Talking of my syndicate, even after the result of last week and the trials and tribulations I want to get back there straight away, it's my 'happy place'. Last weeks trials: I got to the lake on Tuesday, 1st time in around 5 weeks after car problems, where the ECU failed, meaning I had to write it off. So Tuesday I took the car round to the track round the back and promptly sunk down to the axles in soft mud. I hadn't put my barrow in the new car, so it took me some 7trips walking my gear ¼ of a mile to the spot I fancied. It took a mate coming down in his Discovery to pull me out. On Wednesday another angler came down in his van, absolutely no problems over the mud and set up around 250metres to my left. He packed up Thursday and got straight out again with no problems. Thursday afternoon, another angler comes down in his van no problems and sets up nearby to my left. Friday morning I had that wake-up call, a 23.12 mirror, so I stayed put thinking a few more would come along. On Saturday morning, Jonathon packs up, drives past again no problem. So after packing up I went to get my car from the boathouse car park, went up the slope to the track and managed to get stuck again. Another 3 trips with my gear back to the car helped by a mate, and then with 2 more syndicate members, a quad bike and Ranger got my car out. Stood by the car, just about to load it up, I had either an oxygen or sugar crash and passed out, just went straight over face first. A mug of coke and a few biscuits, 15-20minutes sat down and I was OK. A very careful drive home Saturday. So this year's plans, keep fishing, be careful of my health, stop pushing it with my hip and back problems and enjoy what I can do. I'd like to get into the originals, the new stock are nice, beautiful fish, but the originals are proper quality.