salokcinnodrog

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.

Welcome Back. Suffolk Water Park, nice venue still, just a bit expensive for me to mount a long term campaign. What worked then will work now. I'm probably using similar rigs to what I was using 12years ago, and occasionally still catching. Enjoy your fishing, and have fun

Years ago I used to whisk an egg or two and drop the boilies into it, then take them out and roll in additional base mix. You can get a nicely skinned boilie with an outer shell that breaks down around the bait.

Mine is on a large diameter storm stick, which during the day doubles as Sky tether, although the end has a definite curve where she managed to pull it out of the ground. A husky, 0-20mph in 5steps... At night she has her long lead attached under my bedchair feet. I was looking for my phone mount in my rucksack to put up a picture, but think it is in my pike bag. Couple of ebay links for you: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195553759343 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155409607617

Put enough liquid in the bucket to go about ¼ of the way up the boilie. That way you are limiting what they can take in. Just don't forget to give them a shake every now and again so the whole surface is covered. Lid on, cos of the smell... Air dried I'm positive take on water faster than frozen or shelf life, so give the impression of 'older' bait. I tried various basic liquids, hemp juice, mixed particle juice, even stale sweetcorn juice. None worked any better than boilies straight from the air dry bag. At Earith I was catching over them either way, and the frozen version.

Old and New accounts merged together, so all should be good.

Yes exactly like the Gardner jobbie

Some of those holders have a screw thread on the bottom that screws onto a camera adaptor

Welcome back. If you know it I might be able to find and reset your old account with a password and email address.

It does also work with liquidised liver. I made these for barbel and chub when the river season reopens

It will work with liquidised fish. If you use it as it stands for a 50/50 or basic base mix you may need to add semolina.

A productive afternoon making bait, with a base mix that is available without visiting a tackle shop. Even better I picked it up at a bargain price of 45pence for the main base. Chapati flour, liver powder, mackerel and herring meal (animal feed store) and eggs

I did originally post to ask, but then looked at your profile which has it on, so deleted the post.

Not showing as dissolved yet, but that doesn't mean they are still trading as winding up may take a while:

Don't hurry yourself. I might be able to put you onto something. Not been paid since 23/2, so I'm tight right now, but I do know where there is a Morpheus 4😉

Add around 10ml of glycerine in with your liquid ingredients. Glycerine is a long term preservative and bait hardener. When you dry your hookbaits out, you might want to do that until they are totally dry, then drill before putting in a tub. This may take a lot more than 48hours. At this point I then make around 20ml of bait soak, of which 10ml is glycerine and the rest is Seafood Attract, and pour it over them, shake and keep shaking them every time you walk past until it is totally absorbed.

I'd figured it out that you were talking about Earith. Originally Ian didn't think or know there were any catfish in Virginia, but I think at some time Pingrees and Virginia had joined in floods and a couple of cats decided to go for a visit.

On my syndicate the cormorants, old age and natural mortality have taken out the roach and bream. There are the carp, tench, plenty of small perch and pike, with possibly a few small roach. The pike appear to be self limiting. The larger females take out the excess smaller males who also take smaller pike and silvers, these females will also munch on tench. Due to my mobility issues, I didn't do any pike fishing trips on there this year, so I don't know if the 23 I had last year is still around, but I saw only one other 20 this season. I've seen videos of Wels catfish catching pigeons ( ) I was on Virginia wondering what snapped me off after a run I couldn't stop on my SP's. Not long after a catfish was seen and landed on the promontory between the main lake and the SunFun coach company end. My mate Bruce landed a catfish on Trigga boilies from Yew Tree. I was in the swim next door and only had carp.

The XTB version? I'd keep them unless there is a genuine advance or upgrade. I'm still using Beastmaster XTA 7000's which must be 7 years old and were around £60. I had the choice of more expensive reels in the shop, and after playing the Beastmasters were better than more expensive Shimano reels.

Based on Tackle Box being an hour away, go a little further North, or round the M25, Johnson Ross in Hoddesdon are showing stock of both. Free Spirit, custom built lovely, but expensive. Standard build , I recall @sharpy86 getting a set where the tips actually curved to one side, hence my point about seeing them. I think his were online delivery. While in theory 13ft may improve your distance, it is down to your casting style and technique. If you haven't got the style you may be better off with 12ft. I haven't used a 13ft rod for carp fishing, but with 12's I know I'm hitting well over 150 at the moment.

Is there a reason for 13ft rods over a 12ft? Shimano rods are actually very much underrated, and have been for years. Terry Edmonds was consultant when these were brought out, and he was casting them big distances. I'd actually have a close look at the Free Spirit rods in the flesh before buying. Put the rods together and line them up.

Good luck with Prince Albert, a lot of waters on that ticket, and with the 20lb fish. I'm glad that is still a 🎯 to aim for.

When I've bought base mixes in the past I have tended to use flavours from the same brand, although there are exceptions. @emmcee's point about adding extra bits and pieces is a valid point, but some mixes can be improved upon. Years ago I was on Nutrabaits The Biollix, the bait was designed as a 'stand alone' base mix needing no additions, and it caught (one time British Record Carp), although I had a couple of essential oil and flavour combinations that went well with the Multimino PPC I added. 25ml Multimino, Eucalyptus EO and Cherry Nutrafruit or 25ml Multimino, Cinnamon EO and Peach Nutrafruit, both at the lowest level of the flavour and EO to 4 eggs. Those basic additions worked. Nutrabaits Trigga I did tweak with a couple of extra ingredients: Betaine HCl, Green Lipped Mussel Extract, Sweet Cajouser and Liver Elite added to 30ml of the Trigga liquid and 4 eggs. The basic mix and liquid worked, but the additions improved it and gave it my own twist. @brucelait and I really did well on it, I caught on almost every trip. I lost count of the fish I caught on it, with baiting around a kilo a time every week when I left. I have had a look at John Bakers website, although I've not used his baits or flavours myself. There is a bit on the homepage that might interest: Welcome to John Baker Specialist Baits John Baker has been creating specialist carp bait since 1978. Our advanced base mixes and bespoke flavours can be used in total confidence for carp and barbel. We like to encourage customers to personalise their own recipes and we are always on hand with help and advice for all aspects of bait design and tactics. We firmly believe that really good bait is one of the last remaining edges in the field of specialist angling.