salokcinnodrog

I have a distinct preference for Shimano reels, but I would definitely agree more modern Shimanos are not as good as older models, with a few exceptions. I used to work in a tackle shop, so played with plenty, my view is do not waste your money on the DL range, stick with the ST.

The D-rig is the basis for a few rigs. A Chod rig relies on a D. You can even end the D up the hooklink, making it a blowback rig. I must admit I tie a longer knotless section so the ring is situated close and tight to the shank near the bend for pop-ups, I personally found it gave me better hookups. Please note, that is my findings on pop-ups fished close to the bottom. D-rigs do also work very well with snowman presentations as well as bottom baits. I believe It was in this situation, as a bottom bait rig that Roger Smith came up with it, in the blowback format, for fish that had sussed the original hair at Savay.

I found spodding with braid absolutely horrible. If you hit the clip hard, because braid has no stretch you lose a spomb, even with a shockleader, or you break a line clip. (And I have). Braid can also be terrible for wind knots, and I also wore grooves in the tip and butt ring of the Spod rod I was using. On my spod rod I had to go back to 15lb mono with an Amnesia or 40lb Greased Weasel Leader and a medium Spomb. The distance I am spodding at is a lot more than 20 wraps (around 75metres), probably closer to 100 or more, and I no longer have problems with lost tackle

I buy Eyelevel sunglasses, they are decent wearing for all times, I rarely go out anywhere without mine. The only problem with that is I have a tendency to break or lose them, so this is saved: https://eyelevel-uk.com/search?type=product,article,page&q=Fishing* I had it explained to me as Most cheap polarised glasses are only one layer of polarisation, if you tilt your head 90degrees to the side the polarisation effect does not work, so a second layer is put on at that angle. That then increases the cost. I have had various sunglasses over the years, from Optix Cormorants, around £45 in the 1990's, to Fox, to Sunglasses Warehouse, and to be honest the Eyelevel I found as comfortable, and as good as the Optix.

I have moved this into Tackle and Equipment. Apparently these are what Dave Lane uses: https://www.totalfishinggear.co.uk/carp/bite-alarms/tf-gear-mag-runner-ignite-bite-alarm I have seen them in the flesh when I used to work in a tackle shop, they do look pretty good, never had any returns, and according to Dave Lane in the TFG catalogue article, pretty bulletproof

It was recommended when I was fishing at Nazeing probably around 2008, maybe earlier, a couple of fish were found tethered, printed in the national press and on a big thread on here, started by Jemsue, unable to get rid of the rig, attached to leadcore. Rob Hughes and Simon Crow reported them in CarpTalk. Korda then backtracked what they said.

That is one reason I try to put as little money in his pocket as possible. His Embryo project may be good for angling, although over stocking a lake with tench is not a good idea. His lead clips are shameful, the lead clip should always lockdown and not move. Yet it only takes a tug for the lead clip to release from the swivel. Every other manufacturer knows this, and pegs them or has theirs drilled so they can be tied in place. You should be able to use any size 8 swivel, not just Korda's which are a slightly different size. And some of the tips coming out of the Korda company have left a number of fish... 'Using a needle Put your leadcore beads on sideways' that stopped rigs ejecting and lead to fish getting snagged up on leadcore.

I found Kryston Supersilk to be too thin for its breaking strain, there were only two of their hooklinks I didn't get on with, that and Jackal, which I found would strip itself far too easily. The coating wasn't tough enough.

I must have been bored, I sat and D'd some hooks this week for D-rigs, so I have plenty ready for tying. Standard rig ring on 15lb mono. The hard part is whipping the second end of the mono down as you are going inside the loop. You also have to be careful with the glue not to splurge over the eye.

Kind of. From using nuclear or atomic energy workers as priest to get planets to join the Foundation, after the breakdown of the Empire, to traders being the spread of the Foundation. Then add in an unpredicted anomaly and how that was dealt with. I read Puckoon years ago when I was still at school, I think primary or middle school. Even then I found it funny.

I used to have a number of John Wilson's books, some of his trips were amazing. Something else he wrote was a Guide to Fishing in Norfolk and Suffolk, the rivers, lakes, both day ticket, season and syndicate as well as The Broads. There were a few done over the years, updates. My non fishing books on the bank are often Isaac Asimov, and Frederick Forsyth, although I usually mix up with other authors like Lee Child, in fact pretty much anything. The current Asimov books I have been reading are The Foundation series which I think are brilliant sci-fi, and he was well ahead of his time. Lee Child books I can read, but after reading them, the Hollywood choice of Tom Cruise to play Reacher is totally wrong in the films. If you like old fashioned comedic satire, Tom Sharpe, the Wilt series are very funny.

I rarely use anything less than a size 4. A carp does not know what a hook is, well not until it is removed. It is the fact that in the cases of most pop-up rigs they can't see it. The sharpness of a different size of hook does not change on the thickness of the hook. In many cases the size 4 of a pattern of hook is on the same gauge wire as a 6 or even 8. In fact I can think of a number of size 2's and 4's that are on a thinner gauge wire than a size 8. Yes you can improve or even sharpen a hook, I don't it, it comes out the pack, the point gets checked, the hook gets tied on. I want a big hook, more gape to grab hold, and a straight point is far better at grabbing hold than a beaked hook. To me a beaked hook is only good over gravel that will turn a straight point over. The D-rig is not a fashion icon, it was developed for a particular reason; To counter rig shy carp at Savay, to give additional movement that wasn't happening with a standard hair. Rod Hutchinson developed his sliding hair while Roger Smith came up with the D. It also happens to be very effective with pop-ups and snowman baits.

In that case, put your tin hat on, because journalists have no writing skills, do not know how to make a point or even write decent English. Do me a favour, don't write 3 or 4 posts, put it all into one. The grief it causes the moderators and myself having to merge a series of posts into one. As for Terry Hearn, I've been around a bit, never found anyone with one exception who has a bad word to say about Terry Hearn. Many anglers got into carp fishing because of him and his writings. He is not overinflated, does not have an ego, is the nicest guy going. He talks because that is his nature. He shows his enthusiasm for fishing, his writing, his slideshows.

I still read and reread The Carp Strikes Back. It covers a lot of his original bait thoughts, much of which is still pertinent today, even in todays Bait Market. With that though is the humour and warts and all of session fishing on Savay, the highs and lows, some rig and lead set-ups, and other trips.

There are many worse writers than Terry Hearn. I have read goodness knows how many articles over 30years carp fishing, some article writers I would not read a book they wrote simply because their writing is so bad. Terry Hearn is not one of them, Jim Shelley for example is. Even a slideshow by Terry Hearn is a must watch. A magazine editor once wrote in one of his articles or books that there was only one writer whose work was perfect as it was received, Chris Yates. His writing style, humour even mean you can't put his books down. Rod Hutchinson on the other hand, by his own admission was not a writer. He wrote it exactly as it happened, language and all. Years ago I met Rod Hutchinson at a talk and had a proper chat with him, he is exactly that, but his knowledge was amazing.

Terry Hearn, In Pursuit I enjoyed, Rod Hutchinson again mostly The Carp Strikes Back for me, then Tim Paisley, but the all time classic, on whatever type of fishing is Chris Yates. John Bailey and Martyn Page, The Quest for The Queen Another interesting read is Gareth Edwards, the 70's Welsh rugby player, Gareth Edwards on Fishing. Nothing carp related, mostly fly fishing, but how wherever he went he took a rod. ( Interestingly he broke the UK pike record in 1990).

If you give the full details from start to finish you might get more help. A full description of your problem might give us a clue. I know the Kampa and TFG pump up bivvies are one valve inflation from either footpump or compressor.

I used to test my lines myself, almost as per Kevin Maddocks in Carp Fever, giving abrasion resistance, the point it stretched to before breaking etc, the Tackle Box tests are pretty spot on. There are lines that no matter how many tests they pass just don't work for the individual angler. There were some I used or tested that I would not use ever again; Berkley Big Game, Nash Bullet Mono, Ultima lines, even Daiwa Sensor in clear, yet the brown was spot on. I loved Shimano Catana, one of the best lines going, it was a shame it was withdrawn from sale. I could not get ESP line to knot tidily, the knot strength was awful, for me, yet a mate loved it and had no problems. If Daiwa Sensor has changed then that is sad, as it was it worked when I last used it around 2010, and I had used it from 1994! The things that cause lines to misbehave are line twist, playing fish on the clutch rather than backwind, 'over stretch' without to breaking point, obviously a snap-off, although at the knot, it may well have damaged the line from the knot to the reel. Something else that causes damage is the lead, and lead attachment, it may well crush or pinch the line, or in the case of running leads on run rings, rub and abrade it, and of course, playing fish over gravel, through weeds and lilies, yet how many check the line every time? But when it goes 'the line is rubbish'...

I spooled up somewhere back in time at the start of lockdown with Gardner Pro clear in 15lb again. While I like a tough line, Gardner Pro is it. Somewhere back in the dinosaur age on here I did a review on it, everything I said then still stands. It knots tidily, is strong and handles abrasion, and I need those on the reservoir.

Sensor is one of the best lines out there, far better than more expensive brands. I have played fish in and out of lily beds, round snags, even round buoy chains and landed fish. It also casts well, I used to cast around 120metres with 15lb line on 2.75lb SP's. ALL mono is stretchy, between 15-25% before it gives way, and there are worse than Sensor. If I hadn't been given some Gardner Pro to test by Richard Gardner I would still be using it in preference to any other line.

What is easier to push, a light barrow or a heavy barrow? Any weight saving is a bonus

You are the same as me Mate. I much prefer not using a full bivvy system unless I have to. The number of times last year I left the overwrap in the car knowing I didn't need it. I have had full bivvies in the past, a bigger EasyDome is handy in a cold winter, (that is ice next to it on the bank) but even with the overwrap the brolly works

I prefer a pop-up mix over cork ball pop-ups. I have too often reeled in a plain cork where it was pierced and water got under the base mix layer. You may well have to sieve out the larger bits in the base mix so that it rolls smoothly. That is one reason I always tie on my pop-ups, a subject in itself. If you are using high attract 'individual' pop-ups, then you can use whatever flavour combinations you fancy, the amount for 6 eggs worth of base mix, added to 1egg. If you want your pop-up the same level as your main bait, then you will have to lower the level to the correct ratio. So for example in 6 eggs the recommended flavour level is 6ml of flavour, then only add 1ml. (There is a useful thread here on my pop-ups: If the pop-up mix is red, then you will not ever get a yellow bait, so if you want a yellow bait, get a pale yellow or white pop-up mix. Same if you want any other colour, with a pale base mix you can add dye. I found for a 1egg mix that 1 ampoule of Dr. Oetker food dye is the right amount.

Autumn Fishing... Late Summer fishing... Not got one of the Rod Hutchinson Cabrio yet, not had the chance to use it in a real fishing situation.

Welcome to Carp.com. Bitech Viper, that brings back memories! A very sensitive alarm, and if I remember correctly you increased or decreased sensitivity by the angle the rod went through the slot. Can't remember which way round it was, but I think Have the rod tip low and it was super sensitive, have the tips up decreased it. We used to fish the railway bank at Barham A pit, those with Bitech Vipers would get loads of false bleeps from trains going past around 10metres away.