salokcinnodrog

I read it, and as I said, shelf life baits have changed since it was written, please check the date of the report, it is over 10years old. Therefore your argument is moot. Nash, Nutrabaits, Crafty Catcher all use exactly the same ingredients as frozen baits, the only difference after drying is shelf life get a glycerol sugar syrup dip. That is the only preservative used.

Ingredients are now listed on packaging, and DO have to be listed due to Animal Feed regulations.

You know when those tests were done? Those results published are from 2006, very out of date, and scaremongering. AT trying to boost figures without asking for later research results. It even refers to the term "at the time". Most Modern shelf lifes are in no way similar to those being made 10-15 years ago. I know a number of British firms use exactly the same recipe for both shelf life and frozen boilies, the only difference is that shelf lifes are air dried, then given a soak in a glycerine sugar syrup, and then dried again before being bagged. The evidence is NOT in the report, because the report is out of date, by at least 10years. Since that report was written, shelf life baits have been developed using no preservatives, Nutrabaits, Nash, Crafty Catcher, Hutchy all make baits with no artificial preservatives. The preservative used is a glycerol sugar syrup. In fact there are probably as many preservatives in freezer baits as there are in shelf lifes now, salt, sugar even flavours (containing glycerine, or even worse, propylene glycol) all get into freezer baits.

I only put 150 metres on my marker rod, no point in more, I can't cast any further, and its not like I cut the end of regularly to change it. My last Berkley Gorilla braid was on the reel for 10years+, but I did switch to Fox braid, one which they have now stopped selling😖😱 I know its only 18lb, but stick a 30lb mono (Amnesia) leader on the end, and it works. Got a mate who uses it for drop-shotting and marker float. https://www.fishingmegastore.com/braid/fox-rage-warrior-braid-150m~42707.html

It comes from Sainsbury's and mine is so old the 'best before' date has long gone😉 I also use braid hooklink materials for hairs as crayfish can't cut through it as they sometimes do with dental floss.

I test pop-up rigs Either in the margins, or my dogs bowl😅😉😱 I would prefer to use putty than pop-up weights for critically balancing, but sadly crayfish mess that up as they pinch the stuff. Can reel in a popped up wooden ball not knowing if I have been fishing a mini zig...

I must admit I have not thought of a heavy weight making the hook drop into the lip with a pop-up, possibly because I don't usually fish pop-ups as my main tactic, yet I do use it to hold the bait to the bottom. I don't often want the bait drifting around being so critically balanced that any current it moves, only just holding bottom. My usual pop-up rig is currently a D-rig and I avoid carp taxed pop-up weights, and dive over to match anglers olivettes. There are two types; through the middle of the olivette, or held in place with a plastic sleeve. I think they are more streamlined than carp pop-up weights.

Nice one

I found that with a centre bar on the pod it was less stable than a goal post pod. I do also put a cup hook or tie wrap on a pod leg into the ground. It goes against the grain, especially for me, but at times with a pod, set your baitrunners loosely so takes are not so violent. Only time I had problems with the pod was a take at Earith, my dog also reacted, and pushed me, so as I grabbed the rod, I slid down past the pod, knocking it over, and I went into the lake while playing a fish. Most of the time I did used to prefer goalpost and buzzer bars, but now with Solar P1, its pod almost all of the time.

Welcome to Carp.com. You will get varying opinions on which line is best, from loads of people. Bearing in mind I have been carp fishing since the 1980's, and have used various different lines over the years. In the 1980's I was using Sylcast, until the introduction of Berkley Big Game, around 1992/3 ish so I switched to that. I think within two or three sessions I took it off the reels, it was awful for me, and others on the lake. On casting it would twist up, and sometimes crack-off mid cast. Line twist itself was awful. I went back to my favourite line, and started testing everything I used on the reels Later in the 1990's I was pointed in the direction of Daiwa Sensor by Simon Wheeler, who was their rep at the time. I have never been able to fault it. There are now only 3 lines I ever use, Daiwa Sensor in brown, Gardner Pro and P-Line Floroclear.

The higher test curve does not necessarily equate to more fish playing power, but does to casting. It is rod action as well as the test curve, but rod action is not often included in the description. This is my understanding, so others may correct me. Tip action is casting, which are usually high test curves. Progressive, where the rods bends through the blank in gradual step, or progression. Through action, where the rod bends equally from tip to butt. I feel far more comfortable playing fish on a through action rod than I do on a fast taper. With the fast taper I do get the worry of hookpulls, so have to loosen off at times, only just keeping a slight bend, so the fish doesn't disappear. We have gotten into the trend for short rods, big high test curves for stalking, yet you can put far more fighting power from a lower test curve into a fish, and feel it on a through action. I have caught some big fish on Lure, Avon or Barbel specialist rods from snaggy areas, the rod control is much improved.

Personal advice after having Nash rucksacks is avoid them. I had two that had zips break, one that split a pocket, one that split across the back and shoulder strap, and one that the top box section wore away. That totals 6 rucksacks, I only bought 3. Replacements of new purchases had to be replaced. The longest one lasted was 2 years! Since then, I got a military Bergen, now over 10 years old, and still going strong. For long session fishing I wouldn't use anything else as it handles so much gear. It is not zip down, but to be honest, I load it in order of use, and put stuff I will need in pockets. All Clothes and towel at bottom, rig bins on top of that, coffee maker or kettle on that with saucepan and the two gas canisters. I then have a stalking bag with food in that fits in on top. My scales and weigh bar fit in the inside top flap pocket, cups and stove in outside top flap pocket. My spare stove and bait delivery kit fit in front outside pocket. A big point about the Bergen, is it is water resistant, and you can get covers that go over them. The big link is for 60 litre, you can get a bigger one, 110litre, and extra bought side pockets enlarge it to 120 I think it is. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRITISH-ARMY-COMBAT-RUCKSACK-BERGEN-60-70-LITRE-MULTICAM-DPM-MTP-OLIVE-GREEN-/300878964619?var=&clk_rvr_id=1491165626330&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=twenga&utm_campaign=twenga&utm_param=eyJlcyI6MCwicyI6OTcyMDIzNywiY2kiOiIwMzg2MzcwNTQ1ZTM4MjE1NmU5MDAzOTA4ZjRkYjRjOCIsImkiOiIzMDA4Nzg5NjQ2MTkiLCJ0cyI6MTUyMzAyMzAzMCwidiI6Mywic28iOjE1MDAsImMiOjE4MTM3OX0%3D&rmvSB=true&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-53481-19255-0%2F1%3Futm_source%3Dtwenga%26utm_param%3DeyJlcyI6MCwicyI6OTcyMDIzNywiY2kiOiIwMzg2MzcwNTQ1ZTM4MjE1NmU5MDAzOTA4ZjRkYjRjOCIsImkiOiIzMDA4Nzg5NjQ2MTkiLCJ0cyI6MTUyMzAyMzAzMCwidiI6Mywic28iOjE1MDAsImMiOjE4MTM3OX0%3D%26utm_campaign%3Dtwenga%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26ff3%3D4%26pub%3D5574631662%26toolid%3D10001%26campid%3D5338243305%26customid%3D0386370545e382156e9003908f4db4c8%26mpre%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fitm%252FBRITISH-ARMY-COMBAT-RUCKSACK-BERGEN-60-70-LITRE-MULTICAM-DPM-MTP-OLIVE-GREEN-%252F300878964619%253Fvar%253D%26srcrot%3D710-53481-19255-0%26rvr_id%3D1491165626330&ul_noapp=true I do have a Korum Deluxe Ruckbag, and that only gets used for day fishing, it is simply not big enough to take the gear for a few days, no matter how tidily I pack it. An example of what it takes is my pike unhooking gear, wire cutters, side cutters, forceps and long nosed pliers in inside pocket, 1 medium tackle box, 2 flasks, camera, scales, sandwiches in lunch box, roughly 20 deadbaits, a pair of cold weather trousers and jacket, then banksticks, indicators and alarms in outside pocket. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but my honest advice on rucksacks is go military, NOT tackle manufacturer. *Bait delivery kit Spomb, 2x spods, boilie rocket and catapult.

I use Shimano Beastmaster 7000's and love them. I used to work in a tackle shop, so I would play with all of the Shimano range, and by choice picked what is probably the cheapest reel in the big water range, despite having a feel of the Ultegra's etc. When in the shop they felt rugged, tough and comfortable, and time on the bank has not changed my view on them Seriously of the view you don't need to spend as much as £150 on a reel, but you do have to buy carefully.

With the 2.75 NG's I was using a 3oz lead on 15lb Gardner Pro Blend, with the 3.25 The Ones I use 3.5oz lead on 15lb P-line Floroclear. Since I went onto the higher TC rods I have suffered a few crack-offs when going for it. I'm not comfortable leaving leads, hooks or tackle in a lake due to my incompetance, but the amount of weed means I'm not going to risk tethering a fish on a leader. I would much rather the run ring and lead comes off the line guaranteed, so a fish is just trailing a hooklink. I also don't like braided leaders either, even less than normal leaders. Braided leaders need double the strength of mono. So for a 3oz lead, in theory, you would need a 30lb mono leader, for braid you need 60lb. I also like my fingers, I do make miscasts, hence my crack-offs, but braid can cut through to the bone. I don't feel comfortable wearing a glove or finger stall, it actually worsens my casting, more miscasts and slipping versus protection. I say 'theory' above about line strength against lead size, I think that line has most definitely improved since the days of Bayer Perlon, Maxima and Sylcast, but most we were using in 8lb, not the 15 we do now, so we needed a shockleader more. I used to use Black Amnesia, in 20 or 30lb or Drennan Grey Greased Weasel in 40lb as my shockleader. They are softer than clear, or other colours in the respective range, more supple and cast better. (I do still use them on my marker and spod rods) I will say, on giving it the big one, check the mainline to hooklink or leader join, every cast. Not all lines can put up with a big chuck. Some lose strength, ping for no reason, yet are ok with a leader. Others can stand the abuse. Others may say different, but I like a casting line to be supple, not stiff, it has to be a good diameter versus strength. So when it says 15lb, it should be 0.35mm. Thicker lines obviously reduce casting distance. I worry about thinner lines than 0.35, they may well be 15lb, but can they stand the abuse of repeated regular casting?

Sorry, my bad. Brain and fingers not coordinating😱😳

First tip is reel line slowly onto the reel from a bucket of water. I don't know why, but going slowly seriously improves line lay compared to reeling on as fast as you can. The washers are in theory there to change the line lay to specific circumstances, washers on, line at the front for casting, so its tapered towards the lip of the spool.

The worst they can say is No.

I got to the stage on a 100metre chuck I could hit that car bonnet with a stringer with my 2.75lb NG's, 40mm butt rings. It has taken me a lot longer to get used to the same with the 3.25 The Ones, and I can feel I am putting more effort into the cast with them, it just is not so controlled. On one swim, my favoured spot was underneath a gap on an overhanging tree, a cast you really do not want to mess up! Not being funny, but I honestly think you could do with better reels as well. For such a supposedly 'Big Pit' reel, the line capacity of 270yards of 0.28mm diameter line is to put it bluntly pants. Even a Shimano DL 10000 size baitrunner holds more. (90yards is I reckon top cast with 0.35mm line on one of them). You could improve distance with for example, because I use them, Shimano Beastmaster 7000's which are not mega bucks. Put the bigger reels on a better rod, a few days feeling the two together and practising would not go amiss. Its likely your accuracy and distance would improve.

A few years ago on Brackens in one of the corner and margin swims it was safer to let a fish run and away from where it was hooked. The lead staying on the line kept it down until it was clear of the overhang. Lift straight into it, and you often pulled the line into the snag yourself. Totally doesn't feel right, but it worked.

I merged your question with an existing one on the same subject

To be honest we hadn't even intended fishing there, had planned on going to another lake in Hadleigh, but didn't see any fish show whatsoever, and Hintelsham was on my way home. I regularly use 8lb line for floater fishing in snag free lakes, going up in weedier waters to 15lb. Yet I have only lost fish floater fishing to hookpulls, not line breakage. Lilies are actually more spread out on top than below the surface. Imagine a table, the table surface being the lilies, now imagine it standing on one leg in the middle underneath, that is basically a lily bed. The lily leaf stems are also quite easy to break, not the main root stem, but the leaves will pop free. On Taverham in weed and lilies I was using 12lb Daiwa Sensor, no tackle breakages, quite regularly. I honestly think, and it may cause some thinking, we use heavier line because of the weights we are using to cast, not because of the fish we are fishing for. An old thread, but may be of interest:

You'd be surprised what i've landed on 8lb line around weed and lilies😖😉 20lb from the lilies behind my right shoulder, size 10 hook, 7lb hooklink on a dog biscuit, and yes, thats Hintelsham. A very through actioned rod that was bent to the handle at times.

The big question is what rods do you currently have? In UK the prices are around £40 for each of them, and the Mad Dragon are around in $ 60. While you say upgrade, that is the reason for my question as these are essentially entry level rods, as your first rods, not necessarily an upgrade. I would also personally be avoiding Nash! In America you actually have one of the best blank building companies, who also manufacture and supply some of the best rod guides in the World, (that even Shimano, Fox, Daiwa and others are now using), in Pac-Bay. You could create and custom build your own rod with their equipment for roughly double what you would pay in UK for the rods you have mentioned. Don't tell anyone, but the big name IM7 carbon blank is a Pac Bay blank, and now used by various companies for their mid range rods. UK around £130

Personally I try to avoid leaders altogether, going mainline straight through or tubing if I have to. Nige Woodcock made a tip on a thread a while ago to stop the tubing climbing. Lighter blob the end that is held in the lead clip or buffer bead. The lighter blobbed end stops it pulling out and up. The pic is my standard mainline with tubing on, and a running lead. I don't do quick links or lead clips

Welcome to Carp.com. On snag free lakes 10lb line is fine. It is if there is loads of weed and any snags you may need higher.