salokcinnodrog

And down the lake ,well not 'in the lake ' at the point lol...

If your boilie is breaking off when you withdraw the needle, it sounds more like you are using a baiting needle with too harsh a barb rather the knot causing the problem. Boilie recipes have undergone a change from being hard, which was supposed to put off smaller fish and make them easier to catapult or stick out, to softer which requires less boiling and so they retain more of their nutritional profile and allow water to penetrate them and release their attractants more readily.
I use a Korda needle which is fine enough to penetrate boilies without causing any damage to them.
 

Quickest Google search 
 
Lake Plastiras: Near Karditsa, known for carp, catfish, and big barbel. Lake Yliki: Near Athens, with carp populations. Other notable lakes: Lake Kastoria, Lake Aliakmonas, Lake Ladonas, and Lake Pinios also offer carp fishing opportunities.    Lake Aoos: Near Ioannina, known for carp, sturgeon, and trout. Lake Pamvotis: Also near Ioannina, with grass carp and common carp.    

just checked it on the old web and it looks perfect, never fished a res before so this will be a nice bit of both fun and a learning curve   also i must admit i still love swimfeeding or method from days past.......

Alton Water and Ardleigh Reservoir are both within your 30minutes of Colchester just off the A12 towards Ipswich. Day tickets via their website, and should come up on Google fairly easily.
I spent a lot of time on both of them in the past, and the swimfeeder and heavy baiting can be the best approach for bream and roach, although carp tend to be late afternoon through the night on carp tactics, but day tickets don't allow night fishing.

Well said mate, good words of wisdom, its odd i used to fish this lake way back and felt i knew the lake but just seems every session is a new learning curve, will stick with it

I had that on my syndicate lake, for almost a whole year. 
I joined in September 2020, and did not catch a carp until August 2021, just before renewal when I had a double and a 20 in the same night. It was a stressful struggle. I got to the stage of if it could go wrong, it would go wrong.
The next few years were gradually learning the lake, a few more carp, and pike in winter or on the occasional pop-up, but getting to understand the place. That learning, just when you think you have it sussed, it turns around and sends you gremlins.
 

really dont want 12 footers mate, im geared up for shorter rods with my little pit reels

Or look at The Enduro's if you want to look at12ft.
I know they are 12ft, but not a bad price:
https://rodhutchinson.co.uk/product-category/sale/

I've still got my biomaster xta 8000 reels, my dad bought them for me nearly 20 years ago as my first set of big pits, even though the bail arms have dropped slightly, they are still mechanically sound 👍
I retired them last year but got them back out recently for catfish and they're still going strong 💪

I have really used and abused my Aerlex's, for fishing, spodding and marker float work. I know that the gearing is lower,  reel handle turns compared to bail arm rotation, but I actually feel that may be better in terms of the work they do. 
I think I got them around 2005, so to be still going with minimal care is some going, just the occasional drop of oil. They get covered in groundbait, occasionally soaked and still do Big Boy work. Not bad for an £89 reel. I preferred them over the £105 Biomaster I think it was then, although it might have been I didn't want to spend the extra £20 each on 5 reels...
I've said since that Shimano quality has dropped, reels were built to last, now they are built to be upgraded or fail...
I'm still using my 7000 Beastmaster XTA's for fishing, and still getting positive comments from other people on the syndicate.
The DL10000's I have just don't feel as robust.
Give me the original Seaspin Baitrunners, or the 4000/6010 Aero GTE Baitrunners and I would be happy with them on lighter rods.
 

I have really used and abused my Aerlex's, for fishing, spodding and marker float work. I know that the gearing is lower,  reel handle turns compared to bail arm rotation, but I actually feel that may be better in terms of the work they do. 
I think I got them around 2005, so to be still going with minimal care is some going, just the occasional drop of oil. They get covered in groundbait, occasionally soaked and still do Big Boy work. Not bad for an £89 reel. I preferred them over the £105 Biomaster I think it was then, although it might have been I didn't want to spend the extra £20 each on 5 reels...
I've said since that Shimano quality has dropped, reels were built to last, now they are built to be upgraded or fail...
I'm still using my 7000 Beastmaster XTA's for fishing, and still getting positive comments from other people on the syndicate.
The DL10000's I have just don't feel as robust.
Give me the original Seaspin Baitrunners, or the 4000/6010 Aero GTE Baitrunners and I would be happy with them on lighter rods.
 

Simple overhand loop knot, but large enough so that the knot doesn't go into the boilie as you thread it. 
If it is still a problem, drill the boilie before putting it on the hair, something I do with rock hard baits anyway. If you glug them in a glycerol based bait soak, it can be worth putting them on a half cocktail stick before soaking.
Nothing worse than hands that smell totally fishy and it won't wash off...

She doesnt look too impressed by Nick tbf
Earned a treat yeah - where is it? Hmmm 🤣
George had a thing about mice in the garage, was like a kid jumping up and down at the door to have a sniff round and check the traps every night.  Brilliant ❤️

Mate,
When I was in my teens we had a Shetland Sheepdog, Sheltie, called Little Mo. 
I used to take her fishing, she loved it. Very well behaved, and
despite being free roaming, she would sit still for hours watching. I still think of her. I think that we remember all our animals, not as pets, but more as friends.
Rats?
I got presented with this one morning:
Exactly, she does try to bury it as well, although I think that is 'prey drive'. A predator does not necessarily want to give away the fact they are about.

Sky is still fishing with me, and still can't be let off lead.
Today's extra dietary items were a goose egg she found in the margins and a dead thing that she found as I took her for a pee. She won't pee or more in the swim, has to go for a short walk.

Those mirrors are impressive looking fish.
 

The area I cleaned out and created and started prebaiting 2 weeks ago and now fishable.

I've been comparing it to the old Vitalin and after treating it as I did Vitalin, it does not seem to bind as well. It definitely needs a lot less water, and there is less flaked maize than in the original.

Mate,
When I was in my teens we had a Shetland Sheepdog, Sheltie, called Little Mo. 
I used to take her fishing, she loved it. Very well behaved, and
despite being free roaming, she would sit still for hours watching. I still think of her. I think that we remember all our animals, not as pets, but more as friends.
Rats?
I got presented with this one morning:
Exactly, she does try to bury it as well, although I think that is 'prey drive'. A predator does not necessarily want to give away the fact they are about.

Sky is still fishing with me, and still can't be let off lead.
Today's extra dietary items were a goose egg she found in the margins and a dead thing that she found as I took her for a pee. She won't pee or more in the swim, has to go for a short walk.

Mate,
When I was in my teens we had a Shetland Sheepdog, Sheltie, called Little Mo. 
I used to take her fishing, she loved it. Very well behaved, and
despite being free roaming, she would sit still for hours watching. I still think of her. I think that we remember all our animals, not as pets, but more as friends.
Rats?
I got presented with this one morning:
Exactly, she does try to bury it as well, although I think that is 'prey drive'. A predator does not necessarily want to give away the fact they are about.

Mate,
When I was in my teens we had a Shetland Sheepdog, Sheltie, called Little Mo. 
I used to take her fishing, she loved it. Very well behaved, and
despite being free roaming, she would sit still for hours watching. I still think of her. I think that we remember all our animals, not as pets, but more as friends.
Rats?
I got presented with this one morning:
Exactly, she does try to bury it as well, although I think that is 'prey drive'. A predator does not necessarily want to give away the fact they are about.

Well you know how it is Nick , " you don't poo on your own doorstep . " 
😁

It wasn't until I encountered rats all over the swim, on the bivvy, everywhere - on a day ticket complex that I decided I needed a new dog if I was to enjoy fishing again.
I didn't feel ready for a new dog (6 months) but my daughter found one and put a deposit down in the hope I'd like it too - it was a great move looking back.
Still think of George daily but a new dog does help, we are supposed to have them at the end of the day being dog people - there's one out there waiting for you to give it a great life, that's how I see it anyway.  ❤️👍