paulmlpss

I always used to add a bit of salt, say a palmful to a big pan full. Not sure if it makes any difference or not. Used to do really well on it years ago fishing 1 piece of maize and a piece of fake corn.

I would buy my own and then you can boil as little as you like and it's dirt cheap.

Yeah your pobably right about the hook sticking out like a sore thumb with 3 maggotts. I would use a 10 or a 12 but in a korda or something. And i would try and get as many maggotts on the clip as i could so its a nice juicy bunch.

What size lead was you using? You want to use the lightest lead possible then that will help when playing the fish.

Not really as he said he switched the snakebite to mono and then caught 2 fish, so im guessing he had rod in same place. I think snakebite pretty rubbish to be honest. Its really thick and stands out like a sore thumb. But i imagine you caught because mono is less visable than snakebite. Keep it simple and just concentrate on watercraft.

All i do on the river is thread feeder on mainline then rubber bead and then tie a swivel on. Then i just tie my hooklink to the other end of the swivel and thats job done.

That seems fine to me mate. I take it your putting the lead over the tubing and then a bead either side of the lead? All you gotta do is think if a fish snaps me what will the fish be trailing around. And all you want really is the hooklink with no lead attached to it. But in all the years carp fishing i dont think ive ever been snapped fishing on the bottom.

How far is your stopknot away from your lead? I've not fished with one but from what ive seen they have it a good 20ft away in about 5ft of water. Then on the cast your hooklink should in theroy slide over the knot and i would imagine the float stays below the knot and cocks on and angle when you tighten upto it. Is there a special way to cast? I would of thought a low punch may make it slide up better, i dont know though. Sorry i cant help you more.

You only have to watch some of John Wilsons rigs in his TV programmes to agree with this Paul. I saw him use his "shock" rig on an old estate lake and the lead was tied on with a so called "rotten bottom" straight to the mainline. If the rotten bottom didnt snap, they was no way that the lead would discharge from the mainline after a break. He also put on 2 SSG shot about 1 and 2 foot away from the rotten bottom knot on the mainline to act like a backlead. If any of us tackled up like that nowadays we would get shot. Yeah you see him do some right daft stuff. I've got a Liam Dale Dvd here that my dad got me from carboot and im not sure how old it is but i imagine its a few years from looking at the tackle. But on that hes standing up with carp in his arms and carrying them back to the water like it. How they hell can someone like that be allowed to make and sell fishing videos when they havent got a clue. I've seen the same happen at venues still today. If i was a lake owner and seen that they would be off straight away.

I would imagine lots and lots of people still used dangerous rigs back in the day. It's just that the internet and things like that wasnt around then so you never heard about it as much. Also back in the day unhooking mats wasnt used so probably alot of people didnt really realise that their rigs was dangerous. Because if they have the brains to rest a fish on solid ground why would they have the brains to use a safe rig? You only have to watch some Kevin Maddocks videos or simular to see what i mean. Also there are alot more rig parts like you say now and alot of people dont know what to do with them.

I've got one but its never got any credit on it lol

If it was my lake i would ask to see at least 1 rig on their rods. Alot of the time its people with all the gear that dont have a clue. When i was younger i used to think, look at all his posh gear he must be good. But now i realise i dont matter what gear you have got, if you cant put a rig on the end correctly all that posh gear is no good to you. I would also imagine that most of those rigs are from instant carpers. If they took the time to start fishing with a float rod instead of jumping in at the deep end they might learn more from their fishing.

I dont do it just for the blowback style i only really do it so it keeps the hair coming off the bend but without the extra weight of tubing.

I dont use tubing i tie a knot in the hair but tie it to the shank of the hook at the same time. This creates sort of a blowback rig and when i catch a fish the knot it pushed up against the knotless knot. All i do then is gently ease it lose with my baiting needle and then slide knot back down shank.

I've fished with it on its own with a zig and caught and also fished it popped up about an inch over a bed of particles. Never just cast a piece out on its own without freebies but people have caught like that.