hopefull

Coated braid?

I seem to remember a very well respected member on here using pheasant feeders to keep his spots topped up on a lake. Damn good idea. As for the lake, give it a go mate, you never know! Just don't go alone...

The best way I've found to fish with worms is to hair-rig about 30-40 worms on a long hair with a small poly-ball in the middle of the bunch. Use a small bit of flat foam & a pellet-peg to hold them on. Simples.

Rushes is a beautiful place; relaxation personified. My catch report is here , but I'd like to say that Kim & Ian offer a truly blissfull fishing experience. It's not just about the carp though, with meals on the dam wall a real social experience that reminds you why it's important to have good times with friends. Plus I came back a stone heavier

I can think of a couple of marinas in the Midlands that are worth a crack. However, as Ian stated, some of them are off-limits to non-residents (well, kinda ... )

I think the length of the hooklink itself has more to do with hooking ability over particles, especially with regard to straightening and setting the hook against the lead. I keep my hairs the same length, normally around a 2cm separation of bait and hook, but I shorten the hooklinks themselves down from about 9-10" for a boilie approach to 4-5" at the most for particles.

As much as I dislike freezing my gonads off, I think a winter/xmas social would be a good idea. I'll get the vat of mulled wine bubbling up then

Thermals? You wuss We'll have to have a mini social there Some of us aren't as insulated as others mate :lol: Sounds like a plan to me, I'll be back for Xmas and gagging to get the rods out, there's only so much sea fishing I'll be able to take!

I worked it out for myself, it's not that hard

I do fish there myself, so I think I can offer an opinion I've never booked 2 weeks in advance, it's normally just the night before if I fancy going over. Having 13 lines in the water may go some way to explaining why it wasn't fishing well, I try and go mid-week so it's pretty much only me on there. Considering the size of the water, 13 lines across it isn't the best. With regard to snagging up in the weed, drop-off leads inside solid PVA bags works for me, especially when chucked into gaps in the pads/weed. Guy - I'm tempted when I come back up, time to dig the thermals out for a night I think

Should have used our bottle-rod approach to clear the ice Paul :lol: Guy - I'm still planning on having that lump out of there that I saw, it was too beautiful not to try for it

Exactly my point mate. Just because it's called a specimen water doesn't mean you'll haul out 20's all day long, it just means there's some nice fish in there that are worth having a crack at, even if it takes a while

It's a lovely place, not dirty at all. With regards to the weed, what's wrong with that? It's only natural, and a hell of a good feature (if you know how to fish it ) As for the fish, do these look horrible to you? I hate misinformed posts!!

I'd much rather go to Pool Hall than Shatty, the place is a concrete hell-hole! Combined with being overpriced, stocked with damaged/deformed fish, as well as generally being populated by nutters makes Shatterford worth avoiding in my eyes!

Hope it aint a 20lb 'er A big scaley one?

You only had 5 from the runs water? They virtually jump in your net there The speci lake never used to be weedy, though it's been a long time since i've been there. You fancy a little competition next week Guy? You know i don't compete against friends. Besides, on our last two visits to Pool Hall, i beat you I don't seem to remember those! Apart from my b'day session where mine kept falling off :lol:

You only had 5 from the runs water? They virtually jump in your net there The speci lake never used to be weedy, though it's been a long time since i've been there. You fancy a little competition next week Guy?

Hahahaha, get over it! I've blanked on there for 72hrs-plus before now, 18hrs is nothing. Same with most of carp fishing Unless you blanked on the runs water, then you must be a bit special :lol:

Size 4 Stiff-Rigger with double 18's does the trick nicely

How big is the hook, and how much separation is there between the hook and the boilies? I ended up using double and triple-18s in France to get around the pasties, but with a 25mm separation between hook and bait. That way the bait was getting picked up by the little 'uns but not being taken back fully as it would with a bigger fish. Separating the baits on the hair helped too, with the double-baits next to each other, a 10mm gap then the third boilie, and finally a 25mm gap to the hook.

Bit of sheep-fishing whilst your at it is the way forward, so I've been told....

http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=42451 As for bait, Dynamite's Monster Tiger Nut did me well a few years back on there

I ended up in the cesspit that is Merry Hill, sorry I couldn't come round mate! Edited to add... just because you blanked, why should everyone else avoid it? I'm tempted to go down there now and prove you wrong

I use the 'detective' method when out on bike rides down the cut. Every time I see someone with rods out on alarms, I stop and make some suitably dumb-sounding enquiries about what they are using the 'fancy kit' for and what they expect to catch. Act like a non-angler - get tons of info :lol:

:lol: less of that 'noddy' business! :lol: I've got work later in the afternoon/night, but I'll try and get round on the bike around lunchtime. I'll keep my eyes open for dodgy-coloured line!