jemsue5

Kim/ Iain regarding the catfish pro hooks circle hooks i only used these when fishing the lives where hooking the carp isnt going to be a possiblity. The size i was using were the 1,0s which to be honest aren't that much bigger than some carp hooks i've seen in the past. I do fully agree with you that they shouldn't be used for pellet rigs and i have in the past posted on here that in my opinion circle or even longshank nailor patterns are a dangerous hook when used for carp fishing. Catfish pro do also do a nice size 2 boiliee/pellet hook that might be more suitable for the job basically its a heavy wire widegape type pattern. Jez PS. the livebait rigs do 99.9% of the time hook up in the scissors on the cats causing very little damage due to their hard pads/mouths (also very good for pike where lots less damage than a pair of trebles) but agreed not a hook for baits where carp are a possiblity.

Heli rigs for me are a no no when snag fishing for me i only use free running rigs if i do find myself in that situation. I still think tight lines are a no no on chods and i'm happy with my results on them (11 fish last weekend). Beanz, i see what you are saying about the weak link but i still feel the short hooklink will travel up and off the mainline ok. I also am fishing a snag free water at the moment and i feel i would be most unlucky to suffer a crack off infact i cant remember the last one. I dont use LC so i dont need to worry about that getting tangled of cauught up on snags etc. I can see your point though and if my water changed my rigs would also change to suit.

I hate backleads more than my ex mrs and i really dont like her

i worry though that if i crack off or get cut off, that the weak link will go before the hook link leaves the leader....if thats LC i dont see how(without the leads weight) it can get dumped.... i fear it may make it half way, but then would the two ends twist around and never get free??? scary thought I dont use a leader or leadcore though. But if you are using a chod and you get cut off/crackoff surely you are set up that the hooklink just pulls off over the leader.

I always fish it on a mega slack line and takes are usually flyers. I usually have it set that the rig is set to fish about 30" up from the lead over most bottoms. If fishing over deeper weed or really messy bottoms i might fish it 60" up from the lead. To me it just suits slack lines and i never have good results on tight lines but saying that i never fish tight lines anymore unless snag fishing. The chods just suit the way i fish at the moment, no marker rods no spod rods just find a bit of bubbling etc and quietly put a bait on to them.

Fish the lead on a 12" weak link

Here's a little something for you to think about when setting up a chod/silt rig. Get a piece of line or leadcore and fix you lead on the end. now stick said piece of line an inch up from the lead in to your mouth bite down on it and shake your head. Now obviously you will get whacked around the face but at the same time you will realise that it would be easy for mr carp to use the lead to help it get rid of the hook during the fight. Now get the line 12" up from the lead and do the same thing, the lead hardly moves about and it is a lot harder to use the weight of the lead to help get rid of the hook. I now have my bottom bead at least 12" from the lead when using the chod and hookpulls are pretty well a thing of the past for me while using the rig.

I was going to go down the livebait road again for the cats but i dont think i can be bothered with the time spent catching the lives so i will also be using the pellets. Have a look at the dynamite baits new 30mm cat pellets the bloodied eel absolutely reek.

5 weeks friday and counting, you going in on the cell?

Mat's looking forward to the surface fishing. His best was 8 good 20s in an afternoon.

The only Leighton pool i know that was having work done on it is at Codsall not leighton buzzard.

They suck it in they spit it out and if we are lucky the hook occasionally catches hold

Never heard of any carp from there but its a stunning pike and eel water. I would expect any carp to be livebaits from many years ago.

Just fish a slack line to keep your line down. Backleads are a accident waiting to happen in regards to losing a fish. To me a totally not required piece of tackle.

come on do tell, i kind of hope it was 20+

I used to fish Dothill on and off about 20 years ago. Best carp we had back in those days were big doubles and to be honest i've never heard of a 20 out of there not to say their isn't any though. I would just fish a simple running rig with any half decent bait as it's not exactly a presurred water.

Yep it's a Rushes fish

Your out after me, its not just the evening and nights they will hit the lives anytime during the day as well although the surface activity is greater at night. You can hear them striking at the surface right through the night.

If you can catch a few of the livebait size carp which might be hard work you need to fish them on a dumbell rig with bait about 12" under the surface. Ive had a few out of rushes this way and i do know some 50+ have also been caught on the rig while i have been there. By using lives you are at least targeting the cats and not also the carp which will take a lot of so called cat baits such as meat, squid, worms, pellets etc. You will catch them on the boilie and pellet but the takes on lives are something else. Just make sure you are using proper gear for them, i advise catfish pro hooks and 40lb big game leader line for hooklinks on the lives, this is seriously abrasion resistant and keeps tangles to a minimum. Braids are a no no on the lives due to tangles. PS. Steve when are you going as i'm also on during August

The main lake is a tench water with no known carp. Their are a few in the two smaller waters Brim and Seggy but nothing of any size. Mate of mine is the club Secretary but there is a very long waiting list at the moment. http://www.kinverfreelinersac.com/

Snell or Domhoff knot is the way to go, like Doug says only twice through the eye. Personally seeing as the hook is sitting below the bait i like to use a bigger hook and very rarely go below a 5 or a six. Had nearly 50 fish in the last few weeks with most of them being mid double size all on size 6s with 15mm pop ups.

Loads of fish in there, quite a few carp now.

Blimey Liam you dragging up the old threads here

What you trying to say lol

You wont weaken the hook you are only sharpening the point upto the barb at most. The strength of the hook is in the bend, if the hook penetrates past the barb which it should do easier with a sharpened hook it should never open up.