kevtaylor

Bought some stuff over the past few months mostly for my summer trip next year. Wychwood drogue clamps - these rachet clamps are to hold the rolled up net against the boat on the return journey from a boat battle - these are the ones I'm assured. 25 x 6oz leads 3 x Large Fox H Blocks, 3 x 8oz leads 3 x Jag Rod Lockers - after last time 😀 1 x 15inch and 1 x 26 inch banksticks - making that a set of 3 of each I've got for fishing singles with the tips up so you can boat under the lines. Bought a Solar 3 rod sleeve for my spare rods as my son will be using those, sent that back and bought a second Cotswold 3 rod sling instead. Korda UV shirt for my son (Xmas) Ridgemonkey Bivvy light, I'll keep the new one, my son can borrow the old one. New one doesn't come with a case - disappointing. Bivvy light case lol Head Torch case - coz I never got one for that either!!! 4 x cheap banksticks for night lights and video camera (night shots) 6 x Gardener line clips - these are a bargain £5.49 for 3, replacing all 6 of my Delkim clips which are getting annoying as the line doesn't want to come out with a few of them when you have a fish on. Oh and an Aviator net to go with my Torrix one and 2 new deep meshes. Going to buy an outboard and leisure battery but not rushing that as batteries degrade anyway and new better stuff might come out in the meantime. I have said several times over the past couple of years, I'm done - what else could I possibly NEED? yet there's plenty it seems.

That sounds very very nice, freedom and if you can fish the stream a perfect escape! I've not felt the vibe since coming back from Belgium and my daughter's moved back in so it's been busy too, but reading your post makes me want to have a few hours lure fishing on our stream running through the syndi maybe Sunday morning. Got a weekend job come up that'll last right through winter if I don't pull my finger out - the target now is 5 nights at Bluebell in Dec if I can get finished in time.

It doesn't always pan out no, however the biggest hits of fish I've experienced myself or witnessed for others were all on super low pressure systems, I only really get excited if it's proper low like 970's then it is ON no doubt. Slightly low pressure like 990's 1000 - nothing special IMO I can miss those sessions coz I know it's not gonna do anything or much at all - super lows are rare like a couple a year maybe - don't miss those 👍

This is why you invest in good waterproofs and warm layers, fishing is always about weather conditions - low pressure systems are the one, if I could be out now I would be. Further to Yonny's observation on his pond fish, my Dec trip to Bluebell Lakes last year coincided with low pressure stormy conditions, 30 odd fish came out Kingy in 36 hours and my mate rang to say 'it's on' coz my pond fish are crazy active.

Been a long time since I've kept koi but if my memory serves me correctly gin rin refers to the sparkle look you get on some of the scales - the best type looking like cracked glass which is permanent. To me you've got a gin rin ogan, all types e.g showa etc can be gin rin, if the sparkle is there.

You go off places - sometimes unexpectedly it happens, I do agree with Yonny though in that you've got the ticket and there are whackers, it's a great time of year now right into Dec. You've paid the money why not commit to having a good bash if you're not renewing, nothing more rewarding/inspiring than seeing the broad back of a monster in your net! All it takes is seeing one patch of bubbles at dawn and you might have unlocked the autumn feed-up area and a hit could be on!

Week in Belgium for the first time, trip was everything I'd hoped for and more - lake to ourselves 2 anglers 6 acres, paid more but wouldn't add another angler tbh Epic week, tough fishing but so interesting, acting on sightings as usual, spreading the rods far and wide obvs to the point where I was quiver tipping from the pod in both directions at one point lol. This kicked me hard after a bleep in the early hours suddenly turned into a rod flying through the air into the pond as the clutches were too tight. 3 boats trips later after much panicking I picked up the line, got the rod and landed the fish unbelievably. Several boat battles each, quality fish averaging mid 30s, great company, many laughs, team work - learning on the job in boats it was mega in truth, didn't want it to end. By the end of the week we had a well established pattern of only ever catching on a spot on the first night/dawn, no spot did another bite after a fish came off it, so if you weren't moving spots you weren't catching end of. On the last night we predicted that we could both reel in 2 rods and only leave the new one out and obvs it was true - one take each that night on the new spots - pretty mad really. We caught by far the most on the complex and laughed the loudest I reckon. My 'GET IN' when the rod was back in my hand must have woke the complex lol 8 fish for me from 26.8 to 42, my mate 6 from 29 to 44.12 I had all mirrors which is perfect - he had mostly commons again, interestingly he caught mostly commons last trip I didnt and same on a syndi water. Only difference I've noticed he uses a yellow topper, I don't. My second biggest fish's pic wasn't focussed unfortunately, I didnt show him half pressing - usually give him the remote- cant go wrong with that but thankfully re-mastering it made it semi useable so sorry about that. Ian again, thanks for the camera tips etc, got my best night takes ever of mateys big commons and enjoying using my remote - should always do it tbh my self takes are always my favourite pics of the trip. 🤦 I've had worse tbh another mate chops your head off lol Carp Arena, Lilly Pool - drive and survive, small supplies shop, bbq area with fridges, freezers, drinks, chocs and water. Flushing toilets near clean warm showers, bio toilets elsewhere, saw dust is amazing no smells and emptied every 3 days. We didn't get bothered once which we loved, others who blanked on other pits moaned about just about everything so it's not a complex for everyone I guess. Looking to re-book the lake and possibly have a go on Clover Lake 😎🇧🇪

Like Ian I've tried making snail baits from real shell and canned snail meat, looked mega but a waste of time in the end. The fake one's again look great but try reeling them in and you have a spinning propellor so your rig whether zig or bottom fished will be ruined every time it is brought back in. My next approach to this will be the black NS1 pop-ups that I've bought, looks snail enough in my mind 🤷‍♂️

A LOT of very good kit sells second hand I'm told, I wouldn't exclude that route for some bulky items, some guys don't even use it then sell half price it's a bit mad really!

I would always go for a system whether brolley or bivvy style, the front always has mozzy mesh for summer nights and full front cover for wet and cold trips. I dont want the trip ruined because my shelter is limited I guess - and obviously you can remove it completely if you want it open.

I couldn't do this I need a proper bed, the SP Tech is so good for my back I use it at home if I'm struggling. When I did single nights on Welly the bed was so bad I wouldn't have been able to do the second night anyway.

I did a couple of hours on the local river, so overgrown so few swims but had 3 perch on small crayfish lures ned rig style. Thought it was gonna be a bit too warm to fish slow but it worked anyway From what I'm hearing the new Rapala soft baits are a bit special, apparently the fish like the salt content and hang on. 👍 Mates just had a 30 and 29 out of Rutland on them.

Final tally of photograph worthy fish 110 roughly inc 5 x 60's, lots of 50's and 40s - think he's done there now. Several will have blanked, it's become very swimmy, he slowed down second week didn't fish for 24 hours after someone took the mick and wound him up.

This is the one that comes straight to mind, it was proof beyond doubt - he showed them alright!

Agreed although I only really use 3inch pop-ups in spring and catch all sizes because it's spring, it's been proven over and over and on film that the whackers cannot tell it's off the deck so it singles them out. I should fish them more tbh 👍