kevtaylor

So you're not banned then just couldn't pay on time. Amazing what the latest feed has done for the fish, even the old non growers have suddenly piled on the weight 👀 The Zip has gone from 29 to 37 after not growing for 10 odd years that I know of - amazing turn around. I fished it 5 years too early, now got 5 or more 50's that I've caught at lower weights.

So why did he ban you - I don't get it?

I assume you've been barred from Welly then?

Prob coincidence, I'm taking it as a sign that I'm thinking along the right lines in terms of picking the key areas for the different times of year and patrol routes etc I've now decided on a new little area nearby that will be left alone whilst continuing with the original zones - I'll just have to get there first next time or drop into my new hidey hole. 👀

A week of fishing with many ups and downs starting on the syndi then onto a day ticket. 7 nights fishing in total and only 36 hours where a bite seemed on the cards. Thankfully I made the most of that short period and had 5 out all doubles and 20s - no whacker but I really enjoyed the last 2 blank nights coz I was on the big fish buzz by that time and can't wait to have another go. New plans made for the syndi after finding the bailliff and his mate fishing my prebaited zones - here we go again - syndi life!

I recently did a day session on the river lure fishing for perch - managed to forget my net of all things, I obviously had my biggest Perch by a long way 2-3lb, had my left hand under it when the hook pulled and it slid slowly out of my hand - I nearly dived in after it - gutted! 🤣

Bivvy pegs - not really you need to get the rim of the net a good 1-2 feet above the water or they can easily jump free, net station or sticks it doesn't matter but you don't want your prized capture escaping early. I've lost a coupe of decent fish and the nets were fairly high.

You need 2 long bank sticks - stick them in the 2 net corners - simple as that. I've got a type of net station but don't use it just get the sticks out, seems like another answer to a problem that doesn't exist tbh

I weigh most fish unless very small, I'm nearly always on a venue where a new PB is possible so scales stay in the rucksack. As I'm also after a PB perch I carry a lightweight but good Avon scale for that. The venue owner wants to know how stockies are growing so appreciates being sent pics and weights. I think some are kind of giving the impression that it's cool to not weigh anything below a possible PB but for me I want to catch a carp at every pound interval between 1 and my pb and I have 2 weights to go so I will continue weighing for the foreseeable. If I'm luck enough to beat my PB considerably then there will be even more gaps to fill hopefully, I like to have targets of sorts.

ESP hooklink, Korda hooks and rig bits, Fox Fluorocarbon, Gardner line - there may be a couple more but that's pretty much all I use at the mo

My lad moved to a City school at 14 1st phonecall was that he had a knife held to his throat in the lunch hall - police involved, next call he's been beaten up badly, 3rd and final call he's been beaten badly again but eventually lost his cool and bombed the bully out. Thankfully it ended there, god knows what made him so determined to go back every day - scared us to death.

Love that mate 🤣

You're not anti social - that was just bad etiquette! There's always one. I think it says a great deal how people close their car doors when they arrive - the slammers just don't get it- so you know straight away - noddy! Sorry but its true, announce your presence straight away zero hunter instint or understanding. Likely to be followed by noisy setting up - casting everywhere, leaving engine running behind you and talking too loud. A group of good anglers can have a social and still not annoy anyone else.

To me it means fishing with a good friend. Most of my fishing is solo - so it's nice to get out with friends who I don't spend enough time with nowadays.

Just the size of the egg matters in this case - as we are talking about getting the mix bang on - so just having a smaller egg than usual could be enough to effect your binding properties, the margins are fine IMO

Hi mate, I've not rolled bait for years but reading your first line it struck me that if they split within the bait maker ( or on the rolling table as I used back in the day), they were too dry. Obviously I'm guessing but I think you may have the problem the wrong way round?

Thanks mate - so much to do so little time lol 👍

Got down the syndi late weds again couldn't get in the swim I wanted but he was going the next day so I plotted up on the other side with a mind to moving in once he'd gone. I chucked 2 singles out and crashed out. Midnight the usual fish crashing out just outside the main snags in my bay, they were off on the feed somewhere! No more activity near me from then onwards and nothing in front of the swim I'm wanting, a change of plan. By mid morning I'm packed away and have my bucket in a swim down the other end. I walk the dog along the river looking for perch spots for my drop shotting and find some nice chubb. Walking past another lake one launches out in the middle and I go for a look from a central point, lots of fizzing going on close around this point so the plan changes there and then, I go get the car and barrow round to save the swim. After a quick lead around I chose underarm range for all 3 and catapulted 1.5k of boilies around the area. After lunch a few hours perching on the river but frustration as I only found one and he spat the hook 3 times! Also a nibble from one of two good chubb but I was too slow aaagh! Back to the lake and I get the rods out for early evening and soon after one crashes right over the right rod - I think I'm hauling tonight and have early dinner - in bed for 9 expecting action. 12pm the left rod signals, I run out and strike at a liner, great, de-weed the line and cast it back out. Dawn comes and goes, very little going on just a couple crashing in a margin far away and I think I've totally overdone the bait - I start making the last tea. The right rod is away at 10am just after I saw the first patches of fizz over the area. It quickly weeds up so I put the waders on and go out to meet it, the weed starts coming and the fish is right on top 3 yards behind, I snook the net under him and it was game over. My prize a 25+ Old Nene Valley Common, most likely from the river originally Chuffed with that, one from each lake now- onto the river!

What I can only describe as a weird session, got up at 4.30 to get down the syndicate lake for first light loaded the car and ready - can't find the car keys, spent ages faffing about before I'm finally on the road. Halfway there road closure - this is going well!!! I get there for 6.30 walk round someones in the swim I wanted and his mat is wet. Walk round the lake then go walk round the big lake. Another lap of the target lake he's had another - I'm kicking myself for not getting there the night before maybe beating him to it. I identify 3 other areas where I see bubbling - and I'm reasonably happy to come back later and have a go. I decide to proceed with plan A back to the car for food then a few hours drop-shotting on the river. Food done I get the rod and net - no lure bag GREAT, now I don't know what I'm doing and within minutes I'm driving out the gates and heading home in a huff. The long track gives me time to re-think, I drive to Bluebell for a walk round and gather my thoughts. Walking past the last lake I see lots of bubbling in a corner- there and then I decide to buy a ticket and fish for them. 2 rods out with the baiting pole nice and quiet and by mid afternoon I'm having a sleep - rudely awoken by a take from the pads at 4pm - a ghosty looking 23lb and ounces common. Surprisingly nothing through the night although they were showing a little further down the lake like crazy. Waking up at dawn I moved the right rod from the marginal tree to areas of fizzing and within 20 mins its away - feels good but unfortunately fell off after a minute or so - gutted. I got the rod back out but it was quickly evident that the activity was firmly over and the rods came back in. Back home after one night - happy to have caught felt jinxed from the off. Back on the syndi weds night to Friday so I hope to have my time then - fingers crossed.

Hell yeah, I'm all about enjoyment, fishing is a treat and I like to eat and drink well, a tiny stove and food bag is as essential. I take a flask on the boats but its nowhere near as good and neither is cold sandwiches tbh Tony the Bluebell owner wrote that good hot food and drink and being warm make you fish more effectively and I've always thought he is dead right.

You can use any stove inside the bivvy mate it warms everything up - key is to leave lots of ventilation, maybe letter box the door, people do use bivvy heaters - I borrowed my mates it was ace putting it on to warm your hands back up after a fish or something but the dangers are obvious, don't leave unattended, well ventilated and don't fall asleep with anything on. There is a candle and tin style heater that will make a significant difference. I generally don't bother but there are options. I use gas - has to be a propane/butane mix for winter and in the morning it still will be a bit poor with a low flame - which is why people put them in their sleeping bags as mentioned. I found my mates antics with his Coleman a bit scary, - he put me right off lol But in the right hands I'm sure they work perfectly. If you mean will the bites be morning/evening? December and beyond I've found late morning through to late afternoon to be the time on a few venues I can think of. Autumn seems more evening and early morning - but everywhere has the potential to be completely different. December I also had spells of bites again between 11pm and 1am so 2 feeding windows then nothing until 11 the next morning. On a lake we fished years back from Dec onwards we wouldn't have to get there until 10am - bites were generally from 2pm until 4pm then we went home - doing nights was almost pointless.

That's the thing buddy walking along the river and being out all day like you do you absolutely need dry and warm clothing to put on as and when you need it, being out in the boats you cant just say oh I'm cold and wet and not enjoying it very much can we go home? NO you've paid quite a lot to do this activity - make the most of it. I also saw the advantage for my carping, I can be out looking, baiting up, moving swims in all weathers whilst almost everyone else is tucked up inside bivvies. Money well spent IMO

OK as you've said that maybe check this company out 'Geoff Anderson', fishing clothing made purposely for fishing in the cold - pricey but this is top end gear, you get what you pay for - absolutely no regrets buying this gear I am having more when I've saved up. 👍

Worth a look at the lightweight boot too, I use those also, you can actually walk round in them, not as much sweat going on. Game changer/life saver for me was a heated gilet from Amazon - battery powered, I bought it purely for my winter boat predator fishing on Rutland and Grafham which can be a bit extreme at times, I take it winter carping and use it without the battery just for a nice extra layer.