kevtaylor

Spot on - Just add an additional 2 foot for the difference in rod length. if still doing 12ft sticks.

I've certainly got great memories from those short sessions where you just have to fish to satisfy the bug, but with the time restraints of work and a young family and travel involved it's very easy not to go. Had my first 30 on a Friday evening session after work and with a 6 year old in tow, actually saw him enter the bay with a huge bow wave heading straight for me, he sunk down before the spot and a few seconds later he was on and heading back out the bay, what a fight and what a great memory. 33.8 Two tone mirror: Then on a crazy early morning Saturday session I managed the biggest fish in the pond. It really was like being rewarded for effort and next to no sleep - pure desire and excitement making short sessions with considerable travel worthwhile - thank you carp gods! Truth is I was there at the best times to spot feeding fish or willing fish and mobile and stealthy enough to capitalise but hey give it to the gods lol Arnie: 36 mirror likely to be Italian bloodline Bit of inspiration to get you out lads 👍

If you can find a decent local venue where you can do a few hours in the evening or a small part of your weekend that can be more than enough - just finding the right place. Also lure fishing down the local canal and river or a spot of float fishing - it's all good. Some of my best fish have come from a Friday evening or early Saturday session - just a few hours stalking in the edge - 5 mins in the right place as they say.

The inner sheet works very well for condensation - never an issue and just leave it in. Bivvy costs half that of a lot of the others and is of very good quality - bargain IMO

I'm getting the Avid HQ Dual Layer 1 man no doubt whatsoever, got the 2 man and several other shelters and brolleys but that's the one IMO for me anyway. 👍

Everything is worth a look mate, might work for you there are plus points no doubt. Overall quality is good.

FX1 Std: For me personally it is way too heavy, I'd have to do a second trip with the barrow and getting it in the car on my own can be a struggle. Size wise my Solar bedchair poles touch the bivvy poles on each side and there is only about 1.5 - 2 feet between the bedchair and bivvy front with the bedchair pushed right back touching the fabric, so internal space is too small - yet it looks big outside. Condensation wetting the bedchair because the bed has to be pushed right back. The 2nd sheet covers a bit of the top and is not effective one bit. Pack down size - it's massive 6 ft plus, over a foot wide and about 6 inches deep. A nut fell off on mine meaning the side bars were un-useable, luckily I spotted it on the patio but had to take the bivvy completely apart on that side to fix it, customer service was good at giving the advice I asked for straight away, cannot fault that. Nice windows, good quality fabric. Door too wide so it sags when letter box style.

Don't like mine for several reasons, apart from as a weird cookhouse I have no use for it, and the 1 man version isn't that tall either. It is for sale lol

have a look at the screen houses that a few of the brands do, Nash and Fox come to mind - they look tall and have a fairly small footprint👍

Expensive overnighter, fell and snapped my spod rod in half whilst prebaiting at the end of the session. Just ordered the same rod as I like it a lot: Tackle Box CF-X Black edition Spod 12ft 4.5lb 50mm.

It works really well used it abroad where Mozzies were a big problem and also the version to spray on the Bivvy itself, stops them gathering around the doorway and mesh panels. No damage to me or the bivvy 👍

https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/insect-repellents

You cannot book onto Rainbow, the only way on is to know someone who already goes and for them to invite you, unless you want to drive down there on the slight chance the owner might actually speak to you and offer you a winter trip. It is that simple.

Zig supplies for my trip back to Trentview later in the year 👍

Yes it's very tempting to go before the closures but I can't see them feeding whilst in limbo but you never know. The bigger fish prob won't even think about it until the little uns have got it done. Could go this weekend potentially but just not sure if worth it. Temps have been very low in the Midlands this week.

Sorry to hear that - just the worst thing, but you gave him a great life and that's all you can do - they don't live long enough 😭

Follow bailliff Trev on Instagram, he does a daily update on swim availability etc. Just part of Sandmartin and Swan closed at the moment as far as I know.

This year has surprised me, really expected late spawning as spring has been cold IMO but here we are. Was at a deep pit last week and even there some of the small carp started having a go - yet night temps were like 4 degrees and day temps weren't very high either, water felt warmer than expected though!

Depends a lot on depth of water as that has a big impact on water volume. I've recently fished 2 x 25+ acre lakes - both holding 1000s of carp. One is an average of 20+feet deep, whereas the other is only about 8 feet deep on average. I would have no concerns about the fish in the deeper lake - the volume is more than twice that of the shallower lake. You will obviously catch much less in your 20 acre - 100 fish lake, BUT the fish will be less stressed, better water quality (the most important thing full stop) and you will learn more and appreciate your successes more than on an easy runs water. My early experiences on a lake of 25+ acres with 35 fish, choked with weed gave me invaluable skills and understanding - a fast track apprenticeship if you like. Go for it!!!

No mate he barks which obvs calls them over for agro at this time of year, much to learn lol

I was re-using cork ball pop-ups, drying them off off home, re-starting the glugging process - they worked fine, I've used the same bait to catch several fish with the thinking that a washed out is better than a fresh one on occasion. For me the key is to know what your pop-ups and wafters achieve in terms of staying popped-up or wafting, many are utter rubbish in home tests.

I've been enjoying quiet banks so far this spring, but May sees an influx of new keen anglers so it will change for a short while. As soon as I can I'm gonna have a crack at the little river on site so that's another great option to get away from the crowds. My first from a river would be epic regardless of size 👍

Not quite a view from the bivvy door but from the swim to the next poke hole, gotta be one of the most carpy paths ever? - would love to see others. 😎