kevtaylor

Jack and Max are getting on so well, I really thought Max was too young and crazy at 18 months to have as example to a younger puppy but he's stepped up in so many ways - so proud of him, the gentle giant! 🥰

I can't start this without paying tribute to my beautiful carp dog and best friend of 12 and a half years George. 29th June 2022 I had to make the gut wrenching visit to the vets knowing his little heart was giving up and we would be saying goodbye. Safe to say it ripped my heart out and left me devastated - all fishing trips since have felt forced as I lost the buzz. I cried my eyes out packing for the first trip and broke down, it wasn't the same but I got through it coz fishing is my life and I had my daughters dog Max to soften the blow a little on occasion. Months later and after a few rat encounters at a day ticket water - with them running right over the bivvy and eating a hole in the side I decided I needed a new dog, as this never happened on George's watch. Today I picked up Jack my new carp dog soon to be in training, prob best not to set up near me this coming year! Meet Jack a 13 week old show type Cocker

One last cast - sorry Ali lol

I've got the same but between my shoulder blades so it effects my arms, back and neck. When really quiet I can hear the bone on bone grinding when I turn from side to side. It also traps a nerve and I get pulses and shakes down my left arm. Happy days - just from lifting my son in an awkward position - only heard a little pop then days later the pain was hell, thankfully it seems to get less of a problem each year, your brain has to learn not to stiffen all the muscles up to protect the injury as this just makes it much much worse. That took about 5 years to re-program if you like - now I'm nearing 20 years since the injury, doc says I will need surgery - hopefully he is wrong. I stopped taking meds after a couple of years as they mess with your insides, just have to ignore the pain as much as possible.

Geoff Anderson Teddy Green - expensive but you get what you pay for 👍

You say not this guys fault? Of course it is - he didn't read up on it and in truth should have known better, very sad for the family but you cant blame anyone else.

Thankfully it's not up to you lol I will carry on with the lead clip because as you've pointed out, set up as I do it comes off - always! 👍

A friend of mine walked his dog (a large staffy type) down the local canal in the suburbs of Leicester in the day time, was followed by an otter, thought oh this is nice until it got out onto the tow path and challeged both of them. He had to run away, these things are far removed from the original animal.

and so they should be concerned - on the last 2 syndicate complexes I've fished it was clear that Swans were on the menu, but they're just the easiest for us to see, ground nesting birds are being decimated. If they reintroduced Wolves would Farmers be expected to just accept loss of livestock?

Leigh Steward-Day find him on Facebook, bought my modded boat from him and got good aftercare 👍

I find that kids start off as Tench until they get to double figures then they become low double carp obviously. The joy of putting them in the weigh sling to check growth rates, great memories lol

Congratulations and best wishes

On the banning of leaders and lead clips, again nothing wrong with the products just the inexperienced users of said items. You don't ban cars because of a few terrible drivers, this is the same IMO. My lead always comes off on the take when I want it too, 4-5oz flat pear lead, korda hybrid clips, tail rubber on lightly, its off on the take, which I want on a weedy/snaggy lake. If I want to keep the lead I go for a heli set-up. Even a running setup will tangle and hold onto the lead if there's 20+ yards of coiled line attached still. Pike are a pain for doing this - biting you off at the rod tips, happens on point swims regular.

Cracking fish that - I lost that one - savage battle, well done mate. Got a mate who fishes it once or twice a year and pretty sure he saw it last time down but will check. I found them to be a funny bunch over that side of the road, I got blanked many times just saying hello.

He ran Ecton in partnership for a while, both parties wanted different things so he pulled out from what I remember. Then he got Welly. So you had the broken linear? Banger! I fished it when it had a 40 in before the fence was put up. Banging fish such a shame he was too late.

It seemed pretty expensive that bait, is it worth it?

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?

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