kevtaylor

Bought a boat and pole during lockdown, had to do something! Anyway since used both and both have caught me fish, generally it's been the stealth that has been the successful element, measuring to areas of fizzing going on, then dropping a rig right on it once the fish have moved away. Those spots did loads of bites, especially in December when less active, and the quieter recast maybe sped up the next take. The pole is useful in the same way but more of a pain doing it, still a good tool though. Vast majority of the time I find my spots through observation first, then casting, first choice is still to cast the rigs and spod, however the tools are a decent alternative or addition to the casting and spodding. I've used the boat attached to the spod line just to bait up several times, that's an edge IMO. I spoke to a guy with the all signing all dancing boat, he explained that he was using the drop down camera to find little dinner plate sized holes in the weed and dropping the rigs on those, then checking the rig and amount of bait eaten the following day etc. Sounded mega but he hadn't caught anything in the 50 nights he had done on the lake to that point. To me this proves that it's just a tool, without the observation, watercraft, basic fishing skills it still will not help you catch fish. I see people blindly using boats a lot, no checking of drops, pulling back for snags etc nothing, even with sonar I have to check the drop manually, and I don't trust autopliot and spot saving completely either and still clip up the rods and have far back markers, nothing much changes tbh you have to be able to carry on effectively even if the boat stops working at the end of the day. Sonar has been really interesting on some lakes and has shown me features that I didn't know about, however on other lakes I've found the readout totally confusing, making it appear far weedier than it really was, areas that looked solid weed top to bottom were in fact fishable, I could get drops where I wanted them, very weird and misleading at times, although I'm sure that's rare, lots of suspended matter. At the end of the day casting gives me clear, instant and understandable info so it's first choice still.

Looks really good that, give us an update after some use. I've also looked at the Anker ones but so expensive, but it's a great make so I imagine they will be reliable.

Chris recently said they try to get in every night. It's a full time job keeping them out. Seen them on one of my current waters and the fishing has not been the same this year unless its me but seeing tail damage on fish in snags and a fish has been found by another angler 👎

I'm in - we'll make stuff noone needs - sorry Ali you've got new competition! 👍🤣

Not been seen for a good while, got a mate on there who's switched on and he's not seen it either so doesn't look great. the 43 went many years ago, went missing just before the fences went up same as the big common next door. I had the 43, cracking fish such a shame would have gone onto being 50+ easy.

BB's Naturals Range bivvy pegs - how much you knocking them out for, I might invest - looks carpy!

Think I paid about 230 for the Atom, I see the price has gone up since

Powapacks Atom - got the USB-C several USB's - 2 being fast charge and the 3 pin plug socket. Use mine to charge everything fishing related: baitboat, bivvy light, head torch, phone. I've dropped my Atom several times from kitchen surface height and it's not broken so it's decent. 👍

What difference is there from Steve Renyard's Bungy Boom that's been around forever, does the same thing - yet it resets and wouldn't snag on things? There have been other designs and all have been banned for whatever reason. The twig looks to be a snagging point for weed, snags and the net. I bet he's crying more now than when he thought it was going to be the one. But it's not! I saw one of the Nash lads tying elastic to the bottom end of a zig line, so it's hardly a new idea, and the guys original design was exactly the same -a bit of elastic tied into the rig, supported by proper braid for when the elastic snaps. To say it's a disappointment after hearing all the hype is an understatement!

I honestly think the bottom where your fishing could be like soup, what I mean is light silt sitting in a gulley, your lead hits the bottom through it but your pop-up or balanced wafter which I assume you're using is sitting up in the soup, fish are feeding beneath your baits, hence the suggestion that you try a heavy bottom bait. I'm dead sure I've had this happen to me and a heavy bottom bait is the only thing I didn't try, your above them, carp bury their heads deep in soft silt to feed. Give it a try fella, could be the answer, or a very heavy bag, 4oz lead or more - not much bait 👍

Heavy bottom baits might work

You can watch Mark Pitchers do a river challenge on the Nene if not already

They were in there 30 years back when my mate used to take me near to Oundle, lots of otters about so it's good to hear they are holding on strong. I'll be doing a bit further South near Wellingborough when I can pull myself away from the lakes, by all accounts there are some there to target. 😎👍

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.