kevtaylor

My Shimmy LC's are un-breakable, with a brilliant clutch and could tow a boat. Proper big fish reels 👍

Yes a round metal line clip is deffo much better than a plastic clip, If you haven't brought the reels yet, I'd go Shimano- IMO the best there is I would not buy a reel with plastic clips, been there done that - they are absolutely rubbish.

Size 6 for the 12ml, sizes 4 or 6 for the 14ml 👍

Yep I hit 2 on the way down once.

A very successful angler tried to get me on 10ml and 12 mil baits 15 years ago, swore it was a big edge, I didn't listen at the time but I really think I should have. Now I go for 12s or 14s if I need extra distance with the throwing stick. My bait company now do 10s so I will split the next order 10s, 12s, 14s.

I bought loads in different sizes and colours from a so called specialist hookbait company, to say I'm dissatisfied with all of them is an understatement. Falling over after several hours in a few inches of water is NOT the one. I'm pretty gobsmacked I've not slated the company but I'm past shouting about stuff nowadays. In hindsight I should have purchased 1 pot and tested, not trusted the blurb and bought lots - noddy! I guess I've got wafters for days/decades 🤣

I was going to do some time on there, the Lindley bank had parking at that point but they were having to install cameras in car parks because of break-ins and that car park is only available for a small part of the year. I personally saw and reported night poachers and on top you've got otters and a shallow out of bounds where they are sitting targets, biggest usually goes first no doubt. Rumour and legend sells tickets - been there done that mate- I did a good few years (different water) chasing a fish that was ottered and buried long before!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude you're on fire tonight, get him on Dragons Den pronto!!! Whatever you decide I'm in 👍

Lol like it 🤣 Been thinking - they do background prints for fish tanks.......... This time next year Elmo we could be millionaires 👍

I'm the person who cannot identify a swim by the background on a pic, I really thought I'd be good at it but on my last water I didn't have a clue lol People disguise the backgrounds on canal pics and I don't blame them or you in your case - fair play 👍

Keep some plastic ones in the car 👍🤣

It's better if you find some dense foliage behind you, the light bounces back off it and brightens the surroundings. 👍

IMO it wouldn't be as popular as you imagine, it's not that great really, very shallow, all the out of bounds looks really shallow, stocks not good and parking security is a bit dodgy to say the least. With an inlet and outlet it would be difficult/impossible to effectively fence I imagine. I thought it looked banging until I spent a bit of time on there, night poachers the lot - not good, otters are the least of it's problems.

I've seen one dead on the main Leicester Road in Rugby. What a great day that was 🙂

Yeah they are a copy of the Rhino light by the look of it - ideal for the job 👍

From the limited amount of info I've seen you want 2 lights pointing across the subject, one each side. 👍

Bivvy lights like the Ridgemonkey are no good if that's what you are referring to? they are not adjustable for brightness. Better than nothing granted.

This was using my phone, no flash and 2 Rhino lights on bank sticks

It seems pretty safe to assume that they will be spending most of the time hiding in the most dense areas of weed. Can you locate the most likely areas, study them for signs and come up with an approach to fish where they are spending the majority of their time? If everyone fishes the few clear areas they are likely to dry up on the action front.

A couple of lads had 3 between them off the top on Kingy to 46 I believe on scorching hot Friday afternoon whilst I was setting up - inspiring! Need to refresh my floater skills 👍

Brilliant - well done, effort = reward One thing comes across loud and clear, you enjoyed the active approach and learnt plenty - keep up the good work. 👍

Mechanically the rigs look fine. Maybe the pop-up is a bit blatant when the fish are singles, doubles, twenties. A chod is a good choice for fishing over dense weed, but is it dense weed? were there more sparse areas where you consistently get a good drop but cannot pull back any distance, in this instance you could use a more subtle bottom rig because you're in a gap or channel. Look at the emphasis placed on accuracy, finding the right spot. Take the time to measure and record any nice spots you find or catch from for future reference, it will help you to keep disturbance down in future sessions and inform rig choice. Be wary of how you fish those obvious spots you get in every swim, do you want to be in the middle of it or off to the side inside the chod - for want of a better word. Interrogate the spot - sometimes you want to be on the smoothest part - other times the opposite.

I'm always trying to improve my accuracy and it's been 30+ years and still a long way to go literally. A good friend of mine said that his biggest edge is accurate casting and baiting at 90 yards - doesn't sound a lot by what you hear in videos but in reality it's a massive deal. There's my level of accuracy and then there's his, I think I'm having the best day ever if I have next to no rogue spombs and keep it to a rod length spread at that range, his however is a two foot spread with no rogues- bang on every time. When it comes to fine lines he is a level above me.

Well think about this, if everyone is fishing further out, bait and wait style then you can only expect to catch as many as they do - IF you are doing it as well as them. For me - I'd drop that style completely and go stalking instead. Answers: Yes you use your normal rig but lower it in quietly Bait a few spots and either fish the most likely from the off or wait until one of the spots is being fed on. How long should I fish for - impossible to say, sometimes I fish 8 spots in a day chasing them round other times I'll sit it out in one spot because it has regular visitors. On small lakes you might well see the same groups going round and round all day on the same circuit/route, your job is to make them feed, and feed with enough competition to get a bite. One fish alone may eat all the bait except yours, get more than one interested in feeding and mistakes start to be made. Remember all this is going on out in the lake but you cannot see it - this way you see it happening, can adapt the set-up and learn from it fast enough for you to get a result on the day.

To me this sounds like stalking territory, and nothing will teach you better than watching them feed right in the edge. You get instant feedback and can adapt much quicker because you actually see the reaction to the rig and baiting. One rod, resting on the ground, baitrunner on is all you need, be as quiet as possible, stay back, stay low - a small amount of micro pellet and chops or similar and if you get it right - you'll see plenty and catch regular. Stalking gives you a realistic chance all day, under bushes, near reeds, lillies, undercut banks - bait a few spots in the edge around the pond and check for activity. Honestly - it is the most exciting way to fish and the learning curve is rapid, sometimes I've caught the first fish onto the bait, other times I've waited 6+ hours watching the same group pass over the spot time and time again, looking, then hours later sampling the bait and spooking - before eventually smashing the spot with gusto, competitive feeding and the time to get a run. Very similar to surface fishing. Trouble is people see camping, spodding buckets out and waiting as being the norm, how it's done. Keep day only fishing I say it will give you a different perspective, wider skill set.