kevtaylor

trakker1 - can you please PM contact details for the MAL ticket. Theres a lake I'm interested in on it. Bet Tony doesn't know about that either?

Bluebell runs a good section there. Also a couple of sections listed in the club waters link on here: http://www.fishinginnorthamptonshire.co.uk/clubwaters.html I wouldnt get too hung up on a particular section as the whole river is amazing and full of carp - I can get some details off my mate if you want coz he knows it like the back of his hand, also coops will put you straight! The Wellingborough and District AC card would be a good one to go for

will be inserted somewhere nasty if you dont tell us!

Is this a claw rig nick - the same as I always use? I can only think that you've got a balanced snowman with half pop-up (facing down) and a tube shaped bottom bait threaded onto the hair lengthways. You've done me TBH! I could see what I've come up with as being harder to blowback- but I'm sure your idea is probably nothig like what I'm imagining - look forward to your return

Dont appologise mate - the rolling the eyes thing gets on my nerves too, its patronising and something you wouldnt do in person!

Is it not Irchester Carp Syndicate? Surely the local tackle shops will know - have you rang them? One of the guys on here is local and probably knows!

Personnaly I think its the longshank nailer often used with the 360 thats the problem. My mate uses it for big fish on big fish only waters and has no probs, another mate caught a double on the same hook and was horrified at the damage - he said it was like it had been done with a tin opener, a massive cut in its mouth. I dont think its got anything to do with the 360 set-up, just certain hooks and small fish with soft mouths?

Hi - which lake are you looking to fish? Might be able to help out. Hoping to go myself fairly soon fingers crossed, not been since Sept 07 There is some general info on here if you search. Also some good stuff on their forum, some stuff is getting answered now but older threads have lots of details. Cant see Creature on the list this year, that could be interesting when it does make an appearance - oh please let it be me !!! Yeah righto

My mates had carp to 48 on 8lb line used for his surface hooklink, so its strong enough. Maybe the rigs were old or sun damaged and weakened as a result? Tie your own mate if you dont already

Ditchford - Happy Days! The small lake was like features galore, everyone had their own little section - superb! The big lake well that seemed to hold a few lumps, I wish I'd have seriously carp fished these pits while I had the chance - but I was just winter piking. The Wellingborough ticket used to have a small pit on it over the road from Barnwell, whats that one called? Was told at the time that it was weed choked but contained a small number of large fish. I reckon in a couple of years I'll be fishing down your way week in week out.

It was the Bluebell Lakes stretch, thats if the program had Steve Broad in it? The program thanked the complex in the end titles. Unless that was another carp series. Good stretch anyhow, runs behind the bluebell lodge towards Fotheringhay. Dont think they controlled it or allowed fishing on it until a couple of years ago? Same as they didnt allow fishing on ARC (Mallard) coz of potential complaints by villagers. Now the complex is fully established they opened up the water nearer the village. Could be wrong but thats how I remember it

Well I've seen some crackers whilst piking cruizing up n down just under the surface. Never fished it for them though so cant help lol! Location is probably all you need worry about coz their so mobile. We fished areas with overflows into pools with pads that they are said to spawn in - it was a lovely setting. Good luck! What a cracking river

Because if used with a heavy lead they also give added benefits that you'll know all about. I'll get back in my cave!

Of course you can - have a bead and swivel under the float and tie a weak bottom link and bomb to it. i can't see much point in abandoning leads at a £1 a chuck Generally with that stance on not wanting to loose your precious lead, I hope you dont fish weedy or snaggy waters coz your not putting the fish first. This is the attitude that gets fish tethered coz the sleeve on a safety clip has been pushed on too tight or even glued on. Change your mentality its a £1 lead for crist sake, if I asked you for a quid in exchange for a decent carp you'd accept no trouble. Until you've started ditching leads you'll never know how much difference it makes when playing and landing carp. I fish a safety clip set-up and have so far this year lost about 20 odd leads for 17 fish - but havn't lost any fish due to weed or snags and trust me if I would have kept the lead on I'm not sure I would have landed a few of those, a tiny price to pay IMO.

Of course you can - have a bead and swivel under the float and tie a weak bottom link and bomb to it.

It holds the bait in place if theres a slight breeze - no constant re-casting! No good for windy conditions though IMO but surely if there is a slight breeze, the free offerings are going to drift away, making the static hookbait more obvoius to taking carp? surely if the free offerings are moving on the breeze, it would appear more natural to allow the hookbait to do the same? Yeah your right - I didnt say I was a fan of the set-up I already said I prefer a controller. IMO beechcaster is only good when its flat calm and if the controller is spooking them. Was just trying to point out that it works without stops :roll:

Unlike others I dont see a need for a stop knot at all, I find that the link stops sliding once the bait touches the surface. Just decrease the line angle! Totally safe - totally free-running. Saw a guy whos mate had devised a disc and swivel for the looklink, the wind caught the disc and held the hooklink back on the cast - looked very good. You also dont need a float in shallow water or if casting onto the far bank - just make sure you use a weak breakaway link to the lead. I still prefer a controller float set-up - but if they are spooking from it the beachcaster is a good alternative. The stop knot is put on in such a way as that when the rig hits the water it pushes the rig over it but the tag ends stop it from going back over the knot towards the float ,the disc idea was to aid this either through the air or by creating more pressure when hitting the water to force it over the stop knot ,if the hooklenght is totally free running it would make it almost impossible to keep the hooklength off the water which is what the beachcaster rig is all about ,if fished correctly the bait should be on the surface but not any of the hooklenght . I can assure you that we can get the rig to sit perfectly out of the water with the bait on the surface without the use of a stop of any kind. Thats me and my mate using a standard set-up and the guy and his mate using their disc. I really think its down to line angle, maybe you only need a stop if the angle is steep, shallow it a bit and the stop isnt required. Thats just our findings it probably wouldnt work for others for whatever reason. The stop clearly isnt a requirement for all - for we can achieve whats impossible in your eyes Oh and the disc is definately for holding the rig back on the cast, so you dont have to cast so high to get the separation.

It holds the bait in place if theres a slight breeze - no constant re-casting! No good for windy conditions though IMO

Unlike others I dont see a need for a stop knot at all, I find that the link stops sliding once the bait touches the surface. Just decrease the line angle! Totally safe - totally free-running. Saw a guy whos mate had devised a disc and swivel for the looklink, the wind caught the disc and held the hooklink back on the cast - looked very good. You also dont need a float in shallow water or if casting onto the far bank - just make sure you use a weak breakaway link to the lead. I still prefer a controller float set-up - but if they are spooking from it the beachcaster is a good alternative.

Ah right get you now. I use a coated braid most of the time so it pushes the hook away from the lead once the pvas dissolved. Whatever type of hooklink get some putty on it so you dont worry about it sitting up off the bottom.

Fair enough we all have concerns about stuff but you can easily test its strength by pushing something through the finished loop and pulling hard on it. Once you've made a few you wont look back. The bulk spool of esp stuff is very good it seems to blend with everything very well tbh and is supple and the lead itself doesnt fragment and come out the side as it does with other brands. You might get through a few splicing needles whilst learning - just be patient with it and you find a technique to pulling it through itself.

Blimey your throwing money away mate it couldn't be easier to do it yourself. It also makes it more interesting doing everything yourself

I wouldn't use it if the fish are visible and having it (i.e stalking) coz it'll spook them away.

Do you mean pva nuggets? If you do most of your post makes no sense to me. Improve it why? does it not come off? Stiff links? whats that got to do with it? Think I must have got it wrong - the only foam I use is occasionally used as a bait.

Spoil sport