kevtaylor

So proud of my Leicester City team right now - been a nervous wreck for weeks, can finally relax phew! Champions, unreal achievement

Got the medium sized version, used it over xmas break - loaded with just corn, wouldn't open on a short 10 wrap cast and wouldn't open on the 16 wrap spot either. I'd say it opened on 2 out of 10 casts if I was lucky - to say I was annoyed is an understatement. Surely they have had more than enough time to get these things right. Really poor - supposed to open easier with the bigger button but it doesn't. Stick with the Spomb people. Don't like the way it comes back either on the rare occasions that it did open it came back jumping about - not smooth like the spomb, utter rubbish, very disappointed indeed!

Without reading all this stuff, to me it seems pretty obvious that it is due to the typical hook pattern used, when used on a 360 I would imagine that this exaggerates the bad properties of the hook more. Regardless of rig it is known fact that LS Nailers, Fox 5's or whatever version you use can cause nasty damage to the mouths of smaller fish. It is known that they are big fish hooks full stop - that's accepted by most people. I used LS Nailers for years with no problem until I landed a mid double one day, small for the venue - well the mouth and later body damage was shocking - like a can opener ripping through the mouth from side to side in a zig-zag. until it came out, went back in under the throat and continued to rip down the body. Now I will only use the pattern on proper specimen waters, where there are no soft mouthed stockies. Must you see that for yourself before you accept it?

I've got a pack - yes they are pretty sharp but I cannot say that they are any sharper than my other hooks - such as Mugga's, Nailers etc Feel I've been had by hype tbh

Not at all just bad writing on my part

There is a club in Derby 'Pride of Derby' I think. Was talking to a guy once who said the lakes held good numbers of 20's and chance of bigger. Willeslely has the sizes and stock your after - seems a good choice. Get on a club water if you can it's better value and can be more secure. Bluebell Lakes, Tansar - has several lakes, their runs water Mallard is now doing 20's with the odd 30 -that's going to be one hell of a lake with the way it's going - nice fish too.

How far do you want to travel, I'm east mids and might know a few places, how much are you willing to pay for the day or season - there's cheap day tickets from £5.00 to over 30 quid for 24 hours. Also what do you hope to catch in terms of numbers and size? Sorry mate questions not answers lol edit: Willesley sounds like a nice place, might be a good option

Use them always regardless of hooklink material, though I do cut them down by about a third. Anti tangle has to be first issue to sort out

I don't seem to see you mention whether your ditching the lead on the take or not - IMO the most obvious cause for loosing fish at the net.

Bought the Sunngas Alpine stove last year - was a little cheaper than the Trakker one, no complaints - used summer and winter no probs.

Or simply tied on a weak link at the bottom end, also stops the lead getting too close to the fish during battle.

Ditto - good line, was the first line I bought specifically for carping. Bought some recently as it goes - that will be going in a centrepin. Turns green or red depending on the water if I remember right and I think it sinks OK too.

a stiff bristle like material like IQ pushed through the line aligner The theory seems OK but i'm not won over on the prospect of the stiff bristle damaging the fish's mouth once hooked? Is there really any need to be going down the silly named super rig route? unless you have a specific reason to do so?

No it can be tied to a swivel with the coating still on - a palomar knot tightened with a bit of spit.

Day ticket waters are good you can nip to one for a few hours and get some good sport - abolishing them is not the answer IMO. Clubs/syndicates are just as bad, it just depends on who fishes them - some of the day ticket waters I've fished have been by far the cleanist! Littering though is a pet hate of mine - my daughter of 4 was disgusted to see rubish all over a swim on a club lake even though the swim had a bin right behind it "why dont they clean up dad"? - to make matters worse the so called angler did well during his session, but even that didnt make him want to show it any respect. Its got to be up to management and fellow anglers to ban those people for a short time, to think of their actions and for us anglers to set a good example. I take an ashtray with me and binbags they are always in my tackle bag - when I leave a swim I always look back to make sure that nobody would know I've been there!