kevtaylor

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

Oi you beat me to it Are you sure your on about leadcore? Just what are you getting your body parts stuck in?

Cant explain how it works so well - but it does, follow the instructions to the letter and it will be sound. No need for glue - it can also interfere with attaching things loop to loop style, coz it creates a stiff bit - not what you want.

I'd demand my money back if I was you - you cant just add another tenner for nights when you've got a weekend ticket, takes the absolute wee wee! Or just take it on the chin and dont go back, in which case what a waste of money! You'd be better off down Beedles - £10 per 24hr, nice swims and a club house. Maybe not enough fish but its a good learning water. Hell anywheres better than being fleeced by an ignorant twit - by the sounds of him!

Try much heavier leads or really light ones. Get some blobs of putty on the hooklink it helps the hook turn. Why not try a 'Triger Link' combi - that'll give them something dificult to deal with. What we dont know from your post is whether they are wise old fish getting away with it - or whether they could have been liners?? Use a piece of silicon on the hook shank - if they are getting away with it (blowing the bait) the silicon will be pushed to the hook eye when you retrieve. Then you will know for sure and can formulate an alternative attack. I couldn't just put it down to 'one of those things' you have to adapt to win the battle. If something picks up my bait I want the fish on the bank - end of

Many thanks - I'll be in touch

Thats an invitation water, you need a reference from an existing member! I'm pretty sure thats right I should be on there within the next couple of years Regarding Bluebell - you get what you pay for, quality fishing Kev, you can apply for Bainton off the website as of today, not guaranteed a place, but worth a shot ... Being nominated doesnt guarantee a place also !! Cheers - theres something about needing a reference from an existing member? Maybe that just helps a lot! My mate joined last year with no intention of fishing it, and again this year that should help me join next year - fingers crossed! I aint got time for it at the mo - too many lakes with unfished business. Probably like lots of people

Wow an 8lb Roach how interesting I bet theres a slight chance this was in fact a Chub

Thats an invitation water, you need a reference from an existing member! I'm pretty sure thats right I should be on there within the next couple of years Regarding Bluebell - you get what you pay for, quality fishing

Thurlaston have another go. My mates mentioned it - but unfortnately i wasn't interested so switched off as you do! sorry dayticket sounds familiar ? why not just go look round - do a day lake viewing someone will be on soon who can help i'm sure

Tie a grinner knot around your pop-up, then tie that knotless knot style to the hook. The grinner knot round the pop-up will pull back open like a slip knot allowing you to change the bait. Its like a noose round the bait. Hope you understand this its not easy to describe You could find pictures on the web somewhere. I would call it a grinner loop.