kevtaylor

Love it, syndicate life is serious business lol 👍 I've heard of people soaping out of bounds or snags to get them out but not attacks on peoples favourite swims - that is savage 🤣

I think it's a case of I've made the effort to get here, it's going in regardless, they wont hear anyway. I let them know I'm here with the head torch etc.

You can actually fish behind the snag, I wanted to do it but didn't know how people would react if caught. But now Joe Morgan's done it on video - game on. 💪

This takes me onto another scenario lol So on that end point I noticed a bait boat come out from the bay on my left to a snag bush late at night. several trips. This happened 2 weekends running. Mass prebaiting 40 yards from someone? Discuss...

Have it! 🤣

Yeah of course I could have gone round, didn't know at that stage how busy it would get or which were fished swims, both opposite were overgrown before the path mowing started 🤷‍♂️ When you're on a point it seems like you've got it all, in fact you've only got half way across and that doesn't feel like the one. I guess all this shows is how great late winter/early spring is coz you can do what you want and how that freedom goes come May and that barely anyone asks where you're fishing before plotting up.

It is tricky mate because in this case I'm fishing out of the norm areas/angles on a quiet lake early spring, then it gets busier. 🤷‍♂️ So the next part of this tale is a move to the bottom point, again quiet, this time I'm facing 2 swims in a bay, in front of the right swim I find a lovely spot and that's the only spot I'm finding. 2 rods on that and some spodding, following week same again and I have one, following week I wake up and someone's setting up opposite - I quickly reel in and cannot fish again - same scenario. Now this guy could have been baiting there being local, fished it the previous year or found the clearing from my baiting and capture - who knows but again no asking where I'm fishing and I had to move on/start again.

First year on the syndi complex I did a night on the medium sized lake after being chucked off the big lake due to spawning. This turned my head big time. After a couple of sessions I found what I believe to be the main holding snag within a bay. With the lake quiet I took the entrance to the bay fishing directly at the snag locked up as it's the best option. The spot did 3 bites that day and I was made up thinking I'm gonna catch them all over time here. Next trip I'm obviously keen as mustard, arrived early to get the swim and quickly got a rod on the spot, I have another fish quick time - happy days! Mid morning a guy plots up within the bay itself, he sees I'm there but doesnt come and speak to me, we're 40 yards apart as the crow flies. Now he's casting near my line that's accross the bay. I'm fuming now, loads of swims available and his is a poor poor choice, you'd never choose it EVER imo obvs. I have to reel in and can't get it back out coz I'm cutting accross the bay and dont really want him seeing me recast and give the spot away. This happened again the following week and the next, so I move on, spot can't be fished from the side pegs safely. Now we talk about etiquette being lost but these are old boys they fish the same peg every week regardless. I honestly get much more respect/consideration from the young super keen lads than the oldies, they get it. Maybe I should have just shouted accross or gone round and asked him to move, I really dont know but the situation angling wise is the most frustrating I have ever experienced? What would others have done?

I'd like a mat that's also a sling and can carry rods and net inside for stalking, trouble is this then doesn't have sides like a cradle. I don't want yet another mat, but one doesn't seem to do everything 🤷‍♂️

Sorry but I've disliked these raised-frame ones from the beginning, seem dangerous, stuff stabbing through from underneath or just the fish flipping out your hands and missing the thing or bashing itself on the frame. I ordered an Avid mat with sides but was out of stock so they sent me a Tracker one instead, it is bulky packed down to be honest but great for the fish. Might look for something smaller packed down - suggestions anyone?

I was gonna buy the spring one that pops off snags, but as this gives anyway it seemed sound 👍

I'd be targetting real close in that case 👍

£45 Jakes Rakes

Looks like a good margin stalking water to me, has it got some depth in the edges?

Got the same one, a mate recommended it thankfully, can see it being well used come summer 👍

Bought myself a weed rake from Jakes Rakes online, arrived in 2 days and looks the nuts - cost around £45 👍

Watched this, really good he's top notch. Was interesting having the otters on the pond, even that didn't stop him. Didn't he have The Croc and about 15 of his mates in his first 3 nights! Levels above. 🙌

I used bags quite a lot when I joined the last syndi, on one of the lakes I'd get lots of knocks as soon as the bag landed, fizzing the lot - then after 10 mins all quiet. I'd re-cast and the same happened. I'm convinced they were hiding in the weed coming out blowing the bag, eating the loose stuff then leaving just my hookbait. This went on all day and no takes. I've now got some mega 8ml barrel wafters in pellet flavour from CCMoore with exactly this in mind for later in the year. I also came up with a few ideas around decoy baits after this that I will use one day. Not giving too much away I think this will be a real winner.

Never used the method, however if I were on say Mallard lake Bluebell I'd be looking to re-cast maybe hourly or less depending on the situation. Might give it a go 👍

I use the stick late evening into dark, the damn gulls make it impossible otherwise. 👍

Recasting is a tough one, for a long time now I've tried to get the rods set and baited long before evening bite time - it feels like the big fish way, I wont touch them until late the following morning after bite time has finished, however if I'm getting occurances I'll check and recast at anytime. It does feel wrong watching people re-baiting and recasting late evening when they've had all afternoon to do this? I do find it very odd that on so many occasions I've reeled a cast in that was pretty much bang on, certainly good enough but something tells you to re-do it and bingo it was tangled or something not quite right - sixth sense? I think there are times I should recast definately, but probably too set in my ways, depends on the water to a degree I think. Reading other comments, at first light I really dont want to recast which is mental torture if you think you may have been done, but very unlikely to reel it in until much later, sometimes too late.

They caught 3 on Bluebell Lakes without licences last week. They've also requested and been given the access codes to my current syndicate complex - which is a first according to the manager.

If what you're doing now works just start with that on any new venue. Method feeder has gotta be one of the most under used tactics today, yet it works a treat, don't fix what isn't broken as they say. Take that elsewhere I can see it being an edge! Change things when you see a problem not to follow a trend or for the sake of it and enjoy learning it's a journey (never ending). 👍

This side looks knarly already lol Some lake ❤️

New swim, more work done, a fish but overall frustrating 48hrs. The quicker they spawn the better imo.