kevtaylor

I'm not looking for big holes or clean spots as such, just a drop every time and a tiny amount of pull back and you're fishing.  In my mind at the moment I'm not looking for clean spots anymore, if only to avoid and find the drops in weed nearby.
Every venue is different but I think on lower stocked venues with wary fish clean spots are treated with extreme caution and hold little natural food e.g. gravel spots.  How many people pick the same obvious far bank markers, find the obvious clear spot, pile bait on it and are surprised when nothing happens, wheres the natural food, wheres the thickest weed, what are they showing over?
I'd rather set up and watch all day for them to show me where to put the traps than rush in crashing leads everywhere, not always possible I know but once you've seen them feeding in an area you dont have to wait next time as everything is written down and measured up.

Did Thursday to Saturday in one swim this weekend, had a stocky on the stiff hinge rig in the thickest weed bed in the area.

Then back Sunday for the night as I was super keen having caught.  This time chose a swim round the corner as all the fish were there on top but despite expecting a take come first light nothing materialised so back home tail between legs.  Can't wait till Friday to get back down, but might have to fish a flooded swim just to get in the area if it's busy.  Loving my fishing more than ever at the moment - gotta keep pushing on!

CcMoore do matching cork balls if available but their Air Ball Pop-ups last great, no complaints whatsoever and I've tested many brands and been disapointed over the years 👍

Did Thursday to Saturday in one swim this weekend, had a stocky on the stiff hinge rig in the thickest weed bed in the area.

Then back Sunday for the night as I was super keen having caught.  This time chose a swim round the corner as all the fish were there on top but despite expecting a take come first light nothing materialised so back home tail between legs.  Can't wait till Friday to get back down, but might have to fish a flooded swim just to get in the area if it's busy.  Loving my fishing more than ever at the moment - gotta keep pushing on!

Likewise but thankfully the need to spend fell on a sale weekend so I got some good deals.
So the ceramic lining on one of the butt rings on my Torrix has cracked and fallen out - my fault rod not secured and fell on the barrow.  I couldn't be without my babies for weeks in May/June so bought a new set of Aviators and Lighter reels than my Shimmy Big Pit LC's as much as I love them to bits.
Line, back leads, floss, butt and tip protectors, 3 x Delkim line clips oh and 50k of Pro Stim Liver boilies.
Oh and decided to get all 3 Torrix rebuilt instead of just a single eye replacement and the 3 Shimmy's serviced whilst I can be without them so to say it turned out to be an expensive weekend is an understatement.
Thats gotta be me done spending now for the year!
 

And probably the next generation you leave them to lol

Wash your mouth out with soap young man 🤣🤣🤣
Enjoy, mate. I'm sure they'll serve you well!

Thanks mate, I always laughed at the Diawa coffee grinders, now I am happily waiting on a set.  The only other reels that do it for me other than my LC's are the old light blue Shimmy's but I cant remember the model and not paying over 2.5k for a set 2nd hand no matter how carpy they may be.
I was thinking of rods that give me something different to the TE's but the Aviators just look like an upgrade of the same beast so happy days.  I'm glad you like the spod rod that breeds confidence in my choice 👍

Yeah man. Proper reels 😎
I have 3 sets of tournies kicking round. Noisy, clunky, old fashioned, but last forever and NEVER let you down!
Cheeky. I have the Aviator spod and it's the nuts. I considered a set of the Raven's myself but since I can only do the odd day once every couple of months, and I already have loads of rods, I can't (yet) justify it!

Thanks mate really cannot wait to receive these rods, not custom built as not got the time or desire tbh but the Black Raven edition.
Despite always banging on about Shimano I've gone rogue with Diawa Tournament ST 6000's.  Just wanted a lighter reel and not paying silly top end money, not that they were cheap as such, I kept to my Old Skool but Cool over latest silly money jobies and after the Shimmy spod being so unreliable I fancied a change. 👍

Did Thursday to Saturday in one swim this weekend, had a stocky on the stiff hinge rig in the thickest weed bed in the area.

Then back Sunday for the night as I was super keen having caught.  This time chose a swim round the corner as all the fish were there on top but despite expecting a take come first light nothing materialised so back home tail between legs.  Can't wait till Friday to get back down, but might have to fish a flooded swim just to get in the area if it's busy.  Loving my fishing more than ever at the moment - gotta keep pushing on!

Likewise but thankfully the need to spend fell on a sale weekend so I got some good deals.
So the ceramic lining on one of the butt rings on my Torrix has cracked and fallen out - my fault rod not secured and fell on the barrow.  I couldn't be without my babies for weeks in May/June so bought a new set of Aviators and Lighter reels than my Shimmy Big Pit LC's as much as I love them to bits.
Line, back leads, floss, butt and tip protectors, 3 x Delkim line clips oh and 50k of Pro Stim Liver boilies.
Oh and decided to get all 3 Torrix rebuilt instead of just a single eye replacement and the 3 Shimmy's serviced whilst I can be without them so to say it turned out to be an expensive weekend is an understatement.
Thats gotta be me done spending now for the year!
 

Likewise but thankfully the need to spend fell on a sale weekend so I got some good deals.
So the ceramic lining on one of the butt rings on my Torrix has cracked and fallen out - my fault rod not secured and fell on the barrow.  I couldn't be without my babies for weeks in May/June so bought a new set of Aviators and Lighter reels than my Shimmy Big Pit LC's as much as I love them to bits.
Line, back leads, floss, butt and tip protectors, 3 x Delkim line clips oh and 50k of Pro Stim Liver boilies.
Oh and decided to get all 3 Torrix rebuilt instead of just a single eye replacement and the 3 Shimmy's serviced whilst I can be without them so to say it turned out to be an expensive weekend is an understatement.
Thats gotta be me done spending now for the year!
 

Did Thursday to Saturday in one swim this weekend, had a stocky on the stiff hinge rig in the thickest weed bed in the area.

Then back Sunday for the night as I was super keen having caught.  This time chose a swim round the corner as all the fish were there on top but despite expecting a take come first light nothing materialised so back home tail between legs.  Can't wait till Friday to get back down, but might have to fish a flooded swim just to get in the area if it's busy.  Loving my fishing more than ever at the moment - gotta keep pushing on!

Likewise but thankfully the need to spend fell on a sale weekend so I got some good deals.
So the ceramic lining on one of the butt rings on my Torrix has cracked and fallen out - my fault rod not secured and fell on the barrow.  I couldn't be without my babies for weeks in May/June so bought a new set of Aviators and Lighter reels than my Shimmy Big Pit LC's as much as I love them to bits.
Line, back leads, floss, butt and tip protectors, 3 x Delkim line clips oh and 50k of Pro Stim Liver boilies.
Oh and decided to get all 3 Torrix rebuilt instead of just a single eye replacement and the 3 Shimmy's serviced whilst I can be without them so to say it turned out to be an expensive weekend is an understatement.
Thats gotta be me done spending now for the year!
 

Likewise but thankfully the need to spend fell on a sale weekend so I got some good deals.
So the ceramic lining on one of the butt rings on my Torrix has cracked and fallen out - my fault rod not secured and fell on the barrow.  I couldn't be without my babies for weeks in May/June so bought a new set of Aviators and Lighter reels than my Shimmy Big Pit LC's as much as I love them to bits.
Line, back leads, floss, butt and tip protectors, 3 x Delkim line clips oh and 50k of Pro Stim Liver boilies.
Oh and decided to get all 3 Torrix rebuilt instead of just a single eye replacement and the 3 Shimmy's serviced whilst I can be without them so to say it turned out to be an expensive weekend is an understatement.
Thats gotta be me done spending now for the year!
 

Did Thursday to Saturday in one swim this weekend, had a stocky on the stiff hinge rig in the thickest weed bed in the area.

Then back Sunday for the night as I was super keen having caught.  This time chose a swim round the corner as all the fish were there on top but despite expecting a take come first light nothing materialised so back home tail between legs.  Can't wait till Friday to get back down, but might have to fish a flooded swim just to get in the area if it's busy.  Loving my fishing more than ever at the moment - gotta keep pushing on!

I've had a little spend up this weekend 
2 9ft sonik extractors, cult tackle rod bag, Gardner unhooking sling, korda boom and boom tubes, some korda pouches for lighter and better organisation, collapsible bucket, few other odds and sods but I now have some rods for my gold emblems and will have a nip out for an hour or two mobile set up for some fun fishing 

My first session since getting my gear stolen in December and having to buy it all again. I felt rusty but I managed to get a couple on the bank. 

Thank you Kev. It is a lovely piece of kit, I've just checked it online. My Sonik AXS is already showing signs of not lasting (last piece of sonik kit I will ever buy), so I will be getting the MK 2 for sure when the sonik packs in.

AVID Ascent Brolley System, MK1 - very good quality (Rip-stop fabric, heavy duty), full front system - can have letter box style or normal.
The latest version looks sick to me - different fabric, has more headroom coz of the shortened internal spokes and a full inner lining to cure any condensation you might have got, I'd get one tomorrow if mine went missing.
Pricey but well worth it, had the Mk1 over 10 years and no damage whatsoever 👍

I saw @newmarket have one delivered when I visited him a while ago, so when mine died I had it already in mind.
 

I'm honestly finding Met Office totally different to the BBC, can't understand why, MET Office saying next to no rain this week, BBC says raining daily.  MET Office is the one thats proving to be more accurate at the moment, or it has been on my trips so far, strange!
Unless my data for BBC is not refreshing from when I looked days before?

That retainer looks mint - not seen it before 😎👍

More Nutty bait, another 10kg of shelf life, a new retaining sling to replace the old one that's dying, of age, and more PVA bags.
https://rodhutchinson.co.uk/product/folding-camo-recovery-sling-xl/