ouchthathurt

Well I’ve knocked up 2 batches now, one with 2ml of flavour to one egg, the other with 5ml. The deep cherry red of the flavour mixed with the Polaris makes a lovely pale washed out pink.

I am looking at the river rother and hexden channel in Kent and my dad has a cabin cruiser on the Thames so it would be rude not to have a go on there too! I decided it would be quick to make up a second batch and see what I think on those…

That’s just it, I’ve always gone for a low dosage, no more than 1ml per egg max, but a few flavours have suggested to increase it in pop ups. The mulberry florentine flavour I had would say a couple of ml per six eggs, or up to 10ml per egg for a pop up mix! As I usually make “match the hatch” cork ball pop ups, the dosages stay the same as the hookbaits, no more that 4-5ml per 6 eggs. So 3/4-1ml for a pop up mix of 1 egg. the mainline cherry flavour smells amazing, but 2ml, mixed with the additives, plus a splash of fos-oil at 5ml per 1 egg, they have the faint smell of play dough! I’m using the Polaris pop up mix, which I wouldn’t use over my usual freebies, as they are on a robin red/fish meal basemix with smoked ham flavour, but I’m after a nice smelly stand alone pop up I can fish as a single, aiming to use it on the rivers this year, hence a nice fruity “sweetie” type flavour, rather than a good bait that can take a bit longer to get going, I could have just brought a tub of pop ups I suppose, but I’ve not brought a readymade bait in over a decade, much prefer making everything myself!

I’ve just brought some bits to make some hi attract pop ups, picked up the mainline cherry juice response flavour, question is what dosage to use? It’s recommended 5ml per 500g of base, as I’m using Polaris pop up mix with 1 egg, I’ve used 2.5ml and they smell ok, what’s the max ml per egg would people go to?

Stop press. Daddy shows the boy how it’s done… 20lb 14oz, always pays to leave the rods til last!

took the boy out for an overnighter, just packing up now. One carp each, my lad had the biggest one

Many congratulations mate!

Have you looked to see if you can pick up another cheap spare spool off fleabay?

For pop ups, I have been using the Ronnie on a size 4 curve pattern for a few years, my go to bottom bait rig is a blowback rig on a curve pattern with a shrink tube kicker. Pva bags call for a subtle short braided hooklink with a blowback presentation to a size 6 wide gape and shrink tube kicker. If using fluro hooklinks, I’ll use a d ring type presentation or a supple hair to an out turned eye, but that’s pretty rare these days to be honest.

Morning mate, welcome to the forum. Reels are very much personal choice. I’ve used Diawa reels for years and my son uses them still and they stand the test of time. I’ve only trashed one in 20yrs, that was down to my own stupid fault. I’m currently using fox 12000s, which I can’t fault at all. I prefer them over the Diawa reels, but that’s just my personal opinion. I find they balance my fox torque rods perfectly. Shimano are a tried and tested brand, if you can get hold of a reel you like the look of, have a play rather than buy blind if possible.

Many thanks lads 👍

Well today we went for the scan to confirm the miscarriage… they only went and found a heartbeat! Looks I might end up being a daddy again after all! 😁

For an idea, suggestion, have a look in your local army surplus or fleabay for an army sleeping bag, gortex bivvy bag, inflatable rollmat and army poncho. Couple of pegs and bungees and you’re good to go. All designed to stuff down to nothing in a bergen. Spent many a night happily kipping under the stars with this set up in the army.

it was rather cold!

Had 5 out in total, nothing massive but it shook the cobwebs. It was a relaxing, chilled out session albeit a bit cold!

Many thanks mate, it’s taken all day, but finally I’ve found one! Not massive at low doubles, but it will do for me. That’s this season kicked off.

So I’m now sat at one of my local lakes, I usually fish it over winter and with it being so cold and me being rather rusty, I think this is my best shot at a carp or two. I can’t see any fishy activity, so chose a swim that’s central and commands a good view of most of the lake. There’s no one else here! I flicked one rod down the margins and the other out into open water where a deeper bowl is. Average depths are 4-6ft all over. Just starting to erect the Wendy house then the open water rod splutters into life, only been here 5mins! Quick strike and I can feel a carp on… which quickly comes off again! 🙄 still, it’s a good sign! Both rods fishing single bottom baits with small pva mesh bags of micro pellet. I need this session, these last 2wks have been emotional! I had to put my 2yr old rescue down after she attacked her trainer then I found out wifey was pregnant, yesterday we had a baby scan at the hospital and they found the baby easily enough, but there’s no heartbeat at 10wks. Fingers crossed that this session comes good.

Many thanks mate, I’m thinking on last April’s results, on the big fish lake, I had a right result the last few years, but the situation is totally different. I’m gonna hit the easier lake, get a few (hopefully) then go from there. My new target for this year doesn’t open until June 16th (like the good old days!)

I’m swaying towards the easier lake, it’s simpler logistics wise, I’d have to go into town to get a night ticket for the big fish water, a detour of some 15-20mins, the easier lake is just £2 a night on the bank.

I’m hitting the bank for an overnighter today for the first time in about 11 months. Now, do I head to an easier lake to get a bite or two, or do I head to my big fish water? The easier venue is much shallower with a higher stock, but the carp are generally smaller, max mid 20s, the big fish water is much deeper, with a small head of carp to 36lb. But the water level is about 5ft down exposing the marginal ledge. It snowed all day yesterday and we have a sharp frost. My wife says aim for the easier lake and get a few bites, what would you do?

What car have you got Kev? I helped an old dear who’s battery in her “keyless ignition” car was dead, I found if you lifted the drinks holder in the centre console there was a small disc under it. If you placed the dead key fob on this disc, the car would start.

I’ve been using the same base mixes and additives for the last 15yrs and the same basemix with different additives since 1997. The flavours haven’t changed much in that time either, started with rod Hutchinson mixed herbs flavour, then richworth blue cheese, then richworth ham (boiled?) then smoked ham flavour from nutrabaits. They work, I’ve massive confidence in my mix, so I don’t see a need to change

Welcome buddy

Got the rods out for a few hours today, I didn’t manage a single fish, although there were a few cruising about. I had no zig or floater gear as i was travelling light, but they weren’t interested in bottom baits or pop ups. I should have fished better, but I’d just got word that my boy had been excluded from school, so I was in a bad mood and subsequently fished like a muppet! this one just taunted me, lounging just out of bounds, the mud on its flanks may suggest he’s been feeding in the silt or flanking on the muddy silt, either way, every snidely placed bait didn’t get a sniff. Here he’s sitting about 8” above my craftily placed pop up!