ouchthathurt

Well as we used to say in the army mate, “at least they can’t make me pregnant” unless you happen to be female I suppose...

Deep breaths mate, deep breaths! This will all be over soon, hopefully!

Shame that the fly tippers are out... just chucked over the fence by the lake entrance, left something with their address though... oops! That’s with the bailiff now... for me it home time!

Carp no5 of 6 runs, that’s it I’m out of bait! Fished from 10-1, so well happy with that, no monsters but it’s broken the 2021 duck. this one beat me right up, had to chase it down the bank with a landing net and unhooking mat over my shoulder!

Carp no4, I’m popping the barbless hook out in the net and letting them go, rather than bank them as it’s pretty mucky and slippery in this swim. This one probably scraped double figures. I’m looking at having to pack up soon, I’ve done all my bait bar a handful, that’s about 2/3 of a Kg since 10am. It’s raining, (I haven’t got a brolly!) I’m soaked through but still!

Carp no3 7-9lb (ish) unhooked in the net. 3rd fish from 4 runs so far, bumped one fish off and found the hook point turned over. Was using trig-hammers, now switched to fox wide gapes as I’m having to hit and hold, fishing to reeds on the other side.

Carp no2 ripped off as I placed the bobbin, 6-7lbish. Unhooked in the net.

First blood! 7-9lb (ish) common, unhooked in the net.

I’m on the bank, rods out, gentle warm breeze drifting into this bay, had a few liners... fingers crossed!

This is an excellent point... motivation is extremely important! Lol!

Every journey starts with a first step mate. When I left the army, I wasn’t in a good place, wracked with PTSD, several physical wounds/injuries that caused issues, I was smoking 30-40 a day, drinking 6-8 pints + a hip flask sized bottle of vodka a day and taking far too many prescription painkillers a day, I ate maybe one meal every other day and dropped to 7 stone. I ended up in hospital with repeated pancreatitis, I got taken on by SSAFA, underwent CBT, was told by my therapist to start going carp fishing again! I then met my now wife, I gave up smoking, switched to vape, (which I still do) gave up alcohol, (last drink 2016) went to drug rehab and kicked the painkillers (I took more opiates daily then a long term heroin addict) which took 18 months, put on 5+ stone and sorted my life out. In fact, during lockdown, I went up to 14stone, I’m back at 12.5st which is ideal. I started walking everywhere and doing light workouts, the increased weight and muscle-mass supports the physical injuries to the point I can cope without any painkillers whatsoever. Now planning to cut the vape down, then drop it all together, but baby steps! I wish you much luck guys, just take it a day at a time!

There are loads of hidden gems in health food shops and supermarkets. I often look at baits I would use regularly that were brought from Tesco’s (other supermarkets are available...) that were cheap, easy to use and did the goods. Chick peas soaked in whiskey was a cracking bait, I still buy egg white powder from the baking aisle, back in the day, a lot of boilie ingredients came from health food suppliers, baby milk formula, muscle building powders etc, we are spoilt with our ready formulated base mixes these days!

When’s the book/DVD out? “Elmocarp Inc” lol! Can I pre-order a copy?? (Signed preferably) if I want to subtly mash up some bait on the bank, I reach for my trusty boilie smasher... otherwise known as a mallet!* Now THATS modern carp fishing! (* I don’t really!!)

Yes, I believe that’s how it works!

Well looking on metcheck, I can expect sunshine and clouds with 11c temps, I’m feeling optimistic about my chances.

That would be my concern, the boiling process could negate any of the vitamins and minerals found in the additive, you may be able to use egg albumin to firm it up and keep boiling times to a minimum, this may help protect the colostrum. There are probably other vitamin and mineral compounds that would be easier to use. It’s worth a try though, milk proteins and milk products are obviously successful!

Many thanks mate, I’m just praying to the weather gods now!

I don’t know what i would have done without fishing, especially after the ptsd diagnosis. I’m itching to get out on the bank again, just seen the weather forecast for next week, it’s going to be mild with temps around 12 degrees... gonna get out Monday!

My go to curve type pattern is the Nash fang x pattern, they are sharp out of the packet and I just give the points a polish rather than trying to sharpen the granny out of them, I do worry about making the points more brittle. I have used the Korda kurves in size 4 for Ronnie rigs, but regardless of wether I catch on them or not, they are discarded at the end of each session as I’ve noticed that they don’t hold a point either. I’ve not tried the kamakura sharpened patterns, so I couldn’t comment on those patterns.

Very many thanks pal.

My ex hated me fishing, to the point that I only used to get in maybe 1-3 overnighters a season! If she relented and gave me a fishing pass, I had to be home within 3-4hrs, even then you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. The destruction of the fishing tackle tipped it over the edge really.

Yonny, how does that work mate? Does he have the main patterns “pre-sharpened” which you can place an order for? Or do you specify the make and pattern etc and he source and sharpen the hooks before sending them out? He is the Jedi master of hook sharpening.

I use the files and finishing files sold by Nash, they’ve lasted a few years, I need to get a vice really, holding the hook with a pair of forceps in the bivvy is a bit fiddly! Sharpening takes practice, I ruined a few hook points before getting the hang of it.

I’m sorry to hear that highy mate, I’m lucky, my wife now insists I go fishing, she knows that it’s my therapy. I hope you can get it all sorted pal. Best of luck.

That’s some runs water!