nigewoodcock

Try bivvying up off of the bark and on the grass. The barked areas don't hold bivvy pegs in too well from what I remember when I went last winter! Could be kite flying being that far up the hill!!!

Nige...I hope you dont think I was rubbishing your way of doing things mate???...certainly wasnt......I have to keep fiddly rig work to a bare minimum due to arthritis in both hands...fingers dont do what they could a while back....so I have to make it easy for me to be able to tie up etc with this in mind .....the split shot is good.....used it for a while Not at all mate. I just wanted to explain why I do it like I do. Frank mentioned something on a thread a few years ago. He said something like people will show why they use but don't explain why or how they do it. I noticed I had done this after Guy's comment. As mentioned, I have made lots of changes to it and am happy that I am fishing it to its best ability now. That's not to say it won't change further if I see someone else's ideas and think its better than what I do now. Like you and Ian have said - learning all the time

The following thread shows a bit of the way it's changed.

I use chod rigs quite a lot. They suit what I'm fishing over and present the bait as I want it. The way I tie them now has evolved and changed until I have found something that I am totally happy with. The popups I use have varying degrees of buoyancy. I can simply change the size of shot to suit. No messing about with putty. Having the shot where it is allows the rig to sit in a much more pleasing way than the putty version does. The rig has so much free movement compared to a 'standard' way of tieing them. As mentioned, that's how I started using them and adapted to suit. I have also developed a way to fish worms on the chod which I haven't seen anyone else doing. I've not used it that often but have a couple of waters in mind where I feel it should fish well. I don't think that the way I tie them is over complicated in any way. The ring on the D is replaced by a mini swivel, the putty is replaced by a shot. There is a loop at the swivel end rather than a grinner or the like. Again, this aids movement in the rig. I used to use a figure of 8 loop but was shown, on here, the perfection loop. So much neater and the line leaves the knot with no side kink whatsoever.

I just like the independent movement capabilities. I imagine that if a fish approaches the bait from the 'rear' of the rig. It gives the hook the best chance of catching hold. Confidence is the main part though. It might have no benefit whatsoever but in my wierd head its worth it? Lol

Del, tie one up like I do. Once done and baited, hold onto the bait and the swivel. When you blow on the rig, it spins freely, in either direction. This, for me, is reason enough for adding the extra metal as you say or over complicating things. The only extra 'fiddle' when mounting the bait is to blob the ends of the floss. Ian, those popups are the most buoyant I have ever seen. This is the reason for the shot on the swivel. It lets the rig sit nicer than putty. I do use a mainline pineapple popup sometimes and it holds up for a good 18 hours on that rig. If I was having problems then I would do away with the mini swivel and use the same floss and blob method on a ring.

I put a mini swivel on the D. Put the floss through it and pull through the bait. Pull the swivel into the bait and then blob the two ends with a lighter. No tieing involved.

When your next down, pop into Welshpool and I will show you a few places to get you started again. Message me when your down and I will let you know where I work so you can come in for a coffee.

Can't swear. Will tell you at Cromwell what I want to say to you. Ill be behind grim and Mick when I say it though!!!! And after I've pinched a banana beer off of you! Xxx

Hello mate. Which caravan park? You have Blackthorn at Oswestry, Merrington a bit further on near Baschurch. Spring Rock near Llandrindod Wells. A chap who used to work in our llandod branch owns that but I have never fished it. Not sure what actual llandod lake is like now but has some real history You could always get an intermediate membership at Wynnstay carp lake. It's the old lindersfarne college lake on the Watkins Williams Wynn estate. At Whitchurch you have Blakemere leisure which I can highly recommend. Just don't nip out for a steak dinner!!!! Near Gatten is quite close on one of the back roads to Shrewsbury near Rattlinghope. It's a nice small, peaceful lake where you won't even hear a car! That should give you a bit of choice, all have websites to look at. Failing that, pop into total angling in Shrewsbury and they can put you on to a fair few other lakes that might suit. Places like Church Stretton and a new one that I can't for the life of me remember the name of. The river Severn is always worth a bash. Right in your doorstep and some monster barbel have been had for being so far up the river! Hope this helps.

Haha! Not sure yet mate! It's looking like it will be next year now. Jo has started to wish she never agreed to it! Lol

Cheers Greg. July would be a touch too early for us with the due date. We would be looking for end of August at the earliest. IIf things go well this year - we might be looking for next year and will keep you in mind.

Cheers pal. Plan is to get 4 or 5 possibilities and let the wifes choose. That way, if its cack, it's there fault!!!

Graham's wife has come up with an offer of a carp holiday to France with the following required: Lodge to stay in by lake Swimming pool Sky tv! We will have Graham's 4 year old and our new baby with us. Can anyone help us out and suggest a venue ??

I tie up my chods at home and keep them in an old rubber bead packet in my box. All other rigs are tied as and when I need them on the bank. They are always simple and not much variation so easy to do. Hinged stif rig is just a boom with a chod section added. Bottom baits are either on a standard coated braid or a braid for solid bags. Pop ups the same with a shot added.

Not sure how its affected the big lake, not been down that way for a while. Again, Ricky will set you straight.

Did you watch the otter program on bbc2 the other day?

I'm in!

Whoops Typo''''''''Foot''' I never got on with ' and " for feet and inches either I always get it muddled up - mm are much easier to work with. Although I do switch between the two!

2 and 1/2 inches of water??? Sticklebacks??

No worries Kev. Up to you if you want to share or not It's just that I can see how trying to blow a cocktail stick out of your mouth is difficult. But that also means sucking one in no handed would be of equal difficulty???!

Kev, lets have a look at this rig of yours then. Would be really interested to see it with the claims that it can't be ejected once the bait is taken.

but this line is misleading...as a hivis pop up i dont think hooks them because they are feeding, it the "what thats" factor and they mouth it,may be with no intention of feeding Your right mate - it is misleading. With a single, hi vis bait or over flavoured bait for instance, you are sort of enticing them to take a taste even though they may not be feeding. That is an act of bait application though - you’re not trying to get them on the munch as you believe, at that moment in time, they don't want a big feed - just an inquisitive taste. Any sort of big baiting approach in this situation would probably hinder your chances? It still wouldn't make much difference if that single bait was presented on a 'standard' pop up rig, a chod or a hinged stiff rig for instance. It’s the baiting strategy that is getting you the pickup.

Fishing a single would come under the same banner of 'bait application' in my mind Beanz. Pre baiting, free offerings, fishing singles, bags - all would be described as bait application.

Thinking about this more, I reckon that the baiting situation has 10 times more importance than the rig (as long as the rig is a good one). You need them to feed before you even get chance of them picking up your bait. A good rig, suited to the bait your using and allowing that bait to be presented efficiently, will do for me. As said, specific fish targeting would have me delve deeper into this but it would still be lead by the feeding situation I want, or rather need, to get that one fish to pick up my hook.