yonny

Persevere. Koi will generally be slow to accept any new foods (although mine loved boilies straight away too 😅). Once they're used to it, they'll be fine. I chatted with a koi keeping mate about my koi's reluctance to eat the dried shrimp/silkworm and he said they'd take a while to get onto it. They have done now... they love them all of a sudden.

Quick night on the local day ticket on Friday. Managed to get on them easily enough but a bit disappointed to just catch the one. I put a bucket of bait out about 30 yards in front of me and got continuous liners on it from about 9pm until 3am. Bizarrely, the only rod to go was the one chucked under the bush in the near margin. I can only assume my hinges were not the one..... should have put bottom baits out. Still, better than a blank and a very pretty little patchy common. I'll not get out again until the end of June which is a killer.

I remember baulking at 20 quid..... then 30...... I agree 40 notes just disappears as soon as you walk into the tackle shop.

Just renewed the license..... 55 quid. I can't be the only one who resents paying that. Can't think of a single way the funds reinvested have benefited me.

On Saturday we got the koi out one by one to measure them (koi size tends to be expressed in length (cm) rather than weight which I struggle to get me head around!). We have 4 over 70cm, biggest 75, 5 x 60s, 5 x 50s, 4 x 40s and a couple at 39 cm. Weight wise, 31 and 30 lb are the biggest. It was actually a bit of a stressful operation. When you net the white ones you can see them going pink as the blood vessels expand with stress. This just makes you want to get them back as quick as possible. Obviously you don't see that when you catch a normal carp as their colour hides the pinkness. The koi are in a right mood after the ordeal. They're feeding but nowhere near as well as they were. I even bought them a load of dried shrimp/silkworm as a treat and even that stuff's not getting them excited. I suspect it'll take a few days for them to get over it properly.

What a session. Well done to the lad. Yesterday I went for a walk around a water on which I have a ticket starting in June. It's an awesome place, nearly 90 acres of water in a massive nature reserve/SSSI/SPA. A proper big pit with everything that you could hope to see..... bays, islands, snaggy margins, massive sheets of water that go on forever, a really impressive place. I actually fished this water ~25 years ago when I was completely out of my depth. I caught one carp, to this day one of the best I've caught. Would you believe it..... I walked into the swim I caught from all those years ago, and there were loads of gulls diving on a huge hatch. I persuaded the Mrs and kids to stop for 5 mins so I could check it out. Straight away I spotted the carp popping there heads out feeding on this hatch, well within casting distance too. All that water and I found them straight away. Couldn't believe it. Law of the sod dictates I'll not find another chance like that once my ticket starts but it certainly got the blood flowing ready for June!

Because I think I could tell the difference with a leading rod.

This👆 Nah...... not feasible imho.

The best stuff is called Saki Hikari and 2kg costs 45 quid or 50 quid for the all-seasons version! 😂😂😂 The Orchard Fisheries stuff you just bought is not a million miles away in quality but a fraction of the price. You should see great results.

I had to Google this but you're right that will 100% be where they got it from!

I had an angler mate round on Saturday. Probably the first other proper dedicated carp angler to have seen my koi. He put 33+ on Whopper (the big white one) and 30+ on Big Bad Barry (a big white mirror with plated black scales who, like Whopper, was named by the kids 🙈). I can't wait to get them all weighed next weekend to find out. There's a big common in there too which 2 local koi pond experts have told me is a chocolate coloured Chagoi. I'm not convinced.... I'm pretty sure it's just a dark coloured common carp (and a proper banger at that). Looking forward to finding out for sure.

This was driven by a certain Mr. Pomeroy! For anyone genuinely interested in lead-free weights, check these out: Weights – Evolve Tackle Not cheap at nearly 3 quid a pop but they do look decent.

Correct 👆 The guy is trying to get lead banned for one reason only $$$$$$$$$$$$ I disagree with the unnecessary dumping of leads. However, I believe the safest rig is the one that lands the fish safely and efficiently, and on many waters I've fished dumping the lead plays a part in that.

Very wise of you to ask mate. Don't get any feed from the local garden centre. Most of it is absolute rubbish. Naturally you can spend whatever you want on koi food.... some of it costs a fortune. I use the stuff below. The spec is right up there with the best feeds but it's a third of the price of the major Japanese brands. Koi Premium and Colour Food Pellet Mix -koi food - Orchard Fisheries

I already have all mine and my brothers families asking to be present 😂