yonny

Agreed mate - convenience and versatility. How else are you going to fish at distance? And don't you dare say bait boat 😂😂😂

I agree with many of your points but disagree about the luck aspect. A good angler will make sure he can find and fish for feeding fish. He'll not just hope that he's landing on a shoal of them. It doesn't matter how good your bait is if you're not on the fish. Regards tackle I agree that much of it is irrelevant unless you need it for a specific application (distance fishing for example). However, there are some thing that just shouldn't be skimped on and they are lines and hooks - the bits that catch the carp. Also not worth skimping on bait imo. I'm not sure about the States but here in the UK we have incredibly rich pits of various descriptions, most of which are heavily pressured. Therefore you tend to be competing with huge larders of natural food as well as numerous other anglers. There are plenty of cheap baits that will compete (corn and pellet for example) but if you need the advantages offered by boiled baits it's worth spending some money - cheapo boilies will not compete on anything other than overstocked commercials. Carp fishing is meant to be whatever the individual wants it to be. Some will happily set up in a nice spot and see what comes along. Others will go out there and make it happen. There is no right or wrong. Do what you enjoy 👍 Excellent first post btw mate.

Assuming we're talking about the Island lake, changing to bottom baits made a massive difference on there for me👍. Also hemp made a big difference. That's not the case mate. As you've said, carp get caught every day on the heli.

Very good bait back in the day. I'd love to think it's the same recipes but I doubt it if I'm honest. Alan would qualify as one of carp anglings true legends. RIP. No mate. If they're feeding on the bait and you're not getting takes it's more likely a presentation issue. Hitting single beeps is imo clutching at straws and not addressing the real problem (whatever that may be).

Jesus Christ @framey, those stories are proper harrowing!!!!

Depends how much abuse it gets mate. If you're weed fishing and there's lots of abrasion it's probs a good idea to cut off the last few meters regardless of what line you use 👍

Without doubt Gardner HydroTuff mate, it's a weed/snag line with low stretch and indestructible abrasion resistance. There is not a better line for what you've described above.

All true I believe mate. I understand there's a mental hospital next door and the inmates are found wandering the banks now and again lol. Defo a unique place.

Very good suggestion.

Mine too 😅

You sure you're doing it right buddy? It literally couldn't be any easier when done correctly.

You could but it'll likely get a bit kinked. I'd avoid it. Nah, the bag would drag the chod down into the weed/debris. You really want a chod resting as gently as possible on top of any debris. You might be better off applying your freebies using a different method (spod, stick, catty etc).

You'll need a shock leader to give it the beans with a 3.25 and 12 lb line imo buddy.

Just be careful as a heavier lead can drop right through any silt giving you a false belief that the spot is cleaner than it is. Imo a spod rod is perfect as a marker. You want it nice and stiff as it gives good feedback. Also means you can mark up at range.

You certainly do mate 😂

Nope. I know the guy and it's just the way he is. I was a member of the same place for a while. @Carpbell_ll, just ignore him mate. Don't let it bother you.

Who's upset you @Carpbell_ll?

I personally think there are more "top anglers" about now than there has ever been. I guess it's harder to stand out like Tel did, when there are now many anglers with abilities comparable to Tel. You look at the likes of Tom Stokes, Scott Lloyd, Greg Ellis, Myles Gibson, Si Kenny, Marcus Clark.... every year they're catching what they set out to catch. You add the old hats to that list; Dave Lane, Jim Shelley etc etc, and it starts looking like a pretty big list. There are always a bunch of guys way under the radar too. Loads of exceptional anglers about nowadays imo.

One matching and one bright one. Figure out which one's working then switch them all over.

This👆 Carp angling is much more simple than we make out. If you can put a bait the carp want to eat, on a spot on which they're prepared to feed, and the carp are there feeding - you'll catch them. The carp will feed somewhere every single day, so the trick is finding them and putting the right bait in front of them. The best anglers are trying harder to achieve the above than other anglers imo. And while they're trying to achieve it they learn far, far more about the water and it's inhabitants than those that aint trying to achieve it. It's basically a virtuous cycle; the harder you work, the more you learn, the easier it becomes. Assuming you know how to find a spot pretty much anyone has the capability to be a great angler. It is drive, or lack of drive, that lets people down (me included lol).

Indeed. I'm not sure we're told the full story. Tom Dove was made a director of Korda a couple of days after Ali left. Not sure what to make of that. I'm pretty sure if Ali had been offered a directorship he'd have not left. I guess they (Korda) are attempting to prevent Tom form joining Ali. But a bit of a kick in the teeth to Ali in the process.

This👆 You need to avoid stretching the material so pulling is your enemy👍

You'll have to let us know how it goes guys. For me the 1st action vid (of the standard hair rig) demonstrates very well the rig exhibiting almost perfect hooking potential. I'm not sure a rig exists that can be so effective. What I can say is I admire your innovative thinking!

I know a chap that always fishes an 18 mm hookbait over little 10 mm baits. He does well. Carp cannot become full buddy. They have a digestive tract rather than a stomach. It all passes straight through them. I personally think guys overthink bait size. A good bait is a good bait and if you can create a feeding situation you'll catch fish. I'm not fussy about freebie size and only drop hookbait size if I'm fishing over small baits intended to compete with naturals.

I grew up a mile away for the "Nen". It's the Nen to the West and as you head East and peeps get posher it's the Neen😅