yonny

Been doing it for years. There are occasions where I'll use an unsharpened hook for specific reasons but they are few and far between. Last couple of year I've been buying them pre-sharpened from Jason Haywood. I got so bored of doing it myself for 10 years + I decided I'd rather spend double to get them done for me by someone whose skills I trust.

I'd go for 12 lb in that situation mate.

They remind me of the old Chod Twisters which I didn't get on with at all. I really like the TrigHammers but I think I'll give the choddy version a miss tbh.

I'm planning on a cheeky sesh next week. These temps cannot be ignored.

No idea mate. At the time I thought it was my own little secret. When I came up with my little boomed chod I thought that was unique too. A month later it was publiced by Korda as the chod mkii lol.

Yeah it was like an anti eject chod type thing. I cant remember how I attached the bait, probs just on a rig ring mate.

Many moons ago I played with a similar version but the D went all the way back down the hooklink to the swivel (instead of back through the eye). It worked well but I can't be bothered to tie them anymore. I dont think it makes a huge difference over a standard chod. I do think the chod can be improved by adding a tiny boom (like 1 or 2 inches, like a tiny hinge rig). This gives the rig the movement the standard chod lacks, and solves problems with the lead bouncing the hook out during the fight too.

Totally mate. Loads of guys struggle with that when it comes to zigs, and I struggled with it before catching on them too. There was a tip on here from @nigewoodcock (not sure he visits anymore). He suggested leaving all your bait at home and just taking a pot of foam - so you're forced to go all in on the zigs. That is a great tip as sooner or later you'll have them, and once you have them those confidence issues disappear.

I only use chods and zigs when I believe there is no other method that can catch them in the given situation. I've caught plenty so imo you are missing out boys. When they're nuts deep in heavy weed it has to be a chod. When they're mid-water it has to be a zig.

If on the water you fish there are spots that the carp like to feed on that cannot be reached by casting then go for it mate. If there are no such spots then for me it's just another thing to spend money on, and carry around with you. I'd buy one in a second if I thought it would catch me more fish but I cannot recall wishing I had one on any water I've fished in the last few years.

I can totally relate to that mate. I spent years as a youth just chucking a bait at the water and sitting there waiting. It was only when I was in my mid 20s that I fished a "proper" i.e. low stock water that I realised I would never catch truly special fish by doing that. Looking back it's a wonder that I caught anything at all lol.

No disagreements bro, it's just a a heathy debate. It's good to be able to have these debates without someone kicking off which is what tends to happen on other forums👍 It's all in the wording mate. Neither money or time can make an angler better imo. I know full timers that are rubbish anglers, and I know guys that do hardly any time whose angling skills are nothing short of lethal. I think what you mean to say is that having time can make an angler (any angler) more successful (in terms of results).

What we need to bear in mind is that EVERYONE can do this if they choose. We all have choices in our life. To spend 4 days+ a week on the bank you have to make a sacrifice and those sacrifices include a well paid job and everything that comes with that (nice house/car etc). Those sacrifices also normally include a family too. I have known loads of anglers that do time like this and none of them have a mrs, or kids, and hardly any own a house. It's easy to feel jealous about the time they put in until you get home to your family, have a nice meal, and few drink in front of the fire. They don't get to do that. The list above contains 4 of the most gifted anglers in the country, and if we're talking about money I can tell you now that when they made the decision to follow their chosen path they had nothing. Tel would scrounge teabags at the gates of Yateley and Laney was using any old kit he could scrape together for years. Yes they are successful now but we are talking about the only 2/3 anglers to get paid to go fishing in the entire country. They cannot imo be used under normal context in discussion. Time and money are completely different factors for me, they cannot really be discussed hand in hand. I could EASILY quit my job and do 4/5 days a week but I'd lose the money/house/car/family etc. No thanks. Those who say they can't afford a 600 quid ticket; what you mean is you're not prepared to make the sacrifices to free up 600 quid for a fishing ticket (which is completely fair play imo). Anyone with a stable job can free up 50 quid a month if the decide they want it enough but only the individual can decide if they want it enough.

Spot on mate.

ESP Tungsten Loaded. Best I've used by a mile.

The Hydrotuff you already use will be more than up to this imo mate.

No. They come into their own with very tight lines at very long range imo. The DXR and the ACE are quality but not made anymore and no support/spares.

Yes mate. Only alarm currently on the market with both roller and vibration. That's the reason I'm interested. Just another roller alarm buddy. Sexy though.

It's just a sensor that detects vibration mate. The delks use a stylus sensor system. I think the sensor is mounted in the roller system on these.

I've been keeping an eye on/waiting for these for what seems like ages now. I watched the vid last week. I'm not happy with the explanation of the vibration detection. It says that the alarms are smart enough to detect when to use the roller and when to use vibration. HOW? The alarm doesn't know how far out I'm fishing and it doesn't know how tight my lines are. If it doesn't know that then how can it detect which to use? I'll wait for more info from Wolf because there's no way I'm spending 900+ unless they do everything I want and more lol.

Agree, the vids aren't to blame and Danny F certainly isn't to blame lol. For every Korda vid that advocates spodding at the right time, there is a Korda vid that advocates singles and zigs at the right time. The problem is anglers with no common sense (of which there are many lol) that think the more you put in, the more you will catch, regardless of the angling situation. You just need to visit a local day ticket water to see this phenomenon. I was at a day ticket water at the end of December, it was cold, nothing showing, and as the crowds descended on the Friday and spods came out one by one. Kilos and kilos emptied into the lake. Ridiculous. Only 2 carp were caught that weekend - by me, over very small amounts of bait just 6 wraps out lol.

What're the shipping costs like elmo? The pellets look decent on paper. They're actually not far from me at all.

You just have to embrace it mate (which you must have done holding the ticket for so long). I've fished park lakes and you just have to chuckle at all this stuff, you have no choice if you want to catch the fish.

I'd struggle to do that even if I wanted to. The first morning I see fish elsewhere and nowt in front of me just drives me nuts. I really struggle to stay put.

Cheeky