yonny

Absolutely mate, it's very easy to fall into that trap when you think you know what they're up to so you commit everything only to find out they're elsewhere! Ha! Of course you'll become obsessed. Don't worry about the times it seems less enjoyable. Those times are important. Without those lows you can never experience the extreme highs that come when it all goes right!

I don't get that at all elmo. I always spend a hell of a lot of time in preparation in for my fishing (my time on the bank is so limited that even the prep is a bit of an escape for me). I love it, prepping bait, tying rigs, working yourself up and getting excited. Of course it doesn't always go how you expect it to on the bank but that doesn't mean it's a waste of energy. What it means is that on those occasions when it does go to plan you are fully prepared. Nothing left to chance. You cannot be better prepared for more situations if you do not spend the time planning. It doesn't work mate. Ultimately all we have to do on the bank is whack a rig on a spot in front of some carp. There is not that much to it. I would say 50% of the work that goes into a successful campaign is actually done at home. It's the 6 P's innit; Proper preparation prevents p*ss poor performance.

I know I'll not be fishing that much in 2020 (it'll be more than I did in 2019 though). I'll be repeating the little autumn campaign on the days only club water I fished over Sept/Oct. That's if I'm not lucky enough to catch the biggun in spring (which is unlikely as A) I wont have a lot of time and B) the place sees miles more pressure in spring). But having walked the place all spring last year I might have a head start over some of the other guys. I know the spring areas and I know a couple of spots (which are at a premium as it's so, so weedy). I know where the biggun tends to get caught too. I don't think I'll get away with baiting due to how busy it gets in spring so my approach will likely be singles and zigs. Autumn I'll be piling it in, it was quiet last year. Of course all this assumes the biggun doesn't get ottered this winter! My main priority for 2020 is to obtain a ticket for 2021. I have a couple of fingers in a couple of pies so I'm quite hopeful.

They're supposed to be decent Elmo. Not used them myself.

https://www.englandangling.co.uk/displaysearch.asp?txtSearch=sale&supplier=CHUB

Now is the time buy Chub stuff as the operation is being moved abroad by the Pure Fishing Group (they own Chub, Greys , JRC , Penn etc). It's all on special/clearance offer as a lot of it is being discontinued/re-branded as JRC.

I'd also recommend them or the TB CF-X but based on the options he listed they are out of his price range.

Not quite 3.25 but these are supposed to be incredible value rods: https://www.tacklebox.co.uk/rods-en/carp-rods/tackle-box-darent-valley-specimen-rod-12ft-3lb-50mm.html

I think there are a few option that can be used single either side buddy.

Is there a reason you need a custom job or is it just tart factor? I'd have thought the cheapest custom stuff will cost more than the most expensive off-the-shelf stuff buddy.

Keith at Defiant MPS👍 https://www.defiantmps.com/

Yes mate. I started taking my own powders to my maggot supplier to use instead of the maize/dust they offer. I tried liver powder, GLM, and various grounbaits. I found that nothing was more effective than un-touched maggots. In fact I actually started asking for my maggots un-cleaned, straight from the trays (my supplier is a maggot farm). The dirtier and stinkier the better imo. The article says "as soon as they start sweating, they start getting Ammonia all over them. The fish just veer off them because that Ammonia is a really bad chemical, they really don’t like it". That is a load of tosh imo. Maggots secrete various substances/chemicals including ammonia as part of their natural processes, this imo is part of what makes them so attractive to carp. No processed food/bait can match these natural processes in terms of attraction imo. All those substances/chemicals (which I'm pretty sure are stuffed full of AA's), together with the tiny electrical signals given off by live maggots, are what make them so unbeatable in terms of bait. I do not believe maggots can be made more attractive by adding anything.

Agree. Tackle isn't cheap and the least thing you want is to get the wrong thing.

That's supposed to be for your hookbaits Vik🤣

I'm a bit weird when it comes to whiskey in that I HATE speyside's but ABSOLUTELY LOVE Islay's.

They are brilliant hooks mate. Very expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Why not mate?

You mean the No-Trace Beads? The Helisafe is the jobby that drops the lead.

Totally agree. On a similar theme I chuckle at the "micro-barb" only rules. There is no standard for barb size hence there is no such thing as a micro-barb. Basically you could take the biggest barbed hook going and as long as they say micro-barb on the packet they're ok lol.

Those new ESP Trig-Hammers look the one for long shank ronnies mate.

I would, 100%. They are only sharpened on one plane (opposite the barb), unlike the other sharpened options which are done on 2 or 3 planes. This gives them a very fine spade point which is super sharp but very fragile indeed. I got through a couple of packs in 2018 and every fish I had pretty much destroyed the hookpoints.

You mean the Krank? They don't yet do the Kamakura (sharpened) version of the Kurv (curve shank) buddy.

I'm normally pretty good when it comes to following rules but I will admit that I'll ignore a barbless hooks rule if I think I can get away with it, particularly on weedy waters. Barbless and weed do not mix, it's madness imo.

I totally agree. Rules alone cannot stop idiots.

On most club waters and day tickets leaders are banned due to the standard of angler. Many cannot be trusted to use such items of tackle safely. On most half decent syndicates, that vet their members, they are allowed. I agree. For me it should be the anglers misusing such items of tackle that should be banned, not the items of tackle themselves.