yonny

I tend to agree. I always do some serious research before buying anything. My objective is to buy the absolute best on the market for my kind of fishing (which is usually the mobile approach which means I need light, compact, and hard wearing gear). Sometimes it happens to be the most expensive, sometimes it's a cheaper alternative, either way I won't let price deter me from buying the best. Ultimately if what you buy isn't the best for you, you'll eventually end up replacing it regardless of whether it goes wrong or breaks. Imo the cheapest way in the long run is just to save the extra pennies and buy what you consider to be the best from the off.

Everything I've bought from NGT has been disgracefully poor quality. I used their snag ears and the thread stripped/ear cam flying off on the first take when I was fishing locked up to a snag tree. I was lucky to keep the rod, let alone land the fish. They're not fit for purpose and frankly dangerous for the fish. Tried their leads and one came off the swivel on the first cast. Tried their butt rests, the threads were all different lengths. I am not going anywhere near NGT stuff again. Funny you say that as the one thing I've heard good reports of is their 4 pc travel rod. It's supposed to be decent and it's dead cheap. I'm still not going near it though,

Yeah I heard all about this. Savage news for the lads that paid.

I'd be going for the biggun.

In this case I agree. No point in filling it in for a day session. Just enough for a bite. Unless you can fish several days sessions on the trot in which case it's worth working the spot imo.

They are the best none cork pop ups available imo. Flavours that have done me well include Fishy Peach, Pineapple/Butyric, Condensed Milk, Scopex Strawberry, Devils Dung (like a butyric acid kinda flavour, really stinks). I also use the their none flavoured hook baits for zigs, and for suspending alternative hook biats when the going gets tough. I'd use any of the flavours they do tbh. That Kevin that runs it really knows what he's doing.

I think with this increase in temps the shallow water may be good all through the night. I'd just bait both shallow and deep and fish whichever spot shows signs of activity/feeding. Try and feed a shallow spot to the right and a deeper spot the left or vice versa maybe, to account for line lay.

I agree. Least he could have done is given you a call!!!

No syndi worth being on will have tickets left at this time of year mate. Most of them will take 2 or 3 years to get on if you joined the waiting list now. Taking a year off work without a water lined up is a massive mistake bud. There are LOADS of great waters all along the Nene Valley but unfortunately you'll not simply walk on to any of them. You need to join the waiting lists and in many cases start with a winter ticket before obtaining the full ticket. Your best bet for big fish in the short time is probably Bluebell which seems to have no limit on the number of season tickets.

That makes it sound a bit like a license to stitch each other up but it's actually the opposite - I'll explain: If you're baiting a spot and the carp get on it big time, someone will eventually clock them. An angler that isn't your mate might have no idea it's been baited, he'll jump in there and have it off and he's done absolutely nothing wrong. The swim is therefore only off limits to your mates, those that you are closest to. You're kinda inadvertently stitching them up.

That's difficult mate. Whenever I'm fishing a water with mates we have an agreement that any/every spot/swim is fair game. End of the day you can only fish for what you can see and if the fish are clearly having it off somewhere I'll fish for them regardless of who's been baiting where. Likewise my friends. It's the only fair way imo - it's not right that you feel you shouldn't fish certain swims because others have been baiting them. You end up with each angler having their own baited spot and it becomes a bait-and-wait situation, that's not what angling is about for me. I truly feel for you buddy but at the same time if your mate finds them lumping out in a given swim he's hardly going to go down the other end of the lake. Is it really fair to ask him to?

Lucky dog. Years ago I was fishing with a mate and I was lining up a cast (a solid bag). I went to hit it and basically the rod wouldn't move. Turned round and my mates rottweiler was chewing away on the bag. Similar story, he got away with it thanks god!

😎

Agree. That's a proper p*ss take. I'd be livid.

I've been so envious hearing reports from mates and you Phil that the Mrs says I can go next year. Let's see if she's still saying that come this time next year though eh!

The air bomb serves a purpose but is no good for distance. The dot is pukka for heavier baits but useless for light baits (pellet, maggot etc). The fox impact spod is decent now they sorted out the issues with the pin/hinge. The original spomb is still the best all-rounder. Imo.

That's what I do. Less hassle then leaders etc imo.

Whallop. Good skills mate.

Gents, enlighten me, why would you get a 10ft spod rod? I can't see what benefit it offers. I can just about understand 10 ft carp rods, I guess there is a shout for tight swims/overhangs (even though in 20 years I've never found a spot that can't be fished with 12's). I guess there is a weight saving too (although very, very small) if you only fish small waters. But for the spod, you're not going to be spodding in some tight little snag swim anyway so I can't see that benefit?

💪 Deserves a 60 that.

Mate, brutal.

So I hear, my mates are down at Cherpont in the Limousin region, they reckon it was absolutely savage last night! They moved to the deeper water yesterday and it seems to be paying off, a fish a piece I'm told. Gutted for the loss mate. Keep at it.

Not a chance for me fella. What kind of catty?

Might be worth seeking out the deeper water Phil, temps are due to drop over the coming days.

100% yes Phil. At 100 yards you can fish them proper bowstring and the last 40 will still be on the deck imo. That'll help you land them, so much easier to work around tight lines. I'd up the baiting too - work it baby!!