yonny

Mint carp!

Awesome mate

Yeah, happened to me a few times. Can cause real problems in weedy waters. Just before spawning this year it happened. I landed the first, mid 20 common, which was tricky enough in itself with all the weed about. The other rod has gone and by the time I've got to it it's stick fast in the weed. Had to get the boat out, wiped out 2 other anglers, locked me up in numerous weedbeds, and after half an hour up popped..... a 12 lb common 😂🤣

Wow, that's a proper minter mate. I can't post any of my faves due to publicity restrictions and tbh even if I could I'd be hard pressed to choose one. One was a scraper twenty from a very big low stock pit that took me 6 months to catch (this was years ago when I was well out of my depth on this water, meant the world to me at the time). One was my target fish in 2016, the best looking carp I've ever caught, a mid 30 linear Nene Valley original. Mint. One was a 49 lb fully scaled mirror just last year, another Nene Valley original. Need I say more lol. In 2012 I had a mid 30 in the very depths of winter, mid Jan, -5 conditions, that was a bit of a buzz I can tell you. I've been very lucky in that I can think of several more that could qualify too. I'd say my fave capture is always the next one!

Likewise..... rack those browny points up ready for spring lol.

Hard work that is mate, I've been there. Respect. Nowadays I'll do a few 24's but can't be doing with work overnighters in winter anymore.

You can make any particles PVA friendly by adding salt bud. For tigers you might be better off dusting them with groundbait instead.

Let's face it on an overstocked runs water you can get away with chucking anything in. For me, hemp stands above all other particles.

Nah, if you're struggling for £££ you're better off buying a spod rod that will last indefinitely than you are some boilies that you chuck in the lake mate.

Depends on the angling situation for me. If I want to catch one carp, any carp, from a given water, I'll not look past corn/hemp/tigers. If I want to catch the lakes population of bigguns over the course of a prolonged period (which is normally the case), it'll be boilies, all day. Imo hemp/maize/tigers is not something a bit different. There's not many carp waters in the country that don't see this approach every day. I do use plenty of particle, but it's normally either to get the fish feeding on my boilies (I believe particle is more readily accepted initially), or to bulk out my boilies on the spot. For a prolonged effort, to really empty a lake, particle cannot compare to a decent boilie imo.

I agree 100%. I would use the smooth coating, simply because it is very, very marginally less prone to tangling (I have found the hooklink can 'catch' on the textured surface on bigger chucks).

There are several threads including one with 100+ posts on the other forum. They have an FB page and a website (currently under maintenance though). Loads of info out there buddy.

Fair play fella

I didn't question if it would work buddy, or if it was any good. I asked if you would be confident having next to no idea what bait you're using. Absolute confidence in bait, for me, is top of the tree in terms of importance. Bait is the one thing that you simply should not have to question during your decision making processes. The randoms are basically over-runs of custom mixes so they could be fishmeals, birdfoods, milks, in any number and combination of flavours, with numerous different attaractors added. They say it's just freezer baits but I guarantee you the over-runs of the shelfies get chucked in too. I've no doubt they're all decent baits but I bet you the first thing you'll question when the going gets tough is the bait. Who wouldn't? I'd use them for pre-baiting but there's no way you'd find me fishing with anything other than something I had absolute confidence in.

You would be confident having next to no idea what bait you're using?

That. I whacked a load in some dodgy old mainline glug (bound to be glycerin based) with a load of Goo I had knocking around. Must be 4 years old and still going strong believe it or not. There's some brazils in there too, also still good enough to eat.

Trent Baits do them I believe.

@greekskii the boots suggested in @dayvid's post are about as warm as you'll get for winter wellies imo bud.

I captured a Kingfisher on my rods this year, finally, a really good pic too, only took me 20+ years lol

I use them all winter but I wouldn't consider them full on winter boots Vik. The lining is surprisingly warm for its weight but they'll not keep your feet toasty in really cold conditions. Imo the key to warm feet in winter is keeping your body warm. Once your body temps start to drop, blood will not be pumped to the extremities (fingers, toes) as effectively as it would normally. Rather it is used to maintain core temps. Therefore, if you can keep your core body temps up, the body will pump warm blood around the hands and feet keeping them warm. I've been through loads of options for keeping feet warm in winter (various socks and boots etc) but the most effective solution by a mile was thermal salopettes. They keep the legs/body toasty which in turn keeps the feet warm. You can get the Snugpak ones for less than 100 quid on the bay which seems pricey but once you've used them for a winter you'll think they're a bargain, believe me.

@crucian I use them myself. Silly light, surprisingly warm, and cheap as chips.

Absolutely @bluelabel. Most people think fishing is just about catching fish. It's not. Catching is obviously a big part of it, but what you're talking about is just as important imo. With a baby on the way my fishing time will be severely limited this next few years. I can handle not catching fish but I really do worry about how I'll cope without the sunrises and the mist crawling across the surface. It's what keeps me sane!

I don't think they don't appreciate it, I just don't think they realise it's there. That's not just the younger generation either. Those moments that us anglers take for granted, the sunrise and the awakening of nature that comes with it..... most people never see that. And they think we're the weirdos lol.

I thought you could. But I'm also no expert lol.

You're sure you're not using micro swivels? I've never seen a hook ring swivel that won't fit a size 2, let alone an 8.