yonny

That is the fault of the angler, not the method. Heavy baiting in the wrong situation will kill it from the off. Heavy baiting in the correct situation can result in the session of lifetime. There is a time and a place for singles, and a time and a place for little-and-often, but the greatest sessions I've ever had have been over heavy, heavy baiting - you just need to know when to take that approach.

Both have a place imo. I would always go for the heavy option first though.

For sure buddy, I've been piling them into you-know-where during the warmer months. Couple of sacks a year I've been getting through in total. Caught tons of fish over them.

https://www.fishingbaitworld.co.uk/skretting-elite-trout-pellets-6mm-25kg.ir Just seen price has gone up to £37.45. Really good pellets these.

You can get away with it on the river imo buddy. They can't slow down due to flow so they must keep feeding.

Pellets in bulk are v cheap mate - 25 kg for 36 quid delivered i get.

Casting lol

I think colour is more important than flavour. This year I ran out of my favoured white pop ups so started using any old white things I had lying around. Results continued.

If someone tells me where they're baiting (on a pressured water) I always tell them straight that I'll fish that swim if I see feeding carp there. Don't get me wrong, I'll not jump on their spot for no reason, I'd rather fish elsewhere, but I WILL fish for whatever I can see. Hence if I see them in that swim, I'll be after them. It's not fair to give guys that moral dilemma so I think the fairest and most honest way to deal with it is tell them you couldn't care less who's baiting where. On an un-pressured water it'd be a different story. I'd like to think I'd have been baiting myself. And no-one would know where, believe me!!!!

I use all sorts as hook baits but if you said to me I could only use white pop ups for the rest of my life I could live with it.

Parma ham flavour does not contain Parma ham lol.

Been there, got the t shirt lol. I guess if you have dirty, clumsy fingers you're better off with forceps bud. Each to their own and all that. I know I can remove a hook significantly more cleanly with my jim dandys than I can with the pliers.

Place your thumb on the eye and your index finger on the opposite of the bend/point against the skin/flesh. You push gently with your thumb while maintaining position of the flesh with the index finger. This disengages the barb from the flesh hence little or no tearing occurs as the hook is pushed out. It's not possible to do that with forceps bud, it tears the flesh on the barb.

I disagree bud. IMO it is far more precise using your hands. With your hands you can apply pressure to the eye with your thumb and just roll the hook out with little or no damage,. With forceps you're ripping the barb through the flesh imo. When using forceps the slightest movement of the hand can result in significant movement of the forcep tips, which in turn means significant movement of the embedded hook and barb. I only use them when I'm really, really struggling by hand.

That's the problem with Korda hooks, they're soft as you-know-what. That's why they're so easy to sharpen, you can have a kitten lick them sharp. Coupled with a relatively fine gauge it doesn't do the confidence much good, which is why historically I've avoided them. That said, assuming the hook penetrates correctly and you don't play the fish too hard they should be OK. I'm praying I don't regret using them at the moment - Imagine how bad I'd feel if I lost the target fish due to a hook opening out!

What good is that when we're fishing for carp lol?

I've also found that waters can respond differently to fishmeals/nut baits/milks/birdfoods, but my most successful periods have come to a good fishmeal. If I had to stick to one type, it'd be fishmeals without doubt.

If you compare it to that Son of Triple Row kipper you could certainly believe it eh....

After 2 or 3 weeks off I'm back on the bank this week and absolutely buzzing for it. The lake's been fishing pants which is a concern but I'll enjoy it either way. Hopefully have something to report next week.

I can imagine they're livid mate. I know this is the third capture (at least) of that fish this year but everyone else kept it quiet. I heard a rumour of another different Thames 50 out since Nick's capture but the masses won't hear about that one! And the rest bud....... it started life in the ICI pit, then it was nicked and put into Barham B pit where it escaped into the Gipping before being nicked again and put in Snake pit..... very colourful history lol.

Awesome vid.

Very, very special fish.

I often use the first night of a 2 night trip as a recce night too, figure out where they are for the next night. Tbh at this time of year id be fishing them all on the deck over bait. Regards depth id be looking to put myself anywhere I see signs of carp.

I use chod hooks for chods and a big old size 6 wide gape for zigs. I have used chod and curve patterns for zigs too when I've run out of gapes. Tbh I'm less fussed about patterns for zigs than I am with rigs that count on good mechanics.

Pineapple pop ups are hard to ignore for singles in winter.