yonny

I could be wrong buddy but I'm pretty sure it just weeded him up.

I think we must be watching a different video geez. He doesn't let the fish get to a snag. The fish weeds him up half way through the fight. This is what happens on weedy waters. It happens to me all the time. Usually you can get them out. Sometimes you can't. Part and parcel of fishing proper carp waters imo.

Bowler is one of the greatest anglers of our generation. He knows what he's doing and I'm not going to question his methods.

I think we should put it to the rotary!

See, you can always count on good advice here @Stoney!!!

Based on the decent syndi's I've been a member of and the waiting lists I'm on I'd say 600 is about average nowadays buddy, maybe just less than average!☹️

No idea mate but Monster Munch are well nice, especially Flamin' Hot flavour!😋

It'll be fine bud.

Great lake for a bit of action buddy. Find some fish (not hard, it's only a little water) and bait a spot. Plenty of clear areas towards the middle. Put two rigs on it and await the action. If that doesn't work switch to zigs. Keep your eyes on the margins too. Some swims are very close together so three rods can be too much imo. A third rod chucked down the edge can't hurt though. Careful of the marginal weed though. The swims either side of the reeds in the north east corner tend to be fantastic but they can all do hits tbh. The bank on the west side is particularly good in the margins when it's warm. The trickiest bit is getting on the fish when it's busy but there's always a chance.

@The Compleat Angler...... I agree with your observations!

Me too. Light, cheap, decent. I wouldn't go so far as to to say regularly but I've done the odd session there (at least once a year) for years now. What do you want to know buddy?

Perfect. It's not all about catching fish eh Rob. Sounds awesome mate.

Reuben Heaton dial scales. All day.

I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It's not about fishing. It's not a comedy (although they're funny guys). It's about 2 fellas that were staring death in the face coming to terms with their ordeal by sharing their experiences over a past-time therapeutic enough to literally drag one of them feet first from the depths of depression. If you were expecting rig talk and casting lessons you've really, really missed the point.

Sounds familiar...... have a look at the post I've just put in the August catch reports mate!

P.s. I nominate @nigewoodcock if he's up for it?

See that is wise imo. Using it to create a benefit. Which I don't think a quick spray is.

Fair play @spr1985. As with most things I try to adapt to the angling situation. For years I used heli's almost exclusively. I just loved the way I could move the top bead on the leader to suit different substrates. I was convinced at the time it was the most tangle free system too (which is one of my top priorities). Early last year however there was a leader ban on my main water so I had to switch to something different. I'm not 100% sold on naked heli's (I'll use them if absolutely necessary but prefer not to) so I bit the bullet and went over to tubing and lead clips, something I'd not used in maybe 15 years. The switch was made easier by that Rig Marole braided tubing which I have to say is absolutely brilliant. A year or two on I'd maybe not switch back even if I could. I've found a way to use the lead clips very effectively. What I do is find a spot (clear area) and then find the edge of it (where it gets a bit choddy with low lying weed). If I can get a drop with a 2 oz lead in this weed then imo it's presentable. I then switch over to a 4 oz lead and smash it straight into this weed with my rig attached. If I pull back (which I don't, obviously) the lead is completely locked up in the weed, it won't move unless I really pull it out. It's basically fixed the rig to the bottom which increases the bolt effect significantly. The rig is pulled into the weed but the hookbait/hook sits on top of it. I've caught loads of fish doing this including some of the rarer ones (which I'm sure is a result of avoiding the more heavily fished clean areas. Obviously there's not always clear spots where the carp are. If they're located in heavy weed I'll reluctantly go for a naked heli (at the moment anyway, due to the leader ban) with the top bead set high on the leader. I now believe that the heli isn't nearly as effective a hooker as a lead clip arrangement, even though I've caught plenty on them. Strangely, based on my experience in the last 2 years, I also believe heli's are MORE prone to tangling than lead clips - if you watch a lead clip go out on the cast and it doesn't tangle then you never bring it in tangled. If you watch a heli go out without tangling you sometimes bring it in and it still has that tell tale kink where the base of the hooklink has wrapped around the line. I hardly ever use in-lines. I'd only use them for stalking in the edge where I can see them on the deck. I won't cast one as in my opinion it'll land nose first and interfere with the hook link. I'm not up for that. If I used pva bags I'd be happy to use in-lines but I don't use bags so I'm not! I've never used running lead systems. I want that bolt effect to be as strong as possible so they don't interest me. Lot's of talk about sensitivity and bite indication above. I have to say that doesn't really bother me. My priorities (in approximate order) are: 1. Tangle Proof 2. Effective presentation on the deck 3. Decent bolt effect In my experience if the rig is in the right area, free from tangles and presented you'll get takes. If my alarm beeps the first thing I do is get down to the rod and check out what the line is doing as it enters the water. That is night or day. If there' a carp on the end you tend to know imo. I'll always use the biggest leads I think I can get away, again for that bolt effect.

You sell yourself short mate...... Braxted is no push-over and you caught from there buddy. Don't knock yourself! Who're you nominating?

Interesting you say that @kevtaylor as I've always done better on unflavoured zigs. My thinking is that with no flavour they're forced to mouth the foam to see what it is. If it's flavoured they can make a decision to take it or not. I want to remove that decision. Might see you at the weekend buddy😉

Doubtful imo. I just went online to find out what it actually is i.e. what does the spray contain. The websites for the first 4 I found (Hinders, Proper Carp Baits, Uberbaits, Nash) don't tell you anything at all. Now I seriously doubt it's neat ethyl alcohol flavour, it'd repel the carp, so I'm thinking it has to be watered down. So basically you're likely paying for flavoured water, to spray on your bait and chuck in some more water lol. Maybe there's a slight pH change from the flavour which could serve as an investigation trigger but imo it couldn't possibly last more than a few seconds.

Imho..... snake oil Rob, all day. I don't think it'll be on the bait as it hits the deck, let alone after 5 mins. I'll only use liquids if I can leave to soak for a period. A brief coating just comes off instantly on the way down. The sprays have zero viscosity so they're even worse. On top of that.... flavour does not give off a food signal so it cannot boost a bait. It is purely for palatability. That's my belief anyway.

It's pre-strectched so it's an excellent casting line. What you lose with that is abrasion resistance so be careful around weed/snags buddy.

I am very envious just picturing that mate.....

I love to read how the thought processes behind catching carp have changed over the years. Or not changed in some cases - I'm currently reading john Harry's 'Savay' and the thinking behind his angling is way ahead of its time. It was published in 92 but could almost have been written yesterday. Really good read.