yonny

Was looking at that Nige but want one with sides. Considering the Trakker ones. Like the look of the Nash ones but very pricey and have found other Nash products to be poor quality.

Ten years ago Carp Porter was the only way to go. That's no longer the case IMO. On mine the bracket that holds the front wheel assembly on bent, I had to fix it in place with a mod. So did I! Totally agree. I bought direct for 30 or 40 quid and it's utter pants (but still better than dragging a puncture barrow a mile...). The time is coming to replace mine, I'll not be getting another Carp Porter with so many viable alternatives on the market now.

True dat. GCSE level technology in little plastic boxes. Some of which aint waterproof lol.... Rip off, but the best of a bad bunch on the market IMO.

Got to be Fox. To this day I carry around a 20 yr old Fox Micron M. It's a spare for when my £500 quid set goes wrong, which they have done on several occasions. That mouldy old micron has never let me down. I think I've only changed the battaeries twice in those 20 years. It cost 20 quid and is the only alarm I've had that has never had even the slightest problem.

I've not seen the Trakker waders bud. I can vouch for the VASS, they're very good indeed.

The VASS come in quite big so you only need 1 size up fella.

I got some of the Eagle Claws and did a pretty extensive review on here. You're right, they're very hard to sharpen. They're sharp out of the packet but when you look closely the quality is inconsistent. http://www.carp.com/topic/22462-eagle-claw-lazer-trokar-hooks/ I simply cannot look past Atomics. I've tried most and keep coming back to Atomic. Every time I stray I end up regretting it.

I wouldn't go with any of the big brands, not for components that aint subject to loading anyway. You can pick up 50 cheapo rig rings for a couple of quid on ebay. Personally I like a bigger ring, I want plenty of movement. Normally use 3 or 4 mm depending on the application/rig.

Not at all bud, I too would like to hear feedback - I've only tried the 18 lb, just bought another spool a few weeks back, and wondering if I should have tried the 15 lb myself.

100%

Lol, beat me Spr!

http://enterprisetackle.co.uk/category/snail

I have a mate that did well by super-gluing a few bits of fake hemp onto a double hair. Looked a little odd but caught fish.

Correct bud, no leader. You'd probs get away with the 15 lb with no leader. I know you can really cast so I bet you'd go miles with it. It's great stuff, hard as nails. I got snagged up last year on some kind of root right in the margins, I had to pull for a break and basically couldn't break it (the line stretched a little before pulling this root right out of the lake bed). Yet it casts (!?!). I'm going to France in a few months to a water that's all 100 yards + fishing, last year I put a casting line on for this trip but this time I'm just leaving the SLS on, it's absolutely fine.

If you just want a half decent power pack look at the ANKER 20800 mAh on Amazon. It's about 25 quid and should keep you going through an entire weekend regardless of what you're charging. I got through a whole week in France charging my phone once a day off one of these.

You should try it fella. It doesn't sink as well as the Loaded (still sinks well mind) but it behaves much, much better. A really good line.

Have you tried the standard XT David?

That's exactly what I do.... Snap! The more you buy, the easier it gets......

Depends completely on the type of angling you'll be doing fella. - For out-and-out distance casting you want a pre-stretched line, something like Fox Exocet. However, abrasion resistance is non existent and they tend not to sink too well either. - If you want a little more abrasion resistance/sinking but maintain casting then the new semi pre-stretched lines are very popular, Gardner GT-HD, Shimano Technium, that kind of thing. -Then you have the genuine all-rounders, they do everything quite well. As said above Gardner Pro is very good indeed, as is ESP Synchro XT (NOT the loaded version). - Then you have what I call snag lines, the stuff with great abrasion resistance but you'll not cast a million miles with it. Think Gardner Hydro Tuff. No line does everything, you should buy it to suit your needs. I use Rig Marole SLS Specimon Tough. It's indestructible, has the strength of a snag line (they saw through wood with it in their demo at the shows) but it casts and sinks OK. It's not the most supple but I can hit 130 with the 18lb (0.37 mm dia.) with quite soft rods. I'm no big caster either.

I know that feeling fella....

Defo a tricky one this. See the problem with angling for carp, especially bigguns, is you simply don't know how much bait you need. It is completely dependent on how many fish you manage to get feeding and for how long they feed on a given day. I've turned up for a weekender with 5 kg and run out after 24 hrs, but I've also taken 4.5 kg home with me at the end of the weekend. Personally I think it's worth the risk. I'd rather carry that extra few kg around with me and not use it than have carp going mental in front of me and run out of bait - there's nothing worse. I normally have back-up bait in the car too.

Probs my fave way to catch them. I can only remember 3 decent sessions doing this in the last maybe 5 years due to bird life and other anglers. Used to do it all summer it seemed.....

I agree with that. I used to love stalking along the margins but on a lot of the waters I've fished in the last 10 years I've tended not to find carp close in to fish for. I'm sure this is due to modern 'anglers' making a racket on the bank - setting up right on the waters edge, having bbq's, with those God awful ridgemonkey lights lighting up the bivvy like a space station. I'd used to always have one rod in the margins by default and for my first 10 years angling that was normally the most productive rod. I don't do that anymore - they usually sit motionless for 2 days now. I'd have to see feeding carp to pop one in the margins these days, which is rare. Nowadays I'll go stalking only to do three laps, find nothing, and end up back in the swim chucking zigs at open water where the fish are showing. Wouldn't it lol

Certainly do bud, 20 lb semi stiff in brown. It's pricey, in that you get half as much as the other links for similar money, but well worth it IMO. I actually bought some cheaper Fox Camotex Stiff for when the situation doesn't warrant using the more expensive ESP stuff (idiotic decision that was, don't know what I was thinking tbh) and it reminded me just how much better it is. It just doesn't compare, the Fox stuff went on the spare bits shelf and hasn't been touched since while I've got through another 2 spools of the ESP. It's versatile too - I've used it for all sorts.

Here's a statement for you fella; it's the best coated braid I've ever used..... and I've used most of them. The stiffness is just right - enough to kick the link out but settle over uneven substrate. The braid inside is super supple. The coating doesn't split at the knot. It pulls straight without steaming. It's as close to perfect as is currently available. One of the products of the year for me. Disagree hutch, it sinks miles better IMO. I agree you still need putty but I found you need significantly less than with other coated braids.