yonny

Test it mate!
Just tie it onto something and start puling.

Test it mate!
Just tie it onto something and start puling.

Well if we do meet and you seen me catch, it was a Tench that got weeded up for 10 mins, so exciting looked 10lb but went 9.14lb - buzzing mate, get on the multi, spinner, up and down rigs 👍🤣

Several years ago I bought a big Nash cradle with a metal frame. I set it up in the front room when it arrived, then packed it back down, and sent it back. Did not look at all safe to me.

Well done Kev👍

Got a cracking 30 common first morning then the crowds arrived and pressured the area and they did the off.
Kept it secret squirrel so no pics till I report it to the syndi, sorry 🐳😎👍
Get in 🙂

My son joined me, he had 4. 20lb on the nose 18lb 

Did the last night on the estate lake until next winter, had 6 out, biggest 21lb. low double 21lb 

First night of the season last night. It was a lot colder than I expected. There was ice on my unhooking mat and bivvy this morning. No bites so far. Still a few hours left though....

last session of the season on the estate lake 
off to pastures new come June 16th 

I’ve always used floss as the “hair” on the slip d, then tied the hair stop on with a couple of granny knots then blobbed with a lighter. 
 
I then remove that bait and hair stop and discard it, then turn the floss loop so the blob is half way down the loop, then rebait, so the blob ends up in the centre of the boilie, then hair stop as normal. 
 
I do this because when I bait up, then give the bait a quick sniff, I can smell the melting/burning smell left from the blobbing process, but by replacing the bait and positioning the blob in the middle of the bait, this is eradicated. Extremely fussy I know! But it makes me feel happier! 
 
yet when I lasso and blob a pop up using floss, I can’t do that, and catch perfectly well, so the “blobbing burnt smell” can’t be that off putting… 🙄

Back down for another 3-4 nights potentially, picked back of the wind based on what I saw last trip and after setting up I saw several shows to my surprise, showing me where to put the rods, fingers crossed might get lucky - think I've dropped right on them unless they're passing through, some chunks to - fingers crossed 🤞 

I usually blob the braid but couldn't this session(didn't think of that causing such a issue 🤷🏽‍♂️), couldn't get the lighter working in the lovely weather we was having. 40mph winds with a bit of rain thrown in for good measures.

I just use floss and blob it with a lighter..... unless birds are a problem in which case I use floss and a hair stop with 4 overhand knots!
Not sure why yours will be coming undone. Try floss instead of the hair braid. The braid could be slipping.

When I first fished a big pit I set my stall out and fished at 40yds or less for 90% of my fishing, especially when seeing most anglers casting as far as they could. I also concentrated on the bays on this particular lake as the fishing was comfortable for me and more into my style. Im not someone who likes to fish as far they can so I only ever launched baits to the horizon if that's where the fish were. 
Don't get sucked into what you see everyone else doing. 
And the obvious one is location, location, location.  Also Write down where you see them , the wind direction,  weather, the atmospheric pressure (in my opinion  and my findings were these factors play a bigger part on larger pits than smaller ones)all these will help you get  a picture of the fish are up to. 

Here's a picture including all the items above in their respective pouch and my other tackle pouch which has all my tackle for river fishing (chub, barbel, and perch). The bottle of scotch is for scale purposes obviously.
 
 

To scale back you really need to decide what you actually need for the vast majority of your fishing. You also need to be content with the fact they you will never cover every possibility. 
I really do not enjoy carrying loads of unnecessary things in anything I do - whether that be fishing tackle or tools for a job. If I can buy something that has multiple uses then I will prioritise that. When I stopped carp fishing exclusively, my items of end tackle all fit into a 9" by 6" zipped bag which I have attached a picture of. The little box has a few beads, swivels etc in, the bit of pipe lagging as a few pre-tied rig bits pinned on, and the cut down pva tube has the hook section of hinge stiff rig/chod rigs in - which can be used for either rig obviously. I have three packets of hooks only.
I think most people would shudder at the idea of taking so few items of terminal tackle with them. Personally,  I always found it very relaxing to have a very simple approach to work from. Granted I may add items as a situation dictates but I never found myself feeling the need to try something for no reason whatsoever.
I would advise seriously considering concocting a very basic approach to carp fishing (i.e. deciding on three rigs that cover most situations you can envision) and decide EXACTLY what you need to do that.
 
 

I still use the same tool box I found 30 odd years ago coz it fits in my rucksack and seems to be the right size.  I also carry a zig disc (fox) - thats good because it's 1ft round so use as a measure and rig storage.
Theres lots of stuff I rarely use which lives in a big rig wallet - only goes in the car on big trips where I dont know what might happen, multiple zig lines, bait drills and corks, various leaders, tubing sets, spares on top of spares.
I used to carry a big float tube full of spods, marker floats, floater floats - again only on big trips - but left in car.
For normal fishing trips (95%) of the time I carry just one spare spod, one floater/zig line, one marker float, PVA funnel web all in the lid of my rucksack, one tackle box FULL of rig making essentials, rig box (Korda) and the zig disc (Fox).
Spare leads can stay in the car, I carry some in a lead pouch - enough for a few fish, back to the car if I run out.
You could spend a fortune buying all new stuff that goes together perfectly or just make what you've got work - I'm kind of reviewing what I need on a venue to venue basis.

After a few beers yesterday I wake up to find I've ordered this 🤣🤣🤣
 
Also just spooled the sportsmatics with 15lb korda long chuck, they feel great 👌

excuse the socks 🤣

Yup

Not necessarily. You can tie a knot below the chod to keep the lead away from the rig. As long as the top bead can move, it's safe.

How big?
Frameys' advice is spot on. On big waters I tend to find they're much easier to catch than on on small waters. The hard bit is finding them.

Use a brown pop up and trim it down until it sits perfectly. You're dead right that overly buoyant hook baits will be ignored if they sit too high in the surface film. By trimming down a pop up you can get it just right and the hook bait will last for hours. I certainly wouldn't be inserting cork into mixers as they'll still fall apart pretty quickly.
As long as the hook bait sits ok in the surface film and you have them feeding properly, you'll get bites.
👍
 

How big?
Frameys' advice is spot on. On big waters I tend to find they're much easier to catch than on on small waters. The hard bit is finding them.

How big?
Frameys' advice is spot on. On big waters I tend to find they're much easier to catch than on on small waters. The hard bit is finding them.