gidneyboy

Elmo, do you like marmite? If you do then start eating it everyday, there is a vitamin in it that mozzies don't like. It won't stop every bite but it will stop a good percentage. It is also worth investing in one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-Camping-Lantern-Night-Light-LED-UV-Lamp-Mosquito-Killer-Fly-Bug-Zapper/313172610534?hash=item48ea8acde6:g:mBIAAOSw0kRfKmMK Just hang it up inside your bivvy, and you will be surprised how many of the little gits it kills each night.

A couple from last weeks first session after lockdown. 34lb on the nose mirror and 31lb 14oz common

The Syndicate series of books by Mark Cunnington. very easy to read, light heated and funny. I am not a great reader of fiction but these books I have read multpile times. They still make me laugh even when I know whats coming. In my oppinion the first is deffinatly the best, out the rest 1 or 2 of them in my mind are a little weak compared to the others but still worth reading.

My mate has an allotment and recieved a letter from the local council encouraging all holders to carry on tending their plots. To tend his plot he would have to drive there and open locked gates, the exact reasons I have been given why we cannot fish. I have to drive by my local lake to get to the supermarket, so why can't i visit the supermarket, buy enough provisions for 2/3 weeks and stop at the lake and fish for 2/3 weeks? Surley no better place to isolate?

I've been on Geoffs bait for 15/16 years now and have no reason to change. I have 100% confidence in everyone one of his baits and I have used a good few of them. Currently I'm to the 2tb and it is catching well, to the point where 3 or4 other lads on the lake I'm fishing have moved on to it.

Not fished it myself for a good few years but a mates son does fish it fairly regularly. He does seem to catch a fair amount of fish, nothing massive, low 20's is the biggest he has had this year as far as I am aware with the average being low to mid doubles. He does say there is a handful of bigger fish about but they are very few and far between and although there is supposed to be 1 or 2 30's in there he is not convinced that is the case. He tells me fishing tight to the island with some free bait, but not too much, is the most productive for him. A good quality fishmeal boilie and a little pellet are his preferred baits, although he has said he has done OK on Urbans nutcracker when he has run out of his fishmeal bait.

I have been using ABS for 15 years and can never see me changing to be honest. All of Geoffs bait is quality, very reasonably priced and customer service is 2nd to none in my opinion. The only downside is ringing to order bait and getting caught in a time tunnel, where what should be a 5 min call turns in to an hour plus!

We always have a great week on the Bley regardless of how many fish we catch but it is always nice to get into a few fish! Anyway thanks for the comments fella's it makes a nice change to be able to post some pictures of fish and talk about a venue.

Like jh92 I have 2 set ups First is for larger waters or waters that contain cats Penn Affinity 8000's 15lb tigerline no leader 120 yards at a real push Varying waters up to 40ish acres 12ft 3.25 torrix 2nd is my preferred set up, when I can get away with it Shimano ultegra 5500 mini pits 12lb tigerline, no leader No need to go past 65/70 yards Varying waters to around 6 acres 12' 6" century AK 47's twin tips, 1.75 and 2.75 tips but only really use the 1.75 tips (utter joy for playing fish on)

Have been back from our annual trip France (Moulin De Bley) for about a week and just had a chance sort the pics outs. So thought I would share a bit of a catch report on here with pics as my waters over here have strict publicity bans. My mate Justin and I have been going to Bley for about 16 years, so know what to expect. Over the years we have seen the lake turn from a prolific runs water, to a water where the fish have wised up big time but if luck is with you big hits are still possible. Over the years we have been every month from April to early October but this year we thought we would give the last week in October a bash for a change. We arrived at the lake around around midnight on Friday night, having been going for years the bedchairs were the last items of tackle to be loaded, so we could easily get to them to set up in the communal barn area for a few hours kip before the owner Tony turned up at around 8 in the morning. Tony turned up and woke us up, told us we were the only ones on the lake for the week and that the previous group had left late Friday evening so the lake was free whenever we wanted to get on there. When we first started going our kids were young so these French trips have always been more of a social than anything else as Justin lives in Dorset and me in the Colne Valley. Being as it is a social thing we decided to both fish swim 4 that is a large double at the deeper, far end of the lake. We always fish as a team when fishing a double, so we each had a rod to the normally prolific tree line, one each on a baited spot in open water and our third rods were fished to some willows on the far bank. The fishing was certainly not the easiest week we have had on there, the weather was very inconsistent, heavy rain for a couple of days, a couple of sunny days, a couple of overcast days and the odd frost at night. The fish seemed to come onto the feed for a few hours every couple of days, so we tended to catch 2 or 3 fish in quick succession then it would go quiet for 36-48 hours. So not the most prolific of the weeks but we still up ended up with a total of 16 carp between us, 8 each which included 2x50's, 5x40's, 9x30's and 1x20. I also had Barry the black sturgeon at 44lb, 3 times during the week. 53lb 5oz 43lb 10oz 43lb 1oz 42lb 15oz 39lb 15oz 37lb 9oz 35lb 4oz 29lb 5oz

I have used an original worldwide since it's release and without doubt it is was of the best and most versatile pods on the market. Then a few weeks ago I saw defiantmps fantail on the bank and was so impressed I ordered one as soon as I got home and am awaiting delivery. The fantail is a truely initiative piece of kit, made of titanium (so light and tough) and. cheaper than the new worldwide, well worth a look if you are in the market for a new high end pod.

Managed to get out for 2 nights before Christmas, was due to pack up early morning Christmas eve but due to the weather got a pass to stay a few hours longer. I managed 5 fish all mid doubles then just before I was going to bring the rods in, one rattled off....................29lb 2oz mirror. Nice Christmas surprise!!

got to agree emmcee, you will find few Korda items in my tackle box but Mouth Trap is certainly one of them. I have not found anything that comes close.

Personally I don't know the water but the carpcatcher on youtube has done a series on it, which you cab find here

Fished Furnace once as a bit of a social with a mate as it is kind off half way between the two of us. All I will say is never again, booked on for 3 nights and both of us couldn't wait to get away. The place is a total circus.

Another option if you are within 15 miles of Watford town hall or can use an address that is within 15 miles, is Watford Piscators. There main complex has 5 lakes including Tolpits, which although is nowhere near the lake it used to be still has a hanful of decent fish, around half a dozens 30's to around 37lb and at last a decent stocking policy.

If you don't mind travelling, then Festival fishery in Sommerset is well worth a look http://www.festivalcarpfishery.co.uk/lake.html A well thought out and run lake, where all the swims are located on two large islands, meaning the longest chuck from any of the swim is no more than 50/60 yards and each of the 8 swims has more than enough water. It's not a runs water by any means but not hard either, with some real stunning looking scaley mirrors. There is showers on site and all the bailiffing staff are spot on. As I say a bit of travelling involved by well worth it in my opinion.

Almost forgot, after heavy rain the banks become a complete nightmare so expect to get dirty!!

Fished it 3 or 4 times about 8 years ago. Not a bad water at all considering it's free. I had fish to 21lb but sure there are a lot bigger in there. Deep and weedy, with some interesting bottom objects! Also I think the sbs use it for some diving drills but never witnessed it myself. When I fished it, there were all sorts of story's about the local kids and tackle thefts but to be honest I found them no more than a mild irritant on one occasion and had no real problems with them. I would have no problems with fishing it again when down that way,

Eight of us (all experienced anglers)from one of my waters rented the front lake for a weekend in July. I have got to be honest and say at the end of the weekend we was all a little disappointed. Five out the eight caught fish, with three blanking. The two lads in the swims on the middle of the car park bank done the best with around 15-20 fish each, biggest was 18lb something but most were high singles/low doubles. All of these were taken tight to the spit . The fella in the end swim on that bank, who only really had open water in front of him blanked. The next bank you come to had 3 lads fishing it. The fella in the first swim on that bank had a 29lb cat, the fella in the middle blanked and the fella in the last swim on that bank, had two carp, 16lb and one around 8lb. The next bank is directly opposite the carp park bank. I was fishing the swim on this bank, opposite the end of the spit. I had a tiny cat and two low double commons. The last fella in the end swim of this bank, blanked. First impressions of the lake looked good, lots of fish showing and it looked clean and tidy. After a while though it became apparent there was a serious wasp problem on there. I have never been anywhere with so many of the things. Four or five of us got stung including me on the tongue. So really depends on what you are looking for, if you are happy with lots of small fish, it could be the place for you, depending if you can get on the right peg. If it's bigger fish then the front lake from our experience ain't the place to be.

Busy ain't the word for it, the place is a total joke. Quad bikes tarring behind you for 12 hours a day, I have had quieter sessions on the motorway bank at Farlows. Once you are in a swim that's it, no moving on to showing fish as I found out, the hard way. Rules for some people and different rules for everybody else. The place emphasizes all what's bad about modern day carp angling.

Didn't miss too much unless you wanted loads of pasties and tiny kittens mate.

Cheers Gordon. Will let you know how we got on when I get back, although it's more of a social than anything else! Not looking forward to the 4:30 alarm call though!!!

Has anybody fished Parr Fisheries owned by Brentwood angling in Essex? I'm off there Friday for a social with the lads from a lake I used to fish. All I know is we have rented the whole lake with the cats in. I would just like to know some basics, stock of cats and carp, is it worth knocking up some particle and fishing big beds of bait? ECT. Any general info would be great if anybody knows. Thanks

At last goblin some sense being spoken. A bait critically balanced in a tank or margin is as good as useless once that bait much deeper. From memory every foot of fresh water adds around 6.2 PSI of pressure. So you balance a bait in a foot of water and you fish it in around five foot of water, a pressure increase of around 25 PSI. And you think it's going to react the same? I hate to shatter any illusions but not a chance of it reacting the same. A 25 PSI increase acting on a small piece of cork is a he'll of an increase.