elmoputney

I've just been using the cool box method soaking for at least 24hrs in boiling water seems to work fine, I find if I leave them for 48h they are gloopier 24hrs and they are a bit but sugar is meant to accelerate this process?

Do you ever add sugar to your pigeon Conditioner? I just wondered as I read it helps it ferment and gloop up if that's a word 😁

Agreed, it isn't based on total guesswork I was using 4 inch rigs in bags and getting more bites now 7-8 or longer and less bites, naturally it needs to be a firm spot so it presents but I think with all the rudd and nuisance fish it will be getting moved all over the shop, so it makes sense to make them shorter

I think the rig length might be something to play with though, I was definately getting quicker bites with a shorter rig, Hypothetically here, 😁. Just suppose you get a group of fish or a fish feeding on your spot baits move about don't they, so by having a hookbait closer to the lead it's not moving as far off the baited spot without them picking up the lead, say you use a 4inch hooklink it only moves around 4 inches from the lead you have a bigger area of movement the longer the hooklink gets so the further away from your ideal zone the hookbait goes, I'm not saying a longer hooklink won't catch but I think a shorter one will be on the money more often maybe, and I also think they will prick themselves on the lead quicker maybe???

I think i may have sussed the difference between my catching and not catching, it isn't the use of a PVA bag, the type of hookbait, it's the length of the rig, when I stopped using bags my rigs naturally got longer,probably to the same length as everyone else, hmmm I remember saying hookbait doesn't really matter its the feeding situation, So in theory a pva bag full of 18mm baits with an 18mm bottom bait on a shorter rig is the ideal situation if its a clean dinner table, hard to distinguish which one is the hookbait, and they may trough the lot get nicked by the shorter rig resulting in more takes boom

Well that was kind of what I thought 😁

I found i got on OK with braid before, the problems came when I didn't wet it first, and my last braid was like tow rope so it didn't like being reeled in without a winch 🙄 that was the main reason for trying mono line as I had some in stock that I knew would be OK for casting etc. just think its less hassle with braid and as I am forgetting Important things like toastie makers and water carriers etc I think simple is best and straight through is more elmo proof 😂 you can just use it, change a lead to a spod or rake or whatever without having to think about it, perfect👌

I just realised since I restarted fishing, I don't think I've cast a rig out with a standard bottom bait on ? Its always been a wafter, snowman or pop up? Maybe matching, usually a bright one or a standout bait of some kind , am I missing out? Does anyone just use a standard bait out the bag hookbait anymore ?

You could talk to a rod builder and see if they can do it, I haven't had any rods made though myself, but I don't see why not 👍 Don't know how much it would cost though?

Good luck, that looks an amazing place hope you catch a special one 👍

You can get Cork handled versions sometimes, Johnson Ross is largely out of stock but for me a much more visually appealing rod 😁

That's good fancy a bit of a cloud in there, 🌥️☁️ The reason I am already asking is because that is already my plan, It started as a September thing but once you start you may as well keep on going with it was my thinking, I'm starting to get to my favourite fishing time of the year now hopefully I might start catching again soon 😁

I've been using pigeon mix lately, I could keep on with that I guess nice and cheep, it does make sense to continue, I do add some nuts to it though and I might start adding some corn for a bit more colour Is carnation milk bad to use in winter?

Ho ho ho We're starting to get to that time of year again, soon be Christmas and all that, 🎅🎅 Which particles would you include in your yuletide spod mix,? If it's anything like the last couple of years it may still be mild, so I was thinking trickle a bit of particle in regularly and try and keep them moving My mix so far I think hemp, groats, sweetcorn, maples, and maybe some crushed nuts and a few 12mm boilies, What is your winter spod mix?

I hadn't even got to properly use it, it was a sad day lost a gripper lead too 😁 I had the 50lb spider one and it seemed OK for most things apart from needing to cast too far I think the 0.35mm should be better and fairly similar thickness to my main line, I have the 20lb exocet on my other rod, should I need more distance,

I pretty much came to that conclusion after losing my castable weed rake 😭 I've ordered some spider braid 35lb should be up to most tasks I need it for, the last lot I had was OK so will see

They needed to call a specialist team for that Plumber is coming today so hopefully he can sort it out 🙏

I think it depends what you are using tbh, I've been using pigeon Conditioner and for a while I added a fish oil and a fish hydro liquid but it made it smell bad, and actually I think it doesn't add a lot to it and they are just as effective without tbh, and also maybe they won't like the added flavoring it might act as a repellant if you do too much, I think the trick is to give them something they will eat and get them competing for food that way they will slip up, start with natural and then work from there or just add salt and chilli flakes from a supermarket, If you are fishing a place for lots of fish, use a lot of bait and get them feeding hard, If you are fishing for one bite at a time I would learn to make a decent packbait mix and find a way to really boost the attraction in that

And pike on a double wafter 😬 I was talking to someone at the lake a little while ago and he was saying about proteins in winter and bodybuilders etc and how he would use carbs for energy, proteins for muscle growth but he made a good point, we all think they want protein in winter but if they eat this they get full, and slow down, so surely it would be best to give them energy in winter ie carbs like particles and they would stay more active burn more calories and then eat more making them more catchable in winter 🤔

They are, when they came to turn my one off, he had to sit and wait for 2 hours to turn it back on, didn't think about changing our dodgy valve just sat and did Facebook, apparently he wasn't trained to do that 😳

I don't think carp are actually eating whole squid or livers etc just squid meal, squid flavoured baits and anything else anglers come up with that Contains squid or liver I believe The reason they like squid and liver etc, is the amino acid content I'm no expert on this but I believe it helps bodybuilders digest proteins better and faster, I am sure someone else will know and be able to explain it better than I though 😁

To use, sweet as they smell nicer and don't leave you stinking For results probably something that stinks like liver, fish or squid 😁

If your pack bait is flying off is it mixed too dry? I'm not sure what goes into packbait mixes but maybe it just needs a tweak If I was you I would keep the maize fairly simple, just soak it in water for 24 hours with some himalayan rock Salt thrown in and maybe a some chilli flakes ,and then boil it, and if you really want some oil use a garlic oil, who doesn't love chilli and garlic I would add this after boiling though 🌶️😭

I think I've definately disturbed something whilst raking last week that in hindsight probably was a pike, and actually forgot the pike that tried to eat my spod lol, I just wonder more when it broke out of the net it sat around near my middle rod line for a bit while I got the net back together, made a few lunges again, could've done it then maybe but not really sure, it also ran through it when I was playing it I did have some incidents where all 3 bite alarms went off, that's usually a dirty rat running through them all my bobbins were on or nearly on the floor and my reels were quite close last night so I dunno, I still think that was a carp though just seemed a more positive carpy take, so I am still upset 😭 Lost 2 now recently, 7 blanks and a wafter eating pike ruining the plan (at least it wasn't a bream 😁) Still baited heavily on departure let them eat cake I say, hopefully it will come together soon and I'll start catching them, I am starting to feel I deserve a red letter day 😂 I also seem to keep bumping into anglers on there that catch 7 in a session and /or haven't blanked yet, doesn't do the confidence any good to hear that when you keep blanking 😁😭

I always use a figure of 8 loop knot on the mainline then thread the leader loop on it then just put the other end of the leader through the figure of 8 loop,and let it tighten down a bit So I guess that's a loop to loop? I haven't had one break there yet tbh,