cobleyn

Good feedback -thanks lads. Just looked on t'internet ...is the vice and eye glass any use...or is the value just in the files?

You rate them then Jez? I wasn't sure wether they were just another gimmick. Do you think youve picked extra fish up with them?

Brilliant tip. I went once to a lake that was supposed to be "crayfish and poison chat free" and got hammered by them for three days, till I went out to decathlon and got some hookers with plastic around them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi Nope...he's right...680.

Not fished there for probably 15 years... Seem to remember the biggest fish back then was called patch...only scraper thirty in there. There was a lot of the fish that made there way into the river back then. Some of the ones with smashed mouths were "re housed" for a better life in the derwent.

I now have an area in the garage that my carp tackle gets unloaded from the car into...and then I can't forget anything as I load all of the kit that's in that area.

Ill ask the obvious question.... Why do you want to try new rigs? If your old ones are catching, or unlesss you are fishing in a new environment where more complex rigs are needed...stick to what you know.

Not sure if you're joking or not blanksalot Funnily enough I was looking at the Korda Krimps yesterday as tying neat knots in hinged stiff rigs is a ball ache (and as I found out later- quite dangerous ). On inspecting the packaging though- it says... "Not for use on Braid, coated braid or flourocarbon". So what's the flipping point of it then?

Yup - it was barbed. I gave it a good twist and a pull but it was in there very well. Mr . Gardener should be proud of how sharp they are! They x ray'd it before they started to extract it and commented that the barb didn't look too big- so they would just 'jiggle it out' rather than push it through and cut it- again well done Mr. G on putting micro barbs on. Yeah- I trimmed it up before I took it- I did get the hook back though. It was still sharp so I'll tie it back up.

So I was tying a few rigs up yesterday...tensioning a knot...slipped...whoops - off to a&e we go.

You're right Ian...it's only about 2 miles from me. Funnily enough I used to fish it in the nineties. I might have a mooch around it later.

I'd be in.

I'd do a search - I seem to remember some negative stuff last year.

PM'd you.

Looks a nice place. ...don't think I'd get away with another week away fishing this year.

Have you noticed that since they've done rig putty all the Korda chaps really rate "putting a massive blob of putty" on their hooklengths to "pull it down into the carps mouth". For me- Putty has always been about finesse and balance in a discrete way. If you want a massive blob- use a shot.

What brand was it? It's not supposed to do that...especially when the water is this cold.

...and adrenaline floats...making it the worst stuff ever for hook lengths.

Depends on the lake you are fishing. Lots of man made lakes or ponds hold their colour through the year so you don't need ot fine down. A lot of gravel pits and other lakes have every bit of colour fall out of them through the winter, with some mornings seeming to add extra feet of clarity just from the bank. Anything you can do in these lakes to fine down is a bonus. (except where there is weed or snags) Im on 10lb double strength mono at the minute.

For what's its worth...these are the two rigs I've been using this season. When I'm wading my baits out I use a running rig on a Flouro line. When I'm casting; Helicopter on normal mono. The lake I'm fishing has got some soft patches and a lot of the fish get caught at v. long range- I think a helicopter allows the lead to crash in to soft patches and still leave the hooklink in good shape. One of the reasons that they have gone out of fashion is that the firms can't make a lot of money from two rubber beads and a length of tubing.

Nick- what've you done??? You know that's going to cost you a few hook pulls

My own personal view is that pure braid with a pop up isn't the most effective material. Having watched fish deal with it and get away with it numerous times and with ease, I think the flexibility doesn't lend itself too well. My own preference is to use a hinged stiff link with pop ups. A mini swivel on the shank of the hook is a good alternative to tying a hair.

I think it was this one Cob? Carpmad, have a flick through this link.. It's a bit long winded but may be able to help you? Ross. Nothing there Ross??

I'd try a quick search of existing threads. I seem to remember welder and a couple of others discussing NEC lakes a while back.

Yeah...it fought a bit 30lb line and 6lb test curve rod and it still took 25 mins to get in. It's 120lb Siamese from Thailand.