cobleyn

If you have soft rods and the water is snag free- you could go as low as 8lb. 10 or 12 is about right with 15 if its snaggy.

I finished a book recently called 'Seized' about a guy who travelled all over the world stealing back ships from pirates- that was pretty good- well worth a read and something completely diffferent in terms of the life experience that this guy had. I've just started Frankie Boyle's book 'My S**t life so far' and have been laughing my ass off. If you like his stand up (and if you havent seen it - and aren't easily offended its the funniest DVD I've seen in 4 years) or his panel show stuff- it'll make you crack up.

If you are fishing choddys in weed, please make sure a: your top bead can easily pass over the top splice of your leadcore/ line b: you use a rotten bottom (3lb or such like) to attached you lead. If you need to wind your cast up and think the light line will snap - you can PVA Tape/ string it on.

I believe that that and and very fine braids (dyneema) tend to cause more damage than that of a round or loose weave braid like Herculine Heavy. I've played around with flat braid and it doesnt mark the fish like round braid does. I've had 40's, 50's and 60's on it that dragged me round the lake- but came in with clean mouths. I never got one that sunk though in colors that I liked- so I abandoned it.

You can either use a slightly thicker braid or hunt down some flat profile braid. Terry Eustace is prototyping some at the moment.

ditto. short links when pva bag fishing...long when fishing boilies spread out. I sometimes like a longer hooklink when I'm fishing for bigger carp too, I think they can get it in their mouths easier due to their bulk (when they are having to 'up-end' to get food in their mouths) and the sucking power that they can generate with their bigger mouths and gills.

Make sure you are not using it on the wrong bottom/ rig. It can have a tendancy to stick up at funny angles and look a bag of spanners on the wrong bottom.

Try using a ring swivel with it, or attaching it to the swivel with some sort of loop not ( I tend to use an overhand loop because I'm lazy- I know theres stronger loop knots but its never let me down yet on fish over a ton). The extra flexibility will allow it to pivot easier and go in the fishes mouth more naturally.

kryston quicksilver- tough as old boots- 35lb or 45lb

Just finished Bill Cottams book. Great read, some good tales that normal anglers can relate to about early days fishing, through an angling career progressively catching bigger and more sought after fish. Definately not a "I sat for 300 days without a bite" book, or "heres the latest fantastic rig, rod, reel that I owe all of my success to".

I've had a lot of hooks giving me issues- but the fish that I have been using them for are a little bigger than the average. Ive had several Korda's open out on me, two owner MUtu's where the eye opened and esp raptors bent out of shape. I can however recomend Raptor Big T's and solar stronghold longshanks. I have landed carp to 80lb on the esp's and arapiama to 300lb on the solars.