emmcee

100% mate.

I only say that as the first time I went out on to dinton in a boat to retrieve a fish opened my eyes considerably. The picture I had in my head couldn't have been further from what I saw. To such an extent that I started to change the way I fished even though I was catching and obviously doing it right already.

It will either give you ideas or absolutely fry your brain.

It might be due to being plugged into clay, sand, silt or in between/on gravel. Absolutely no issue with it at all. I cast out and leave it, never pull back after casting as when you pull it after casting like you do you could easily drag the hook into debris or into gravel and damage the hook point. Cast it in and tighten up to it, that's it.

Try looking up a sea fishing rig called "the pully rig". When a fish is hooked on this rig, the weight/ pull of the fish brings the lead up away from the bottom. You will have to have a little play about with your inline feeder to adapt it but it should help lift your lead away from the bottom when you play a fish.

Looks good. Though from what I've been told nowhere is fishing that well at the moment anyway.

The only trouble with "hoping it will come to you" is that it could never come. In my opinion if you want to catch regular or catch full stop you have to go and find it and make it happen. I know some anglers and even I've done it, the bait and wait approach. Continuously getting in the same swim and also prebaiting it inbetween fishing. This can be very rewarding but also at the huge risk of someone else being in there. But doing this you once again hope they come to you. Tight lines for your next session.

Very similar to me. Late winter/early spring I'll carry whites and match the hatch. Spring, summer, autumn and early winter I'll carry washed out yellow, yellow, washed out pink and match the hatch. Winter i carry match the hatch and orange. Yellow pop ups are my go to primarily though. I'd say 75% of all my pop up caught fish have been on yellows.

That's how i tie my bait on , though I will tie a small knot and place a boilie stop through the knot and pull tight. A couple of over hand knots and then I blob it with a lighter. Just my preference.

I'd say a large spomb and a 5.5lb tc rod you should easily hit 100yds. It's all about compressing the rod combined with technique. Use a finger protector if you don't already.

You also have Rockford which is that way, holds some good fish I recall.

I think a lot of those chichester lakes hold big fish, especially on the lakeside holiday village. Runcton is the lake you want. The biggun died in vinnie' ( the seaside simmo as Id known it). Not sure how you go about getting a ticket for it mind.

My comment wasn't aimed at you fella, it's just in carp fishing in general. Though I did 100% agree with yonnys reply to you..

Absolutely Spot on mate. Too many people worry about what others are doing and not what they are doing themselves. It is my biggest bug bare in fishing. "He's doing this, he's done that etc". Who cares, god it winds me up 😤

Not sure who runs it but there is a lake on hayling island, sinah Warren i think it's called. I was going to say about the chichester lakes that you've mentioned. Some good fish in a few of those, some very very good fish in one particular lake.

Fish zigs. That way your hookbait is nowhere near the bottom where all this uneaten food is.

If spodding is not allowed and you want to achieve mass baiting then the groundbait sling/pouch is the way to go. Attach to your spod rod and away you go. It takes a bit of practice but you can hit 100yds with ease with the right technique and consistency of the groundbait ball. You can prepare the balls at home before a session so they harden slightly then at the lake its bombs away. Better with 2 of you, one on the rod and one loading the ball behind. Just don't make the balls to big or they sometimes stick in the pouch Haha

I wouldn't worry about it mate, get the rake out and give it to them👍🤣. I remember on My second ever night on dinton I was next to my mate who turned up the day after me. He found his spot and started to introduce his boilies by throwing stick. About half a kg in and the bloke opposite shouted "what are you building a ....... gravel bar" haha. I said to my mate we are new here he is trying to be intimidating. With that I got my stick out and launched another kg in just to shut him up. 🤣

My mate swears by the dot spod. I use the spomb and on the odd occasion it won't open just like on the odd occasion it will open as you cast it, but it's my preference.

In my opinion there is absolutely nothing wrong in casting 100 plus times to find/ get on a spot. I'd rather do that than think "that will do" when it won't do. As for casting in a cross wind I would rather set up facing the wind if possible, you get a much better feel of the lead down. And when you say bare lead was you feeling for a drop or seeing if you could slide the lead once it was on the bottom?

If the fish are there then stay put, if not I'd up sticks, find them and move onto them.

Know how you feel. I was going to hit the beach but the wind is putting a stop to that. One of my lakes all the weed has died off and there are massive weed beds wiping everyone out and my other lake the fish are spawning. Something is telling me not to go 🤣

Nor me if I'm honest.

This is also where having an established bait that the carp want can give you a massive edge and creating a feeding area/ situation that brings numbers of fish to your spot. The more your hookbait is picked up the more chance of a take naturally.

Absolutely spot on mate.