emmcee

No wonder your brain is fried when it comes to bait Haha

Good on you, stick with it and I'm sure the results will come for you. As harsh as it may sound but if you're not catching, then look at what you're doing before thinking it's the bait. Tight lines

I've been dealing with tony for about 20yrs now. In those 20yrs I used the matrix RR with matrix flavour for 5 yrs ( only changed because a few anglers found out what I was on) having brilliant results. I've dabbled with his other baits , mainly when fishing on different waters throughout the close season etc and always caught on them. Though one season I used the pro fruit and was top rod for that year on my lake. . I've done really well on his randoms, all his bait is good so I was confident using a mixed bag. Then for 12- 15yrs myself and a few mates have been on the same bait, a custom rolled bait on the superaminos base mix. Sticking to a bait is paramount and I'm afraid as yonny has said it's not the bait that isn't catching but the angler. I've been there, blaming my bait for not catching until someone said its not the bait but me. That person was right, went back to basics and not overthinking and bang started catching again. If you don't want catfish etc then a fishmeal may not be the best bait, but his pro fruit is very good as is his winter blend. I've used both to very good affect.

If you want to achieve consistent results then stick to boilies. If you wish to clear spots in weed etc then yes go for pellets and particles, but for targeting carp then boilies is the way. I read in one of your replies here that you're buying a cover all permit. If you enjoy going from lake to lake etc catching anything (carp, tench, bream) then the approach you mentioned will work. Though if you are after carp and want consistency then stick to one lake and apply a bait, this is the long term will give you the best results. I once had a ticket which covered me for 4 lakes, fried my head as I kept flitting between two of them, never really getting anything going. But at the end of the day if you enjoy tinkering with one rod etc, moving from lake to lake then go and enjoy and good luck.

Pellets are a breams first love. They eat everything and anything. To avoid bream/nuisance fish I go through boilie only route. Hookbaits being 22mm or double 18mm etc. Just particle and pellet and I'd say you will be in bream city.

Is a van no good to you? They are the ultimate fishing wagons.

Well from my angling experiences air pressure only played a part on where the fish would go in the lake combined with certain winds but not so much affect their feeding. Obviously each lake is different so what pattern you see on one lake will not always be what happens on another lake.

It was hilarious. I've got more pics of it some where. I'll try and dig them out.

Makes you wonder how it can be that cheap when all the top brands are twice that. Either the top brands are ripping people off or the quality of this one isn't as good. I don't use a bait boat and never would but I know people who do and it comes back to the same old thing, buy cheap buy twice.

Good luck. Where is that at dayvid?

I was sorting a cupboard out and found some old pics. One made me chuckle as if I'd not had the picture no one would believe it. It's not super imposed as one mate reckoned. The pigeon was a racing pigeon that landed in front of my mates bivvy and was obviously very tame. My mate took it home in the end and it flew off the next day. Anyone else got pics of things you didn't expect to see on the bank?

Snugpak are the dogs danglies in my opinion. I use their sleeping bags and have the softie shirt and sasquatch. Amazingly warm. I wouldn't use anything else.

Don't get me wrong, amongst the "known" anglers he's still very much at or near the top.

That is always happening. I've seen numerous "sponsored " anglers catch fish on a certain bait only to put in the mags' it was caught on his sponsored bait. I kind of expect it from some of them but one of them I couldn't believe had done it as I held him in high regard and thought everything he said was always accurate. In fact this one particular angler also represents a tackle manufacturer (esp,ecially end tackle, you might guess who from this) but his hooks were from a totally different company stating that they were much sharper than the ones he was sponsored by. I stopped buying magazines from then on.

Ive only used hydros. Be that krill, salmon, shrimp and a shore crab one. I've used them all and no one is any better than the other. I've blended them also. The only thing I noticed over a few seasons were the results were better in the spring time using these glugs. And it's not just the hookbaits that were glugged, all my bait would have been glugged (boilies I mean).

If I'm honest, I hardly ever use a marker float any way. I just lead about. I don't need a marker. I just use a far margin point of reference and how many wraps and Job done. As long as you are in line with said reference point and clipped up you will hit the same spot each time. Simples

Totally agree nick. I'm not fazed by a bit of weed nor a lot of weed for that matter. But I'd say most people use a marker to show where a clear spot is and a large ringed swivel might just let the float up in an area there is some weed etc. Its also another reason I don't use a boom section for the lead, a boom will keep the float out of any weed and potentially misguide the person into thinking the area is clean when in fact it isn't. . And as with most things, if everyone is finding/ fishing clear spots then I'm aiming to do the complete opposite anyway.

If or when I've used a marker the last thing I do is put a large eyed swivel on. I just use a regular swivel simply because the large eye swivel might let the float up even if there is some weed/rubbish on the lake bed. If the float comes up with a regular swivel on then there's a much bigger chance that the area is clear.

You've met a right character there in Fat Al'. He catches them though. But he's certainly right.

That's Simon's fish for you. As a lot of us said who fished dinton, his fish are born with a brain. On white and no doubt on black there are fish that Simon assumes have died and they come out many years after their last capture. The fish known as triple row in white, my mate caught it at 8lb many years ago and then appears next at upper 30. The surrounding ponds on the dinton pastures country park are all full of whackers. Un fed and just left to grow. Every now and then some one will be tasked with catching one to stock into white or black. A very good stocking policy and very well run. Just a shame it's become so pressured.

yes simon knows his stuff for sure. i had a gold card for a couple of seasons and like you fished mainly black in those couple of seasons. both hold special fish indeed.

Yes you have spike and saddle back, both upper 40lb linears if not 50lb. God knows how many 40's now to back them up. All the big fish in there were all mid to upper 30's or just hitting 40 when I was on there. As for white swan, possibly 3 x 50's and numerous 40's . Most of which are proper stunners. I left white hating the place. When I first joined it i Ioved it but it became full of fish at all cost anglers, desperate wannabes. My name is on the list for white again but can't see me rejoining, unless I could fish mid week.

You looking at white swan or black swan? Some proper beasts in both now

If you want to keep disturbance down then lead/plumb all the swims on your lake whilst not fishing. Take a note pad with you and write down far margin markers and wraps to spots you find. Then if you turn up and fish are showing in a certain swim you don't have to plumb it. Distance sticks, note pad and job done with minimal disturbance. I did this on my current lake. Once I obtained my ticket I walked the lake and mapped every other swim pretty much. It helped me no end. You can have a fish on the bank sometimes before your second rods out.

I love a mallet Haha. And as for my old syndicate lake, one member was nicknamed "white tshirt man" haha. It didn't stop him catching though. And a good mate of mine nearly always wears a bright yellow tshirt. He's been called a noddy for wearing it but he's had 3 x UK 50lb carp so not a noddy at all.