crusian

Sometimes we need to take a step back mate. Hope all goes well and you get the bug back at some point 👍

Fishing can be an all consuming hobby and it can take over your life. When my kids were young I used to get away at every opportunity and I do regret it now. I don't get out as much these days but feel I have a better family/fishing balance.
You were a prolific and interesting poster and we'll all miss your contributions but if you need to completely step away, then that's what you must do. I worked for the same Company for 30 years after leaving school and felt "tied" to the job despite the signs it was going downhill rapidly, the redundancy package was what kept me going until the end when it closed down. In the 15 years since, I must have had about 20 jobs but it was liberating because if I wasn't happy, I left. I had 2 jobs when I told them to stick it and left the same day. You don't know how good that feels!
Hopefully after a while, you'll come to realise what it was you enjoyed about fishing and hopefully it will outweigh the negatives you are feeling at the moment.
Good luck for the future.

this puts me to shame i haven't been able to get in so long as my gear was all over the place and in such a state that i had no idea of what was where or even if it existed in the shed at all. i have just finished a massive clear out and although still somewhat a mess i now know where everything is and found so much stuff to sell as i have more kit than i need or can use in my life time. i think i went mad when i started on the carp route and just bought everything and anything and have way too much for my needs. a few photos from before during and after, although the after one still looks a mess i know what is there now.
 

To be honest, I just made sure there was no gaps anywhere, and also its a double lined storage unit.
This is the exact 1 and we're I got it from.
https://www.costco.co.uk/Garden-Sheds-Patio/Outdoor-Storage/Garden-Storage/Keter-Cortina-Mega-Store-6ft-3-x-3ft-7-19-x-11m-Horizontal-2020-Litre-Storage-Shed/p/411994
Also have this 1 too...

Hi Highy
All the others have already wished you well , and alluded to the big hole you will leave if you stop posting so I can't really add to that .
Just a question though while you are browsing please - how do you keep Mice out of your fishing storage unit ? .
 

dont know you personally and have never met you but like the others here have said and especially @commonly i think its good that people checked in to see if you were ok, as with the others have said i think no need to delete account i took a near 15 year gap from fishing but we always come back in the end . so long as you are all good and stay sane and well in whatever hobby/outlet you choose i sincerely wish you the best,
thank you for your posts and advice from time to time you helped an old dog learn new tricks

WTF everything OK matey?

All good, just been on cards for a while, and spoke to a guy who deals in full setups local.

Well guys, the Inevitable has happened...
ALL the Fishing Gear has been sold.
I'm just gonna say farewell to you all, its been good to chat.
Take care and tight lines for the future.
Account will be deleted later tonight.

I had the same problem for a while. Eventually I contacted Nick who had a word with Richard, the site owner. It seems that a couple of formats couldn't support this site. Now resolved I'm pleased to see.
Ian.

You've picked a tough time to start fishing a lake.
 
The big question is are you sure you have found the fish?
Sounds obvious I know but no point fishing the margins if they are in the middle of the lake.
Spots to look for the fish, near snags, tree roots, maybe any rushes, dead or dying weedbeds, possibly natural food beds (bloodworm), which can be found by casting out and dragging a lead along, the grippa leads are good for this as 
@ouchthathurt mentioned.
Over leaf litter is when I pretty much stick exclusively to pop-ups, making sure I have my bait above it, although in silt I try to get my bait to the level the fish are feeding at. 
That doesn't sound like it makes sense, but carp might not feed on top of the silt, but dig into it, picking up mouthfuls of natural food. On other lakes they might feed on top of the silt, especially if its horrible stinky stuff.
Talking of stinky stuff, leaf litter I've heard can make the area more acidic, and put the fish off feeding for a while.
On my syndicate lake, the lake is a pretty consistent depth, no drop-offs other than the old stream bed, however there are some softer holes in the silt where carp have dug them out. Imagine the lake is 4feet deep, and then you suddenly drop to 5feet deep. These holes gradually fill back up, but the bottom is softer.
 
 
Those pop-ups, about the only time that I have a bait off the lake bed, normally I fish close to the lakebed, the counter weight directly below the hook, but in leaf litter I will fish with the weight a thumb or even forefinger length below the hook. 
Are you able to attract smaller silver fish and get them feeding? Their feeding might actually get the carp investigating.
For that a groundbait with very little solid food content, maybe fine ground breadcrumb, liquidised or creamed sweetcorn. 
Hookbaits, obviously try sweetcorn, maybe maggots or boilies.
Boilies: you might find in winter certain flavours work better than others. I used to do very well on Dynamite Green Zing, Solar and Nutrabaits Pineapple and N-butyric pop-ups, along with my own recipe Garlic and Spice ones.
The occasional fish in winter on my syndicate comes out on pink pop-ups.
 
I have to keep going back to it, years ago, I did a  session between Christmas and New Year. For 2 days I caught on the high attract pop-ups mentioned above (my original garlic spice) then after feeding a few of my normal food bait boilies every day, I started catching on them, ordinary bottom baits. In that week I think I ended up with 10fish, nothing massive, but any fish in freezing winds and temperatures near 2 or 3⁰ Celsius is a good fish.
The yellow and green pop-ups on the second lake worked on day trips when we hadn't got a bait established.
 
On those two waters Other pop-ups just didn't cut it! 
 
 
Braid definitely gives a better sense of feel than mono. 

If you are worried about soft silt, get a long prodding stick and poke around in the margins. Alternatively, tie on a few foot of light coloured wool on your line and attach a heavy lead and let it sink in and see how much of the wool is discoloured. If it is quite deep, as greeksil says try a PVA bag with a lightish flat lead or a pva mesh stocking of bait on a longish supple braid on a helicopter rig rather than a lead clip.
This time of year, it's all about the windows of opportunity that arise when the temperature climbs or a low pressure system comes in. Plot where the sun is shining when it is at it's maximum and aim for that area. This time of year, shows can be pretty rare and if you don't have any previous knowledge to go on, it could be a struggle.

Also get the marker leads with grippers and drag the spot, then reel in smartly, it should pick up leaves and give you some idea. 

It's probably the slowest time of year for bites anywhere, maybe dont be too worried about a lack of action. Unless its rammed full of carp! 
Could just fish solid bags so you know you're presented, or rake a spot. If there is leaf litter it's unlikely the carp are feeding there, as they'd clear a spot off. Look for clear areas instead of casting on the leaf litter. 

You're welcome.
There were some massive bream in the big lake, double figures.
The tench fishing in the small lake can be fun as well, especially on the float.

That's great , thanks Nick .
😃

Well I'm glad you've thought it all through , Highy ; having spent time , and money building up your Carp gear .
😃

100% staying on the Carp Front now, reasons being.....
Can Relax more, Take the Dog n Son when I can, (not able to really when Coarse/Match Fishing), but lad can have a Dabble with his float gear.
 

Spent a lot of time on GAPS waters over the years, I can go back to 1984!
Causeway, lovely lake, but hard work for carp. The sound of the A14 always seems to do my head in.
Alderson, nice venue, the big lake can be crowded, and more than 5 carp anglers it will be cutting each other off.
I used to prefer the intimacy of the small lake. I never fished the canal.
On both lakes the carp can be caught on floaters at times.
 
 

Also thinking this, do have a little coarse setup in a seperate bag.

That's the Solar buzzer bars with the goalpost adaptors, so I can use either pod or sticks.
With the ground being so soft sticks work.
Had to keep the tips up, still a lot of weed about.

I've quite enjoyed the Rudd bashing this year but not at the cost of selling my carp stuff that's still no1. 
Surely you can just build up some bits as you go? 

i am a self confessed maggot drowner and still love chasing silvers, only started targetting carp  in the last few years and spent quite a bit of time building up the gear. still have my float rods and set ups and occasionally will hit a day ticket with one rod set for carp and the other for silvers or tench/bream on a feeder or float.
that way i can still enjoy both but have different rod/tackle bags for each just to make it easier when i go out, if only going for carp i have my 2 rod holdall but if i fancy a go on specimen as well then i take one rod out and stick it in my coarse set up. i see no need to get rid of gear i have spent time and money aquiring as will often go for both to break the monotony and have a break from blanking on a session as you can always guarentee silvers or tench with a coarse set up
go for both and have fun as that is the way i approach my fishing and it keeps my skills and interest up in both disciplines as not a predator angler but might fancy that next time i want a change of scene

Two things spring to mind when I gaze at the lovely pics…one if I had a bite il be out of breath by the time I managed to get to the rods and two that is a proper bait boat !   😉

Had a couple of nights on the res.
No fish, again. 🥺
Always nice to get out, even when the bivvy decided it was going to leave without me, a few times in the wind this morning😳