crusian

I found August is usually the same until the back end of the month 

Shock horror i managed to winkle out a little carp from the smaller pond, i was fishing mainly a bunch of maggots on size 10 hook with 10ft Diawa spinning rod and small freespool reel caught an Ide about 1.75lb, then a snotty (the Ide was a new species for me) i was just packing up and went to switch of bite alarm when it sounded a full on run, landed this nice little mirror just under 10lb but sadly the rod snapped for an unknown reason, might just be its age 

This time of year drives me mad mate, it feels like it should go off but it doesn't lol. One of my local lakes they just bask on the top all day, massive groups of them, 30 - 40 fish, chuck a floater out and they ain't even interested 🤣 roll on August and September 👌

I packed up today after a 3 day blank. I felt that last night or this morning I should have had a fish or two, but it was not to be.
Monday was boiling and I had to set up in the deepest shade possible, opposite my usual pre-baited swim. It was not until the weather cooled yesterday and we had some cloud and rain I even felt I was near the fish.
Oh well, let's hope that everyone manages to get on the carp this month.

I had the IW versions with green wheels 
and deluxe receiver 
Found in bright  daylight very hard to see if LED on alarm was lit having to look at the receiver to check 
As I only day fish I decided they were not for me and sold them for basic Fox Micron alarms with double LED which are easier to see from any position 

Right under the trees it's been bearable, except between 4 and 8.
Sky has been swimming every day as we walk around to keep cool.
I'm up in the shallows, but until this morning I hadn't seen a thing. The deep end is wall to wall with thick weed and is unfishable.
The weed is what had drifted, so I was able to net it out. It left me enough room to have the rods over the top.

When I set up on Monday it was absolutely scorching, but was able to get positioned in as much shade as possible.
Well back from the water, and positioned so we only get the full sun from 4 until 8pm.
 
I say well back from the water, when the lake is full, this spot is actually underwater.

Ooh, alarm ears! I'd forgotten about them. There were two types that you could add to your Optonics: the fixed ears or the moveable ones.
I had the moveable ones so I could put my Optonics in the box at the end of the session. I had painted the fronts white so I could see them. 
I also remember the multi-pin jack plug sounder box that Efgeeco made.
Here is a pinched picture 
The funny thing is that originally Dellareed recommended Del Romang to convert them as far as I can remember, then changed their minds and took it to court.
Catchum, Rod Hutchinson's original bait company! Seafoodblend, probably one of the first fishmeal baits, and very effective.

https://esp-carpgear.com/product/balance-beads/
I've pretty much given up rig putty. I've lost too much and it doesn't seem to keep it's shape. I've been using ESP tungsten balance beads for quite a few years and can't see myself ever going back. The photo is a Flipper rig (the bottom bit of shrink tube pushes to the bend of the hook) and my bait has been nibbled away by roach or bream but the bead is on a Combi rig and pushes into the knot and pretty much stays there.
Its dead easy to reuse it as well, just push it onto a small baiting needle.
 

I sold my ATT’s alarms as I found in daylight it was hard to see the underlit wheel led so only knew which rod had the take by the dangling bit indicator moving.
Now use Fox alarms with dual LEDs on the ears and a lot more visible 

That's amazing - and the cheeky sods!
My mate spends a lot of time looking for stuff on facebook etc  got the collecting bug from another friend.
I've not got a fishing room, just fishing kit in every room, garage and attic 😀

I think the quote to be used here  is 
don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story..
typical journos 

Believe it or not I can possibly beat that 😅
I have a full size faux taxidermy carving of the ex record carp, Two Tone, fully mounted in mahogany case. The centrepiece of my fishing room.  There's a funny story that comes with it too.
I came across it on ebay. It was advertised as a carving so clearly not the actual stuffed fish. I bought it, knowing full well it wasn't real, for the fishing room and thought I'd see if I could find some info on it. I posted it on the old Anglers Forum but no-one could tell me anything about it. But, the Anglers Mail got in touch and asked to do an article on it. Me being me, I told them I don't really want to be in a magazine, and turned them down.
So rather than just leave it.... they made a story up. They published an article, using the picture I'd posted on the Anglers Forum, that said the buyer had purchased it thinking it was the real thing i.e. the actual stuffed Two-Tone. The cheeky gits. Naturally, I went back to them and called them scum of the earth A) for making the story up, and B) for stealing my photo. Needless to say they never replied. This was maybe 10 years ago but the story  was still available online not long ago.
I just Googled it and found the image but the link no longer works.
 

Cracking news mate, are you going to ban the magic twig on your water? 

Next social in your back garden then mate?

Well as purchases go they don't come much more exciting than a new home and a return to my beloved Nene Valley. Carpy in more ways than one; I'll be 3 miles way from the Valley itself and there's also koi to 30lb+ swimming around in the back garden! Offer was accepted on Friday so now I just pray that nothing goes wrong and we're not waiting too long.

Thanks crusian,and yes to your question ...( a lot of generations  esp in mining/ saddlers)

What lovely 'photos , Ouch .
I especially like the little girl holding the Carp's tail .

Visited a couple mates fishing the river yesterday and seen this, how cool 👌🤣

Then back on home territory and ,part of a 7 carp hit ,using single bottom baits over a scoop of dried maize 

Then a night float fishing with prawns ,after eels ,not a carp I know !

Across the border, forgot my passport and facial recognition but made it...OK.. lol

Father’s Day fishing trip 👍🏻

My staffy would probably run away from a rat 🤣
 

For years there were no problems at Taverham, then more anglers started fishing it when Anglian Water took it on and litter started becoming a problem. Klaus bought a brand new bivvy and rats chewed their way in through the groundsheet and into his bait and food bags. He found a chewed pack of bacon dragged outside the bivvy.
We get a few rats on the syndicate now, not many, and as you can see, they don't cause me any problems, thanks to Sky. How she can wait patiently on the lead until they get close enough to her to attack them amazes me, she's normally head down and charge.