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Hi Mate, Join your local library (if you have one!) then you can order any carp fishing title you fancy and read it for free. They may not have what you want on the shelf but all libraries allow you to order in a book. Just go in with a book title or author. You may have to wait a week or two for it to be delivered to your library. check out the book review section on this forum for ideas...

Hi Mate, The likely looking areas already mentioned are good places to start to locate river carp, especially any permanent boat moorings. River carp can be somewhat nomadic in their travels but they are also creatures of habit. In my experience, most populations of river carp have a 'home' that will return to after their travels. If you are lucky enough to spot a carp in a stretch, that area is definately worth targeting. If you happen to see a feeding carp, then get a rig in there!

My first indicators were monkey climbers made from disposable fag lighters and my mum's knitting needles!

I have some of those exact same reels and I love them.

Trakker have just released a 3 piece winter suit. It looks good...

I've used Fox microns for years. My current STR's have been dropped in the lake twice, still no water ingress...

What about centre pins..?! Lol

Just for the record: I have some small shimano baitrunners for small water, stalking and river work, Emblem pig pits with daiwa baitrunner conversion caps and some crosscast big pits with front QD (quick drag) clutches. All of them are set to the tension that the angling situation dictates. This may be virtually free-spool if fishing very tight to the near margin to locked up solid for snag and heavy weed fishing. It all depends on the situation...

I have a Fox Easy Mat. just the job but quite dear at £54

What you describe is the incorrect use of a baitrunner, usually by novice anglers. Having the baitrunner set so loose that yards and yards of line are taken with no resistance before the rod is picked up is just daft. Unless fishing extremely close in, the baitrunner should yeild line but not so loose as you let the carp run for miles. it should yield line 'begrudgingly'. During the day when you are sat near the rods and awake, there is no need to yield much line at all...

I have no qualms about air drying bait. I prefer to use fresh of course, but I have used air dried a lot in the past when I was short of freezer space. I don't bother to rehydrate them, just fire them out as musket balls! Depending on the basemix, they revert to 'normal' in les than an hour. You are not losing any attractors whilst air drying, just water...

I don't usually have a problem removing hooks (always micro barbed for me). If it is stubborn then out come the forceps.

Red Signal crays... Don't you just love 'em?? The few times that I have encountered them I introduce them to the sole of my boot... CRUNCH! My bother cooks and eats them, says that they are lovely. I just like to stomp 'em...

I don't have any pets but would dearly love a trained chimp that could roll bait and wield a spod rod...

Not really fussed about the lead. I would use a lead clip rig with a little mesh bag on the hook. If you are worried about it being very choddy, then a little solid bag with a small inline inside it can give the confidence that your presentaton is good.