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I wasn't sure where to put this post so chose the book review section. I cannot emphasise enough how important reading carp fishing literature can be. Not just the weekly and monthly mags but proper books written about carp fishing as well as periodicals and newsletters from clubs and societies. They really are a mine of information on all things carpy. I love reading and also love carp fishing, so why not combine two passions and read about carp fishing! I am lucky in the respect that I have built up a nice collection of carp fishing books over the years to "dip into" whenever I need information on a water, bait, method or even the fish themselves. This is my reference section of my "carp room" (the cellar!): Some favourite titles are shown here: I think that reading books has gone out of favour of late due to the digital media revolution. I myself have a Kindle and enjoy using it but I do love an actual, physical book on the shelf as a way of searching for that snippet of information that could help me in my quest to catch carp. The book review section of this forum is a little "light" and as such I am planning to review some more of my books in the coming weeks.

Perhaps I was a tad harsh... Each to his own, I suppose! To be honest my negative post was largely due to the fact that a first post from a new member was just a blatant plug / advert for a caravan site that happens to have a lake on site!

Perhaps you are right. "If it aint broke..." and all that. I must say that I am rather jealous of your continental carp capers. It sounds like you are certainly enjoying overcoming these little challenges that we all face from time to time. Anyway, good luck with the hook pull problems and let us know how you get on - positive or otherwise!

I suppose some people may like a fishing "holiday". Personally, I can think of nothing that could spoil the aesthetics of a tranquil carp lake more than a huge, white caravan parked on the bank... Horrendous!

Interesting thread this... I have found that the position of hook hold in the carp's mouth depends largely on the feeding behaviour of the fish, the size of the fish and the rig - particularly the rig's length. I think the actual hook pattern plays a less important role. Fish that are feeding on scattered baits such as boilies will often move off after taking in the hookbait and the hook is quite often pulled into the bottom corner of the mouth. Rigs that are very short, when fishing for large fish with heavy leads especially with a pop-up can result in a much higher percentage of "middle of the bottom lip" hook ups. As you say, this is the desired hooking place due to the sheer strength of the mouth tissue here but in reality is only achieved in approximately 40% of my hook holds, maybe less. My advice is keep the shrink tube (bent slightly), use a supple material for the last inch or so and make sure your hooks are as sharp as possible. You may also want look into "making the hook point heavy" by strategic placement of silicon and shot... Good luck...

I agree about the mono... There is little need for a more aggressive curve as the inherent stiffness in the mono causes the hook to "kick out" at an angle anyway - if you know what I mean? It depends on the rig... Today, I tied up a few rigs. They consisted of: 2 mono rigs, 8", (10lb Pro gold & 15lb Amnesia), no shrink tubing, tied knot-less style but with very supple 6lb braided hairs whipped on underneath. 3 Snakebite combi links, 25lb, 6" with shrink tubing bent slightly, last inch stripped off and stiff for the rest, 1 hinged stiff rig (Terry Hearn type), 20lb ESP Bristle filament, D rigged hook. 1 supple link (Merlin), 25lb, 5", shrink tubing bent slightly. Each one different but effective if used in the right situations.

ok a little confused? is using shrink tubing to create more of a bend in an already bent hook ok or is it dangerous? also i cant use braid as it is banned Some shrink tube set-ups can mimick the bent hook but are not dangerous as the tubing is flexible. I use tubing on most of my rigs as a line aligner. Hope this clears it up...

Well, the idea behind shrink tubing - or at least the original "line aligner" concept that used silicon tubing was to elongate the hook shank and accentuate the bend to give a "bent hook" effect without the actual long and bent shank (bent hooks rigs can give excellent hook-ups but can lead to horrendous mouth damage so are, quite rightly, now banned). The long-shank nailer type hooks are just as dangerous and indeed are also banned on many waters. If the hook pattern already has a curved (but short) shank then I would perhaps agree that a device that creates a more "aggressive" angle to help the hook to turn and catch hold may not be required. I used to fish a very snaggy water and was using Nash Fang X hooks at the time (a very strong, short, curved shank pattern) but I still added a small length of tubing as a line aligner. I found that this did indeed help convert more pick-ups into hooked fish especially when using very supple braids as hook links. In short, if you are used to using tubing on other hook patterns then I see no reason to stop with a curved shank pattern. Even if it is not essential it certainly wouldn't hurt.

They are primarily designed for pop-up baits. Attach the bait by tying a pop-up on with bait floss or thin braid to the ring.

Loads... Have a look on Amazon.

A well tied (twice through the eye) grinner with at least 5 turns should not slip at all. If you are still having problems with braid try a Palomar knot at the swivel. This knot is especially suited to smooth braids and will not slip if tied correctly even under extreme load. When tying the Grinner, pay close attention to forming the "barrel" of the knot and ensure all the turns are level and do not overlap one another. Knot slippage is usually down to a poorly tied knot. You MUST lubricate the knot well with saliva before tightening gradually and evenly. Hope this helps...

Perhaps a tad harsh... He's only looking for a local venue with no idiots. Something we all have tried to find surely? OK, an intro is always nice but is it essential before asking a question? I'd have him in my syndicate - anyone with 5K to spend on tackle must surely have ample beer supplies stashed in the boot! Seriously though, play nicely please or you're both grounded...

I haven't been there for years (nearly 20!). They have 2 match type commercial pools on site that get hammered all year round. It's quite a walk to the far "specimen" pool but worth it as it is much quieter than the first pool by the farm. On the far pool there used to be a aerator or pump type thing at one end, off this structure there is a gravel seam that runs away from it towards the main body of the pool. Put your baits on there and you'll empty the place... I do have one fond memory from Tillington and that was catching a 12lb common (huge for me at the time!) on home made pellet paste about six inches from the bank tight against the reeds. The first time I saw the fish I was after and watched it take the hookbait.

Not lately, but I had a ticket a few years back. Some nice pits and as a bonus they have a clubhouse / bar next to Ham pool. Good value...

What he said...

Hi Jon, I think this reply may be a little late... I used to live in Redcar (many years ago) but have never carp fished up there. What about New Marske reservoir? That used to hold some good carp. Are there still carp in locke park in Redcar itself? I live in the midlands now and I haven't been up to Redcar for years. Those are the only 2 venues that I can think of close to Redcar. I think New Marske is run by Middlesbrough AC...

Ah, the key word there is "nearly" all types of bottom. Drop a chod into the margins over a hard patch and have a look at it... horrendous? What advantage does this give over using a standard pop-up type rig when fishing over clean bottoms? I'm not saying the rig is no good - far from it. I just wish people would use the correct rig for the situation. Even when fishing over very deep, stinking silt I prefer a withypool type set-up as at least then the only thing popped-up is the hookbait!

I agree, you are right... there will be times when this rig catches from a hard bottomed area. But perhaps we should all ask ourselves "is this the right rig for the situation I am facing" before we chuck it out. Rigs are just tools that help us catch fish. I always like to use the right tool for the job in hand. Saying that, I am probably guilty of using my "favourite" coated braid combi link in some situations where a different presentation would be more advantageous...

I see so many people either using this rig or asking how to tie it or where to get a ready-tied version. What I have not seen is people asking in what angling situation to use this rig and what are it's advantages over other types of rig. In my day it was called the helicopter rig, silt rig or bomb-on-the-end-of-the-line set up. The rig does have some anti-tangle properties and can help to give the angler confidence that his rig is working correctly when fishing at extreme range, but it was designed purely for fishing over soft bottoms like deep silt or bottoms littered with detritus (chod) such as dying weed, leaf litter and twigs etc. (usually with a buoyant bait). I have seen anglers using this set-up over hard gravel in the past with no idea why they have chosen to fish like this apart from they'd seen it on telly or in a magazine. Unless you are fishing over "chod" the presentation usually given by this rig can be appalling when fishing over clean, hard bottoms. Unless you want your mainline and hookbait to be suspended off the bottom in the most unnatural manor I would avoid using this rig except for the situation it was designed for.

P.S. I've just has a look at their website and it looks like only 3 pools are now available on a day ticket. Sadly the match pool is now members only. Like I said it years since I've been there but I emptied moby dick using Honey Yucatan ready-mades from the on-site shop once. Wow, Richworth Honey Yucatan... It must have been longer ago than I thought!

I have fished there a couple of time but not for several years. They have a number of pools on site available on a day ticket but all are more match or pleasure fishing orientated - they have odd names such as moby dick pool. There is a "specimen" carp and catfish water on the site but I think this is now a syndicate and not available to day ticket anglers. The other pools are very much commercial bagging type affairs that are shallow, muddy and overstocked. The actual complex itself is very nice with a small tackle shop, pub and some old fashioned holiday cottages. It depends what you want from your fishing really. If you just want a day out catching lots of small carp and silver fish with the chance of bigger fish then give it a go. If it's a more challenging water you want with bigger fish and more space then it might not be for you. A lot of the larger carp (up to low 20's) used to reside in the small "match" pool but they may have been re-distributed around the complex by now. I can't remember it's daft name but one of the pools (the one with lots of snags and tree stumps in it) used to hold a few big still water chub that are a challenge on floater gear. I hope this helps...

Just personal preference really but I like a relatively short supple section at the hook end usually about 1.5". This allows for ample bait movement while also contributing to the "anti-eject" capabilities of the rig. The bait, hook and very end of the stiff section are taken in to the carp's mouth which is then very hard to spit out without the hook catching hold. I use a full stiff section over hard bottoms and a hinged one for softer substrates such as silt or light weed. I must admit that for probably 90% of my bottom bait fishing I use a combi rig of coated braid (Kryston snake bite usually).

Hair length is something that you can experiment with. It all depends on the bait size, buoyancy, bottom substrate, hooklink length and even the size of fish being targeted. I like relatively long hairs for much of my fishing, but I suspect that what I would deem a long hair may not be your idea of a long one. When fishing for wary, pressured fish over silt I can sometimes use a hair length that allows the bait to hang up to 2 inches from the bend of the hook. Other times I want it pretty tight to the hook shank with a gap of say 5-10mm. If you are experiencing stuttering and aborted takes I would increase the hair length first and if no improvement in catch rate then try shortening it right down. Just remember - the whole point of the hair rig is to allow separation of bait from hook so the fish take the bait confidently as if it were a free offering. Have a play around and let us know how you get on...

I was lucky enough to receive this book as a Christmas present this year. It was published in 1993 and therefore a second-hand copy from amazon. It really is a fantastic book for all carp fans. Not a "fishing" book as such, but rather a history book of which the subject is carp. In particular the stockings carried out by Donald Leney and the Surrey Trout Farm in the 1950's. Redmire, Frensham, Billing Aqadrome, Savay; they are all in there. The Redmire chapter is perhaps the most extensive and interesting for me personally. A lot of the contents of this book have been published in various other titles more recently but not all. This book is filled with information on the very origin of carp fishing and indeed the carp themselves, documenting not just historic captures but making detailed reference to the stocking of the actual carp that are being caught. If you have the slightest interest in carp fishing heritage and historic waters as well as the fish, this is the book for you! A very enjoyable read and useful reference book - highly recommended. Although now out of print and not cheap I believe it is worth it. However, if you can't get hold of it then get your local library to order it in for you and read it for free!

I got this book for Christmas and read it cover to cover in three sittings! A fantastic read and truly inspirational. The chapters on Colnemere and the black mirror are absolutely gripping, you know what's coming due to Dave's published results but that doesn't spoil the excitement as you read into the world of these large, daunting venues that are sprinkled with a few historic carp. Dave Lane's writing is littered with humour and a great sense of the tragedy that some times arises in carp fishing. The effort that he puts into his fishing is astounding and a lesson to all. I did really love the book but there are a few "niggles". It has to be said, I am not a fan of the font/typeface used although I did get used to it eventually. Also, the book lacked detail in places, particularly with regard to describing some of the other waters as opposed to the Mere (when compared to the level of detail used in "an obsession with carp"). The photographs used (many as full-page plates) are also stunning throughout the book. On the whole, a great book. Highly recommended.