androoooo

Just the one cat a new addition last November on insistence by the Mrs. She (the cat not the mrs) acts more like a dog and rolls over to have her tummy rubbed at any opportunity. My friends when they visit say she's like the be more dog cat of the advert. She's also quite a good hunter and at least a few times a week we are greeted by dead birds or mice in various states when we go down for breakfast.

There's an area they patrol from out the back of an island. You can't fish behind and the fish spend a fair bit of time behind there. Sometimes I just go and watch them as they often show themselves safe in the knowledge they can't be fished for. They'll then come out along the island margin which is only 10 yards away. What kind of rod and line would you recommend given the carp go to mid twenties maybe more? Pulling in a perch on carp tackle isn't fun but mindful if they get behind the island on a run my line could be rubbing against the island with an inevitable break.

Fingers crossed I will. There's a stunning linear just shy of 20lb when last out. It's added 2lb since last season so they're growing on it's one of my targets. That and a dark scaled common that hasn't been out but I've seen a few times boshing that I and another guy with 60 years carping experience put at close to 30 having seen it. If I get those two I'll be a happy man.

I have but the stocking to size means I can't understand why more people don't catch more, more often. All I can think is their very wary and easily spooked. Even putting baits to showing fish hasn't worked?? The 23 came after two weeks prebaiting a few spots. Doing the 2 hour return journey a few times a week to introduce a few handfuls on some feeding spots I'd identified. Maybe half a kilo on each spot. Just packing up now and about to introduce some baits to those spots ready for a fortnights time. If I can get down in between I will but have a few days in London this week which makes it difficult. I'm gutted this morning, the 12.5 tangled my other rod so I had to bring it and cut around 30 yards of line. I went for a walk this morning and the whole area was fizzing. I've popped a bait back out whilst I had breakfast and started packing up but am near enough certain if I hadn't got tangled there would have been another.

Nige you're right on the chub but none have come out. Believe they went in to try and keep the fry under control. It's proving a difficult water to me. It's small at 2.5 acres with 80 fish and barely anyone has multiple captures. Even more experienced anglers. I went with worms as the fish do seem a little pre-occupied on naturals. I've watched them swim over a baited area with no rig and go suck snails of the tree roots. Hence trying something different. First few sessions I had nothing but now over the last two I've had a 23 a 14.5 and a 12.5. So I'm starting to understand it more and their feeding areas. I've come down to walj round and drop baits in to try to understand where they feed and keep notes of where I see any signs. I'll dig more worms next trip and try them again with some of the advice from the forum members. I like Welders approach and seems much safer than injecting worms with a needle to give them a little lift.

Frogy....I'm still learning but the hair rig was one of the major step forwards in carp fishing due to the seperation it allowed between hook and bait. So from what I understand having a long hair allows better seperation and makes it more difficult to eject as hook and bait are acting more independently. As a carp tried to blow the bait back out having a good degree of seperation will allow the hook to drop into the bottom of the carps mouth as it tried to blow the bait back out. Popups are different and I fish tight to the shank. I tend to use longish hairs with some form of pva to prevent tangling.

Don't think there are any bream in this particular pool. Haven't seen any photos as yet. There are tench though. Wouldn't mind one of those.

Nice one....well I've had to give up with the worms. Was just cooking a burger and saw a fish show twice within a yard or two of the rig. A minute later the alarm starts going and I'm thinking here we go.....reel it in and it's a 3-4 oz perch that's decided to swallow a size 6 hook and 4 worms. Having seen fish show I underarm back into position and 5 minutes later another perch. So I've switched to a few pieces of maize to see what happens.

Gonna need a youtube video to see how to tie that monstrosity. [emoji2]

Cheers guys...stuck with mono but next time will try the combi. Newmarket the reeds are fairly close by but want to have the option of putting it to showing fish. Nothing happened so I fired it down to some lilys. Just had movement again so it's back in the left margin. Got a picture Andy? [emoji6]

It went out on mono....saw a fish crash 20 yards away and thought I'd seen the reeds moving a few mins earlier so couldn't wait. Was thinking mono as there's some stiffness to stop them tangling it which they might with braid. If I get any other ideas may try them later.

All Just about to tie a rig to put out with some worms on. What material would you recommend? I have Coated braid Braid Mono Fluorocarbon Stiff bristle filament Any advice welcome.

This is my main bottom rig, a combi tied with korda iq2 to kryston merlin and a size 6 gardner mugga. Attached via a non slip loop onto a quick change swivel. Sometimes I'll add putty over the knot but in this instance I'm using pva sticks to keep everything tangle free.

Hi Reedy....pictures and some details written up here. http://www.carp.com/topic/19668-stanwick-lakes-swan/#entry227143

Hey Reedy...returned today from swan lake at stanwick. Write up and some pics in catch reports section.

It's a korum one oops not korda! As for the blanket it was all I had with me on the bank to lie it against.

This is the lead set up I use for the majority of my fishing. It's using the korda run rig set up.

Well done mate...again looks like a great session! Nice to hear you trying different tactics and getting them to work. Will let you know how I get on. I'm going to do my best to add more posts about my sessions and venues.

Well done mate....sounds like a bumper session and you had some lovely weather. Did you go with the method, pva bags or something completely new? Great to see whatever it was, was working. I'm off out Saturday to a local club water and then next week 72 hours at Stanwick on swan pool which is their runs water as taking my brother for the first time. I'll try to get pics from both. I don't think Stanwick fisheries is too far from you. So might be one you'd like to fish sometime.

No worries and that would be great. I never said anything about size. Method feeders can produce big carp. I think the fish there probably associste a splash with food. So regularly recasting will work. I'm sure most things I've read say margins for the better fish.

Reedy I've never fished chestnut pools but I've looked at it a few times to take a friend as he only gets out twice a year and want a few runs, it's a runs water and you'll probably catch multiple fish. There's quite a good write up by simon crow. http://simoncrowcarpfishing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/chestnut-pool-hertfordshire.html?m=1 As you've said on another thread you've been carp fishing about a year using the method feeder. I'd think you'd have some great sport and get some confidence that your rig is working and hooking fish. Then when your on a harder water you have less to worry about as you'll know it works. Runs waters when your learning can be a great confidence boost and let you test new rigs, casting, new tactics and make improvements. If you do go, do say how you get on. I may go with my friend some time, it's just that no alcohol rule that puts me off.

Hi Daniel of you want to try it give it a go. As Cyborx said you'll probably have to practice. If you're worried about the band slipping which I do at times you could use a hook bead I forget their name but they stop rig rings etc sliding when using pop ups to stop the band from slipping down the shank. Although I've worried about it, it has never prevented hooking.

Do I win a prize for tightest forum member for not wanting to lose boilie stops?

Cyborx I use bait bands for this and find it much easier and the mixer is held closer to the shank. I have two sizes, one that will hold a mixer and one where I use a bait drill to make a hole and pull the smaller bait band through with a baiting needle and secure with a bit of twig. You can use boilie stops but you can lose them after a few casts. I know they don't cost much but in my eyes it's a waste. I've tried using a hair and struggle to get it tight to the shank.

I'm not 100% certain but I think I've read before of some very good fish in and around the exeter area. Either in the river or the shipping canal...none of which are heavily fished for. I'm sure I read it in a magazine within the last year. May be worth searching out some more information and seeing what you can find out through internrt searches and the like.