Gazlaaar

I had the supa mk1, and thought it could never be bettered. I was wrong. I now have the lo pro, weight isn't such an issue but set up and breakdown time is, especially when I need to move onto fish. I do overnighters, so every minute counts and believe me it counts when your packing up in the rain. My most important factors Quick set up and breakdown No faffing bits and pieces Removable centre pole Light Everything on this brolly is designed to make it quick and easy and I absolutely love it, so much so I got the mozzi mesh cover which again is really easy to fit. I don't mind it being so low as I have 2 storm poles with quick adapters, which are a doddle to use. All in all, perfect for my fishing

MCF changed their swivels over to plastic poo eyelets a long time ago and I went off using them because the braid used to eat through the plastic. Since they changed back, it's all I use. One other thing to mention, get the korda marker stems, their absolutely brilliant at reducing tangles.

Spod rod without question, I've yet to find a marker rod that will cast and work properly at distance. The further you cast the more buoyant (bigger) float you'll need to successfully pop up, which inherently means more weight from the float and lead. You may not be casting the distance at the moment but what if you fancy fishing a bigger lake in the future? I certainly wouldn't want to feel under gunned. Tie a 6" loop in the end of your marker braid to make changing between a marker float or spomb/spod a doddle. 2.75 to 3lb tc marker rods just don't cut it with me. Plus, don't neglect the size of reel. My normal fishing reels are 5000's but my marker/spomb reel is a 5500. Anything I can do to get that extra distance will make everything else that little easier. The best floats I've use are from a company called MCF, I use a number of their floats but the Thunderbirds really are the best all round marker float.

I'm not out fishing until a week Friday, I've got too much to catch up with at home, building wardrobes, hanging doors and decorating, that sort of thing. Typical because it's looking great out there at the moment (sods law) Long Term I've decided to do the winter where I am, a couple of perch fishermen and mentioned in passing the amount of carp they saw last winter and not a single carp fisherman. The cray activity would of died off, the weed won't be such a problem and the fish aren't really fished for during the colder months. It's not an easy water by any stretch during the best timed but if I can just get one or two I'll be happy. Anyway, as for now I'm just going to keep plugging away week in and week out, there are some lovely fish to be had and my spirits are high

One from last week

A 3lb tc should be ok, the bags will take a bit of practice at first but once you get used to tying them their a doddle.

PVA (solid) bags are good because you'll always have a decent presentation, but your rods will need to be able to cope with the weight of a fully laden bag. Take a look at Kev Hewitt on youtube, there's a video where he goes through the bags he uses. I use a 2.5oz inline lead, short supple braided hooklink. The bags I use are ESP''s multi bags, there 120mm x 60mm, just my preference. I use a mixture of different size pellets, mainly small and micro and use either a dumbell boilie or a tiger nut. Like I say look up kev hewitt

There's a fair amount of literature on moon phases and it's affects on bass. It stands to reason if the moon has the gravitational pull to move seas and tectonic plates there has to be some kind of affect on smaller fresh water pools and ponds, even if it is in minature. I don't know enough about it to warrant a comment but if anyone else knows more please fill us in. If I remember rightly @chillfactor hannon and aldon ring a bell.

I have been through my fair share of rods right from shakespeare when I first started to powermesh x''s to jrc defenders, rovex to my current velocity's. The velocity's are as yonny described a lot of rod for the price, great casting tools which have enabled me to hit in excess of 130 yards. I can only really afford a single set so these have to do everything I ask and they do it admirably. However, surface fishing has turned into a bit of an art form, I hate mainline over 10lb and the only rods that will cushion and cope really well with these lower breaking strains are softer avon to barbel rods. I'm currently using the korum carp float with is rated at 1.5lb tc, lovely piece of kit than has enabled me to use much lighter lines, 7lb fly leaders believe it or not, it's an absolute joy to play fish and it really gives you those heart stopping moments. I know bits an pieces about the carbon wraps and the general make up of rods but it all comes down to how they feel. Plus I think no matter what rods you have, you and your body adapts itself for using them, in essence your rods become part of you. I've never had any mega expensive rods, I've played about with a few but nothing comes close to what I have for the reason mentioned above

The house is deathly quiet this morning, and I was just mulling over a few thoughts about the future of my fishing for this week and later on in the year. The weed is right up now, but it gives you an insight to the routes the fish may be using. There is a small island of clear water in amongst a sea of weed in the middle of the lake. I did see a fish top out on my last outing but it just seemed to difficult to get a fish in without a boat to hand so I left it alone. The weed is thick dense Canadian, I've never seen it this bad before which only really leaves clear spots in the margins to fish. Some guys are casting out hoping for a miracle, I don't feel it's worth the risk of losing or worse still leaving a tethered fish. There's only around 40 ish carp in the water, some are very old and really have been through the wars as regards to predation and angling pressure. I remember wondering what the fish I had, had been through as I opened the sling up for the first time. The crowds always tend to die off in a couple of months as the temperatures start to drop. Interestingly enough I know a couple of perch fishers who fish it all winter who have both mentioned witnessing carp being very active in the colder months. I suppose the degree of difficulty during the hotter months is enough for some but it has left me feeling that may be I should target it this year. Especially if the carp are as active as these anglers are saying. I can imagine how difficult it's going to be but I like quiet banks and the thought of having that one special carp during the cold. One fish will be enough to see me through to next spring but until then I'll make the most of what I have at the moment. Keep plugging, I've said many times before,,I'm not a naturally gifted or even a decent angler but I do have drive and the determination to make something happen. It's a long drive, I'll be packing up in the dark, probably through horrible weather but I think I'd rather blank there than catch anywhere else at the moment.

@chillfactor @yonny It makes the journey and all those blanks worth while

I was over the moon to get this one last night, a really pretty fish

Proper made up, I've just had a fully Scaled mirror at 19lb I'll stick the piccy up tomorrow

Prep done for Wednesday

A small leap forward for yesterday, Hempseed and tigers, the coots did dive but we're coming up with very little and soon did the off. Second problem was getting a bait to out last the crays so I used an uncooked tiger. Hard as nails but it did the job

I think I've cracked it The joyful tears of a golden unicorn

Monkey Vomit The only draw back is you stink like the insides of a monkey

There are a few practical things you can do. If you have a mozzi mesh? Use it The majority of mozzi's start coming out as the sun is going down so you won't need to zip up for the majority of the day just the evening onwards. Lights Lights, any form of light is a big attractor for bugs, so keep light to a minimum, the use of phones, torches, everything will attract mozzi's at night. This includes bivvies that have vents at the back, imagine looking into a dark bivvy and seeing the vents open at the back, again, it's a light source to be attracted too. I've alway found Avon So Soft to be really good but as yonny suggests, we're all different. Take antihistamines with you incase you get bitten, this will at least take away the itching. Plus if you get bitten, cover the bite or clean the bite with antibacterial wipes or gel. My x missus got bitten years ago on her ankles, she put her feet into the water to keep cool and guess what happened. Yes the bites got infected and she had the go to hospital.

Swans are fairly easy to deal with, anything over 6ft deep is too deep, tufties are a nightmare as they can dive down very deep and coots are a major problem as their showing their young how to dive for food at the moment. Anywhere shallower than 4ft is going to be a problem for you. Like I say, fish out in open water during the day then if the margins do produce as you say I'd fish them at night.

In my experience, if tufties, swans or coots are a problem don't bait or fish until night fall, it's the only guaranteed way of not getting picked up. Coots and tufties normally drop a rig but swans are a pain. A few times I've just stuck in bait and just left the birds to feed during the day only for them to return at night to have another go. It's like they've ear marked the spot. The situation is only exaggerated close in, so, I wouldn't bait or fish until nightfall.

To be honest chilli, I just want the hookbait to last long enough for a carp to find it. It's one of the reasons I've set myself up for a bit more stalking during the daylight hours, floater fishing and the lift method. I doubt I'll feed them off but enough bait may keep them at bay for as long as I need. Without doubt the diving birds are spooking fish, I've seen a lot of it this year, so baiting has to be put in during dusk.

I got absolutely mullered by birds and crayfish fishing the margins last week so I'm now declaring war. The birds got on the bait during the day and the crayfish at night. I must admit I've not really used a lot of bait and I've now switched to solid pva bags to ensure a decent presentation. Ive decided to bait heavily in the margins just before dusk, an hour or so before I attempt to fish to try and feed some of the crays off, hopefully it'll help and I've also switched to just fishing plastics close in. The top one being my preferred rig I don't seem to be getting any problems off the crays out in the lake during the day, so I'll pick a spot and stick both rods on that spot then move one close in during the night. The margins definitely produce more fish but it's such a ball ache to fish. My mix is mainly corn and a handful of 12mm Boilies, hence the yellow plastic. Wish me luck

I'd be more inclined to stick a single out over the rolling fish than the one jumping clear. If however I saw the rolling fish early morning, I'd definitely make sure I was fishing that spot the next morning if there were no major weather changes. As for the jumping fish, Id still keep an eye on that area, to see if anymore jumped out. If more did jump, I'd be on that spot too, but rolling is a definite indicator of feeding to me.

These are just my observations When fish clearly jump out, their excited over something, not necessarily feeding. Head and shouldering, I suspect they're adjusting their swim bladder for feeding.

Just get yourself a spod rod mate, most markers are to soft and will never reach where your fishing. Think about what you've got to get out there, heavy lead and marker float. I use a spod for both and just wrap a white piece of insulation tape around the butt section a foot up from the bail arm.