greekskii

Not sure about how silty Biggin is but it's a runs water for sure so catching shouldn't be a major problem. I'd say the feeder probably does sink in silt if it's soft, maybe obscuring the hook length. Nice light leads and/or small PVA bags are probably a good way to go. My friend went last year and had 13 fish in a few hours fishing in the margins under the rod tips. As with anywhere, find the fish before setting up.

got a bag full of them in the garage. Not used them much recently tbh. They are nowhere near the quality of proper jobs, they are soft but still very buoyant because it's just plain pop-up mix and liquids. and not rolled perfectly. no way sellable...

I used to love the banana ones and they did me a few fish, then he stopped making them in the matt orange colour and the yellows didn't seem to work as well. Prompted me to make my own in the same colour.

Me and a few friends used to ring each other if we saw them lumping out on each other's pre-baited areas to let them know the fish were there if they could get down to the lake, it was then up to them to give the nod for you to fish it if you couldn't, but we all felt the same and rarely did even with the green light. We'd all want the one who's put the effort in to catch the fish. We did largely have the pit to ourselves though around a few day members.

dont fall in to the myth of higher test curve if it's snaggy. I've been using my 2.75tc rods for years now, probably more like 2.5s now. I've had little problems with landing fish to 40lb in serious weed and snags. The softness of the rod can absorb a lot of the pressure and turn fish quicker. You'll get less hook pulls anyway.

Most importantly, are there any carp in it? Find them and fish for them where they are.

you wont say it was silly if you get cut off an inch above the tubing though. I use 5-6ft leaders or tubing to give plenty of abrasion resistance

A couple winters ago it was in all the mags that an angler had taken apart a tricky water by watching where the iced thawed first, indicating the warmest area of the lake. He then fished it and had numerous big fish. Can't remember his name though. I've done something similar but on a commercial.

just had a look at the other products on offer, pair of salopettes for £25, wont be a touch on the likes of snugpak but i'm sure for spring/autumn they'll be spot on.

Arrived today. Just had my little boy grab it and play with it so I can say it’s durable! Interestingly we filled it with some small toys and dropped it so it opened up. Which it did every time without fail. I then dropped it empty from the same height and it didn’t open. So it must operate on weight or something. Interesting find though. I even threw it on the floor and got the same results. Looks well made and can’t wait to give it some proper use.

make sure you dry them well in between glugs, or you'll have wafters

Yeah it looks impossible but my mates opened every time, no matter how it hit the water! I wouldn't be surprised if they wear over use and become a bit weaker (wont do it any harm!)

Got one of these on order. Should have it in the next week or so. My mate has one. Very decent and open every time upon impact, even though magnets seem too strong when you try open it on your hand. I never spomb/spod during winter so I won’t be using it until March when I start prepping spots for spring. Although I might have a play one session before that.

I’m in the market for some new wellies for winter. Luckily work will pay for them, got my list of the navitas, the vass R boot or Baffin trappers (although they might not stretch to those) obvs the baffins will be worth the money but are the navitas good at keeping your feet warm even when you’re not moving @yonny??

Use as many rods as you can comfortably and legally fish with in your given situation. Simple as that. More rigs in the water means a higher chance of catching.

Just harder to roll!! Although I agree, defo worth it.

Have a look at the sonik ones mate.

Should do you well mate that.

Too light test curve rod IMO. You want minimum 3.75lb. Most spod rods are 4.5lb+. If I was you I’d pick up a Mitchel avocast spod reel for around £30, both the sonik vaderX spod or fox warrior spod are £50+ ish and you can get the braid in bulk from eBay Here

I fell foul of not thinking about a certain venue hard enough. Ultra low stock, 10 in 6 acres, my 3 fish have come from the first or second night fishing a spot, with no or little previous bait gone on them. Once I tried to feed heavier on those spots to keep them coming back then just didn't. It was either they spooked off the large beds of bait or obviously clean spots or they never got to the hook bait first due to untold amounts of tench and bream. I thought the latter at the time but now, especially after watching Terry's video I realised I'd overlooked the obvious. When I return there it'll be a handful of bait maximum on a spot. Think we all fall in to the trap at times, especially when things go your way at first, and if you cant visibly watch them then it is just a long wait until you realise!

Personally for me it all depends on the group, I fished one lake where we helped each other out and left swims well alone if others were baiting, to the extent that if we were there with fishing boshing over their spot we would ring each other telling them to get themselves down to the lake. We all respected each other and had a good friendship. Haven't encountered that since anywhere though, keep myself to myself and try not to tell people much, a lot of prying eyes nowadays. Fell victim to it on the estate lake where etiquette was almost non-existent apart from a few good eggs.

so does a drilled out and corked hook bait though? albeit less than a pop up but still reacts differently when fish are mooching about over the area.

Matching pop ups, cork dust if possible. Don’t like cork balls as I don’t trust flossing around that bait to keep it on. That’s been what’s caught me 90% of my fish for the last 2-3 years. Going to give the fluoros a go over winter again to see if I can put my confidence back in to them a bit to fish over a bed of bait. I do have 100% faith in my homemade pop ups however which are a washed out orange colour. Put one of them out and I’m confident I can nick a bite.

Yeah, it was just you asking if deano knew exactly what went in to them.

Not sure what that’s meant to imply but I’m assuming is some kind of weak insult somehow. Sadly im not insulted. Just in tears laughing once again.