greekskii

That's how I kill my time on the bank. Normally have at least 15 tied and ready to go. Like you say, make a wrong cast you soon get through the them, and the pva mesh too!

I use the castaway pva ones or if a parcel has suitable ones. Occur then in quarters and pva mesh two bits. Hook goes through the middle in the little gap. No chance of any residue and it's popped off and floating on the surface within seconds.

So true. The atomic hooks are razor sharp out the packet and very durable. I only sharpen when it needs it. The new fox edges are softest hooks I've come across. Surgically sharp from the pack but blunt so easily. Constantly sharpening them and they go too far very quickly because of this. Basically using a spear.

I have this, fits neat in my tackle box and does the job with 3-4 runs over the hook. And I use atomic hooks and as yonny said they are very hard hooks!!

Don't trust that after having grebes pull them out. Always pierce them now.

Yeah that's the baits fault. Buy better pop ups. My combi rig style I think works in a similar way to a stiff hinge. The stripped back coating behind the putty allows it to flip all over the place and the stiff material allows it to catch the carps mouth much more effectively. I don't always overweight it but found better hookholds when it is. Even on tench and bream.

I use a coated braid to stiff material multi rig. Gives a stiff hook section which IMO performs better.

yes but you wont get the right effect of the 'hinge' due to the stripped back section of the coated braid. The rig will have little movement. Why do you want to tie it with mono?

JRC STI 2 Rib, now replaced by the JRC Cocoon 2G shelter. Light, quick, easy, takes all my kit no problem. Happily live in it for days on end.

True. I Normally use just a ring for my pop ups.

Or turn it round. Use the ring on the hook shank.

yes for the ronnie rigs, but normally you use a size 11 swivel, not 8, and standard shrink tube fits over them.

Can't help. I order and hope. Bank tackle anti tangle sleeves are fine on size 8 swivels. They do theirs in length. Shrink tubing normally measured for hooks sizes? Don't know why you'd shrink tube over a swivel though?

or set it up; tubing (back end cut at an angle so the lead slides over it. I also put a small amount of putty over it to create the desired no-catch effect.) buffer bead (available from various) Swivel or quick clip hooklink The way i've done it for years. As said you will need a proper large bore ring to attach the swivel too. ESP, Fox, etc. all do them.

Vass. Not only because the yellow strap makes you Carpy. They are some top quality waders. Those or ocean.

always blob the tag ends...

also dont trust that tacklebox test though. Plenty of people will tell you its rubbish. I.E. I have the original run of gardner hd in 15lb, it wont break at 14lb at all, its been put under more pressure than that and not even looked like going. Maybe the most recent run is different, I dont know but I wouldn;t trust the results fully

Lost a fish recently in lilies, braid cut through... whether there was another snag down there, or mussels, or snails or whatever or just the stems themselves I couldn't believe it.

I dont use any nash kit apart from the bread bombs. what a difference such a simple thing makes! They do rip easily though!

I have made my own. I've made my own marker floats for a while now and thought a zig float can't be any more difficult to make. I used a length of balsa (about 15mm diameter) cut to 3 inches. Sanded smooth and shaped at the edges to be rounded off. Next I made a hole through it using a very long nail. Make sure it is straight(ish) I then hammered in a inline lead insert and trimmed so it fit flush (measured against this before cutting the balsa so was almost bang on) gave them two/three coats of grey primer. It soaks it in so you need a second coat at least. Finished them off with a spray varnish from the model shop to seal the wood. (I did this after using them without and found they take on water like a sponge and sink pretty quickly. You live and learn) I've tested them now and they float for days in water so I'm good to use them. Just haven't got round to it since.

Don't think they are shrink wrap handles though. I did look at them. All seem to be abbreviated.

It depends on when next year. But £120-150 per rod is likely. Can go up to £200 per rod if the rod is right. I like the look of the sonik gravity X or the greys prodigy model that's near £200 a rod. Have a thing for slim shrink handles. Can't not have them.

what i'm really getting at is, is there much difference? (I know between rod brands, models, etc. there is but in general)

I'm just looking at rods, had an email about the new sonik vader rods (which look amazing for the price btw) and it got me thinking about when I get new rods next year. I currently have 2.75lb tc and it has seen me good through all types of fishing but it looks like fashion has won the day and 2.75tc is harder to find now, with most ranges starting at 3lb. Just wondering whether it is worth me upping the tc as I am going back to the gravel pits next year. Obviously it'll offer a bit more range if I need it. but in terms of grunt, well I landed a 40lb carp through a couple of weedbeds on my current rod and have had countless 20s from snaggy and weedy swims without much hassle. opinions?

exactly as above. I also use the atomic choppa droppa for my lead when using heli rigs. Means the lead comes off once you hook a fish so the hook isnt being bounced around in the fish's mouth.