Carpbell_ll

I used three different knots on my leaders this year albrite mahin and palomar to loop the mahin looked the neatest but all are good the palomar to surgeons loop is just as good as any ready to tie leader. I worry too much about slipping so prefer the knot to loop set up.

Up above link, for yourself or a present?

750 watts of pure indoor sunshine with log effect the future of winter angling?

Jammy sod, ever since seeing a halogen heater in a bivvy i have wanted a generator lovely warm orange glow filling the bivvy up it really would have to be a Honda or Yamaha so big money.

As an add i 'm not planning on using anything i have listed so far this one is too flammable in the event of a spillage. i have seen a few photos on FB of guys with the gas heater in the bivvy, i just hope they are also using a CO2 detector. which is my main reason for bumping this thread. The best option is still the electric generator route, but it would have to be a 2k watt Honda or Yamaha silent running, a 500 watt drain would barley take it out of tick-over making it very quiet running.

By Jove i think i have it! Spirit alcohol burner marked for indoor use and available from BnQ , but what i like the look of is the one linked, the looped copper pipe and wick. I think it could be used similar to a candle heater but with enough power to warm up a heat retaining box lined with those blokes that go in gas fires. I was thinking of putting a kit together and calling it the Common Sense Bankside Buddy, trading standards would be fine with that i'm sure.

At this time of year with the autumn we are having i will be surprised if the carp are eating more than a mouthful a day or out hunting for a feed, the little water i like has only done one fish this past few weeks due to it getting feed by fresh river water where as the next lake along that gets water from the little lake is still fishing ok-ish if i get out again this year it will be zigs and singles. if i was happy to use maggots i would go with a pva bag of maggots or chopped worm, i don't like to use bait that is still wriggling, but, i would put money on chopped worm being the best bait for this cold weather?

Depends a lot on fish stocks and water size, some of the anglers on here fish large waters so putting bait out to areas that they think a fish will feed in will help find the fish regularly. Then you have match/runs waters where if you don't put the bait out the fish will go and feed in a swim that is being baited heavy.

Get the Centuries if you can, either that or the shimanos seem to be the highest recommended, i don't like Shimano gear other than the reels, Shimano rods were once known to suffer tip snap offs once you get to near their maximum casting weight, had it happen on two hyperloops fishing bags, i did buy them used tenner a go, but a Rod Builder who knows more about what's what with carbon blanks had nothing good to say about the Shimano rods of 20 years back, might of changed. The fox X3 is a newish one, i have what they replaced in price range the Torque would love a review on the pros and cons between the two, i really do like my Torques i have used balistas before but not the slims i'd say mine are easily on par with the slims and I hate to say this but in the past few years i have had them i have not dropped a fish, touch wood and all that.

Put some candle wax on the rods joins stop them sticking once you get them separated

Two people one on each end pulling and twisting in opposite directions, something will give

Good luck, the garages are raking it in at the mo all those that let the maintenance slip for the extra six month than normal, i had to use a national tyres a few weeks back for pads and discs i managed to get a 35 off which is pretty much unheard off in those places, guys i would normally go to are booked out solid. Why people let the jobs come up and advisories build up on the MOT history is just silly insurance companies now use the online MOT history to price both quotes and pay outs. Some poor bloke in the garage had the same car as mine but the 1.6 petrol ouch he was in for a new clutch those cars a way too heavy for a 1.6 engine.

Oh not all bad, just back from my MOT on the new motor, not even an advisory, i can still pick em. just shows how much of a rip off those tyre and brake places are, when i was in there a few weeks back one of the lads tried to sell me two tyres as two of mine wouldn't pass a MOT, he got the look, i would never go near one of those places for a MOT it's just asking for it. Due the next 20.000 service interval soon might treat it to a trip to the KIA dealer keep the service manual up to date with KIA stamps. First car i ever bought a banged up escort burnt me on it's first MOT i learnt a lot that day.

Not so much a like but a users review on the Korum Leverage Screw XT sticks, the one i got was the large storm pole for my down the side margin rod, not very good at all nice and solid goes into the lake bed good, the problem starts if you try to extend it even a rod and alarm pushes the inner section back down, no way it would work as a bivvy pole. i might of just got a slack one korum are usually ok, never had a problem with my fox ones they have they same cam lock. oh and the inner section is shaped so it wont turn for fine adjustment.

I use the mini swingers think they are cute as look nice on 10 footers.

It is more than likely lacquered soft steel in the Korda stuff, the price of good quality metals is going crazy, the retail prices are proof of that, it is a shame really as i do think there is a good market for custom made metal ware, there is some really nice Damascus bar stock that can be ordered would make some real unique bobbins with, a lot of other gun metals that are really nice as well, a lot of it would have to be treated to prevent rust but that would add to the look .

If anyone wants to have a go at making their own bobbins you can get some good results by using a drill for a lathe and files for tools the stock is a bolt loaded with nuts or wood the choices are vast.

Don't forget Haiths they do a few base mixes that a lot of makers use add their own bits and bobs, if i was going to make my own Haiths would be my main port of call.

Just as a heads up for anyone interested in the Torque range they can still be got new from Fox's spares department, Although, they are not the best long range rods in terms of casting distance going by what others say, If you ask me they are a poor mans Ballista type rod, but don't let that fool you as they really are value for money.

If you want to stay with Fox pre-sale to Japan designed stock you wouldn't go wrong with a set of the Fox Torque might still be able to find a new set if you shop around. they really are a light weight slim blank. made for playing big fish the flex really does respond to what the angler is doing and the fish.

nearest to me is 3.2 miles lavender hall nice little palace well stocked tackle shop plus a few thirties in station pool

If you want some of the old style cadge feeders they always have a box full at Furnace End car boot, no elastic in them you can put the main line or leader straight through and tie off to a quick link for the hook, he normally has all sorts of sizes from small to monster huge size. it's a fishing tackle stall can't miss it.

Same as, in fact i'm not keen on the way carp tackle is going that's all the makers and i use the word makers in a very sardonic way, they must have an agreement not to import vast amounts of unbranded high retail value items and sell them fast. They really are taking the on the price of bivvys, take one north of Norway for a winter see how they stand up, they are lazy in using new materials as well, i could easily insulate a winter skin for next to nothing, the makers could do the same for pennies.

It's a nice little water some good fish in there Leathers over the 20 mark, do prefer mallard though, swan is more suited to day angling than over night, the road is a bit close and you never know if some one is going to set up in the opposite peg.

Chods are a great rig in the right kind of weed up until you drop a real big fish haven't really used a chod since i left KWP you can get one to sit nice on thick silk weed. Very easy for the fish to blow the rig at any point after picking it up though, very sharp barbed hooks are a must as big as you think you can get away with. My preferred pop up rig that is a withy/chod style rig has to be the reverse combi.