Carpbell_ll

Fished Barston a fair bit only the big lake though. the one you are fishing is fairly new to carp fishing, there are some good fish in there and hardly anyone fishes it, walked around it on a sunday last summer and it was empty of anglers, so if you are lucky you might get the place to yourself. I don't know for sure but i was told it is a specimen water, so no f1s to annoy you.

Best home made baiting pole i have seen was made from an old fishing pole and a landing net handle.

similar to the reverse combi rig i use for my pop ups, i have been putting the weight at the start of the stripped back braid making some of the braid stand up, gives a nice natural movement in the water, think i could of done with something closer to the deck this past week though.

Been using the fox torques in 10' for just over a year now, i really like them cast well and very accurate, lovely to play fish on, the others would be pretty similar so i'd go with the set you can get the best deal on.

Still undecided on what to get, who knew line could throw up so many choices, if i stick with the tiger line i will up it to the 0.37 size, the guy who runs the lakes is good enough to let me fish them and i'm sure he can see i'm not the most competent angler, best i stick to the rules as there is no shortage of anglers trying to get on. I have been looking at monos and tubing too, anyone used the Rig Moral free fall flexi tubing, the newish one that is braid coated ?

JRC Contact rods are very good for the money i think they went down to around £20 each from fishing republic last year

If you ever want to give the Tiger line ago, i really do highly recommend it on smallish waters the abrasion resistance is for margin fishing is second to none, the only drawbacks is keeping it clean and price if you want to fill a big reel. this would be the fourth year on my reels and it is still in good condition.

perhaps i should of said i would like the line to sink as far back from the lead as possible due to not using a sinking leader of sorts, never had a cut off yet and have been fishing like it for a few years now on some very weedy lakes. besides aren't all bottom bait lines billed to "sink like a brick" I'm guessing that's the reason for the rule change? didn't say just upped the line size requirements for this year.

Very thick weed and the bottom of the lakes is very rugged with lots of deep holes. In a mono nylon line the 38mm is around 16-20 lb, the tiger line is very fine for its size, i was thinking of going heavier to get a better sink from the line, the only draw back being the amount of stinky winky it picks up.

No one got any suggestions on problems or differences i may encounter by using the thicker line, or is it such a minimal difference that i will not notice any changes?

You might want to have a look at the Korum range they do a multi shelter that is tall enough for a day chair but easily doubles as a comfy bivvy, comes with a removable front the only thing it does not have is an outer skin, no biggie i have never used a winter skin, don't need one between now and next November.

Looking at changing my line this season, really liked the Tiger Line lasted a few years and the only reason i need new is due small off cuts now leaving not enough for a comfy cast, so i will be buy again, my water now wants anglers to use a 0.38mm mainline, which means going from my currant 16lb 0.33mm line to a 20lb version which is 0.37mm (i think i will get away with a 0.01 margine) I was thinking about stepping up to a larger size anyhow, the 16lb fluro don't half sing out when playing a fish. casting and knot tying shouldn't be any different, my only concern is will the larger line stand out more to the fish? that's fished straight through with no leader.

Looking on their FB page the place looks like a good water, nice and natural looking plus Ian Macmillan does his tuition there, when anglers pay money for a days alround tuition they are going to want to catch something. I'd consider the place if it wasn't for the M6 that road comes to a standstill most days, not really what you want when heading out for a session.

I'm no fan of the EA volunteer officers as said before but i have also said it should be on the lake owners to ask for a licence and sell them where the lakes could do that. Funily enough it would be a problem for park lakes as a lot of them have ticket machines, means the ranger would have to check both when on their rounds. The EA put a lot of work into park lakes, so it is only fair to have a licence if you fish parks.

I use a hook doctor just to touch up the hook during the session, Jim Shelly is a big advocate of sharpening hooks with a file and vice, he has a FB video where he shows how he likes to use the tools, reckons it is one of his best edges resulting in more fish. Says in the video hook sharpening is part of the tutorials he gives.

Lol, just a suggestion, sounds like it is more of a social as most places will be empty on Monday, Barston usually has a few on over Christmas

There is free fishing at Drayton Res on Christmas day, 7am-5pm. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/free-fishing-at-drayton-reservoir-this-christmas

Very nice, most people including myself would not know there are Trout like that in UK waters, those pictures could of been taken in Canada, which would of been my guess if CM hadn't called Scotland.

You should see the domestic power lines that run over barston lake, they take the electric supply to the farm house next to the lake, leads, spombs all sorts wrapped around them, they must be insulated but it looks like bare green metal cable, i wouldn't fish under them.

There was a guy who worked in Coventry's Lanes tackle shop that fished the Avon for carp, he hasn't been in the shop the past few times i have been in, but they really do know that river like the back of their hand. The Avon has some really nice carp in it, there was a online magazine report knocking about on the net a few years back, local lad done really well on the Avon out Warwick and Leamington way, think the magazine was called Crafty Carper. The canal between Coventry and Rugby has a few in too.

Some nice looking carp on that link, got that natural orange tint to some of them, the waters up there would be too big for me, anything over ten acres isn't rally what i look for in a carp water. Saying that, i am going to treat myself to a couple of days on Bluebell lakes next year, i will give there mallard lake a go, said to be a runs water, should make for a nice bit of early summer fishing with out being too commercial

Got the bed of them at the start of this year nice bit of kit i think it should fit ok in their one man bivvy, the bed is 90cm, not quite the meter.

Be ideal in the spring/summer, although you may find it a bit cold in the winter unless it comes with doors. Been looking at bivvys myself for next year, must say i'm not impressed with what's on the market, very pricey, for the same old same old,, think i will end up with one from carp zone, looking for a winter skin for my conntact two man, but it looks like it has come to an end. over £200 for a bivvy with outer skin....

Long johns are comfy, just don't send the lake owner a pick of yourself in them holding a fish in the early hours think i got away with it, head to toe in white clobber.

I use solid bags but have never liked the idea of putting the lead and all in the bag, i use a combi rig so getting that in a bag probably wouldn't happen, what i do is fill the bag with bolie crumb and a squirt of liquid, then close it tight making the shape of the bag similar to an icing bag. Thread the rig through and attach to the lead, works well once you get used to casting it, you will never get the long distance as a traditional solid bag rig, but i prefer it and it gives a lovely presentation of the rig, don't like the PVA netting for a stick mix.