commonly

Just seen someone I'd regard as a top angler. He's raving about these new hooks, chemically sharpened beyond any file. Reckons a regular night he'd have 3-4 fish, done 12 the other night!!! Now I'd say this time of year you may get another couple, but that number is impressive & worth switching for an improved catch rate. Like he said it made him feel like he'd been getting done before. https://www.tackleuk.co.uk/SiteAssets/Products/800-800/fhbprxdg636719313013867630.jpg

Dry or prepared?

This seems as good a thread as any. In recent discussions I have been minded to use Scopex Squid. One of the write ups says an angler tore my syndicate lake to pieces with it! Nash seem to be the main supplier, but wondered if anyone knows of a reliable source?

Not been for years, I know someone who has, but not my cup of tea. It used to be in a terrible state with lines trailing everywhere. Commy cash cow is the impression I have of the venue. I used to have a syndicate ticket near there. Nice little 2acre with a good stock of British carp. Maybe available for private hire. Pm if interested. Meynards is supposed to be good. Not fished it personally, but it's in that area.

Lakeside, Chichester, West Sussex. A few lakes I think and some lovely beaches nearby

Makes sense I guess? Surely not every angler is fishing Maggot though? Unless your sponsored maggots get expensive when you buy gallons, which is why I was surprised to notice limits being put in the rules. If I remember rightly wasn't it mid year, my syndi was closed for spawning, so planned to go oxlease, first time ever, it was closed! There must be so much rotten bait on the bed in that lake! & other pressured waters. Had the same issue a few weeks back , booked to stay at lakeside chichester, planned to fish Vinnetrow. Closed. Low oxygen levels in this case.

Excellent winter bait, get the odd pike and perch too. I've noticed a lot of waters now will limit the amount, 4pints a day? They must mess with the eco system I guess?

I had the same problem with the trekker big snooze, only used it handful of times and the shop where I bought it said it was wear and tear!! My avid one is holding up a lot better, been through the wash a few times & no sign of wear and tear!

Thanks for the link yonny. Good reading there. My water is a drop the lead rule, instant ban! So after a bit of experimenting, & due to the mountainous canadian weed. I am naked to a drop off fox in line, with a sinker wrapped in putty 2ft up the line. I use 4-4,5oz up to 100 yds. 4_5"combi rig with a large split shot where the braid is stripped off the fluro of Hydrolink, to set the hook. Pop up or snowman. I tend to get the hook bait 2-3" off the bottom, with a few freebies in stocking, which helps avoid tangles. I will play around with lengths & not necessarily drop the lead on other waters. I often get liners, but put that down to fish & movement of the weed. With this setup I definitely know when it's a take & have a 100% land rate & confidence in it. From the rotary, in my early days of fishing & carping I used to use a small 1/2 oz in line ball lead to devistating effect. Fond memories and stirs up the grey matter to uses nowadays.

Well here's hoping someone knows a bit more about Belgium now!!! One off my bucketlist., I'd love to go & fish for a few days before or after the F1, which is the last weekend of August. I've looked at blues Lake, very nice but very busy. Does anyone know of any good carp lakes in that part of the world?

Forget the small one at that range, go medium or large. You'll have a lot more control on the cast & you won't have to put so much in. Imo the small ones are for margins. I use the Albright knot to join lines.

The lengths we go to!! Some might say your mad!!

I use 15lb subline (Korda) mainly to satisfy syndi 0.4mm rule. It's very weedy & I have confidence in it, sinks like a brick, but can go springy. I always cut off 2-3 rod lengths, more if I've had a good scrap! I must admit though, it's pure laziness that I use it, as it's the only line in the local tackle shop, that meets the diameter rule.

Yes, Arma mesh. It has its uses, I tried it for a sesh at my syndi, with luncheon meat, trying to be different! Had a mid double, angry pike. The mesh stayed on the hair even in the mouth full of those gnarly teeth!

I've used it for floater fishing this year, wow, roll up a chunk of the ol' tiger loaf. No worries about it coming off & casting is a dream. I am a little concerned about how it may effect the fish ingestive system, should it be swallowed? Not such an issue with surface fishing, underwater may become more of an issue, but assume the manufacturer has taken this into consideration or else certain venues would ban it, should it be harmful to the fish.

I agree, just interested in there claim & to see if Charlieg had landed any. I'm firmly in the microbarb camp. But, If it's as good as it claims, it could result in less mouth damage & I'll do everything possible to avoid that.

That's interesting, I normally prefer a 6 & they seem out of stock on the bay, so 4's may be a good shout. Did you land every time?

Has anyone tried this brand? If so any good? https://www.pallatrax.co.uk/product/gripz-straight-point-hooks-size-6/

Looking for a small, private lake, 4-5 angler's, April. Willing to travel an hour or so from Gatwick area. Looking at burghfield gold pool, https://www.advanced-angling.com/our-venues/burghfield-gold-lake/ or similar

Apologies for the use of the word species, when it should of been strains.. I am intrigued by the responses & understand that certain fish will prefer a certain bait. This is evident at my water, with some angler's having recaptures in a season. As I mentioned above, there are a few commons in there that are very rarely caught. Scopex squid! There's a name I haven't heard in a while 🤔

One of my waters has well known fish, mostly commons! The lads that go 2/3 times a week have only caught a few! So that leaves it to luck for me doing the odd night here & there. I know one or two of the baits going in.The 1st few years, I went my own way, this year I'm using the better known bait, had a small stocky linear, which was OK. I want the Redmire commons though & if the wealth of angling knowledge available here can offer me an edge, I'm all ears.

I have begun to wonder wether certain baits/flavours are preferred by say a common to a mirror? I only ask as I love to catch commons & seem to of only landed mirrors of late. Both waters I fish have decent sized commons, but they are eluding me. Any suggestions welcome.

You may get on elphics less popular lakes, or you need to book early Jan. A friend of mine goes a few times a year. Had a 36 common on his last trip. He uses cell & parti. Afraid I know nothing about mid Kent, yonny may know more. I have a ticket in a Hampshire water & estate lake in mid Sussex. You say you're going to Kent, where are you roughly?

I had the misfortune of wetting a line there a few years ago. As some on here might say it's a commy day ticket. Trying to be another elphics. There's claims to have a 40 in each lake, yet the 2 photos I saw in the tackle shop were of the same fish. Go to elphics if that's the kind of fish you're looking for, to me it's like someone's dug a lake in a field & designed it to get as many swims as possible out of it! A Cash cow, basically. There are much nicer, mature waters around mate, Tunbridge area?

Plenty of great advice above. I use fox bags, tied with Korda tape. I tend to use them only if I'm unsure of the debris or weed on the bottom though. If you know it's clear just use pva stocking, it's much quicker, less mess, easier to cast & goes straight on the hook, so if you miss your spot, you can put another one on in seconds. I protect the hook point with a pva nugget.