commonly

Just added a wintery twist to some pink squid 2t pop ups, white squid supreme and moonshine goo, so kind of like a whisky squid innit 😲😎

This is the problem, my mate bought a new 2.75lb floater rod and said it bent double and couldn't do anything with the fish.  I'm thinking go straight in with a standard 3lb rod, like you say some of the floats weigh a bit and a big chuck might be needed on occasion, whilst it's usually close range.  I want to give it a good go next year, the adjustable zigs caught me a few bonus fish this year.  Embarrassed at how often I've gone fishing with no surface gear or baits tbh  a zig can get you out of a hole but not as good as it would be if you had the bait to drift over them or the surface rod obvs.
Lazy boy! 

Looking for advice: I live in the US and new to euro-style carp fishing and wanted to try a new, “very small”, weedy offshoot of a lake near me that I know for sure has a few carp in it (after a week of scouting it out). I thought I'd take a single rod out and try for a bite after work.
Wondering if I should stick with what I feel comfortable with (method feeder/pack bait and hook bait, with a bit of sweet corn tossed in to attract), or try a new approach (eg., prebait the specific area with corn/pellets/hemp oil, etc., then cast a single hook bait on a hair rig with a weight into the middle of the ground bait)?
Thanks for any advice - Joe

Both 
 
pre feed it with a couple of times a week with cheap pack bait particles or balls of groundbait as we call it this side of the pond
then when you go fishing use the method feeder.
 
could use scalded pellet as a binder 

All 4.99 reduced - got a few more the week before but they're put away in the rucksack already- bargain, no excuse next season! New floater rod and reel next 👍 These are for mates who moaned about missing out lol 😂

Casting is gonna have to wait the 6 wrap kid is in town, I know boring but you ain't gonna catch if you ain't on em, and I have seen some signs. I did try all fingers abive the reel though, even at short range it felt pretty decent, one to continue with 

I have watched some of his vids and they do seem to help tbh, next thing I need to learn to adjust is my hands I need to put one more finger the front side of the reel, I've enquired about going today, my boat isn't charged so I may just go manual for once and use the spod/leading rod to the max  😲
 

I've seen one of his recent videos and he recommends putting your whole hand in front of the reel. Feels weird but works 

I ended up using my 3.5lb tc's all the time simply because they could be fished at long range or under the rod tips. OK they won't be good in little poke holes but for everything else they were spot on. 

I was looking at the TX range.
After asking around & having a feel, the free spirit helical, does feel (& look) a better built rod.

Welcome to the future 
only problem is a drone battery last about half an hour to an hour
wont get far with that lol

I want one
https://youtu.be/lhALK64e4bk?si=AMCaXWLd2svaDYij

I've got 3.5 tc 13ft.
They do 3.25 tc 
Reviews are good, although not specific on through action. I've been impressed so far
https://tacklebox.co.uk/free-spirit-rods/free-spirit-helical-carp-rod-12ft-3-5lb-50mm/

I had my rod tip high last time i was fishing up to the pads, seemed to work really well tbh, I've tried various rod positions over the years but for this situation that is the best set up I've found, the fish never found the pads at all and it's easier to grab the rod so  I could just walk straight back, the battle was fairly straightforward after that. This was on the end 

Nice write-up.
 
Really wish I could have been there, and hope that another can be arranged and that I can get to.
 
 

I think it's fair to say none of us would be very good influencers/bloggers. Not sure why, but I think this maybe my longest write up. 
Sorry if I'm waffling on.
Hopefully one of the others can fill in some of the gaps??
So, we arrived Friday morning to glorious weather, carp showing all around the horseshoe shaped lake. 
A bit disappointed to discover we would need our own boat to get to the island swim. 
Walked the lake a few times, and did a draw. 
Surprisingly, we drew 1-5 numerically.?? It seemed a good omen.
In 2nd place I was lucky enough to pick one of the favoured swims. 
It had a bit of everything,  overhanging trees in the margins, 2 channels opening into the rear of the lake, off the back of the island with a long chuck of around 20 wraps.
Rods set up, time for the marker to find some spots. Oh!
Every chuck for the first 20 minutes plugged in thick blanket & Canadian weed. When I say plugged, I had to line the rod up with the lead and walk backwards??
This wasn't going to be as easy as I'd first thought.
Luckily it was clear in the channel to my left around the lillies, so put a bit of bait out & a rod on each side of the channel. 
I flicked around a light lead with 1 ft zig on the 3rd rod to try and pick off the fish that had been fizzing in the swim.
@kevtaylor went in next to me on the gate swim, with the road bank to himself. Fish showing at range, but not safe to fish for them due to the channel & island.
Rods out, set up camp, sun was out.
Just messaged the others how nice it was to do a bit of sunbathing & it poured down for half hour😄
We ordered the kebabs that Elmo kindly went to collect, had quick munch, beer and a chat. Then back to matter in hand.
Elmo had a mid double that night, fishing in the garden swim on the opposite side of the lake to me. Well done mate.
Next morning, no shows in front of me so I went for a wander. 
@chillfactor had a small tench & similar issues with the weed, that we were told was upto 8 ft deep!!!!
@dalej2014 was having a nap, so went round to see Elmo. Interesting to watch his approach with the boat and Deeper. As far as I could tell, the baitboat was a very effective way to fish this venue.
I could just see @chillfactorwith a nice bend in his rod, so made my way back to see his capture. Which turned out to be another little tench with 10 times its weight in weed.
Headed back to my swim with Elmo to find @kevtaylor bent into a lovely looking mid double mirror. Nice one.
We ordered fish n chips, delivered to the gate. Chewed over a few stories between us and thoughts for the night ahead. 
I had a lead around at the long chuck and found a clear spot. Put 2 rods out there and about a kilo of chops.
Woke up Sunday about 6.30, looked around. Beep, pause then a screamer, the bobbin hit the rod hard and I soon had the 19lber on the long chuck. It was an unusual scrap as the fish tried to bury itself in the weed. But I had a good hook hold and soon had it in the net.
It was a big relief having been in the favoured swim and not caught yet. Everyone had had a carp (or tench)  by then.
Elmo & @dalej2014 were heading home that day and everything went really quiet. The wind had picked up & changed direction. That was enough to make @kevtaylor & @chillfactor make the move to the middle of the lake.
@kevtaylor had quick payback with his mid 20 cracker. Well done sir👍& thanks for getting out of bed to take a few pics of my fish.
I didn't have much activity in front of me and considered moving, but felt it was silly to move having caught this morning. So I continued to keep the chops going in every few hours on the long chuck, occasionally a sprinkling on my margin rod.
The lads had spotted an otter causing havoc at their part of the lake at dusk.
I was woken around midnight to a screamer on my margin rod. Without my head torch I proceeded to trip over my other 2 rods and grab the screamer. I had a lovely bend in the rod, but something felt strange. Rubbing almost. I played the fish until I saw the surrender of his mouth out of the water. I couldn't quite net it??? I jumped in and scooped the net under the fish. I could then see that during the fight my line had wrapped around an overhanging branch. Fish secure I cut the line. 
Quick weigh up without my glasses looked around 14lb. Quick mat shot, didn't seem fair to wake anyone up for this little fella.
All quiet for therest of the night and morning. I had small fish showing on the long chuck, but no bites. Slow pack up and home for dinner time.
It was the first time on this type of social for me. It was kind of like meeting up with old mates after so many years on the forum. 
I'd definitely go again, take care gents and be lucky!

Bags are OK but actually the distance sticks the deluxe ones £12 are brilliant, they come with a 12ft cord FYI 

Went to Scotland to do some Gold panning in the rivers and burns for a couple of days back in September. and yes Yippee i found some . 

To heck with voting green 
you will lose angling then 

Hmm, I will have a look at purchasing longer, through action rods in a lighter test curve, but this will probably be my last port of call due to cost £££
The hooklink braid is 20lb KORDA DARK MATTER SUPER-HEAVY BRAIDED HOOKLINK, I have now purchased the same braid in 30lb, some 20lb ESP TUNGSTEN LOADED SOFT and some SEMI STIFF 20lb KORDA N-TRAP ... so we shall see if this makes a difference
I have made a load of new rigs in longer lengths and am going to make them gradually shorter to see if the length is making a difference.
I have made the rigs with 2 different hooks attached, the KORDA wide gape and the sharpened KORDA KAMAKURAs in sizes 6 and 8, to see if this makes a difference.
I have also bought some lighter leads 3oz, 2.5oz and 2 oz, to see if this makes a difference.
I am also going to drop the lead, to see if this makes a difference.
Lots to be going on with, but at least it will keep me busy

Just had the weirdest take ever.....well double take....
Right hand margin had a few beeps, nothing materialised, then left hand rod 1 toned off, thought beltin....couple seconds into it, right hand goes.....but then I can see both lines are on my left hand rod....think some how the right hand rod had a fish on kited all way round into my other line and that's how there both onnmy left 1.
Had to cut off about 10 wraps on each rod of the new line 😭😭😭....
4 runs, 2 landed.

Sounds a bit drastic?
Maybe try another species?
I know others on here do that for a change
if you're already catching more than anyone else. It sounds like your rig needs fine tuning

Sounds like you should stop buying them mate.
Although the one you gave me, was useful. Proper job 👍

I've always said it, a short hooklink,(unless you drop the lead) will always end up causing damage to the fish. Either the swivel or lead will be catching the fishes mouth and head in a fight.
The shortest I'd go is 5 inches for that reason.
Maybe try a stiff fluorocarbon????
 

Good luck mate🤞