commonly

Today i bought 
A wolf x spod to replace the one I misplaced on Friday. 
ESP big shot medium catapult (that I mistakenly bought elastic and a pouch for previously thinking I had an esp pult 
And 2 packs of avid d rig kickers because no other D rig kicker comes close when creating the perfect ronnie D rig. 

froggie I lent on my self take button whilst waiting for one of the fish to settle on the mat, it looks like I’m in a meditative stance 
fish is totally swallowed by the mat! 

Did a quick overnighter on my winter estate lake last night, wind hacking into my face, mild night, overcast with showers on and off. This lake is a typical mixed fishery, rather than an out and out carp fishery, but has a good head of carp to 25lb(ish) the frogs were active in the margins, a sign spring is springing. I had a hectic night, with 14 carp landed plus 2 bream from 18 takes, a few low doubles, a smattering of singles and a couple of 20s to top it off. 15lb 20lb ghostie 22lb 14lb 
 

Been 4 months since I've been able to get onto the syndicate, but even in the wet weather I still love it here.

I'm still here (on the back row) looking over 🤣

Take care mate... you'll get the bug once more... In 2011 I lost my dad and I packed up for 2 years... my lass told me to leave the gear in the garage in case I started up again ( I did)
When I returned it wasn't the same, but the enjoyment for fishing was still there, I later packed in match fishing and got into vintage gear... I've not looked back... I still have my carbon carp rods but they are rarely used now.
I now don't fish as often as I used to  through ill health (collapsed back and knackered knees) but when I do the thrill is still there..
 
Look after yourself... 😎👍

No more for me, I got a small gap in the rain and made for home, 
My one has done that repeatedly and cost me loads of spombs, there is a simple fix, don't buy shimano 😂
Or you could try this, I have to manually close the bale arm now but it beats losing spombs all the time. 
 

Reporting from the social, I decided to move on Saturday morning had a walk round with Dale and decided it was best, I moved into Bogmageddon and after a slog with the barrow, fannied about and found some spots, it soon became apparent I had made the right call when I saw one bosh to my left, then another to my right, got the rods tried to throwing stick some boilies out as I managed to lose my spod in a shimano faulty bail arm incident, that the others didn't rinse me for at all 😂
Of course within minutes there were a flock of seagulls trying to eat every last one. But I figured I has some in the zone, within an hour I had a weird bite lifted One bleep dropped right back then lifted again, and I was in, went right to get behind an island then went left to get behind another, then wstsyed deep to try and lose me over the massive plateau betwixt us, but I got it over, it tried to go through all my lines and eventually I netted the beast of bogmageddon, all 27 and a half lbs of it, Leon (commonly) came to assist with the photos and as actually managed to make me smile for one 😬
As I write it's lashing down the swim looks like a wet Glastonbury and I'm not looking forward to packing up but it's been fun and eventful, maybe time for another but it doesn't seem as likely today, hopefully I've pushed them down for Leon to have a busy night tonight. 

Certainly that mate. And your cracking fish! Do it again soon.

I moved here yesterday into bogmageddon, I'm not looking forward to packing up, been a fun weekend though, bbq and a curry and some good laughs. 
 

Trying to plan a visit to bluebells later this month, it's my burfday on paddies day if you ask me but I went over the clock so the 18th it is and that's why I didn't get the ultra cool Patrick name. I'd be like the king of the travelers with that pedigree.
Anyhow, deffo getting out and two days on Mallard could be just right for a old fella like me out the wagon no barrow needed.
on a side venue note, Ecton lakes have moved their runs water, Greab onto a day ticket water, bit pricey but we'll worth it.

Just stocked up on bait kit, five kilo of DNA switch plus bits and a 25kilo bag of pellets a nice low oil one that will absorb a food signal liquid.
Really am looking forward to getting out, not getting a club ticket this year, I'm doing day ticket waters starting the end of this month all I need is batteries and a unhooking mat and I'm out out.

It's nearly time for our latest social, I'm proper excited now, hopefully we will even catch a carp or two. 

I've been and spent far too much on sea gear recently after catching some decent thornback rays on the Suffolk coast.
Admittedly second hand but another Daiwa 7HT and Seahunter Beach caster and a shelter

Sounds like your doing covert ops. Trying to catch someone in the act???
I'm sure these camras were mentioned on a thread last year mate. 
Maybe try to find tlthat post??

Thanks very much !, yeah I’ll grind nuts down and use the dried crusts blended up with a managerie of sweetcorn , luncheon meat corned beef , and I’ve some special zingy jellies sweets that Mike’s my mouth go ooh !! So illl make up some pva bags using all sorts of known and unknown things all prepped in pva bags ready for spring  plus I know some nice sloping banks under water that when they drained the Rez down in 90 when I was a kid i think I’m gonna focus there ?!! So I’ll keep you posted as I go …. Wish me luck and thanks for your support 

Potato was a big bait late 1960's in the Jack Hilton era

Use what you are confident in 
you want to go higher with braid 
as a guide
if you look at a decent quality mono around 15lb and use the diameter rather than breaking strain then you can match that to a similar braid. But 30lb will be close enough

Yep 
carp can’t try things without putting them in their mouths 
I've seen them pick up Fag butts chips and all manner of stuff
doesnt mean they eat them though but if it has a hook I it then there is a chance of it being caught 

From what i understand, Carp will pick up most food items, out of curiosity as much as anything else.
It's getting said food item in the right spot that matters, more than what it is.
I have heard a few Polish guys using potato and uncooked pasta.
I've not tried that myself, peperami is as adventurous as I've gone

Korda size 6 spinner hooks (barbless!)rules are Booneys 😫)
CC Moore live system bucket and frozen snails.
Nash worm liquid
Reading up on the place, naturals seem to do more bites than boilies,  so I'm going out my comfort zone a bit

this puts me to shame i haven't been able to get in so long as my gear was all over the place and in such a state that i had no idea of what was where or even if it existed in the shed at all. i have just finished a massive clear out and although still somewhat a mess i now know where everything is and found so much stuff to sell as i have more kit than i need or can use in my life time. i think i went mad when i started on the carp route and just bought everything and anything and have way too much for my needs. a few photos from before during and after, although the after one still looks a mess i know what is there now.
 

Fishing can be an all consuming hobby and it can take over your life. When my kids were young I used to get away at every opportunity and I do regret it now. I don't get out as much these days but feel I have a better family/fishing balance.
You were a prolific and interesting poster and we'll all miss your contributions but if you need to completely step away, then that's what you must do. I worked for the same Company for 30 years after leaving school and felt "tied" to the job despite the signs it was going downhill rapidly, the redundancy package was what kept me going until the end when it closed down. In the 15 years since, I must have had about 20 jobs but it was liberating because if I wasn't happy, I left. I had 2 jobs when I told them to stick it and left the same day. You don't know how good that feels!
Hopefully after a while, you'll come to realise what it was you enjoyed about fishing and hopefully it will outweigh the negatives you are feeling at the moment.
Good luck for the future.

Honestly, it was on cards for a while, it actually felt like a relief has been lifted off my shoulders. 
All good, I've just got way to much going on. 
I've need even had a thought about it really, I did come off the forum for a while, but just browsing chats now 👍👍

Sometimes we need to take a step back mate. Hope all goes well and you get the bug back at some point 👍