B.C.

I like the ESP Cryogen range, haven't even considered looking at other hooks for a couple of seasons now... A lot is down to personal choice. Not used the barbless though..... Gardener Mugga's are highly thought of and I'd happily use them without flinching if my favoured hooks were out of stock..... Not much help really, but I try to stick to what I've all ready got confidence in..... Chopping and changing can be a long , dark, winding road...... Headaches and half used packets of this and that. If I was really in a dilemma over the two, I'd buy a packet of each and make a comparison, choose one, and stick with it.... Job done.

Doesn't look like it so far mate..... Once you get stuck into it, you'll prob get some info along the way

Same, surprisingly in weed too, where I can feel every bump or head shake, the softer rods behaving like a spring and I never feel like i'm going to get cut off, the rods absorb everything. The NG's 2.75, I haven't tried a long chuck with, but with some small shimmy 5500 xtc, they are nicely balanced and very accurate. Perfect little 2 rod set up for a 5 acre lake I've been invited back on to, which, if I'd known was going to happen, I would have held back on the CAA ticket..... Came completely out of the blue after an 8 year wait.... The Snoik S6 will get a good blasting on the SYndi I joined, by the time I've used them enough to give a solid review, they would have been discontinued (think they already are)...... That's another good reason to save for decent rods... Parts and repairs are easier to get done if needed..

I know what you mean Rob, it all adds up mate...... Depends whether you want your new rods long term or for a few seasons and then another change. Which means you'll be trawling the forums again looking for advice... As far as rods go, imo, there is budget and top end........ The marketing hype will try to convince you that certain budget rods are "mid range" and whack another £100 on top...... I've never been in the position to just go out just spend £1000 on a set of rods. But I did get my hands on some second hand NG's 2.75 tc at least a decade old but well looked after £100 each and they knock spots off any of my other newer rods....... Convinced me to save a while for some decent beefier rods... The Sonik s6 will fill the void for me until the pennies are saved. There's some good advice from the other lads on this thread who know their stuff on rods, through experience. You rarely find them asking for advice on kit, but they are happy to share their info. All the better for the rest of us.

Might tap you up on the nut prep (fermented) at some point Steve.

Not from me mate, got a staple boilie that I stick too.... Interestingly enough though CM (and I'm sorry to go off topic here).... The place I've joined is a real head banger, It's done two fish this week, the first to hit the bank since early November. It's not rare to blank a season, and some "names" have gone away with their tales between their legs after a two season blank. The place was left fallow for a decade, and has been fished for four years since. My reconning is that they got so used to surviving on naturals, that a bright, over flavoured boilie, just doesn't switch a lot of them on...... They do get caught, but not in numbers, so for me it's the perfect opportunity to fish at least one rod on alternative baits to boilies........ There are no silly bait bans, some more pots could be on order soon . Incidentally, I've heard that bait firm being referred to as CC Less, more than once, can't think why.

Not sure I'd pay the rrp for Sonik rods, before thoroughly checking them out in the flesh..... I bought some S6's reduced, which were previously their top end rod, before the Dominator X.... when they hit the shelves they were £200 a pop, not worth that imo, hell of a lot of glossy laquer over all the whippings, too much, looks as though they have tried to hide some dodgy whipping...... They do the job, but imo no better than a £70-£80 rod.... what I've noticed is that mid range rods are usually a price hike on budget rods and as such are eventually sold at a budget price when a newer model comes out........ Can't remember hearing anything bad about Greys rods (others may have)...... Given the choice, if I was buying , I would choose the G4's if I could get them at a decent price, or even G3's which are dirt cheap, this is based on the Sonik rods I have. But ideally I'd be saving for some decent rods, Century, Harrison, Free Spirit etc. Because in my mind, a mid range rod, is a budget rod with a higher price..... Just my op.... Good luck

Beat me to....... I've used it a lot at differing ranges in silt. Never been confident with bite indication, hooked a coot that came right into the bank fishing semi slack. Thought a pike was having a go at it, mainline got hung up in weed, didn't hear a bleep. This was with a lead drop off system...... I like the safety aspect of the heli, but would advocate a heavy fixed lead, something that can plug into the bottom and help with a "bolt effect". If it's a clean bottom, I'd use a shortish hook length with an anti tangle sleeve, about 6 inch hooklength, helps with casting imo Don't worry about it laying over the lead. If you set it right with the sleeve and add some weight near the sleeve end so it falls right,and a couple of tapered beads, it can only fall left or right to the lead, and there will still be an inch or two of debris on the bottom, even though it feels clean, unless the spot is literally glowing yellow. I would definitely give it a go at some point. You may come up against a situation where it is needed . Nothing wrong with a bit of practice... TBH, it's like any rig imo, the basics are there for everyone to see, but the more you use it, the more you will tweak it to suit you or your water.

Hi King Tench, been rereading this thread and there are so many conflicting views that your head must be spinning. Trouble is, there are so many shelters on offer these days and each person has their own preference and budget..... I had similar problems last season looking for an appropriate shelter to suit my own needs... From what I can gather, you are looking for a day shelter, than can provide adequate cover for the odd overnighter.... Well it's a no brainer to me..... A Brolly System with infill panel is perfect.... On days, you only need the brolly..no groundsheet or infill panel, so you are not carrying needless weight around. If you plan an overnighter, then take the infill panel and zip it on..... This will narrow your search down to just brolly systems, which you can then narrow down further to budget....... I'd be looking for a brolly system, with a rear vent for those really hot days and muggy nights....... Also, a mozzy mesh option on any openings on the infill panel makes life easier in mozzy season. Up to you how much you spend, but unless you are a bivvy rat and doing 4 or 5 nights a week, you don't need to go overboard, beware the marketing hype of some products. Plenty of decent shelters under £200. Some of the more expensive ones are sold on how light they are and as such are made from very thin material, which can leave you baking with no real shade in the warmer months.

The Fox Warriors are pretty good entry level rods, 1000's sold over the years, https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/fox-warrior-s-rods Good luck on your search

I remember you recommending the Tigerline before Carpbell, haven't used it myself......... I wonder whether a few fish have been lost last year to snap offs, or maybe some trailers pulled in or found in snags that don't look up to the job. If so, then I can understand why they might want to put some kind of ground rule in place. As mentioned before though, difficult to police.

0.05 mm thicker, 5 hundredths of a mm. Which I don't think would make ant real difference (unless, like Dave mentioned you are casting to the horizon) Most of these sort of rules are to prevent anyone going in silly with 8lb or 10lb bs imo...... If they are sensible, then your original line would be ok in the 16lb........ My last club had a similar rule, impossible to police, especially when you take floater and zig fishing into account... I'd just stick with your old line, 16lb is plenty strong enough......

Doubt you'll find a bivvy that is as quick and easy to set up as a brolly or brolly system. Something like the Titan Hide which Nige posted above, or Trakker Tempest Brolly would bridge the gap. And as Nige said, you can buy the extras to create a full blown winter bivvy....... Some of the lightweight shelters are made from very thin materials and the sunlight can penetrate, which can cook you up a bit in the hottest weather if theres no shade in your swim............ Out of interest Nige, have you used your Titan Hide in rainy weather. If so, what's the run off like in the front area, I assume there is some kind of gutter? The design looks as though any water would drip in the doorway. Does it just run down the sides?

Not quite the same as the Lowpro, and tbh, imo, defeats the object of a super lightweight shelter... I suppose ditching the ground sheet would lose a couple of kg.... Lets face it Dan, to be mobile on that water you intend having a go at, you'll probably have to rough it a bit mate.

There is a low pro mk2 with an infill panel I believe.... Not sure by how much this effects the overall weight though bud.

The Fox Pop Up shelter is pretty good... I've seen them used and they offer more space than you'd think. Perfect for day sessions or overnighters in decent weather.... Wouldn't trust them too much in strong winds, but that is just by looking at them...... Incredibly light weight. A few lads that do work overnighters use them on the lake I was fishing, and they've all had good comments. If you are doing day sessions with a chair and not a bed chair, there is plenty of room for kit inside them...... Phil Dalts has got one. He may be able to give you some more info if he's about, if not, I doubt he'd mind a PM about it.

Nightmare scenario buddy, and I've been there..... If it's that bad, I'll try and get away with 3 pegs , 1 at the back and 1 each side of the doorway. I have "handballed" gravel out around the pegging points before to about 5 inches deep and used my foot to push the pegs in to below ground level and then back filled and buried them. ( I can usually find 20mins once set up , to do this if needed) I've also added elasticated loops to the pegging rings of my brolly, 5mm bungie cord, gives you a few more inches of ground to play about with in trying to find a spot for the peg to go in..... My little Trakker bivvy already has these and they are brill.

I've had banks like this and I agree , they are a nightmare. I find that pitching near a decent sized tree (obviously not in high winds) is best.... Years of leaf litter mulching down will usually mean there's a layer of earth, you can angle your pegs into........... Mallets mate, you just shouldn't really use them on the bank imo, the guy a couple of swims down who's been patiently waiting with his traps nicely set would be pulling his hair out, he might only get 1 sesh a month to fish...

Batten... Batton...... Potatoe, potartoe....... I've got an off cut off 2x1 roofing batton, I push down on that and onto the peg, works for me... There's usually only 1 or 2 pegs that need it

Yeah, I've seen them up for £25.... I'll read absolutely anything about carp fishing, there's always something that you pick up on.... Whether it reinforces what you already know, or if it's something different to your own way of thinking, it's a win win situation imo..

Cheers mate I'll have a look in future... I gave a load of old mags to a youngen last week and he seems quite keen to have any bits I've no use for, just gotta clear it with his parents first. It will be painful parting with some of it, but someone else might as well put it to good use.... Downside is, I can't put off sorting the shed out for much longer.....

I was taught a long time ago to look for pegs where the metal work goes all the way through, that way you are pushing down onto metal and not plastic, which will eventually crack.... A 4" piece of batten in your peg bag is a decent enough "palm saver", so no mallet needed equals longer life span of pegs....

Life times worth there.

I've never bought new pegs........ I've lost the occasional peg on the bank and borrowed one from another bivvy set if I think it will be needed...... Damaged pegs are usually the result of a mallet being used, something I don't do... Besides, most of the time you only need 3 or 4 pegs.... I think there is an age group/mentality group that these sort of products are aimed at, and it's got nothing to do with fishing.... I've been trying to offload some used gear, free of charge to any youngsters that are without certain bits..... Bed chair, bags, Rod holdall...... First thing they ask is "what make is it".... There is a serious fashion thing going on with the youngsters today on the bank........ Designer fishing gear, pointless imo.

£5.70 delivered Ebay.... From reading this thread, sounds like there would be some useful info/reminders ..... Easy to get tunnel vision in your own fishing sometimes....