B.C.

The Emperor's new bivvy pegs..

My mate sold his 50" original last year and I jumped on it after quite a search for a lightweight brolly, after hearing good comments about the originals, on here... Glad to hear that people still rate them. Much lighter than any brolly I've had before. Tiny foot print on the 50" means you can tuck yourself away. Only downside I can see is that it's a bit of a squeeze into the original bag supplied, so I don't bother with the bag, which speeds things up a bit when setting up/packing down.

Judging by your comments, A size up should do me. Cheers bud......... Van goes in tomorrow for a service, depending on what they find, will determine whether or not the pocket money will stretch as far as getting a pair, but they are definitely on the radar.

I've never owned a pair of the original lace up field boots, but I know some lads that swear by them.. It's the laces that put me off. They don't look as if you could get them on in a hurry if you were jumping out of the sleeping bag.... In fact, I've tried as many different types of winter boots as I can over the years, lace up, zip up, Velcro straps and I have yet to find the perfect boot in terms of grip, warmth, waterproof and ease of getting on and off and all with a removable lining... Lots of products that promise a lot, but don't quite cut it..... Incidentally SPR, with those Skeetex Ultralites , would you recommend getting a size bigger, or are they a decent enough fit already. I'm thinking thicker pair of socks and ease of removal....?

That is a big plus mate, and I think they sell replacement liners too. I also read that the tiny bubbles in the material they are moulded from, not only make them lightweight, but add extra insulation. Glad Crusian asked you about these, as I was going to, lol..... Almost bought a pair, then the sun came out.. but looking at next weeks weather they may well be on my shopping list soon, even for just walking the dogs atm.... I had some fur lined wellies once, non removable inners... Ok for a few trips, but soon wore out and didn't smell too good either . And I found that once your feet sweated up in them it was impossible to get them warm again.. Those Skeetex or similar look just the job.

After a quick browse........ The only difference between the two DXR and RX Digital,........ The DXR has an extra adjustment dial on the face of the alarm. So there are 2 dials that have an "S" on them (The bottom two).. These are both for sensitivity control... The first of these, 3rd one down, is for adjusting the sensitivity of the roller wheel and is governed by how much line you want to pass over the wheel before an indication is registered........ The second "S" dial, bottom one, is said to adjust vibration, ...... A micro adjustment, if you will. The RX alarm has one single sensitivity adjustment dial. When you turn this dial all the way round to it's most sensitive, there is a "V" symbol on the dial reading, which stands for "vibration", in other words , it's mega sensitive..... IMO though Dan, I doubt you'd ever use an alarm set at its most sensitive as the slightest breeze or ripple even, will give you a lot of false bites. Basically, the single sensitivity dial on the RX, does both jobs, that the two dials on the DXR do.. Side note... Those dinky little dials on the older alarms can be fiddly to adjust, especially if a little stiff. I use forceps, gently , if I need to adjust mine,. which isn't often.

I've not owned DXR, but I would assume that the "D" in their title would stand for Digital...... Some of the differences on these alarms could be something like, tone control or sensitivity control... I know the RX have Volume,tone and sensitivity controls,...... Let me have a browse and I'll see if I can pick up on any real differences between the two...... Don't worry, you are not chewing my ear

Think "digital" just means wireless..... Older models would have wires running from the alarm heads to a sounder box, meaning a few metres of mud caked wire to trip on and for the rats to chew on. Gardner do a wireless "dongle" set up that can convert some older set ups to a wireless/digital one. might be other brands out there too.....

A deep and emotive subject imo........ I wouldn't say that I'm a complete anti-capitalist , after all, what's the alternative? But I do think it's taken a wrong turn along the line in general. Pollution and debt are what it thrives on. Lots of heads in the sand... With the environment taking the biggest hit world wide.......

They are decent beds mate, mine was recommended on here Yonny and Greeksi gave me a nod on it. I was prepared to compromise on comfort for weight, but no need to, slept fine on mine. I think once you pick one up you'll be sold bud......... Anyone looking for "hotel" comfort, shouldn't be out on the bank in the first place imo.. Enjoy your 40 winks mate

I use the smaller version, it's my best purchase of the year, very light... You sound like a big fella.... I'm 14st and the smallest one takes my weight no prob. The way they are put together means there is little if no sagging. A fairly stiff bed , which I prefer. A 1inch memory foam mattress topper (when it's colder weather) for around £15 of the Bay and you've got the equivalent of some very overpriced beds.

They are exactly the same, if it's the cammo one, prob from same factory.

I was chatting on the bank the other day, a fella was telling me that one year he thought he'd had all his koi stolen, double figure fish, in a large pond. He spotted a tiny fleck of colour in one corner on the bottom. There they were, all huddled together under the silt with just the tip of the odd tail poking through the silt. I've seen smaller goldfish hide beneath leaf litter in ponds when temps bottom out.... I forgot to ask him the depth of his pond. I can imagine quite a few fish behaving like this.

It's quite expensive getting set up , even with budget gear so it's difficult to get quality bits all in one hit. I'll have a look at most things out of curiosity. But if I'm actually upgrading, then it's a "buy once" mentality. Get some info off here, or even better from someone using certain kit on the bank, sometimes pay a bit extra, then that's one box ticked off. If it's looked after, then will last a lifetime....... Good idea to look after any budget gear too, you can always get a couple of quid back for it when you are looking to upgrade.

Depends how much you want to spend buddy. And what sort of fishing you are doing. As Smufter says, they all do pretty much the same. You might want to consider something with an "arm" option, which helps to stop false bleeps in the wind, or something with a clip that actually grips the line and doesn't just hang on it, if bites are finicky..... If it's an actuall "upgrade" and not just a change. Then , personally I'd push the boat out and spend a bit on something that will never need to be upgraded again. If I were to upgrade and was looking for something to cover all situations, then the Solar Titanium would be my choice. Not the cheapest, but shouldn't need replacing, ever...... These are on my hit list for later in the year. https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/solar-indicators/15027-solar-tackle-titanium-indicator-arm.html#/choose-short Been using Matrix Dinky Hot Heads forever, but they don't sit still in high winds, hence me looking for something like the above..... Nick uses them and rates them highly, which is good enough for me as a recommendation.

No worries Chill, I was in rant mode earlier.... Had a chilled out walk round a lake to clear my head.... All good.

Basing it on a few waters that I know of that haven't been completely wiped out, still unfenced, otters moved on. There's loads of cases like this. BTW, I wasn't arguing, just airing my views........ Been on club lakes for a while and seen what some of them are doing to their lakes, turning them into the equivelant of carp only lakes, making a mockery of carp angling, big head of carp and no so called nuisance fish. Catching, not fishing....... That's a shame, it no doubt fed on other fish 20lb bream for instance and wasn't soley their for the carp but finally got them. Maybe if their was a hundred carp to begin with there would be a few left. Just wondering how you know there were exactly 7 carp in a water that size, perhaps 7 "known" carp. My question is, why base a livelihood around something you can't control? Natural variables compared to man made variables, there's your difference in era's I'm not claiming to be an expert on otters, and with the exception of Frank, I haven't come across anyone on this forum that knows a great deal, in depth, on the subject. All our views are based on our own experiences or whatever strikes a chord from what other's say, an opinion is an opinion at the end of the day. There are always exceptional examples, such as the lake you mentioned above. There are a lot of lakes in my area, perhaps why they move on before killing everything, but their presence is clear....... There's no need to have a pop at anyone at all, on any subject on this forum. The distance fishing comment, no need for it, people were trying to help. We are not all experts at everything, My thoughts are never set in stone, free thinker, open to new ideas and opinions. My OP, well, that's just the way I feel about it all atm.

There are more carp in our lakes and waterways than ever before. Lakes that were once mixed fisheries are being netted for Tench,Bream silvers, to create "Carp" waters, all in the name of business.... If, as a businessman, you wish to cross swords with nature itself, then expect the unexpected. The rules of business mean nothing to Mother nature. Don't cry if your business gets flooded out, hit by a hurricane or decimated by a wild animal, it happens..... You've picked a fight with a giant that you can never control...... So take it on the chin or move on. The more I think about it, (and I have done lately due to various threads), the more I believe that otters could well be the saviour that true carp fishing needs. IMO, the industry has created a monster, too many anglers fishing for too many fish, 30lbers ten a penny, lakes with nothing under 20lb. An industry that feeds more Asians than Brits. The true ethos of angling, be that hunting or trapping, and the skills that come with it, being lost to people shooting fish in a barrel. The odd runs water, fine for youngsters to learn how to handle double figure fish..... Lakes with 80 plus carp per acre, no thanks. Nature would have nothing to do with that and reminds us every now and then by natural culling, via disease or predation, low oxygen etc.... Yes, otters were reintroduced, but not all of them. They've bred successfully and spread around the country because of the rich pickings that the businessman has put on a plate for them. Ask these questions, Do otters damage businesses?............... Can do. Does otter predation damage angling?...........Nope, not in my opinion. Not for the sort of angling I enjoy. There are still fish to be caught and in more natural numbers. If fewer fish leads to a decline in anglers on the bank then bring it on. It will be an acid test to see what people are really in it for.... The pleasure or the man made glory. I'd wager, that when the balance is achieved, with healthy numbers of otters and fish side by side, that there will still be 100 times more carp than there used to be. But whilst we are still stuffing more fish into our lakes,(again, all in the name of business) that balance will be hard to achieve. They say "Don't mix business with pleasure", I'd go further to say "Don't mix business with nature"

I think it depends what you want out of your fishing and how much the ticket costs..... If they are getting caught, then why not have a go for them. If it's one particular fish you are targeting and you are not sure if it is still in there, that could mess with your head. If you are looking for a bite a chuck, probably not the best place to fish either..(but who want's that anyway?) Here's the thing, a place gets a reputation for being ottered, loads of anglers drop off, more bank space, still enough fish to go at. It's not all bad.... You'll get a better idea of what's left when they group up to spawn. If it's a big enough water, the otter may have found easier pickings elsewhere having thinned the numbers out on your lake. And just like the otter, the glory hunters will look for easier pickings too, imo, making the few anglers that fish it, easy to be around. A real buzz catching one too, as you don't know what's left. In some ways like fishing for the unknown... So, "yes" to your question. As long as price and expectations are set accordingly imo.

I find that if the stripped off bit is too long once the rig is tied, just push it back through the eye and give it a couple more wraps round the shank and then pull back through the eye again. If the stripped section is too short when the rig is tied, just push the coating up a bit with finger nails. You will soon get it spot on.

A few things come into play imo. how big a loop you want on the hair, how many times you want to wrap around the shank, how much stripped braid you want leaving the eye of the hook, what size bait/hair length. Trial and error really, but once you are settled on a favourite rig/presentation and tried tying a few, you'll soon get a feel for how much to strip off.

I put a couple of spares in each rod bag. I recently decided to stick to one shape as much as I can, "square pears" in 2.5/3 oz, covers 99% of my fishing..... Like you Bluelabel, I used to carry loads, 20 plus and all shapes, sizes and coatings... Some tiny 1/2 oz inlines, that I forgot I had... Once you get to that stage, you may as well give them away, which is exactly what I did.

There was a similar hook out years back, pre knotless knot. Not sure who made it, but it was called a hair rig hook and there was more like a small ring soldered onto the shank. It may well have been Mustard who made it. But the knotless knot made the hook redundant....... Those pictured will be useful for anyone who can't tie a "D" rig. Wouldn't mind seeing the metal work starting further away from the eye, the extra weight at the business end might help the hook point drop into place more effectively imo....... Someone will find these useful, but hooks are rarely used multiple times, so, for me, they are a bit pricey.

That's pretty mad.. Never took the time to test it before. I should think that , as mentioned, whatever the loop is attached to ,will pull it down......... I sometimes will put a small section of thin gauge heat shrink tubing half way along the hook link. Mainly to help with tangles on the cast if I'm using a longer hook link. But also to help straighten the rig out on the deck, as long as i'm using a slow sinking bait or pop up.. Heavy bottom baits will sink quickly and potentially loop things up a bit. Anti tangle sleeves also help the rig straighten out imo, again, with a slow sinking bait. One thing I haven't used yet for a boom section, and I keep meaning to, is the lead free leader materials.(Nash, cling on, for instance) I'd class a small section of that as semi stiff, and it will hug the bottom.

I don't really cast more than 80yds for most of my fishing, so as long as I've got 200/250 yrds of line on the spool, and it's loaded to the lip of the spool, I'm happy.... Some people pack the spool out first with some old line or string or wool I've even used electricians tape to do this, if you have deep spools...