Phone

All, Even over here you need two documents. One from the "lake pond boss" (if they charge a fee to fish) and a State Fishing License. We have no Federal licenses for pleasure fishing. The pond boss in NOT obligated to see to it you meet "state requirements", he just collects his money. We have VERY few lakes where you pay to fish and - surprise - surprise - - - they are called paylakes. The guy may have "learned" something about getting caught - but I doubt his story about "not knowing". Phone

Norfolk, I confess, lately it's been my rods and reels that could be left at home. It's been over 100 degrees F. running on a month now and the fish have wisely layed down. In truth, we carp fish 2 - 3 hour sessions over here and I can proudly say I carry EVERYTHING in for a 3 rod setup in one hand. Rods under arm and all my kit and bait tucked neatly in the fold of my chair. Weight - 7 lbs. Phone

Rockling, I've been both a fisherman and an angler all my life. I have no idea what a snood is whilst fishing. Phone

All, OK, I too give up. I agree with Newt about ayjay's post. Further just take a look at the Mustad catalogue. They have about 800 hooks available commercially with some curvature in the spine not including the bend at the eye and the various styles of "j" or hookpoint (i.e. kahle point). (I looked only at wire hooks and I admit, some are sea hooks). Now just imagine how many forged (carp) hooks are offset in the "j"! (Better yet, I didn't but I bet that there are those who know how search "type of fish hook" or "style of fish hook". No doubt there will be at least a zillion. I guess I too am looking for the same answer as was ask in post #1. Is any hook without a point in line with the spine a bent hook regardless of how it got there? Is it a "judgement" call? Does the angler need to get his hooks "approved" prior to going to his peg? I know what you are talking about with a long shank fly hook - but really, those are "homemade" bent hooks. Is the venacular of a "bent hook" homemade - always? I have to tell you, you guys are NOT making any sense!! That is - in terms of a definition of a "bent hook" for my glossary of British carp fishing terms. Maybe the definition is not know? That too would make sense in British carping. Poldark (or anyone if you know), I won't post it a third time. Exactly what is the device shown in the site I referrenced? ("bent hook rig") Do you suppose the rubber band is supposed to "bend" the light fly wire hook in the fashion you describe? Phone

Worms, No question, I can see your point - - - and we are indeed getting closer together. I see you are now using "non-native" instead of invasive. Good for you. The proper word is "naturalized". If my memory serves me about the limnology in the British Isles you have FEW native fish. No trout as I remember. How about trout? I guess we just disagree on the plight of buisness. Maybe the carp politics does have the upper hand. I'm over here so I obviously can't address the issue "from within" like you. Still, I can't see winding someone up by saying your happy a creature that, for whatever reason, gained a great deal of respect and admiration is dead? Phone

Dales, I can't say with any certainty I am right either. It is impossible to do more than speculate since carp are such unpredictable creatures. Over here, paste is used probably 25:1 over boilies. A few Ex-pats, Europeans and some American converts, use "Euro" methods and they probably only number in the hundreds. For bait making I'm afraid the "average anger" uses the "if a little does a little good - a lot will do a lot of good" approach. Know what I mean? Actually, the "catch anything" weekend anglers use mostly sweetcorn or softened field corn (maize). Some flavored - some not. Among genuine carp anglers our problem is finding specimen fish in catchable concentrations. For every specimen there are literally 100,000's of tiddlers. The tiddlers are a real problem in many places since only a few, very few anglers practice catch and keep for the pot anymore. With our limited numbers of specimen fish - disrespectful destruction is a real problem. Phone FYI - Just Phone - a specimen in NA is 30 lbs. Edit" Ha ha! Ohh yeah, over here, execpt those with Euro carp gear, a "long cast" is 25 yards.

Worms, No no mate! I from the school that they are all "just fish". Can't see how it hurts if a guy (or industry) makes a "shilling" on my passions - that all. Since carp are documented in your neck of the woods since before heck was a pup I can't see how you call them "invasive"? The would indeed prosper as naturalized if we carp anglers would leave them alone. Your signature is why I ask. I don't mind "harvesting" a controlled number of natives or naturalized creatures. Think of myself as pretty close to the top of the food chain. Still - - I guess you could call me a "tree hugger" in as much as I believe in common sense. Why would you be "happy" the finest specimen in the UK of anything died - - - even if it was in a zoo that charged a fee? Just didn't make sense unless you were trying to wind up those of us who carp fish. I'd of paid to stick her with a hook (for the 201st time) - that's free enterprise. Phone

Jeff, FWIW, I agree with Peter. In your situation, if I have it visualized correctly, just use a "L O N G" paternoster that will drift tight under the bank. It has to be in the current or it wouldn't be undercut. And, live or dead, I seem to have better luck hooking between the eyes. In one socket out the other. disclaimer, haven't pike fished in years. Phone

All, It hurts my heart when you guys loose a medallion to UK carp fishing. No finer pleasure than sport fishing. And, I like carp fishing. Worms, What exactly is the flame under your arce that lights your post. You still drunk over no more foxhunting? Just curious, when does a species become "naturalized" instead of an "invasive alien"? It's been a while since I've been on AN. I forget, are you a tree hugger? Phone

barry L, I casually read Leon's post. Really, not much of a read for me since I am on the other side of the pond and about 1000 miles from the nearest saltwater. Still, I care - overall. Then I read your post Are you a bureaucrat or perhaps just kinfolk to Phone? I can write like that. I re-read your post 5 times. Did you say something that I missed? "Scientists claim that reserves benefit fisheries and fishes". Really? Phone

emaze, Nice read. We can't even spell barble on this side of the pond. Have no idea what you are talking about. However, I am always supportive of anglers who will share their methods and techniques with others knowing they are subject to critical review. Well written, Phone

Elton, Old joke from the early computer years. Computer guy was drafted into military service. Not being much of a sportsman he couldn't even hit his marksman target. He put his finger over the end of the gun barrel and pulled the trigger - bam, no fingertip. His comment to the fellow down range, "must be on your end, everthing is leaving here OK". Phone Ohh, you were down in American also - just in case you thought it was a British thing.

poledark What's this? http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8656406_create-bent-hook-rig.html Phone Edit: should have given this citation from my glossery in the first place - sorry)

Barry C, Well, I still bet they mean a "bent hook RIG". Every wire hook is "bent" (execpt some smolt hooks I've seen). There are probably a thousand configurations of "bent" (not including the hook eye). OTOH a forged hook is NOT bent in the strictist sense of the word. Do you suppose they mean no wire hooks? Most "modern" carp hooks are indeed forged. Phone

Renrag, The "purpose" of what? The one ayjay posted? Phone

Newt, Ha ha, here we are talking about carp hooks in the UK. What would you consider a Carolina rig hook. You know long shanked and straight where the worm is attached then bent twice so the hook is more exposed? ayjay, Why would those hooks be banned? I admit, probably not a very good carp hook but why might they be banned? Fish safety - can't see how? You would look "goofy" using one. Maybe they are trying to clean up the image around the lake so it at least looks like everyone knows what they are doing. Phone

gozzer, I don't even want to go there. We are so disrespectful of our natural bounty in NA it would hurt your heart to see some of it. Phone

Pike, Be first (or one of the first). The new St.Croix carp rods are the rage over here (US). First over the top quality carp rod product from the US - maybe ever. Designed, tested and made in Wisconsin US by St.Croix for a respected carper. Phone (No, I haven't held one yet.)

Barry C, We use a lot of "bent hooks" in the US. If they (your venue) don't mean a "bent hook RIG" then ask again. Maybe hooks where the point is offset from spine? I'll not speculate as there are just a lot of possibilities. Phone

Barry C, In my "UK glossary" here is a "bent hook rig": Attach 1 inch rubber band to the shank of a size 16 carp hook. Fold equal sides of the rubber band around the hook shank to form a loop on either side. Insert one loop through the other loop. Continue pulling to tighten the rubber band against the hook to form a rubber loop to hold carp bait suspended from the hook. Phone We do not use the term in the US.

Dales, BTW thousands upon thousands of similar "texture" tests were done to determine the "negative effect" for the presents of a "hook point". Those results were equally random to those for texture. Fortunately for us, at least IMO, --carp don't care. Some years ago an AN angler disputed this claim. His "test" was popup boilies. One single boilie was freelined. He claimed it was, without exception, the last one taken - always. Soon thereafter I stopped coning to AN with any frequency. Anyone ever see such a "test" or such "results"? Phone (probably wrong thread, sorry)

All, If "washing out" means reducing the amount of flavor or attractant additive recognized by the ANGLER then I am in favor of "washing out" baits. Philosophically I really do believe with additives in general I believe "less is best". After all, carp specifically, have a single taste/smell capacity 100's if not 1000's times more sensitive than humans. Dales, It has not been my experience that "texture" plays much of a role (carp). I've only done a few (several hundred) tank tests looking for some sort of definitive results. No statistically significant differences were ever observed. I could be wrong - JMO since it is very limited. Phone

All, It amuses me that an AN anglers age can be determined almost exactly by his opinions in posts he makes to threads like this. I have 5 daughters ranging from age 14 to 54. I am 75. I too try to inculcate and justify the "simple" approach (as BUDGIE puts it). Actually, my 14 year old, by far my most clever child, never learned to write cursive. Isn't required in school any longer as she elected to take keyboarding in the 2nd grade. She can print although IMO quite poorly. She can text and tweet at well over 1000+ characters a minute (85% misspelled - gurrrr). I ask her, just for the heck of it, which do you think is "simpler" a pencil and paper or a keyboard. - I don't have to tell you her answer (to simple) do I? BUDGIE how shall we define simple? If the goal if the angler is to catch fish during limited sessions and the "simplest" way, by the book, is to stop by the "bait shack" (I forget the English term) and buy a bottle of pop; a bag of bait and a couple pre-tied rigs - - - - I get it - - - don't like it, but I get it. Not their fault they haven't had to pay their dues spending hours on the bank blanking. Just offhand I'd say gozzer is as old as I am also. I won't stop bychin' but I get it! Phone Fun thread, everyone should have the catch the first fish of every session by freeline. NO PREBAITING (leave a level playing field) Then you may progress to "simpler" methods. That's what I say.

All, Just from reading this thread times a zillion over the years I bet he has short changed the eggs. To small or not enough. Disclaimer, I don't make boilies. Phone

BTW I'm working very hard on BOILIE (BOILY). You could help if you wish. Phone