The Squire

This all sounds very familiat particularly the conditions on the lake. Thanks for all the info and the shotting as per the lift method is worth some further consideration. I am fishing at more or less dead depth so will try laying on a foot or so. Regards, Dave.

Gents, thanks for the kind comments I will have to keep it up now. Interesting comment about my (or rather my Dads) centrepin, I though it was a Mordex. Regards, Dave.

Thanks for the advice Gents, I tend to rest the hook point on one of the sides of the meat once I have pulled it through the meat with the baiting needle so the point is exposed, perhaps I'm not exposing it enough. Interesting to hear of similar problems with a hair rig which was my plan A to overcome. Certainly some food for thought though. Best regards, Dave.

Hello All, could do with some advice on getting more connections when fishing Spam as hookbait. In a small lake with a good head of carp I am only hooking up with about 1 in 4 'bites' whilst floatfishing. Using about 10mm cubes on a size 8 barbless hook, depth about 3'6", 2AAA waggler all shot locking float. The fish are in the 2lb to 6lb range and the bites are clear sail aways of the float. Do I need to go smaller on the hookbait? Am I getting line bites? Should I try a hair rig? Any advice gratefully received. Thanks, Dave.

There are still plenty of the older ABU500 series available secondhand on auction sites and these IMHO take some beating for quality.

A wet and windy morning on a Derbyshire brook was made almost bearable by this angry chap. Not the biggest of perch but it made my morning nevertheless.

I would tend to agree and would not set out with the intention of Tench much past early September. But that's just me and would be interested in others experience. Regards, Dave.

It was indeed in Improve your Coarse Fishing Jul/Aug 2009 edition number 222. Hope that helps, regards. Dave.

That is one hell of a first barbel, well done.

I'd agree with giving your old tackle a go, it's probably at least up to the job that modern gear is. I'm still using Mitchell/ABU reels, fibreglass rods (an old Shakey Alpha match is my current go to rod) and an old wicker basket. PS Hello all, first post for me on this forum. Best regards, Dave.