garyb72

I did a bit of fishing as a kid and got back into it last year. Started float fishing for silvers again and then quickly fell into the carp scene and haven't looked back (I got bored of catching small fish but each to their own). I guess initially perhaps you should get yourself one of the many coarse fishing magazines and you will soon start to learn about everything. Try and get a mate involved as it is much more fun that way and you can both learn together. Maybe join a local Angling club, that's what I did and the help from everyone was tremendous. Infact most Anglers are pretty helpful and will point you in the right direction. Obviously the internet has lots of useful info but nothing beats getting the info first hand on the bank. Anyway a few tips there to help you. Gary

2lb 8oz

I'm on the lookout for my first bedchair as I am going to start doing the odd overnighter. I have a budget of £100. Two on my shortlist are the Daiwa Infinity bedchair and the Trakker Aluminium Bedchair. Both of these have 6 legs and they weigh 8.1kg and 7kg respectively. I can get the Daiwa for £90 and the Trakker for £100 incl postage. Anyone have one of these two and if so would you recommend? Also, if you think I should have other bedchairs on my shortlist please let me know...... Thanks, Gary.

I'd be interested in the 6ft pole with 3ft extension. Would be nice to get some feedback from someone who already has one. Gary.

I fished extensively in my teens and then kind of fell out of it when I started working, etc. Almost 20 years later (drink/marriage/career/children) and I'm back, an obsessed carper chasing a 20lber! Wish I had not left it so long! Gary.

Cheers guys. In response to the above, yes the hooks have to be micro-barbed as opposed to barbed or barbless. I will get a packet of the Gardner barbed hooks if the barb on these is more like a micro barb anyway. I wonder how the bailiff will be able to tell? After doing some searches I spotted the Nash micro barbed hooks and like the look of the Nash Fang Uni. Anyone got any experience of using these? Cheers, Gary.

I currently use and swear by the Gardner Wide Gap Covert Talon Tip hooks (barbless) for my carp fishing. Problem is I may be fishing a new lake soon that only allows micro barbed hooks. It looks like Gardner only do these hooks in barbed and barbless so I need an alternative. Can anyone recommend/suggest suitable alternatives for me? Thanks Gary.

No it didn't come with a pan/frying pan. That's an extra! I'll progress to that idc.

Tinned hotdogs, the very thought of that makes me feel unwell. I like the soup idea though. So only open the tin when the dent comes out? I can see the whole frickin thing exploding?

Top tips Rudd! Hot Ribena sounds quite nice actually.......

I feel sick.

My other half bought me a Jetboil PCS for my birthday recently. I used it at the weekend for the first time and was very impressed with the very quick boil time (about 2 mins for 500ml) and how well designed it is (all bits and bobs can be stowed away in the cup). I made a few cuppas and had the mandatory beef and tomato Pot Noodle. Definitely a worthy addition to my barrow bag and it will surely come into its own once it starts to get a bit colder. I think I will probably just be using it for boiling water to make tea, etc but does anyone who owns one have any other usage tips or meal ideas? Gary.

What rod / reel did you get out of interest?

I put some pellets (pint) into a bowl and add boiling water to just below the surface of the pellets. I then leave for approx 45mins, add an egg and a little oil (I use hemp oil) and mix together with my hands. A bit messy at first but I can make several tennis ball size balls of paste and usually freeze them until required. Works for me.....

They are getting bigger.... had a 11lb 6oz carp on the method at the weekend! Biggest on the method to date....(for me!).

I had another go with the Method feeder yesterday on a different lake, still quite well stocked. Action was slower than last week (possibly due to the sweltering conditions) but I did manage a nice 9.25 common and a couple of others. I tried using braid hooklink instead of mono as the mono tended to get a bit mis-shapen after a few takes. Unfortunately I found a snag during one retrieve and lost one whole feeder but luckily had a spare with me. One lake near me has a no groundbait rule, does this preclude the use of a method feeder (I tend to use scaled pellets)? As Roland says the method rig is dead simple and offers some variation to just sticking out basic bottom bait rigs for carp. I did a bit of surface fishing yesterday but it was extremely frustrating as the carp polished off all the freebies leaving my bait (mixer) as the last one quite often. I did manage to fool a couple though (or they were just greedy) although the biggest was only about 8lb.

Thanks guys, lots of useful tips there. Will see if I can get a double on it and go from there....

I fished 'The Method' last Sunday (first time used this tactic this year) on a local runs water and it was carnage. Don't think I've had so many runs in a single session but the biggest carp was about 9.5lbs. Is the Method a small carp tactic only really? I understand it came from the Match scene originally...? Any tips to encourage the larger specimens? Should I also try using it down the margins? Any help/advice appreciated..... Gary PS After trying a few method feeders in the past I favour the Guru in-line feeder 28g and that is the one I was using on Sunday with scalded pellets on the feeder and whittled down boilie as the hookbait on 5" 10lb mono hooklink. I used a size 8 Gardner Covert Wide Gape Talon Tip barbless hook.

Well you are meant to fish with the stuff not leave it festering in your garage! ;-) Were they shelf life or fresh boilies you had? I've kept mine (shelf life) for up to 6mths without any problems....

I use their Live System and N-Gage XP shelf life boilies (and associated items) all of which I am very happy with. CC Moore is a quality company with great products and I couldn't recommend them highly enough.

So how effective is using mono with a marker float for feature finding? Everything I've read suggests you should use braid as it transmits more information up the line due to having not stretch. I guess if you don't have braid mono will give a reasonably good picture? Also can I use my regular carp rod (2.75tc) for this or do I need a special marker rod?

I'm so jealous! Now why couldn't that have happened to me?! Well done mate. Did you get a photo? Gary.

Nobody else have this rod?

The water that I fish has got this rule, but what is classed as groundbait? I was wondering if I can still create PVA sticks using stick mix for example? Gary

+1 for rod and reel. pole doesn't appeal to me one bit.