Neal

Cheers matey, will have a look!

X line every time, expensive but well worth it mate

Depends on where you fish, most lakes and fisheries do not have a closed season now.

Hi elton, long time no type, glad to see that The Gaffer is still here

Hi all, long time since I have been on this site Anyone doing the Wintons Charity fish in this weekend? Is Gaffer still about.

I want to make up a loads of sticks for my next trip to France. Anyone know how long they will last in a sealed bag?

It all depends on what the bottom is like. If it is flat then using backleads will pin the line to the bottom, also, when using three or more rods a captured angry carp will not knit one, pearl one with your other lines . If the bottom of the lake is all over the place with holes, bumps, bars, ditches etc then using a backlead is pointless as the line will cut through the water from where the back lead is sitting. Make sure that you use a backlead that is heavier than your swinger/hanger, otherwise when setting your bobbin it will just pull the back lead up from the bottom :mad: . I often use them, but do wonder sometimes if they have cost me fish :confused: . About £3.50 for three they are expensive, especially if you are like me and think you have attached it to the line only to find it falling to the bottom of the lake with no line through it :mad: . I use the Korda intelligent ones, havent had one lost yet . Have a good lead around of the lake you are fishing, then decide if you need to backlead. Hope this helps.

I agree with Chesh, Dreamlakes is a very well run venue, full English Breakfast and a good stoggy evening meal. Lake 1 and 2 are the 'flagship' lakes, I fished lake 5 in may and had one fish!!! Another package holiday is Les Quis www.lesquis.com, again food included. Have a good look around, but, dont get your hopes up, fish will not crawl up the line, it is not as easy as most people think, but the challenge is there to get a right old lump!!!

Comfortable and not too heavy, I always get a good ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ on mine!

Ta Chesh, hope to get there myself !

Is there a fish in at Yateley this year?

I think this has been discussed on here already but what the hell. So, who is in favour and who is not? Watching a guy on Yately South Lake use one to fish the margins about 30 yards away. There was no way you could have got a rig there without the boat, so was very handy. On the other hand does it take away the skill of acurate casting and baiting up? Some people are totally adverse to using them, others swear by them. Whats the overall view?

Chesh, yes I did Four mirrors matey. 17, 181/2, 21 and a 25. Lost four though (bad angling on two of them ). Awesome rods, well happy.

Got them, tried them out at Yately South Lake on a 3 day session. Brill rods, casting is a breeze and lots of feedback when playing a fish. Well chuffed.

Randal welcome to carp fishing! £2000 grand should be plenty mate, but you always end up spending more in the long run, I mean years down the line. Rods, £300-400 for three. Reels, bout the same, alarms vary from £20 to £600 for three. Luggage £200 - £300, bivvy £150 -£200, bedchair £60 - £150. Sleeping bag £40 - £80. Then pods, landing nets, and all the other gear. If you were a tackle tart like Gaffer then £2000 would be no where near enough But that sort of money should get you a very decent set up to start. As it happens I have three Fox Warrior rods 12ft 3LB test curve and three fox Ultrons X3 for sale Also a rod bag that takes three made up rods plus two unmade and an unhooking mat! What you need is an unbias view from a carp tackle dealer. Good luck mate