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

Time to upgrade rods, I was looking at the Shimano Tribal range of rods. They also have a new model for 2004 the Technium Speciam, which looks very sexy At around £120 each (online prices) they are very appealing. Any views or reviews before I part with my hard earnt cash?? Ta.

Def not going for catfish!!!! Hopefully a big lump though :-)

I have a nice dinghy in the garage mate :-)

Can someone please tell me the attraction in catching catfish? I have never caught one (have a huge chance next week though ). To me they are long and very ugly and appear very violent looking . I have heard that that fight well, can swim backwards etc, are they well behaved on the unhooking mat? They have teeth as well . oooor orrible things, sorry to you cat fans out there, but if I hook one next week do I cut the line or go for it?

Well done!!! May you go on to catch many carp including some lumps Handling carp is always important, they will play up just when the shutter clicks on the camera! Stick to the advice you have been given and read on the web site and you wont go far wrong.

Still got mine, pain to set up though but always found it stable. Banksticks are the other option, then your rod tip is always pointing towards your rig

Used the Withy Pool rig on Yately South Lake last week, had two fantastic looking high doubles. Was using the rig with bottom baits Any thought on using a hair with this rig and how the hook will react when the bait is taken??? Off to Dreamlakes tomorrow Forcast is great weather for fishing but alas not for sunbathing :mad: :mad:

I had two fish, a lovely coloured common at 18 and a mirror at 17, fantastic condition both of them. Both caught on Squirrel boillies during a day session. Swim 6 tight against the island.

Fished Yately South Lake yesterday, have not fished it in a year. My rigs consisted of barbless hooks as that was the rule last time I fished there. Baliff came around and told me to change to barbed hooks Apparently RMC in conjuction with a university have decided that barbed hooks cause less damage to the fishes mouth than barbless. All big angling venues are supposed to be following suite. Any thoughts?

yep, found a pair in the hardwood pattern on a site, just waiting for delivery.