Neal

Cheers lads, space is the most important thing so I will need it to collapse as I only have a Clio

I am soooooo glad that Mrs Neal never reads my credit card statement . After taking up carp fishing again I am slowly but surely acquiring all the little and big neccesstities. Bivvie, bed chair, sleeping bag etc etc. Now the problem is I have all this gear and need to get it from my car to the swim :mad: . My garage now has a huge pile of gear and looking at it, it's quite formidable. I was going to invest in a North African camel to do the job but the smell and the fact that it would not fit in my car put me off. Apart from making about 5 trips <OK so I am exagerating> the best next option is to get a collapsable carp porter. I have just visited some web sites and they cost a bloddy rake of dosh :mad: I was thinking of making my own with some old metal coat hangers but really do see the need for one of these contraptions. So, whats the best deal about then eh? This may leave me some money to buy some non important items such as bait etc [ 24. February 2003, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: Neal ]

I followed the link of Gaffers <silly not to really> and I remembered reading about this bait before. Now as I am very thorough I scoured the net and read every review on it I could find . The bait is very well documented and has some rave reviews, one article I read one bloke kept the same hook bait on for about 12 hours and had three fish on it . Now two intersting questions for you lot. 1) Is the Berkley power bait considered a boile and be allowed to be fished on a NO BOILIE allowed lake? 2) Whats the view on the artificile boilies now rearing their head? The artificle sweetcorn has had some results. Food for thought <pardon the pun> Reading the reviews I may take a few tubs of the Berkley bait over to France as I cannot see myself tying hairnets around little 20 - 25 mm bitsof bait!!! :mad: [ 24. February 2003, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: Neal ]

What are the theories and practalities of meshing your hook bait? Another list in endless questions, I am always learning though :confused:

Gaffers link was good £9 for 100 meters!!!!! That will do me for my marker rod, cheers Gaffer. I am going to get fed up of saying cheers Gaffer soon

I do appreciate everyones views, as it is my first trip I do want it to be a good one. All I can say is I have heard good and bad things about all the venues I looked at, I have to take the plunge otherwise I would end up not going! Thanx again for all of your help. Neal

There is an article on canal fishing for carp in this weeks edition of the angling times. It is for winter but may give some pointers. Hope this helps.

Point taken Ron, I actually thought about this point, but the lake that appears very over stocked is the Bay Lake where a ridiculous amount of fish get caught. On reading reports on the other three lakes it seems that the fishing can be hard and there are even some blanks.

Thought about using tiger nuts???? Only carp like them and they are a very good bait. Buy them uncooked, soak for 24 hours witha sweetener even add sugar, boil and simmer, let them cool in the slime, perferct!!!!!! Use with a PVA bag of chopped tigers, the bream wont bother you but the carp might

I have now found another venue arghhhhhhh Les Quis. A bit more expensive but a chat with the owner put my mind at rest. Anyone fished this one I ask???? It can be found here ----> web page This actually is the one I am going for it looks pukka [ 20. February 2003, 06:49 PM: Message edited by: Neal ]

Last weeks copy of the Angling Mail (the magazine not the paper) had a two page spread about winter carp fishing on canals. See if your newsagent has a copy One thing that was mentioned was that carp may be hold up near to barges that are occupied, making use of the heat from the barge, which is a good point. Features on the canal included overhanging trees and bushes and fishing the deepest part (the middle) where the water may be a little warmer. Hope this helps anyway. Good luck! [ 20. February 2003, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: Neal ]

I have narrowed my summer French trip down to two venues. The reason I have chosen these two is because they offer an all inclusive package and there is not the hassle of driving. The first is Croix Blanche, which Singy recommended the next is a place called Maleon. Both offer a good 7 day package. Has any one fished Maleon or knows of it? Would like some background info on facilities <coz I am a wuss> etc. Thanks in advance. Who needs carp mags when you have this forum?

Cheers Jon, I really didnt think about the diameter :mad: What breaking strain is advisable for this kind of work?

Right here we go, I cannot justify (especially to Mrs Neal) the purchase of yet another reel so I can load it up with braid to use as a marker/feature finder :mad: I have a spare rod that is suitable and the only other reel I have will not take yards and yards of braid. Therefore I am planning on using mono for the job. Reading different articles I have found that mono can be used but obviously is not as sensitive as braid because of the stretch factor. I am sure that mono will give similar indications of the lake bed? :confused: :confused: I have not used a marker float before but as I am 'getting'into this carp fishing lark as seriously as Mrs Neal will let me I though I would do it right. Any views?

Elton I appreciate the link but when it comes to £4 0r £5 difference on each item beggers cannot be choosers I did have a look anyway, if you were wondering.

Cheers Chris a very good site with loads to choose from at reasonable prices :-)

Singy, I have opted for your suggestion, after hours on the net and numerous phone calls for the price it is quite good. Thanx matey.

Cheers Gaffer, Percy Chapman is about £5 cheaper than what I have been looking at! :mad:

Cheers Singy I will certainly have a look. Hope everything goes well with the baby I really need a good fishing trip even if it is with a bunch of strangers, could be the fishing trip of a lifetime!! Ta mate.

Nathan I agree with Peter, take a few hours to get to know the lake. Visit it as much as you can at different times of the day and see if you can spot any movement from fish. This may help you in finding out where they are feeding during this cold spell. Once found introduce small amounts of bait every couple of days. This will get them used to feeding on the bait you wish. As most will say small single hook baits are the trick in winter, try tiger nuts!!! Good luck, learn your water craft rather than just turning up and throwing the rods out, sound advice I think!

I did post here an idea for a French fishing trip for about 6 in the summer. I have just realised and been advised that this could be a nightmare so I have withdrawn it :-( sorry. I have personally booked a week at Etang De La Croix Blanche in mid july. Anyone fished there before. Its an all inclusive where you are picked up from Folkstone and thats it till you get back [ 19. February 2003, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: Neal ]

No website I have searched the mag but it only gives an email address, which is to do with the publishers. Sorry. Good mag though!!!

Can anyone recommend a good online company that supplies cheap or reasonable particles, IE maze, also I want some uncooked tiger nuts. Many thanx

I might add that the confusion extends in all the articles you read, what rig to use, hook lengths, hooks, length of hairs, weather, etc etc to infinity. It does give you a very broad outlook though and I for one am going to try one or two suggestions from the above mentioned mags. Try and try till you find something that 1) suits the venue u r fishing and 2) Works! Happy reading.

Cheers Gaffer, you always come up trumps!