WickerDave

Had my first trip out yesterday since posting that I'd try this. It turned out to be a venue best evening session, 7 carp to 11½lb including three doubles. On 1¼lb TC Avon rods using a second hand above the reel did give more control, especially when the fish were close in, and less wrist/arm strain. Obvious, really. I'm just off to buy the pink shirt and handbag now...

Another one, with a bit more information on tactics, baits, etc... http://www.maggotdrowners.com/fishntips.htm

Thanks for the replies/discussion. I'll have to try it, since there seems to be logic behind it. Does this mean that in some fishing situations, e.g. near margin fishing at a commercial water, you'd be better off using a short rod, say 6', rather than a 12' rod?

What is the advantage of playing fish with two hands on the rod, i.e. one holding the handle above the reel and the other a couple of feet above it cradling the rod? I've seen several people do it, it just doesn't look right, but there must be some reason for it. Last time I saw it was by someone playing an 8lb carp on proper carp gear. I guess I should have asked him at the time!

Peter, the bream rigs are two separate single hooks, aren't they, usually with different baits on both hooks? Rob was talking about a single double hook. Did you ever catch two fish at once on two hook rigs? Surely it was Elsie Tanner who was the sex goddess.

Finger/toe nail clippers are the best tool for trimming knots or breaking down end tackle. Easier to use and more compact than scissors, and tougher than teeth.

There was a thread a while back that eventually discussed using treble hooks for carp... http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/cgi-bin/ubb/ul...ic;f=1;t=010943 Although double hooks may not be banned they are definitely a bad idea due to the extra mouth damage they would cause. What would they give you that a bait on a hair rig would not?

Julian, Thanks. Perhaps I'll give it another try one weekday evening this Spring, the tench maximum looks promising. Dave.

It's the Mill on the Soar on the B4114 near Broughton Astley. Unless they have built a new lake in the last two years, there is only one modest lake with a large central island. It is a day ticket mixed fishery with some decent carp in it. www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?clie...8&multimap.y=62 I haven't fished it for 5+ years and it changed hands and has been restocked since then, so I'd also be interested to know how it fishes these days.

See http://www.premierbaits.net/

I finally retired my 30 year old 300 (with 15+ years of non-use in the middle) about a year ago, as the reel seat was too big for my new JW Avon Quiver. It was replaced with an Okuma Epix Baitfeeder, a reel with a front drag that works properly . However, the Okuma already looks a bit tatty, the gold paint chips off the body quite easily - presumably this is something they have improved with the new Epix Pro range, which are now proper reel colours. I have inherited a near mint boxed right hand wind 410, which is of no use to me due to the right hand wind (plus the reel seat being too big). Any idea of the value of this?

Plenty of good advice so far. I find tying very short lengths of line between hook and swivel difficult (it may depend on your favourite knot, and age , how easy this is to do), so I use an inline feeder with the hook tied directly to the main line, and tie a simple through the loop knot two or three inches above the hook and then pinch a shot loosely above the knot. The knot stops you having to pinch the shot really hard onto the line (and damaging it) to stop the heavy feeder from slipping down when casting. If you want to change to a longer hook length just tie another knot and move the shot. Because the takes are usually savage use a heavier line than you would expect for the size of the fish, as there is a fair amount of resistance to the strike that can result in the line breaking before the drag can kick in. I use 8lb line. Actually you don't need to strike, just pick the rod up before it gets dragged in. Very occasionally you may get continuous rattles rather than a pull round, these are worth striking as they are normally smaller fish, small still water barbel in particular give this bite. {2008 Editor's Note - please click here to view method feeders for sale}

Short late evening trips is the best time for me, on dawn to dusk stillwater commercials. The all dayers have had enough by tea time, having got there early to get the "best" swims. They then empty the left over maggots, sweetcorn, etc. into the margins when they leave, and the fish come in for their evening feed as the light fades and the bankside disturbance lessens. You've got the place to yourself, and only need to drop a big bait in the margins and watch the float sail away . This even works in the last hour or so of a winter afternoon. It's also nice to know that the fishing should get better as the trip continues, rather than the fishing probably getting worst on an early morning trip. Plus you don't have to get up early .

Whoops, my post was not meant as any form of criticism of Steve or how the fishery is run . Still, if there were any close season advocates who were thinking of going then Steve's reply explains why they can, without compromising their principles too much.

There seems to be a lot of favour on here for the old close season, how many out there would like to go but have principles that prevent it? Perhaps I should give my mother, who lives near Sandwich, a surprise (but brief!) visit in June.

Yes it is. It's easy to see if and where the fish are feeding but frustratingly hard to get them on the hook some days, but they are suicidal on others. It's the first time I've caught one on the surface in January.

You can also use a pellet band, although personally I find this a bit fiddly. The fake plastic ones also work well and are easy to hook. The Enterprise Tackle ones are counterbalanced with a small split shot that is designed to leave the hook at the top out of the water, so it is less visible.

Well, the stillwater carp seemed to think it was Spring on Saturday afternoon. A few pieces of bread thrown in brought several carp to the surface, although they were nudging the bread rather than taking it. I did eventually get a lively 6lb common to take the bait at around 16:00. There were also a few carp cruising the sunny margins. One group was even in the formation they adopt at this water prior to spawning. Anyone else seeing Spring behaviour? A large bait on the bottom produced nothing. A small bait on the bottom produced plenty of micro perch and a solitary roach, on a water full of roach, so unfortunately no roach feeding frenzy for me.

The Banks & Burr (Rugby) site also has a reasonable list with descriptions. See http://www.tackleup.com/fishery_guide.htm

Search for "Mill Farm" and then read the "PVA - Any Tips?" thread for a good bigger carp water. There's also a long list if you search for "Fishing in Leicester" and read the 23 August, 2002 thread. If you want a more detailed list of mostly small waters in South Leicestershire I can post one, nearly every village around me has one if you know where to find it, as they are rarely signposted.

I haven't fished it since mid-October when I struggled in comparison to excellent results in September. I only caught a couple of skimmers and a 5½lb carp last cast in a short evening session. Nobody else was catching much either. I walked all around the gravel pit late last Saturday afternoon. There was no one fishing at all. I only saw one large fish boil at the funnel end (furthest from the car park), there was no sign of anything else in the margins, big or small. A kingfisher did fly across the length of the pit making a lot of noise, beats a hawk or two hands down . Incidentally there are no pike and "very few" perch in the pit. I have never caught a perch there. That's why it is overrun with small roach and skimmers. If I did fish it this time of year (never have!) I'd fish one rod with a small bait for the silver fish and one rod (or more) for the carp. Good luck if you fish it, and let me know how you get on. If you do fish it and struggle, don't let it put you off the place, next spring time it will be easy.

As A Matter Of Interest, FYI. [ 01. December 2003, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: WickerDave ]

I thought the last one was a bit "taking the kids to the pool" (you had to watch it, that part almost made me laugh). They do seem to repeat it on a fairly regular basis, like a lot of the stuff on BBC4.

Chris, yes, the no groundbait but method feeders allowed rule does not make a great deal of sense to me either, but it's quite common. I suppose it is to prevent people balling in a lot of groundbait in one go, but in a days method feeding you are still putting in a lot of bait! I'm not sure on the definition of particles, one article mentioning them starts "Tiger nuts, corn, maize, chick peas, peanuts, wheat and hemp...". So is sweetcorn a particle bait? How many fisheries ban sweetcorn?

Whoops, I've never noticed the View Ariel Photo button . That does show both lakes. As you can see in the photo the match lake is open and can get pretty choppy in the wind. The gravel pit is tree lined and much more sheltered.