Russell Fitzpatrick

oh n i often bring a kinked trace home take off the trebels re-sharpen them(or check them) and the swivelsetc and re-use themall that gets binned is the old wire n crimps saves lots of money(but as a momento i dont do this if i catch a good fish on a particluar trace i keep the trace not to be re-used!

hi jeepster yeah i use any good strong swivelsi can get get.i only use berkley or fox snap links or crosslinks,have u ever used that strange looking berkley stuff( black plastic coated wire)for lures??

oooohh sufix must get me some! last year i was fishing for chub using bolt-rigs and short hooklengths(upstream too) i got more fish on normal brown 6lb mono than i did with flurocarbon even tho the water was quite clear.i never did work that one out!and using black hooks instead of the grey silver variety.

i use fox 30lb easy twist for most of my piking (im mainly a dead/live bait angler),also use fox trebels,in sizes 6 and 8 semi-barbed,my traces are beteen 20-24 inches long or two feet.i attach my traces to swivels/hooks via crimps,i purchased a proper pair of crimping pliers(yes again fox!) and i tell you what there bloody brilliant nice tight ,neat finish, the sliding second trebel and end swivel are covered with a length of silicone tubing,the end trebel is not as i like it to pivot n and move freely on the -hopefully finding a good hold on the strike! i replace every tace after a fish i dont trust kinks! jacks can mess up the trace more than the big girls,as they go bonkers headshaking like mad,for this reason a dozen or so taces are made up the night beforea session and stored in da rig bin. [ 27. May 2004, 09:23 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

they make all the diffrence dont they!i was amazed when i first got my'n i get addicted to just watching the fish now let alone cathing them!serioussly tho they do make a lot of diffrence,i'm convuinced they've helped me put fish on the bank.

i've booked the 15th(spotting,baiting)off and i shall be on the gate,at the crack of dawn on the glorious 16th.the river looks lovely all the green is back,i spotted some lovely gravel runs the other day..and then out of the corner of my eye several large big dark shapes with huge white lips drifted into view...chevin!!!i cant wait...bring it on cheving.. jungle warfare!!

aaah i see thats the one(bottom one) they showed underwater fotage off it using the pnky bit to lure prey in,they where huge these turtle things!

i believe you!!!barbel can be caught in the summer months off the top,never done it but i have recently read about it,i think it ws in anglers mail,tench off the top!now i never heard of that!

them turtles?are they the ones that crazy englishman chases the ginger one/_o'shea?nutter dives off a boat into swampy looking vegatation n surfaces with ones these beasts held aloft!might not be the same one im sure it is tho,altho these ones looked phrehistoric!

i've heard it can pay to flavour deadbaits with boilie style flavours(not just fishy ones) as they pick up on boilie's more than you think,its suposed to work well on carp waters.

nice one budge,i'm all up for making n adapting tackle,i make my own drifters,traces, pop traces etc,yeah front alarms are the one,for now..anyway im gonna go make a drop-off.

aaahhh i see drop-offs are easy,i can make those infact i blagged 2nite off work to go fishing tommroow,im going have a look in me bits box see if i can rustle one up!i think i am gonna get front alarms to save myself money and dissapointment with them ps's.nothing wrong with fronts(i only use two rods) as long as there set up right,any more info on the electrics part budgie :confused: thanks for ya help [ 19. May 2004, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

wicked cheers for the info mate,are they really that diffrent to setting up a ghetto blaster?i thought it was same principal?this months p+p explains the mecury tilt switch,is it really that easy to build one?ive took my'n apart to clean it now n again,and the circuitry looks quite simple i suppose i could use the one ive got to source parts(as a refrence if you get my meaning) and make my own cover and arm the only bit that might confuse me is th electric bits.see the micron front alarms would be good cos i fish for all sorts not just pike,ive got micro swingers but i could invest in some new drop-offs,or again make em and i like to save money as much as possible as im tight..and i need 2 avon rods now! [ 19. May 2004, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

indeed budgie to many fail to tighten down and set up there bite-indication correctly,wich when piking is that little bit more important than with other fish!im currently looking at some new alarms,fox i think,microns but im very tempted to go all out n get the ps drop offs,as my ghetto blasters are getting old now.

never tried them,i bet they work for chub..barbel have been known to pick up sea deads aimed at pike + they love fishmeal boilies,prawns i think would be good too.savoury n fishy flavours are best me thinks.not for getting the super trigga range [ 18. May 2004, 10:56 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

j.k theres a magazine out called coarse angling today,it always has features like chub n barbel tatics big perch all sorts even the odd carp article,it really is a great read,and ive learnt alot by reading it,take a look mate it'll help alot,trust me..

carp anglers- i've met some very helpfull ones,like the one that photographed a pb chub for me when no-one else was about,also had them put me on fish too.good n bad in all i say,carping is popular,so there are alot lots of carpers,thus there are going to be a few idiots..

top fish,for a first on a 3.5ft rod i bet that was a battle!better get some practice in sparrowhawk

yeah i suppose, i know what im going to do,im gonna buy the 1.75 see how it goes,and probably later purchase a 1.5 or another 1.75 as i want a pair anyway(stillwater work).i can always dig out the old faithfull sundrige electra-chevin basher special.

thank you!!thats how i should have posted the first message!!you've hit the nail on the head budgie,i want a good strong rod BUT i know a 1.75 rod will be to heavy for chub,im gonna try and reorder the 1.5 version,i sure aint going to hook carp everyday but i need something with some back bone,your right with most barbel specialist are using 2lb tc rods,as the barbel are getting bigger.saying that the chub ive aught previously where not taken on quivertip but on straight rod tip tatics,also hooked 2 bream that gave tiny dropbacks so if i can spot them bites,a 1.75 with quiver top on should be ok even for chub? NUGG-sorry mate if i was funny with ya- CHUBY and you to mate sorry.

no im kool mate not getting worked up,some need to read the post properly before posting..anyway ive not parted with my money yet so i'm not stuck with it!thank god cos i'm so fussy!10 -4 ratty out,you wanna see me when i really get worked up sod it im a buy two one 1.75 one 1.5 i can always sell em if i dont want them. [ 16. May 2004, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

stayed out of?? healthy debate nugg

i see your point,i just would like to land one if i hook one there not all 30's!!but it is a very weedy venue,i have for a while used a 9 n a half ft sundrige leger rod bought when i was 15!perfect for jungle warfare with the chub n barbel,and ive had good fish on it even carp to 16lb from a stillwater but on a river it feels undergunned its test is about 1lb 4oz,plus it doesnt have a quiver tip,no ther not for "chucking out method feeders" but they are very much at home with in-lines for tench and bream or smaller feeders doesnt have to be a method feeder.and for the last time im not fishing for 30lb carp! like i said they are in there and i thought why have a rod that wont handle one in the flow,if i do hook one,wich using the baits i use wouldnt be impossible!but at the same time not effect the fight/playing action of barbel/chub. [ 16. May 2004, 10:18 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

duly noted sir,thank you,i wasnt being sarcastic..anyway wot do you think i should go for newt?jeepster>> 1.i didnt say i was fishing for carp(barbel n chub are the target) but they do turn up n yes they do get hooked.(and lost through inadiqate tackle) 2.i use a baitdropper in a small wierpool to get the bait down or i use pva bags. i haven't been on this forum long and i dont want to argue but im not stupid mate so dont talk to me like i am.>ok. [ 16. May 2004, 10:04 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]

hmmm true but man u should see these carp im talking 30+ thats whaht theve been caught at.plus very weedy.and IMHO a avon rod is more than just a river rod-floaters i hear...the oher thing is i use a baitdropper a lot n one fully loaded weighs a fair bit,i would take an extra rod but i travel light so that wouldnt be a choice.hhmmm decisons decisons.. [ 16. May 2004, 09:45 PM: Message edited by: ratty46 ]