Comus

Hi and welcome. A lovely part of Kent you're living in. Have a look at Cottington Lakes in Deal. They have a number of lakes, some that are ideal for beginners. They have camping on site although I'm not sure about tackle hire. They do have a tackle shop though. Best wishes, Comus

Hi Sportsman, Not sure if the Fuji allows it but, with my Nikon, I'm able to shoot in RAW and Jpeg. It eats up your memory card but allows you do review shots in Jpeg and, if you're happy with them, print the Jpegs. If you feel that you need some post processing then you can open the raw and process away. Raw vs Jpeg is a constantly held aruement but RAW really does have its uses, particularly for the sort of work you're talking about. Regards, Comus

I agree with James P. I've used the Good Fishing alarms for a few years now. Brilliant kit. Comus

Thanks Chris. I've managed to secure us a god deal on the Eurostar/TGV with a metro trip across Paris, which I thought my son would enjoy. Really can't wait to get out there and now with the recommendation I'm sure that we'll have a great time. Thanks again, Comus

Thanks a lot for the comments guys. It is the venue in the limousin area of South West France. Funnily enough the owner rang me yesterday to confirm the booking and to give me some pointers etc. He's well keyed up for my son and I going and really seems prepared to go all out to make sure that we have a great time. He explained that he does sell bait on site at a very reasonable price and told me that the bailiffs on site are always on hand to give advice on rigs and baiting so I'm really looking forward to this our first trip abroad. Thanks again. Comus

Hi Tinc et al. We're going to Angel Lakes in the Limoges area. My son will be fishing a 2.5 acre lake with average depths of 4 feet. It's described as an action water heavily stocked with carp to 30lb. There's no mention of any other species. I'll be on the adjacent lake which is 8 acres, varying depths between 3 ft to 14 ft. It's stocked with fish to over 58lb. Again, there is no mention of other species. Both lakes are totally tree lined. They were dug in 1962 and are Spring Fed; up until 2005 they were used for irrigation and have hardly been fished. It appears to be a new venture, with references to the venue only going back to last season. The reports from other sites suggest that it's a winning location but don't really discuss tactics and baiting. We've never fished in France before and as a previous carp syndicate member of Wingham I've always been used to the idea of the importance of where your small amount of bait goes, rather than that of throwing beds upon beds of boilies in and waiting for the fish to come to you. It's an all inclusive holiday so the only thing that we need to take is end tackle and sleeping bags. I've read that 'euro baits' are of an inferior quality so was planning to buy some bulk bait here and take it with us. I'm really keen for my son to have a fantastic time as: 1) I want him to fall in love with carp fishing, and 2) We're away for a week and if he's bored after a couple of days he's going to be an absolute nightmare!! I was planning on using both boilies and possibly pellets but will take any advice from experienced 'Frenchers'! Thanks, Comus

Hi, Have a look at the Korum range. Another member recommended he Ruckbag to me recently. It looks ideal. Comus

Hi, I'm off to France in August for a weeks all inclusive with my son. This is my first time fishing in France so not too sure about tactics etc. I've never fished for a weeks session before and wonder how much bait I should take. I'd really appreciate any advice on this. I imagine I'll be fishing boilie with pellets etc. Regards, Comus.

Hi Rare, I recently saw a Fox landing net which had a rubberised feeling to the netting. It's bought without a handle. It looked really nice and the spreader bar looked good and sturdy. It was priced at £14.99 ( I think). Not clear from the picture that you posted what size it is that you need. This was a good course fish sized net rather than a carp net. Comus

Thanks Steve, I'm definitely on the lookout for one. Are the Hummingbirds the best on the performance / value stakes or are there any cheaper alternatives? Thanks, Comus

Hi All, I'm thinking about buying one of these sonar fish finders, a hummingbird or similar. I seem to recall that there was some kind of legal issue surrounding their use but can't remember what it was. Does anyone know? Comus

Thanks Jerry, Had a look at the Korum site and read some reviews. Looks really neat, particularly with the seat attached. Comus

Hi all, After having, again, broken the straps on my carping rucksack, whilst trekking round Wingham, I've decided to invest in a large holdall to store my kit in and carry my quiver on my back instead. The holdall will sit on a barrow. I've looked on the net and am a bit daunted by the amount on offer, so I thought I'd ask for recommendations. The bag needs to carry all of my non-quivered tackle, as well as food, cooking and bait. Any tried and tested bags will be gratefully received. Comus Sorry guys, realised that I've been a bit misleading. I need a carryall, not a holdall.

Thanks for sharing the rig. I'm hoping to get down to Wingham this weekend, I'll try and replicate it. Comus

All, can I start by saying that none of the below is from personal knowledge but I found the subject interesting so did some research. Must have been bitten by something recently! I think that the term Carrusso Carp comes from the Latin term for the fish genus Carassius.This genus includes both the Goldfish as well as the Carp. Carassius Auratus = Wild Goldfish (In the US considered a nuisance species.) The American article from which the above image was taken states that after a few generations these fish closely resemble the Crucian. Interestingly Priory Fisheries (www.prioryfisheries.co.uk) use the image used above of the 2 fish held above a net as examples of Carassius carassius , Crucians and say that their fish are genetically tested to ensure that they are 'true' crucians and not 'Brown Goldfish' so the species must be so similar that they need DNA testing to distinguish them. Comus