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

Mitch and I would like to thank Steve, Peggy and the boys for a great weekend. Never managed a carp but did catch this PB Pike at 11lb 1oz. Chuffed to bits, and the fact that my son was there to witness it made it even more special. Thanks again. Comus

Hey Leon, It's just started throwing it down!! My 4 yr old daughter will no doubt want to thank you for me going outside and bringing her pony teddy in. Now if you could just give me 6 numbers between 1 and 49??

Oh well, I'll just have to look out of the window on Saturday morning. er... now why didn't I think of that earlier??

Thanks Leon, To support your statement, I'm currently sitting in Folkestone, the extreme south of Kent, and it's a warm and dry evening. From yours or anyone else's experience which of the weather sites is the most reliable for a 3-5 day forecast? Comus

I'm sure that we can all remember that weatherman insisting on TV on TV in the 80's that talk of an impending hurricane was total nonsense but how reliable are long range weather forecasts and how are they worked out. I ask because, like many of us, I'm getting increasingly excited about the Wingham fish-in and am now beginning to consider clothing etc. Over the last 3 days I've been looking at Metcheck and have been surprised at how different the expected weather for this weekend has been. Yesterdays hot and sunny Sunday is now looking like being a wet one. Is their any point at looking at long range weather forecasts? Comus

Hi, I'm sure that you're going to get a lot of advice here but for 'short' sessions of a maximum of a couple of pleasant weather days I use the Shakespeare Big Easy 2 man bivvy. About £130 new. It's light, will fit into a holdall/quiver. It's a pram hood style and can be put up in a couple of minutes. For rougher weather I use a PowerPlus Pro Bivvy. About £100 second hand. It's very heavy and needs a barrow to transport. It takes about 20 mins to put up but once up it'll will withstand a direct hit from a medium sized tactical nuke! Best of luck. Comus

Flanko, Sounds like a great session. Can youdescribe your method in more detail or better still point me to a site which illustrates it? I fancy giving it a go. Comus

Guys, Thanks for you advice. Best of luck, Comus

Tim, By the sound of it we're neighbours. PM on it's way. Andy

Hi All, I live close to the Royal Military Canal in Kent and have been told that there are some 30lb carp in there. I've been directed to a spot which has a depth of about 8' and is quiet and secluded. It's controlled by my local club and overnighters are allowed. A recce a couple of days ago led me to meet some local guys who agreed that there were some great canal carp in there but that catching them was more about luck as they move about the 34 miles of canal. They spoke of a 26lber being caught 1.5 miles down the canal from a swim it was caught from the previous day. Having read many of the posts on this forum I suspect that although luck may play a part, careful planning and preparation will result in bagging a few fish. So, my question is; How does someone read a canal for likely holding spots for carp? What sort of depths or features should I look for? The guy I spoke to the other evening gave as an example the limited viewing opportunities of fish rising etc. due to the shape of the canal. A very vague question I know but any help would be appreciated. Comus.