steve17

I would say the reason not much is coming out is because its so busy, all the leads goin in and bankside noise and commotion really turns 'em off. I would reccomend tryin a single grain of pop-up sweet corn rather than a boilie, thats just my oppinion but it usually catches over fluoros. Rig wise just use your normal rig and fix a small shot onto the hooklength at what ever distance from the hook you want to pop up. Test it in the margins before you cast out, might be worth fishing over a very small bag of pellets just for added attraction. Best of luck anyhow.

When im fishing alone i struggle to get myself and the fish in the photo at the same time. anyone got any tips to align the camera on the mini tripod so that i can position myself and the fish for a decent photo?

if you can still get hold of it, Berkley trilene photochromic is an awesome surface line, its orangey looking on the spool but is virtually colourless in water. tough stuff as well.

Surely if he just resizes it to 800 x 600 then clicks 'add this attachment' on his post, that will work?

you sure thats a radio elton? looks more like something youd find on a UFO documentary

that means your pics are too big mate. open them in paint and resize them abit smaller and save them. then try again.

Carp were being very weary of mixers one hot day a coupla years back on a local lake and a large meat fly had happened to get stuck in my fathers landing net, so he stunned it and side hooked it along with a single mixer, when it hit the water it started buzzing again and he instantly nailed a large carp. (Unfortuanly lost it mind).

when you post a reply after youv finished typing scroll down the page to 'file attachments' click browse and find an image you wish to open then click add this attachment. if the size of the picture is too big, open it in paint or photo editor and simply reduce the size of the image using the re-size cursor that appears in the corner of a picture. then go to 'file save as' and change the file to .jpg hope this helps

Theres usually course fish all along the river, not actaully seen anyone fishing for them so far this year though. Will try different baits then thanks for the advice. any other thoughts?

Im reading An Obsession With Carp by Dave Lane at the moment and really enjoying it.

hi all, i only generally pike fish in the colder months and am hoping to get out on the river witham for a sesh or two before the close season but so far this year iv been strugglin to catch. i know theres a good population of fish in there of which there are some decent sized pike (good heads of doubles and a few 20's with the rare 30) but this is all within 20 min walk across the fields from my house. iv only ever had pike to 17lbs from my local stretch of river but as i say i dont pike fish all that much. my usual tactics are lures/spinners when its sunny and clear or roving deadbaits if its overcast and windy, down the margins with two rods fished with inline floats and sprats as bait. i generally leave the deads 15 - 20 mins before winding in and moving 15 - 20 yards downstream. seeing as im struggling is there any thing i should do different tactics wise? there are a few features such as drains (inlets) bridges overhanging trees and a sewerage works but im still not really catching. live baiting is not allowed. anyone any suggestions to help me bag a pike or two before the end of the season?

Slightly off topic but i fish with lead clips and have never actually 'dumped' the lead while playing a fish, wether trying to keep it away from snags or through weed beds i havent actually lost a lead. Am i doing something wrong here? Possibly bad angling practise on my part but i aught to find out. To be safe though i usually fish with lighter b/s hooklinks than mainline. Also if the mainline broke when using a lead clip and the lead hadnt been dumped, then the clips are still semi fixed arent they? The fish should be able to pull the swivel out of the clip just like semi - fixed inline rigs, right? Appologies if i sound stupid for asking.

Always very satisfying in such conditions, well done to you.

not seen any piccies on here as late so i thought id show off 1 i caught last wednesday. Not a huge fish by all means but a new personal best for that particular water for me and considerin anythin above 13lbs is considered large for there i was quite impressed for a few hours in february. sorry the picture is abit blurred. 15.11lbs mirror.

If your going to kill them yourself scold them in boiling water, theyll all be dead within minutes. Then you can keep them in a box, bag, fridge or freezer etc untill you need them.

I have found hook size to be quite relevant too, last summer i was fishing with two rods, one on a size 8 barbless esp raptor, the other with a size 10 esp barbless raptor. i landed a few on the size 8 rod and had no problems with mouth damage, yet the 1st fish i landed on the size 10 rod ripped a 1" tear down the side of the carps mouth, as soon as i noticed that i changed to a size 8 on that rod too and continued catching fish through out the day with out so much as a rip or tare. just for the record both rods were coupled with 2oz leads. More recently i have fished size 10 barbed drennan super specialists (under completely different circumstances) with 2 oz leads, (most of you will probabily know super specialsts are a relatively small pattern hook anyway) and have landed a few carp, all with the hook firmly set in place. It has not moved, tore or dislodged in any way and has been easy enough to remove at all times. This makes me wonder if when using smaller hooks to scale down barbed it actually the better option when fishing for double figure carp. I certianly wont be using size 10 barbless raptors when fishing for 10lb + carp again, they are very short shank hooks mind, i guess that plays a part....

Yeah always a good pointer if you cant see anythin showin i guess, probs cos its so open on there. It amazes me the amount of fish that crash out, its continous. Seen fish 'wave', pop their heads out, fully bosh out the water or even as mald said almost 'tail walking' like a pike would. Talking of which there are meant to be some Monster Pike in both lakes, and best of all NO - ONE fishes for them. Might be worth a crack when the carp arent having it as pike seem to thrive on neglect.

i have a couple of mates who fish it too and their tactics are pretty much exactly the same as yours and they too have had big fish close in. they use big bags rather than small ones but still not that much difference i guess. my main disadvantage is when i have got among the fish theyve either pushed out right into the middle where im not able to reach or the winds turned and theyve buggered off when its too late to move or do anythin about it. i hope to do alot better this year n if you come along sometime im sure you can show me how its done

i thought they only closed through january... i havent had much luck on the big lake myself only done a few days n always been in the wrong place when they start boshing out, think im startin to get the hang of it tho. had a few out of the back lake its a really 'stalking' lake and also great fun. shall have to arrange something sometime, probs be after easter if your up for it.

i dont really know any decent night waters in winter either, richmonds doesnt fish tho the back lake might be worth a try. i was planning on fishing oakhill leisure, not sure how it fishes in winter but was willing to give it a crack but i aint feelin to good now, typical! think in front of the fire is the best place atm.

let us know how you get on pole dark, best of luck.

i have visited somerset on holiday before and fished 2 lakes at oxenlease caravan park, which is day ticket. some good carp in there to 30's + so im told. doesnt get fished that much from what i saw either (was there 1 august and virtually had the lakes to ourselves for the week). hope that helps.

i know the lakes well, i only live the other side of the forum in north hykeham fished it quite abit last year. i dont know the guy in question but have heard of this happening. with regards to the fish 'waving' from what iv seen its always the same fish, with a pointy lookin nose. it spends hours doin it, not quite sure whats goin on. fancy a sesh on there sometime? p.s does george get on your t*ts?

scoop, would this lake happen to be in north hykeham?

hi mr beef well done on your catch, do you have any photos to post of your biggie?