Polly

For me it's gotta beShimano every time for reels !!!!! Fox are newbies to the reel market, whereas Shimano are the tried and trusted. Having said that I've heard nothing but good reviews on the Stratos.

Hi Rob, completely agree, some sydicates do charge a lot more. I realise there's not much more I can do but was just hoping someone on here might just know a bit about the place or know of someone who has. I just like to do as much homework as possible on any venue I might join. The money is a BIG wedge for me and like Kestrel I've never paid anywhere near £350 for a year's fishing. I have been fishing the Woolpack @ Godmanchester (Green Card only) which is under £100 a year so it's a BIG jump for me. Basically Kestrel and I are looking to join a good local (within 20miles or so of Huntingdon area syndicate/club lake together to allow us to fish together rather than him fishing Gingerbread @ St Neots and me the Woolpack @ Godmanchester. I'm a great believer in having a bit of a social scene when carping. The alrms are silent most of the time and it's good to have a buddy in the next peg to share a brew with. Think you are fairly local, can you point us at any decent moderately easy-ish venues.

Hi Roy, It's £350 so not cheap and there are only 30 or so members allowed. Me and Kestrel are currently on the waiting list and probably will join in March. As it's a locked gate type venue there's little to no opportunity to go and have a few recce's before shelling out our hard earned. We went recently, by arrangement and was greeted and shown round by Ashley the membership secretary. He's a great guy as are all the other members we met and chatted to that day, all very helpful and friendly. It appears to be a fantastic venue and the phots Ash showed us back up the claimed stock levels. Really, all I was after doing was to collect as much info/gen on the place as possible due to it not being possible to just go and suss it out with a walk or two. Access is denied by locked gate and while i'm sure Ash would meet and treet us again it's never quiet the same as wandering on your own. I'd like to go every evening for a week or two, just to get a feel for the place and couldn't expect anyone to be willing to accompany me that often.

Anyone been on this lake? closed syndicate of 30 odd members, small 5-6 acre venue with good stock level. Been for a quick look-see and liked what I saw, nice site, great bunch of blokes, not many silly rules. Would appreciate any info (good or bad) before I part with my hard earned!!!!!

How's the R & D going Mr. Nash, do you have a release date yet? Bet Rory up at climax Tackle has got an order book as long as your arm by now.

Yep, I was there!!!! Sorry Bud but still LOL when I think back. :lol:

Mate & me having a wekends (Friday & Saturday nights, heading back down South Sunday morning) R & R in Manchester shortly, staying here:- http://www.premiertravelinn.com/pti/hotelI...o?hotelId=23897 anyone live local can tell me about nearby "night-life" and "revellry"? Plan is sleep all day "Party" all night !!! limited time to explore so any pointers welcome!!!! Ta Muchly - Phil

Hi Rob, I like Kestrel live in this area and also looking for a sydicate to join. Currently fishing the Woolpack but not the "Gold" syndicate ticket. I only have the "Green" card. So far I failed badly to put fish on the bank there and I'm getting VERY demoralised. Have you fished the Woolpack? I know of all the waters you mention and all are, IMO very hard venues and not for the faint hearted. I know the BIG rewards are in there on them all but even Mr Hearn had to do 39 nights to bank his target fish. I'm looking for a nice cosy (6-10acre) syndicate lake with a good head of doubles and twenties which isn't gonna cost me a second mortgage to join, any pointers ?????

Looks like a nice lake but limited numbers and tricky to catch fish, certainly not for us Kestrel!!!!!

That's the baby !!!! Spot on.

Wouldn't be surprised!!!! My bed chair has a "Carp Bell" logo sewn into it and I know (advised by vendor) that it is absolutely identical to one in the JRC range but £60 cheaper!!!!!!!! Apparently built in same factory using the same materials (and possibly the same worker!!!!) but just have different logo sewn in at the end of the production line. I was asked if I was a tackle tart who worried about which big name brand I bought (who me, surely not!!!!) and if not I could save myself £60. It's not a con, it's just a legal exploitaion of Mr Carp Angler's ego at wanting to have and use big named kit.

Looks identical. Do Badger & JRC have any links? surely JRC wouldn't l let Badger just copy their design. I've got the JRC version and it's top kit, is the Badger one height adjustable?

Reckon your beyond help matey !!! How about fishing a "proper" lake. Get that "bl@@dy" dog off this forum, it worries me just seeing his photo!!!!

Ok, no worries, patience is a vitue us anglers have plenty of. I saw the Climax Tackle advet in Advanced Carp Fishing (September issue) and liked what I saw. Been toying with buying a boat for yonks now and this one really looks and sounds the part. I'll stick it on my Xmas wish list anyway but when do you think it'll be released Kevin?

That's the baby !!!!! Any write-ups or reviews anywhere?

Anyone bought one yet? intro offer price £350 down from £400. Piccie in mag looked really good but can't find any more info. Tried "Googling" but came back with nothing, surely Mr Nash's advertising boys have a full write up somewhere. Can someone point me in the right direction as I'm thinking about putting one on my Xmas wish list but want to read-up first.

Get Stan off of here, he makes me nervous !!!!!!!!!

...... use flying back leads WITH a fixed one, in other words pinning line down in TWO places, one near the rod tip and one near the business end.

Couldn't log on yesterday for some reason. Where's my apology gone????

If you consider my previous post as "rude" and to contain "really horrible grammar" that's your perogative, you have and are entitled to your opinion. For my part, I care not in which part of the world this guy resides and does his angling and care not that he may have to spend money on "expensive imports" to offer adequate protection to such a beautiful creature. Ignorance and expense cannot be used as an excuse. Whilst I agree, in hindsight that education may have been a better line of approach for me to adopt, my initial post relays the anger I felt after first viewing that picture. Whichever stance is "politically correct" I know not but I will NEVER condone anyone, in any part of the world treating carp in this manner just to satify their own ego's. If the fish is to be used as a necessary food source then that's a whole diferent "ball-game" but even so it's treatment should still be humane. Pictures such as this are like "gold dust" to the anti-angling brigade and to be frank, I'm absolutely amazed this web-site allowed it to be published. In my opinion the moderators should have removed the image prior to allowing the post to proceed as it was not imperative to the textual content.

Sorry this has gotta be said......... I really don't like to see photos like this published on here, cannot abide seeing such lovely fish treated so badly. Got out an buy y'self an unhooking mat buddy, then you can caress you ego with the camera to your hearts content.

Dave Lane STI Brolly, awsome kit and if you shop around you'll get it for just under a ton!!! I've been using mine all Summer and cant fault it. Has sooooooo much room inside you can usually stash all of y'kit underneath and keep everything safe and dry.

Thanks guys, wifey'll be over the moon. Just ordered book so "Brownie" points galore on the way to me, must be at least 24 hours on-bank time, brilliant. Cheers - Phil

Both money-driven basta**s and neither give a sh*t about English football. They deserve each other.

Oh Joy at last my boat comes home!!!!! No, sorry I do not and cannot play the game BUT....................... I asked a freind to buy me a nice wooden (boxed) version of the game when he visited Thailand a couple of years ago. I paid very little for a VERY high quality product and gave it to my wife as a Birthday pressie. She also was well impressed but there was one problem, the instructions were in Thai and there was no English translation. Neither of us speak Thai and do not know how to play the game so it's been under the coffee table untouched for ages. Do you have a set of instructions (English) that you could let me have or point me at a good web site where I can download them???? This is BIG browny points for me, can't wait to see her face. Ta Muchly in Advance - Phil