TheMargins

Try here: http://www.carpioleads.co.uk/ Ask for John and tell him themargins recommended you! A quality bloke and quality leads.

About 40 years on and off.

I would have received a warning for that! Its foreign muck, and has no place in a british fishery. Instant big carp for instant carpers! No merit whatsoever, I'm more impressed with everyone elses matey! Why do you have it in your profile, you ought to be ashamed!

Not far, three regular venues at the moment, all about 35 miles, 70 mile round trip.

I thought it looked French. The Mongument -

Are Gobby Carp Anglers allowed? I'm not really gobby by the way, I just get a bit brave here at times sitting in front of the PC!

As Jim says, 'horses for courses'! One thing I beleive needs to be considered when using backleads, if you have a sizeable fish on and it does cross you other line(s), then it can be a nightmare sorting it out! As least without backleads it is relatively easy to pass one rod under the other to sort the potential mess out - this can't be done with backleads on the line!

Thank you.

Thanks for the reply Argyll. Any more views on this: "How is the line brought back onto the reel - I assume by frantically turning the handle on the 'pin'? So, what happens in the mean time to the barbel or carp in a river?" In particular the latter part? I ask because in this situation, i can see where Rabbit is coming from, and I think at the in-between stage where the line is on the floor and the bite occurs, and time it takes to get the line back on the reel, is the time where the fish is lost to snags?

There is one thing i would like to know in relation to fly-fishing for barbel and/or carp: And I ask this out of ignorance having no experience of it, and it is in relation to technique. When a cast is made with a fly rod, I believe I'm right in saying it is done so in a series of forward and backward 'flicks' with the rod, paying out increasing amounts of line; the line then is brought back pulling the 'nymph' (or whatever) across the surface enticing a 'bite' with the hand and with the line in coils on the ground. Have I got it right so far? So, in picturing this scenario, what happens when a bite occurs? Is pressure put on the fish buy gripping the line with the rod? How is this pressure maintained? How is the line brought back onto the reel - I assume by frantically turning the handle on the 'pin'? So, what happens in the mean time to the barbel or carp in a river? As I say, I am asking in ignorance, so please excuse me for that. But it might go some way to explaining why rabbit is worried for the safety of the fish in this situation?

The river Nene, Si.

Sorry chap, I did look but could not find one.

Excellent post Budgie.

Anyone of you chaps seen the Korda underwater videos. They are not the be all and end all, but they do provide the viewer with an insight into how carp and tench (the two species caught in the vids) inspect and mouth the bait, not quite as straight-forward as some of you might think! I've watched carp in the margins, as I'm sure some of you have also, they are far from the hoovering pigs with fins that some of you think they are! Sure, when they are in a proper feeding mood, they will do this, but this is only when they are fully confident! So, are they wary of the rigs? Are they wary of the bait? re they wary of the hook? In what way? Could it actually be that they are mouthing the bait and feeling the hook? Or are they mouthing the bait and not feeling the hook, but sense/taste/whatever that they is something there that should'nt be? Its all very well maintaining the attitude that we go fishing, we catch a few fish, and go home happy. But one step further from 'just' that is specimen fishing, it is very often necessary to constantly think about what you are doing and of ways that can bring a fish to the net. It is possible with specimen fishing for big carp for example, that one may blank on a particular water for a year - this is not uncommon! Its no good relying on a 'pub chuck' and hoping for the best. You have to try all sorts!

There's a bit of a difference between using a small enough hook to catch 2 ounce roach and a big enough hook to catch a 20 or 30lb carp! The smaller hook would be completely insignificant by comparrison! With regards to catching pike with metal lures etc, a slightly different scenario here too: Pike are predators and are tempted by vibration, they are hardly going to watch, scent/smell/taste(?) it before going for it are they?