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I fished a few hours today and opened the 2021 account with this 16lb pristine mirror, caught on a pop up over a bed of hemp and boilie.

The calm before the storm, a quick 4hr session produced 6 runs with 5 carp banked. First fish of 2021.

Carp no5 of 6 runs, that’s it I’m out of bait! Fished from 10-1, so well happy with that, no monsters but it’s broken the 2021 duck. this one beat me right up, had to chase it down the bank with a landing net and unhooking mat over my shoulder!

First blood! 7-9lb (ish) common, unhooked in the net.

Laughed me socks off at this...

Carp no3 7-9lb (ish) unhooked in the net. 3rd fish from 4 runs so far, bumped one fish off and found the hook point turned over. Was using trig-hammers, now switched to fox wide gapes as I’m having to hit and hold, fishing to reeds on the other side.

I’m on the bank, rods out, gentle warm breeze drifting into this bay, had a few liners... fingers crossed!

Carp no2 ripped off as I placed the bobbin, 6-7lbish. Unhooked in the net.

It’s not expensive, it’s peanuts really...

Well the day has started brighter, Cut down sugar in tea to 1/2 tsp, ready for none by the end of the week, the protein shakes I ordered arrived in time for breakfast so I've glugged one of those, haven't got a 6 pack yet 😭 but hopefully I'm on the road to a better future 😁

Carp no4, I’m popping the barbless hook out in the net and letting them go, rather than bank them as it’s pretty mucky and slippery in this swim. This one probably scraped double figures. I’m looking at having to pack up soon, I’ve done all my bait bar a handful, that’s about 2/3 of a Kg since 10am. It’s raining, (I haven’t got a brolly!) I’m soaked through but still!

Arriving Tuesday.... one is a very happy bunny😁🥰😍

9 pike today, 2 at 13lb, a 12, an 11, and the rest singles. One I estimated at 8 I decided to weigh, was actually 9lb. One feisty little jack caught me on the finger so didn't have his picture taken. Not the most comfortable swim, had to sit in chest waders all day

lol - that's made my week, what were you thinking? That's an expensive pack of hooks, and some other stuff that nobody ever wants lol Sorry mate but you've been had there 🤦‍♂️

The surprise is how bad it was

Well one of my local lakes has done 4x20's already.... I had one in January so you can catch them all year round, but as for targeting them, I'd start on mild, low pressure days preferably with a south-westerly wind about now...

That's good news mate, hope it stays that way for you 👍

Hope so, all good so far... 🤞🤞

Try the YouTube if you haven’t already lots of info there Very wise

Speero rig tray £10 ... it will pay for itself in a couple of trips with the swivels and hooks I normally drop and lose and not to mention the time I save looking for things that have dropped, it was either buy the tray or a metal detector 🙄

Aargh! Schoolboy error: Get a pike close to double figures in the landing net, as I released the tension the hooks fell out, dip landing net as I lifted and pike swims out....😳🙄 Who wants dirty wet smelly hands anyway? 😂😉 Ended up with 5 in the end, nothing massive. I might have to start comparing pics for more recaptures

Well I can tell you for a fact don’t expect a rod in a box 😉

Dunno if I've just had a wobble but, I've decided to maybe just try to use a multi rig for pop ups and wafters and bottom baits, it's a multi rig lol it was designed to do them all, I decided tonight to try a curve shank hook rather than the square ones, I could use the finer shrink tube and it looked like it had a little more finesse about it, I also decided I think I prefer pre sharpened hooks, I sharpened a few and was never totally happy with them,the pre done ones were better, I might order some J precision curves and maybe a pack of longshank curves to try also, a lot of people see

Last week I was standing in my garden thinking that with a raised lawn and a sunken path with a flower bed running parallel to the path, I thought, “that patch of raised lawn is wasting valuable space” 4 days later I’ve knocked down the lawn retaining wall, broken up all the rubble, spread this over the path. Broken up the low wall retaining the flower bed, then dug up all the lawn and earth, spreading it over the path and flower bed. So the whole garden is now level soil. Next job is to level the patio area that’s two levels, put sleepers down along the soil boarders, lay a load

Not carp gear, but a business I have been working for, for a few years now. Damp and waterproofing. I'm feeling quite happy about it. Hopefully a bit of security for my family and me for the foreseeable future. Best wishes to the regulars

Carp are awake at my local

Just a shame that's all they could've done it decently, not like scammers, don't think I'll rush out to get one either 👍

It's done now, 1 or 2 will be kept... But its a never again purchase.

Thinking of giving this a go ..

Lesson learned, but I've also made £150 after this today so I'm quite happy, the maggots I'll make up some Maggot balls, maybe give rest uncle.

That’s because now you will have to go out and buy what it is you actually use lol

He's a bit like Glenn hoddle this one Lots of ball control but a bit of a dribbler ⚽ 😂😂😂😂😂

Yeh, pics soon

Pee on the bite .... or is it pee on a sting 🤔

"Afterbite" is the best I've used. It's an ammonia type dab on pen, the key is not to rub/ scratch the bite if you can help it

Every water is different. Deeper waters may take longer for the fish to start moving, or waters with low food stocks. No point in wasting energy looking for food if there is little about.... Or conversely the fish might be looking for food and constantly moving. Some waters will fish all the way through. Pretty much any water above 4degrees and somewhere a take is possible, be it on a zig, (hurgh, spit) or on a float fished or ledgered bait. Lengthening days might get them moving, but on some waters there is another factor. As the water warms up, the

Yes, I’m having some doubts myself having watched a few YouTube clips! Plus, I’d be a bit squeamish about chopping up my ‘pet’ worms!

Hoping my £50 surprise box comes before I go work... Doghouse will literally be my home 😂😂

Well my ridgemonkey crusher came with a loud bang at 7 30am 5his morning, I'm probably not in the good books now, just need those Jprecision hooks to arrive today and I reckon I'll be in the doghouse 😁

My brother in law made one out of a tarpaulin years ago filled it with dirt and worms and used it for years assumed it worked because it was always moist

The metal detector could pay for itself... might find a Saxon hoard!

I was gonna pop in 2moz... BUT... Ordered 1 these

Brilliant thanks for that, I have read it a few times, I'm still only just getting comfortable paying over a fiver a pack of hooks I'm not ready for Jason Hayward prices yet 😁 otherwise I probably would use them, baby steps lol, I do think the ib hooks I've had so far have been pretty good tbh they are sharp, I don't like the coating on the hooks though, I dunno they feel cheap,I bought some unsharpened ones too and they don't sharpen very well, I've ordered some size 5 chods, size 5 curves x 2 and a pack of long shank curves in size 6, I am also not sure the longshank curves

Some of us have the 6 pack, and some of us have the keg. 😳

They're decent mate. Jason Haywards Muggas are better but also more expensive. No sure why Korda don't do a Kamakura version of their Kurv pattern. The Krank is the closest they currently do to a curve shank. Also decent. I used these extensively for a while. No good for a multi though imo. Handy for a ronnie/spinner type set up (replaces a 360 rig nicely). Have anther look at this if you're set on using pre-sharpened:

I found the best way to keep in shape was aquafit... when I retired I started eating properly not junk on shifts as I was before and I put on weight... I started going to aquafit as the low impact work was kind to my back and knees... its great... twice a week and I was toned and fit... then lockdown hit... I have an exercise bike but its not the same... sadly the pool is closed til further notice... I'll be glad to get back after all this is over... theres a social side too and as most of the folks in the class were ladies of a certain age, I was the eye candy🤣🤣🤣🤣 62 and a cobra-back stu