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That is brilliant. MH is a top guy, he gave me and some mates a casting lesson a while back. Highly recommended.

These days I use bought frozen bait and matching glug /soak. If I use added paste it is simply matching base mix mixed with said glug.

Yes, he can supply additional tips. I will re-jig mine (2” broken off the tip) and see what it is like before I get a replacement. I don’t particularly like the orange tips either (too much orange) and ironically I broke the all black one !

I took mine feeder fishing for Stillwater roach earlier this week. I would have written you a full report. Unfortunately I smashed the tip in the back of my car on the way to the lake (and I left the other tips at home). It will be 11ft 4” and a 65g tip by the time I’ve resuscitated it. I’ve...

Exactly right. I used to fish ‘The Grange’ water in Essex and Mainline dominated that water with a succession of their baits - Grange, Essential opal etc etc. Some top quality carp anglers fished there, notably Ken Dorset (KD rig) and they knew a decent bait when they saw one. I got to know...

I tied mine (usually with Korda supernatural braid) 8 turns up and 5 down. Then I add a Rizutto finish (basically a whip finish) and then put a tiny drop of superglue on it. That has landed 40lb carp and 16+ barbel - but it is still an inefficient and basically an unreliable knot. I say that...

Apologies, yes it is BAF

I have bought bait (both dry mix and frozen) from certain suppliers and exactly the above has happened over time. Some ‘suppliers’ even try and restrict the availability of certain ingredients - either to end users or other suppliers. And don’t get me started on the cost of ingredients vs the...

I routinely carry a small bag of leads that probably weighs less than a pound. Occasionally a feeder or two sneaks in. Earlier this week I did a short trip to the middle Thames as I had to travel to Essex for a meeting. I switched my handful of leads for bigger ones as my last trip had involved...

I would take a different view. I did often (not so much now) drive for an hour or so, fish for 2 hours and then drive back. I’ve only stopped because the fish aren’t there now.

Trefor and to a lesser extent Tony Miles did much of their fishing around the time that their books came out on the Bristol Avon. The stock on that river now is probably 5 or (at best) 10 % of what it was in the early ‘90’s. I was fishing there then and met Trefor on numerous occasions; 2 of...

I use a Westlake 36” triangle net. Stupidly cheap but works just fine. Approx 20 quid for the spreader, arms and a nice deep mesh. It has relegated my Chris Brown to back-up.

That sounds like ‘Japanese shrink wrap’ as used on many carp rods. The carp boys are now using ‘EVA’ in different colours, even camo if you so desire. A fly rod company (Bloke rods) tried to introduce cork coloured ‘EVA’ a few years back - but the fly market still seems to want cork, despite...

Thinking Anglers compact rucksack. Small but perfectly formed. Roll up unhooking mat on top. TA slim quiver - very light and a brolly can be added on bad days. Usually only 1 rod. Small bucket with a bit of bait/bottle of water etc. Aeronium chair if necessary, or sit on unhooking mat. Or...

The East coast Scottish rivers support significant roach populations. The Tweed, Forth, Earn etc were worth fishing when I lived up there in the 80’s. These days I think the Forth is more of a dace fishery. I didn’t come across any barbel info during the 5 years I spent up there. Most of the...

I’m a skinny 6ft and the large was miles too big (waist/chest) for me.

Fox mini Microns are probably the best of the ‘cheap’ alarms. A couple of years ago I bought a set of Prologic ‘Bat’ alarms ( 3 and a sounder box for 80 quid) just see how good they were as the reviews were so positive. They were great (but a bit complicated to operate) and I toyed with selling...

If your budget will suffice; go on a trip somewhere. That way you don’t end up with even more gear, but you do generate some great memories.

I bought a spool of Synchro XT in .33 mm diameter (not Loaded) last year and tried it after all the rave reviews. Even the local ‘Tackle Den’ recommended it. I didn’t like it at all and have gone back to my regular Gardner HT. I’ve also used Korda ‘sub line’ (12lb, breaks at around 15) and...

15ft PowerloopX any good to you ? Stiff as hell and tip heavy - mine has a 3oz bomb stuck in the end of the butt. Free to a good home; I haven’t used it for 15years.