The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Agree with Julian there. I currently have an agency chef working with me at the moment who is a fisherman too and he fishes some of the places I fish, he hasnt caught one yet at a particular place i visit. I asked him how he fishes there and he said with boilies like everyone else! I said Ive only caught fish there off the top with Baxters meaty meals or bread crust and have had a lot of carp. When its feasible for us to go there and fish we have a smaller wager that I will catch one off the top before he catches one off the bottom

Where boilies are predominately used bread crust is 'unusual' as well as 'safe' to the fish. Hence the attraction.

Conversely where everything has been used except boilies the fish will take them!

So I always try an old fashioned bait, starting with bread, before going down the boilie route!

I tried all sorts to get a big old chub out of the Chevin-ist swim I ever saw, it was a mini boilie that did it in the end. One and only time I used them, bread is still the king of baits for me.

How dare you put a boilie into my swim sir

Ha ha... My apologies sir. Would you have preferred some gentles? And that's 'gentles' not... Well... You know.

I always use a centrepin for all my lake fishing unless I am fishing at longer range when I use a Mitchell 300. One drawback of the pin is the scream of the ratchet as a carp takes off on it's first run as I find that this draws the attention of other fisherman, I always switch off the ratchet as soon as possible.
I have caught hundreds of carp using a single piece of sweetcorn or bread, I have never used a boilie. I like to fish hard up against the reeds or weeds as long as the water is 18 inches or deeper.

John

So the modern day carp anglers with casting markers and measuring sticks are only re doing what Mr C was doing all those years ago ! Superb !

I intend to try fishing the margins for carp with a pin in the very near future. Somebody recommend a Grice and Young Avon Royal Supreme as a good choice of reel for this type of fishing or would my Rapidex be up to the job ?

Your Rapidex is well and truly up to the job.
The thing is, you don't need a good reel for margin fishing,just a strong one, and Rapidexes don't like being dropped on their rims onto a hard surface; if you're used to remembering to consider your kit when things get a bit exciting, look no further.

A Rapidex would do the job with no problem. I always use a Match Ariel and it has never let me down.

John