Wonderful to have the forum up and running again. Was only a lurker, but visited and read avidly.

New for me since the forum took a pause?
Bit of back-story: restarted fishing May last year after 30 year pause. Decided on carping, ‘cos a colleague got me a membership of a low-stock hard-fished water. And between equipping, learning (slowly), had a slow and frustrating 2023.
Joined a new syndicate from January, 4 big lakes, very little info. Having a wonderful time (between the atrocious weather). Had some really nice fish. Best session was a short day session taking two commons and two leathers between 22 and 28lbs.

So during the forum pause, I feel that I actually became a carp fisher.

In reply to Post #1
Awesome, well done on the fish

Let me know when you next need to fish and I'll turn the site off again...

New lawyers in place.....

Moved house, new bivvy, new lake, (plus staying on the old one).

Still can't catch a fish for toffee and Sheffield United are still crap!

New extension to house started and my Mrs has turned it into an episode of Grand Designs, so I'm skint and have no money to buy fishing gear

In reply to Post #1
Finally after lots of walking, watching & a little baiting have somehow managed to be one step ahead of the fish rather than two steps behind, roll on warmer weather!

In reply to Post #2

Patiently waiting to prebait the canal ready for beginning of may but keeping an eye on weather at minute if I don't think it's good enough I'll jump on lake by canal

Split up with girlfriend, new rods, going to be going fishing a lot more this year, 2 trips booked already, visiting Mr bowers tomorrow to sort out a couple of new baits for this season. Getting the buzz back after a bit of a hard time in recent months.

In reply to Post #1
Made my last cast.. now an armchair (wheelchair) angler.
Good luck to all of you this spring!

found out I've got 2 kids with the wife and we're going on holiday to Turkey since the forums been down

In reply to Post #4
Chris Wilder doing his usual magic, we called him Chippy when he was with us (Oxford United), as he was such an angry miserable sod.

I lived in Sheffield for 11 years, it is a great city.

In reply to Post #1
Actually done more fishing in the last 4 months than I done in the whole of last year. Nothing to do with the Forum being down. Just been more motivated to go recent. Hooked up with a pal I haven't fished with for 25 years plus. It's reignited a flame in me. Got to the age of 50 and got more reason to look back.

New UK PB and some new alarms..........

Started a new lake in March and broke my pb 3 times in two sessions, its now 36.4