In reply to Post #2
Well got back last weekend, a tough week for me as well as most of the group 57 and a 52 being the best of the rest by two of our lake exclusive, mostly 20's 30's and a few 40's as well as a few grassies to mid 40's I personally had a 2lb or so Poisson chat in the first hour 🤯 and two carp on the last night and morning a 46.8 and a low 20 both mirrors, I've been to this lake previously in late October 2024 & 25 around the same week, this year around 3 to 4 weeks earlier it was a late September week rolling into the start of October.

In previous years the crays and poisson chats were no issue at all this year the chats more so than the crays were a nightmare dropped proper boilie hookbaits after the first afternoon/night and went over to wrapped baits to start but had to go onto straight plastic baits by Monday they were on it in seconds for the whole week then for the last night I decided **** or bust and back to some proper attraction hookbait boilies, Stoglemans Pilgrims salt cured fished as a snowman with a mainline salty squid pop-up, if they got stripped or messed with cest la vie but after putting them out at 5/6pm the first knocks and little bleeps started within a few minutes I though bugger it I had resided to a blank by morning but first bite came at around midnight 46.8 the second with the rods practically were going on the deck next as all other kit was packed in the van that went off at 11.30am both of the rigs had come back in with just a morsel of the pop-up topper left 18mm hard hookers were gone.

from memory 2024 I had 12/13 bites and landed 11/12 with fish from low 20's to mid 40's including 1 44lb grassie, 2025 had 4 bites accross the week and landed 3 fish a small 20 low 30 and lake record mirror at the time to 71.4 on the last night pub chuck 😂,this year a half about upper 40 and a low 20 so that's me done there for now onto pastures new next year.

Fished it a few times now, will be back there this September, anything you specifically want to know

LINKY POO™ https://uk.dchousepower.com/products/12v-100ah-deep-cycle-lifepo4-bluetooth-low-temp-protection-battery


I have 12v x 100Ah Ultramax & Ecoworthy in Lipo both reliable decent battery's, the dchousepower price takes some beating though now especially with the Bluetooth and low temp protection, they do another 12V 100Ah with various Dc USB/C ports as well cost a bit more but I would be dubious using that one in a boat for the motor I doubt getting water in the charger ports will do them any favors but some serious amount of bank power for a long stay trip.

LINKY POO™ https://uk.dchousepower.com/products/12v-100ah-3-0-portable-deep-cycle-lifepo4-bluetooth-low-temp-protection-battery

As Framey just mentioned Danny F discusses this place on the last podcast he has another lake on the complex which is opening July time I think he said it was Orchid lake which is going to be all casting due to the lack of weed in it definitely no boats.

Lead by volume Rainbow lake in Hostens France would make the ultimate case study, I'm pretty sure that lake would see a small skip full on a yearly basis and since its popularity since the early 00's generally fully booked with an average of 26 anglers week in week out for 51 weeks of the year "I might be well under estimating it", not that I've ever had big big hits there but I've witnessed many a time when anglers have had a combination of 50/60 or even 100+ takes in a week be it from carp, bream, or the odd sturgeon that resides in there. I'd say an average week for most when its fishing well which is more often than not as it can be nearly as prolific in the winter periods would be circa 20 to 30nr x 12 ounce leads or by comparison 60 to 90nr x 4 oz leads 80 to 120nr x 3oz leads half or more of those being dropped due to bream pickups these days, my last visit I had 22 bream takes 5 from carp, the analysis above doesn't account for those that double lead their leaders or those that tape two leads together when theres a blow on, there cannot be many other lakes that I can think of where the toxicity can be anywhere near it, I think in comparison most UK lakes wouldn't get anywhere near in a 100 years compared to a couple at Rainbow even the likes of the linear style venues.

Doesn't make it right I know that before someone states the obvious and where and when I can as I always have especially in my normal UK angling I aim to retain the lead unless conditions/situations dictate otherwise as in fishing up to/near a snag or a weed infested lake when its top to bottom with it, I'd rather drop a lead than leave a fish possibly trailing it, if something was alternatively available, suitable and at a reasonable cost I'd have no problem switching over as I'm sure most anglers would but I'd rather not have it forced on me when it's not.

It's like the comparison to lead shot for shooting around water courses I owned a shotgun for 30 odd years and saw the transition to non toxic shot for that purpose late 90's early 00's but I'd bet money nearly all wouldn't admit that they bought a box to have a few in the pocket but carried on shooting lead around water courses due to the extra prohibitive cost and the damage to your barrels and chokes and yet air rifle pellets to this day are primarily still little lead projectiles that can be digested by the countrysides wildlife.

Needs a UK based company to invest going down this route, they're not going to cast great distances with them being gripper style but if they can design them in grippers I wouldn't imagine a distance casting shape would be too hard to sort out, Eco options are out there at fairly reasonable prices in Europe the shipping kills it getting them to the UK in any volume.

If you hit the read more below the short description its interesting that they say the weight is heavier per cm3 than all other lead alternatives and can be fished out with a magnet as well as take on the liquids/flavours etc.. 100 gram is circa 3.5oz


LINKY POO™ https://www.muziker.co.uk/eco-sinkers-grippa-swivel-100g

In reply to Post #4
Possibly this one?

LINKY POO™ https://cjscustomrods.co.uk/product/chukka-throwing-stick/

Another recommendation for the Tackle Tavern from me used them plenty of times always been in stock and turned up next day if ordered early enough, kept well informed with the delivery via emails, sign up as a member they'll email you a 5% lifetime discount code on non sale items.

In reply to Post #16
It was a translucent reddish/pinky colour, I used to buy in in 500ml bottles and add it at 20ml per mix.

In reply to Post #133
I wouldn't waste your time Adam, as it usually does other anglers who know nothing about you or your angling or opinions come up with their own formed opinions that mean nowt.

I'm 54 now and someone who started fishing in the late 70's taught by my dad float and ledger fishing on rivers and lakes for all species then specifically carp fishing from the mid 90's having spent around near 30 years angling and learning the craft and skills of angling before buying a bait boat circa 2005 which hasn't got GPS or an Echosounder on it just specifically only used for my Foreign holidays to which I mentioned in this thread earlier the captures carry little to no merit to have someone comment "perhaps get a better angler than myself to catch a carp so I can have my photo with it"
Pay no attention to it I'm old and ugly enough and know different.