In reply to Post #4
Arena Essex is a syndicate and pretty much invite only and hush hush. I used to fish it when it a day ticket as a kid and plenty of 30s back then with some almost record size perch in there. Talking nearly 25 years ago.

It then became syndicate and me and my dad couldn't afford to join. It went on to produce some very large carp to just below the record levels of the time about 15year back then had large fish kill.

A new syndicate then formed and is completely no disclosure. unless you know the people in charge you will never get on.. but the whole of the Arena Essex has been brought for property development and in plans the lake and area around it will be open as nature park for public, so I assume at end of the syndicate lease it may go back to a day ticket open Access water, haven't a clue when that is. There are plenty of big fish in there, on a warm still day you can see them from the services carpark above.

The chafford gorges are split in 2. The lake below the nature centre says no fishing but people do fish and don't get stopped only every seen perch, silvers and odd jack pike. Don't think there is any carp in there as when I lived in chafford and ran round the gorges I never spotted any in there.
The gorge of Devonshire road however does have a few carp to around low 30s and is a membership only about 10 Swims with fishing from 1 bank. There was contact info around the lake and I did enquire once and added to waiting list but told it could be years as only small membership. The gorge is lovely but not really place I would wanna be a member now days as no facilities, the parking is dodgy, kids swimming there in the summer and public footpath behind the swims, so not really secure plus a steep hill between carpark and the swims.

In reply to Post #6
I just had an interesting idea (some will probably explain why it is stupid idea).

I wondered has anyone used a small bottom bait treaded on the hooklink and pulled up against the ring swivel instead of using putty, weights,beads.

Think the benefits would be added flavor, the boilie would hide the bottom of the hook from fish approaching from certain directions. Looks more natural on bottom than a weight.

Disadvantages would be that over time it's takes on water, so rig progressively becomes more over weighted. As long as not to big a bait used I don't see it hindering the mechanics.

In terms of having an extra bait for the fish to pickup I am not sure what kind of hook hold would get when fish pickups up the bottom bait on the hooklink. Any ideas?

But we have all probably caught the odd fish from it mouthing the putty/bead instead of the popup without us even realising.

In reply to Post #112
A 60 and 5 50s Is amazing well done Gareth did you have a lot of other fish aswel, bailif's diary not up yet. Wouldn't surprise me if dream lakes make a magazine advert just featuring your week lol

In reply to Post #102
Spoke to one of the bailiffs yesterday, an angler on lake2 caught a 60 and 6 50s last week! All the fish are beginning to group up spawning very likely early this week with the weather forecast for the next few days.