JRC Radar CX Bite Alarm Review

"As in all my reviews I'd like to start by stating that I'm in no way connected to JRC Tackle. This is an independent write up that I hope might help you out if you've been thinking about purchasing the JRC Radar CX bite alarm."

I have a real soft spot for bite alarms and through the years I've built up a rather impressive collection, I use them all and will continue to do so. I go through stages, sometimes I get completely stuck on my old DXR's, and as quick as the wind changes I'll find myself digging out my old TLBs or Micron SX's. The main aspect I always look for is reliability, this is far more important to me than endless fancy features that, most of the time, I never really use. I've always swerved the latest fashions and 'buzz' items, opting more for what I personally like the look of, both names and brands really don't mean a great deal to me. Regarding bite alarms, I think it's very easy to get blinkered by the mainstream companies such as Delkim and Fox, that many just don't consider looking elsewhere. I find that overtime 'in any industry, not just angling', the mainstream companies can get complacent with their standards, but they know that on 'name' and past 'reputation' alone', whatever they bring out they're still going to shift shed loads.
  
This is where I feel that it can pay off looking at what the smaller companies have on offer, they've got something to prove so it's within their interest to bring out something of quality. I've always brushed my eyes over the JRC bite alarm range and the one feature that always caught my eye was the LED bar, I loved the idea of the LED moving in the direction of the line. Would this feature help me catch more fish? - of course not, but it's something very different to anything I'd seen before and I genuinely really liked it. The thing that always put me off buying them was the shape. However when I saw that they'd released a new model, the Radar CX, I was instantly taken with them. Visually they're very understated, and I really liked their unique design. The CX range are slim, sleek and very clean looking, I understand the way a bite alarm looks comes down to personal taste, but for me they ticked all the boxes. 

The RRP on a single head is £49.99 but if you scout around you can get them much cheaper. Both mine, brand new cost £23.99 from ebay and for that price you get one hell of an alarm, even for the original price I believe you're getting a product that equals those of double, even triple the cost. So where do I start? - firstly, the alarm comes with its very own hard case that slips off and on with ease. On closer inspection of the alarm itself, it's all very minimal, on the back you have an 'easy to access' compartment that houses a single square 9V battery. Once the battery is in, the head feels very solid in the hands, it doesn't feel cheap and tacky.

It has volume, tone and sensitivity, the knobs are large, perfect for those with fat fingers, and they're very easy to turn. Its on/off switch is located on the bottom left. Switching it to the right turns the alarm on, you'll get 3 bleeps and the LED will travel upwards. This indicates that the alarm is now functioning and ready for use. If you click the switch to the left, this puts it into 'manual night function', meaning that the top of the LED strip stays on omitting a softer light, this setting makes it easier on the eyes when using it in the dark. Having now spent a lot of time out on the bank using them, I've had ample opportunity to mess about with the settings. There's an array of different tones ranging from the very low, through the mid, right up to the high range, the volume can be set to near silent or cranked right up if need be. Taking into account that it's a roller wheel system, the sensitivity is very versatile and more than you'll ever need. On its most sensitive I've found that it detects the smallest of liners and, having recently been braving the banks in the current gale force winds, I've had no issues with false bleeps when using the lower regions of the sensitivity settings.

Slim & Solid

Moving up to the top section of the alarm, you have the LED strip housed on the left, it's very easy to see and even on bright days it's very clear. I've found on some alarms the brightness of the LED can be effected negatively in the sunlight, this is not the case with the CX. The little 'groove' that holds your rod is nice and snug and it has small rubber pads built in, these help to grip your rod. One downside I'd like to mention is the use of snag ears, due to the shape of the alarm around the battery housing, it's not possible to use snag ears with them. To be honest though, you'd need to be fishing locked up and super tight to either your left or right to stand any chance of the rod being pulled off, I personally don't think you need snag ears with these alarms. Moving onto the Radars sound, the clues in the name, it literally sounds like a radar or a sonar blip. I haven't heard another bite alarm like it, for me this is yet another aspect that really separates the CX from other alarms out there. The other thing that I'm really impressed with is the clarity. The sound is super clear, to get this clarity JRC state the alarm has a "Magneto-dynamic speaker with digital amplifier for superior sound quality". I'm not quite sure what that means but I can confirm that the sound is super clear and clean.

Blue - Red - Green - Orange

So now I'd like to move onto the finer details of the alarms indication - bare with me, there's a lot to explain and I didn't realize they were so technical.

Firstly, when the line pulls forward the alarm will sound and the LED will move in unison upwards. If it's just a single bleep, the LED will shoot to the top and stay fixed for 20 seconds. When you get a small single 'drop-back' the bleep is a semitone lower and the LED drops to the bottom, it will then flash for 20 seconds. When you get a full blown take forwards, the LED travels from the bottom to the top and repeats. When you get a full blown drop back the LED travels from the top to the bottom and repeats. It might sound all a little 'overkill' but with all these little features combined, it gives you a very clear indication of what's going on. To my knowledge I'm not aware of another bite alarm on the market that communicates things in such detail. Truth be told, you don't necessarily need all this, I've always said that you know full well when you've got a carp on the end of your line, but it's all very impressive and well thought out. There's a short video below to demonstrate what I've explained in this paragraph.

Alarm Specifications

Designed, engineered & tested in the UK
Traveling colored LEDs
20 second latching LED
Step-less adjustable volume, tone, and sensitivity
Magneto-dynamic speaker with digital amplifier for superior sound quality
Housing made from high impact ABS material
Range of 150m+
Manual nightlight function
All weather proof, double sealed electronic parts
Long battery life
Rubber inserts to keep the rod from sliding
Low battery warning
Operates on 1 x 9V Battery (not included)
Manual power on-off
Power out socket
Rolling code ID function
Prevents interference by other alarms on the same lake

            

Moving away from the alarm itself, another huge advantage to the CX range is the capability of being able to use a wireless receiver. JRC have designed one dedicated to the Radar CX alarm range. The RRP on this is £34.99 but if you scout around you can find it cheaper, I purchased mine for £26.99. The unit is small, compact and solid in the hands once the batteries are installed, it runs off 3x AAA. It's capable of pairing up to 4 alarms. Just like the CX heads, it's very understated, it has a single volume knob that's very easy to adjust. The on and off switch is located on the top of the unit, if you flick the switch to the left the receiver will beep three times and all four LEDs will flash in unison. This indicates that it's ready for use, on 'volume' mode. Switching it to the right sets it to 'vibration' mode, all four LEDs will flash once to indicate this, the receiver will vibrate three times in unison. When it's set to 'vibration', no sound comes out the speaker. It's very easy to pair up with your CX heads, this is done using the small button that's located on the top right of the unit.

Radar CX Multi LED Receiver

The volume settings are very versatile, it can be set to silent so no sound comes out at all, however the LEDs will signal any occurrence. On those really windy days when alerts can be hard to hear. You can crank the volume level right up, it's highest setting is really loud. The receiver has the same sound technology in it as the alarms so it's super clear and crisp on all volume settings. In regards to indication, I've found it to be spot on. When you get a forward take the tone is high and the LED flashes at a super fast rate. When you get a drop back the tone is low and the receiver gives off a sound that's very reminiscent of an old mobile phone ringtone. When you turn the alarm off, the receiver will notify you with a short sustained 'bleep' followed by a flashing LED. All in all it's a great addition to the CX range.

Receiver Specifications

Designed, engineered & tested in the UK
Traveling colored LEDs
20 second latching LED
Step-less adjustable volume
Magneto-dynamic speaker
Digital amplifier for superior sound quality
Housing made from high impact ABS material
Range of 150m+
Manual nightlight function
All weather proof, double sealed electronic parts
Long battery life
Operates on 1 x 9V Battery (not included)
Manual power on-off
Power out socket
Rolling code ID function
Prevents interference by other alarms on the same lake

Finally I'd like to mention that the alarms have a 2.5mm power out socket. This is so you can use the JRC Radar DS illuminated swingers. I cannot comment on these because I haven't purchased a set. I'm still using my trusted Matrix swinger arms, however, if the design and build quality of the CX range is anything to go by then I'm sure the illuminated swingers would be a reliable edition to your Radar 'weaponry'. So to sum up, I can't recommend these alarms enough, they're spot on in both theory and practice and I have no doubt that I'm going to be using them for many years to come. I've tried to find faults but to be totally honest there aren't any. 

             

As mentioned before, bite alarms, as with every item of tackle, always comes down to personal preference, one mans gold is another mans tin, it's all down to the individual. If you're an angler that follows the fashions and has to be seen with the latest 'cool' product, then these alarms obviously aren't for you. However if you have your own mind, want something different, and don't care about trends, then the JRC Radar CX range is definitely something you should look into. For the price they really are mind boggling, they're high spec and provide you with more than most alarms at twice the price. I really feel like JRC have nailed it with this product. This might just be the 'coolest uncool bite alarm' to hit the market for quite sometime. The choice is yours but it's a 10/10 from me.        

Burrows 'Echoes From The Valley' Part 7

"Here on the inside, outside's so far away"

Life appeared to be moving at a crazy pace of late, I felt like everything had been accelerating around me. It was like I was on a carousel and I couldn't seem to get the hell off of it. It's hard to feel grounded when your feet barely have time to touch the ground. Through recent weeks it had become clear that I wasn't going to get as many winter trips in as I first thought. This made it all the more important to make the most of the time I did have. My job is chaos and being self-employed you have to take the work when it comes in, however heavy the schedule is, you've just got to get your head down and do it. To help me through, in my mind, I always picture the waters, the stillness that they hold, and the solitude that they offer. I know that however hard things get on 'the outside', they'll always be waiting for me safe, on 'the inside'. 

For me 'the outside' is a place that's unrecognizable to the one I grew up in. It represents constraint, conditioning and a constant attack on the mind. I guess its always been that way but I was to young to realize. It's as if we're all part of some 'twisted theater' passed off as real. I get a very strong sense that we're all, 'unknowingly' following a script that's been written for us years ago. You only have to look on both TV, social media, or open a paper, to realize that the troubled times we live in are breeding hatred to epidemic proportions. I find it very hard not to get caught up in it all. But, I truly believe that's what 'the hidden hand' that controls every aspect of our life wants, I refuse to play their game. A population living in fear and fighting amongst itself is a population that's open to manipulation and control - both of these things are happening on a daily basis.  

I try to find a very fine balance between being aware of what's happening around me, but also understanding that it's always going to be a mess. It's either a big one or a small one, but, a mess it will always be. All we can do is try to live our lives the best we can with what we've got. It's realizing what's important to you and holding it close, trying not to let the bad things around you change you as a person. In times of unrest, we've got to hold on to both ourselves and the ones closest to us. I yearn for clarity, the clearest of moments I've ever experienced have been when I'm fishing. Applying your mind fully to the water creates the perfect head space to refuel and realign your perspective on everything in your life that has been giving you a hard time. 

It's here on 'the inside' where the magic happens, it's forever contained within itself. It's a place that functions perfectly without any outside influence. It's where the sun rises over misty pools, where the glimpse of a dorsal cutting the waters skin stokes the imagination. We watch and wait for the unknown to unearth itself, if only for a second or two. All of us anglers, we don't need the 'outside', we're chasing something far greater, something that those without a rod in hand will never understand. That to me is a gift, it's a gift that can't be taken away from us. So let us all forget the worlds bullshit and concentrate on getting out there and making them penultimate casts - that's what 'the inside' is all about. 

When the day of my session came it was very clear how I was going to approach it. I'd had a great result last time so I was going to stick with cutting my hook-baits right down and squashing my freebies. I felt this subtle change was the reason I managed to tempt a few more bites. The only downside to this specific approach was having to walk around the water and introduce my freebies by hand. As crazy as it sounds though, maybe removing the lines from the swim, if only for a short time, might just work in my favor. I was out the door and on the road by 8am, the weather was bitter and pretty dam unwelcoming. I was cruising down the motorway at a leisurely pace, the road in front of me was clear, I was making my escape, determined to get on 'the inside' as soon as I could.

On the other side of the road the traffic was already backed up to a stand still, hundreds of lives were trapped in strange metal boxes with four wheels attached to them. Each fighting their way through the 'everyday' to scratch their fingers to the bone, trying to earn a living. Each of their bodies, a 'metaphorical cog' in the broken system that helps to keep both our country and economy running. Somewhere within it all 'living' had to be slotted into the equation, but I fear for many, that's nothing but a brief encounter. I feel blessed I have the time to step away from work commitments to transplant myself into something that I enjoy.

Arriving at the gate to the complex, I unlocked the padlock, it felt heavier than usual, it was wet and extraordinarily freezing to the touch. It was clear the season was going to bite hard today, I hoped that the six or so layers I was 'struggling to move in', might just give me a little comfort during my quest to try and land another few fish. This time of the year there is still a very muted voice in my head telling me 'You must be mad', being out in such conditions, not only being outside, but morphing myself into an environment that's doing its best to exclude me. But being 'careless' and utterly obsessed with the adventure, there would have to be a pretty serious natural disaster to stop me from making my casts. I crept up the muddy path in the van up to the car park, it was empty, I was totally alone, it was me, the water and the carp ..... PERFECT! 

Review Of The Swim In Summer 'Red Dot Is The Sunken Post'

Everything was thrown on the barrow in a god awful fashion, carelessly locking it all in place with two fraying bungee straps. I started, what I can only describe as a 'bloody endurance test', trying to push it around the clay ridden, water logged paths to get to my swim. After what felt like a marathon, I plonked the barrow down and before setting anything up, I thought I'd take a wander to deposit my freebies in the usual places. Walking around the top end of Burrows where the cages were situated, the atmosphere was exhilarating. Everything around me appeared paralyzed, just like last time, the water had no ripples and the skeletons of all the trees stood rigid and wiry. I felt like an anomaly, the odd one out, even though there are times when I feel completely dead inside, today I was very much alive.

View Up Into The Cages 'As Spring Wakes' 2016

Arriving at my spot, a swift handful was spread along the edge of the marginal growth. I legged it back to my swim and proceeded to get everything constructed and ready to go. I was using the exact same rigs as last time, except this time my hook-link was a very short 'trigga-link combi'. Using this in conjunction with a 3oz lead was going to enhance its springlike qualities perfectly. Both cut down boilies were threaded intricately onto the hairs, rods were wrapped to 12.5 rod lengths, finally those penultimate casts were made. The lines kissed both clips, both the drops felt satisfying, with bobbins hung I was now ready for the inevitable 'wait'. Despite the harshness of the world around the water, I felt quietly confident that I could tempt at least one bite.

'Trigga-link' Combi

I put my brolly up, got the kettle on and quietly worked on existing perfectly within the moment. Here I was, alone, perched by the water, safe on 'the inside', nothing else mattered other than the mystery below the surface and the life that surrounded me. I sat silently, knowing that beyond the gate to the complex there was a fight for survival. All those souls that were at a stand still in the morning would've now reached their destinations. Each with a different task they had to complete, clocks would've been punched, rotas put into practice, all with endless rules that had to be followed. I hate all of the above, it's as if humans are being moulded into machines, and through repetition, becoming desensitized to what life should really be about. I believe the life style that's forced upon us is contributing to the ever growing problems with mental illness.

Both the human mind and body wasn't created to be contained, it isn't suppose to be 'mechanized'. A caged mind can only take so much and I feel when people have a 'breakdown', that's the minds way of telling you it has had enough with the constraint that's being forced upon it. I hastily reverted all my thoughts back to the water, what was the point in pulling 'the outside' into a place that it doesn't belong. Suddenly my right hand rod rocketed off, the tip swung round and the clutch whizzed away. I lifted into the fish, it was darting around like crazy, the minor tugs and lunges indicated that it was no monster, I was just happy to get a bite. After a spirited little battle I slipped a lovely little mirror carp over the net.

Scale Perfect

Slipping her back I got the rod straight back out, I decided that I wouldn't walk around and top the swim up. For some reason I was feeling rather lucky, I had a feeling in my gut that, whatever bait was left out there, it was enough to get another bite. Time was passing and as midday melted into afternoon the temperature started to drop, with this came a slight breeze that was gently pushing down towards the bowl end of the water. I was glued to my rod tips urging for one of my alarms to go screaming off, both remained static. After another hour or so I decided to reel in and take a wander to apply some more bait. Along the path and up around the cages I went, the mud and clay was 'squelching' beneath my feet, slowly sticking to both my boots. By the time I got to my spot, both of my feet weighed a ton, walking with a combination of clay, mud, and now sticks stuck to my boots is no easy task. Freebies were once again thrown along the marginal growth, this time tighter than before.

When I got back to my swim I decided to wrap the rods up to '13' lengths, I wanted to be kissing those branches, getting my bait as tight as possible. Both casts were perfect and with a new enthusiasm I popped the kettle back on and proceeded to see out the final stages of the day. Time passed quickly and I was starting to think that maybe the swim wasn't going to offer anymore prizes. I waited .. and waited some more, just at the point I was thinking of reeling in, I got a savage liner on my right hand rod. I was now perched on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, the universe shrunk around me, it was just me and the rod tip, nothing else mattered. Another small jolt on the tip communicated a single bleep on my alarm. Something was going on, maybe there was a monster just inches from my bait.

Morse Code

  

There was a moment of calm and then all hell broke loose, the rod tip arched around, the clutch kicked in, my bite alarm could barely keep up with the pace of the chaos. I lifted the rod, immediately I was met with a heavy weight, I knew this was a good fish. It raced towards the sunken post but I managed to steer it well clear. However that didn't stop it from pile-driving itself sharp to the right, I was literally hanging on, slowly tightening the clutch as it went. I was managing to slow it down and after a minute or two it started to lose its fire. Now directly in front of me in the open water, I proceeded to edge her closer. A short distance out, there was a massive vortex and I caught a glimpse of a deep colored tail-fin.

Closer and closer she came until she was under the rod tip, I still hadn't got a clear sighting, all the clay in the margin was being kicked up like crazy. I lowered the net into the murk, suddenly it came to the surface and went over on its side to signal defeat. I couldn't quite process what I was witnessing, the fish blew my mind. It was a relatively big common but both its shape and proportions where unbelievable. It was dumpy, short with huge shoulders and I can safely say that I've never caught a carp from Burrows like it before. Once again the water had given me yet another amazing gift, through all the years I've been fishing the place it never ever ceases to amaze me, all the different kinds of carp it keeps hidden. Out of all the waters that I fish Burrows holds a large and unique variety of fish that I just haven't come across anywhere else.

Perfect Proportions

Most know I don't usually bother weighing my fish anymore, I refuse to give such amazing creatures a number. However on this occasion I was intrigued to know what this fish went. Sorting both the scales and sling out, the needle fell to 23IB 8oz, I must admit, I though it might of gone a little bigger, but none of it mattered. Taking pictures of it was challenging because every shot seemed to make the carp look super huge. Due to its shape and build it was tricky to get it in perspective. Once done, she was returned safely, off to become a secret once more. - I just hope whoever catches her in the future takes great care.

 Such An Incredible Carp

It was the perfect way to end the session, it was such an incredible fish and one that I will remember forever. Now with temperatures dropping and the light starting to slip away, I decided I'd pack up and prepare myself to venture off into 'the outside' once again. I'd refueled and refocused enough to deal with whatever it was going to throw at me. I knew it was a temporary visit though, I was already planning my next getaway. Driving home, passing all the strange metal boxes with four wheels attached to them, all us 'metaphorical cogs' were once again on the run, all homeward bound to switch off and rest before heading out to do it all again tomorrow - I will be one of them. The one saving grace though, is, I know that 'the inside' is waiting for me, contained within itself, functioning perfectly without any outside influence, calling for us anglers to make those penultimate casts. It's a world that's only accessible by a chosen few, those of us with a rod in hand and a head full of dreams.

"Here on the inside, outside's so far away"

       

Gardner ATT Silent Alarm Review

As with all my product reviews I would like to state that I am in no way connected to Gardner Tackle. I was in the running for some new bite alarms for my two rod setup and after much deliberation I decided to purchase the ATT silent alarm. With this specific make there appears to be no real middle ground, people either love them or hate them.

I for one am a big fan and since purchasing them I have had absolutely no issues of any kind. In this blog post I am going to give my honest opinion. I have reviewed the attx-v2-modular-system receiver that pairs up with these alarms, you can read the review here Wireless Receiver Review. Having used the ATT's all year round and in all types of weather conditions I feel I can now give a rounded viewpoint. 

ATT Measurements

More than any other item of tackle, the bite alarm is the one piece of kit that is very easy to be led down the garden path with. I find we can get all hung up on the 'features' aspect and 'look', rather than the functionality and the reliability. A bite alarms primary job is to communicate fully what is occurring in the murky depths that stretch before us. 

The basic rule for me is that the more there is, the more chance you have of something going wrong. Don't get me wrong, I love the all singing, all dancing bite alarms as much as the next guy, hence why I still use my original Fox DXRs when fishing three rods, I still find I rarely use most of the features on them though. At the end of the day I look for build quality and if it makes a noise when I have a fish on.

Sleek And Simple

The first point that struck me about the ATTs is how small and compact they are. And it really is "what you see is what you get", it's just a roller wheel and an LED, no speaker, no buttons, smart, simple and sharp looking. The alarm itself is water resistant and pretty much bomb proof, it's a sealed unit so nothing can get in. Since owning them I haven't had to change the battery in the heads once. The "on & off" feature is as simple as you can get, there is a small magnet in the alarm cover that, once slipped over the alarm it actually turns it off. In the picture below you will see the small built in magnet on the case.

ATT Protective Cover With Built In Magnet

The ATT has a roller wheel system, the alarm is triggered by magnets fixed in the wheel itself. In regards to sensitivity you can get both two and four mag wheels. Being honest, the two mag is more than enough, it allows a little movement from both wind and undertow and you don't suffer from as many false indications, the four mag is overkill in my opinion. The wheels come in an array of colours to match up with the colours of the LEDs, this makes the alarm look super tidy and will definitely satisfy the "Tackle Tart" in you.

Pick A Colour 

I know that some people are wary of a roller wheel system, fearing that it might freeze up in extreme weather. I have never had any problems with this on any alarm that I have owned and they have all been roller wheel systems. As a precautionary measure, every few weeks I will remove the wheel and give the section of the alarm in which it's housed a good clean to remove any dirt and debris. Removing the wheel is simple with only having to undo a single screw that can be found on the side of the unit. 

Easy To Maintain

After trying a few different combinations I have come to find that a heavy bobbin or swinger is the best type to pair up with these specific alarms. This ensures that the line is kept nice and tight whilst it rests in the roller wheel, thus stopping the chance of a take not registering properly due to the line sliding through the wheel instead of gripping it. I favour a nice heavy stainless steel hanger. This approach is vital when fishing slack lines 

A Heavy Bobbin Gives Heavy Indication

Reviewing the indication I have had on the ATT's since using them, they've registered everything from vicious takes, tiny drop backs and even single bleeps where the carp has picked the bait up without bolting. What you hear from the alarm is a true representation of what is occurring. Having fished with guys that own the Delkim TXI's, I was very surprised to find that when they are on the maximum sensitivity a liner can sometimes sound like a full blown run. I think that it's important to have an alarm that truly represents exactly what is happening so no mishits are made - How many of us have hit into liners?

In the past I have read that people avoid the ATT system because there's a chance that if the receiver breaks you will be left with silent alarms, or if the battery runs out in the receiver you are in trouble. Firstly I always carry spare batteries, it's no hassle to carry a couple of AAA's in my bag, the battery life is long lasting on both the receiver and the alarm units. In regards to the receiver breaking, that's just a risk that is taken, you can't really 'odds that one'. You can get various cases for it, including a waterproof model that will keep it nice and safe.

Various Cases For The Receiver

There are a few minor issues that I have come across, nothing to do with the reliability, more to do with personal preference. Firstly in daylight you have to be face on to the alarm to see the LEDs illuminated, if you are sitting slightly either side, you can't tell which one is lit up. Obviously there is a function on the handset that lets you review which alarm was the last one to register, this is found out simply by pressing a button.

I Hope The Paragraph Below Makes Sense

Secondly when the receiver is on vibration mode, it vibrates in short bursts of around 2 seconds, even if you have a screaming run, it vibrates along with short intervals. This has actually cost me a fish in the past on a session where I had been experiencing a lot of false indications. It was gale force winds so the receiver was vibrating all the time, within this period I actually got a ripping take but due to the swim that I was in and the fact I couldn't see my rods, being hunched under a shelter, I just assumed the response from the receiver was still the wind. I didn't realise until I looked at my rods that one had been tearing off for a minute or so. Basically a liner registers with a similar vibration as a full blown run. I have only ever experienced this miscommunication when the receiver is on silent. When you have the volume up a bit, it's far easier to know what's occurring.

I am not sure what else to say really, all in all if you are looking for an alarm without 'all the bells and whistles', and 'does what it says on the tin', then I seriously recommend that you take a look at the ATTs. They really are one hell of an alarm for the money, they're built well, small, light and will compliment your setup in a cool understated fashion. The way I see it, if a product sells by the thousands, you're always going to get a few that are faulty, that's just the law of averages, it happens with cars, washing machines even fishing rods, that's just the way it is. Don't let other peoples negative experiences put you off of something that you where otherwise interested in. Get out there and have a good look for yourself. Apart from two minor points, I can't recommend these alarms enough and I have no doubt that they will last me for many years to come. 

 Three Of A Kind

Burrows 'Nailing It' Part 1

In between fishing my other waters I have been doing a few sneaky days down on Burrows, I feel a big girl is due a visit to the bank soon. I have done a few sessions on the main lake at Hoo and up on Rugby, I am averaging one take a day on Rugby but always seem to lose them in the weed or reeds, once the leafs start falling I am going to dedicate more of my time to the water, there's some good fish in there. The main lake at Hoo is another tricky one, I have also decided I am going to be putting more time in on this as well, both are challenging but I am up for the fight, I have sorted my presentation out on both of the venues, I am confident I am doing the right thing.

I like to rotate the waters I fish, it keeps you thinking and keeps you motivated, my aim is to be consistent everywhere I fish. My focus is to get the takes, big fish are neither here or there, with consistency they will eventually come. There is a tiny part of me that enjoys the process of catching more than actually netting the fish. Once you've cast out and settled down, it gives you the time to read, write and watch the water, the anticipation of the take is a far greater drug than any legal/illegal high. It's hard to explain but those of you reading this with carping in their blood, will know exactly what I mean.

Beautifully Baron

On Burrows there are a number of spots I know I can catch from, I just wanted to relax into it and see what I could bank. I have been rotating baits on the water and trying a few of the different mixes Starmer knock up. Green Lipped Crab and Bio cp2 Amino have been doing very well and their White Chocolate and Monster Squid have also been nailing a good few, I have caught on approximately 19 different flavors, but for me Banana Cream and Honey Nectar are the ones, these baits really seem to do the business, not just here but everywhere I take them.

"The 50/50 milk Protein boilies are based on a medium protein neutral base mix, which takes just about any flavour readily and is very digestible its dry base form, accepting any concentrated fish extracts and palatant enhancer."

Banana Cream

Honey Nectar

"Green Lip Mussel extract is a highly concentrated powder extract originating from Green Lip Mussels are harvested in the tidal regions where the fresh water meets the sea. These mollusc are filter feeders; filtering out impurities in waters around New Zealand. When the mussel is harvested the lip of the mussel is separated and this is the part that is dried and concentrated. Its own natural high betaine level combined with vitamins and amino acids becomes the vital attractor to carp."

 Green Lipped Crab

Bio Cp2 Amino

On all my sessions I have been trying out a new lead that 'Carpy Chris' Knowler had sent me. It is a Hexi POM lead 2 1/2oz. I was looking forward to using them, the Hexi leads are designed for distance, they're a joy to cast and look real tidy when rigged up. 

I am a fan of the POM system, it creates a great hinge type quality and all the runs have been brutal screamers, also with the secondary running swivel on the hook link I feel it helps to stop the carp from using the lead to shake the hook. When the carp shakes hard the secondary swivel will pull out the lead turning it into a lead clip system, if it tries again, the lead will/can ditch. I am not a fan on ditching leads, I never actually have, but the option is there with this lead setup.

Carpy Chris Hexi POM Leads

My chosen hook-link to use with this system is Suffix Camfusion, it's a strippable braid and has awesome colouring that blends in perfectly to almost any lake bed. I strip off a few centimetres behind the hook and then keep the rest of it stiff, leaving the coating on. My chosen hook is a size 6 Nash fang twister, my hair length is as long as my thumb. I also use a large rig ring, the hook link itself is also long. Because the hair length is longer than normal I use a tiny piece of a PVA nugget to lock it in place, this stops it from tangling on the cast.

Suffix Camfusion

Hair Roughly The Length Of My Thumb 

Tiny Nugget To Lock The Hair

I find with this setup it creates a massive amount of 'free movement' which I feel helps to get stronger hook holds. I have tried and tested nearly every combination when it comes to hair length, hook link length and lead size, there are endless conflicting opinions about it. I have no interest in what the "mainstream" carp fishing media has to say about these things. I go by my experiences and experiments, that is the beauty of the sport, you have the freedom to do what you think is right, I can't emphasis this enough.

My first session was just for the afternoon, I had around 3 hours fishing time. I went armed with the Bio Cp2 and Green Lipped Crab, I chose a quiet margin spot that doesn't seem to see as much pressure as the others.

View From The Swim

I got a nice spread of bait out and cast directly in the middle of it, I separated the baits to each rod but switched my hook bait, so I was fishing a single Bio Cp2 over Green lipped Crab and visa versa on the other rod, both baits were topped with yellow. I was fishing really tight to the opposite margin, almost under it. There are small spots that seem to be snag free and over the years I have sussed out where you can get away with fishing really tight, and actually land the fish. The carp in Burrows are almost genius when it comes to ditching the hook using some kind of branch or root.

Once cast out it didn't take long for the action to happen, I got a take on my left hand rod, it sprung into life and I was in to my first fish, the fight was awesome, all the fish fight really well in Burrows, scales sunk to 17IB.

17IB Burrows Mirror

I slipped her back and got the rod back out, it was on the money first cast. I set the bobbin and sat back, about half hour went by and the same rod shot into life again, after a heated battle I slipped the net over a lovely clean mirror, scales sunk to 13IB.

A Lovely Clean Mirror

I got a few shot and then slipped her back, just as I was about to re-bait my rod, my right one shot off, the carp was frantic, it felt like a common to me. The Burrows commons are bloody nutters and really do put up a great fight, whatever size they turn out to be.

12IB Common Caught On The Green Lipped Crab

The remains of the day went quiet and I decided I'd get my gear together and leave, the sun sets fast this time of the year and I seem to have lost my head-torch. Many times have I been caught out stumbling with the barrow in the dark trying to get back to the car, usually ending up in a hedge. I planned to do a few more sessions, I had bits of work scattered about so I didn't have the time to put long solid sessions in on my other waters.

Day Two

I arrived at the lake for midday, I wanted to fish the muddy double swim, when the ripple on the water is just right and blowing down this end you can really end up having a few. I basically 'match-fish' this swim. I bait up really heavily, get the rods straight back out after each fish, I top the swim up religiously. After a few hours of doing this then I reduce the bait I put in, this can speed up the takes if done right. Today I was using White Chocolate and Monster Squid, once again I was fishing really tight to the opposite margin, you have to get it just right to get the runs, literally Cm's can be the difference between having and not having a fish.

View From The Swim

My end tackle set up was the same as my last session but this time I didn't top my baits off with yellow, I just left them bare and I changed the style of one of my leads, still keeping it on the POM system. Both casts were bang on first time, I sat back semi expecting to get a take quickly. Nothing happened for a fair while, I continued to add more bait, then the action started pretty fast. It was the White Chocolate that pulled the first fish in, I banked a lovely 14IB mirror.

On The White Chocolate

I got the bait straight back out and added around another 70 baits making sure I spread them a good few meters. Within minutes the same rod was away again, this resulted in a lovely low double common.

Second On The White Chocolate 

Again I got the rod straight back out and topped the swim up. From past experience you can get a good few fish in a short space of time from this specific swim, then it seems to trail off and go quiet. My aim was to hold them here for as long as possible.

After a slight pause in the action, my right hand rod soon shot into life, this was on the Monster Squid, this fish put up a real good scrap and I ended up slipping the net over a another spotless looking mirror, scales sunk to 12IB.

On The Monster Squid

Before I even got a chance to cast the right back out, my left hand rod shot off, this resulted in a right scrappy little mirror. I got her back quick and re-cast the rod.

Third On The White Chocolate

I only just got the bobbin on before the Monster Squid was off again. It's obvious the fish were now holding around my baited areas and as long as I kept the bait going in I felt that I could keep catching them. I believe you can get the carp into a feeding rhythm where it gets to the point that even the casting of the rig doesn't phase them.

Another Low Double On The Monster Squid

After the last fish I decided to re-rig both rods with fresh hook-links before casting back out. This time around I didn't add anymore feed, time was getting on and I wanted to try to produce a quick take. Both rods were cast back out and straight on the money. Ten or so minutes later I had another fish on the Monster Squid, an awesome mid double mirror.

A Triple On The Monster Squid

After a few shots I slipped her back, it was getting late now and the swim started to quieten down. Usually I would move up the lake but I decided I would call it a day. I felt I pretty much had everything that was available to have. In my gut I really felt like one of the big girls was due a visit to the bank so I made the decision that I was going to give Burrows a few more sessions, after which I want to move on to other waters. It was very clear that the seasons were changing and if I was going to be out on the bank in all weathers I wanted to be going at some bigger fish.

To Be Continued In Part 2