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B
y the time you read this we season licences rather than short-term
should have all renewed ones. Lets hope it increases numbers
our shing licences for of anglers who get involved.
2016. One gripe of the I would like to take time to give
carp angling fraternity has my designer and editorial assistant
always been the necessity to purchase Karl Jenkinson a huge thank you
two licences in order to use three for his help over the last year as he
rods. Well, pressure from the carping heads for pastures new. He has been
community may have been heard integral to the fresh look of Advanced
because there have been proposals Carp and my right-hand man
for the rod licence to be reviewed for when it comes to putting the
the 2017 season. Its certainly a step in magazine together every
the right direction and I for one would month. He is taking up a
be really happy to pay a little extra to role at Wychwood Carp
use three rods rather than buy two as communications
separate licences, and its satisfying co-ordinator and the
that carp and specimen anglers have entire team wish him
been heard. The EA is also looking at the best of luck there.
oering free licences to children under With spring well and
the age of 16. This can only serve to truly here, we look forward to getting
get more young anglers enjoying the more time on the bank and catching a
pastime that we all love. few. Despite my considerable eorts I
Another proposed introduction had a dismal season last year, so I look
is the creation of a 365-day rolling forward to trying to make up for it this
licence, allowing anglers who begin time around.
their shing in the summer months to Be sure to get in touch with your
get a full year. Although it wont aect catch reports, we love seeing anglers
many seasoned anglers who simply making the most of the outdoors.
renew their licence every year and get
on with their shing, it may help to Max Hendry
encourage anglers to purchase full- Editor
Dream Realised P22
There arent many anglers who can claim to
have caught three UK upper fties, but George
Benos is one such man. The Lea Valley ace
makes targeting big carp look simple, which is
a rare thing in the age of technical, rig-led carp
shing.

ISSN 1475-6315

Max Hendry Karl Jenkinson Karen Biggs

Editor
A lming trip/social to Linear
Fisheries with Karl proved
unsuccessful and a social with
ACF contributor, Gavin Neal,
resulted in a brace of twenties in
a quick overnighter, breaking his
string of blanks in ne style.
Designer & Editorial Assistant
Karl managed to bag a stunning
29lb scaly mirror on a feature,
taking the lead for the annual
biggest sh competition in the
oce, as well as a social on his
main water, a trip to France and
a few nights on his club water.
Business Development
Manager
Karen enjoyed working on the
stands at The Northern Show
and The big One, and found it
a great opportunity to speak to
the readers. It was also her 21st
birthday again this month.

05
05 EDITORIAL
Max Hendry expresses his views on todays
carp scene in his monthly editorial.
08 WHATS OCCURRING
The latest news and competitions from
the social media side of carp shing.
12 A TALE OF TWO FORTIES
An astonishing weekends angling saw
Ash Bailey bank 10 sh, including two
40-pounders, in short, hectic feeding spells.
18 THE FLAT PVA BAG
Lee Tompkins reveals a PVA-bag method
that gives you the ultimate presentation
for single-hook-bait shing.
22 DREAM REALISED
After a gruelling season on a rock-
hard Chichester water, George Benos
notches up his third UK fty.
31 THE MULTI HINGE RIG
Karl White reveals a full interchangeable
take on the super-eective reverse combi
rig that he has been using for two seasons.
36 AVID COMPETITION
Two sets of three Avid Carp MSX 3.25lb
rods can be won!
40 SCHOOL DAYS AT THE
PLAYGROUND 2
Charlie Terry concludes his time on a
Chichester club water, where he banked his
rst UK fty at 54lb 2oz!
47 THE OVERNIGHT ANGLE
Short-session specialist Lewis Russell
recalls his stellar angling year.
52 MY GREATEST CAPTURE
Mistaken identity meant Daniel Whitford
missed the chance to weigh an upper forty,
making it his most memorable capture.
57 FIVE FISH, FOUR FORTIES
Myles Gibson began 2016 with a
whopping bang, banking four forties
in just two sessions at Christchurch.
63 SONIK COMPETITION
The awesome Sonik Gravity X Spod
and Marker rods are up for grabs.
06
66 ACF MEETS
Essex angler Craig Stones explores some of
the most pivotal captures that make up his
angling career.
72 CHODDY WORKMANSHIP
Matt Eaton explains how to transform
your chod shing and see your catch rates
soar as a result.
79 LIVE WITH HARVEY WATSON
We challenged Harvey Watson to
catch live for the cameras, on a day-
ticket lake home to true Leneys.
84 THE PVABAG TRICK
Dan Taylor reveals a method that ensures
tight baiting without the need for a Spomb.
88 AGAINST THE GRAIN
Prebaiting and observation have been the
key to Chris Elmeys success on his tricky
syndicate water.
96 GEAR GUIDE: TACKLE
A host of new tackle products get the once-
over by the ACF team.
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102 GEAR GUIDE: BAIT 29

Stickys brand-new wafter range, Spotted 52
Fin boilie avours and Mainline pop-ups
feature in our complete guide to bait.

107/108/111/112 GEAR GUIDE: - GREYS -

GFR FREE RUN
SPECIALS COARSE REEL
Four special reviews on JRC, Wychwood, Ideal for heavy feeder and light
Nash and Sonik products. Find out what to medium specimen fishing
they are here.

114 TESTED
Daiwas Basia AGS carp rod, a
RidgeMonkey throwing stick and Gardner
GT-HD main line go into the spotlight.
88 T E L E P H O N E O R D E R H OT L I N E
118 LIVE WITH... ELLIOTT GRAY
After last months in-depth look into zig
01245 231746
8 . 3 0 A M - 5 . 0 0 P M 
g N
a   /
rigs, Elliott Gray is challenged to put his
theories into practice live for the ACF
cameras, but how does he get on?

124 THE BIGCARP DIARY

The chill of winter hasnt stopped
Adam Penning catching a host of aaaS=S
1#N"#8S
/1 =7
stunning carp from Kent this month,
including a near leather just shy of 30lb.

07
 Weekly Website Competitions

April 8th to April 14th

Enterprise Plastic Corn

April 15th to April 21st

A Life for Carp Book Peter Mohan

April 22nd to April 28th

JRC Hanger Presentation

April 29th to May 5th

Avid Overnight Yard Sticks

Nash 2016 DVD & Euro Banx 2

Social media was awash with the release of the

Nash DVD. It was worth the wait as we enjoyed
four hours phenomenal angling footage. It must
a be a huge undertaking to lm such a video,
and we wanted to extend our congratulations
to the Nash team for such a good job. If you
havent seen it already, check it out.

Instagram Of the Month

@advancedcarp

This months IG post came from our very own designer Karl
Jenkinson. While shooting a feature with Ash Bailey, Karl got the
rods out at the New Forest Water Park and the next morning landed
this epic mirror carp at 29lb 4oz. As you can imagine, the sh went
mad on our feed and rightly so, what a carp! Karl jumps straight into
the lead in this years oce biggest sh competition too. Good work

08
 March Competition Winners
MAD Baits Competition

Brian Round, St. Helens

Brian Richardson, Hampshire Instagram @ocialnashbait
Carl Reader, Hertfordshire With so many catch reports hitting Nash
Russ Mears, Essex HQ it was only a matter of time before
Anthony Goldup, Kent it opened its very own IG feed to show
John Taylor, Torquay them o. Be prepared for carp galore.
Giles Hurst, Oxford
Mark Dickenson, Walsall Twitter @ccmoore_baits
Neil Beesley, Walsall Facebook Of the Month The team at CC Moore certainly knows a
L. Laverick, York Advanced Carp Fishing magazine thing or two about bait. As a result, its
(ocial fan page) Twitter feed is lled with lots of tips and
tricks to get you catching all year round.
We always like to give you a reason to interact with There are also plenty of quality catch
Carp Of The Month our page on Facebook on a daily basis. As a result, we pictures too if you want to see carpy
are always oering thought-provoking questions to content from all over the world.
This month our favourite comes from Kent get involved with. This month was no dierent. We
angler Jake Homewood, who ended a 10-year asked whether anglers make their own bait and if they Facebook Carp In the Park
quest for this characterful 38lb common. had any tips for beginner bait makers. After a ood of The weekend social extravaganza will
Having picked up his bait fresh from Aqua comments, some of which were from bait companies, be held at Billing Aquadrome at the
Bait two days previous, he got down to his such as Baitworks, the angling community got together start of July, with slideshows from the
syndicate, got his baits out and was rewarded in ne style. Its exactly the reason why we write these likes of Terry Hearn, Oz Holness, Adam
with the common on the Saturday morning. questions. Check out our page for more great sources of Penning and Dave Lane over the two
Top work Jake. information. days and a variety of demonstrations,
including casting tuition, and rig clinics.
We are always interested in what you have to say, There is something for everyone at Carp
or show us for that matter, so dont forget to tag us, In The Park. Both Advanced Carp and our
message us, or alternatively you can e-mail the editor sister title Total Carp will be there for the
at max.hendry@dhpub.co.uk. whole weekend so pop over for a chat.

Stunner Alert

After losing an e-mail document last year our editor

was unable to share a snap of The Missing Mirror from
Wraysbury One, caught by Sam Gilbraith at 34lb 4oz. A
dedicated Sam made the trip to the day-ticket water
from Scotland to sh. He was rewarded for his
eorts with the epic carp. Sorry its taken so long
to show it o but its well worth the wait, we
think youll agree.

Each month we take our

favourite posts from the world
of social media and round them
09 up in one bite-size feature.
 Ash Bailey
Working a regular
Monday to Friday job
as a groundworker, Ash
ts all of his angling
in at the weekends,
managing some
incredible results in the
process.
Sponsors: CC Moore,
Gardner 12
A recent
recennt ssession
ession o
on
nNNew
ew FFor
Forest
orest Water
Water
Parkk saw ASH BAILEY
P Ybbankk 10 residents,
id t
including two prized targets.

Sharing an incredible session with my

girlfriend Lyd, The Peach was my rst
sh, and rst forty of the weekend.

13
A
rriving late one
Friday after a
day at work, the
night sky was
already pitch
One of four sh that
followed my capture of The
Peach on the rst morning.
I simply couldnt keep
my rods in the water.
It was carnage as the
twenties kept coming.
I was overjoyed when we nally
weighed The Peach in at 43lb 4oz
and watching her swim
away, I had no idea what was
in store the following day.
black. The barometric pressure me opt for the deeper end of
was unusually low and set to the lake.
stay that way for the weekend Upon arrival there were
ahead, as well as some strong only two swims free, Gravelly
southwesterly winds, making and Gate. I chose to plot up
in Gate, a favoured swim and
one that could accommodate
my missus, who was due down
later that evening.
Through driving rain I set up
my gear, despatched all three
rods into the darkness and
proceeded to bait the spot with
around 15kg the sh really
like their grub in there.
It wasnt until around 9pm
that I was nished and could
nally take shelter from the
incessant rain; I was soaked,
tired, but ready for the
weekend on the bank. The
heavy rain and wind were still
hacking across the lake as Lyd
and I, who had now arrived, got
our heads down around 10pm.
I woke early on the Saturday,
well before rst light, and
exclaimed to Lyd that we
14
hadnt had anything yet. A little
worried, I often begin to start
questioning things if I havent
had one through the night.
Sure enough, after falling
back to sleep, I was awoken
to the screaming shrieks of
my alarm as my left-hand rod
was away. Stripping line at
a rate of knots, the textbook
battle soon resulted in a lovely
26-pounder in the net. The
rod was wrapped and clipped
before plummeting through
the water column, back on the
heavily baited spot, fortunately
with just one cast.
With the cast acting almost
as if it were a dinner bell, the
carp began to show over the
spot, zzing and jumping clear
of the water like an Olympic
high jumper.
A brief period of inactivity
had me concerned. With so
much movement from the carp
I once again began questioning
what was happening, before

Another hectic morning ensued on Sunday, with this 31lb common coming in an hour of madness.
This stunning 24lb 14oz mirror followed the common above, its dark, the second sh of the day
leather-like tones and sparse scales giving it character. tripped up. A really slow take
from the right-hand rod, shed
on the edge of the bait, saw
my bobbin pull up toward the
alarm at an alarmingly slow
pace. I lifted the rod and struck
into a big, heavy lump. The
heavy test curve of my rod took
on an aggressive curve as the
sh darted from weed bed to
weed bed, staying deep in the
water, before plunging through
the depths under the rod tip.
Eventually, with my friend
Ross now on hand, the weed
began to ping o the leader
as it wallowed closer to the
net cord before Ross daringly
thrust the mesh outwards and
scooped upwards in one swift
motion. We knew it was a big
mirror and as I climbed into the
waders and unhooked it, I set
about wrapping and recasting
the rod. Ross conrmed that it
was in fact a sh known as The
Peach everything came to a
halt.
From its shoulders alone,
as it rose in the water toward
the waiting net, I knew it was
All of the sh fell to white or yellow NS1 pop-ups topped with a lump. I also knew that the
maggots, shed over a large bed of particles, maggots and boilies. windows of opportunity on
15
the lake are short, so the rod
being back in the lake was my
top priority. So as Ross declared
one of my targets, I hastily
rechucked and began staring
at this colossal mirror in the
waters edge. Before I could do
anything with the sh my rod
was o again.
True to form, the short
window of opportunity
highlighted itself spectacularly
as I went on to catch a further
three sh in the next half an
hour, all in their twenties, and
all welcome visitors to make
the mornings angling one Ill
never forget. All of the bites
had come from NS1 white or
yellow pop-ups tipped with
maggots over the large bed
of bait Id put out the previous
evening.
As the time nally came to
deal with The Peach after the
hit of sh, with the help of
Ross, who had now had to take
the day o work to help with
weighing, photographing and
dealing with them, we weighed
The Peach in at 43lb 4oz. Lyd
was made up for me and the
rest of the day melted past as
various anglers congratulated
me I was buzzing.
Late in the afternoon I
donned my waterproofs to give
the swim another hit of bait in
the continuing rain and heavy
winds. I spombed out another
two buckets of bait, around
20kg, made up of maggots,
maize, pigeon conditioner,
hemp, Live System boilies
and Pacic Tuna boilies. The
sh were clearly having it and
the quantities undoubtedly
accounted for the big hit,
keeping the sh in the swim
for longer and forcing them to
continue feeding rather than
spook from the spot after a
capture. It took me well into
dark to get the bait out and
I nished up around 7pm,
followed it with a Keskins
kebab takeaway for Lyd and I,
and got my head down in the
hope that the same events
would unfold the following
morning.
Fingers was held aloft after
dealing with some of the smaller
captures that Sunday, all 41lb
6oz of it what a session!
This 30lb common topped my session o spectacularly, having landed
10 sh in one weekend, all in two short morning feeding spells.
The pressure dropped further
still early on Sunday, as forecast
by the weatherman. I woke up
to a bleep on the right-hand
rod that was shed on the edge
of the bait. Similarly to the slow
take the day before, the bobbin
picked up gradually before I
was racing to the rod. The ght
felt the same too; it felt heavy,
stayed deep, and I could only
imagine what was on the other
end. I knew it was another
good one and with darkness
still surrounding me I played
the sh for 30 minutes as it
moved and thrashed between
the deep weed beds.
Fortunately the weed pinged
from the line as it darted
around in front, making it much
easier to net the giant sh,
as it ickered in the light of
my headtorch in the margins,
inching ever closer to my net.
It anked close in and I noticed
the large scales, but was still
unsure which one it was, just
16
that I hadnt caught it before.
As I slid the net under it, the
words that left my mouth
the day before while I held
The Peach up for the cameras
suddenly ashed through my
head. As I was asked which one
Ill have next I had remarkably
said: Fingers.
Sure enough, with its giant
tail on show, I couldnt believe
that Id actually caught Fingers.
Lyd was as shocked as I was;
two of the rarest inhabitants of
the lake and Id banked them
in the same session. They had
both been caught a day apart
before, 18 months previous,
so I had an inclination that
they moved around together.
However, never in my wildest
dreams did I expect to catch
them in that way.
The rod was put back out as
fast as possible and, similarly
to the day before, the runs
continued at pace. Over the
space of an hour or so I banked
a further four sh, all from the
left and middle rods shed
directly over the bait a 31lb
common, 24lb 14oz mirror,
32lb mirror and 30lb common
another fantastic morning.
Strangely, the majority of the
bites had come from shing
over the bait and had all been
screaming takes. The two
forties The Peach and Fingers,
had both come from the right-
hand rod shed just to the side
of the bait, and were both slow,
cautious takes.
Fortunately, as the rain and
wind eased, the sun began to
break through the clouds on
Sunday, and the mammoth task
of photographing all of the sh
began. Ross once again very
kindly took the day o work
to help with the weighing and
camera duties. Fingers was
weighed in at a giant 41lb 6oz
a genuine red-letter session.
Next month we challenge
Ash to catch live for the
ACF cameras. With such an
incredible session already
under his belt, can he really
pull it o again with the added
pressure?
 8 OUT OF 10 CARP
PREFER PACIFIC TUNA

THE OTHER TWO LIKE LIVE SYSTEM

WWW.CCMOORE.COM
 I
originally devised this approach on top of the feeder without any of it
because I was using Method falling behind the lead. Too much bait
feeders a lot, with the at-bottom behind the lead will result in it falling
Method feeder for my carp match the wrong way down, obscuring your
shing. This clearly worked and hook bait. I repeat this a few times until
I like how streamlined the setup was. the bait is lled level with the top of the
I also like the way that the hook bait feeder. I then tie o the PVA bag tightly
was presented perfectly on the top of to create the parcel of bait. All thats left
a pile of bait. A solid bag tends to fall to do is thread your main line through
randomly, whereas the atbed Method the feeder, connect your quick-change
feeder always falls weight rst, so the swivel and rig and its job done. I have
hook bait is on show all the time. used the rig up to 100-yards distance,
One of the pitfalls is the groundbait. although I am sure that it will reach
If there are any nuisance sh you would ranges above this. I simply havent
often end up with no bait around needed to use it any further out on my
your hook bait in a matter of minutes, current venues.
meaning you would have to recast Many people like to use a pop-up on
regularly. I wanted to be able to get the this rig, but having had a play around
presentation of the Method feeder yet with several arrangements in the ve
have the versatility of bait choice of a years I have used the rig, a simple Bait-
PVA bag. I decided to incorporate the Tech Poloni wafter hook bait on a short
two by shing a atbed feeder inside a 3in rig will suce. The wafter matches
PVA bag.
I started o by cutting the ns o a
Preston at Method feeder. Because you
are not moulding any groundbait there
is no need for them. I then slid a Korda
shockleader boom through the feeder
for the line to pass through. This gives
you the ability to house a quick-change
swivel in the thick end of the boom and
will help the feeder be clear of the line in
the event of a breakage. Doctor a PVA tube by heating it on the
There are a few key tweaks that you stove and pressing a feeder onto one side.
have to do to make this technique work
to its best.
Firstly, the PVA mesh tube must be
modied at the end to accommodate
a feeder. I simply heat the tube on the
stove and push the feeder onto the
warmed plastic. This creates a at edge
to the PVA tube; a critical factor when
you are making the PVA bag because it
ensures all the bait falls on the side with Lee cuts the ns o and slides a Korda
the ns. shockleader boom through the middle.
To construct the bag, simply work a
hole between the strands of PVA the
same thickness as a standard Biro with
We take a look at a one of your rig tools. I then slide the
method devised by feeder down with the at back, sitting
on the at part of the tube. I then pass
LEE TOMPKINS to the shockleader boom into the hole it
create the ultimate in made in the PVA. While holding the PVA
tube vertically, I apply a small amount
rig presentation when of boilie crumb followed by a whole With just two components its easy to
shing with PVA bags. bait. The aim is to get all of the bait construct.

18
the colour of freebies that I
have in the bag and looks just
like a loose boilie. I simply nick
the rig onto the outside of
the bag, right in the centre of
Fashion a hole in the threads of Slide the feeder down the tube Keep the PVA tube vertical and
where the feeder will sit on the PVA to t the shockleader boom and thread the shockleader sleeve put a selection of your chosen mix
lake bed. through. through the hole like so. into the tube.
The mix has been devised
to oer attraction and prevent
suspicions being aroused.
Primarily, the boilie crumb
forms the main staple, but like
groundbait it is susceptible to
nuisance sh, not to mention
the fact that it can easily Ensure all the bait sits on the side Thread your main line through the Connect your rig and nick the
disperse if a sh travels over with the ns to ensure the feeder shockleader sleeve and attach a hook into the top of the PVA bag.
the top of it. As a consequence, sinks the right way every time. quick-change swivel. The rig is ready to go.
I add several whole boilies to
the bag to ensure there are a A wafter hook bait
few heavy items that match spent the whole winter shing matches the freebies
the hook bait in the immediate the Essex Manor like this and in the bag perfectly.
area. I feel that this helps the have enjoyed great success.
sh tune into baits the same With several sh to 39lb, its
size as the hook bait. testament to the rigs ability
PVA bags are underrated as to work for even the most
a big-sh method but I have pressured sh.

A winter 39lb common

caught on this exact setup.

19
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k
GEORGE BENOS adopts his heavy baiting approach
and notches up his third UK upper fty with the
superb Half Lin, after braving a savage storm.
supp
suuppppos ose
os e thhe mamain in att ttra
r ctio
ra cttion
o off
V nn
Vi nnet etroro
ow waw s th the e bi
bigg mi
m rror
rrrorr knonown n
as The
as h Hal alf Lin
Liin.
n. My go goodod fririen
en
e nd SeSean n
Leve
Le ereettt and
nd Joh hn Mc McAlAllilist
Al liist
ster
e had
er
caaugu ht h it;t de esspi
p te
t hav avin
ing
in g re eache
acche
h d
ovver
e 59l 9 b in n prreevi
viou
ouss cacapt
apt
ptur
ures
ur ess Thehe Hallf Liin
doessn
do ntt re ece
ceiv
eiv
i e a grge eaat de eall of prpres
ess,s and d
ass a res
esulu t itt doe o sn ntt att
ttraract
ct a lot
ot of bi big-
g sh
a g
an gllerrss..
I kn
knew w it waas go goining to be a ch
ing cha le
chal engn e;; witith
h
arou
ar ou
ound
und d 25 to 30 ca carprp it was
waas a lo ow-
w-ststtock
ck la
lake
k .
Anothe
Anot
An othe
ot h r re easason
on forr itsts har a d na
n tu ure wass the h
faact
ct thaat it itss avverag
errage
age d
ag de ept
p th ooff ve fe f ett gavve
very
ve ryy lit
ittl
t e aw
tl way
ay in te erm
rms of dissce cern
ern
rnab
rnabable
ble
le harrd
sppotts.
s Co onnsesequ
q enentltly,
tl y you u wouould ld
d oftften
enn see
ee
anngl
g er
e s ca catc
tcch oonne oror two wo sh o o an n are ea,
a, onnlly
forr it to bl
fo blow
ow w compl
ommplp ettelly an a d go g bitel itel
iteless
eles
ess fo
es forr
thhe re
rest
st of th t e sseeas
asononn. ThT e weweed d alsso me mean
ean nt
thhat man ny an angl
gller
g e s pu ulllled
edd o for o the he sum mmemer,r,
due
du e to it re r sesemb
mbliing
mb g a foo otbbaalll p
piitc
t h.h

George Benos
Lea Valley-based angler
George has landed
some of the countrys
largest and revered
carp, including The Fat
Lady from St Ives and
The Amphibian from
the tricky Essex Manor.
Sponsors: Gardner
Tackle, Nash Bait and
22 Phatsh Clothing.

An average season was no
more than a few sh. The odd
angler would have 10, but more
often than not most people
struggled to get things going
on this tricky lake.
My normal approach relies
on shing with lots of bait. I can
sh single hook baits but Im
always more condent with a
big bed of boilies on the spots.
Whenever I have caught big
sh it has always been when
playing to my strengths and
using bait.
I started in February 2015.
As spring approached, the sh
began to wake up and I spent
my time chasing them round
the pond. Early in the season Id
tried my heavy baiting method
but it didnt work, due to the
lack of consistency of baiting
one spot the lake was very
busy and I rarely shed the
same swim each time I went.
My mistake was in chasing
the sh round the pond, trying
to get a slice of the action from
a week or so before. I should
have tried to get something
going myself, using my
watercraft to pre-empt where
they would turn up.
I spent much of the early
season shing for showing
sh in a mobile way, but I soon
began to feel that setting up in
areas consistently and trying
to get something going would
give me a much better chance.
Ive spent plenty of time
blanking on hard waters and it
With the weed rife in the lake,
shing was limited to close-in spots.
makes it harder to bear when
youre right on the sh.
Ive never shed a lake where
the carp show right over baited
rigs for so long without getting
a bite; it doesnt matter how
experienced you are as an
angler, it really starts to get into
your head. You automatically
start blaming the rigs and bait,
but ultimately the worst thing
A Chocolate Malt bottom bait was
you can do is play around.
chosen to match the rest of the
Sticking to what you know is
boilie that George was feeding.
often the best policy.
A breakthrough came in early
April when I caught a scaly carp
after moving onto showing
sh. I thought Id cracked it, but
after a while it became clear
that this was not the way to
catch sh for the whole season,
and I would be forced to adapt.
My next moment came in
late May, on a three-night
session. Most of the syndicate
tend to leave when the weed
gets up. The lake looks like a
eld in summer and you are
restricted to short range in the
interests of sh safety.
Scouring the lake for any sh
laying up close to the bank, I
eventually found a group of
carp in a hole anked by two
thick beds of eelgrass. This
small hole seemed like the best
spot to present a bait.
I watched as the sh would
drift through the channel into
The beginning of the season was spent
the main spot, and noticed a
watching and moving onto showing
small clump of weed at the
sh. It proved hugely frustrating
front. Knowing it would cause
because results werent forthcoming.
issues with line lay, I managed
23
to blag a Spod o a fellow
member; this made a perfect
surface weed rake and I cleared
a track in the weed to perfectly
place my lines. I then dropped a
small PVA of my simple bottom
bait out on the spot. Knowing
that the weed was rife, I locked
up the clutches and tightened
down so it wouldnt budge.
I icked the other rod down
the margin so it was out of the
way, settled in for the night and
set up the bivvy right next to
the rods.
The night passed without
event, but I woke to a lovely
dawn and got out of the
sleeping bag to answer the
call of nature. Sods Law, the
rod shed in the weedy hole
took o the bobbin smashed
the blank and the tight clutch
whirred away. I was on the rod
straightaway, applying as much
tension as possible.
The sh was locked solid
in weed, so I quickly put the
rod on the rest and reeled in
my second rod. I managed to
After chasing the carp around the
lake for the spring, George nally
landed his rst carp in the shape
of the scaly Munden mirror.
get it slowly moving, with it
powering deep into the weed
beds twice more. After slowly
moving back out the sh
surfaced, its big frame bobbing
just past netting distance, only
for the hook to pull. I reeled
in and inspected the rig, only
to nd a large scale. It must
have run up the shs ank as it
swam away.
I kept the scale with a view
to matching it up, hoping that
I hadnt already lost The Half
Lin. Six whole shless months
had culminated in a lost sh. It
really hurts when that happens.
After that the sh spawned
and because its a 240-mile
round trip I asked the other
members to let me know
when it was okay to return.
Meantime, I ventured back to a
local Lea Valley pit and caught A large at pear lead and a simple lead clip. George rarely
plenty of sh, proving that I overcomplicates his rig arrangement.
wasnt losing my touch and
recharging the batteries. really helped, but my buoyant Not to be defeated, I kept
My return to Chichester positivity was soon snued out the image of the superb Half
had me brimming with when I lost another sh to a Lin in my mind; towards the
excitement; the time away had hook-pull. end of the year it was caught
24
 UNIT K, MOOR LANE, WITTON, BIRMINGHAM, WEST MIDLANDS, B6 7HH

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at a huge 59lb. With the
angling pressure reducing into
October I decided that baiting
an area regularly was worth
trying big carp are big for
a reason! Choosing the right
area was critical; with Sean
and Jon having caught The
Half Lin from the Lawns swim I
reasoned that was the place to
be. It is also the deepest part
of the lake, and the only place
with an abundance of silkweed.
The Lawns controls the shing
along the no shing bank, so
I decided to bait heavily and
consistently in the same area
of the lake for the winter in the
hope of getting the big un to
visit an area for the duration.
I was to bait heavily while
it was mild and drop the
baiting levels if the weather
consistently remained cold. I
was planning on feeding a mix
of hemp, pigeon-conditioner
groundbait and boilies,
keeping a slow trickle going in.
If I wasnt shing that week I
would drive down and bait up.
I began to bait a lightly
weeded channel up the road
bank, initially with a kilo of
bait every time I left, until I was
really giving them the bait.
The anglers shing the winter
period left the area relatively
alone, until one weekend an
angler shing the opposite side
to the Lawns managed two
bites.
Into November anglers
began to pull o and it allowed
me to really up the baiting and
consistently sh the swim. The
weather was so mild that the
sh were still be feeding well. I
shed in that swim every week,
scattering bait every time and
baiting heavily at the end of the
session.
When you are shing for one
big carp, you become single-
minded but you can often work
out where you will catch that
specic carp based on all the
knowledge you have gleaned
over the time you have been
shing the lake.
I normally nish work and
go shing the following day;
however, I was notied that
a few anglers were going to
arrive the following morning.
Not wanting to lose my swim,
I got on the road heading for
Big sh in heavy weed called for reliable rig components.
the lake. Storm Imogen was
forecast to hit us that day and
60mph winds had me thinking
that the Middle Bumpy swim
opposite the Lawns was the
ideal one to sh, being on the
back of the wind.
This is where fate came into
play, as I became stuck on the
motorway; in the meantime,
another angler dropped into
the Middle Bumpy. The Sluice
swim was on the back of the
wind as well, so I dropped a
bucket in the swim and went
to see my mate Darren Wingate
for a cup of tea, when he told
me I was mad moving o an
area I had been baiting for
months on account of the
weather. That made up my
mind, so I got the rods all
sorted and rigged them up.
In the afternoon the storm
abated for a while and I used
this window of opportunity
to get the rods out, plopping
two rigs onto their respective
spots along the baited area.
A Nash bottom bait straight
out the bag was rigged onto a
simple hair rig complete with a
knotless knot and a little piece
of silicone on the shank.
The wind picked up when
casting my nal rod and caused
me to take more casts than I
wanted. I decided to leave it
and wait until the morning,
then I walked round to the
baited area and baited as best I
could with 60 baits.
Because of the wind, all night
I endured single beeps. At

A close encounter with a carp

in the summer yielded only a
scale for Georges eorts, but
did it belong to The Half Lin?

26
about 6am I heard a series of
beeps on the left-hand rod, got
the boots on and jumped out
to nd my left and middle rods
out of the line clips.
I reasoned that it was the
wind and slackened o some
line before hearing another set
of beeps. The left-hand rod had
pulled out of the clip again. I sat
watching the lines and nothing
was going on, but with the
weather calming down I opted
for a re-chuck.
I was watching the water
from my bivvy when I noticed
the bobbin banging on the
blank, and not beeping. I ran
over and picked the rod up; the
line was going over the middle
rod and pulling the tip down
the sh had kited and tangled
the two lines together.
As carefully as possible I
began to play the sh to the
net. A couple of rod lengths out
I saw a huge set of shoulders
and I knew it was one of two
sh straightaway I recalled
my losses from months ago.
The sh livened up as it got
closer, then all of a sudden it
hit the other line and stopped
in its tracks, a tantalising two
rod lengths away. With little
thought I walked straight out
into the lake fully clothed. It
was a shallow ledge so I could
get out but still couldnt reach
the sh, even at full extension.
Eventually I managed to juggle
it in the net and walked ashore
with my prize. I phoned Darren
and he helped me sort the
sh out. I was completely in
awe of it and at over 57lb it
made a truly dicult seasons
shing so worth it. I revelled
in the moment until The Half
Lin swam happily away and
I packed up my gear, having
27
nished my chapter on this
superb lake.
I cant thank the members
enough for their hospitality, but
most of all I thank Darren for
pushing me to get in the Lawns
on that stormy night. I hope he
is the next captor. Im heading
to Burgheld next, in the hope
of meeting a superb common.
The mild weather meant
George was getting through
plenty of bait.
George displays his
third UK upper fty, The
Half Lin at 57lb 8oz.
 2JQVQEQWTVGU[QH5CO6TCXGTU

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KARL WHITE sought a new
rig for his pop-up shing.
The result is one that adopts
some of the best attributes
of classic rigs with a tried
and tested track record.

W
alking among friends
and shing with them,
you often pick up the
aws in their angling
and see how it can
be improved. One of my good friends
questioned why it took so long to get a rig
back out on the spot after Id caught a carp.
I am critical when it comes to my rigs and

Karl White
Thinking angler Karl
is one of the most
meticulous we have
met, with everything in
his shing scrutinised.
As a consequence, he
sees consistently good
results.
Sponsors: Gardner,
Sticky, Wofte Clothing 31
while it is good to be thorough,
I swear that sometimes it has
cost me sh because I have
spent too long fang about.
I wanted to make the most of
these little feeding windows
and thought that by becoming
more ecient with my rigs,
there was a chance that I could
add a bite or two to my season.
With most of my shing
revolving around the reverse
combi rig, that Elliott Gray
popularised, I was very critical
of how the curve sat and how
the knot was tied. Add to this
the need to sharpen a hook
before casting out and I was
taking too long to get a rig
back out on the spot.
I started looking to see how
the hook could be changed to
reduce time spent dithering
around. Nine times out of
10 the rig was perfectly ne
for re-use but the sharpened
hook was burred over. I used
to use the multi rig a lot in
my shing, which is great for
replacing a hook quickly, but
I preferred the rig mechanics
that a sti Bristle Filament-style
line oered and I always like
a soft boom with the reverse
combi; a material that wont
work with the multi rig. I had a
play around and decided I was
going to take the best point of
both and sort of hybridise them
to use in my shing.
The rig would still work with The rig allows the hook to be changed
my favoured helicopter-rig between sh. This allows Karl to keep
setup, which I think is the best pre-sharpened hooks in reserve.
way of presenting a rig. I like
to keep the rigs visibility to a You can change the hook size
minimum and by shing it as a too, giving you the option to
naked helicopter arrangement sh over a bed of smaller baits.
with uorocarbon main line, it
will sit virtually invisible over
the lake bed.
I also like the helicopter
for how well it presents a rig.
Having shed from a boat
before, there have been times
when I have got a good drop,
only to discover the rig has

Firstly, fold a 1in length of Trip Fold the other end of the lament Whip the line around the loop at Whip the line down before passing
Wire sti lament to create a loop, and pass a piece of coated hook least ve times as neatly as you it through the loop in the bottom.
like so. link through the loop created. can. You have tied an Albright knot.

The nished result is a curved The complete rig should measure Next, cut o a 4mm section of Carefully thread the silicone up the
loop connected to a 9in section of around nine inches. It can be silicone tubing using a pair of loop of Trip Wire. This is used to
coated hook link. shortened based on the situation. sharp scissors. stop the line slipping.

Thread a hook and bore ring onto The bore ring further helps to The pop-up is balanced by a blob Tie a large gure-of-eight loop
the loop. Note how the silicone is improve the speed and eciency of Critical Mass putty situated on knot in the other end of the hook
sat on the left side. of the rig. the Albright knot. link.

32

The presentation looks relatively
inconspicous from above, an
ideal rig for wary carp.
buried itself in a foot of weed.
To combat this I ensure there
is a separation between the
top bead and the lead, which
allows the rig to travel up the
main line and nd a suitable
level, combining this with a
balanced pop-up.
Its simple to tie, but it has a
couple of key points that are
important to how it works. You
still tie the sti lament to the
boom section with the Albright
knot, but you have to tie it
with the sti lament doubled
over to create the loop for the
multi-rig part of the rig. When
doubling over the loop I try
to tie it in the same curve that
it comes o the spool, using
A dark Lea Valley mirror, one of
several sh caught over the winter
months on the multi hinge rig.
the memory it has to create a
perfect straight curve for the
pop-up section.
The key element of the
combi rig was the sti hook
section and this has been
further improved by doubling
over the material. It also
seems to hold its shape much
better, allowing the rig to work
perfectly. You need to make
sure that the curve is aligned
with the hook point to ensure
it turns most eciently when a
sh takes the bait. The hook is
simply attached by passing the
loop through the eye. Naturally,
the knot will tighten due to
the slick nish of the lament,
so I use a small 3mm length
of silicone threaded onto the
loop of lament. This acts as
a stop and prevents the rig
tightening down on the cast.
The versatility of this rig means
that you can also change the
hook size to suit the bait. For
example, I have caught using
this rig utilising a small bait
over chopped boilies, crumb
and small pellets.
I simply use a bait screw to
mount my hook bait because
they are ecient and will allow
me to get a rig rebaited as
quickly as possible.
To balance the bait I use
a large blob of putty on the
Albright knot to provide the
anchor point of the pop-up. I
then add a further two small
pieces of putty to the hook
link. As the hook link settles
on the lake bed on the cast it
will neatly straighten itself out
as it sinks. This eliminates any
possibility that the rig will settle
in a heap. A large gure-of-
eight loop completes the rig.
By doubling over the boom
section it adds a sti section
33
acting like an anti-tangle boom.
It also allows you to change the
rig with ease.
I try to make everything
interchangeable so I dont
have to go cutting line and
threading it back on.
Hook-link length varies
depending on the situation. I
have a 9in starting point for the
rig but I have gone longer to
suit the weed that I am shing
in. I prefer it to a chod rig and
have cast it out with a light lead
so it settles on the weed.
Over the course of the last six
months I have perfected the rig
and I have been giving it a real
go on my winter club water.
Fishing over a bed of crumb,
boilies and pellets, I managed
to catch sh to over 39lb, with
it being much easier to get
a sharp hook back on and a
hook bait mounted and shing
again. Its added an eciency
to my shing that means I can
make the most of the tight
windows of opportunity that
rarely arise when targeting big
sh.
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 Bait-Tech Advertorial
CONTACTS

Keeping
BAITTECH
WEBSITE: www.bait-tech.com
EMAIL: info@bait-tech.com

it Bait-Techs Craig Mortimer has been putting the Poloni boilies

through their paces the last few seasons. Find out how he makes

Natural
something so natural so irresistible to carp.

Craig

I
was lucky enough to be involved Mortimer
in the two years of development,
design, discussions and testing of
the Poloni boilies. What makes this
bait so special is the complex and
complete nutritionally balanced food
that it contains. Everything is natural,
original, unique, high in protein and
w
highly digestible, which is key to Bait-Techs ne uid
the success of this bait. No added Bloodworm liq
chemical avourings or colourings.
Carp absolutely love the blend of eight
herbs and spices within the mix and
the distinct aroma it gives o. One way
I have increased the natural pulling
power of this bait is to turn what is an
already great bait into one that carp
cannot resist. I do this with the addition
of the NEW Bait-Tech Bloodworm liquid.
It really is that simple. As soon as you
open either the freezer bait or the
shelf-life bags, give the boilies a good
soaking in the liquid. I mean give them
a nice glaze and let them soak in all the
goodness.

This bloodworm liquid is packed full of

real bloodworm, the single most natural,
nutritional and attractive food to all sh.
It complements the Poloni and makes it
that bit more special. The liquid clings
to the bait, with all the little pieces of
bloodworm hanging o each individual
boilie. Dispersing a lovely cloud and haze
around each boilie this really is CARP
Available in HEAVEN! Give it a go, I can assure you it
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in 14mm or 18mm
35
H
eres your chance to win one of two sets
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They have a high kick point enabling you to put
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The rods use Toray carbon bre, which is utilised
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Ian Chemo Russell says: If there was ever an all-
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36
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 Charlie Terry
With plans afoot to
join a new Chichester
water, Charlie will soon
learn his fate and know
where hell be angling
this year. Wherever it
is, were sure hell be
getting among some
huge carp once more.
Sponsors: Mad Baits,
Fox

The capture of Boilie Muncher was just the start of an

incredible period of captures for CHARLIE TERRY, as
he continues to relive the awesome hit of sh.
40
O
pening the
2013 season
with Boilie
Muncher was
an incredible
moment but little did I know
how the next two years on the
lake would pan out.
Its a shallow water, often
choked by weed in the warmer
A stunning 18lb fully scaled
mirror came a few weeks
after Boilie Muncher.
This scaly 31lb 8oz mirror
couldnt resist my bait.
Opening my account
on the second season
a dark, narly mirror.
months. It would require a level
of eort but the rewards were
certainly there.
Just a couple of weeks later
I banked a lovely little fully
scaled 18lb mirror from the
deeper end. My tactics stayed
very similar throughout the
season and I would do my best
to locate the sh and simply
give them a bit of food as and
when I felt it necessary. I was
by no means lling it in but
choosing the opportunities to
give them a good meal.
A couple of blanks followed
the fully before I once again
tripped up one of the bigger
residents. I was shing the car
park end toward a point in
the bank littered with snags,
and a Wicked Whites-topped
chod caught a stunning 31lb
8oz mirror o guard late one
evening.
Again a few weeks passed
before I would get among
some of the stunning stock. I
often found that I would winkle
one out before a few weeks
without activity before getting
in on the action again.
This time the session went a
little better than others. A brace
of mirrors at the start of the
school summer holidays really
excited me.
After nding a group of sh
down the larger, deeper side
of the lake I soon despatched
two rods, one over 60 yards of
weed to a small clearing that
the sh were frequenting, and
the other to a spot much closer
to the bank.
The Scarred Leather was the
rst to trip up over the spread
of boilies Id put over the 60-
yard spot. I had to bully the
41
sh in as it ran from weed bed
to weed bed, doing its best to
evade my waiting net.
Just an hour later I watched
as ve sh moved in and
inched closer to my other rod.
Before long it ripped o and
absolutely tore the spot apart.
It thrashed violently all the
way in and gave me the right
runaround. Black Spot was
the second part of the brace
and weighed in at a stonking
39lb 8oz, backing up the 34lb
Scarred Leather Id had just
minutes before.
Several blank weekends
followed and really had me
scratching my head. Id gone
from the pure elation of
banking two sought-after
residents to endlessly searching
and targeting the water
without success. Eventually I
managed to tag a small 16lb
common from a little silty hole
that sat out from the house
bank to keep the re burning.
Weeks passed once more
before my second capture
of Boilie Muncher tipped
the scales at a colossal 47lb,
spawned out I may add, but
a condence boost after the
blanks nonetheless. I was
happy with the recapture
because it gave me the
opportunity to get some
photos of the giant in daylight
hours. Id put quite a bit of bait
out that session from a swim
close to the car park. True to its
name, the sh came over a big
bed of particles and boilies.
The Half Lin was the next
victim and came from the
same swim as my last capture,
only this time out in the water
from a plateau. A mental ght
ensued after the sh picked up
my hook bait and I was relieved
to nally have it beaten in my
net; the stress during the ght
was intolerable. The huge-
framed sh swung the scales
to 44lb, another of the lakes
A-team that I was delighted to
catch.
Winter was soon upon me
and as well as shing the lake
next door I managed two sh
The last moments shared with
the beautiful Half Lin, caught
here at a whopping 44lb.
during the cold, bleak months of
darkness. An 18lb stockie followed
weeks later by a lovely 26lb common
was just enough to keep me returning
here and there before the close
season.
As the new season got under way
I picked up an 18lb dark mirror fairly
soon. I got down for an overnighter
and raked a huge weed bed out from
a small dot island in front. Although
I had nothing that night I chose to
chuck all the raked weed into the
margins so as not to alert any other
anglers that Id been working the
swim. They seem to avoid the swims if
the margins are choked with weed.
Returning that weekend, I managed
to land the sh from that very spot,
which had been prebaited with Nutz
boilies the previous session my rst
of the season.
During my next session a sh that
I really wanted had been caught. As
news spread, I decided to go and
congratulate the captor and see the
sh, despite being a little perturbed
that it wasnt me holding it up.
Not that I wasnt happy for him, if
you know what I mean. I made the
decision to go the long way round
and during the walk I noticed a
disturbance and shot up a tree. A
little vortex ruptured the surface as
something spooked. Choosing not
to go and see one of my targets in
another anglers arms, I hurried back
Mad Baits Nutz boilies
to pack down my gear, rushing to
and Wicked Whites pop-
where Id seen the disturbance.
ups accounted for all of
I icked a rod out under the
my captures on the lake.
marginal overhanging willow and
within 10 minutes a 42lb carp was on
the bank, one known as The Floater
Fish. Just before I had cast the rod, the
Half Lin that Id caught the previous
season swam past me about a foot
from the bank. I was gobsmacked, it
looked huge. There were plenty of
sh in the area and the commotion
caused by landing The Floater Fish
must have killed the swim, despite
there being loads of sh in the area,
because it wasnt until the next
morning that the rod roared o again.
The Half Lin went scatty from the
close-in spot and ripped my arms o
as it tore up and down the margin.
It went 47lb this time and I went on
to capture a 17lb common from the
swim from a spot further out in the
lake in the same session. as I unhooked it; full of spawn Im sure. I estimated
I returned on the Wednesday for an well into the high thirties, if not heavier.
overnighter, having only left on the I spread the news and my dad was soon rushing
Sunday, dropping straight back into to come and take photos. The next thing I knew, as
the same swim, hoping to make hay my dad was at the gate, the sh rocketed up through
while the sun shone. the water and cleared my net cord like Free Willy
My wish was granted when the rod launched the harbour wall I was in total disbelief. I
out in the lake tore o in the early never got round to weighing or photographing the
hours. It weeded me solid, so I left the sh, but Id caught it such is life.
rod in the alarm with the clutch loose, A 21lb mirror visited me a few weeks later from
hoping it would free itself. Just half an the car park end, followed a week later by a stunning
hour later it began to take line again scaly mirror that weighed over 31lb.
and I soon had the Big Lin resting in Again a couple of weeks later, a third sh fell to my
the margins. It looked huge in the net tactics from the same swim in the shape of a 19lb
42
 I met Boilie Muncher for a nal
time before leaving the lake, this
time at an astounding 54lb 2oz, an
incredible moment in my angling.

mirror that screamed o, just as Id packed everything up and

was about to pull the rods in.
At this point I took a break from the water and concentrated
on another local venue. Id caught well and felt a change of
scenery was in order before returning a couple of months later.
The seasons had changed and I was now returning in the
dead of winter. January looked totally dierent to the leafy
green end of summer that Id last visited in.
With bare trees and cold temperatures, I returned hungry
for more captures. One session completely blew me away. The
wind was absolutely hacking it down to the car park end and
the water was all coloured up. It was pounding the water down
My time on the water was
there with gusts up to 70mph proper weather.
enjoyable, Id often be there
I got set up and the rst rod ripped o in seconds, resulting
watching and learning.
in a 16lb mirror. With the rod back on the spot it was the next
morning before more action would unfold.
The left-hand rod that was shed toward a set of snags Id Dropping on for a few
baited quite heavily for the time of year was away. A hard- overnighters more
ghting sh was now in the net and although I initially thought recently, this 38lb mirror
it was one I hadnt captured before, I weighed it in at 54lb 2oz. came within minutes of
It wasnt until I had help with the photos that we noticed Boilie putting my rods out.
Muncher had visited me for a third time at a record weight.
The confusion came from a new scrape in an almost identical
position to another huge resident in the lake. During the photos
we noticed a rig right back in its mouth, so put that down to
someone losing it and potentially teh cause of the new scrape.
We removed it and set the giant free once again.
A 12lb mirror was my nal capture that season during
savagely cold frosts. I switched over to the lake Id dabbled on
the previous autumn but did return for a few overnighters late
into winter 2015/16. couple of blanks followed, though, and I ended my time on the water
Remarkably, I went on to catch a 38lb mirror in the rst night with an incredible list of captures and a photo album to cherish it
and a 16lb stockie a week later, again on an overnighter. A really was kind to me.

43
 | @advancedcarp

| @alex_shieldsy // Alex Shields

Every month we take the best images from Instagram and put them in
print for all to see. This is what Alex had to say about his submission.
The battle only ends when the sh makes good its escape.
Dont forget to #advancedcarp for the chance to get your photos featured

45
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s Rus
Lewi ngler Lewisert
lk a exp
Norfo come an shing,
a s b e sion f
h rt-ses ost o
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catc enue, Ca
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ta ge rs: Nash Ta
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Spon and Bait

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g gling fo everywhe ead how l
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Tire ing arou L built a on and a
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LEWI n around eek overn
seaso e to midw
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47
A
fter three years on the Catch 22
syndicate I wanted to snare the few
remaining target sh. Id had great
times and lovely shing but I was still
after the two biggest commons, Tatty
Tail and The Big Common.
Before spring the realisation hit me that if I
carried on the way I was shing, it was unlikely Id
ever catch them. I work Monday to Friday and have
always been a weekend angler. I had that horrible
feeling that a lot of the time I was turning for the
weekend and making up the numbers. Im sure its
a situation a lot of guys with full-time jobs relate to.
After some thought I believed that two midweek
An overnight result
overnighters shing 10 to 12 hours each week
in the form of Tatty
would prove more productive than shing Friday
Tail at over 40lb.
to Sunday on a crowded lake. Overnight between
work shing is hardly revolutionary but it did strike
me that in Norfolk, it wasnt something that was With a little
being widely done. modication to the
Because my shing time has always been limited, van, Lewis was able to
my whole week revolved around preparing to get packed up quicker,
sh. I was now going to spend every spare minute increasing shing time.
making sure I was able to sh two midweek
overnighters as eectively as possible.
I pencilled in Monday and Thursday nights, after
and before the weekend rush, but between those
nights I would do everything I could to give me the
best chance the next time I arrived. Monday would
give me a good chance if I could nd out what had
happened and what the sh had been doing at the
weekend, and from what I saw on Monday I could
then think about the Thursday trip.
In between Id constantly be tying rigs and
sharpening hooks so I could get baits in the water
quickly when I turned up. Rigs tied at work.
One of the major exercises was trimming my kit Preparation is key.
down. It helped transform my shing completely.
I reduced my pop-up collection and swapped all
my stainless for aluminium sticks and bars. Finally

It helped to carry minimal

kit, making moving much
easier when shing.

48

High-attract baits were the
name of the game to make
the most of the short time
frame and get quicker bites.
Leading around and
a Groundhog brolly reduced
recording spots early season
weight further.
allowed Lewis to get shing
I kept spares in the van along
with minimal disturbance.
with the spod and marker rods.
I cut my gear down so much
that everything went in one
bag, so all I was moving about
was a bedchair, rucksack, brolly,
three rods and unhooking mat.
Even if its a ve-night session
I carry the same kit, just with a
bit more food and water.
I was so committed to the
cause that I converted my
works van so that I could keep
my barrow in there fully loaded.
A big-tailed mirror known as Odd
Bod, a stunning Norfolk carp.
49
I wanted as much shing time
as possible.
I chose to sh a new bait for
the year. I had been using the
Scopex Squid Red but that had
been discontinued and The
Key broke down really quickly.
That fast breakdown made it
dierent from usual bait and
that was the appeal. With it
being of high nutritional value
I was aiming to feed it steadily
through the year to establish it.
It might sound unexpected
but, like a well-known
lager, I felt The Key was also
reassuringly expensive. I had a
feeling many people wouldnt
be prepared to spend that
little bit more on the highest
quality. In closer-range swims I
could crush Key boilies almost
into blobs of paste to create
what resembled a carpet
of broken-down pellets or
boilies. With a lot of the shing
being short range, a catapult
kept the feed nice and tight
and four pouches of 30 baits
around each rod seemed to
consistently score.
On the syndicate lake the
water clarity is really poor.
You cant see them, identify
them, work out where they
are spending time and what
their habits are like you can on
clear venues, which makes past
captures a really good source of
information.
One thing I had an idea
about was that The Big
Common liked a bait with a
visual element to it. He seemed
to normally get caught over a
reasonable helping of food.
The other big common, Tatty
Tail, is one of the trickiest sh
in there; caught two or three
times a year at most, its a wary
sh. With a real underslung
mouth, the way he feeds is
dierent from the others Im
sure. I also suspect that he gets
lost more than he gets landed.
What I did realise was that Tatty
was too random in its habits.
The Big Common, however,
liked a bright topper, so my
snowman rig with a The Key
Hard-Ons and Citruz pop-up, in
either pink or white, were the
plan of attack.
My little black book is the
bible of all the spots I know
on the lake. Its taken time to
collate the information, but
now I know the best areas to
nick a bite.
I shed the year without
using a spod and marker rod
and Im convinced that helped
me catch more, and quicker.
The aim was to get in the
right swim and then get three
rods sorted in three casts. A lot
of anglers use a marker oat all
the time but by ditching it I got
quicker bites. On a couple of
occasions I put the rst rod out,
four pouches of boilies over
it and before the second rod
had been cast the rst one was
away. A glug-dipped hook bait
has denitely helped me get a
quicker bite. It must have been
the rst one the carp homed
in on.
Rig-wise, a size 6 Fang X has
always been very reliable. They
go in and stay in and the long,
straight point was perfect for
extra sharpening.
I also made a tactical change
with the leads, going heavier.
With most people using 2oz
Another result of his adaption to
situations on a short time frame.
and 2oz I went up to 3oz
and 4oz to improve hook
penetration and occasionally a
4oz over a harder bottom. Im
so condent in these slightly
heavier leads after the results
this season that I wont go
anywhere without them.
The extra pressure on the
super-sharp hook really made a
dierence. Ive never had hook-
holds like it.
Although heavier leads make
more disturbance going in, I
was only casting each rod once.
My campaign of overnighters
nally paid o one Sunday
night when Id come back
from a social trip to Yateleys
Pads Lake. After one of those
sessions where it all goes
wrong. I went home for a
shower then got over to the
syndicate. It was raining so hard Although it was important to get shing as quickly as possible, Lewis
that I got absolutely drenched took time with rig placement, tying and hook sharpening.
on the way to the swim, but the
carp were showing in front of there didnt feel much weight been so helpful, actually gave
the IT swim, so I went into the to it. When I peered in the net me a big hug and it was lovely
usual routine of rigs out and I thought it was Tatty Tail and to have someone to share the
four pouches over each rod. lifted the dorsal quite a few moment with.
A take came at rst light; times until there was no doubt. The switch to overnighters
just one bleep and then it At 40lb 13oz, and my rst UK had paid o. I tallied seven
tightened up and absolutely forty, it was real reward for my twenties, nine thirties, a forty
took o. To be honest, I eorts. Gerry, the and a few of doubles. Well
thought it was a small sh, baili, who had worth the eort!
50
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nashtackle.co.uk
DANIEL WHITFORD recounts the tale of a very unfortunate
case of mistaken identity a capture he will never forget.

T
he Essex Manor is a well-
known big-sh venue. When
an opportunity to get a winter
ticket came up in October 2014
I decided to give it a go without
thinking too much about it I literally just
bought a ticket for the sake of it.
I decided to dig around for pictures of
the lakes residents and, as most people do,
I saved a few of my favourites as targets.
I had no idea how anyone could target
a sh in a 30ft-deep pond but it seemed
the in thing to do and something to look
at during the working week. I read up on
everything I could get my hands on about
the Manor. George Benos had smashed it,
as had Darrell Peck and Tom Dove, to name
but a few. The more I thought about it, the
more I started to get excited. There were no
fewer than 15 40lb-plus sh, with three that
could top 50lb. There were more than 30
thirties swimming in six or seven acres too,
which didnt have a single snag or weed
bed. Surely I would be able catch a thirty
or two.
On paper it sounds easy, especially after
reading other anglers past experiences,
nding them in the edge, mopping up
corn, or getting multiple takes on zigs it
sounded like a big-sh runs water.

52
Daniel Whitford
Dan loves his carp shing,
often making short lm
edits while on the bank.
Check out his videos on
our YouTube channel.
The Peach
Estimated at over
45lb, its uncanny
resemblance to
Georges, which hed
caught recently,
meant Dan unhooked
the sh in the net
and released it after a
couple of water shots.
With a full ticket acquired after the
winter, my rst trip of 2015 was very
memorable. I managed to get into a swim
called The Steps and on the rst morning
caught Georges. It went a colossal 48lb and
was one that I had saved on my phone.
The next thing I knew, I was sat on
my bedchair soaking wet, with people
congratulating me asking to see the
pictures; it was all just a blur really.
Plenty of great anglers had caught
Georges, people I look up to. Some
members had been on there years trying to
catch it, some travelled hours to sh for it
every week, some shed full time to catch
the queen of the pond, and I had caught
it on my very rst cast of the season. I was
getting texts and messages to congratulate
me. It was quite shocking to see just how
much this sh meant to everyone.
A sh known as Georges, one Id caught before The Peach that caused all the confusion.
Steve Sinclair had pretty much emptied
The Manor and caught them all except
Georges, and he was one of the good
guys who probably deserved it more
than anyone. He knew it was due out
and just ran out of time because he gave
his ticket up. However, he was very kind
in congratulating me straightaway a
true gent. I couldnt help but feel I didnt
deserve it, or hadnt earned it, but it was
unavoidable.
Fishing with single hook baits, as I
regularly do, I was woken by a slow and
steady take one Saturday morning. I walked
straight out into the lake to pick the rod
up and, much like the capture of Georges
a few weeks previous, it was over fairly
quickly. I was very disappointed when I
looked down into the net to see an upper
forty sulking it was Georges again!
We had been talking the day before
about recaptures and how it was the same
10 to 15 sh that kept coming out, so I had
it fresh in my mind. As soon as it rolled
over the cord I convinced myself that it was
Georges. Same size, same colours, same
width. I didnt even turn it on its side to
check.
I was already out in the water up to my
waist so I unhooked it, stuck the net over a
storm pole and ran next door to get Mark
because I wanted some water shots of her.
I didnt want to get her on the bank again
or weigh her, so we both went out into the
margins so I could hoist her up. We rattled a
few shots o before letting her swim away
to give someone else the enjoyment of
catching her next time.
53
It was quite a mix of emotions one
minute Im out in the water netting a huge
sh, the next Im letting it go without even
taking it onto the bank. I sat down on the
bed to see how the pictures had come out
and the very rst picture made me want to
cry. It wasnt Georges, but The Peach. Not
only another of the lakes A-team stored on
my phone, but a sh that hadnt been out
for a year and probably the rarest visitor to
the bank of the entire lakes stock!
How on earth had I just caught such a
magnicent sh and let it go without even
taking it out of the water. To make things
worse, Id spoken to Steve Sinclair the night
before and told him which swim I was in,
to which he replied: I had The Peach out of
there this time last year. It doesnt do many
bites but it does the good uns!
I could have cried. At rst Id not even
looked down at the sh while having the
photos taken as I was stood waist deep in
water looking at the top of her, staring at
her head and shoulders. I didnt need to
look at her scale pattern, I already knew
what that looked like, I had caught her just
three weeks ago. I blame the cameraman
in all honesty; he was a long-standing
member who knew all the sh and was
looking through the camera directly at the
side of her. Well thats my excuse. It was a
short roller coaster of emotions that day
but I packed away with a huge smile on my
face. I had caught it, and I had pictures of
it it could have been a lot worse.
I joined The Manor to catch a few sh
that I liked the look of and Id done exactly
that, whether I had Peachs weight or not.
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 Myles Gibson
Continuing with
his campaign-style
feature each month,
exclusively for ACF,
Myles will be targeting
Dinton Pastures for
its elusive mirrors this
year.
Sponsors: Korda,
Sticky, Aqua Products,
Phatsh Clothing

After a few weeks away from the rods, MYLES GIBSON

had an amazing return, landing an incredible hit of big
carp in just two sessions on Christchurch.

57
W
ith the
opening of
HF Angling
taking up
a lot of my
time since the New Year, it
was well into February before
I managed to get bankside
again. The Stoneacres ticket
allows members to sh their
day-ticket water, Christchurch,
during the winter months so
it was there that I headed late
one Sunday after a busy shift
at the shop. Adam Smith had
been shing the winter on My rst sh of 2016, a 42lb 6oz common was welcomed after a busy month opening HF Angling.
there and the odd sh was
being caught through January, my head down. Adam was a longer, as a host of line, braid, rods. One was cast out with a
so I was certainly in with a few swims down and woke me markers, clips and all sorts of solid bag housing a 5oz drop-
chance there had even been early to help with a mid-thirty junk came inching towards me. o inline setup and a really
a few boshing out in the days hed just landed, followed by With the swim now clear short rig shed with a trimmed
leading up to me heading for another shortly after I became of obstructions I soon found down, balanced hook bait. The
Oxford. a bit of a ghillie that morning, a small spot out to the right, second was shed with a really
After barrowing my gear to photographing and netting sh just about big enough for two simple lead-clip arrangement
the lake in the dark I dropped for him. rods. The water was still quite and coated-braid rig, again
into The Cell and chucked a I spent the time between weedy for the middle of winter with a trimmed and balanced
lead around the swim a few casting out and trying to move so I opted to just stick with the hook bait, and that was cast
times. I instantly found an the obstruction. By midday Id two rods on that spot, 50 or 60 with a solid bag onto the
issue after cutting o on the had enough and went to the yards to the right. I clipped up same spot. Five kilos of Manilla
rst two casts and knew there van, returning with a spool to it and decided to drop a hit crumb and 10mm boilies mixed
was something up out in front of 60lb Whiplash and a sea of bait over the top of the two with sweetcorn were soon
of me. Being late I made the gripper lead. Needless to say,
decision to ick a couple of whatever was running through Hoisting one of the
rods just o the shelf and get the swim wasnt there for much big girls ashore, ready
for the camera and
Crushed and the gathering crowd.
whole Manilla
boilies mixed with
corn deadly!

My second trip
to Christchurch
started with this
42lb 2oz common.

58
dropped over the top; a little more bait than
Id usually go with but I knew the lake was
doing bites and also that Id be free to return
the following week after work.
As evening approached on Monday all
was quiet for me despite Adam continuing
to catch. In the early hours my left-hander
pinged up tight. It was completely solid
and had picked up the other line too. The
lead had dropped and the hook point had
turned over by the time I winched both rods
back to the bank Id denitely been done.
I cleared the matted mess that was once
two rigs poised on the spot and set about
redoing them. The odd at spot was melting
the surface water ripples and here and there
a pinprick bubble was evident from sh just
below.
Later that evening, with just one night
remaining, I returned to my rods just as the
hanger climbed, creeping into the alarm.
As the sh rose in the water before the net
I noted its distinctive dorsal and instantly
The Box Common was my third sh,
and third 40lb common. As you can
see from the array of shots, it was a
special moment, even if it did show
me whos boss during the water shots.
assumed it was The Perch Common, a sh I was A busy few days at the shop,
jokingly asked not to catch again by others shing while staying in regular contact
the lake. The culprit was actually The Baby Perch, with Adam as he continued to
though, a magnicent common that bears a striking catch, eventually concluded
resemblance to The Perch Common, only diering in in me bombing down the
the size of the lobes on its tail, and weighed a colossal motorway again late on
42lb 6oz. My rst sh of the year and a whopping 40lb Sunday. Adam had indicated
common result. that someone had just pulled
I left the next morning to beat the trac back out of The Cell, vacating the
north, excited to be returning the following week. swim.
It was 11pm before I arrived,
driving through horrendous
weather to get there before it
cleared dramatically as I arrived
in Oxford. I knew what was on
its way so I hastily barrowed the
gear into the swim, as it slid in
every direction other than the
one I wanted it to go in, just
before the heavens opened.
Id managed to get the rods
clipped up just before, so a
short while later, once the wet
weather had passed and the
wind switched slightly to come
from directly behind me, I set
about getting my rods out.
The solid bag went out rst
and ve casts later the lead-clip
rod joined it on the spot before
I spombed the same crushed
and whole Manilla boilie and
sweetcorn mix out as the week
before.
59
 At around 4.30am, just a
couple of hours after sorting
the rods, the bobbin rose,
before the line peeled from the
spool and out of the rod clip. A
bit of a battle o this sh saw
it march down the right-hand
margin, narrowly avoiding the
other line. As it neared I set the
net down in the water and in
the light of my headtorch it was
immediately recognisable as
a very large 40lb common I
couldnt believe it.
It looked really, really wide
and I shouted Adam up to
come and lend a hand. It
wasnt one that I recognised
but I thought it could be The
This 35lb 6oz mirror took
a liking to my Manilla and
sweetcorn mix.
My fth sh of the year in just
two visits to Christchurch.
Another forty, in the shape of
this 40lb 6oz mirror.
Box Common, due to its huge
frame. It turned out to be an
unnamed resident and spun
the scales to 42lb 2oz, my
third 40lb common in just two
sessions.
With the sh in the retainer
waiting for a hand, I reeled the
other rod in and clipped them
both up, casting them back to
the spot followed by 10 large
Spombs.
The pictures were rattled
o at rst light and I set about
getting some kip. Around
10.45am I rushed from my bag
because the right-hand rod was
away once more. There was
a lad behind me in the swim
60
and as I saw this big-framed
common rock the surface just
in front I turned to the lad as
he shook his head in disbelief
I can tell you my reaction
was much the same. The net
was slid underneath it and
there was no doubt this time
that it was The Box Common,
captured at its biggest ever
weight, a colossal 45lb 6oz.
I redid the rods once more
and applied another hit of bait.
By late evening the left-hand
rod was away with a 35lb 6oz
linear, and although nothing
else occurred by morning
the next day, it was evident
that sh were still in the swim
and visiting the area. Pinhead
bubbles were peppering the
calm surface and I knew I
needed to change things up. I
switched my rods to put both
on the lead-clip arrangement
and dropped my hook size
from a 4 to a super-sharpened
6. Another 10 Spombs were
out over the area and Id been
through over 10kg of bait by
now, yet just 20
minutes after
the change,
the rod
was away once again. Disaster
struck as the sh rose in the
water and the hook pulled
within seconds of the bite
occurring. The rod was redone
and a few more Spombs added
to the spot.
Late in the evening the other
rod was away. The bobbin
pulled tight, the line pulled
from the clip and the blank
took full battle curve from
another angry Christchurch
resident. I played the carp very
gingerly after losing the one
shortly before. Id donned my
waders and was at full stretch
trying to land the monster
on the end of my line I just
couldnt reach it. After brushing
the monsters belly with the
nets mesh the chunky mirror
bolted and proceeded to rip
my arms o. Eventually, after
thinking I was going to lose it
as it paced around the swim,
it was resting in the net. The
huge sh spat the hook in the
net I couldnt believe it. With
the scales zeroed and the pole
spread between two shoulders,
the dial settled on a weight
of 40lb 6oz, a true session of
dreams.
 S
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63
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Shimano Fishing UK ShimanoFishingUK
We look into the angling career of CRAIG STONES, a
carper who despite only concentrating on big-carp waters
in the last 15 years has racked up a list of awesome carp.

66

Proper carp shing came later in
my angling career.
Having lived in Canvey Island
for most of my life, the sea wall
was so close and the lure of
sea shing took up a lot of my
angling time. As a kid, I spent
days chasing ounders in the
creeks and shing for mullet. As a
result, my carp shing didnt start
until much later.
Having a young family and busy
work life made it hard for me to
be away for the whole weekend.
Coarse shing was the
mainstay and I would spend time
in the caravan visiting places
in Essex. Luckily we would nd
places with lakes nearby, so I
began to do a little bit of carp
shing. I would often join club
waters near to these campsites so
there was somewhere to do a few
session.
Travelling around Essex, I
managed to sh a lot of waters
that had become part of carp
shing history.
We shed Aquatels, Lake
Meadows, and several others.
At the time, Billericay District
Angling Club had some lovely
lakes, so I managed to wet a line
in them all. It was clear, however,
that a lot of the big sh resided
in private syndicates. I always
fancied trying to catch the bigger
sh. With a job, family and other
hobbies taking up much of my
time, big-carp shing wasnt on
my radar.
Humble beginnings, making
the most of some summer sun.
I began to work on a lot of
pub refurbishments in London
and got talking to a lot of carp
anglers.
Clive Buckley and Dave
Jordison had shed the Star Lane
syndicate with Gary Bayes and
had caught some lovely sh.
While doing a pub refurbishment,
an electrician by the name of
Tom James brought in his photo
album. Having hailed from the
Surrey area he had caught carp
from Yateley and all around that
area. I had a small Kodak album
to show for my eorts and felt
a little embarrassed when Tom
showed me an album brimming
with big carp. After a few chats
with him, my re for carp shing
was truly lit.
Around 1996 I wanted to pursue Trips to Belgium and
bigger carp. France gave Craig
Dave Jordison further the big-carp bug.
motivated me to get on a lake
with a decent stock because Craigs rst syndicate was
at the time I hadnt caught a the famous Essex Quarry,
twenty, despite feeling more than here he is pictured with
capable of catching one. the stunning Radish.
In 1998 I caught my rst one
from a club water in Essex. Eager
to keep going, I tried my best
to get out as much as possible
to try and improve my angling.
After breaking that milestone, I
had three in as many weeks. All
of a sudden it was like something
clicked.
On one of my many weekends
away caravanning with the
67
family I met a chap called Paul
Cummins.
In 2000 he was planning a
trip to France at Dream Lakes
and it sparked interest in me to
have a go. Paul and his group
went out that year and I will
never forget the excited phone
call I received from him as he
relayed the event that led to
the capture of a 40-pounder.
I hadnt really lived the
syndicate experience at the
time and France had sh that
were much bigger and sort of
had the syndicate shing vibe
about them.

The following year I ventured

out to Lac De Passion with
Paul and his mates.
It was a brilliant week. The
swims are orientated so that
you sh from a spit in the
middle out to the far margin.
With a lodge in the middle
it meant that you spent the
whole day socialising without
fear of being o your rods,
which was ideal.
Plenty of sh were caught
and I managed the biggest of
the trip. We booked the same
lake for the following year.
I still wasnt serious about
catching big sh, more happy
with the escape from work life
and catching a few carp on
the way.
I liked the tranquillity that
the lakes oered. I was always
looking for the classic carp
water Nice carp, overhanging
willows and weed; my own
little Redmire-esque setting to
enjoy. I was on the lookout for a
The Quarrys Ray at over 42lb, looking
scale perfect in its winter colours.
syndicate water that I could really get my Craig appreciated the
teeth into. stunning natural scenes
I had got onto a lake that was that carp shing brought.
essentially a square irrigation pond. With
depths of 26 feet, it was the rst place
that I began using the spod rod. Due to
the featureless lake bed your main aim
was to use bait to create a feature. Also,
much of the bait wasnt even getting to
the lake bed.
It was around 2006 and not much was
being written about zig rigs, or more
specically baiting over the top, and it
was here that I began to do it. By shing
straight o the lead I would get a lot
more bites. I showed Mike Kavanagh
and we did a feature on it. It was a great
method for the day, but also primed an
area for the night. The lure of big carp
was beginning to get to me. I had night
shing gear and a Nash spod rod, so was
all kitted out.
I shed in France and Belgium from
2001 to 2011.

An example of Craigs keen eye for a nice photo.

68

A lean Essex mirror
of upper thirties.
A result from autumn 2015, a carp
that only gets caught once a year.
A stunning linear
mirror after weeks of
meticulous baiting.
The lads jokingly said I was spoilt
now and wouldnt be able to go back
to the UK and enjoy my shing as
much. It only served to increase my
enthusiasm and I vowed to nd a
proper syndicate for the year.
It was at this time that I was hearing
about the Essex Quarry.
John, who was on the trip with us,
invited me over to have a cup of tea
so I could take a look at the place.
I fell in love with the lake and as
soon as it was possible I put myself
down for a ticket. It was much bigger
than a lake that I could have shed.
Because I used to surfcast from the
sea wall at Canvey Island my range
shing was pretty good, so I thought
I would be able to hit most of the
ranges. One thing that did strike me
was the weed. In a lot of areas you
were looking for just one small spot
to sh. Some of the anglers made
it daunting. Darrell Peck, Damian
A jet-black carp.
Craig landed an
impressive eight
forties in 2015.
69
Clarke, James Willsmer were
very competent anglers. Most
of them shed overnight
sessions in between work but
they were really dedicated.
You couldnt fail to learn from
the members of The Quarry.
You were shing with some of
Essex nest anglers.
It further showed me
the importance of being
meticulous, a factor that I
have instilled in my life as a
carpenter. Things like mapping
swims and recording your
ndings make you much more
ecient when it comes to your
shing time and over just one
season you can get a lot of
information. You also notice
other anglers movements
and can see where there
may be opportunities to get
something going. This was the
case on The Quarry. Due to the
incessant bird life, the shallows
were rarely shed and the sh
certainly knew it. You would
set up quietly and cast out just
before dark to prevent the birds
from getting near the bait.
On my rst weekend I
caught two, The Humpy Head
Common at 26lb and Little
Melted Tail from the shallows.
At the time, the road bank was
shed a lot due to it being easy
to sh on work nights. Every
time I went down the shallows I
would see sh.
On getting a ticket I had
to kit myself out with some
gear that would be able to hit
long ranges because some of
the best spots up against the
islands were over 100 yards.
In the end my setup was the
Daiwa Tournament 6000T with
a Nash Horizon rod.
Although I had shed long
range o the sea wall at Canvey
Island I couldnt tell how far I
could sh eectively, especially
when blasting it into the surf.
One day I was shing and
Darrell Peck was packing up.
He had been shing an island
margin around 120 yards out. I
wanted to see whether I could
make that distance, so once
he packed up after a week
session I walked round to The
Pipe on my next session. Lee
Goddard, a fellow member, was
shing a bit down and kindly
let me have a cast to see how
close I could get to this area. I
whacked it and line poured o
the spool and created a huge
birds nest. The lead landed
25 yards out. I stood there
despondent when a voice came
through the trees: I think Pecky
was a bit further than that.
I wound the mess in, put
the rod back in the sleeve and
A characterful mirror of upper forties.
Craig can certainly single out the
bigger sh on his chosen water.
sloped o with my tail between
my legs.
Over the years I got to grips
with The Quarry and caught
many of the prized residents
over my eight years on there.
With carp like the big
commons Ray and Jagger to
go at, coupled with a great
group of anglers, it was a
fantastic syndicate. After a long
time pursuing the same sh
I felt I had ended my chapter
on the lake. The carp have
seen national recognition in
recent years on account of it
becoming a day-ticket water.
I moved to another Essex
syndicate in 2010. Like The
Quarry, it was very weedy and
contained some really big sh.
Having done well on The
Quarry some of my mates
already on the syndicate were
talking up my ability.
I just go shing and enjoy it,
but imagine their impression
when I blanked for my rst
70
21 nights. Most of my shing
had been overnighters but
I decided to settle the score
and booked two days o
work. After getting settled in
the swim for my two nights I
icked my rigs out to an area
that I had marked up during my
overnight sessions. I managed
four sh, with three being real
sought-after carp to 45lb. I
havent looked back and have
made great friends on the lake
and caught superb carp.
In 2015 I managed eight 40lb
sh in a season.
I struggled to get shing
in the spring due to work
commitments but early
summer and autumn more
than made up for my absence.
After years of using Nash
bait, I changed to Eclipse. I
have always used boilies as
my main attack, so Im always
critical of my bait. On my rst
session I caught and have
been condent ever since. My
best session culminated in
the capture of 49lb and 43lb
mirrors.
I was shing an area called
The Point. Its a rarely shed
swim on account of its distance
from the car park. I found a
spot at 80 yards with weed at
the back of it. Through constant
baiting, the sh cleared an area
six yards into the weed. This
proved to be a great autumn
area and I managed the bulk of
the sh from here.
I have a common thats left to
catch before my ticket runs out
in May. That ends a ve-year
campaign on the lake.
I have managed to get a ticket
from a superb non-publicity
water of around 30 acres.
You can use boats to nd
spots. I am 55 this year, so I
wanted to sh challenging
larger waters before it gets too
hard, then I would revert to
smaller waters. I look forward
to enjoying tranquil nights on
the pit and will hopefully have
a successful season.
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72
My shing has become more
observation oriented and as a result
the chod rig allows me to sh stealthily.
F
ew things in angling
are revolutionary.
However, once in
a while something
comes along that
has a huge impact, not just
Can you guarantee
presentation in this weed?
in terms of results, but on
ones approach. One such
development in carp angling
has been the chod rig. The
setup has evolved from Frank
Warwicks silt rig, followed by
ups are super-buoyant these days.
73
Nigel Sharp and Terry Hearns
development and then Jim
Shelleys incarnation of the
presentation.
Some see it as a chuck it
and chance it rig while others
recognise that it is one of
the most eective ways of
shing in weedy conditions.
My view is that, far from being
just another rig, it represents
a whole way of shing. Its
as much a departure as is
oater shing, zigging or
stalking and, to get the best
from it, a specic approach is
advantageous.
As with any form of shing
there can be a ne line
between getting it right and
Even commercially available pop-
getting it wrong, and there
is a whole lot more to it than
merely tying one up and
lobbing it out. I see chod
shing as a mind-set, a whole
style of angling and far more
than just a presentation or a rig.
Its been said that it is
overused, which may be true
on some venues; however,
I meet many anglers who,
having given them a go,
have no condence in chods
and no longer use them.
I believe that they are the
ones viewing it merely as an
alternative presentation and
arent changing things in
order to maximise on the rigs
benets. Casting style, line
lay and baiting will determine
how well the hook bait is
presented and have an eect
upon the chances of success,
while a whole host of aspects
will load the odds in favour of
converting pick-ups to sh in
the net.
Although I dont use it to
the exclusion of all else it has
certainly formed the mainstay
of my shing over the past six
or so years. Ill be the rst to
admit that it isnt perfect for
every situation but, such is my
condence in the chod, I need
to have a reason not to use it
rather that it being the other
way round.
I think that part of its success
is down to the fact that it
almost always keeps the hook
bait accessible to a feeding
carp. Most rigs, if they dont
land right owing to a tangle,
landing in weed and suchlike
are susceptible to being
compromised, whereas a chod
will be presented in the vast
majority of cases. How many
times have you had sh all
over you and its looking like a
bite is a formality, but nothing
materialises? Theres every
I cast to where I see signs of sh showing, bubbling or even clouding
up. The chod rig is perfect for this application.
The lakes big common caught
a foot or two below the
surface with a chod presented
on the fronds of weed.
chance that the rig had landed
badly and it simply couldnt be
picked up. Im sure that a chod
is actually shing for a greater
percentage of the time.
My whole approach has
altered since adopting its use
and Ive found it has freed me
up. The marker rod has been
made redundant because I
dont have to identify clean
ground on which to sh. When
74
clear areas are at a premium
and dicult to nd there can doubt that the rig oers fewer
be a temptation to stay put
just because youve found a
couple of lovely clean gravel
spots where the lead rattles
in, despite the fact that youve
not seen a sh on them. With
the shackles removed I am
more mobile, reacting to the
movements of the carp in the
knowledge that I will be able
to achieve an eective and
accessible presentation no
matter what the make-up of
the lake bed.
My shing has become more
observation oriented and a
great deal simpler. Im not
looking for that depression
in a bar or deep, silty gulley
that everyone else casts to.
Im casting to where I see
shows, bubblers, plumes of
silt or any other sign of carp.
Trying to second guess them
by targeting spots that sh
are expected to visit and feed
on can pay o but its not as
productive as shing where
they actually are. There is no
advantages to the trapper and
it is the hunter that will benet
most from its use.
No longer restricted to
casting to the nearest clear spot
to the sh, hoping that they will
move over me, I can present a
hook bait on top of them.
Imagine that carp are evident
at 60-yards range but the only
clear areas are 40 yards out. An
hour thrashing the water with
the marker rod to establish
where you can sh could, at
best, put the carp on edge or,
worse, unsettle them to the
extent that they move on.
Regardless of that, though,
how much better is it to be able
to sh among them, where
they want to be, than to try to
encourage them to feed in a
nearby area? The rigs ability to
present in weed means that,
provided it is safe, it doesnt
matter what the bottom is like,
and if thats where they are
thats where I sh.
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www.edwards-custom-upgrades.com
 I use a very specic style of
casting when chod shing. Well,
to be more accurate, its the bit
immediately after casting that
matters, and getting it wrong
can lead to the rig sitting less
than perfectly. It is essential to
have the swivel sat up against
the top bead to ensure that
the leadcore doesnt loop
up o the bottom. While the
technique will become second
nature over time, it can take
some getting used to. Ive
carried out a few tuitions on
this aspect, witnessing how
alien it is to some and it can
take a bit of practice for it to
become routine.
While the lead is in ight
and nearing its destination the
rod is held up at 90 degrees
to the lakes surface. As soon
as the line hits the clip, or is
trapped by a nger on the
spool, the tip is then lowered to
the horizontal position, in line
with the speed of the lead to
cushion its impact. As soon as it
splashes down the tip is swept
up, again to 90 degrees. This
has the eect of bringing the
lead and rig together. The rod is
then lowered once again, while
remaining in contact with the
lead until it touches down.
Done this way the lead drops
more vertically as opposed to
swinging in and the buoyancy
of the pop-up allows the
leadcore to slide through the
ring swivel until it is stopped
by the top bead, enabling the
whole lot to settle down in a
straight line.
Cast the rig out to your required
spot and trap the line just before it before swiftly lifting the rod to at
hits the water.
This entire process, once
you are used to it, is simple
enough; however, it becomes
more dicult in the shallows.
In anything less than three
feet deep quick reactions need
to be employed to sweep
the rod up prior to the leads
descent. Throw darkness into
the equation, when youre
relying on your hearing, and its
a whole lot harder again. Light
travels a lot quicker than sound,
so by the time the splash
reaches your ears, the lead may
well have hit bottom. If its dark
and shallow I try to pre-empt
the leads contact with the
surface and start bringing the
rod up a fraction before.
Yes I know it sounds complex
when written down but in
practice it isnt so arduous
and, in time, becomes an
automatic process. Ill concede From the moment my lead hits the
that in some situations you water my lines are never tightened.
can get away without going
through the procedure, but it
is necessary if you want to be hit an area where the weed On one occasion Id noticed
sure that youve got it bang on is lower, but its not a major sh cruising above the weed
each and every time. concern. The hook is going to and deliberately shed on top
One of the chods major be settled on weed well o the of it. I, as well as the gulls, could
advantages is that it is suited bottom and well away from the see my pop-up no more than a
to presenting over a variety of lead, so it is largely immaterial foot or two below the surface
lake beds. Although it will be what it has landed on. but it was where the sh were
okay on clean ground, that isnt Ive caught more than and that night was picked up
where it is at its best. Soft silt, enough big carp with the bait by the lakes biggest common.
choddy ground and especially sat on the weed in midwater to Having felt the lead down
weed are where it excels, so Im know they will feed at all levels youll be left with a good
not looking for a donk. If the of the water column. Ive even amount of slack line. By lifting
lead touches bottom, no matter caught them when the lead the tip high I attempt to sink it
how softly, its shing and hasnt even touched bottom. from the far side back towards
Im content to leave it. When So long as it drops a few feet me. Once a portion of this
shing in weed I will have a few through the water it will be is beneath the surface Im
exploratory casts to try and presented. comfortable putting a little
Cushion the line with the rod, Follow the lead with the rod until it Be careful as you sink the line to
hits the lake bed. This enables the prevent the rig from being moved.
least a 90-degree angle. line to settle in a straight line. This will aect the presentation.
76
A light bobbin is used for bite
indication and should not
tighten the line in any way.
tension on it to completely sink
it but at no stage should it be
tightened up. Tightening the
line carries the risk, particularly
if high weed is between you
and the spot, of lifting the end
of the leader o the deck. Now
if this happens your pop-up,
being buoyant, is going to rise
up to the top bead where it
will be suspended and look
completely unnatural. Worse
still you could end up with the
rig being pulled into weed,
fouling the hook point and
rendering it useless.
It can be tricky, especially in
a crosswind or when a strong
undertow is aecting the
water, but tightening up and
then slackening o is not the
answer. As soon as the line is
taut the damage is done and
no amount of paying o line
will repair a compromised
presentation. In my mind a
less-ecient bite indication
caused by a bow in the line is
preferable to a rig that has zero
chance of being picked up, so
keep it slack.
This is the basis of how I
approach my chod shing and
77
hopefully Ive convinced some
of you to use it, especially if
youre on a weed-infested
venue. In the second part Ill
go into detail on the type of
baiting I employ and some of
the things that can be done
to maximise the chances of
landing what is hooked on the
chod rig, along with a couple of
tweaks to make life easier.
A big mirror caught in
very weedy conditions.
We challenge HARVEY WATSON to catch
live for the ACF cameras on a water stocked
with gnarly old carp Hollybush Lakes.

Harvey Watson
Spending the majority
of his winter working
at a sh farm, Harvey
is looking forward
to returning to
Yateley Match Lake
and targeting one
remaining resident.
Sponsors: Crafty
Catcher, G-Force Tackle,
79 WOFTE Clothing
I
arrived at Hollybush
late one Wednesday
afternoon after nishing
my days graft at the sh
farm, much like any other
session this winter, only this
time with the added pressure
of a live feature. Recent
captures localised the sh to
an area shable from the spit
in the centre of the lake, but I
completed a lap nonetheless.
Nothing gave itself up and
with the onset of darkness
beginning to ll the sky I hastily
pushed the gear round to
where the recent activity had
been.
A quick lead around in front
and I found a clear spot that
was destined to hold my focus
until morning at least, at which
time I could move swims if
nothing occurred. Both rods
were clipped to the mark and
I put seven Spombs of King
Prawn boilies with a smattering
of prepared chilli hemp out,
adding valuable smaller items
to the free oerings. Both rods
were shed to the spot on
matching pop-ups and I settled
in to what was to become an
incredibly cold night.
Pulling the rst sh from the lake,
suddenly the pressure of catching
for the cameras was o.
No signs or sounds caught Baiting with King
my attention throughout the Prawn boilies and
hours of darkness and the chilli hemp tricked
entire lake was as motionless the carp on the day.
as a broken watch. I decided
to settle in for the night earlier
than usual due to the low
temperatures.
A little after 6am the rod
ripped o and a long, spirited
battle ensued before a nice
little 19lb 6oz common lay
beaten in the folds of my net.
The rod was chucked straight
back to the spot without any
further bait being added to
the swim. With Karl Jenkinson
from this magazine due at rst
light, it wasnt long before I
held the block-of-ice-like carp
aloft, as the camera uttered
away in the morning light and
the ash burned through the
haze to illuminate my prize.
The pressure was o but I knew
there were bigger and better
residents to tempt.
As the morning pushed on
I had a lead around with more
time at my disposal and found
a smaller clear spot out to my
left between two small islands.
A few further casts and I was
condent about the size and
The beauty of the rst sh
was revealed as I peeled
back the sacks mesh.
80
This stunning dark common was the rst sh
of the session and although not the biggest
in the lake, certainly one of the prettiest.
A few extra Spombs quickly
topped the swims up.
White hook baits of the matching King
Prawn avour, shed on hinged sti rigs,
allowed the carp to home in on my rigs.
possibility of the spot, so moved one
of my hinged sti rigs to the area. I
dropped just ve Spombs over the
top of the rod and topped the initial
spot up with ve as well after putting
a new hook bait on and recasting it.
Small slicks peppered the surface
ripples and attened them instantly
through the afternoon, an irregular
pattern that led me no closer to what
the sh were doing or where they
were moving to and from a sh
even showed over one rod. I chose
to redo the rods before dark and get
them settled well before the light
disappeared.
81
At around 8.30pm a small tench fell
victim to my right-hand rod. It was
incredibly mild and there was a lot of
cloud cover visible. I chose to top the
spot up again with just three Spombs
in case it had been cleared by the
hungry tench and sat back to make a
cup of tea.
As the kettle began to boil, the
left-hand rod was away. The damp,
cold air hung around us as I gingerly
played the sh, inching it closer to the
waiting net. A lovely, clean mirror was
soon beaten and went on to settle
the scales at 17lb 8oz, and the shots
were soon engraved in the cameras
memory before we watched it
swim away unscathed. The rod
was cast back to the spot and I
opted to not add more bait in case
there were still carp in the area I
didnt want to spook anything o.
The sky cleared through the
evening and it was once again a
desperately cold night. My bobbin
picking up early the next morning
signalling a take had me rushing
from the bag, though, and I lifted
into a sh as the soft blanks of
my rod reacted to the force from
the other end. The culprit stayed
deep and as it drew nearer to
the bank it dove suddenly and
smashed through a weed bed
near the tip. The next thing I knew,
the rod eased, pulled up, and
there was a massive ball of weed
snarled around the knot above
my leader. The weed dropped
and plummeted toward the sh
and just as it hit the lead, the rod
slackened o and the sh was free
of my hook an annoying end to
the session for sure.
Although Id managed to catch
a few live for the cameras, it was
always going to be a tall order
to catch one of the better sh
in the short 24-hour period that
the cameras were with me. Since
The second sh of the session
December last year Ive visited
came during the night, under a
Hollybush Lakes a number of
bitterly cold, clear sky.
times through the winter and
had varying success. Through
every session Ive aimed to get on
the sh rst and foremost, using
recent captures, time walking
and watching the water, and any
inclinations to pinpoint their
location, and where theyd want
to hold up. Using small baited
traps to try and entice a bite,
earlier using Peanut Pro and hemp
and switching to King Prawn
and chilli hemp as winter neared
spring, I aimed to winkle out as
many cold-water carp as possible.
Some sessions were more fruitful
than others and one of the better
ones saw me land six, including a
24lb mirror, a really old, beautiful,
22lb fully scaled mirror and my
One of the stunning residents
target for the winter known as
I caught just before the cold
The Alien an incredibly old sh,
winter set in, a 22lb 6oz fully.
awesomely long, with a linear
scale pattern that went 27lb 8oz.
At that point I left the venue
and have returned for the rst
time for this live feature, so in
hindsight maybe I was a little out
of tune with the water.
The Alien, my main target
from the water, caught here
at a weight of 27lb 6oz.
82
DAN TAYLOR reveals the tight baiting
approach that has been tripping up big
carp on his overnight sessions and
theres not a Spod in sight.
W
hen it comes to creating
a baited patch, most
anglers think about
putting out small baits
with a Spod or Spomb.
While it is an undoubted sh catcher, I feel
that it can be a little too noisy when you
want to create a small trap for wary carp.
When it comes to feeding a large amount
of bait quickly then I will reach for the spod
rod, but when you want to bait enough
Crush your chosen bait into a large Compact the bag and tie it tightly. Using the long tag, tie the bag to Cast the rod out to your chosen
PVA mesh tube. You can also use Ensure you leave a long tag on the the swivel. This can then be cast to mark and feel the lead down as
whole baits if you wish. PVA.
for a bite, especially when shing just an
overnight session, a Spomb or Spod can be
overkill.
I have spent the winter shing
overnighters on Chilham Mill in Kent, a lake
known for its winter form. However, I dont
want to ll it in on every trip, preferring to
get a bite at a time. The lake is relatively
shallow, averaging around four to ve feet.
This means that every bit of disturbance
made by leads and Spods landing can be
your spot.
84
detrimental to your results and can quickly
move the sh onto another area.
As a result, I have adopted the use of
PVA to apply bait to the swim. Unlike a
Spomb, a PVA bag makes little in the way of
disturbance and allows me to create small
patches of bait in a tight area. Not only
does it reduce noise in the swim but it also
ensures that the bait reaches the lake bed
in tight patches, which is a pitfall of feeding
a spod mix when there is a signicant tow
you would with your shing rods.
on the lake bed. The PVA bags also cast well in a crosswind, so
you can ensure your bait is hitting the right spot every time.
Like creating PVA bags, all I do is put an amount of my
chosen mix into the tube and tie it o. My preferred mix is
a couple of varieties of chopped boilies. I also throw whole
baits in so that there is something heavier in the swim that
will stay there for longer. I compact the lot as tight as possible
to help with aerodynamics. Once tied, I leave a long tag of The small parcels of bait are
PVA at the end before repeating the process until I feel I dotted in a small area
have sucient bags for baiting up. This is granny knotted to
the eye of a ring swivel on a standard lead-clip rig. The end then the PVA dissolves to create
product is then ready to cast out. high-attract areas of crumb, a
To get a decent volume of bait on the spot quickly I use sure-re winner for a bite.
the large-diameter PVA and create bags the same size as the
palm of your hand. By consistently creating bags of the same
size I am able to keep the casting weight the same, improving
accuracy when casting them out.
Having found a spot to sh, its a simple case of casting the
bag out until you hit the clip. From there I wait 40 seconds
then slowly pull the lead along the lake bed by applying side
strain for around six feet. Then I just reel in the lead clip. I
repeat the process a few times as accurately as possible and
clip my rig on complete with a PVA bag and drop it onto the
baited spot. The result is lots of small patches of bait, which
almost detract the suspicion away from your rig and bag A 30-pounder caught on
combination on the hook. a recent overnighter on
The method has served me well at Chilham, with me Dans neat PVA-bag trick.
catching sh to over 30lb. I was really happy with the results
this winter and catching a carp or two a night makes the drive
to work all the sweeter.
This shouldnt be seen as only a winter method either. It is a
great way of baiting tightly in holes in the weed and ensures
that all the loose bait reaches the lake bed, where you rig is
positioned. Often, a rogue Spod can cause the bait to be sat
on the fronds of weed, distracting the sh from the spot. With
sh on many waters wary of the Spod or Spomb it stands to
reason that a dierent, subtle method of baiting up will work
and the PVA trick has been a real edge for me over the years.

Wait 30 seconds before pulling the By now your PVA will have
rod back and dragging the lead dissolved. Reel in your rod and
across the lake bed. repeat the process.

85
 Chris Elmey
With a full time job
Chris shing is limited
to overnight sessions
and weekends. It
doesnt stop him CHRIS ELMEY reveals how he fooled
trickling in some bait
during the week in
his target carp on his latest campaign
order to make the most
of his precious time on
with a dierent approach to baiting.
the bank.
Sponsors: CC Moore 88
I
d heard of this particular
water some time ago
but, due to other
commitments, never
managed to nd the time
or reason, in fact, to venture
over and see it for myself. I had
heard through the grapevine
that some of the better sh
the lake contained had been
lost in recent oods, but after
some research it was conrmed
that it still contained two much
sought-after jewels. I simply
had to secure a ticket.
Come last summer I was at a
loose end with my carp shing
but luckily enough by August
the ticket had dropped through
my letterbox and it was game
on again. I wasted no time
getting down to the lake, which
is only a short drive from my
home. It is nestled between a
series of lakes that follow the
path of the River Kennet in the
Berkshire area.
The lake that I was planning
to sh is roughly ve acres, with
two islands positioned down
the central area. Old weathered
trees, a huge row of towering
poplars and a narrow path
that runs round the entire lake
surround this majestic place.
Come the summertime, great
expanses of lily beds make
their presence known in certain
areas, providing sanctuary for
the carp on the bright sunny
days. It was a perfect place to
be and I couldnt wait to get
stuck in.
I spent the back end of
summer trying to gather as
much information as possible,
shing dierent areas and
spending time walking the
small, intimate venue, scouring
for small signs and giveaways
to the carps presence. The
sh rarely gave away their
whereabouts during the day,
but come nightfall the lake
Summer success taught Chris a lot about his quarrys whereabouts.
came alive with zzing and sh
breaking the surface. I made
sure to stay up late each night,
watching the water and making
mental notes to help build a
better picture.
I had a successful time at the
end of summer and into the
beginning of autumn, catching
some lovely sh from dierent
areas. I had started to uncover
specic spots where the sh
were condent to feed and
certain areas that received less
pressure than others. Albeit
I had caught some stunning
sh during my rst few weeks
on the venue, I just felt that
something wasnt quite right
about the areas I had been
shing. In hindsight, I never did
feel close to catching one of the
two sought-after carp.
Due to other commitments,
I struggled to sh the lake
during the autumnal months,
although I did make the eort
to visit the place a few times a
week after work. I believe that
one of the biggest aspects to
success is staying in tune with
a venue, even if its for short
visits without the rods. The
information is still there to
be gathered and the learning
curve is still building. I made
the eort to visit the venue
straight after work, just before
dark. This gave me a great
insight into where the majority
of other anglers were shing,
where bait was going in and,
come nightfall, where the sh
wanted to be. Due to the size

Observation was paramount

for locating the carp on each
session.

Prebaiting formed the

basis of Chris approach.

89
of the lake, it can receive high chance of singling out one of
levels of angling pressure at the better sh would be by
certain times, so this was a targeting an area that seemed
particular aspect that I paid a to be devoid of anglers. Mental
lot of attention to. Although notes dictated that the area I
I wasnt actually shing, I felt had chosen to bait on a regular
that I was, just without my basis for the next few weeks
lines in the water. This gave received no lines or bait from
me the motivation and drive the time I secured my ticket
throughout the times when I in August. It was an obvious
couldnt sh to focus harder choice from my perspective.
on the goal of catching one of It was also a perfect place in
the prize sh when I did nally terms of positioning right
return. o the back of the cold winter
Autumn seemed to y by winds, yet if a nice warm wind
and before I knew it the slightly did spring up, it would be bang
colder, longer nights were in the teeth of it. Perfect!
creeping in. I was still making I had a lead around one
the eort to get down to the evening after work, just on
lake every week after work. By dark, and like the rest of the
now, I had built a strong image lake it seemed to be that
in my head and a plan was consistent silt, a mixture of soft
hatched going into the winter and rm spots throughout.
months. I went about baiting my
Having spent many hours chosen area twice a week,
watching the water and turning up on darkness after
monitoring activity from other work and scattering a few kilos
anglers shing on a regular of Live System over the area I
basis, I noticed patterns had chosen at the top end of
starting to emerge. From the lake. Here, the lake narrows
my shing in the summer, it right up to a point, with
became obvious that the lake deep margins and at-calm
contained very little in terms water when sheltered by the
of features. Widespread silt in surrounding trees. I hedged my Preparation was key to getting the rods in prime position before
varying forms made up the bets a little and spread the bait night-time arrived.
majority of the lake bed, with
consistent depths across most The combination of observation and prebaiting started to bring results.
of it. By knowing this, I spent
more time observing areas that
received consistent pressure
from anglers. Being a small
water, I feel the carp become
more acute to angling pressure
and react dierently; this
idea helped me narrow down
a certain area that I would
concentrate on going into the
winter period.
Come December, I felt I had
put in enough groundwork
ready to start my winter
campaign. With mild
temperatures forecast, there
wasnt a better time to do so.
Historically, the water has had
very little form in previous
years during winter, but this
by no means swayed my
condence. The accumulation
of preparation after work had
led me to believe that my best

90

in an arch, leading out from
the main spot in the corner,
scattering the 15mm baits on
a line parallel with the bank.
Most of the time I could scatter
the bait by hand but I chose to
use the catapult to spread the
bait further out over the main
spot. Baiting an arch shape
allowed my to condently
sh over a prebaited area, if
in the unlikely event that I
turned up and someone had
decided to sh right in the
corner. I continued to bait the
unpressured area of the lake
for a few weeks, making sure I
made the eort to get down a
few times during the week to
keep the bait going in.
I knew things were starting
to come together nicely
because on arrival on a few
occasions I had sh showing in
the baited vicinity. The weather
was looking better each
week, with mild temperatures
sometimes reaching mid-
doubles, something quite
The lake topography was relatively
featureless so it was a simple case of
nding the harder areas on the lake bed.
amazing for the middle of
winter. It was only a matter of
time before I would be wetting
a line over my primed areas, but
I held out until I felt everything
was right and conditions were
spot-on for a result.
I had a busy Christmas period
but still managed to get down
to trickle the bait in.
I checked the long-range
forecast at the beginning
of January and it was no
doubt time to get ready for
a trip to the lake. I spent that
week prepping all my gear
between work, ready for the
long-awaited trip come the
weekend. Rigs were tied, the
rucksack was packed and my
bait was prepped ready for the
session. Conditions couldnt
have been better with a nice
low pressure and southwesterly
wind, the time was right.
I arrived late Saturday
afternoon, with what light that
was left from the day fading
quickly. I already had my rigs in
92
Liquid attraction was added to improve the
pulling power of the boilies.
the rings, with my trusty white
NS hook baits already tied on
ready to be despatched into
the lake. I quickly pinged a few
baits out with the catapult; only
a few handfuls of Live System
because I knew I was shing
over primed areas. The rods
were then icked out over the
spot, some 20 yards from the
bank. One landed on some
nice rm silt, while the other
was positioned in the slightly
softer debris. What had been
a fairly strong southwesterly
was now slowly dying down,
lapping gently into my rod tips
in the tucked away corner. My
observations had been correct
because the lake was fairly busy
going into the weekend and all
the anglers were unaware of
my intimate corner. I sat there
smiling to myself as the night
drew in and the kettle was
steaming away.
I stayed up a few hours into
darkness, glancing out into
the abyss, full to the brim

Just before the mag went to print Chris landed this
scarred mid-thirty common.
with anticipation for the night ahead.
Strangely, I didnt see one show over
the area that night and my bleary
eyes were screaming out for some
much-needed sleep. I went to bed still
condent, but a little confused as to
why they had not been showing in the
prime conditions. Maybe the unusual
amount of disturbance in the area from
the casts had spooked them out. I had
a nal sip of my tea and got my head
down, planning on being up for rst
light.
I woke to the faint cry of my alarm.
A few subtle bleeps and the twitching
of my bobbin had me out of the bag
in a ash. Initially, I thought I might
have a tench on the end. I lifted the
rod and reeled down the slack, only
to be connected with a weighty sh.
By the time I had tightened down, the
sh had arched right round to my left,
swimming powerfully into the corner.
I managed to slowly steer it out and
played it hastily out in open water. The
weight of the sh could only make me
think that I was attached to one of the
bigger ones, so I was starting to feel a
bit nervous during the scrap.
Before long I was winning, and as
it surfaced I knew I had one of the
93
lakes jewels gliding towards the net
cord. It went in rst time and I was
hugely relieved. What a way to start my
winter campaign, the baiting and spot
location had worked, what a result.
By then a few of the other anglers
had gathered round and together we
lifted her out onto the mat. A lift up on
to the scales conrmed it was one of
the lakes prizes at over 35lb. We rattled
o a few photographs and I gently
slipped her back into the intimate
corner where I was shing. The kettle
was on and I had the morning to reect
on the past few weeks of hard work and
eort culminating in one of the ones I
wanted The Lady.
Theres no doubt that a combination
of my observation, thinking outside the
box and baiting an area of untouched
water had helped lead to the downfall
of my reward. It certainly has been a
great learning curve in my angling
this year and will certainly make me
think twice when planning my shing
campaigns over the coming months.
Theres still one more I would dearly
love to catch, a beautiful pristine
linear, so its time for a little think and
hopefully something a bit dierent will
help lead to its downfall. Lets see, hey!
One of the A-team, The Lady was
just desserts after the hard work that
Chris had put in over the year.
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96

FORTIS
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from the US, these enable you to
see through the waters surface
glare and locate your quarry.
Theyre ideally suited for a range
of ambient light levels, and the
UV400-rated lenses will protect your
eyes from the potentially harmful
UBV and UVA rays. Theres even an
anti-scratch coating on the lenses.
The lightweight megnalium frame
is strong and the arms hyperextend
slightly to prevent any damage
being caused when putting them
on. Supplied in a hard case with a
lens cloth.
Price: 29.99
Web: www.gardnertackle.co.uk
 MAD BAITS WICKED WHITES AND AVID BEDCHAIRS!

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ALL PRICES SHOWN EXCLUDE P&P EXCEPT WHERE STATED
 CRAFTYCATCHER
RETRO FOOD BAIT POPUPS
A bright oering can often elicit a response
from a sh that is otherwise not interested
in a bait. They also provide a visual
attraction when shing over large beds
of bait, possibly getting you quicker bites.
Featuring the same attractive derivatives of
the King Prawn boilies with added buoyant
pop-up mix, these pungent pop-ups are
ideal for using as single hook baits or
complementing a nice spread of boilies.
With a washed-out pink variety or match-
the-hatch hook baits to cater for two
options, they are sure to catch you plenty
of sh however you choose to employ
them.
Price: 4.99
Web: www.copdockmill.co.uk

SPOTTEDFIN
HOOKBAIT FLAVOURS
Creating personalised hook-bait
avours has become more popular
of late, with anglers trying to glean
an extra edge by giving theirs a
specic signature. Well-known carp-
catching avours such as Monster
Crab and Tuna are accounted for
each with their distinctive, yet
pungent smell, but a particular
favourite is the Tangerine. This
would lend itself as a great high-
attract, bright single-hook-bait
avour when combined with other
citrus avours or as a fruity twist
to a shy base mix such a squid.
Each bottle features recommended
levels so you can easily construct
a rounded avour prole for your
hook baits.
Price: 7.50
Web: www.spottedn.com
MAINLINE
INDIAN SPICE
POPUPS
The avour combination that
goes into making the Indian
Spice is nothing short of
legendary. Having been used
for decades its easy to see why
they are a brilliant attractor bait
that have been working well for
years. The Hi-Visual Indian Spice
pop-ups make the ideal visual
hook bait for shing singles or
over a bed of bait. The unique
green colour is seldom used for
hook baits, so it may be a way
of picking up the warier carp in
your lake. There are both 12mm
and 15mm versions available in
the range, each super buoyant,
making them ideal for a myriad
of pop-up rigs, where a buoyant
bait is key to presentation.
Price: 6.75
Web: www.mainline-baits.com

102
 STICKY
WAFTER HOOK BAITS
Stickys pop-ups have seen success all over the
UK, having accounted for some truly sought-after
carp, after listening to the demands of their team
members and customers up and down the country
who wanted round Wafter hook baits to use over
bait or in PVA bags, they came up with a full range.
With complementary round baits available in The
Krill pink, white and match-the-hatch hook baits
there is a Wafter for every baiting scenario. Sticky
has also listened to the demands for a Signature
Wafter, giving you a fruity bait to sh over a baited
area. Like the pop-ups, you get a lot of hook baits
for your money; the pots are brimming. Its another
great addition to their impressive bait range.

Price: 6.50
Web: www.stickybaits.com

BLAKESBAITS
TUNA EXTRACT PASTE
Soluble sh proteins are blended to create a thick
salty liquid that has a high concentration of amino
acids makes this ideal for using as a boilie glug
or in a high-attract stick mix. Due to its naturally
derived ingredients the liquid cant be overloaded.
Ideal for use in the summer months when the
oils in the product will leak o loads of attraction,
really giving the Tuna extract the chance to work
its magic. Although you can use as much as you
wish, a little goes a long way with this product
and its well worth lightly applying it to your
chosen bait before a session to allow it it to soak
into the bait and slow the leakage of the liquid in
the water over a matter of hours.

Price: 4.25
Web: www.blakesbaits.co.uk

BAITTECH
THE JUICE LIQUID
This clear, sweet liquid is designed to oer you a
soak for just about any carp shing bait you would
want to use. Great as a pellet soak or optionally to
glug boilies when trying to get as much attraction
in the swim as possible, it leaches right into the
bait adding another dimension to baits by creating
a super soluble halo over the baited area, that the
sh are curious to explore. Liquid attraction is often
overlooked, but it can be hugely benecial when
you are trying to attract lethargic carp to feed on a
baited area. With a huge varety of applications the
Juice is well worth a look if you need a bait additive
that can be coupled with a multitude of baits to
improve their pulling power.

Price: 6.99
Web: www.bait-tech.com

103
 SSPBAITS
SYSTEMX POPUPS
With a sweet, nutty avour prole these
buoyant pop-ups feature the same
ingredients as the boilies. Like the boilies,
there are two colour options available
Beige Gravel and Dark Silt allowing you
to match your hook baits to the loose-feed
baits that you are feeding. The darker baits
also come into their own when bird life is
causing you problems and the dark colour
blends in with the lake bed, ensuring your
hook baits stay in position for longer, when
a brighter hookbait may have been picked.
Available in 12mm and 16mm in mixed-pot
or single-pot options, these hook baits will
cover every situation.
Price: 5.99
Web: www.sspbaits.com

CCMOORE
KRILL MICROMASS

Made with natural sh oils derived

from krill, an abundant source
of omega-3, combined with
krill protein extract, this highly
digestible, moist additive makes the
ideal stick mix and bait additive for
year-round use. Thanks to its moist
nature it has a tacky consistency,
allowing you to mould it into balls
for moulding around hookbaits or
creating high-attract stick mixes
that literally explode as the PVA
melts.

Price: 6.99
Web: www.ccmoore.com

SONUBAITS
24/7 BOILIES
With several years of testing from the likes
of Ian Russell and Chris Lowe, the nal
tweaks to the 24/7 have been made to
create a brilliant, soft, shelf-life bait with
all the quality attributes of a freezer bait.
Featuring a blend of bird foods, nut meals
and milk proteins complemented with
digestive accelerators and sweeteners
to create a rounded taste, the boilies are
available in 12mm to 18mm size with pop-
ups dips and pellets in the range too.
Price: 19.99
Web: www.sonubaits.com

104
The ACF team takes a look at the JRC EXTREME TX BROLLY,
a full system that gives you all the comfort and stability of a
bivvy with the lightweight nature of a brolly.

T
he invention of the space-saving central boss has hugely
improved brolly technology, oering much better interior
room with the same small footprint that everyone
wanted for conned swims. The TX brolly system features
that same space-saving inner frame with all the xtures of a
bivvy, including a multi-panel door option and a groundsheet.
A particularly nice touch is the condensation guard that,
once tted by a simple toggle system, reduces condensation
much like the twin skin in the bivvy. Add to this the magnetic
storm poles that improve set-up time and you have a rather
impressive package. Water simply beads o the 20,000 HH
Hydra-Tex material, which is ideal if you get caught in a real
downpour. The whole lot comes in an oversized heavy-duty zip
bag, with storm poles and tent pegs included in the package. If
you are after a brolly with all the comforts of a bivvy, then the
Extreme TX is well worth a look.

THENUMBERS
Website: www.jrc-shing.co.uk
Price: 279.99

THEVERDICT
THEV
EVERDICT
A full system that caters for all your needs.

107
We take a look at the WYCHWOOD EXTRICATOR
rod range, which promises the optimum
performance when stalking carp.
S
talking and oater shing anglers will
rejoice at the new Extricator range.
It utilises Wychwoods multi-layer
technology, which provides enhanced feel in
the rod yet increases power, which is often
required when playing sh at close quarters.
The soft tip section prevents hook-pulls,
while the butt sections reserved power will
soak up the lunges of a powerful sh. With
both EVA and cork handle options available,
all preferences are accounted for. As always,
the discreet graphics and detailing give the
rods a custom feel. We particularly like the
neat ring at the reel seat for hooking your rig
onto while in transit.
With 6ft, 9ft, 10ft and a 12ft oater rod
available, there is a specic tool for every
eventuality. A small reel will be the ideal
tool to create a balanced setup that will be
lightweight, especially for when travelling
long distances with your stalking gear. THENUMBERS
As with all Wychwood products you get Website: www.wychwood-carp.co.uk
a superb lifetime warranty, leaving you safe Price: From 39.99 to 69.99
in the knowledge that any problems you
encounter can be easily rectied and you THEVERDICT
can get shing again. Perfect for close-quarters angling.
108
Korum Fibreshield Korum Roving kit Avid Ascent 60 Oval Korum KXI reels
umbrella + free delivery K+ free line
+ free delivery +

80.99 89.99 224.99 44.99

Korum Day Session Preston Inception reels Preston PCR reels Korum Neoteric XS
shelter MK2 + free line + free line Twin Top
+ free delivery + free delivery

80.99 152.99 108.00 89.99

Korum Neotreric XS Preston Pro V roller Korum carp rods x3 Korum KBI Alarms
Multi Quiver Power + free delivery + free delivery
+ free delivery

80.99 44.99 134.99 22.99

Huge range of Preston end tackle and accesories Large selection of Sonu Baits available
now in stock! Order 20+ to receive free delivery!

Spread the
Spread the cost
cost with
with these
these great
great nance
nance options!
options!
0 ay
400 (deposit 40 and 12x monthly payments of 31.56)
( p 5 y pay )
750 (deposit 75 and 12x monthly payments of 59.18)
0 pa
1000 (deposit 100 and 12x monthly payments of 78.91)
c r na ls
call 0208 949 3307 or visit www.tacklefanatics.co.uk for details
N
ash released The Key boilies in 2015.
With excellent results all over the UK
using the freezer variety, anglers in the
UK and Europe cried out for the bait in shelf
life. The original freezer version was hailed
for it nutritional qualities and attractors and
Nash has managed to stabilise these active
ingredients to deliver a shelf-life bait with the
same attributes.
The main hurdle was to ensure that the baits
unique active ingredients werent aected by
stabilising the bait. With the consultation of
Dr Keith Sykes, Nash has managed to do just
that and has made a bait that really pushes the
boundaries of what a shelf-life can be.
Keith was keen for The Key to maintain
certain characteristics on its conversion to a
shelf-life bait to provide a food-source boilie
that is stable but works for the angler the
moment it is introduced into the lake. With his
success on both the freezer and shelf-life baits,
Keith sees no discernable dierence in his catch
results, showing that the bait really hasnt been
aected.
Having been stabilised it now breaks the
shackles of a freezer bait, allowing you to store
it much easier. It also means that you can keep
a bag in your car in the event of an impromptu
session without having to worry about it
going o before you get the chance to use it. THENUMBERS
With sizes ranging from 10mm to 20mm there Website: www.nashtackle.co.uk
are baits for any situation. There is also the Price: 1kg 14.99; 5kg 59.99
superb The Key Flake, which saves the hassle
of spending time crushing your baits. With THEVERDICT
matching pop-ups and liquids there is a full A turning point in the shelf-life
range of products for every eventuality. versus freezer bait debate.
111
Iff long sessions and th
he uttmost comfort
f are your bag
SONIK.
then check out the XTI 1 MAN bivvy from SONIK
F
eaturing the 20,000 hydrostatic head
Armatek fabric that oers both durability
and great performance, the XTI 1 Man
is the ideal bivvy for anglers who want all the
comforts while on the bank.
Built on a three-rib construction, integrating
a fourth pole for a peak, the space created is
ideal for anglers who want to take plenty of
gear. The headroom is created by the slightly
pointed apex, which also improves drainage of
water during a downpour.
Each rib is made from sturdy aluminium
for increased stability in heavy winds, with
reinforced pegging points throughout to
further stabilise the bivvy. This is further
bolstered by the tension bars that are simply
tted down the spine of the bivvy to push each
rib and improve tension in the whole structure.
With a multiple door option available, from
mosquito front to clear PVC windows, you can
really customise the bivvy to your preference,
with the option to remove the whole front if
you so wish. The whole package with pegs
and a heavy-duty groundsheet ts in a neat
oversized bag for quick and easy packaway.
There is also the option of a winter skin,
which adds considerable room in the bivvy,
allowing you to t in two small bedchairs. The THENUMBERS
full package weighs just over 14kg, which may Website: www.soniksports.com
seem a lot at rst. However, as you use the Price: 449.99
bivvy, you will strip out the bits you dont need
and customise it to your preference. If you are THEVERDICT
after a bivvy that does it all, then check out the Great material, ideal for the
XTI 1 Man. session angler.
112
 irit
eeSp th
E E Fr VD wi d We are Free Spirit Specialists
R
F ing D it ro
t r S-RANGE
Cas Freespi ses keeping the entire range in stock ES 12ft 2lb .................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 265.00
all purcha XS 12ft 3lb .................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 275.00
SPOD RODS XS 12ft 3lb - 50mm...................................... SPECIAL PRICE 285.00
Launcher LRS 12ft 5lb - 50mm ......................SPECIAL PRICE 139.99 XSive 12ft 3lb SU - 50mm .......................... SPECIAL PRICE 305.00
We keep in stock large quantities of the Free Launcher MRS 12ft 4lb - 50mm .....................SPECIAL PRICE 129.99
Spirit rod range and have different handle options SRange Spod 12ft 4lb - 50mm ......................SPECIAL PRICE 255.00
BACK IN
available in stock on the most popular models. SRange Spod 12ft 5lb SU - 50mm ................SPECIAL PRICE 275.00
THE SPOMB ROD STOCK

DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE FOR MULTIPLE
PURCHASES CALL FOR FURTHER DETAILS
HiS RANGE
12ft 2lb ....................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 340.00
12ft 3lb ........................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 355.00
12ft 3lb - 50mm ............................................ SPECIAL PRICE 365.00
12ft 3lb ....................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 365.00
12ft 3lb - 50mm ......................................... SPECIAL PRICE 375.00
12ft 6in 3lb - 50mm ................................... SPECIAL PRICE 389.00
His 13ft 3lb - 50mm .................................. SPECIAL PRICE 395.00
SIVE 12ft - 50mm .......................................... SPECIAL PRICE 395.00
SIVE ER - 50mm ........................................... SPECIAL PRICE 405.00
SIVE 13ft - 50mm .......................................... SPECIAL PRICE 420.00
S200 12ft - 50mm.......................................... SPECIAL PRICE 420.00
S200 13ft - 50mm.......................................... SPECIAL PRICE 429.00
S220 13ft - 50mm.......................................... SPECIAL PRICE 449.00
HiS Spod 12ft 4lb - 50mm .........................SPECIAL PRICE 309.00
MARKER RODS
Searcher LRM 50mm 12ft 3lb ..................... SPECIAL PRICE 134.99
Searcher MRM 50mm 12ft 3lb ....................... SPECIAL PRICE 124.99
SRange Marker 12ft 3lb - 50mm ............... SPECIAL PRICE 245.00
HiS Marker 12ft 3lb - 50mm ...................... SPECIAL PRICE 299.00
CTX RODS
12ft 21/2lb ...........................................................................................99.99
12ft 23/4lb .........................................................................................104.99
12ft 31/4lb 50mm..............................................................................119.99
12ft 31/2lb 50mm..............................................................................124.99
12ft 31/2lb 50mm SU .......................................................................129.99
13ft 31/2lb 50mm..............................................................................134.99
13ft 31/2lb 50mm SU .......................................................................144.99
12ft Spomb / Marker ..........................................................................99.00
13ft Spomb / Marker ........................................................................109.99
12ft 3lb - 50mm ................................SPECIAL PRICE 139.99
13ft 3lb - 50mm ................................SPECIAL PRICE 149.99
E-CLASS GOLD
Gold 12ft 2lb ................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 159.99
Gold 12ft 3lb ................................................... SPECIAL PRICE 169.99
Gold 12ft 3lb - 50mm..................................... SPECIAL PRICE 179.99
Gold 12ft 3lb - 50mm..................................... SPECIAL PRICE 194.99
Gold 12ft 3lb SU - 50mm............................... SPECIAL PRICE 199.99
E-CLASS ORIGINAL SPECIAL OFFER
12ft 3lb - 40mm ..............RRP 174.99...... SPECIAL PRICE 120.00
ORIGINAL LONG RANGE MARKER OFFER
12ft Searcher ...................... RRP 124.99 ....... SPECIAL PRICE 89.99

SEAGUAR FLUROCARBON JASON HAYWARDS MILK PROTEIN MP FREE SPIRIT ZIG PIECES NO
RANGE OF POP-UPS EXCLUS
IVE W IN
Seaguar is the most advanced ourocarbon used in the shing trade.
We have some very special pop-up hook baits, all WALKER TO Available for: STOCK
It is designed for saltwater yshing and big game shing. Due to its based on a very high-quality milk-protein base. The base
S HiS 12ft 3.00lb ..................................................39.99
ne diameter, suppleness, abrasion resistance and knot strength it is mix is one of Jason Haywards old-school recipes that is highly HiS 12ft 3.50lb ..................................................39.99
perfect for leaders and hook lengths. This is not widely available to attractive to carp in its own right and uses some very special, exclusive HiSive 12ft ........................................................49.99
the carp trade and is relatively unknown to the carp angler, however (and expensive!) carp-catching ingredients and attractors. The mix HiSive ER.........................................................49.99
it is by far our biggest selling ourocarbon bar non. has been updated for 2014 to make it extremely buoyant for todays HiS 200 ..............................................................49.99
Available in 50m spools. modern rigs. HiS 200 13ft .......................................................54.99
11.6lb 0.235mm...........................12.99 X.S. 12ft...............................................................34.99
13.6lb 0.26mm.............................12.99 MP1 8.99 MP2 8.99 X.Sive.12ft ..........................................................44.99
15.4lb 0.28mm.............................12.99 Sweet fruits & Sweet jasmine
19.14lb 0.33mm...........................12.99 sour cream & perfumed
spice
23.5lb 0.37mm.............................12.99
25.5lb 0.40mm.............................14.50
with a spice
background GOLD LABEL PRO CLEAR
30lb 0.43mm................................16.99
35lb 0.47mm................................17.99
Pro Clear is diameter for diameter by far the
40lb 0.52mm................................20.50 MP3 8.99 MP SPECIAL most abrasion resistant line that we have
Marine 9.99 ever tested yet it cast smoothly and
extracts & Fruit, spice performs exceptionally well for casting.
organic acid & marine 10lb 0.26mm 1000m ........................ 18.95
FISHSPY UNDERWATER CAMERA product 12lb 0.29mm 1000m ........................ 19.95
16lb 0.34mm 1000m ........................ 20.95
FishSpy is a professional quality camera housed inside an 16lb 0.34mm 5000m ........................ 89.95
aerodynamic marker oat, that transmits live video to your phone 20lb 0.40mm 1000m ........................ 21.95
or tablet. Durable and designed to withstand the rigours of
shing, it is waterproof to depths of 10m. JASON HAYWARDS
CHEMO-STIM (500ml) N-BRICE CARBON & ALUMINIUM POD
The camera records and then transmits live footage at ranges of
up to 100m, enabling you to nd features, check the presentation EXCLUSIVE TO WALKERS! 19.99 The New N-Brice super light Pod For all you anglers out there who
of your bait, and see the sh interact with your bait. You will be like to be light on your toes here is the N-Brice Carbon / Aluminium
amazed at what you have been missing! pod boasting all the same points as our other pods but weighing in
SPECIALIST SHARPENED HOOKS at lessthan 900g. The pod is made from a high grade English rolled
FishSpy generates its own Wi-Fi signal and transmits it to your carbon in a stylish ground matt woven nish and hard anodised Aero
We have teamed up with Jason Hayward to offer hand sharpened grade Aluminlum The N-Brice pod comes complete with 2 adjustable
portable wi-enabled device, so there is no need to worry about hooks in a wide variety of patterns and sizes from all popular
having a internet connection or phone signal on the lake. Fishspy manufacturers. The hooks and prices are listed below. We will be snag bars 10&11, banksticks 2x6
adding more patterns as stock comes in. and 2x8 (but these can be changed
does it all. All hooks are precisely hand sharpened and tted with point protectors. A specialist
sharpened hook does put more sh on the bank.
to different sizes if that suits your
Drennan Conti Boilie Hooks Korda Wide Gape XX shing better) and the base.
Size 4, 6 & 8 7.99 for 10 Size 4,6,8 8.99
Drennan Barbel
Size 9 & 10 7.99 for 10
Korda Wide Gape Hooks
Korda Kurve Shank XX
Size 4,6,8 8.99
Atomic Chodda
350.00
Size 6 & 8 7.99 for 10 Size 5, 6 & 7 8.99 for 10
Korda Kurvs Hooks Nash Twister Hooks
Size 6 & 8 7.99 for 10 Size 4, 6, 7 & 8 8.99 for 10

N-BRICE CARBON RANGE

Korda Choddy Hooks Nash Fang X
Size 4 & 6 7.99 for 10 Size 6,7 & 8 8.99 for 10
Korda Krank Nash Chod Twister
Size 6 & 8 7.99 for 10 Carbon pod .......................................................................................319.99
Size 5, 6, 7 & 8 8.99 for 10
Korda Mixa Carbon 3-rod snag bars .....................................................................97.50
NEW LIVE IN-S
Size 8 & 10 7.99 for 10 OTHER PATTERNS AVAILABLE Carbon 3-rod adjustable bars ...........................................................87.50
Carbon 2-rod adjustable bars ...........................................................69.99
FishSpy Camera 249.95 TO
DEMOS RE Carbon snag Ears ................................................................................26.50

YELLOWSTONE GAS Pod case ..............................................................................................25.00

Carbon sticks 10................................................................................26.50
Carbon sticks 12................................................................................29.50
12 x 450g canisters 45.00 Carbon sticks 16................................................................................31.50
These t Primus, Coleman, Trakker & Fox stoves Stainless Gravel Eater .........................................................................22.99
 The ACF team reports back on the gear
that its been using in proper fishing
situations over various periods of time

MAX HENDRY KARL JENKINSON MARC COULSON

With shing time limited
to overnighters in the
week, Max is appreciative
of durable and
lightweight shing tackle.
Karl travels light to Our group editor has
ensure that he can stay been reviewing tackle for
mobile when shing. over 14 years and has an
He values reliability and eye for detail as well as
functionality in his kit. value for money.

DAIWA
BASIA AGS RODS
Price: From 680
Website: www.daiwasports.co.uk
Max says: We recently got these rods in for a full-page review and
after a little play I simply knew that I had to have a go with them.
I coupled them with the Tournament ISO reels from the Daiwa
stable and got shing.
Having used them for about three months now, I literally take
them everywhere. They are 3.75lb test curve but they have no
broomstick feel about them. The rst thing that strikes you is how
light and thin the blank is. The unique AGS carbon guides hugely
reduce the blanks overall weight. The lack of weight does feel
unnerving at the start and it makes the rods feel fragile, but after
giving them some real punishment I have no reservations using
them. Tip recovery is fast too, the rods go from full compression
to poker straight super quick. This denitely helps increase your
casting distance. All the xtures and ttings are kept subtle and
the rods look great, which is always a plus point.
There are 3lb, 3.25lb and 3.75lb options, with the 3.75lb in both
12ft and 13ft versions. I know they are very highly priced and
not to everyones budget, but if you want a set of rods that have
pushed the boundaries of carp rod design, then these are worth a
look.

The next generation

in carp rods.

114
 GARDNER
GTHD LINE
Price: 19.99 a feat in itself and Ive pulled through although I have not shed over the
Website: www.gardnertackle.co.uk some tough weed beds too. sharpest mussel beds in the country,
Karl says: I rst spooled up with this main It is supple and excellent for casting, I have full condence in its abrasion
line a couple of months ago after my strong where knots are concerned and, resistance.
Gardner Pro main line needed replacing.
The rst thing I noticed was how nicely it
spooled up after being soaked in a bucket
overnight. It felt incredibly supple during
the loading and it came as no surprise
when the same suppleness was evident
during use.
In its very rst use the line hung from
my tips as if it were made of lead, and I
was instantly condent in using it. The
Pro I used before was, and is, a great line
but I feel this new no stretch version from
Gardner surpasses it.
The copolymer has a huge list of
attributes that could easily confuse you,
but Ive found that it sinks through the
surface incredibly well with a slack line,
meaning you can sink your line without
pulling it into any weed between the bank Ive been incredibly impressed
and your spot. This is despite me using the with this line its strong, supple and
lowest breaking strain of 12lb. exceptionally well priced.
Its strength has proved more than
adequate to date as Im yet to crack o

STILLWATER
SEARCHER STOVE
Price: 34.99
Website: www.chapmansangling.co.uk
Max says: A lightweight but reliable
stove is a must when shing regularly. I
recently got hold of the Searcher Stove
from Stillwater. With it being more of an
aordable option compared with a lot of
stoves on the market, I was keen to see
how it fared long term. After a couple of
months of brew making (I drink a lot of
tea) the stove is as good as new. The Piezo
ignition is still perfect and I really like how
stable it is in use, a factor that is quite often
a gripe with most stoves I have used. The
whole package folds into a small black bag
for easy storage. I am sure it will serve me
well for the foreseeable future; it looks like
a solid bit of kit that wont let you down.

Built to last.

115
 RIDGEMONKEY
CARBON THROWING STICK
Price: 59.99 with a handy carry case, not that I felt The stick also has a loading hole near the
Website: www.ridgemonkey.co.uk the need to use it, and the internal space handle, speeding up the baiting process,
Karl says: A throwing stick can be used created by the V shape allows the internal which is a massive plus once youre used
to great eect when shing for big carp. air resistance to disperse more easily. to it.
Whether you are trying to create a tight
bed of bait, or a wider spread of boilies to
keep the carp grazing, a boilie stick will
cater for both objectives it might just
mean a little practice to get your accuracy
spot-on.
Ive used several throwing sticks and a
few of the carbon models that are now
widely available. The benets of a carbon
throwing stick become very clear after the
rst 20 or 30 baits. The reduced weight
makes it easier and prolongs the time
and quantity of bait you can get through
without becoming tired and inaccurate.
This carbon stick from RidgeMonkey diers
from the rest in its shape. The cross section
of the baiting tool is teardrop shaped,
making it much more comfortable in use,
and eradicates any loss of grip, causing
the stick to twist. The 3K carbon weave is A strong, light and
incredibly strong and despite being thrown practical throwing stick,
around with my gear its just as perfect as with a loading hole.
the day I was asked to test it. It also comes

STICKY
KRILL PELLETS
Price: 900g 4.99; 2.5kg 12.50
Website: www.stickybaits.com
Max says: Having used the Krill boilies
last season I wanted to explore the rest of
the range. The Krill pellets complemented
the boilies perfectly, breaking down in a
matter of hours, creating a cloudy halo
on the lake bed. The pure krill meal in
the bait is a well-known carp attractor,
making the pellets ideal for use in spod
mixes. Its also dierent from the standard
trout pellets that most people use.
I prefer to use the smallest 2.3mm Krill
pellets in a solid bag, which are perfect
for producing tight, compact parcels
of bait. There are small session bags all
the way up to 2.5kg bags for heavier
baiting scenarios. The bait is supplied
in resealable bags, allowing me to use
whatever quantity I want and keep it
fresh.

Adds another
dimension to your
baited area.

116
 INTRODUCING THE EASIEST

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DEFINING FISHING HOOKS SINCE 1877

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Distributed by
The aable ELLIOTT GRAY demonstrates
his style of zig shing in ne fashion with
the capture of a tricky Essex carp.

Elliott Gray
With a fruitful winter
shing a local Essex
club water, Elliott will
be back in search of big
carp this spring
Sponsors: Korda,
Mainline, Delkim,
Trakker and Thinking
118 Anglers

Elliott decided to swap his 8lb Kruiser Control mono for 10lb to ensure
he could land sh if they got into the weed.
I
ts cold as I step from the
car but the sky is blue
and those crisp spring
mornings are getting
closer than ever. Im here
to do a couple of things with
Max Hendry, and one of them
is catching on a zig, so the
conditions are ideal. I checked
the weather last night and
although its a bright start, its
supposed to be clouding over
at around midday; Id best get
round to the swim!
Having an understanding
of the lakes topography will
always make your zigging
easier. Luckily Ive shed the
venue on and o in winters
past and have a pretty
good idea of how it looks
underwater. The water is crystal
clear and this too lends itself to
the zigs; the easier the bait is
for the carp to see, the greater
your chances of a bite will be.
The swim Ive chosen has a
large gravel area in front of it,
which runs from the left, across
to my right, and eventually
meets a small island. The lake is
deep on average but on top of
A bright pink hook
bait really stands
out over the weed.
Elliott even sharpens his
hooks to improve the chance
of hooking nicky carp.
the bar it can be pretty shallow
in places. During summer the
area is unshable but once you
hit January the weed begins
to drop back and the shing
becomes more doable. At the
moment the weed is the lowest
its been since last summer,
and although theres still lots
about, its certainly shable. The
carp absolutely love to spend
time here and the sunnier the
weather, the more carp youll
see. Thats how I look at it
anyway they come here for
the weed and the warmth of
shallow water.
I went skiing last week
but I managed to squeeze a
couple of real short sessions
in either side of my trip. To my
knowledge, no-one had been
using zigs at all, which is always Rather than opting to use a tail rubber, Elliott ensures 100 per cent
an edge, and I was pretty sure lead ejection by tying on a piece of PVA tape.
theyd work here, so I tried
them on both of those sessions. the deeper water, just beyond because of the light weed Im
It worked both times and, for whats left of the weed. This going to use 10lb Kruiser Mono,
this reason alone, I really need way, if any sh make there which is bombproof. I normally
to get the rods out! way over to the bars for some use the 8lb.
Its 8.30am and time to get sunbathing, Ill have rigs in Both rods have gone out
the sticks out. Im going to cast their face. A couple of 6ft zigs nicely and the lines are shed
both rods over the bar and into wont take me long to tie and super tight screwed up into
119

An anti-tangle sleeve
completes the rig.
A heavy 4oz lead is used
so that Elliott can create
a super-tight line.
The sensitivity is ramped right
up to ensure a bite is picked up.
A sh makes it to the weed but steady pressure gets it moving.
the weight of the 4oz lead. Im not
using a tail rubber, choosing to wrap
PVA tape around the clip instead,
which guarantees lead ejection. My
alarms are on full sensitivity, the
clutches are done up tight, and the
bobbins are right against the blanks
the rods are locked and loaded.
When you get a bite, 99 times out
of 100 the bobbin will just drop to
the oor. Zig bites can be funny old
occurrences and Ive found this the
most eective way to sh.
Ive been watching for a while
now and Ive not seen any signs of
sh, although that doesnt mean
theyre not here. Ive always found
that regular recasting is a lethal
tactic when zigging and quite often
my bites will come quickly after
doing so. A lot of the time zigging
is a simple case of plonking a hook
bait in their line of sight, and a
rechuck can help force the issue. I
generally recast every 30 minutes
to an hour so, with that in mind, its
120
time to crank the rods in and reposition them.
Id normally mess about with the depths and
colour too, but doing that on my last two or
three visits has told me all I need to know.
Its 11am and Ive recast a further twice, but
one again Ive just had a rechuck. Ive put my
right-hander a bit further out to the right, in
front of the empty swim next door to the island.
Both rods are a tiny bit shorter and closer to the
bar because by now Id expect sh to be in the
weed somewhere. The wind is picking up more
and more, blowing from the north, and as the
clouds start to appear, youd have to say the
conditions are on the decline. Itll be a while yet,
though, and Im condent of a bite. The ones
Ive had lately have all been between around
10am and 3pm.
Its not very often that I use pink when
zigging. Its one of my favourite colours for pop-
up shing, but I normally use black or yellow
when zigging. Its only recently that Ive been
using pink but Ive caught quite a few, in both
murky and clear waters, including this one, so
both rods are being shed with it. I rolled a little
batch of small, fruity pop-ups and its these
Ive been using, as opposed to my usual bits
of foam. With the water being so clear, theyll
denitely see them as they look down at them.
Hopefully theyll have a go at eating them too.
Max is sitting in a puddle next to me, in his
new, super-waterproof clothing. I feel a bit bad
but he insists hes happy and I get the kettle on
to make him feel at least a little bit at home.
Right out of the blue, the right-hand rod
has just let out a urry of beeps, which could
certainly be a liner. Its happened again and only
a few minutes have passed. Now Im certain it
was a liner, a regular occurrence when there are
sh about. Its almost midday, which is a good
sign too, and the sun is still poking its head out
every now and again.
I was just doing some pictures with Max and
the right-hand rod let out another few beeps
but, stood by it, nothing looks out of place.
Again it bleeps, the bobbin creeps forward a
few millimetres and Im on it!
Theres denitely a sh attached and its
pulling hard to the right a direction theyve
not gone before. With the rod held as high as
possible I apply the pressure. I want the sh and
the line as high above the weed as possible. Im
gaining on the sh and before long its right
up on top of the bar, approximately 30 yards
out. All of a sudden its weeded me up and
everythings gone solid, so I keep the pressure
on and gently lean into the weight. Nothing
budges so I move up the bank to change the
line angle, but again nothing budges. This is
where having the right end tackle comes into
play. The weed isnt actually too bad and Im
certain that the hook, combined with the 10lb
 A 25lb torpedo common that gave
Elliott the runaround. With bites on
the bottom not occurring during the
day his zig rigs helped bring the bites.

Kruiser Control mono, will be able to

deal with it.
The sky has turned all moody and
theres a real atmosphere in the air.
Keeping calm, I move back to my
original position and apply more
and more pressure, but slowly so the
stretch is removed from the line. The
sh then kicks, rolls on the surface and
moves free of the weed and I begin to
gain line. Theres a small ball of weed
on the surface, I can see my lead clip
up the line and it doesnt feel like the
sh is still there. I grab my net and
scoop the whole lot up as soon as
possible, noticing the sh still attached
just as I slip the net into the water.
Lovely jubbly it looks a good un too.
I give Max a quick cuddle and then
get the mat and camera ready, with
the sh sat in the net for a minute. Its
a long, dark one so hopefully the sun
will stay behind the clouds while we do One last look, before the lean
the pictures. With the sh now ashore, common glides o into the clear
its clearly a chunky one, and Id guess water.
it was 25lb to 26lb. The hook is bolted
into the bottom lip and, as they say,
was going nowhere. The sh in here The sh sits patiently in
are absolute crackers and Im smiling readiness for its photo.
happily as the camera clicks away.

121
 JUNE ISSUE ON SALE TUESDAY, MAY 10TH

ALFIE RUSSELL GOES IN SEARCH OF UNCAUGHT WHACKERS

WEE R
W REVEAL
EVEAL EELLIOTT
LLIOTT G
GRAYS
RAYS R
RIG
IG W
WITH
ITH A 1
100%
00% H
HOOKED
OOKEDT
T
TO
OLLLANDED
AN RATIO
IAN STOTTHOW I CAUGHT AN INCREDIBLE FIVE UK FIFTIES IN FIVE MONTHS
ADAM PENNING ghts against the elements to bring yet another show-
stopping carp-catching performance from Kent super water Chilham Mill.

A
fter the last productive session I had been
oating around at home, buzzing at the
thought of getting back to Chilham. Cold-water
sport of that quality can be hard to come by and
although we had so far been blessed with an
abnormally mild winter, I was hopeful that the action would
continue even if it did actually turn cold. So far we had been
battered by a succession of storms, largely originating in the
North Americas, and these brought huge swathes of wet,
windy and rather mild weather across the UK.
I knew it couldnt continue and in latter years we had always
paid the price eventually, with the back end of winter and

Look and keep looking.

124
early spring often being the coldest part of the whole season. want to sh from the comfort of the armchair at home. If they
Still, if it did turn brutal, Chilham had the form to still be able arrive and that peg is taken, then most simply take the next
to chuck out a whacker or two; certainly one of the best best peg from the wall and commit to that. A few will drive
winter venues I have ever shed. slowly around the lake in their cars and look for showing sh
The year had started in ne style for me with a new an easy-going approach to say the least. Occasionally you will
appointment sealed with Prologic. This is a very exciting see what Steve French and I fondly refer to as the hard-core
move and, despite what some may say about anglers moving
around, this is only the fourth tackle company I have worked Sealing the deal with product head man Enrico Parmeggiani.
with in over 20 years in the trade. Another great thing about
the deal is that it will allow me to do a bit more shing and a
few less tutorials all in all, good times!
I planned to return for my fourth trip of the winter and put
down another two nights early in January. The game plan was
going well simply remaining mobile and vigilant was the
key. I say simply, but it was quite arduous, onerous shing.
Often the sh would start showing in the evening and this
would require a night-time move. All too regularly it would
be pouring with rain and this might put the move o into the
morning but it still meant that evenings were spent outside
the bivvy, standing in waterproofs, listening for showing sh.
Chilham operates a booking-on system, whereby you have
to sign in to a particular swim. It is a long walk around the lake
and, as such, the majority of anglers choose the swim they

Three hours of looking and

minutes of shing.

My rst meeting at Prologic. Mick Barnes (standing)

talks us through the Steri-7 sh-care range.

125
anglers: these actually wind the window down as they drive
round! This means that the vast majority of angling is done
blind actual watercraft is out of the window, literally!
This isnt to knock any of the members; a fair few are of the
older generation and people like the lovable John Malloy
simply like to sh on their own terms and be comfortable. I
have enjoyed a few evenings sat in the warmth of his camper
van! I readily admit that walking several laps in pouring rain,
looking for a show, is not to everyones taste and sometimes
I do question my sanity! However, I had found beyond doubt
that being bang on the sh was imperative if I was to expect a
result, and this is the same wherever I sh.
And so it was that I arrived just before rst light on the
second Monday of 2016. Hangovers had long since dissipated
and all I now needed to do was walk o all the turkey
and roasties Chilham was the perfect place to do it! The
weather was very unusual; the air pressure was lower than a
rattlesnakes belly at 980 to 990, yet there was hardly any wind.
The water was colder to the touch now and day temperatures
were struggling into double gures. Despite this, it looked
good, really good
On my second lap, and with nothing at all to show for it,
I nally got the sign I was looking for. A lot of people ask A big leathery mirror at just under 30lb.
what watercraft is and, in a nutshell, it is simply looking and
listening. Yes, a carp tail walking along the surface is hard to
miss, even for Stevie Wonder, but often the indications are far
subtler than that. I am looking for those silent breaches, where
a sh comes out only up to its gills or perhaps just the tip of
a nose. Barely a ripple or sound is made I love those shows.
I have written before about looking for signs of nervous bird
life; coots in particular are very edgy and if they have carp
close to them, you will be able to observe the reactions, which
can include a craned neck, a tilted head or even a reverse
scuttle as they backpedal away from a shape below them.
When it is at calm, bubblers can often be seen. Small
patches of zz here and there can be hard to see but often
give away big groups of foraging carp. Dont be caught out by
gas bubbles because these look totally dierent and usually
come up in a straight line, sometimes forming circles before
bursting. Gas bubbles usually pop quicker and are often of a
larger, more uniform size. Lastly, they rarely move, coming up
in a column, unlike feeding bubbles which can often be traced Steve French with The Pretty One at 39lb plus.
left to right as the sh tracks across the lake bed.
On this occasion I noticed a couple of patches of zz about
60 yards out at the mill end of the lake. I stood and stared at
them for an age, gradually noticing more and more the longer
I stood. I was certain they were caused by feeding carp but,
before committing, I was determined to actually see one.
When sh are zzing in silt they will almost always breach at
some point to clear their gills, and it was this nal conrmation
that I was waiting for.
After well over an hour of staring I nally got my reward, as
a dark head silently broke the at-calm surface. Seconds later
I was running back to the car park to get signed in and secure
the area.
By a little after 3pm I had a couple of rods committed to
the area and had spread maybe 100 Manilla boilies across the
zone. There was no weed and I wasnt shing to a feature, so
the throwing stick was perfect. An hour later, just on dusk, I
was rewarded with a 23lb 8oz common. Since dawn Id spent
perhaps eight hours looking and walking before deciding on Simple and eective

126
 The Stunner at 34lb.

my swim and the result had been fairly instant; it really is all
about location!
As I recast I hit a sh on the drop and shortly after that I had
a big liner that I almost thought was a bite I was bang on a
big group of sh, no doubt about it! The evening was quiet
and I sat out in the open, patiently waiting for either another
bite or for rolling sh to tell me they had moved elsewhere.
Shortly after 10pm I heard two good sh show a few swims
to my left and within the hour I was packed and moved into
my second swim of the session. Incredibly, only 10 minutes
after casting out I hooked into an 18lb mirror, and a little after
midnight the right-hand rod produced a wonderful mint
leather of just under 30lb. I had some trouble with my camera
that I couldnt resolve so the self-takes were disappointing, but
I took a few moments with the headtorch to marvel at what a
lovely sh it was before slipping it back into the icy water.
Winter wonderland at Chilham. I put another 100 baits out with the stick and recast the rod.
As I settled into the bag I heard another one slosh out. I was in
the zone, no doubt about it!
The rest of the night was surprisingly quiet and I was sat
with a coee the next morning when I saw one show out to
the right. I quickly despatched a bait to the area and after
receiving a liner, the rod pulled up tight and after a good scrap
I netted a scraper 20lb common.
The rest of the day was quiet and very little showed but I
continued to trickle the odd bait in with the stick because I
suspected they hadnt gone far.
That evening I got a call from Steve, further up the lake in
Peg 12. Hed just caught one of the big ones at over 39lb! I
couldnt let him do self-takes of that, so, winding in, I trotted
up to help out. It really was a bruiser of a carp and we both
got rather excited about it; seeing a whacker on the bank in
January is such a buzz!!
On returning, I icked the rods back out and was promptly
rewarded with sh number ve, a plucky 18lb common.
Another immaculate common caught over spread boilie. That night I heard sh in the area and felt I should have

127
My tenth bite of the trip!

had bites, especially with Chilham being such a renowned

nocturnal water. However, the rods remained quiet until
an hour after dawn when, in the drizzle, the right-hand rod
absolutely tore o. The scrap was crazy and it took me a
fair while to subdue the culprit, which was a chunky and
immaculate 27lb common. I had only just nished sorting that
out when the middle rod was away and the recently vacated
net was once again lled with carp this time a 25lb mirror.
The rain had been getting harder and harder and I smiled
to myself as I recalled that all of my best Chilham sessions
had been uncomfortable ones. In fact, it was raining so hard
that I slipped both of the sh straight back; with hindsight I
regretted this because they were both gorgeous but with rain
looking to be set in for the day, retaining them wasnt really an
option.
I was halfway through sorting everything out when the
remaining rod signalled a drop back. Quite often the bigger
ones do this at Chilham and, having had quite a few bites now, Manilla magic, this awesome carp certainly couldnt resist.
I knew that the law of averages meant that a big one would
probably pay me a visit. Quickly, I wound down to the sh. It I quickly prepared everything for a few shots. The sh was
had charged all the way into my right-hand margin and I had nothing short of spectacular and as I held her I thought that
to wind furiously to gain line and bend into the sh, nally there was no better sh to start o the new year what a
securing the hook-hold. spellbinding creature!
The scrap after that was heavy and slow there was no A while later I had all the rods back out. I only had a few
doubt that I was attached to one of the better ones. When I hours at best but thought another bite could be possible. The
saw a long sh break surface and a scattered line of scales, I weather worsened and a freak squall demolished the bivvy, so
held my breath and pushed out the net. The previous winter I I hastily packed anything up expect the rods. I was glad Id left
had photographed a sh called The Stunner for Steve and for them out because, incredibly, another two sh came my way
me it was by far the best sh in the lake. Very long, lean with before I had to head home, both commons and weighing 22lb
an underslung mouth and amazing scaling, it was perfectly and 23lb.
named and the one that I most desired. As I looked down into What a session it had been 10 sh in 48 hours more than
the net, The Stunner was lying there quietly and I couldnt help I could have realistically expected and topped by the queen
but punch the air as a massive smile spread across my face! of the lake. It seemed they were loving the new Manilla and
I weighed the sh at a touch over 34lb and slipped her when I checked my bag, I was surprised to see that Id got
into a sling for a few minutes while I calmed down. After a through 3kg of it. I look forward to seeing you all next month
short while there was an unexpected break in the clouds, so when spring will hopefully be only just around the corner!

128
f /Prologicfishing

y /PrologicFishingGear

/Prologic_fishing www.prologicfishing.com

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 | @advancedcarp

| @daniel_hulme126 // Daniel Hulme

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Tranquility incarnate.

Dont forget to #advancedcarp for the chance to get your photos featured

130
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