Crafty Carper March 2013

FREE BAIT FOR ALL! Odyssey XXX boilies for every reader from

No.187 March 2013 March 2013 | Issue 187 | £3.90

Inner-city Carping!

Nash Tackle’s Alan Blair goes in search of carp like this from urban environments

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SPRING INTO ACTION!

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Expert carp anglers including Terry Hearn, Iain Macmillan and Ian Russell put you on the right track for springtime success JULIAN CUNDIFF / MYLES GASCOYNE / MARK BARTLETT / ROY RUSSELL / NIGEL SHARP / OLI DAVIES / KEV HEWITT

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Crafty Carper /// Issue 187 /// March 2013 /// www.craftycarper.co What’s on this month’s cover...

FEATURE Urban Banx – Alan Blair

Front cover: The ever-enthusiastic Alan Blair proudly holds aloft a pristine carp caught from his urban location.

FEATURE Getting Quick Bites – Brian Byford

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48

venues we overlook – the local canals and park lakes.

you how to bag a few in double-quick time.

Nash operations director Alan Blair isn’t afraid of doing things differently. In this

awesome new feature he targets the fish at the

CRAFTY COLUMNISTS Editorial – James Turner

11

Editor James Turner tells us what to expect in this

month’s awesome new edition of

With the temperatures (slowly) starting to

Crafty Carper, and what he’s been

rise, and the fish becoming more active,

up to over the last few weeks.

master of the quick bite, Brian Byford, shows Diary of an Everyday Carp Angler – Julian Cundiff

141

Our Jules has had another busy month,

packing in as much carp fishing as his family, work and the weather allow. It’s a huge month for Jules as he turns the big 5-0.

OUT & ABOUT The Traveller – Mark Bartlett

13

Carp Team England and Team Fox star Mark Bartlett takes

the reins of our Traveller feature for the first time this month. Taking over from Mark Pitchers, he kicks off with a trip to Longleat in Wiltshire.

The TicketMaster

84

We delve into the plethora of top UK day ticket

venues once more and pick out a few of the best around. Inside info, bailiffs’ tips, and vouchers for FREE fishing lie herein.

Hot Holiday Venue – La Val Doré

90

Planning to venture to sunnier climes for your

carping? Look no further than La Val Doré and its collection of firstrate kippers. Page 90 is where it’s at for some prime French carping.

INTERACTIVE Catch Column

26

Here’s where you send in your catch pics, and we

make fun of your silly hats and celebrate your cracking captures. The monthly winner bags themselves a £50 Mainline Baits voucher.

The Question Is

71

Send us your conundrums, problems, head-scratchers,

and brainteasers for our expert team of carping sages. They’ll solve your little tactical snafu, and we’ll send you an awesome prize for your trouble.

FREE GIFT!!

CC Moore Odyssey XXX boilies We’ve got together with the guys at CC Moore to give you a free sample of their popular Odyssey XXX boilies.

Get them out and have a look to see what you think.

TACTICS Spring Tips From The Experts

24

It’s the time when the carp have woken from their winter nap and

are raring to get on the munch. We’ve

Competition – Taska Baseline Tungsten

130

Taska’s new range of tungsten-infused

end tackle is given the Crafty

If you’re wondering what to do with them whilst on

gathered some advice from the experts to

inspection, and we offer readers the

the bank then check out Crafty TV for some top tips.

help you prepare for the season ahead.

chance to win the entire Baseline Tungsten range, worth £60+.

6

Crafty Carper

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Contents /// March 2013 Subs Offer

137

Fancy taking out a subscription and

One Rig Only – Richard Chapman

79

BEHIND THE SCENES AT CRAFTY CARPER

Derbyshire angler Richard

Highlights of the month…

Chapman lets us in on

Crafty Bait-rolling

his version of the ever-successful

Team Crafty’s Rich, Kris and

your doorstep every month? Head

big-fish rig, the Hinged Stiff Rig,

Gaz cooked up a storm for a

to page 137 to find out about

which has caught him more than

few future sessions. They

this month’s special subs offer.

his fair share of chunky carp.

made a mess in Gaz’s kitchen

Inbox

Up Your Game – Ian Russell

having Crafty Carper delivered to

and managed to have a laugh

138

Stories from around the carping universe are

uncovered for your reading pleasure in

115

doing so. We’re unsure why Kris

Ian Russell is back

is feeding the paste to Rich; it

to help you put more

could be Kris and Rich’s special

fish on the bank. This month he

way of feeding one another

this month’s Inbox. Plus we print the

takes a look at everything you

– bless ’em, they are close.

winner of the Kent Particles sponsored

need to know about spot fishing.

Ollie... or Jay?

of the design team’s many talents

CARP FOOD

One of Sparsholt’s finest has been

is finding lookalikes, and they

Carp Food

doing work experience at Crafty

decided that Ollie is the spit of

All the stuff the carp

Towers this month, and poor old

Jay from the Inbetweeners. We’re

like to eat from the best

Ollie Dumville has been subject to

certain that Ollie will look back

the Crafty brand of ridicule. One

on his time here fondly – honest.

‘Reader’s Letter of the Month’.

FEATURES The Great Crafty Debate

33

Once more we pose a question to the finest

53

bait-makers in the business. Plus,

minds in the world of carp fishing.

Joe Turnbull takes a look at high-

This month we ask which rig they

attract pop-ups, and we take a look

would use when fishing a pop-up.

at the Sensas Tracix bait dye.

Day Session Dangler – Phil Sainty

CARPERS’ KIT

37

Fitting sessions around work, family and social

commitments can put a serious dent in your carping time. Hull angler

Carpers’ Kit

95

Here we feature the good and the great from the

world of fishing tackle, which this

Phil Sainty is joined by the Crafty

month includes a look at Prologic’s

cameras on one of his day sessions.

nifty new Unit alarms, and editor James looks at the awesome Navitas

Crafty Carper Under-21s

43

Atlas Fleece and Agent Jacket.

Crafty TV

BYCAC 2012 champ Josh Jones returns with his blog, and

former BYCAC runner-up and carping machine Calum Kletta takes a trip to Abbey Lakes in search of a new PB.

First Look – Trakker Levelite Bed

100

has been dying to use a new

treated us to a first look

little toy; a video stabiliser

at the brand new Levelite Bed. And no,

bracket which keeps the

it’s not a typo, this is not a bedchair.

camerawork nice and smooth

Keep Motivated – Neil Spooner

109

Our country’s weather is pathetic, and enough to sap

anyone of their enthusiasm. But being an armchair warrior won’t catch you any carp, so Korda ace Neil Spooner has a

Editor James ‘Coppola’ Turner

Our friends at Trakker

when he’s getting the more In Focus – Fox Zig Aligna

103

extravagant tracking and

Fox have released some

panning shots. Plus we’ve

brand new line-aligners

been cooking up some cracking

designed for Zig fishing, and we’ve

videos, so keep your eyes peeled

been treated to a sneaky peek at them.

on the Crafty TV You Tube

tonic that will have you raring to go.

channel over the coming weeks.

In Focus – Nash H-Gun

Most Memorable – Sean Leverett

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Essex angler Sean Leverett has had a great

year, and here he tells the story of the capture of his Roach Pit target.

Five-Minute Interrogation

Dwarf Rod and Luggage

105

Following close behind the innovative Scope range

from Nash is the brand new H-Gun

Crafty welcomes the new editor of sister publication, Carpworld. Steve Broad has

Dwarf range of rods. With a retractable

taken his place in the office, and will

butt section and accompanying

take over from Angling Publications’ big

luggage, it’s a little bit cool!

kahuna Tim Paisley. We’ve been looking

– Mark Hogg

146

Broady Gets Onboard

forward to Steve’s arrival, and can’t wait

Amiable northern carper

In Focus – Vision KFORE ST

to work alongside him. It seems James has

Mark is subjected to

Memory Foam Sleeping Bag

a new ally as we’ve got another ginger

the Crafty brand of interrogation. We shined a bright light in his eyes, at an undisclosed location, and forced him to answer our questions, sharpish!

TACTICS

107

A sleeping bag with a memory foam mattress!

You heard it right folks, this beast of

20

Wychwood consultant Roy

Russell lets us in on his preparations for one of the best times in the carping calendar – spring.

CRAFTY COMPETITION WINNERS FROM CC185

a bag has graced Crafty Towers this

Diem Competition – The

Greg Payne, Langford, Beds.

month, and we’ve been snuggled

ten winners each receive

Martin Corless, Lancaster, Lancs.

in to give it a proper test.

a fantastic Diem clothing

Gavin Coope, Warwick, Warks.

package worth £78.96 each.

Michael Haynes,

Steve Murphy, Horsham,

Stowmarket, Suffolk.

We snuffled around the

West Sussex.

Sam Heather, Crawley

earthy grounds of carping

Miss. L. Beckingham,

Down, West Sussex.

markets and found the precious truffles

Hastings, East Sussex.

Lee Cook, Leyton, London.

that are the best deals money can buy.

Jamie Brooks, Ipswich, Suffolk.

William Austin Jr., London.

Spring into Action – Roy Russell Qualified angling coach and

in the office. What’s left of it anyway!

Money-saving Mega Deals

135

Crafty Carper 006-007_Conts_CC187.indd 2

7 08/02/2013 17:21

The Traveller Mark Bartlett

THE VENUE

island where the water comes in, gradually

Set in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside

sloping down to nearly 11ft at the dam end.

in Warminster is a world famous attraction.

This lake can, at times, have a little weed

Longleat Safari Park is one of the country’s

growing in it, which I don’t think is a bad

best days out available, especially for the

thing, and it gives the fish something to

family; there’s so much to do, so be sure to

root around in. Over the last 19 years the

check it out. You’re probably thinking, ‘What

lakes have seen careful fishery management

on earth has this got to do with carp fishing?’

and some restocking programs carried out,

Well, Longleat boasts some awesome fishing

which has led to the top lake at Longleat

within the estate itself, and close to the

having a tremendous stocking of some 600+

enormous main house there are three lakes;

carp, from doubles right up to 35lb. With an

the bottom lake is closest to the house

impressive head of 20s to go at, this makes

and is 2 acres in size. This is the general

it the perfect water to get a bend in your

coarse fishing lake and has a healthy

rod, especially in the colder months.

stocking of a mixture of species,

The restocking is done with

but it also holds some lovely carp. Admittedly they are smaller than in the other lakes, but they’re carp nonetheless, and there are a lot of them. They range from low-singles to mid-doubles and you’re

some of Mark Simmonds’

“With an impressive head of 20s to go at, this makes it the perfect water to get a bend in your rod”

bound to get the bobbins

are notorious for feeding through the winter. Also, it’s worth mentioning that these lakes are very consistent, and I personally think this is due to the water flowing through

dancing quickly on this pool. The middle lake is familiar territory to me,

famous Simmos, which

the fishery. It comes from deep in the hills and seems to be tolerant

as it’s where I used to fish regularly when

to radical temperature changes, which in

I was just starting my carping career, and

turn doesn’t make the fish as moody in the

even back then it was brilliant fishing. I was

feeding spells.

having good hits, taking 40-50 carp in the space of 36 hours’ fishing, with the majority

FACILITIES

being high-singles and doubles. Now these

There are some glorious Portaloos

fish are a fair bit bigger, and there is a good

strategically positioned on the woodland side

head of 20s in this lake today. The main

of the lake – these are some of the cleanest

top lake is busy, and the middle lake is also

I have ever come across whilst fishing!

worth a look. There are some lovely features

Other than that you will have to be fairly

in this lake, including some awesome-looking

self-sufficient because the main gates are

fishing, said hello and got chatting.

reedbeds, an island slightly towards one

locked at 7.00 p.m. and automatically open at

They managed a carp apiece through

end of the lake, and a mini weir-type water

7.30 a.m., so don’t forget to take some grub

the night fishing with boilies, which

inlet, which in the warmer months can be

because you’ll struggle for a takeaway.

was a good sign. It would be dark in

a killer swim. The lakes are tiered, and at

I walked past the two lads already

a few hours so I had a scout about up

the top is what has me trekking across the

TICKETS AND PRICES

behind the island for a few minutes;

Mendips to wet a line. This 7-acre lake is of a

You can either pay for the day, or for 24

nothing caught my eye and the water

similar mould to the middle lake, just bigger

hours or more by paying cash on the bank;

looked pretty dead to be honest, so I

and deeper. Depths start at 4ft behind the

there are no card facilities available.

walked back down towards the dam.

£10 for 12 hours; £20 for 24 hours.

I saw my first carp show itself right down by the dam, which concluded my

RULES

efforts of fish detection for the whole

No nuts, peas, beans or partimix

20 minutes. The wind started gently

No keepnets or carp sacks

pushing into the dam, so I faced my

You can use up to three rods

brolly out of the wind, knowing full

Barbless hooks only

well I would have some bad weather

No braided main lines

at some point over the next 48 hours.

Compulsory unhooking mats

However lovely it is to watch the water

Minimum of 10lb main line

properly, it is far nicer and healthier to

ABOVE The sight on arrival – epic!

Bivvies only – no camping tents

stay dry in the cold winter months. I

BELOW The much-televised house at Longleat.

One spectator per angler

set up in no time at all, and whilst I was

It’s a cracking estate and well worth a visit.

No alcohol

doing so another fish showed just to

No dogs

my right in open water, which made me

No fires or barbecues – small stoves only

feel a lot more confident of some action

No bait boats

for the night ahead. I always get a much better feeling when I can see or hear

ADDRESS

fish crashing out in the lake. The rods

Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 7NW.

were on the buzzers and ready to go,

Nick Robbins, Longleat bailiff – Tel: 01985

but before I chucked them out I wanted

844496/Mobile: 07889 625999 (only

to check the bottom to make sure it was

between 8.00 a.m.-6.00 p.m.).

clear. There were some dying weedbeds visible in the margins, which made me

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07/02/2013 14:27

The Traveller Mark Bartlett

TOP It wasn’t long until the first fish of the day made its presence known.

ABOVE Another one in the bag; the condition of these fish is testament to the fishery.

BELOW The jetty was producing a good few fish, so why not?

INSET One of the smaller fish of the session, but still pristine in condition.

ABOVE The typical stamp of fish that can be found here at Longleat.

RIGHT My little PVA bag and Clockwork

Orange did the trick early doors.

wonder how clear it was further out; the lake is not massively wide, so rather than chuck my marker lead into the middle of my swim, I whacked it straight across the lake into the far margins.

There was no one fishing on the other side and it would also help keep disturbance in my swim to a minimum.

A couple of chucks later and my braided main line marker rod gave me the allclear for my starting plan of attack.

My plan was to fish three rods on little Funnel Web PVA bags, with some stick mix and pellets mixed together and

them sink really slowly and then make

of 6ins or so. These were Knotless

the open water close to where I’d seen

jazzed up with some liquids. I opted

them even more attractive by dunking

Knotted to a Size 6 Fox SSBP hook with

the fish top. It was just before dark

for this because the water was really

them in some Hinders Betalin before

a small piece of tubing down the shank;

and I received a twitchy take on the

coloured due to the amount of rain we’d

I cast them out. Betalin is an amazing

this stops the bait spinning around the

left-hander; as the fish bolted towards

been having, so hopefully this would

additive to enhance hookbaits in

shank and fouling the hook when it’s

me my super-fast recovery brought me

help the carp detect my super-yummy

either winter or summer; it almost

on the bottom. It was time to get the

into contact with a spirited fighting

offering in super-quick time, even more

permanently taints whatever you dunk

rods out; I started with the left-hander,

common carp of around 10lb. It put up

so with the hi-viz 10mm Clockwork

in it, leaving it smelling lovely for hours

which was fished to a sluice (a jetty-

a good account of itself and it was in

Orange pop-up that I was using as a

on end in the lake, and it is especially

type feature) that releases water into

perfect condition, looking like it had

hookbait. Two rods were going on these

a sure bet for using with plastic corn.

the middle lake. This sticks out into

never seen a hook before. The fish

the lake off the centre of the dam wall

was soon returned and my Clockwork

and one on a hi-viz yellow Pineapple

The fish in Longleat are fairly young,

pop-up, however, I was going to fish

so there is no need to complicate rigs.

and is an obvious feature, and probably

Orange wafter was repositioned back

these as wafters by inserting some

My chosen approach was as follows:

where most people put some bait in,

on the spot, ready to welcome the

lead wire (from some leadcore) into

Fox lead clips with small 2oz leads and

so one rod on that was a definite. The

next sweet-toothed carp

the bottom of the pop-up to make

simple 15lb Reflex braided hooklinks

other two were just random casts into

to my net – hopefully.

Crafty Carper 013-017_Traveler_CC187.indd 3

15 07/02/2013 14:28

Day Session Dangler Phil Sainty

7>>

Whilst pink is supposed to be a winner, Phil reckons the fish could

be up in the water a touch due to the sudden break in the weather today and temps hitting 10°C, so a Zig is also brought into play.

9>>

After a couple of hours of no action, Ladywood bailiff Gus calls

in for a chat whilst doing his rounds, and he puts Phil onto a spot that he’s confident will produce fish at this time of year.

10>>

Whilst chatting, Gus also says that orange

has been doing the business since the turn of the year rather than pink, so Phil changes over to a Peach & Pepper wafter on one rod.

8>>

All three rods are out and Phil keeps his lines pretty tight to see if he can

pick up any line bites to help him locate the fish.

Although it’s flat calm, the forecast is rain and lots of it, so the bivvy goes up, just in case.

11>>

Phil uses a long Hair

when he fishes a wafter because he likes the bait to move as naturally as possible on the lakebed.

12>>

When using a long Hair, a

PVA foam nugget is a must; he doesn’t want the Hair tangling around the hook in flight on the cast. As an added bonus, once the rig has settled on the bottom, the foam nugget will rise up to the surface, giving you a visual marker to bait to.

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Crafty Carper

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08/02/2013 10:57

Day Session Dangler Phil Sainty

15>>

Game on!!

Not 10

13>>

All the rods are

minutes later and it’s fish

repositioned

on! Phil plays it steady

towards a shelf which Gus

because he’s waited

pointed out earlier, and Phil’s

until just past lunchtime

now pretty confident of a bite.

for his first bite.

16>>

Get in! As

the fish crosses the

14>>

net cord Phil thanks

It’s not long until the liners

his lucky stars; the

start coming, so there are

pressure to catch

definitely fish in the area. Phil sits on

for the camera

his hands and crosses his fingers.

is now eased.

17>>

A lovelylooking mirror

is well worth the wait, and all Phil can do is thank Gus for pointing him in the right direction. That’s the sign of a good bailiff.

Crafty Carper 037-040_Sainty_CC187.indd 3

39 08/02/2013 10:57

ANGLER PROFILE

Brian Byford ...........................

Age 42 ...........................

Hometown

Hertfordshire ...........................

Occupation

Tree surgeon ...........................

UK PB

40lb 3oz ...........................

Favourite venue

Tring Canal ...........................

Rods

E-S-P Reflex ...........................

Reels

Daiwa Emblem 5000 ...........................

Alarms

Fox MMXR

All the bits needed for Brian’s bag mix; he was confident that this lot would result in some quick action.

“I

used to use tiny solid PVA bags all the time, but nowadays bigger bags bring

quicker bites,” explains Brian Byford, as he ties up his first solid PVA bag of the session. Set up opposite the only two islands on Farm Lake at Willows Farm Fishery in St Albans, the plan is to get the bags tight to the island margins.

“I’ve fished here on a number of occasions,” continues Brian, “and while small PVA bags are easier to cast the 80 yards or so to the island, you can be sitting here for an hour before it finally rattles off. I’m not sure why, but that’s not the case with bigger bags. Perhaps it’s because there’s more bait to draw the carp down to the rig. Whatever the reason, with a background in carp match fishing, including competing regularly in the BCAC, I am not a patient angler when it comes to getting bites.”

It’s 9.00 a.m., and before long Brian has two large solid PVA bags cast tight to the right-hand island in front of him; one to the middle of the island and one on the corner. He explains that it’s around 2.5ft tight to the island, but shelves off quickly into 8-10ft. With the warmer weather today, and the fact that carp love to patrol tight to island margins, Brian explains that you have to be within a rod length of the island for the best result. If the bags drop short and end up in the deeper water then you get pestered by bream; the carp tend to head straight for the warmest section of water, and the shallower areas will be warming nicely with the sun making an appearance today.

With three rods at his disposal, Brian sets about positioning the third. Using

The temps are on the rise and the carp will be getting a bit more active in the coming months, so we’ve enlisted the help of Brian Byford to reveal how he looks to pick up quick bites; he has a track record for catching in double-quick time.

48

his marker rod, he locates a gravel bar that runs parallel with the swim, roughly two-thirds of the way to the islands. Then another solid PVA bag is positioned right on top of the bar.

Crafty Carper

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08/02/2013 14:36

Getting Quick Bites Brian Byford

All three rods were in position, but would it result in a quick bite?

action hots up, but I’ll only do that if the action is consistent in one area.”

and PVA-friendly, it helps to keep the hookbait in position, in the middle of

out for 20 minutes when the

and if Brian gets another take from

the bag, while I fill it with my chosen

one positioned on top of the bar

there he’ll reposition the rod currently

mix and tie it up. It’s a little trick that

cast to the corner of the island to

makes tying solid bags a bit easier.”

screams off. There’s a fair bit of bubbling appearing around the lake,

the bar, so he can capitalise on any

but so far the carp have refrained from

action. For now though, with neither

diagonally across the lake and straight

showing, which, according to Brian, is

rod cast to the island producing

into the jetty to Brian’s left. With the

unusual for this venue. Still, because

anything, he redoes both, casting

change in the weather the odd fish

he’s attached to a hard-fighting

them back to the same area.

starts to show, a couple of which are

carp he’s not particularly worried.

“Because of the warm sunny

Chinese Take-Away. Because it’s thick

There are clearly fish in the area,

The rods have barely been

ABOVE The third rod went bang on top of the gravel bar that Brian found.

As soon as the rod is repositioned on top of the bar, the liners start.

The fish stays deep and puts up a

“Unless I’m fishing in the harshest

The wind picks up, blowing

in the small gap between the two

of winter conditions, when action is

islands. Brian winds in the middle rod,

conditions, I’ll start by fishing on top

slow, heavy fight. It kites off to the

expected to be slow, I only leave a

ties a fresh bag and casts it out to

of the bar in the shallower water,” says

left and Brian applies the pressure as

rod for about an hour before redoing

where the fish showed. He explains

Brian. “In the past, I’ve done best by

he tries furiously to get the fish into

it,” explains Brian. “Simply recasting a

that carp are rarely on their own in

fishing just off the bar, into the deeper

his margin. There’s a large jetty to his

fresh bag to the same spot can often

well-stocked venues, and if you see

water where the lakebed goes from

left, with thick wooden posts stretching

be enough to induce a take, even

one show then there’s a good chance

gravel to silt, but that area is 12ft

down to the lakebed, which the carp

when you’ve had a rig motionless for

there will be a few more in that area.

deep, which I think is a little too deep

instinctively kite towards during a

a while. I’ve had takes so quickly after

The action on top of the bar, or the

for today’s conditions. The good thing

fight. Just as Brian thinks he has the

recasting that there could barely have

liners at least, have dried up, so Brian

about using solid bags is that you’re

fish clear of the jetty, he hears the

been time for the PVA to melt before a

repositions the rod right up against

never committing too much bait to

lead knock against one of the wooden

fish picked up the hookbait. You’ll also

the edge of the left-hand island

one particular area, so if you need to

posts and everything goes solid.

notice that I coat my hookbait in glug

where he’s seen another fish show.

try a few different spots throughout

“Gutted,” sighs Brian. “That

every time I make a solid bag, with

It takes a couple of casts, as it’s not

my preferred glug being Solar Tackle

an easy chuck with a crosswind, but

the day, it’s ideal. On the flip side, if

felt like a good fish.”

you are targeting a specific area, or

eventually it lands on the money.

getting bites from one spot, then these larger PVA bags allow you to build the swim accordingly because you deliver a handful of bait with every cast. I do have plenty of bait with me and I will

“It can be tough getting the rigs

“Unless I’m fishing in the harshest of winter conditions, when action is expected to be slow, I only leave a rod for about an hour before redoing it”

use a Spomb to put some out if the

really tight to the islands, and it’s a pain when you have to tie a fresh solid bag for every cast,” says Brian. “On waters like this though, where bait boats are allowed, it’s often the only way to get consistent action. I’ve opted for a slight change in tactics, and have added Solar’s Up & Down Mix to my PVA bags, which sounds like a minor change but it’s an important one. This stuff is unique and designed to release food particles and attraction up through the water column over a prolonged period. With the warm weather today, I reckon that a lot of fish will be in the mid- to upper layers, and creating a column of attraction from lakebed to surface will get the carp to drop

ABOVE It didn’t take long for the one on the bar to go, but unfortunately it was lost.

ABOVE Brian opted for the Chinese Take-Away Glug, and put the rod back on the bar.

down and investigate the contents of the bag.

Crafty Carper 048-050_QuickBites_CC187.indd 2

49 08/02/2013 14:37

Hot Holiday Venue

sturgeon and grass carp; Lake 3 is

Le Val Doré Complex Are you looking for the perfect holiday venue, where you can catch some big carp and also have a great time with the family?

I

one of the smaller pits, is 8 acres and holds carp to over 54lb; Lake 4 is another 8-acre pit that holds carp to over 52lb; and finally, Lake 5 is 13 acres in size and has 600 carp, and grass carp to mid- to high-50lb fish.

For the past 14 years the guys at Le Val Doré have introduced a number of fish into the lakes every year to help improve the stock and keep the lakes running efficiently, which

f the answer to the question above

mature gravel pits, which are lined

the complex record for catfish is 200lb.

is yes, then Le Val Doré is the

with trees and reeds. There are 29

All the lakes are mature gravel pits

When booking there is a limited

ideal venue for you; it’s situated in

swims over the five lakes, so you are

with a number of different features

amount of space on each lake at any

northern France and only 75 minutes

sure to have enough room to fish.

to fish to, for example, gravel bars,

one time. On the small 8-acre lakes

away from Calais. Le Val Doré is also

Over the whole complex there are

lilies, silt, sand, etc., and the average

the maximum number of anglers is

only 1 hour away from Boulogne, and

over 2,000 fish, with a number of

depth of all the lakes is around 3.5ft.

six, and on the large 16-acre lakes

30 minutes away from Dieppe, so

different species to go at, including

travelling to the complex is quick and

carp (mirror and commons), some large

contains carp to over 70lb, and catfish,

14 at any one time; the lakes are also

easy from a number of ferry ports

sturgeon, and catfish. The largest

sturgeon and grass carp to over 36lb;

available for group bookings. Each

The complex is over 40 years

carp on the complex is 74lb, with the

Lake 2 is 13 acres and has carp to

of the lakes has a certain number of

old, 52 acres in size, and boasts five

average size being around 26lb, and

over 74lb, with catfish to over 154lb,

swims which enables anglers to spread

90

Lake 1 is a 16-acre pit which

shows how well they are managed.

the maximum number of anglers is

Crafty Carper

090-091_HHV_CC187.indd 1

08/02/2013 15:21

Hot Holiday Venue Team Crafty Carper

NEED TO KNOW: Le Val Doré Tickets Drive-and-survive weekly bookings, possible exclusive lake hire.

Prices €210 (£178) per person per week on the whole complex. Exclusive lake booking from €1,100 (£960) Main Rules No boats; no sacks; barbless hooks only; no braided main line; respect the fish and other anglers on the complex.

Address Val Doré Lakes (Sarl Le Val Doré) 1 Chemin des Aulnes – Guimerville 76340 HODENG AU BOSC – France Contact Tel: 0033 233 394 258 Mobile: 00 33 608 109 134 Fax: 00 33 322 405 958 Email: levaldore@sfr.fr Website www.valdore.com

their rods around without disturbing

of tackle. There is also a restaurant

others, and every swim is said to be

with a bar on site, so anglers and their

productive, so you are sure to get a

families can enjoy a nice meal whilst

run from anywhere on the lake.

looking out over the whole

The main tactics that have done

complex. However, if you

Other facilities on site are a shower room, a number of toilets placed all around the complex, an electricity

baits out, however, you are allowed to use remote-controlled bait boats.

There are only a few rules to abide

supply to most swims, and finally there

by; the first is that throughout the

is a fridge freezer which can hold all

whole complex you are not allowed

the business throughout the

don’t go with the family,

your fresh frozen baits. All guests are

to use carp sacks. On the main lake

complex are small-sized boilies

there is a food package

welcome with the anglers, and there

the rules are that it is barbless hooks

with hemp and maggots, and

available for an extra fee,

is plenty to do for the family. There

only, no braided main line to be used,

tackle-wise, small hooks and

and it’s well worth it.

are a couple of towns in the local

and to respect the fish, other anglers,

safety leaders work well, so

area, so if the family doesn’t want to

and the rules that are in place. There

you don’t need to up your

stop on site, there is accommodation

is a bailiff on site at all times to help

tackle just because

available in the vicinity.

if you need anything, and to check

you are fishing in France; English tactics seem to work best on here. While you are fishing you may need some items of tackle,

If you don’t want to transport your own bait over to France in the car, you can simply buy any bait you need on site. The guys at Le Val Doré have a wide range of bait, including Mainline, Sticky Baits and Dynamite, and every bait

that you’re following the rules.

The cost for a week’s fishing on the complex is around €210 per person, which works out at around £178, and weekly bookings for the lakes start at €1,100 (£960). That price is for up to six anglers for the whole

and the guys at Le Val

is allowed – there are

week, and all the permits needed

Doré have their own

no restrictions on what

are included in this price. There are

shop on site, which

you use. There are no boats

extra charges for the food package

stocks a wide range

allowed on the lake to row

or any tackle and bait supplied. CC

Crafty Carper 090-091_HHV_CC187.indd 2

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Most Memorable Sean Leverett

124

Crafty Carper

122-125_MostMem_CC187.indd 3

07/02/2013 12:14

Most Memorable Sean Leverett

RIGHT Back she went to fight another day.

BOTTOM Job done! GET IN!!

what I suspect was the same fish showed again, just in front of the spot, but despite these shows I still wasn’t sure whether anything was going to happen. It didn’t, and despite sitting up a lot of the night, I didn’t have so much as a single bleep.

I watched the spot the following morning, but it looked devoid of any activity. Within an hour though, a fish showed a couple of times, and before I knew it the area had gone dead once more. The pressure had dropped, the wind had turned, and with it came rain. I was sure my chance had gone. It looked and felt so different from the last couple of days.

As I sat watching the water from under the brolly, my mate Marcus, who was set up next door, joined me for a few brews, and it was during this tea-drinking session that the subject of Atlas came up once again.

I just couldn’t get this fish out of my head. As the morning passed so did the rain and it started to brighten up a little, and I began to feel that it could once again happen for me.

see which fish it was, but I remember

but eventually I slipped the net

at 45lb 10oz. To be honest though,

I was sitting at the top of the swim

thinking that it looked like the creamy

under a huge mirror. As soon as it

I couldn’t have cared less what

with Marcus when I noticed a small

fish I had seen show on several

was in I passed the net to Marcus

weight she was, I was just happy to

patch of bubbles come up on the spot.

occasions. I couldn’t net it at this

so that I could sort out the rest of

have eventually caught her. After a

A couple of minutes later the middle

point because the weed was stopping

the tangle, and it was then that

few pictures she was returned, and

rod signalled a few bleeps. I looked

me, so I had to put the rod down and

he told me what I’d got. It was

with that my obsession was over.

at the rod and the bobbin pulled up

remove the weed from the line.

Atlas! At last I had beaten the fish

halfway; to start with I thought I had

Once the weed was off the line

By changing the hooklink from

I had been obsessing about for the

a long one to a short one, and

last few weeks. What a relief!

by switching from my preferred

been picked up by a bird because

and I was back in direct contact with

there were quite a few sitting above

the fish, it powered off on a mighty

the spot at the time. They dispersed

run and dropped down into the

we headed back to the bank, to the

beaten the fish that had possibly

in a hasty fashion though, and the

deeper water. I could feel it twisting

small crowd that had gathered and

been getting away with a free

bobbin stayed where it was. A second

and turning on the bottom in an

had been watching our boat battle.

feed for the last few weeks. It just

or so later the bobbin rose another

attempt to shed the rig, but in doing

On the mat she looked massive,

goes to show that a few changes

inch, and with that I unclipped the

so it picked up my other line, which

and for the record she weighed in

can make all the difference. CC

line and felt it between my fingers.

caused me more problems. Add to

As I did so I felt it pull once again, so I picked up the rod and lifted into it. I immediately felt something kick on the other end,

“I could feel it twisting and turning on the bottom in an attempt to shed the rig, but in doing so it picked up my other line...”

Blowback Rig to a KD Rig, I had

this the fact that it had also gone through another weedbed and collected another load of weed in the process, and

but before I knew it everything had

I had a real problem. I eventually got

gone solid. I got to the high ground

the fish up to the surface, but once

at the back of the swim to see if I

there I still couldn’t land it due to

could get it moving, but it wasn’t

the other line being caught around

going anywhere. Whatever was

the tip ring. I couldn’t cut the line

attached was in the big weedbed

because it would possibly leave a

at the back of the spot and wasn’t

rig out in the water, yet I couldn’t

budging. There was no other option

reach the fish with the net. What a

other than to take to the boat, and

nightmare! The only option was to

with life jackets on we headed out

try to untangle the lines from each

to where the fish was weeded up.

other so I could at least net the fish.

As we reached the spot a large

As soon as I’d sorted out the line,

After a load of messing around,

weedbed rose to the surface, and

I managed to untangle enough line

just under the water behind it was a

to get the fish close enough to

big creamy-coloured mirror. I couldn’t

net. It took a couple of attempts,

Crafty Carper 122-125_MostMem_CC187.indd 4

125 07/02/2013 12:14

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