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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
122
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
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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.
38
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
048-050_QuickBites_CC187.indd 1
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
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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
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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
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