WIN A CASTING LESSON WITH TERRY EDMONDS + THREE NASH RODS WORTH OVER £320!
No.191 July 2013 July 2013 | Issue 191 | £4.10
HOW TO
Conquer Smaller Waters
craftycarper.co
ALSO FEATURING
DAVE MAGALHAES MARTIN BOWLER JULIAN CUNDIFF DARRELL PECK ROB HUGHES
Iain Macmillan reveals all the secrets you need to achieve success Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!
E F RE N G I F I S H £86
TH WOR VERY E FO R D E R ! A RE
On sale June 19th – July 24th 2013
Heavy Hookbaits The very latest tactic to fool ultra-wary carp, Ian Stott shows you how to make your own CARPERS’ KIT
craftycarper.co
THE £100+ THROWING STICK ON TEST Is it really worth the money?
HOW TO FISH THE BEACH CASTER / WORKING THE WATER COLUMN / UNDERSTANDING THE MOON
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Crafty Carper /// Issue 191 /// July 2013 /// www.craftycarper.co What’s on this month’s cover...
81
Nash Competition Here’s your chance to win a set of three
Nash Entity rods as well as a day’s casting
Front cover: Iain Macmillan with a lovely common from a small day ticket fishery.
139
How To Conquer Smaller Waters Iain Macmillan
CRAFTY COLUMNISTS
11
Editorial James Turner
Our esteemed editor celebrates the fact that summer has finally
If small day ticket waters are your usual haunt
arrived, and talks about a recent
tuition with tournament casting supremo
then you’ll find all the information you could
session on the Mangrove with
and Nash rod developer Terry Edmonds.
ever need to conquer them on page 139.
Tim Paisley and Ian Chillcott.
157
Diary of an Everyday Carp Angler
Julian Cundiff Jules has been out there doing it in his own inimitable way, getting on the bank as often as his ridiculously busy schedule allows. OUT & ABOUT
13
The Traveller Mark Bartlett
Bart returns to an old haunt, Christchurch on the Linch Hill complex, in Oxfordshire. Would he manage to bank one of the venue’s famous residents?
90
The TicketMaster We highlight four venues from
around the UK, with the chance of 24 hours’ free fishing on all of them. INTERACTIVE
26
Crafty Catch Column This is your chance to get
your catch pictures published, so send them in to us, and you’re in with the chance of a great Mainline Baits prize.
71
The Question Is This month’s carping
conundrums, answered by our panel of experts.
144
Subs Offer Marukyu
Fed up of going to the newsagents? Let us deliver Crafty straight to your door, and we’ll also give you a load of Marukyu goodies.
152
Inbox
105
In Focus – Century Century’s new Stealth Throwing
Stick is put under the Crafty microscope. It
6
19
Heavy Hookbaits When it comes to having an
Send us your letters, stories
and pictures, and we’ll print the ones we like. We’ve got news stories from
edge and helping you catch more carp,
around the world, and Robbo tells us
costs over £100 so we gave it a thorough
this crafty little trick from Ian Stott will
about a recent jaunt to Alderfen.
going over to see if it’s really worth it.
definitely up your hooking potential.
Crafty Carper
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Contents /// July 2013 CARPERS’ KIT
99
Carpers’ Kit Rich gives his verdict on
BEHIND THE SCENES AT CRAFTY CARPER
Highlights of the month…
SONIK’s NCT rods, and we take a look at the best new products around.
82 FEATURES
31
The Great Crafty Debate This month we
115
When in the water for some
Dave Magalhaes
time, there’s got to be time
Moon phases and catching carp
discuss whether hookbait
have often been discussed, and
buoyancy really matters.
here Dave gives his thoughts
36
on this fascinating subject. Angling Through The Seasons: Part 3
Martin Bowler Martin looks at angling in the
121
Underwater Revelations Rob Hughes
Rob once again dons his diving gear
summer, and as ever, it will open
to take a close look at what goes on
your eyes to another world.
below the surface of a carp lake.
43
Crafty Carper Under-21s Jack Gardner
Jack Gardner returns to a local venue which started his love of carp fishing, and goes on the hunt for some of the lake’s biggies.
49
Beat the Crowds Kristian Morris
128
On The Move Darrell Peck
Pecky explains why being mobile can up your catch rate.
162
We put Prologic-backed angler
CARP FOOD
55
Carp Food Joe Turnbull gives us some
floaters with a Goo-ey difference, and
Carp actually spend the vast majority
Brad Greening gives the low-down
of their time up in the water, so
on the new Essential IB pop-ups.
77
59
Carp Food Special
Improve Your Distance Casting
our review of the new Fox Zig Disc.
109
In Focus – Ace The Razorpoint
hooks from Ace are scrutinised, and boy are they sharp!
111
Oh Dear... Ken South models the new
In Focus – 30Plus
30Plus Australian-style hats
30Plus have a new
incorporating fluoro stick
range of Kodex luggage out now.
mixes rather than corks.
113
In Focus – Chub As a means for conveying
your precious rods, you’ll not go far wrong with the Vantage Rod
to get the best results possible
Chris explains how to target them.
Is Zigging your thing?
Then you’ll definitely want to read
won’t tug on the purse strings.
copes with our probing questions.
Chris Harris
In Focus – Fox
Interrogation
Steve Micklethwaite
Kristian and Matt reveal how
Working the Water Column
107
It’s strong top-quality gear that
Steve in the spotlight to see how he
62
to break for a cuppa.
The Five-Minute
and Matt Powles
on busy day ticket waters.
Hughes Brews
Carping By The Moon
Munch Baits
Team Crafty takes a closer look
Sleeves. Read the full review here.
134
Learn About Hook-
It’s Kicking Off!
Sharpening
Out angling for the day with
The Crafty guide to keeping your
Tim and Chilly, something
hooks in tip-top condition.
aggravated the big man!
149
We’ve put together
a collection of the best deals
Terry Edmonds
at the unique RedStench range
currently on offer from some of the
Turn to page 77 for some
of boilies from Munch Baits.
best retailers in the business.
cracking advice from one of the
Beware – he’s scary with a knife.
Mega Deals
COMPETITION WINNERS Competition winners from Crafty Carper May issue 189
Nash Competition
How do you stay one step ahead
The three winners each receive a Nash Double Top Bivvy worth over £400.00. Rob Olford, Gillingham, Kent. Karl Davies, Brierley Hill, West Midlands. Tony Morris, Luton, Beds.
of other anglers? Roy reveals
Wychwood Competition
best casters in the game.
84
Thinking Outside The Box Roy Russell
The four winners each receive a pair of Wychwood Solace Big Pit 65FS Reels, worth £99.99 each.
some secrets that may just help.
96
BYCAC 2013
Tony Preston, Whitefield, Manchester.
Beating BYCAC
Andrew Cox, Tonbridge, Kent.
Marshals and past champions give us their top tips for fishing the BYCAC.
121
Matthew Hammond, Crawley, West Sussex. Matthew Richardson, Oxley, Wolverhampton.
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MARTIN BOWLER | PART THREE: SUMMER Another month has passed and the seasons are changing. Martin looks at his own exploits over the last month, as well as what’s going on around him at this time of year.
T
he harder I try the luckier
came when a gravel patch
I get, of that there is no
I had baited with
doubt, but occasionally a
the S-Core boilies
capture definitely lies at the feet
disappeared. Not
of the carp gods rather than mine,
only was every
and I’m thankful for their blessing.
spherical shape
Despite the time of year, the
gone, but also the
as something searched frenziedly
hours, but I had a doubt that the
for every last morsel of food.
lake’s biggest inhabitants would
“From my position I could see no actual sign of fish but a move was a certainty”
From my position I could see no actual sign of
I never get too comfortable in a
fish but a move was a
swim, so leaving it isn’t an arduous
certainty. Just like my
task; before long the wind was
quarry, I wanted to
left behind, to be replaced by a
vacate the windward
peninsular running out into the
nagging north wind had a bitter
wall of Canadian
edge to it that soon saw my quarry
pondweed that
backing off and searching for
surrounded the stony
for baited rigs. Pieces
seclusion. At first I could only guess
bottom perimeter had
of yellow foam had been
this was the case, until confirmation
been flattened or ripped up
36
find it as appealing as a boilie.
bank and swap the Zigs
successful over the previous 24
north end of the pit. This was the closest fishable point to the scene of the activity I had witnessed, albeit 200 yards away. Now let
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me declare that I am a pathetic longrange caster, due to a lack of physical power and, more importantly, a lack of practice. Give me catapult range every day, although I knew full well it wasn’t going to cut it on this trip. If at this point you’re expecting me to talk about shockleaders, streamline setups and giant butt eyes, I‘m sorry to disappoint, because instead I got my boat out and attached the electric motor. Cheating? Of course not, it was within the rules and I was happy to do it. As long as these key points apply then that is all that matters, and for those who would claim carp caught via such methods don’t count, I ask – count for what? Angling is a personal challenge where you set the parameters, be it time or tactics. Fishing at such range over vast beds of Canadian pondweed needed a considered approach and lots of braid on the reel. Losing the lead immediately was of paramount importance, and for this task there’s nothing better than the E-S-P Ejector Lead Clip that I combined with 1.5m of the company’s leadcore. The hooklength also needed to cope with the conditions; 20lb brown Strip Teaze and a Size 4 Drennan Continental boilie hook fitted the bill. A Snowman Rig made up of a dense and pop-up boilie was also in order, which once slipped on the Hair saw me ready to set sail with only one more very important item – a life jacket. The handle was turned on the motor and my craft cut a V into the water. On looking back down the pit, the wind was still pounding the south shore and momentarily I doubted my plan – had they really forsaken the white-capped waves? Considering the situation for the rest of my journey, I had to find conviction to carry on and it came when I reached the gravel spot. Now, with only 7ft of gin-clear water between me and it, I could see the feeding frenzy of the night before much better. The stones shone, freshly turned, and the weed had been obliterated in places. I was certain this was the right place to be and all my misgivings faded away. Whether you drop your rig in via boat or cast it, consideration should always be given where it is placed because finding the optimum position always pays dividends. In this case the zone was approximately 6ft square, but it was vital that my bait sat on the edge of the gravel closest to my bankside position. I like to have the bait sitting at the furthest point away from me and then everything working back in a straight line; the lead came next, just at the point where stones merged with silt, and then the leadcore bisected the exact area where
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ANGLER PROFILE
Chris Harris ........................... Age 29 ........................... Hometown
Bedworth ........................... Occupation
Electrician ........................... UK PB
48lb 10oz ........................... Favourite venue
Wellington Country Park ........................... Rods
SONIK sk4 ........................... Reels
Shimano Technium ........................... Alarms
Delkim Txi-Plus
Carp probably only spend about 10% of their time on the bottom of the lake picking up food, so why do we spend 90% of our time angling for them there? Chris Harris takes a look at how to target the carp throughout the layers, not just on the bottom.
I
guarantee that most anglers reading this will have spent most of their time fishing where
the carp aren’t present. For many anglers, even if they locate the fish at the start of the session, there are two possible lines of attack – either fishing for them on the surface or on the lakebed. Don’t get me wrong, these are two great places to present hookbaits, but what many don’t consider is everything in between, which is where the carp spend the vast majority of their time, not least
ABOVE In really cold conditions you’ll very rarely find the carp on the lakebed.
ABOVE When you see carp like this, don’t forget that there may be others a little deeper.
because this area makes up most of their underwater environment.
hour to the next. The two biggest
in the shallower areas of lakes
carp, as you will find that a pattern
factors are water temperature and
during the day as the temperatures
emerges because certain conditions
water column the carp are most
air pressure, which directly affects
increase throughout spring and into
dictate where you’ll find the carp.
comfortable, and therefore spend
water pressure. Of course, the depth
summer. I suggest you keep a record
Armed with this information, you’ll be
their time, and this can change during
of the water targeted also plays a
of temperatures, pressures, and
one step ahead of the other anglers
the course of a day, even from one
large part; for example, carp gather
where and at what depths you catch
on your water, and will often be able
Many factors affect where in the
62
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Working The Water Column Chris Harris
to get in a position where the carp
surface looking for food. In order to
are likely to turn up before anybody
make the most of our time on the
else twigs it. You will also be able
bank, it would make sense for us to
to make the most of your time on the bank, as you’ll have a great idea of where you should be fishing in any given conditions. Zig Rigs are the obvious answer for targeting carp midwater, which I’ll get to in a little
target the fish in this no-man’sland between lakebed and surface. Carp are
“In order to make the most of our time on the bank, it would make sense for us to target the fish in this no-man’s-land between lakebed and surface”
while, but this article is about more than just
nomadic creatures, and particularly as the water temperatures continue to rise, they become more active and are likely to pass through your
swim numerous times throughout a session,
Zigs. The key is to understand that
probably unbeknown to you because
the carp spend most of their time at
they are too deep to see and not
varying depths in the water column,
on the lakebed picking up baits.
and not hugging the lakebed or
So, what can you do about it?
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When it comes to thinking outside the box to get one step ahead of the other anglers on a water, Roy Russell does it on a regular basis, so who better to show you a few edges and put you in front?
ANGLER PROFILE
Roy Russell Age 40-ish Hometown
Walsall
Occupation
Angling coach UK PB
41lb 4oz Favourite venue
Baden Hall Rods
Greys X-Flite MAIN PIC The Beach Caster in action. I
Reels
Shimano Big Pit Baitrunner Alarms
Wychwood Epic
84
use a Wychwood MLT 13ft 3.5lb rod. It’s heart-pounding when you see the take. Scan the QR code above using your Smartphone to check out Kev Hewitt’s video of the Beach Caster in action on YouTube.
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Thinking Outside The Box
Roy Russell
F
ollowing on from my writings featured in the May issue of Crafty, I was asked to do a
piece on some of the rigs featured, and an old-school classic that is hardly used today. Writing it is far harder than actually showing or telling someone, and I am no English teacher, so thank goodness for the patience of editors like James. What Makes Success? Rigs and end tackle have always been a massive part of my success, as well as two other factors – bait and watercraft. With the boom of carp fishing over the past 10-15 years, fishing tackle has gone to other levels and the terminal tackle is mind-blowing for any novice wanting to take up fishing in general. I don’t think there is too much left to develop when it comes to the main items of tackle you can purchase, other than to make something even better. When it comes to terminal tackle ABOVE Perfect conditions for
there are still plenty of good working
years, I have grown with it all and
products yet to be developed, and I
learnt so much. To be successful
know this because I have just designed
on any water now you need
20 for the end tackle company I work
to either think for yourself or
for. They are all products I thought of
become a complete angler.
to help my own angling and catch more
What I mean by this is to try to
fish, not just to catch anglers buying
learn every method and tactic
them. The banks are fuller every year
you can, from stalking and
surface throughout spring
and the fish are really pressured on
surface fishing to long-range
and summer. If I had a quid
a daily basis. As one angler goes out
bag fishing, Zig fishing, etc. As
another one moves in, sometimes not
much as it works slinging some
knowing how much bait has gone in
Chods out and sticking a few baits
before them and where it is. Having
round it for instant fishing, there are
done the day ticket scene for over 25
a wider range of presentations and
trying some floaters, and the perfect Beach Caster water if they start taking a few. LEFT A close-up of how
I fish my hookbait on the Beach Caster.
for how many anglers asked us what the hell it was and could we show them, I would be a rich man. Then it started to get banned on a few lakes, which I think
methods to carp fishing. In life a lot of
was down to regular anglers on waters
things go full circle, especially fashion,
getting a bit miffed with how many fish
but terminal tackle and bait will always
Old Methods Go Full Circle
we caught on our first visits, though
be striving to improve and have newer
There are a few rigs and methods used
I don’t think the Black Country accent
ideas. It is the most important bit on
in angling that although over 30 years
went down well a lot of the time.
the end of the rod. At the end of the
old, can always make a comeback, and I
day, I just wonder what the next trend
use them and catch well, so I know. One
few of the pressured waters today, if
will be, or will an old-school method or
such method is the old-school Beach
it’s allowed that is, and with most of
Caster Rig. This old-style suspended
the fish in the country being caught on
bait presentation was first developed,
new methods day in, day out, the Beach
or at least started its life, at Cuttle
Caster could be another advantage.
Mill Fishery maybe around 30 years
It could also help you put a few extra
ago. When I switched over from match
fish on the bank this summer, as well
fishing after 25 years I was shown
as being great adrenaline fun. Back in
rig make a comeback?
the Beach Caster by a good
misunderstood method of fishing, and it
met on our local estate pond
still seems the same today. I personally
showed me the setup and on
three off the top at Christchurch.
the day the Beach Caster was a bit of a
friend, Barry Aldridge, who I which had a few carp in it. Baz
ABOVE Nothing off the bottom but
This could be your advantage on a
think it’s a completely safe setup, and one that can be easily learned. It can
our travels I tweaked it to how I fish it
even be fished with a drop-off lead if
now. We went to so many places back
needs be, which seems to be the trend
then and just destroyed them on the
today. If there is a fair bit of weed
“There are a few rigs and methods used in angling that although over 30 years old, can always make a comeback, and I use them and catch well, so I know”
or water plants present in the lake then I would fish a drop-off lead; if it was too bad I wouldn’t fish it at all. Linch Hill Fishery recently opened its gates to day ticket fishing on Christchurch and Willow, after years of being syndicate waters. The last time it was a day ticket
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Carping By The Moon
Dave Magalhaes
116
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Carping By The Moon
Dave Magalhaes
MAIN PIC The Road Lakes’
Clover at 42lb 2oz, which came a couple of days after a new moon.
THIS PIC The Road Lakes’
Big Dink, again just after a new moon.
My Own Early Experience More often than not, I’m the first to question or disregard statements of fact and hearsay. This isn’t out of spite or because I’m trying to be awkward, it’s because a lot of what is said these days stems from hypothetical thoughts and a strange desire for wanting to sound knowledgeable. You only have to watch carp at close quarters for a short space of time to quickly rule out much of what is taken as fact. I don’t claim to be an expert when it comes to carp and their habits, but I do spend an awful lot of time just watching and observing my quarry. This not only drastically cuts down the amount of time needed to catch a specific fish, but I also find it incredibly relaxing. Many years ago now, when I was still in my teens, I remember an angler mentioning the moon and how it affects everything around the world, including carp. He must have been talking for about 2 minutes before I switched off and everything after that went straight over my head. It seems a little ironic that some 13 or 14 years down the line, I’m talking about something that I
“As crazy as it may sound, I’m a firm believer that there is some form of hierarchy in each lake, but more so in the lower-stocked venues”
thought was a little far-fetched! I’m quickly going to mention here that I actually spend very little time on the bank fishing; as a general rule I aim for about 30-40 nights a year, of which the vast majority are overnighters, although having said that, I do spend a lot of time walking venues and watching the fish. I’m not sure if that makes my own findings better or worse than the guys who do much more time; I
can only go by what I’ve experienced myself. Is It a Myth? So where do I start without boring you to death with facts and figures about the moon? Is it all just folklore and myths or is there really something in it? To be honest, I’m not even going to try to sound clever, firstly because I’m not educated enough about the moon, and secondly, because the more I looked into it, the more lost I became! All I do know is that there are four primary phases of the moon – new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter. The new moon and the full moon are the two phases that interest me. Over the years, they are undoubtedly the two phases that anglers discuss the most and with much debate. In fact, thinking back, I vaguely remember a few bits of writing from some of the more experienced carp anglers who have been around a long time, and I’m sure that the general feeling was that a full moon is a poor time to be fishing. For a long time, and up until very recently, when I started looking into my own captures, I was a firm believer that a full moon was better for big commons and a new moon was better for big mirrors. Before I go any further, I’m not talking about carp across the board here, but purely the biggest in each lake. As crazy as it may sound, I’m a firm believer that there is some form of hierarchy in each lake, but more so in the lower-stocked venues. Again, this has come about from a hell of a lot of time watching fish in various venues over the years. Anyway, whilst writing this I actually Googled the date and moon phase of every big ’un I’ve targeted since first using a digital camera in 2006. Obviously, when you set up a digital camera, you set the time and date, so every capture has the date logged when uploaded onto a PC or laptop. What surprised me the most was that all (except for two) of my captures of the lake’s biggest residents fell on the couple of days around a new and full moon. The most productive times, without a doubt, were the three days following a new moon. In fact, I even checked the captures of friends and they were the same, except for one!
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ANGLER PROFILE
Darrell Peck ........................... Age 31 ........................... Hometown
Chelmsford ........................... Occupation
Angling consultant ........................... UK PB
65lb 4oz ........................... Favourite venue
North Met Pit ........................... Rods
DF Infinity 12ft 3.75lb ........................... Reels
Daiwa QDX ........................... Alarms
Delkim Tx-i
128
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On The Move
Darrell Peck
OnThe Move When it comes to taking a mobile approach, Darrell Peck has used it to his advantage many times, and caught some big fish along the way. If you want to learn a thing or two about keeping mobile, read on.
B
eing mobile and keeping on your toes
pegs. On this particular venue the banks
can certainly put extra fish on the
were high and the water was crystal-clear. If I
bank, and it’s one of my favourite
hadn’t seen fish in my swim for an hour or so,
ways of angling. Looking back at my time on
they must have been somewhere else, and
the Essex Manor syndicate, it was without
usually it didn’t take too long to find them.
doubt the most effective tactic during the
I would climb trees, and I regularly located
spring months. The carp were constantly on
them clouding the water around one of the
the move to avoid the angling pressure, and
lake’s many reedbeds; in this situation a
often this would determine their location. The
quick move often produced an almost instant
weather did have an effect on where they
take. Once I realised this, my approach
wanted to be, but if they felt pressured they
was adapted so I could move quickly and
would be on their way and, more often than
take advantage. In this article I’ll go over
not, they would turn up in front of the empty
a few of the key points for being mobile.
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The Urban Myth by
Terry Dempsey
T
he Urban Myth is the book everybody has been waiting for, about a young angler named Terry Dempsey who grew up with a passion to go off in search of the most prized carp in the country. You will be taken on a journey over three decades, starting from the days when pioneering with baits and rigs was the only way. Terry has written the book in story form about the trials and tribulations he encountered on the way to his quest, while fishing lakes such as Darenth, Yateley, Longfield, Johnsons, Wraysbury and many more. This book is a must-read, as you, the reader, will be able to taste the true magic within its pages.
£30.00
+ £2.95 P&P “Some things are worth waiting for and Terry’s book is all I dreamed of and more. The fish, the venues, the escapades, all in one magnificent book that surpassed even my hopes. For all those who are bored of the ‘same fish, different angler’ books, this is for you. I don’t buy many books but even I dipped into my wallet for this... Enough said” IN
EEK’S FISH A W IN G
W
Julian Cundiff
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06/06/2013 10:36