TACKLE SPECIAL We take an in-depth look at sub-£100 reels from Wychwood, SONIK, and Shimano
No.194 October 2013 October 2013 | Issue 194 | £4.10
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THIS MONTH: Silt tactics with Ellis Brazier Inner-City Angling In Paris How To Snag-Fish Safely The Best Budget Bait Stiff Rigs Made Easy
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Overnight Success! How to make the most of your short sessions and catch a stunner like this! Fox’s Brand New Alarms craftycarper.co 001_Cover_CC194.indd 1
The popular Micron range has just had a revamp and gone wireless. You can win a complete set inside!
Tackling Deep Waters Don’t be afraid to fish the depths. Joe Jagger reveals how to reap the rewards.
JULES’ DIARY Our man from up north has had another bumper month 06/09/2013 13:03
Crafty Carper /// Issue 194 /// October 2013 /// www.craftycarper.co On the cover: Shropshire-based Adam Firth took this fantastic-looking common on a recent overnight session; proof that you can experience success with limited time on the bank.
CRAFTY COLUMNISTS
11
Editorial This month, a lot has happened
37
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Making the most of short overnighters is
Jake Charles, to the world on 28th
and many anglers like to keep away from
essential for success. We’ve enlisted the
July. It was the pinnacle of everything
them, but they are somewhere that carp
help of overnight expert Adam to show you
he’s ever done and experienced.
love to take up residence. Oli Davies
how to maximise your time on the bank.
Safe Snag Fishing Oli Davies
Fishing to snags can be very daunting
Overnight Success Adam Firth
for editor James and his wife Kirsty, as they welcomed their little boy,
OUT AND ABOUT
looks at how to fish snags safely.
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The Traveller Mark Bartlett
Our man Bart travels up to Staffordshire to try his luck on the high-profile Baden Hall Fishery. Why not see how he got on?
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The TicketMaster Autumn is a great time to
be on the bank and the chance of a good result is high, so why not visit one of these waters and get yourself some action. INTERACTIVE
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Crafty Catch Column This is the place to get your
catch pictures published, so send them in to us, and you’re in with the chance of a great prize from our good friends at Mainline Baits.
50
Wychwood Competition Here’s your chance to get
your mitts on one of the tremendous Solace HD Basecamp bivvies from the guys at Wychwood. There will be two winners, but the question is will you be one of them?
76
The Question Is This month’s carping
conundrums are answer by our panel of experts. If you get your question answered you’re in the frame for a prize.
128
Fox Competition Fox International are
giving you the chance to win either a three-rod Micron MXr+ presentation set worth £319.99, or a three-rod Mr+ presentation set worth £219.99; that’s a combined value of £539.98.
131
Subs Offer Fed up of going to the
newsagents? Let us deliver Crafty straight to your door, and we’ll also give you a load of goodies from
141
Diary of an Everyday Carp Angler Julian Cundiff
Whilst many say that July and August are the hardest months in carp fishing, our diarist Jules
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the nice gents at Gardner Tackle.
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Going Deeper Joe Jagger
It’s easy to be put off fishing waters that are
134
Craft Carper Inbox Send us your letters,
stories and pictures, and we’ll print
has been having an amazing few weeks, with
deeper than the norm, and the usual question
the ones we like. We’ve got news
multiple catches from a variety of waters. Add
is where or how to target carp in over 25ft of
stories from around the world
to that the concerts, fish-ins and much more –
water. Joe has been fishing a few deep lakes of
and you can find out what’s been
and then it all nearly went so horribly wrong.
late, so here we get his opinion on the subject.
happening on the carpy grapevine.
Crafty Carper
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Contents /// October 2013 FEATURES
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The Vital Ingredient Team CC
At a time when we are all watching the cost of our fishing, the Crafty team takes a closer look at Vitalin dog food, a cheap and cheerful bait that really does the business.
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The Great Crafty Debate With so many types of PVA
products available, and so many methods and tactics involving their use, our panel of experts reveal whether they think it’s a real help or not.
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One Rig Only Ken South
What the heck is a Synxchronicity Rig, we hear you say! Well, we asked Ken to give us the low-down on his favourite rig, and that’s the name he came up with!
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Under-21s Stories of
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Parisian Carping Jerôme Sebille
Jérôme and his pal Alexis Dugast spend
Success Kai Richards
their time fishing for carp in the middle
We catch up with budding young
Paris. It’s extreme carping for the urban
carp angler Kai, who’s been
carper on the mighty River Seine.
hard into his fishing this year and enjoying targeting a lowstocked syndicate. He’s not done a bad job of it, that’s for sure.
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of one of the busiest cities in the world,
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Ringing the Changes Neil Spooner
Neil took a trip out and found that he was chopping and changing
BYCAC Review
tactics to tempt the carp. Would it
Back in August, young
come good? Read on to find out.
carpers from far and wide once again descended on Brasenose Two Linear Fisheries for the 10th annual BYCAC. Organised by the team here at Crafty
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The Silt-Buster Ellis Brazier
When it comes to fishing in the dirty
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The Five-Minute Interrogation
The Crafty team asks Korda’s
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In Focus SONIK
Not normally known for their
Rich Stewart some searching
reels, SONIK have just made the
questions about his fishing life.
step into this part of the market with the Tournos 8000, a feature-
CARP FOOD
53
Carp Food Welcome to our bait
packed dedicated carp reel.
115
In Focus Greys
Carper, we had over 100 junior anglers
stuff, who better to talk about it other
ready to do battle to become the
than the man who targets silty meres
Korda British Young Carpers’ Angling
around Shropshire? You’d be hard
find the latest and greatest carp
Champion 2013. Here’s how it went…
pushed to find gravel in any Shropshire
food releases, plus some awesome
popular since their introduction in 2001;
waters, and here Ellis will help you
tips from the experts. If you need
here we put the very latest addition,
get your head around the black stuff.
to turboboost your munga, then
the Prodigy GT3, through its paces.
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Introducing Tom Kerr – U21s Blog
We have a new champion in the form of Tom Kerr, who fished an awesome final at this year’s BYCAC.
122
Stiff Rigs Christian Kessler
Avid’s Christian Kessler gives us the
He’s going to be filling you in each
low-down on stiff bottom bait rigs,
month with his monthly blog, so
a presentation that’s neglected by
here’s the first instalment.
most modern-day carp anglers.
section, the place where you’ll
Greys Prodigy rods have always been
this is the place to get inspired, start dabbling, and go hauling. CARPERS’ KIT
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Carpers’ Kit We take a look at some of
the best products that are new to the shops, and give you the lowdown on what’s hot and what’s not.
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In Focus Shimano
137
Money-saving Mega Deals
If you’ve got some money burning a
We put the latest Shimano Tribal
hole in your pocket and don’t know what
Supressa rods and Aerlex 8000
to buy, check out our Mega Deals, the
reels through their paces.
best offers around from the retailers.
COMPETITION WINNERS
Competition winners from Crafty Carper August issue 192
WYCHWOOD COMPETITION
The two winners each receive a Wychwood Solace 50ins HD Brolly System, worth £299.99 each: Peter Briggs – Islington, London; Graham Goulding – Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
30PLUS COMPETITION
The two winners each receive Centium DFX 12ft carp rods: Luke Stimpson – Market Rasen, Lincolnshire; Graeme Haggar – Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire;
Crafty Carper 006-007_Conts_CC194.indd 2
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Crafty Carper
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The Vital Ingredient Team Crafty Carper
At a time when we are all watching the cost of our fishing, the Crafty team takes a closer look at Vitalin dog food, a cheap and cheerful bait that really does the business. Crafty Carper 020-023_Vitalin_CC194.indd 2
21 09/09/2013 13:42
Overnight Success Adam Firth
1
LIGHTEN UP
take that much? It’s something I see most in
So, you’re gearing up for a few overnighters
summer; anglers arrive at 7.00 p.m., lugging their
– what do you take? Remember, with limited time
gear along with 5 kilos of boilies to their swim,
you don’t want to be lugging the kitchen sink to
and proceed to put 10 baits over an acre of water
your chosen swim and then proceed to spend
with a throwing stick. The rest of the bait sits
hours getting camp ready; before you know it the
proudly in an air-dry bag or in the bright packaging
alarm is wailing and it’s time to pack it all away
outside the bivvy – why? You tell me! I take about
again. Swap the big, heavy bivvy for a compact,
a kilo of Sonubaits Code Red boilies with me,
lightweight brolly, I find that a lightweight Korum
which people don’t realise is shelf life bait. It’s nice
50ins Fibreshield umbrella is perfect for the job.
and soft, smells fantastic, and catches lots of carp.
It’s just over 3kg and fits into a small quiver. I can
The best part is I don’t have to worry about going
put it up, with pegs, in less than 90 seconds.
to the freezer before my session. I simply
Tackle bags can be a haven for non-essential items, and I regularly clear out items that find their way into my kit. Radios, 15 types of pots and pans, a full box of teabags and a bag of sugar; most of it can be made much lighter and compact – swap the big bag of sugar for a small
turn up, open the bucket and use it.
“Most lakes don’t require you to pile in 5 kilos for a quick night session, so why take that much?”
BELOW More than enough
leads for a quick session. RIGHT Enough Code Red
boilies to last for up to two overnighters – there’s no need to lug around masses of bait!
clip-lock box, only take one pan (if necessary), and lose the radio. Leads are the biggest offender, and I often wonder why people cart loads of leads around. I limit myself to six or seven – a couple of sizes and possibly different shapes. This gives me a couple of backups should I catch a fish and lose a lead. Spares can be kept in the car, but I’ll come to that later. It’s surprising how much water anglers take fishing with them, even on short sessions. You’re only at the lake for a few hours, so taking 5 litres of water isn’t that essential for most people. A 2L bottle is enough for five cups of tea and even leaves you with some to freshen up in the morning. It also weighs half as much as a 5L bottle! Now on to bait – most lakes don’t require you to pile in 5 kilos for a quick night session, so why
2
KEEP IT IN THE CAR There are times when you
need to restock with items such as tea bags, leads, sugar, etc. I like to keep a few spares handy in the boot of the car; a boot tidy or small plastic box can hold the spares, along with loo roll, more leads, and batteries for the headtorch and alarms.
ABOVE Keeping a little stash
of spares in the car is a good idea, and it will cut down the amount of kit you need to carry.
RIGHT Make sure that your batteries have plenty of life left in them.
46
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Overnight Success Adam Firth
3
DO YOUR HOMEWORK Just because you’re only doing an overnight
session doesn’t mean you can’t plan ahead. Instead of picking different venues each time,
4
WEATHER WATCHING When I had more time to go fishing I
used to be a really keen weather watcher.
keep to a regular venue; be it a syndicate, club
I’d be able to tell you the wind direction,
water or day ticket, most are much less busy
pressure and changes, and what looked
midweek. Take into account the time it takes to
like carpy weather for the coming days.
travel to and from the venue. The shorter the
I occasionally arranged my sessions
distance between lake and workplace, the longer you can keep the rods in the water. Picking one venue will make your sessions easier and more productive in the long run. Sacrifice one night’s fishing to map out the lakebed, find some spots, and just spend time watching the water. This will give you more knowledge on where the carp visit, and give you more confidence when you turn up with your gear. It’s easy to do when targeting a new venue or you need to get to grips with a lake you currently fish.
around the weather, and if the conditions looked
“When fishing time becomes limited you start to realise that there’s more to life than being a weather geek”
poor, I would cancel the fishing and do something else. Well that soon changed – when fishing time becomes limited you start to realise that there’s more to life than being a weather geek.
I try not to pay too much attention to it now, preferring only to look at the wind speed and direction. When angling time is precious, the best LEFT Sometimes the features are obvious,
but it never hurts to have a good idea of what lies beneath. Time spent learning about your chosen venue is never time wasted.
chance of a bite is when you’re out there doing it.
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One Rig Only Ken South
HOW TO: TIE KEN SOUTH’S SYNXCHRINICITY RIG
1
2
Whip up the shank of a Chod pattern hook 10 times, then back down two more times before going back through the eye.
3
4
Thread a doubled-up piece of Samson Hair braid through the eye of the swivel. Samson is more user-friendly than bait floss.
5
Next take a pop-up of your choice and use a pair of scissors to create a cone-shaped hole in the bottom of the bait.
6
Fill the hole with Heavy Metal Plus putty. This will make the popup into a slow-sinking hookbait, or in modern jargon, a wafter.
7
With a baiting needle, thread the hookbait onto the Samson and carefully pull the barrel of the swivel into the putty.
8
Add a rig ring to the two Samson tag ends and tie it in place with a couple of overhand knots before trimming and blobbing.
62
Add a small ring swivel to the tag end of the hooklink before going back through the eye; trim and blob.
Here is the basic finished Synxchronicity Rig ready for action, but what about the rig ring that’s on top of the bait?
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One Rig Only
Ken South
Rig Construction
Heavy Metal so that the bait floats
The Components
Right, first you take a good 16ins
but leaves the hook on the bottom.
You need a coated braid, and
length of coated braid; my current
the reason the rig is named
choice is the soon-to-be-released
you now work out the length you want
as such is because we’ve
Kryston Synx. Simply thread the braid
the rig to be. Tie a loop at the other
been using the latest product
through a Size 6 Chod hook and start
end and secure this with a Figure-
from Kryston – Synx. This is
to create a Knotless Knot by whipping
of-Eight knot. Trim the tag end and
the latest in a long and very
up the hook 12 times. Then carefully
place a piece of Heavy Metal onto
successful line of hooklink
whip back down two times and thread
the knot and roll it into a ball. The
materials from Kryston.
back through the back of the eye to
addition of the Heavy Metal helps to
secure the Knotless Knot. Whipping
kick the hooklength out on the cast.
Next you need a Chod hook.
down the hook helps to combat the
Now take the hooklength and
There are loads available
strangling effect
and they all are pretty good,
that the Knotless
but I like the Korda Choddy.
Knot creates.
I like the ones that have a
Then mount the
really nice closed eye, and
tiny hook ring
they must be sharp, so check
swivel onto the
the hooks in your pack.
tag end, which
With the bait mounted and balanced
“The stiffness of the Synx allows you to create an aggressive curve similar to that common on a Chod Rig”
thread the end loop through the other ring swivel, and then thread the hook back through the loop and gently
in turn is passed through the back
pull the setup tight. We mount the
Samson is the Hair braid I
of the eye of the hook. Now form a
ring swivel onto a Score leadcore
use for attaching the boilie.
D and then trim the tag end. Finally,
leader. The end loop, being doubled,
It’s better than dental floss
blob the end with a lighter.
creates an additional stiffness which
because it does not fray. It also blobs well with a lighter.
Next, a 5ins length of Samson
acts like a boom, so removing the need
is threaded through the eye of the
for an anti-tangle sleeve. The rig is
hook ring swivel. This forms the bait
now ready to cast out. But before you
Next you need a micro ring
attachment. I favour Samson over
do, take the hooklink, and working
swivel, which, when it’s
dental floss because it doesn’t tend
down from the hook, pull the line
mounted on the D, gives the
to fray like floss can. Also, being
between your thumb and finger and
hookbait the ability to move
finer, it causes less damage when
put a 2-3ins curve into the hooklink.
around through 360 degrees.
being pulled through the boilie.
The stiffness of the Synx allows you
Now take the pop-up, and with a
to create an aggressive curve similar
You also need a rig ring, which
pair of scissors, create a slight hole
will be used later to provide
in the bottom of the pop-up – this
a backstop for the boilie and
hole will resemble an inverted cone
ring tied to secure the Hair? Through
something to tie the PVA to. I
shape – and fill this hole with a little
that I thread a length of Meltdown
use Kryston Meltdown because
Heavy Metal. I then push my baiting
PVA string. I double this and thread a
it dissolves completely.
needle through the bait and pull
couple of baits onto the string. This
the doubled-up length of Samson
allows the stringer to pull the bait out
Heavy Metal or another of
through, pulling the pop-up down onto
on the cast, and with many fisheries
the tungsten putty range
the hook ring swivel. The barrel on
insisting on barbless hooks, this
from Kryston is also needed
the swivel creates a stopper at the
means that the PVA will not fly off
to provide the weight in
bottom of the hookbait, leaving the
on the cast. Also, the stringer lands
the pop-up. This stuff is
larger rig ring free to move on the D.
in a perfect line to the hookbait.
really heavy and contains tungsten in large amounts.
to that common on a Chod Rig. Finally, do you remember the rig
Now thread the separate rig ring onto the Samson and tie a couple of
BELOW Ken likes to add a small stringer
knots, and pull these down to create a
with two boilies using Kryston’s Meltex PVA tape, which dissolves without leaving any residue.
Another ring swivel for
plug at the top of the bait. The addition
connecting the working
of the rig ring will be explained shortly.
end of the rig to a piece of
This is then trimmed and you can blob
leadcore finishes off the bits
the ends with a lighter, so creating a
you need. 30Plus do some
boilie stop. Now balance the hookbait
good ones in their range.
by either removing or adding the
The Concept What’s the theory behind this rig? Well, I like the idea of the Snowman Rig but I wanted something that wasn’t quite so big, and I wanted to make sure only the actual bait was free to move. I didn’t want a whole lot of movement to startle the fish. I also wanted the bait to be of neutral buoyancy and the hook to be heavy so that it catches in the mouth. The way this rig works is that the hook will be lying flat and concealed on the lakebed, and only the actual boilie will be above it. It usually settles partially covering the hook, giving extra camouflage to it. The PVA means that the bait flies through the air in a straight line, and when settled on the bottom the hookbait will be at the front of the hook with the free baits in a line. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but I’ve found it to be a good working arrangement. The stiffness in the hooklinks avoids tangles and forces the hooklink out away from the lead in a straight line. CC
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ANGLER PROFILE
Christian Kessler Age 25 Hometown
Lemgo, Germany Occupation
Media student UK PB
39lb 9oz Favourite venue
Midlands syndicate Rods
Avid MSX 3Âźlb Reels
Avid 12000CC Alarms
Steve Neville
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Stiff Rigs
Christian Kessler
STIFF RIGS Avid’s Christian Kessler gives us the low-down on stiff bottom bait rigs, a presentation that’s neglected by most modern-day carp anglers.
S
tiff hooklink materials have
in my opinion, the anti-eject
material straight through, but I know
been around for years, and offer
properties cannot be rivalled, and
lots of anglers like to whip on a supple
a multitude of applications for
the presentation offers something
Hair made from braid. As far as I’m
modern-day carp anglers. Unfortunately
completely different to what most
concerned, it’s imperative to have a stiff
though, since the popularity of the
anglers use. If the majority are using
Hair because, as mentioned previously,
Chod Rig and other stiff pop-up
conventional hooklinks, such as
it’s a presentation the carp just won’t
presentations has grown, lots of
coated and braided varieties, the fish
be used to dealing with. How often do
anglers are totally neglecting such
may become accustomed to dealing
you see anglers using a stiff Hair?
materials for bottom bait presentations.
with them and, to some degree,
Many moons ago, when stiff
As well as having good anti-eject
learn how to eject them. If you drop
properties, stiff rigs are great because
filaments were slightly more in vogue,
something completely different into
they will not tangle when you’re
anglers used them a lot for bottom
the mix, like a super-stiff presentation,
casting. We’ve all been there when,
bait presentations and they were
the results can be devastating.
after a blank session, we’ve reeled
absolutely devastating. In recent
in a rig that’s tangled. There’s no
years though, with coated hooklinks
Stiff Rigs: The Mechanics
need to use a PVA bag with them,
and supple materials becoming all the
Due to the unique nature of the
and as long as you feather the cast,
rage, the popularity of the humble stiff
material, once a carp sucks in the
bottom bait presentation, which has
hookbait and realises something
been used by numerous high-profile
is amiss, it will find it virtually
anglers over the last decade with
impossible to eject the hookbait and
enormous success, has dwindled. So why do I use stiff rig filaments for a lot of my fishing? Well, firstly,
the hooklink will kick out from the ABOVE If the carp have never
lead, ensuring everything is sitting
seen stiff rigs before, the action can come thick and fast.
pretty on the bottom. Further to this,
rig. Regardless of how much it tries to
position, enabling the hook to grab hold
invisible on the bottom, and in most
spit it out, in most cases, due to the
in the carp’s mouth. When I use stiff
cases they sink much better
stiffness of the hooklink, it stays in
rigs, I generally tend to go with a stiff
than other hooklinks.
most stiff rig materials are virtually
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