CC197 sample

EXPERT TIPS WITH HOW TO LOCATE TEAM CRAFTY FISH THIS WINTER

CATCH CARP ON THE CHEAP!

No.197 January 2014

January 2014 | Issue 197 | £4.10

HIGH-ATTRACT

HOOKBAITS Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!

Frank Warwick reveals his most successful recipes

craftycarper.co

SCALING

DOWN Jake Wildbore on smaller hooks and lighter hooklinks

GET ON THE

GOOTS Maggot-fishing edges with Mark Pitchers

INNER-CITY

CARPING

NEW4 201 R GEA craftycarper.co 001_Cover_CC197.indd 1

On sale Dec 18th 2013 – Jan 21st 2014

Find out how Alfie Russell catches so many park lake stunners

P LU S : F RE E F I S H I N G F O R E VE RY RE A D E R 06/12/2013 14:38

Crafty Carper /// Issue 197 /// January 2014 /// www.craftycarper.co On the cover: Jake Wildbore with one of a number of fish taken whilst shooting this month’s feature about scaling down.

110

My Favourite High-attract Hookbaits

118

Cost-effective Carping Team Crafty

Frank Warwick

Carp angling isn’t the cheapest of sports

When it comes to creating highly attractive hookbaits, Frank Warwick is well known for it, so the man himself

or pastimes, but follow our tips on page

gives us some of his secrets, which have taken years,

117 and we’ll show that you don’t have

not hours, to find. Knowledge is power, and Frank

to spend the earth to catch carp, or even

has it in abundance when it comes to hookbaits.

get into carp angling in the first place.

CATCH CARP W TO LOCATE ON THE CHEAP! EXPERT TIPS WITH HO R H THIS WINTE FIS TY AF CR TEAM No.197 January 2014

CRAFTY COLUMNISTS.

7

Editorial

craftycarper.co January 2014 | Issue

James Turner

197 | £4.10

Editor James looks at what’s in store for you in this issue, as well as looking forward to the new year ahead.

HIGH-ATTRACT

HOOKBAITS

HING !

Get Craft y... GET CATC

Frank Warwick reveals his most successful recipes

123

SCALING

Diary of an Everyday Carp Angler

DOWN

Julian Cundiff In spite of his full-time job and busy schedule, Jules still gets out

Jake Wildbore on smaller hooks and lighter hooklinks

every week and keeps on catching them. Although winter has arrived it doesn’t stop our man Julian.

GET ON THE

GOOTS

OUT AND ABOUT.

86

The TicketMaster

Maggot-fishing edges with Mark Pitchers

As ever we’ve featured

day ticket fisheries from up and

INNER-CITY

down the UK, not to mention the

CARPINeG

fact that some of them are offering free fishing for this festive period.

Find out how Alfi Russell catches so many park lake stunners

– Jan 21st 2014

INTERACTIVE.

On sale Dec 18th 2013

NEW4 201AR GE craftycarper.co

ADER I N G F O R E VE RY RE P LU S : F RE E F I S H

06/12/2013 14:38

001_Cover_CC197.indd

1

30

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.

78

The Question Is This month’s carping

conundrums are answered by our panel of experts, and if you get your

10

Inner-city Life Alfie Russell

The youngest ever winner of the Fox Specimen

105

question answered you receive a prize.

Scaling Down Jake Wildbore

It’s long been talked about that scaling

Cup, Alfie Russell, has learned his trade fishing the

down in winter accounts for more fish,

park lakes local to him. He’s got a photo album to be

so this month Jake Wildbore puts it into

envious of, so we take a look at his story so far.

practice, with a good deal of success.

120

Inbox We’ve got all the latest

news from around the carping world.

James and the lads also show off their funny images whilst on their travels over the last month.

4

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Contents /// January 2014

93

CARPERS’ KIT

17 93

Carpers’ Kit

FEATURES.

57

Winter Wonderland Iain Macmillan

17

Taking To The Slopes

129

We take a look at some of

The Five-Minute

the best products that are new to

Interrogation

the shops, and give you the low-

Tommy Hill

down on what’s hot and what’s

dream for some, but for carp anglers

This month the Crafty interrogation

not. Plus the Crafty Team reveal

If you fish a water that has more ups

it seems to be more a dream of a

seat has been taken by none

their essential items this month.

and downs than a rollercoaster, what

snow carp when it comes to the white

other than 2011 British Superbike

Lewis has to say will be very helpful.

stuff. Iain Macmillan recalls the story

Champion Tommy Hill. Don’t ask

He looks at presenting bait on the

of that magical moment for him.

how we managed to catch him

Lewis Porter

slopes as well as at great depths.

A white Christmas may be a winter

because he was fast, but we did.

65

Crafty Carper Under-21s

24

Presenting It On The Spot Tom Morrison

Our British Young Carp Angling

Champion, Tom Kerr, checks in for

Turn to page 24 if you want some

another of his blogs, whilst Joe Gray

expert advice for fishing precise spots

writes about a trip to France where

at range. Tom catches many of his fish

it all seemed to come right for him.

by doing this, so it’s sure to help you bag a few bonus fish this winter.

37

The Only Rig For Winter Myles Gascoyne

In Focus – New For 2014 Turn to page 98 for a sneak

peek of some of the new products to be released in 2014 which have

CARP FOOD

49

Carp Food Here you’ll find the latest

and greatest products of carp cuisine that are on the shelves of a tackle

71

98

caught our eye at the trade shows over the last couple of months.

101

In Focus – Kryston Kryston have long been

known to be the daddies of hooklink

Maggot Masterclass

shop near you, as well as a top tip

materials, and here we take a look at the

Mark Pitchers

from Joe Turnbull on giving the carp

latest addition to their range, the Synx.

We looked in brief at maggots and

something visually attractive.

their uses last month, and this time

Looking for a rig to use this winter

we’ve got Mark Pitchers to give the full

that has a great track record? Then

low-down on how he goes about using

look no further because Myles has

the glorious grubs to his advantage.

102

In Focus – Taska The guys at Taska

have been releasing some cracking products over the last year, and

used this one through the winter for

this year is no different. We inspect

some time, with a lot of success.

their new luggage, the AVL, which

40

The Great Crafty Debate This month our panel

of experts include fishery

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

is definitely not to be missed.

116

Mega Deals If you’ve got some

money burning a hole in your pocket

owners and managers, as well as some top carp anglers, as they

and don’t know what to buy, check

discuss whether the mass use of

out our Mega Deals for some of the

maggots is good for fisheries.

best offers from around the retailers.

46

Location, Location,

COMPETITION WINNERS

Location

Competition winners from Crafty Carper November issue 195

Team Crafty During the colder months a lot relies

E-S-P Stash Clothing Competition Five winners will each receive an E-S-P Stash Jacket and Trousers worth £129.90.

Steven Mallett – Norwich, Norfolk Charlie Brown – Buckhurst Hill, Essex Alex Wood – Uckfield, East Sussex R. Lake – Grimsby, NE Lincolnshire Martin Sorton – Holywell, Flintshire

on actually locating the fish. If you can find them there can be some great winter sport to be had, so follow our advice to put yourself one step ahead.

82

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 our bait-rolling friends at Kent Particles.

Nash Scope Competition One winner will receive over £800 worth of Nash Scope Gear.

Matthew Mostyn-Harratt – Crewe, Cheshire

Crafty Carper 004-005_Conts_CC197.indd 2

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ANGLER PROFILE.

Alfie Russell Age 15 Hometown

London Occupation

Still at school UK Personal Best

44lb 12oz Favourite venue

London Park Lake Did you know...

Alfie is the youngest winner of the Fox Specimen Cup; he caught 7lb chub, 17lb barbel, 15lb bream and double-figure tench on his way to landing the coveted trophy at the tender age of just 13.

Inner-City Life Alfie Russell’s

Honing his skills on park lakes local to him, Alfie has amassed a photo album that anyone would envy, so here we find out a bit more about his inner-city exploits.

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Inner-City Life Alfie Russell

L

iving in London, most of my local

If one wasn’t

waters are park lakes which

producing,

contain a variety of fish. There

another would

are all shapes and sizes, including

be. I developed

koi and ghosties, but most of all I like

my angling skills

to fish for the dark old fish. I like the

and learned how

in the edge. I watched

fish with history and which are older

to fish in different situations – and

how they reacted when

than me! The closest park to me is the

locally too. I’m really grateful to have

I put bait in front of

Heath, where I spent the whole of last

that on my doorstep. I’ve fished there

them, and studied them

season. I was quite successful and had

since I was 11 and I’m 14 now, so quite

taking floaters to see

a good few fish up to low-30s, and I

a while, and I’ve had a good few fish,

if particular fish were

really enjoyed myself. There are six

including some big ones up to 35lb –

cagey and which bait they

ponds, and over the past few years I

and it’s all free fishing. The rewards

favoured. I noted the areas

have fished them all. They are all very

are there, you just have to work hard.

where they hung out, and

different; some are deep and coloured and others are shallow, crystal-clear and full of weed. There are crayfish

On park lakes, people turn up and don’t catch anything but they don’t put in the effort, which I was doing.

in some, some are flat-

It is so important. When I

bottomed, and others are heavily featured.

There are all sorts of different challenges, and it’s good that the ponds are close so I can move around.

first fished there I spent

“On park lakes, people turn up and don’t catch anything but they don’t put in the effort, which I was doing”

almost every day and every minute

all the little details. It might sound stupid, but certain fish really do prefer certain areas of the lake, and even at certain times of day, so it helped me.

For my first season on there my approach reflected in my

and rigs, and in particular

of my spare time

results; it showed that doing your

just walking

homework pays off. I learned to fish

around the park,

in all different situations, as I’ve said,

feeding the carp

whether it was in thick weed, deep

has to be floater stalking, if you

and watching them

water, fishing with different methods

can call it a method. I find a group

stalking and floater fishing. It was a good learning curve for me.

My favourite method of fishing

of fish close in, free-line a floater and watch them taking. I also love stalking on the bottom close in, where I can see them take the bait clearly. Sometimes I can even pick out which particular fish I want, which is such an exciting way of fishing.

Putting my experience to good use, I had a particularly good winter on the Heath when I fished the number two pond. It is about 3 acres in size and full of lovely mirrors; they favour an area of the lake that has a big willow and a wall. The fish like to sit there – whether it’s slightly warmer, I don’t know. It is productive in the winter and I’ve had a few in previous years, but this winter just gone I gave it a proper go, even through the coldest weather. I had 25 fish, mainly doubles, with the biggest going 23lb. They were all stunning old fish, and I caught them by fishing little patches of bait consisting of just

ABOVE A great deal of Alfie’s time is spent watching and feeding his quarry.

RIGHT One of Hampstead Heath’s ancient 30-pounders.

LEFT Simple rigs are Alfie’s choice. Putting them

in the right place is his priority.

four crumbed-up boilies and Snowman hookbaits with high-leakage pop-ups on top.

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11 09/12/2013 16:17

EXPERT EDGES.

Presenting It On The Spot There’s one angler who relies on accuracy and presenting the perfect presentation to get his net wet, and that’s Tom Morrison, so we caught up with him to see just how it’s done.

H

aving progressed through the

to find some potential spots. Feeling

BYCAC (British Young Carpers’

the lead down, I judge the depth of

Angling Championship) and as

the water as well as how firm the

an angler myself, I have learned that there is a vital tool when it comes to catching carp. That, for me, is being accurate at distance, not only to make sure that once I find a spot I hit it every time, but also to feel confident that my rigs are fishing effectively.

bottom is. I think I get a better idea of what’s out in front of me like this without causing too

“I have learned that there is a vital tool when it comes to catching carp. That, for me, is being accurate at distance”

When approaching a large body of water, I tend to cast a bare lead around the swim

much disturbance. Once I’ve found my spot I clip up to it and recast a couple of times, standing in

ABOVE I like to use a bare lead

to find a spot at range.

the same place,

to find the exact distance I’m

just to be sure

going to be fishing. This is so that

the lead lands in

once the rod is out I can unclip it,

the same spot each

and upon catching a fish I simply

time. When I’m happy

wrap around the sticks the same

that I can consistently hit

number of times as was counted

the spot, I use the Spot On Sticks

and I will be bang on the money!

ANGLER PROFILE.

Tom Morrison Age 21 Hometown

Leicester Occupation

Tool technician UK personal best

26lb Favourite venue

Dolly Mill Did you know...

Tom’s favourite bankside meal is an eight-egg omelette!

24

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Presenting It On The Spot Tom Morrison

Tom’s Tips for Measuring the Distance.

When wrapping up around sticks, it’s important to start the count from the same side of the sticks each time, in order to avoid any confusion. I like to double-check absolutely everything; miscounting just one wrap can mean the rig being miles off the spot found, and well out of the way of any bait spodded out to the area. Getting it right from the start saves a lot of messing around, and when you’ve got limited bank time, like me, every minute counts!

I can even do it at night because the new sticks have high-viz coloured tops.

If I’m fishing all my rods at different distances to various spots, it’s handy that with the sticks there are four markers which can be placed between them; this helps achieve

ABOVE The Spot On Sticks are just the job,

day or night. I always start my count from the same side to avoid confusion.

BELOW Wrapped up and clipped up. I doublecheck the spot distance before committing.

pinpoint accuracy time and again with each of the rods, rather than roughly guessing where I’ve measured up to previously. If, say, it’s about 12 and a quarter wraps, I simply put the marker in the ground and know that it’s 12 wraps and then to wherever the numbered marker is. The more you use this technique the easier it becomes, and the more confident you become with it when you start putting a few fish on the bank. I haven’t looked back since using this method to get my accuracy right.

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25 09/12/2013 10:05

LOCATION,

LOCATION,

LOCATION! If you can locate the fish during the winter months you’re in with a great shout of turning a difficult cold session into one where you can show off your winter captures.

W

ith the colder weather and the

or so each day, so at this time you need to be

harsh frosts arriving, it doesn’t

sure the bait is in the right place – or should I

mean that fish aren’t going to get

say the area in which your chances of getting a

caught. Granted, it may be a little harder,

bite are higher. It’s not that the carp don’t want

but if you can get the location right, the

to feed though, more a case of not needing to

captures are there to be had. At this time of

feed due to the lower water temperatures. Their

the year carp don’t fully shut up shop and

metabolism slows down, which means they

stop feeding, although the feeding spells do

become less active and use less energy, thus

reduce in time; they may only feed for an hour

making their need for food less important.

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR:.

because the number of naturals that

Showing Fish

can be found, or should I say buried,

Throughout the year keep your eyes

can be immense. This makes it a natural

peeled for showing fish or bubblers,

feeding area for the carp to visit. If they

and put a bait on them as quickly as

know there’s always a constant supply

possible. With winter here, the need

of invertebrates and the like, it’s usually

for watercraft is even greater; always

an easy meal, and it soon becomes a

watch the water and if you spot some

great place to trip up a chunk or two.

movement don’t be afraid to cast a bait in the area. Whether it’s fizzing or

Gravel Bars

a fish topping, it’s worthwhile having

In the past, I’ve known carp to shoal

a baited rod set up and ready to go

up around gravel bars, and one prime

out towards any fish activity. If you

example of this is Thorpe Lea in

don’t have a spare rod, quickly wind

Surrey, where sometimes you can

one in and bang it out to the spot. I’ve

find a shoal of 50-100 fish sitting

had results doing this literally within

out in the middle just off the gravelly

minutes of the bait hitting the water.

ABOVE Fizzing like this is a telltale sign the fish

may be having a feed on the lakebed.

Silty Areas

BELOW Silt is a natural larder and the carp love to root about in it.

area. I’ve also found that the bait fished to the bottom of the bar or plateau, rather than bang on top of

If you can find or know of

it, has produced more often than

a spot that’s silty, it’s well

banging a bait right on top of it.

worth putting a bait there Depth Changes BELOW After spotting fizzing,

I put a bait on it and this fish came just 20 minutes later.

Now this one can work both ways.

Deep holes or a deeper area of the lake can hold numbers of fish because the water temperature is often a degree or two warmer than other areas of the water, making it a natural choice for the fish to spend some time there.

On the other hand, if the weather is favourable and we experience a warmer than normal winter day with clear skies and the sun beaming down

46

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Location, Location, Location!

Team Crafty Carper

ABOVE Fishing to the bottom of a

plateau produced this fish, as well as another seven in the night; I landed perfectly on a shoal.

the hot spot to target, but as the winter temperatures hit, try casting a little further off the island and fish the bait at the bottom of the incline in the slightly deeper water. It’s well worth a shout.

Reeds Reedbeds or reed-lined margins are a great place to target. They are a natural patrol route for the carp, and if there’s a bit of deeper water there too it’s a worthwhile place to put a hookbait and a handful of freebies. Think about being as discreet as possible with the presentation because quite often the water can be absolutely crystal-clear in these marginal areas. on the lake, stick a bait in the shallower

Dying Weedbeds

areas because the slightest increase in

If you fished the lake in the summer

water temperature can help turn the

and know there was a particular area

carp on. On a sunny day in the middle

that was extremely weedy, then have a

of December, I saw that the shallow

bash at fishing the same area in winter

bay to my right was the first place the

because the weed either is dying or

morning sun hit, and by lunchtime I

has died off. The fish know this was

had moved down into the bay (with the

an area of shelter during the warmer

warmer water in mind) and managed

months, as well as the fact that the

two fish from there in the first half-

weed can often hold the heat a little

hour. To put it into perspective, the

and may be a degree or so warmer

bay was just 3-4ft in depth whilst the

than other areas of the lake.

rest of the lake was over 12ft deep.

Throughout the year the carp will have also had

Inlets If there is an inlet on the lake it’s well

ABOVE Reed-lined margins can’t be ignored

free meals galore with

because they can be a natural patrol route.

all the naturals the

RIGHT Dying weedbeds are still places of perceived safety for the carp.

weed has held, and

natural oxygen and the moving water entering the lake also tends to stir up

BELOW Keep an eye out for the more sheltered or

worth checking out; inlets supply

the bottom in front of it, which can create a natural feeding area for the

shallower areas which get the most winter sunlight.

naturals will still be found in the dying matter, so ignore these areas at your peril.

carp. Everything gets stirred up off the bottom and if it colours the water it’s

Sheltered Areas

another bonus. I’m pretty sure that with

These areas are hot spots to keep an

carp being so inquisitive, they come in

eye on. If a northeasterly wind batters

to inspect the coloured water, thinking

the lake, get on the back of it and look

there may be others in the area already

for a spot that’s a little more sheltered

feeding or ripping up the bottom.

than others. A tree-lined bank may shelter an area of the lake from harsh

Islands

winds that can easily knock a couple

Islands are always a feature that

of degrees off the water temperature;

anglers tend to aim for because

due to the calm nature of the area, the

they are obviously the most visible.

sun (if any) will heat it up quicker. CC

It’s usually the island margin that’s

Crafty Carper 046-047_Location_CC197.indd 2

47 04/12/2013 16:10

Scaling Down Jake Wildbore

ANGLER PROFILE.

Frank Warwick Age 53 Hometown

Wilmslow, Cheshire UK personal best

43lb 14oz Favourite venue

Bluebell Lakes Did you know...

Frank is ambidextrous and can use either hand or foot for most things, whether it be writing or kicking a ball, plus loads more.

110

My favourite

HIGH-ATTRACT

HOOKBAITS

Crafty Carper

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10/12/2013 09:24

My Favourite High-Attract Hookbaits Frank Warwick

When it comes to highly attractive hookbaits there’s one person that always springs to mind, and that’s none other than Frank Warwick. If you want to put yourself a step ahead of the rest we suggest you read on…

W

hat I am about to tell you is

something off the shelf, and simply

important and is certainly

hoping that the product is good.

worth considering. I am going

I’m not daft, and I fully appreciate

to stick my neck out here, and say that

that people with work and family

despite there being some very decent

commitments want to spend their spare

high-attract hookbaits available in the

time fishing rather than making bait. I

shops, I think that if you put your mind

get that, but a small one- or two-egg

to it, it is possible to make your own,

mix of special hookbaits takes no time

and better ones. Of course, a lot of

at all and can be done in the evening,

companies which manufacture baits

even while you’re watching the telly!

for the angling trade try their best to

There are other benefits to making

deliver a very good product, but they

your own hookbaits, of course, and one

have to make a profit, and it wouldn’t

is that you can make various sizes and

work if they were to go the whole nine

shapes; from a one-egg mix you can

yards and include all the little special

quite possibly make a year’s supply of

additives that make the difference.

hookers – what’s not to like about that?

These special little inclusions soon start to add up and eat away at any small profit margins possible, so in effect there must be a cut-off point where it is not commercially viable to make a super-duper product and sell it at

I get the impression from messages I receive on Facebook that

“I totally believe they can be made much more effective with a little thought and attention to detail”

a loss – business isn’t like that in the real world.

In reality, I think a lot of people’s

the one thing that stops a lot of anglers having a crack at their own hookbaits is a certain lack of confidence; they believe advertising hype and think that some of the better-

known brands in the shops couldn’t possibly be improved on.

Sadly, the other recurring theme

idea of a high-attract hookbait is a

is that people want it on a plate from

basic pop-up mix, a flavour or flavour

me. They often ask for exact recipes

blend, and a bit of sweetener. Don’t

and want a quick fix; don’t get me

get me wrong, these types of baits will

wrong, I am happy to help where I can,

and often do catch carp, but I totally

but I’ve had to go through a massive

believe they can be made much more

amount of time, effort and rod hours

effective with a little thought and

over the years to find a lot of this

attention to detail. Let’s face it, how

stuff out the hard way. By the way, be

much more satisfying will it be to catch

under no illusion about this. Some of

carp on your very own creations and

my experiments bombed big-style and

unique blends? I happen to think there

cost me fish for sure, but for each thing

is more to carp fishing than just rolling

that went wrong I more

up to the tackle shop and grabbing

than made up for with

ABOVE If you make your own, the options are endless; there are a

variety of different-shape and -size hookbaits you can make.

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111 10/12/2013 09:24

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