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ALAN BLAIR’S URBAN BANX
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No.214 June 2015
PLUS FEATURES FROM
June 2015 | Issue 214 | £4.10
feet
Kev Hewitt
Dave Lane
Iain Macmillan
Chris Lowe
Mitch Smith
Ed Betteridge
Tom Maker On sale 20th May – 16th June 2015
Think on
Darren Belton
your
Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!
Get better results by learning to adapt with Nick Helleur
THE WINNING METHOD
craftycarper.co
CAN A HOOK BE TOO SHARP?
FLOATER FISHING MASTERCLASS
We get the definitive answer from an expert
The latest edges for catching off the top this summer
001_Cover_CC214.indd 1
Bait to use Rig components Execution Results Venues 07/05/2015 13:45
Crafty Carper /// Issue 214 /// June 2015 /// www.craftycarper.co On the cover: Nick Helleur showing how it’s done when you have to think on your feet and adapt.
7
Editorial James Turner Editor James looks at what’s in
store for you in this issue of Crafty
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Carper, as well as giving his thoughts
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Spring – Ups And Downs Nick Helleur
This time of the year sees the weather
Urban Banx ‘Up North’
for the month, and something
Alan Blair
seems to have got his goat!
We’ve got the exclusive on Alan’s
change day in, day out, so the chances of
Urban Banx series, and this time we
catching can be high one day and then
look at his trip up north, as he made
change in a matter of minutes to zero,
the long journey to Teeside and then
thanks to the lovely British weather.
on to Manchester.
9
The Knowledge Dave Lane Laney starts out on his new
syndicate waters, which have gone from three down to two, but in true Dave Lane style, he opened his account pretty early over at St. Ives.
15
Avid Carp Competition The lads at Avid have
given us an awesome prize bundle to give away this month. Not just one, but five packages of their PVA bag gear worth over £400!
17
Dare To Be Different Darren Belton
This is most definitely an article which will create intrigue as well as raise eyebrows. Darren reveals why he opts for a white lead – that’s right, it’s white!
29
Crafty Catch Column Sponsored by Sticky Baits
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 those top guys at Sticky Baits.
36
The Great Crafty Debate This month’s panel of experts
give their take on the close season. Is it a good thing that seems to be a thing of the past, or is it a much-needed break?
41
Baggin’ Up Chris Lowe This month Chris is on hand
to go through the rigours of fishing solid PVA bags, on which he has had massive success over the years.
46
Chub Competition Head over to page 46
and answer the simple question to be in with a shout of getting your hands on a brand new set of the sleek Chub Outkast rods. We’ve got over £800 worth up for grabs.
49
Crafty Carper Under-21s Brandon Butler reveals all
about his quest for The Slate Grey from his local club lake, while BYCAC champ
27
Quick-fire Question Lee Byron
We ask hook-sharpening expert
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Just Scratching The Surface Lee Birch
Lee fishes on the top in a totally
85
Make The Method Your Friend Ian Hirst
Use of the Method feeder seems to
Michael Bamber checks in with his blog.
55
Carp Food Here you’ll find the latest
and Rig-It Tackle main man, Lee
different manner to many anglers,
have dwindled over the years, so is
Byron, a quick question on the
so we caught up with him on his
it due to PVA? Either way, Ian looks
cuisine on the shelves of a tackle
effects of sharpening. Can a
syndicate, where he knows how to
at how he makes the most of fishing
shop near you, as well as the
hook be too sharp?
have plenty of success on the surface.
this underused tactic to good effect.
Editor’s Choice of the month, and
and greatest products of carpy
a crafty tip from Joe Turnbull.
4
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Contents /// June 2015
59
Carp Food Special – Starbaits There’s a whole host of new
liquids in the Add It range from Starbaits this year. They’re already flying off
105
the shelves, so we thought we’d better take a look before they all go.
61
Paste That Packs A Punch Allan Parbery
Paste is a hookbait which seems to be forgotten about by many who think it’s had its day, but Allan proves that it’s just as good a carpcatcher now as it ever has been.
65
81
In Focus – Rod Hutchinson The Cabrio Bivvy from Rod
Hutchinson is something which has
116
The TicketMaster We’ve got four day ticket
fisheries from across the country
Tackling Busy Day
already got a fair few followers, so if
in the pages of TicketMaster this
Tickets Tom Maker
you want to know what all the hype
month, and there are free fishing
is about, then jump to page 81.
offers for every reader to take
At this time of the year, most day ticket lakes are busy on the weekends, so who better to give you a few pointers on being successful in this situation? Enter the hauling machine – Tom Maker.
advantage of. Get on it!
82
In Focus – Shimano When it comes to reels, nobody
questions Shimano, and due to this, their rods have been under the radar for
70
126
Lion Carp Competition
These rods are things of pure
BYCAC – The British
some time. Their carbon work is actually
beauty and boast the best of
Young Carpers’
a thing of beauty, and very affordable.
everything you could imagine,
Angling Championship Ever wanted to become the champion? It’s easy to enter, and you can pit your wits against other
from the blanks right through
83
In Focus – SONIK
to the rings. They are epic and
With the recent release of
we’ve got some to give away.
their SKS luggage range, SONIK have
junior anglers, as well as carp to over
also released a bivvy and a day shelter.
40lb in Linear Fisheries’ Oxlease.
We got hold of the bivvy, which at under £150 is well worth the money.
73
Carpers’ Kit We take a look at some of the
best products on the market, and give you the low-down on what’s hot and
92
your letter box every month,
Nest Simon Crow
then this is the place to go.
Bite indication is a part of angling which can make the difference between catching and blanking, so Simon looks at how you need to be
**EXCLUSIVE**
We’ve managed to get an exclusive first look at the new Navitas LITE range of clothing, and it’s ideal for
effective rather than follow a trend.
98
This month’s carping
conundrums are answered by our panel of experts. If you get your question
taking a look at page 77 – sharpish!
answered you’ll receive a cracking prize delivered straight to your door.
78
If you’re in the market for
a new bivvy, then the Chub Vizor Lite is well worth considering. We take a closer look on page 78.
Inbox Keep up to date
with the latest news, and you can also get in touch with us
105
through the carpy grapevine.
135
Diary Of An Everyday Carp
Angler Julian Cundiff Jules is back with a 2-month offering for this issue, and
A Session To Remember
he’s been hard at it, both on
Stephen Bell
and off the bank, and he’s
Sometimes things just go right, but you have to make your own luck, as Stephen found out after moving
79
132
here and see what’s going on
The Question Is
this summer, so we recommend
In Focus – Chub
If you want
to get your favourite carpfishing magazine through
you their essential items this month. In Focus – Navitas
Subscribe
From The Crow’s
what’s not. Plus the Crafty Team give
77
130
In Focus – Bivvy Three
lakes mid-session. He didn’t just
Book Review
move to the lake next door – he
caught a lot of fish too.
142
On The Road Lake At Last Jo Green
Well-known lady angler Jo
It’s always nice to have a good carpy
drove from Oxford to Wraysbury to
Green is back again this month,
book on the go, and with holiday season
get some rod-bending action.
telling the story of a successful
around the corner, you’re going to
time on the Road Lake, where
need something to read on the flight
she caught one of the most
or the beach. We look at Tim Paisley’s much anticipated latest release.
80
In Focus – NGT Next Generation Tackle
offer good quality at extremely
61
sought-after residents no fewer than three times!
146
Mega Deals If you’re up for a
bargain, you’ll definitely want
affordable prices, and with a
to head over to page 146 to
new landing net design recently
check out our Mega Deals
hitting the shelves, it’d be rude
for some of the best offers
not to take a proper look.
from the country’s leading retailers.
Crafty Carper 004-005_Contents_CC214.indd 2
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Spring
U P S A N D D O WNS N
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It’s that time of year when the weather can be all over the shop, so we find out how Nick Helleur puts the odds in his favour when the weather tries to put a spanner in the works.
T
he weather has been very odd of late; it’s mid-
frame has not only killed the chance I was presented with,
April as I write this, and I’m huddled beneath
but also moved the fish from the areas in which they
a brolly that’s threatening to be pulled
were residing. The shorts and floater rod have been
from over me and sent skywards by the biting
unceremoniously thrown into the boot of the car
northeasterly blow which arrived here in the
with disgust, and replaced with full winter kit
south of England in the early hours, dropping
and a woolly hat – much to my displeasure!
the temperature like a stone to a positively
The effect on the fish and the fishing has,
arctic 4°. Cold spring winds are nothing out of the ordinary, but barely 48 hours
all but killed any real chance of action for
previously, the weather more resembled a
the foreseeable. I’m currently doing nothing
sunny holiday destination somewhere in the
more than going through the motions until
Mediterranean, with a mild southerly breeze
the next warm front comes along, swinging
and temperatures in the low-20s, accompanied by carp on the surface wherever I looked. You can see what I mean when I talk about bizarre weather. The drop of 15 or more degrees over such a short time
22
unsurprisingly, changed rapidly, and it has
When the weather changes, the fish can often be found mooching around, and it’s all about finding them first.
the balance in my favour once more. Such is the prospect of recent spring fishing, which can be best described as nothing more than frustrating in the extreme. The only real bonus
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Spring - Ups and Downs Nick Helleur
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Carp Food
Team Crafty Carper
quICK bITES
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1. Richworth Type-R Yellow Passion Pellets
2. Mainline Baits Souper Zig Mix
3. Hinders PVA Friendly Hemp & Tiger Nuts
RRP: £4.95 for 1kg
RRP: £13.99 per 4kg bag
RRP: £9.99 per 1.25kg bag
Online: richworth.com
Online: mainline-baits.com
Online: hinders.co.uk
These gorgeous-smelling little beauties are
The perfect addition to a whole host of
This is possibly the greatest particle combination
available in both 4mm and 8mm versions, and
things, including spod mixes, groundbaits,
known to man when it comes to carp angling,
are supplied in 1kg bags. They are ideal for solid
bag mixes, pellets, particles – the list goes
and the guys at Hinders have made it PVA-
bags and bulking up a spod mix, and the 4mm
on. Cream Cajouser is a long-established
friendly, so it’s perfect for PVA bagging or
versions are perfect for boiling down and using
flavour which has stood the test of time, and
adding to mesh sticks. Which carp could resist?
on the Method, and my word, do they smell nice!
you’ll know why once you remove the lid.
4. Sticky Baits Pure Natural GLM Extract
5. Mistral Baits Rosehip Red boilies
6. Crafty Catcher Fish Oil
RRP: £7.99 per 100g
RRP: £9.99 per kilo
RRP: £4.99 per 250ml
Online: stickybaits.com
Online: mistralbaits.co.uk
Online: craftycatcher.co.uk
GLM, or green lipped mussel if you aren’t
You may have heard just how good Rosehip
This oil can be found in halibut and trout pellets,
familiar with it, has got to be one of the best
is, both here and abroad, and this year Mistral
so it’s obvious why carp love it so much. It’s ideal
bait additives on the market, and the number
have brought out the Rosehip Red boilie. As you
for adding to much of your bait, especially to
of baits which utilise GLM is staggering. You
may imagine, it’s red in colour and it features
give floaters a coating at this time of the year.
can now get the pure ingredient to include in
added Robin Red, so it’s got to be a winner.
your own mixes from the guys at Sticky.
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Carp Food
Team Crafty Carper
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7. Nutrabaits Cream Cajouser Liquid booster
8. Blakes Baits Nut Mix Stick Mix
9. Nash Salted Mini Mix
RRP: £8.50 per 500ml
RRP: £4.99 per 1kg bag
RRP: £8.99 per 2.5kg bag
Online: nutrabaits.net
Online: blakesbaits.co.uk
Online: nashtackle.co.uk
Corn Steep Liquor, or CSL as it is also known, has
This mix is packed with nutty goodness, and it
This is a cracking little mix of various particles,
been used a lot in recent years, and has become
also comes supplied with 50ml of Scopex & Peach
including tares, rapeseed, hemp, sunflower
a firm favourite with many for including in spod
Liquid if you want to add a little extra sweetness.
hearts, red and white dari, and red and white
mixes and the like. The guys at Crafty Catcher
It’s ideal for getting around a nut ban, especially if
millet. It’s perfect for encouraging the fish
have their own PVA-friendly version, which
fished in conjunction with blakes Nut Mix boilies.
to get rooting up those tiny particles.
makes it just as good for stick and bag mixes.
10. Rod Hutchinson Pineapple,
11. Bait-Tech Sizzling Spicy Sausage
12. Starbaits Probiotic Pro Plum Plus boilies
Mango & banana Fluoro Pop-ups
RRP: £3.69 per 250ml
RRP: £9.99 per 1kg bag
RRP: £5.99 per pot
Online: bait-tech.com
Online: starbaits.co.uk
Online: rodhutchinson.co.uk This liquid comes in a handy squeezy nozzle
Plum is a flavour which carp just love, and with
These fluoros are a very striking orange in
bottle, so you can add a shedload into your
these nicely rolled soft boilies from Starbaits in the
colour and smell beautiful, and they are also
spod mix without being covered in a very
renowned Probiotic range, you can choose from 10,
extremely buoyant. If you’re currently looking
flavoursome, spicy, meaty, garlic-smelling
14 or 20mm. It’s an ideal long-term bait, although
for a fruity hookbait, then you don’t really
liquid which is packed full of attractors.
many anglers have reported instant success.
have to look too much further than these.
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Paste That Packs A Punch Allan Parbery
4
1
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WhY anD When to use Paste
set the float, and bunch the shot close
Paste is one of the simplest baits to
to the float, using enough to cock the
make, and carp like it too, as do most
float but not take it near the colour
other species of fish. You can make
marking. Use enough paste to cock
as much or as little as you like at any
the float correctly. (It is best to use
one time, so it’s also a cost-effective
the smallest float you can get away
bait. Paste has no hard skin (like a
with.) If you fish like this you will
boilie does), so any smell the paste
know when the paste has dissolved
has permeates into the water very
because the float will lift slightly.
quickly and easily. It is simply one of
There should be no messing about with
the most adaptable baits out there,
bites when fishing this way – the float
with lots of fish-catching capabilities.
will slide to the side and go under.
Fish like the texture of paste, and its nature means that you can use it
2. Make a less soluble paste and fish
directly on the hook rather than Hair-
it slightly over-depth, with a few small
rigging it. It is ideal for margin and light
shots close to the hookbait. Bites will
tackle fishing. Here are one or two
generally be a slight lift and then it
situations where paste is worth a go.
will slide away. The disadvantage with
I would suggest that most modern carp anglers have used paste as a boilie
this is that you don’t know if a shoal of roach has destroyed the bait.
wrap at some time or another. I have used it for barbel, but rarely for carp, 3
although the idea is exactly the same. In reality, I wanted to use a paste as bait, but nuisance fish and river flow ensured the paste was only going to last x amount of time. I needed a bait to still be there after the paste had gone, so the obvious thing was to use a boilie on the Hair and cover it with a dollop of paste. In stillwaters, if there are few nuisance fish, the paste should dissolve after a while and leave a small area around the hookbait which may carry flavour for a long period of time. My favourite time to use a paste is when fish are actively messing around close in. Invariably, for me anyway, this involves the use of a float – if there isn’t one in your box of tricks, go out and buy one; a Drennan Crystal is my favourite. In my opinion, there are two ways to fish this paste. 1. Make a really soluble paste – one
which will completely dissolve within minutes. Plumb the exact depth and
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Paste That Packs A Punch
Allan Parbery
5
6
1 August 1975, the height of the special paste days.
7
2 An early success for a paste-wrapped boilie. 3 From the old Mid Northants fishery, taken on the float when stalking. 4 Pellets can quickly and easily be turned into paste. 5 Cover the pellets with boiling water for a few seconds before draining off the excess. 6 As old as the hills, but a paste-wrapped boilie will still catch loads of fish. 7 A piece of tube nicked on the hook acts as the perfect anchor for your paste. 8 Commercially available pastes make life easy for modern anglers.
longer in just a few moments.
cupboard and add a few breadcrumbs.
What Does Paste Give You
Commercially Available Pastes
That’s Different?
Mistral have around 10 different ready-
Paste is almost unique in the fact that
made pastes available for anglers to
very best available, and I still use
coming out in the 1970s – Black
it is easily moulded to suit a situation. It
try. They are simple to use so you
it when the time is right. I believe
Magic, Red Slyme, PYM, amongst
can be made into any shape or size – a
probably won’t use them where you
that some of the big old carp from
several others. It is interesting to
flat piece will sink very slowly and wave
need a fast-dissolving bait. However,
Billing Aquadrome were caught on
note that these pastes used to sell
from side to side on the way down if
they are great for moulding around
bread paste with added banana.
for £2.50 per pound, or £5.50 per kilo.
free-lined. It’s fantastic for enticing
boilies, etc., using as a stalking bait, and
How many chub have been caught
If you add inflation to these prices, it
moving fish – not many baits beside
using under the float, and they will stay
on bread paste with cheese? Loads
comes out at £50 per kilo in today’s
flake can do that in a moment’s notice.
on the hook for quite a while. If you are
and loads is the answer. Simply soak
money. Please stop telling me bait
having difficulty with the paste slipping
some white bread with the crusts
is expensive nowadays – it isn’t. The
bait within seconds by adding any
the hook, just attach a small piece
removed for a few seconds, squeeze
Red Slyme, for instance, was quite a
number of other ingredients or
of crust, sweetcorn, or even rubber
out the moisture, and you’re ready.
successful bait. From memory, it was
attractors. With a standard paste
tube to the hook and then attach the
mix, two people will make different
paste to that. Simple and effective.
Paste can be made into a different
baits to each other – you might make
Bread paste is still one of the
Pellet pastes are available
More complex pastes started
made up from wheatgerm, very fine
commercially, and are very effective
maize flour, and sodium caseinate
for the most part. Many are sold
with added lycine, methionine and
an orange Tutti Fruity, and I may
Create Your Own Pastes with
for about £4 a bag and they will
arginine, and a fruity flavour. It was
make a darker Marmite one. There
a Few Simple Ingredients
last quite a while. The better ones
horrible to mix up (‘sticky’ hardly
is just no end to the possibilities,
You can easily make enough
are made of finely milled pellets;
being the right word to use), but it
some of which I will outline later.
paste to last a session or even
however, they are best used under
did catch fish, and a lot of them.
8
the float, with the paste being part
As a base for your own paste,
of the cocking weight. These pastes
you need a few things to start with.
break down very quickly and release
Firstly, you need a protein which
lots of small particles in the vicinity.
holds the bait together. Any of the
Used in conjunction with pellets as
milk proteins will do, even Five Pints.
feed, these can be devastating.
You then need an agent to bulk it
If you fancy messing with these,
up, one which tastes nice. What
you can. Try adding some krill
about a Weetabix, and maybe a bit of
protein concentrate as the liquid and
breadcrumb too. An oil or fat would
the whole paste changes tune. It
be useful, perhaps bacon fat. Add
becomes a slower-dissolving paste
these together, mix well, and slowly
that can be used in other ways –
add water or another liquid until you
something easier to use, in fact. I
get a paste. It’s then ready to use.
used the KPC as an example, but
I mentioned Marmite earlier, but
other liquids can be just as good.
Nesquik, Angel Delight, or a whole
A fish oil will bind the ingredients
lot of things I’ve never heard of, will
to make an easy-to-use paste.
do. Curry powder, chilli powder, Five
Continuing the pellet theme, try putting some pellets into a sieve; our
Spice – you name it, it will catch. I must mention my all-time
Ten Pellet is a good example. Pour
favourite paste now, which is
boiling water over them and leave
beef sausage meat with added
for a few minutes. When the pellets
sardine or salmon. Mix the two
are soft all the way through, they
together and you get a mush, but
can be kneaded together and left
by adding breadcrumbs a bit at a
until the paste reaches the correct
time, a brilliant bait will emerge.
consistency. If you need the paste to be a little stiffer, raid the kitchen
Now go out and catch a wary carp or two – and be different. CC
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URBAN BANX A
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‘UP NORTH’
Alan’s epic Urban Banx series has always been exclusive to us here at Crafty Carper, and 2015 is no different as he takes a massive trek, well above Watford Gap. Can he have as much success in his inner-city carping adventures well away from his hometown? Get ready Middlesbrough and Manchester!
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Urban Banx Alan Blair
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Three
AVA I L A B L E N O W T H E L AT E S T B O O K F R O M A N G L I N G P U B L I C AT I O N S
BIVVY
(The Final Countdown)
In this tome, Tim talks of the incredible highs, but conversely, visits the horrible lows just as descriptively, and I have to admit the lows are just as enthralling as the highs. In fact, although I hate to admit it, several of the low points had me laughing out loud. The great thing about laying it all out in a book is that every part of these stories is covered in incredible, and very often graphic, detail. From his beloved Mangrove to Rainbow Lake, from Iktus via Gigantica, Les Teillatts and Lac Serreire, Tim takes us on an epic quest to catch his second 70lb carp, striving to end a 13-year search. And while that may be the theme which meanders through this story, the experience is punctuated by the characters he has shared it all with: Briggsy, Hutchy, Damian Clarke and Tom Duncan-Dunlop, among others. An extract from Ian Chillcott’s Foreword
LIMITE D LEATH EDITION E COPIES RBOUND A CALL 0 VAILABLE 114 258 0812
Tim writes about the journey through the agonies and the ecstasies like no one else can, and although I expected the book to be good, it easily surpassed all my expectations. I really can’t give Bivvy Three enough praise because it is a superb book and a riveting read, and I guarantee that you won’t be able to put it down. Tim, I don’t know how you do it, but you’ve done it again. In fact you’ve done it better than before, and given us readers something very special. Well done that man! Steve Briggs, Carpworld Review. Picking up from where he left off in More From the Bivvy, Tim lets the readers in on a blow-by-blow account of how his angling sessions unfold. More interestingly from my point of view are the personal touches and intimacies, thoughts and reactions, successes and failures – it is these details which make Bivvy Three such a fascinating read. Ben Wales, Carp-Talk Review. Yet another classic from the true master of carp-fishing literature, Bivvy Three takes you on an emotional journey through the highs and lows of session fishing on some of Europe’s hardest waters. It’s a stunning read, and impossible to put down. Steve Broad, Crafty Carper Review. I have always loved the reality of Tim’s writing, and his third Bivvy book hits the mark once again. From despair to elation, boredom to excitement, pain to joy, and misfortune to personal bests – it has it all. I wanted him to succeed, but I enjoyed the pain the effort put him through, as that’s a reality most of us deal with no matter where, how, or why we fish. Recommended, and I’m already on my second reading of it. Julian Cundiff.
BivvyThree_CC214.indd 1
£30.00 ORDER NOW +44 (0)114 258 0812 W W W. T H E C A R P S T O R E . C O M PUBLISHED BY
11/05/2015 10:26