WIN
ONE OF THREE
VAULT POWERPACKS WORTH OVER £500
craftyc arp
er.co
No.236 April 2017
NAS COMPE H TITION OVER
pinpoint
£600 OF KEY
accuracy
CRAY
TO BE WON
with luke vallory Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!
APR 2017
On sale 22 nd March - 18 th April 2017
Issue 236 £4.50
ALL-NEW TICKETMASTER WITH
RIG MECHANIC
HOW TO
CHOOSE
FREE FISHING
THE RIGHT
E V E RY O N E
FOR THE JOB
FOR
LEAD
craftycarper.co
IS IT TIME TO REACH FOR THE ZIGS AGAIN?
001_Cover_CC236_V2.indd 1
13/03/2017 17:03
Crafty Carper /// Issue 236 /// April 2017 /// www.craftycarper.co
On the cover: Luke Vallory reveals how to place your rigs with pinpoint accuracy.
7
Editorial This month, Broady gives
the low-down on this year’s Carpin’ On show, which he
48
The TicketMaster
recently attended, and takes a
In the all-new TicketMaster, Carl Sharp visited the newly revamped
look at some of the highlights
Bells Mill Fishery in search of some day ticket action, and gives some
of this well-attended event.
great advice on how to fish the venue. There are two offers for free
9
fishing on Bells Mill, as well as Beedles Lake and Aston Park Fishery.
Heavy Metal Harvey Watson
After a unsuccessful start on his usual water, Harvey Watson decided it was time to get a bend
WIN
ONE OF THREE
in his rod. He shows how his super-
VAULT POWERPACKS WORTH OVER £500
successful heavy-lead tactics worked wonders in the margins.
20
Subs Offer A Dynamite Baits
brilliant bait package.
craftyca rper.co
No.236 April 2017
NAS COMPET H ITION O
pinpoint
£600 VER
OF KEY
accuracy
CRAY
TO BE W ON
23
Pre-Season Preparation
Dave Lane
The weather has picked up, the fish are starting to show more, and lakes are coming alive, but are you ready for your next outing or campaign? Dave Lane gives some great advice on being prepared for future challenges.
35
The Art Of Profiling Mike Bridges To most people, a spod mix is just a simple concoction of bait, but Mike Bridges has perfected his very specific bait mixture to build a profile of leakage and attraction. He explains why it is so deadly wherever he takes it.
with luke vallory Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!
55
RidgeMonkey Competition
We’ve teamed up with the kings of carp-fishing gadgets, RidgeMonkey, to give three lucky
APR 2017
On sale 22
nd
March - 18 th April 2017
Issue 236
winners the chance to win one of their superb Vault Powerpacks,
£4.50
worth £169.99 each.
ALL-NEW TICKETMASTER WITH
EE FR FISHING FOR
craftycarper.co
E V E RY O N E
RIG MECHANIC
HOW TO
57
THE RIGHT
to be out on the bank, and if your
A Spring In Your Step
CHOOSE
EAD L FOR THE JOB
approach is right, the results can be superb, as Lee Morris explains.
IS IT TIME TO REAC H FOR THE ZIGS AGAI N? 001_Cover_CC236_V2.indd 1
15
The Rig Mechanic Leads come in all shapes and sizes,
and most people think of them as simply being a casting weight to get the rig in position. However, there’s a lot more to them than that, as explained in The Crafty Guide To Leads.
29
Lee Morris
Spring is a fantastic time of year
64
The Question Is This month’s panel of
13/03/2017 17:03
The Great Crafty Debate We’ve been discussing all things Ziggy in this month’s Debate, as our panel of experts give their opinions on whether it’s time to go all-out in the upper layers, or if there’s a better way to get bites during the spring.
experts consists of Ellis Brazier, Craig Leyland, Greg Ellis and Gary Bayes, a very knowledgable group of anglers who have a lot of experience between them. This month, they’ve been tested with questions ranging from how best to fish tiger nuts, to how to tackle a boilie-dominated water.
4
Crafty Carper
004-005_Contents_CC236_v3.indd 1
13/03/2017 17:37
Contents /// April 2017
90
The Coffee Time Interrogation
Ellis Brazier has graced the pages of Crafty Carper for quite a while now, sharing his extensive knowledge of all things carp-fishing related, or fishing in general for that matter, but how much do you really know about him? We decided to interrogate him to find out more.
95
55
Catch Column This is the place to get
your catch picture published, so send them in to us, and you’re in with the chance of a great prize, courtesy of Sticky Baits.
100
Follow The Snowdrop Trail
Steve Broad
Broady enjoys a springtime walk through the snowdrops, remembers a clue from the past, and then
NEW!
ruins it all by losing a fish. But has he learned anything?
100
69
Carpers’ Kit We have some
of the latest tackle in the
105
M Fishing Julian Cundiff
Julian doesn’t often stray from his Y
81
tried and trusted tactics, which CM
The Hidden Details
have caught him a lot of carp over
Ross Tierney
the years, but he is willing toMYlearn
Keeping the rigs concealed and
and adapt, as outlined here.
hidden is something we should
the top manufacturers.
all consider when targeting carp.
This month we look at the
One person who looks closely at
Cocoon 2G Bivvy, which
rig camouflage is Ross Tierney.
to give a better living area on the bank. There’s also a great new bivvy from TFG,
85
110
CC Inbox
CY
CMY
Keep up to date with K
all the latest news and views from around the carp-angling scene,
Carp Food
plus have your carpy questions
In this month’s Carp
answered by Team Crafty and win
Food, we check out the latest
some prizes, courtesy of NGT.
affordable products from NGT,
products to hit the shelves, as we
and more of the latest tackle
take a detailed look at the new
from Nash, Chub and more.
Triple-N range from Bait-Tech.
76
C
My Thoughts On Zig
industry, from some of
looks incredible and is sure
113
There’s always a
bargain to be had in Mega Deals,
U21s Stories Of
Baits, Sticky Baits, Mainline and
from some of the leading retailers
Success
UK Carp Baits, plus a great tip
in the industry, so check it out
from DNA angler Andy McFarlane.
and pick up some great offers.
month’s brilliant U21s piece, the very talented Adam Biddulph shares the story of his firstever 20-pounder from a venue where the majority of anglers
MONTHLY MEGA DEAL
Mega Deals
There are also products from DNA
Following on from last
CROSSCAST 5500QDA
FR PRICE £74.99
DYNAMITE BAITS BRILLIANT BAIT PACKAGE
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER
didn’t target the carp.
TWO
S FLAVOUR TO CHOMOSE
79
Nash Competition
FRO
With the launch
of the awesome new Key Cray bait, we’ve teamed up with the guys at Nash to give 10 lucky winners the chance to win a selection of the long-awaited products within the range, worth a total of £609.30.
ALL THIS
20
per s of Crafty Car plus 12 issue r door for just you delivered to
63
£
Crafty Carper 004-005_Contents_CC236_v3.indd 2
5
www.fishingrepublic.net 13/03/2017 17:37
HARVEY WATSON
HEAVY METAL JRC-backed Harvey Watson gives a lesson on getting the best from margin fishing, and reveals why, in his opinion, a very big lead is the best way to fool a wary fish.
Crafty Carper 009-013_Heavy_Metal_CC236.indd 1
9
13/03/2017 14:31
Subscription Offer Crafty Carper
SUBSCRIPTION
OFFER ALL THIS er f Crafty Carp o s e u s is 2 plus 1 r just your door fo to d re e v li e d
63
£
TWO
S R U O V A FL E S O O H C TO M FRO
20
Crafty Carper
020-021_Subscription_offer_CC235_v2.indd 1
03/02/2017 11:58
TheCarpStore F O R M E R LY T H E A N G L I N G P U B L I C AT I O N S S H O P
TheCarpStore TheCarpStore
FANNING THE FLAMES
Ian Chillcott £30.00 +£2.95 P&P The tome begins way back in 1966 when the initial spark ignited his carp fishing passion, and explains a little more about the man himself. The story of the journey, however, starts at the very moment he pushed his barrow away from the swim at Frimley where he achieved his lifelong obsession of catching a common equal to Walker’s 1952 record.
D AN BR EW N
EVERY BIT OF BLUE
THE CARPERS’ HIGH
Frank Warwick
Ali Hamidi
£30.00 +£2.95 P&P
£20.00 +£2.95 P&P
This book has a technical aspect combined with the humour, antics and stories that we have come to expect from Frank. He allows us glimpses into his private life and shares some of his incredible thought processes which have made him the person he is today. The book offers readers thoughtprovoking information and a lot of ‘laugh out loud’ moments.
Is it a biography? Is it a technical book? Is it anecdotal and storybased? Quite simply, it’s all these things rolled into one. With a diverse geographical chapter base, from as far away as Japan, to Paris, Ockendon, and even Turkey, this book brings variety by the spodful as it charts how Ali achieved many of his finest moments and angling highs.
F O R M E R LY T H E A N G L I N G P U B L I C AT I O N S S H O P
TheCarpStore
CARP NOW AND THEN 25th Anniversary Edition Rod Hutchinson
BIVVY THREE - THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
£32.95
WAS £30.00
ROD HUTCHINSON PAPERBACKS
FALLEN KINGS Dave Levy
TheCarpStore Tim Paisley
BES SELL T ER
Carp Book & The Carp Strikes Back
£30.00 +£2.95 P&P
£12.95 £2.95 P&P
NOW £20.00
+£2.95 P&P
NE W
+£2.95 P&P
D AN BR EW N
THE ADVENTURES OF CARP ANGLER
Simon Crow £34.99
IN PURSUIT OF THE LARGEST
MY RED LETTER DAYS Matt Hayes
MONSTER CARP
Terry Hearn
£20.00
NOW £10.00
£24.95 +£2.95 P&P
+£2.95 P&P
+£2.95 P&P
NEW
WAS £30.00 FREE P&P
NEW FROM ROD HUTCHINSON
The Carpscene Years & Thoughts On Bait £2.95 P&P
SPECIA L OFFER
BEST SELLER
£29.95
BLACK MIRROR CULT THE SYNDICATE VOL 2
Mark Cunnington £12.95
SEASONAL TACTICS AND TECHNIQUES AUTUMN/WINTER N EW Rob Maylin & 2016
Friends
+£2.95 P&P
RIVER’S END
+£2.95 P&P
NEW SERIES
MORE FROM THE BIVVY
Rob Maylin
Tim Paisley
£29.95
WAS £30.00
+£2.95 P&P
NOW £20.00
£29.95
£27.95
+£2.95 P&P
D BRAN NEW
IAL SPEC OFFER
GREAT GIFTS FOR ANGLERS BOOKS • DVDs • CLOTHING • GIFTS • MAGAZINES
024-025_APMailOrder_CC234.indd 1
03/02/2017 16:48
HUGE RANGE OF BOOKS & DVDs ONLINE SPECIAL OFFERS - SAVE UP TO 60% MULTI SECTION FRYING PAN
ANGLERS’ LOGBOOK
Ridge Monkey
NGT
£16.99 £19.95
WAS £9.95
NOW
+ £2.95 P&P
£7.95
£2.95 P&P
* Also available in XL
CRAFTY MUGS This brand-new quality ceramic mug is the perfect gift for you or the angler in your life, for use at home or on the bank!
£5.95 £1.95 P&P
TRAKKER MERINO SOCKS
CARP PILLOWS
- Available in 2 sizes: UK 7-9 & UK 10-12 - Materials: 40% Wool, 40% Acrylic, 15% Polyamide, 3% Cordura Polyamide, 2% Lycra Elastane
FROM
£9.95
£13.99
£1.95 P&P
KS
N
SANDWICH TOASTER
RIDGEMONKEY BIVVY-LITE CASE
£8.99
+ £1.95 P&P
THE TUITION DVD Iain Macmillan
£5.99
+ £1.95 P&P
SCALES MUG
£2.99
This brand-new scale pattern ceramic mug is the perfect gift for you or the angler in your life, for use at home or on the bank!
+ 50p P&P
WAS £14.99
NOW
FOX Chunk Stonewash Marl Olive T £14.99
£7.95 inc. P&P
£5.95 £1.95 P&P
SHORT SESSION SUCCESS Julian Cundiff
GREETINGS CARDS
Angling themed
BIG BRAND CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES FROM…
FOX Chunk Stonewash Khaki T £14.99 ALL £1.95 P&P
ORDER ONLINE AND JOIN
OUR LOYALTY POINTS SCHEME Log on and visit www.thecarpstore.com for full terms and conditions of the loyalty points scheme Look out for this symbol – it will tell you the potential points you will earn if you purchase the product online
NEW 2016/17 CATALOGUE OUT NOW CALL FOR YOUR COPY
TO ORDER BY PHONE, CALL 0114 258 0812 OR ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.THECARPSTORE.COM 024-025_APMailOrder_CC234.indd 2
03/02/2017 16:49
LUKE VALLORY
ACCURACY AT ITS
BEST
Luke explains how, with the use of a baiting pole, he can be super-accurate with rigs on spots that others cannot reach.
Crafty Carper 043-046_Accuracy_Luke_Vallory_CC236.indd 1
43 13/03/2017 13:37
DIGITAL EDITION FROM
99P
FEATURING MULTIMEDIA CONTENT INCLUDING VIDEOS, ADDITIONAL IMAGE GALLERIES AND… n Purchase single issues and subscriptions of Crafty Carper magazine n Read your purchased titles on iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android compatible devices, PC, Mac and Kindle Fire n Download now, and take your favourite carp magazine with you wherever you go
MAGCLONER_AD_2014.indd 1
SMARTPHONE USER? Scan the barcode to get Crafty Carper delivered straight to your pocket.
13/03/2017 17:41
STEVE BROAD
FOLLOW THE SNOWDROP TRAIL Broady enjoys a springtime walk through the snowdrops, remembers a clue from the past, and then ruins it all by losing a fish. But has he learned anything?
100
Crafty Carper
100-103_Follow_The_Snowdrop_Trail_CC236.indd 1
10/03/2017 16:53
IN NEXT MONTH’S CRAFTY CARPER KEITH WILLIAMS SHOWS YOU THE RIG THAT HAS ACCOUNTED FOR A PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF CAPTURES, BOTH OVERSEAS AND IN THE UK.
+
WHEN TACKLING BIG VENUES, IT’S HARD TO KNOW WHERE TO START. SCOTT LLOYD SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO TACKLE THESE HUGE WATERS.
F E AT U R E S F R O M D AV E L A N E , J U L I A N C U N D I F F , S I M O N C R O W A N D M A N Y M O R E !
THE GREAT CRAFTY DEBATE Before it’s time for the fish to spawn, they often enjoy a good feed-up, but do you change your approach for them? ON SA LE: W E D N ES DAY 19T H A P R I L
114_NextMonth_CC236.indd 1
13/03/2017 16:54