Carpworld September 2014

Page 1

orth over £1,500 wwon! be of gear to

Simon Crow completes his journey after Yorkshire’s finest

River carping in all its glory as hidden treasures are revealed

ISSUE 288 SEPTEMBER 2014

ISSUE 288 / september 2014 / MONTHLY £4.50

PLUS

rs a e y king

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M on k s P it in d epth

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in th

P e c k y tutori a l thro w s up T he L ittle P l ate d

ma

ond sec a s ’ y le e’s Pais ther ide! Tim – and n i s 70 er one g big

Chris B a ll rolls b a c k the ye a rs on Cr ay f ish P ool

BR I TA I N ’ S B I G G E S T C AR P - ANG L I NG M AGA Z I NE

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thin k ta n k : w ee d , f rien d or f oe ?

THE

MAGAZINE

FOR THE WORLDWIDE ANGLER

Issue 131 September 2014

c ar pwor ld maga z in e. co m

Caravan club carping

international carper

Tackle World

Dave Moore is back with the second part of his hunt for a monster linear

BILLCottam COTTAM Bill talks about an TAKES ON PRIORY oustanding session onLAKES the newly-opened Priory Lakes

pages All the latest gear of the l atest for the dedicated tackle carp angler

P 1 8 7 When some lovely catch shots arr ived in Bill’s email, he set his sights on visiting the water - and it’s one that ever yone will be able to visit ver y soon WORLD ECHOES AROUND THE

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

THE UNCATCHABLES

10

braid and mono lines - The History, the physics, and abrasive tests... all revealed P 161 All the news and catches from around the globe as the summer turns into autumn

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P175 Nigel Banks makes a return visit to a water where he’s got unfinished business to attend to

P180 Etienne Gebel says that it’s no use being pessimistic - just make it happen!

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CONTENTs

The Carpworld Contents / Issue 288 /

September 2014

are the safety aspects of angling for big carp in weedy waters? FEATuREs

14

A Flying Start Adam Smith Stoneacres is certainly not an easy water, but when Adam finally got off the mark with his first carp of the season, there was no stopping him, and success followed success.

O N T hE C OV E R : Tim Paisley cradles his new PB, but that’s not the only big fish he had on a recent trip to France. He reveals all on Page 150.

REguLARs

6

Editors’ Comment Broady’s been out and about supporting his old friend Kev Green and doing the rounds of youth and charity events.

21

Caravan Club Carping – Part 2 Dave Moore Dave was living a life of luxury with his caravan only yards from the water’s edge, and to top it all off, the fish were feeding and his hopes of catching his target fish were growing day by day.

28

Gazette All the news and views from around the carp-angling scene to keep you up to date with what’s going on.

It Hurts So Good Mark Hogg Faced with a sudden need to change tack, Mark tells of his adventures when chasing some Cambridgeshire monsters. Little did he know it was going to be 6 months until he had his next bite.

37

46

8

Bait World featuring Joe Turnbull Joe takes a look at Essential Baits, which is celebrating 30 years in the business. There’s also an in-depth look at bait from Imperial Baits and Starbaits, plus Mark McKenna rattles a few cages with his thoughts on using fishmeals in winter.

91

Rig World featuring Mike Kavanagh In a Rig World special, Mike interviews Kevin Nash to find out exactly what goes into the development of a new rig product. He also discovers what Kevin feels are the important things to remember when constructing rigs.

100

Think Tank This month our panel of experts look at fishing in weed. Which sort of tackle/ methods work best, and what

Pecky’s Progress Darrell Peck This month Pecky crosses the Channel in pursuit of some stunning fish. Also, whilst on a recent tutorial, he had an amazing haul of big fish from Linear Fisheries St Johns.

135 net as everything came together during a session at Tyram Hall.

that hide the leviathans that run deep in the swirling rivers.

73

142

The History Of Monks Pit Mike Kavanagh interviews Mick Richardson Mike takes a trip to interview Mick who, after many years in the tackle and bait industry, has realised his dream by turning a lake into one of the country’s most revered carp waters.

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54

Historic Carp Waters Chris Ball The historic Crayfish Pool comes under Chris’ gaze this month. It’s a small pool which remained off-radar until the late-’70s, when this little piece of heaven suddenly hit the headlines.

The F Word Paul Forward The warm weather turned the fish off, so Paul’s been struggling to catch fish, but his trip to Linear Fisheries for a charity event turned everything around.

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63

Diary Of A Carpaholic Simon Crow One of Yorkshire’s oldest and finest carp, a big mirror named Baby Baz, ended up in Crowy’s

135

A Carper’s Path – River Ripples (Part 2) Dave Little Ignore the riverbanks at your peril. That’s the message from Dave as he tackles some of the country’s peaceful backwaters

Take The Rough With The Smooth Dave Chilton In a Carpworld exclusive, Dave reveals what’s behind the main lines and braids that we use today. As the inventor of the dedicated hooklink, he reveals the physics and the technology behind producing lines that are abrasion-resistant and yet smooth enough to cast to the horizon.

150

Still Carping On Tim Paisley The subheading on Tim’s piece says Right Place, Right Time, Again, At Last – and that just about sums up the pleasure of catching your biggest-ever fish. Take a look at our cover shot and see the joy on the face of a man who’s just achieved one of his life’s ambitions. TACKLE WORLD

107

Tackle World Ten pages just stuffed full of gear for you to

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F: facebook.com/CarpworldMagazine / T: @CarpworldMag

Don’t forget the subs offer on page 120 - 121 Receive over £50 worth of gear from Taska when you take out a subscription to Carpworld

IN INTERNATIONAL CARPER There’s another packed International Carper magazine

savour. There’s a bivvy from Chub, a snazzy luggage item from Taska, a boat from Fox, bedchairs from JRC, and yet more exciting bankware from Cygnet. That’s not all though, so if you’re a tackle tart there’s definitely something for you.

for you this month, with features from Etienne Gebel, who says pessimism should stay at home – every fish is catchable! Not to be outdone, our own assistant editor Nigel Banks has been back to Bossard, where he had a spot of unfinished business, and Bill Cottam’s been on the

UP FOR GRABS

69

30+ Competition How do you fancy a nice new set of rods? That’s the prize that three lucky anglers will receive in this superb competition.

125

Cygnet Competition Everyone needs good buzzer bars, banksticks and ancillary bankware, and the new range of 20/20 gear from Cygnet can be won on page 125.

trail of some cracking carp in a lake we’ll all be able to fish very soon. There’s also a look at a year in the life of a holiday fishery in France plus a report on the action at Gigantica and, of course, our usual look at the major carp captures from around the world.

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Ask The Experts Our expert panel answer readers’ questions on tackling French waters, fishing with Zig Rigs, and how to stop baits smelling when fishing in silt. There’s also a voucher to be won if your question is the featured winner. Septem ber 2014 Car pwo r ld 5

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FEATURE

A

FLYING S TA R T A

d

a

m

S

m

i

t

h

When Adam Smith finally got off the mark with his first Stoneacres carp of the season, there was no stopping him, and success followed success. Read on…

T

he start of the season on Stoneacres proved hard for me; I was unable to get past the vast stock of tench. After months of getting totally wiped out by the little red-eyed devils, I finally managed to land my first carp. As soon as the milestone was achieved, it went from strength to strength for me. I had landed five fish by the end of May, which is a superb result on this lake. Such a tally at the end of the year would be credible, but I had done what I had never done before and caught well before they spawned. A fish known as Kev’s Linear topped the list at a weight of 44lb 10oz, and it was yet another one of the formidable A-Team off the list. I had been concentrating my efforts in a swim known as Café Bay. For whatever reason, the fish kept on coming back to the area. We were experiencing more northerly winds than I can remember, which pumped

straight into the swim. Even on a southerly, the fish held back and found sanctuary in the area. I had also been fishing and baiting it regularly and they seemed to be coming back for it all the time. This was my second season using The Krill, and after my best season last year, I hoped things would only get better. The spot changed weekly, going from a small silty pocket to a gravel runway on which you could park a transit van. I arrived early on the Monday morning, around 2.00 o’clock. The lake was fairly quiet, so I wandered round silently, listening for the telltale sign of a large fish pushing itself out of its watery home. After a lap of the lake, the only area where the fish seemed to be was out in front of the Café Bay and the Humps Swim. With the success I had been having in the bay, combined with the spot which was well and truly rocking, I opted to get back in there and have another go.

RIGHT I found a clear

spot in the weed and set off to put my bait on it. The boat was a godsend when landing fish from the weed.

BELOW The awesome Kev’s Linear at 44lb 10oz. The spring was going well, that’s for sure.

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A F ly in g S tart A d a m S m ith

TOP Another stunning sunset on a truly special place. ABOVE 32lb of Oxford gold – what a carp!

As dawn broke I had everything set up; fresh pop-ups oozing off L-Zero 30 and new rigs ready to rock. I waited for an hour or so for the light to get better before drifting out in the boat and checking the spots. The carp had smashed each of the three areas which I had baited the week previously. It almost looked unfishable, being almost too clean and obvious. After a little while scoping out the spot, I pinpointed a small silty hole at the front. It looked perfect for a rig to be placed on it because I could bait the clean area and fish just to the side of it, keeping my line out of the way. I was fishing really short aggressive Multi-Rigs with a fairly supple hooklink compared to others. I was using the 20lb N-Trap Semi-stiff, which is rigid and yet was flexible enough to work perfectly with my balanced pop-up. I made sure to attach a large lead to the setup, which I believe the fish find difficult to deal with. It was then time to precisely lower the rig in, keeping the hookbait away from the lead, with it being closer “A s d u s k f e l l , to the bank. I used around i could hear fish 5ft of leadcore to help pin lumping out all everything down and around me, and it hopefully prevent liners. was almos t impossible With the rig in place, I to sleep. The deathly went back out and placed a few baits in the silt and s i l e n t n i g h t wa s b ro ke n around a kilo on the clean by the noise of gravel area. The other two rods carp – magical”

were placed on spots that shared very similar characteristics. Once all the rods were out I sat back, content that everything was perfect. I had only been out there for half an hour or so, any longer and I ran the risk of pushing the carp away. They certainly backed off for a bit, but I was confident they would be back. As dusk fell, I could hear fish lumping out all around me, and it was almost impossible to sleep. The deathly silent night was broken by the noise of carp – magical. I was getting the odd liner in the night, before finally the banker rod was away. I knew it was a carp; it pulled out the clip with such power before stripping line off a relatively tight clutch. I was fishing slack lines, and by the time I had picked up the rod, the fish was out to my left near a set of snags. I put the rod to the right, putting as much side strain on as I dare. Thankfully, once away from the snags the fish just plodded around shaking its head, desperately trying to shake my hook. I slipped the net under a long mirror, and was desperate to see which one it was. I popped the headtorch on and an armourplated mirror greeted me, which was pretty much a linear. Either way, it was absolutely stunning and another fish for the season. I popped her in the sack for an hour or so, waiting for the light and a few able cameramen to arrive. We got her out and weighed her in at 32lb, and she was nothing short of breathtakingly stunning. It was scale-perfect, had an immaculate mouth, and stunning colours – a truly special fish. Nothing else happened that session, apart from catching seven or eight tench. I was worried that the spot had now blown, so was already thinking of pastures new for the following week. The fish had clearly been spending most of their time on the south bank. The Café Bay seemed to have blown a bit and a few guys were concentrating Septem ber 2 014 C a r pwor l d 15

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FEATURE

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P e c ky ’ s P ro g ress Da rrell Peck

D A R R E L L

P E C K

PECKY’S PROGRESS In this month’s instalment of Pecky’s adventures, he crosses the Channel to witness and catch some stunning fish. Also, one of his customers on a recent tutorial has had an amazing haul of big fish from Linear Fisheries St Johns. LEFT Co’s Point, the scene of my capture on Saturday morning before the guys arrived from all over Europe. BELOW Danish Bacon at 47lb 12oz. This fish came from Co’s Point as I awaited the arrival of the others in our group on the Saturday.

I

a case of trying to get out with little disturbance n my last piece I mentioned that my personal and nick a quick bite. I tied up little short Chod fishing would be taking a bit of a back seat this summer. This was due to the backlash of fishing Rigs on Size 8 Choddys, and 4ft of leadcore leaders with the drop-off bead set at 3ft. The weed in this relentlessly through the spring, and to be honest it area is blanket-type weed, and in my opinion it was has come at about the right time, considering that the perfect time for Chod Rigs; based on previous Dave has just had The Common. July has been a results I was really quite confident. We were fishing busy month for me though, what with tuitions, at close range, so I threw a couple of Hybrid boilies two trips to Europe, and the Carp Academy. In to where I wanted Ellen to cast. The important part this article I’d like to cover one particularly special was to trap the cast just before it hit the water, thus capture during one of the tuitions, and, of course, keeping the leadcore from crumpling on impact the trip to the mystical blue waters of Gigantica. and allowing it to lie neatly over the weed, giving For those of you who haven’t read any of my good presentation. While we waited I demoed a few previous pieces, or for those of you who didn’t know, I have been doing tuitions on behalf of Korda technical bits, but as time slipped by I got the feeling that although there were fish there, we were missing for a few years now. During this time I have had out on a much larger group of fish in the main bowl. some amazing days at work (if you can call it that), St Johns is the shape of an old-style telephone, and have had the pleasure of contributing towards with a deeper main bowl at one end, a slightly many anglers’ fishing. This particular recent session smaller shallow bowl at the other, joined by a was at the famous Linear complex in Oxford, narrower channel. The clouds were on St Johns Pool. St Johns is generally looking moody and I just had this my first choice for a few reasons; it feeling that we needed to get away offers a very realistic chance of a from the shallows and head 30lb+ carp, holds arguably the “Over the year s for the deeper end. Typically, most prestigious prizes in day I have lost count the point swims were taken, ticket carping, and the fishing of the 30s caught as well as pegs 2 and 3 on the itself can be quite varied. Over there during these Road Bank. That left us with the years I have lost count of tuitions” the Social Bank, the longest the 30s caught there during walk from the car, but that didn’t these tuitions, but I’d yet to help worry me. I only had minimal gear, nail one of the lake’s A-Team. bed, bivvy, and rucksack. Ellen, on the I met Ellen in the car park by the other hand, had enough kit for 4 nights, as well bailiff ’s hut between the two lakes, and we set as bait for herself, partner and father, who would off looking for carp, while chatting about what she be arriving after our lesson. Sometimes, when I would like to take from the lesson. Now as much suggest moving on a tuition, I can see in their eyes as I try to deliver what the customer asks, I also that they don’t really fancy it, but Ellen seemed like to get across a few key points. On a lake ready to go at the drop of a hat, which was fortunate such as St Johns, location can be pretty easy because the heavens were threatening to open. because there are literally hundreds of carp in We made it just in the nick of time, and managed there, and it wasn’t long before we stumbled to get the bivvies up before we (and the kit) got a across 20-30 fish swirling amongst good soaking. With the whole Social Bank free, I the weed in the shallows. I’ve had picked the most central swim for the simple reason some fantastic tuitions there that it faced the middle of the bowl, and I’d had in the past, and best some good results in the past fishing to a gravel of all, it’s a very feature there. Whilst setting up, the Lowe partners unpopular area; the weed seems to were kicking the lake’s butt over in 2 and 3 on the Road Bank, and as is often the case, the fish seemed put anglers off and to be stacked around the no fishing bank, around the carp often go unmolested, some weed which was hitting the surface over there. so we dropped a bucket in I have to admit it’s sometimes hard to watch others there before returning with catching whilst on a tuition; although I am the gear. Tactics-wise it was Septem ber 2 014 C a r pwor l d 47

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THIS MONTH’S QUESTION::

Wit h m ore and m ore wa t e r s b ec om ing he avily we e d e d , w ha t is you r ge ne r al op inion on fis hing i n wee d ? W hic h t ac t ic s /bait s d o you u s e t o e ns u re good p re s e nt a t ion, a n d are t he re any c irc u m s t anc e s w h e re you wou ld n’ t fis h in we e d ? T H I S M O N T H ’ S T H I N K T A N K PA N E L A R E :

N eil M c Com b

A d am Clewer

M att E aton

M it c h S mith

Cheshire-based Neil

Adam is a church

Since giving up match

As the UK

is 36 years old and

minister and the father of

fishing 23 years ago,

representative for

has fished solely for

two young children, and

Matt has devoted his

Sensas and Starbaits,

carp from the age of

he says he’s an angler

time purely to the

Mitch is a man of

9. He works full-time

with far more enthusiasm

pursuit of carp. Big

many talents and he is

and is involved with Impulse

than actual fishing time. He fishes

home-grown fish are what do it for

highly regarded in many fields.

Baits. Etiquette and fish safety are

all manner of waters, from small

Matt, and he has banked several,

He’s always had strong opinions

paramount to Neil, and he tends to

ponds to overseas lakes the size of

both mirrors and commons,

on most subjects, and he’s a

target quiet waters which are off the

English counties. The pursuit of the

over the 40lb barrier. He angles

capable angler who really does

radar and difficult to join; the harsh

adventure is more important than

for his targets on circuit waters

think outside the box, so his

methods of selection on such

the size of the capture; however,

and lesser-known venues, the

thoughts on fishing in weed make

waters ensure only like-minded

he still has a soft spot for any fish

majority of which have one

for interesting reading and are,

anglers get through the gates.

that spins the scales past 30lb.

thing in common – weed.

basically, just common sense.

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This spot was clear of weed 30 minutes ago, but it’s now unfishable.

Neil McComb says:

Preparing my personal favourite mix for clearing localised spots.

leads or a rotary setup. I secure it for casting

10-12lb, and this could be up to 3ft in length.

I don’t get why some people love fishing in weed;

using twisted Funnel Web PVA, which ensures

With the aid of a bit of foam, the bait can settle

it causes presentation issues, can restrict your

you won’t crack-off the weak link. To minimise

gently on the weed, but the important part is the

options, wipe the lines out, and cause you to lose

the risk of the hookpoint becoming obscured, I

fact that the bait can be picked up and the fish

fish. In short, it all adds up to one big headache

sometimes use a foam nugget secured by PVA

can move off without feeling a thing – until it runs

– if you let it. However, it’s part and parcel of

tape, or just wrap the hook itself in PVA tape.

out of hooklength! It’s an old-school theory but it

carp fishing, so sooner or later you have to learn

I’m not a fan of the Chod Rig (yawn), but it does

works, and very well indeed. However, that’s just

to deal with it. Most of the waters I fish are quite

have its place. People seem quite happy to use this

one method I use depending on the situation.

weedy, with a couple of them becoming almost

rig, all 2-3ins of it, but have little faith in actually

One method does not suit all situations, as many

unfishable in the height of summer. On the waters

giving the fish a bit of rope. On waters where the

‘Chod and spray anglers’ would have us believe.

where a boat can be used to retrieve weeded

fish have learned to deal with the Chod (or short

fish, I have no issues fishing there, no matter how

rigs in general), a 3ft hooklength with a balanced

use to get the bite on the day (bait restrictions

weedy they get. Once above the fish, with a bit of

bait has proved devastating. It’s nothing new, it’s

depending). If I want to make or clean off a

patience and gently coaxing, I land 99% of what

just the old method of fishing over weed that has

spot in the weed, then my favourite mix is

I hook. I leave the fish with nothing but a tiny hole

long been forgotten. And, heaven forbid, should you

cooked hemp, crushed hemp, pellets and

created by a secure hookhold, and for me that’s

chuck a rig out longer than 9ins in these modern

boilie crumb/chops with a few golden grains,

the important part. Mouth damage cannot be

times of carp fashion (or should I say

all mixed and glugged in a liquid food.

avoided; when a hook takes hold it puts a hole in

fishing), you must be a bloody noddy!

the fish’s mouth, there’s no getting away from that.

But you’re not – it’s called ringing the

It’s how much mouth damage may be caused

changes. If I want to fish on top of

when extracting the fish that makes me assess if

light weed but the weedbeds are

a swim or situation is what I deem to be fishable.

quite thick in the surrounding area,

I like catching carp with their mouths intact, and

then I have to fish quite heavy,

return them looking none the worse for wear.

which means using an

If the swim or lake becomes too weedy (in

left By assessing the situation before casting into a weedy swim, I ensure the fish is just as immaculate when landed as it was prior to being hooked, as this previously uncaught lump proves.

uncoated braided

my view) and a boat isn’t allowed to free weeded

hooklength

fish, and I feel the risk of severe mouth damage

of 15lb

is too high for my liking, then I fish elsewhere

or more.

until I am happy with the situation again.

If, however, the

When fishing in weed, I use lead clips for

Bait-wise, I use whatever I think I need to

lakebed is covered in light

a conventional setup, or a breakaway lead

weed and there is no risk of

setup. I use light line of 1-3lb to secure it to

the fish actually becoming weeded,

a run bead or swivel when using running

I prefer to use a mono hooklength of

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Feature

D aV e

C h i L t o n

take the rouGh WITH THE SMOOTH In a Carpworld exclusive, Dave Chilton reveals the secrets behind making line and braids that can survive the rigours of today’s advanced carping. Do you really know and trust what you are using as a main line, leader or hooklink? Dave was the originator of the first-ever purpose-made hooklink materials, and with 28 years’ experience behind him, he’s the man in the know. As he says: “I know nothing about bivvies, stainless, bedchairs and the other

FLuoroC arbon straiGh t oFF the spooL

WeeD

Living in Lancashire, I never realised the abrasive effects that weed could have on the line. Most of my local waters had poor pH, the water quality veering towards acid due to rainfall running off the peat moors. Many of the fisheries had silt bottoms which were barren of nutrients, which resulted in sparse weed growth. What little there was caused minimal damage due to the main varieties being filamentous types; these were soft to the touch and resembled wet wool. It was only when I travelled further afield that I received a smart clip around the lug ‘ole when I experienced the kind of destructive

damage that weed was capable of inflicting. It was around 30 years ago when a few pals and I fished a group of not-so-old gravel workings in Lincolnshire. On the surface the landscape was quite bare. The pits weren’t quite fully mature, but underwater was another story. Due to the water’s high alkaline levels, the weed growth thrived. For a pit, the quality of water was outstanding, almost in the chalk stream league, and natural food was so abundant you could almost say that the water was pregnant. Swarms of free-swimming daphnia obliterated the view of the bottom, along with freshwater shrimp in plague proportions. In these super-healthy waters a fish only had to breathe to eat! Each pit contained the usual variety of weed found in most gravel pits, which didn’t pose too many problems when playing fish, but that all changed once you arrived at the ‘big one’! The largest pit, The Ocean, harboured a peculiar type ofaquatic plant I had never come across before (or since). It was so dense that even a 3oz Zipp lead couldn’t break through! This impenetrable forest, more resembling a briar patch than a weedbed, grew almost to the surface. It was well ‘orrible – horrendous, tightly matted, coarse, sinewy and purple in colour. When you handled the stuff it became even worse. It had a wicked lingering smell, like someone had farted in a lift! This poor relation to a triffid was truly the weed from hell, having all the texture of a Brillo pad, along with similar abrasive effects. When you did manage to land a cast on one of the few visible clear spots, it was cause for celebration, because if you missed you found yourself involved in a tug of war and had to battle to retrieve your tackle from

oVer the sanDinG paD 16 times. the untreat eD FLuoroC arbon aFter beinG puLLeD

W

e’ve all been there – cast to a known hotspot, line screams out, rod lurches round, fleeting moment of resistance, everything’s goes slack!Bugger! Like many species, carp feel safer and certainly more at ease when close to snags. Weedbeds, sunken branches and numerous forms of underwater structures are noted holding areas; safe houses offering protection which attract fish like magnets, but as we know, fishing these areas is not without risk. In situations like this, we have no choice but to up the ante from our normal choice of tackle. Stepping up is essential and can be done in a variety of ways: changing the type of main line, mono, fluorocarbon or braid; increasing its diameter and strength; the use of lubrication; the type of hooklength; and where it often demands, the use of a shock or rubbing leader. Necessary steps like these have to be taken to deal with carp anglers’ enemy number one – the problem of abrasion.

t he sa m e p ie C e o F F L u o ro Ca r b o n t re at e D W i th a L i n e L u b r i Ca n t, a n D t h e n pu L L eD oV er th e s a n D i n G pa D 16 ti mes

kit and caboodle, but I do know more than a fair bit about line, especially braids.”

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Ta ke T h e R o u g h W it h T h e S mo ot h Da ve C hilto n

the purple rig-devouring monster. If you did succeed in recovering the lead, joy was short-lived because the entire length of mono from the cast was scoured and next to useless, having suffered severe GBH. Fishing on The Ocean did have its advantages though, because even if you blanked, your casting accuracy improved in leaps and bounds on each visit. It had to, otherwise it would cost you an arm and a leg replacing the trashed line! Back in the day, 11lb Sylcast was one of the most popular monos used for targeting big fish. Strong, cheap and reliable, and due to its generous stretch it was especially good for hit-and-hold situations. I used it for coaxing double-figure barbel out of thick heavy beds of streamer weed from the Hampshire Avon with little visible damage to the line, but the weed in The Ocean was something else. This meant it was common practice for regulars to carry a number of spare spools. Compared to what we had then, we seem to have moved on in light years. Advanced technology has now bequeathed us a marvel of modern science, which allows us to overcome many of the obstacles that previously cost us fish – introducing HPPE. the breakthrouGh

Once upon a time there was -standard polyethylene, a universal material used to make buckets, bowls, bottles, twine, and thousands of everyday items. As a string or filament it offered nothing special, but it was cheap and did its job. Then some very clever people had an idea. They wanted to know

times stronger than steel), it also what would happen if instead possesses a remarkable ability to of extruding the material using resist abrasion(15 times more normal techniques, they tried abrasion-resistant than carbon something completely different. steel!).This is due to its almost Instead of using pressure to push ceramic-like ability when travelling the molten material out through over rough surfaces. In comparison a die, they would reverse the to nylon, copolymer and Dacron, process by drawing it out, almost HPPE literally goes off the scale, like suction from the opposite which makes it an excellent choice side. It was more complex than for overcoming the problems of that, so imagine sucking it out abrasion-resistance in carp fishing instead of pushing it through. that have plagued us for years. This change to the Brutal waters exist throughout manufacturing process had a the world of carp – Rainbow, the dramatic effect on the material; it St. Lawrence, the huge waterways completely altered its molecular ofEurope, volcanic lakes in Italy, pattern and structure. Enter High to name but a few. All have Performance Polyethylene, different variations in HPPE. Normal their underwater bog-standard landscapes, polyethylene “it also but share the has a pattern of possesses a common molecules that remar ka ble denominator are randomly a bility to resis t of placing scattered, a brasion” terrible demands similar to the on our line QR codes you and taking their find on packaging toll on tackle simply these days; a sort of pin not cut out for the job. cushion effect. However, when HPPE is produced, its molecular blueprint dramatically changes; the eniGma – Why? the random molecules line up So now we know that line and like soldiers on parade, forming hooklengths made from HPPE a long continuous, almost linear, are an excellent choice for tangling chain. Make no mistake; this with a bit of rough, but it raises linear transformation was a a question. Why is it that certain seismic shift, a milestone in fibre products consistently receive technology, and was responsible 5-star ratings, yet others fail for increasing the strength of miserably, proving to be as popular polyethylene to such a degree as a scabies infection? Why the that, at a stroke, it took the crown enormous discrepancy and gulf as the world’s strongest fibre! in performance between brands? Not only does the product After all, they are all made from have incredible strength for the same stuff, aren’t they? Well, such an ultra-fine diameter (10 sadly, the answer is yes and no!

For the historical buffs, HPPE was first invented way back in the ’60s but not commercially used in a fishing sense until the late-’80s, when I first launched Kryston Multi-Strand. Available in two versions, Spectra and Dyneema are trademarks of the two companies that first produced it. Today it is manufactured under licence by various companies throughout the world. Although both brands are produced using the same chemical formula, this is where all similarity ends. To the layman they may look identical, but the difference in performance produced on certain levels can be worlds apart. Braided line consists of multiple continuous individual filaments/ fibres braided together to form a single line (think woven). Depending on the breaking strain, the filament count can be in the hundreds or thousands. To save the braiders the mammoth task of building huge machines to carry countless numbers of carrier bobbins, each feeding a single thread, fibres can be purchased which are grouped together in multiples (think bunches). These multiples are called Decitex (abbreviated to Dtex) and are available in different weights. In textile language, the Dtex figure represents a unit of weight for a specific length (mass in grammes per 10,000 metres). For an example, Dtex 25, 50, 75, 100, 275 and beyond are just a few of the many different sizes available. As the Dtex number becomes higher so does its strength, due the increased amount of filaments it contains. Generally,

When fishing near pads and snags, you need to consider abrasion-resistance very seriously. The fish just love to hang around in spots like this.

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G I G A N T I CA NOVEMBER, THE MONTH OF CHUNKS As the summer sun fades and we move into autumn and winter, the thought of a French holiday fades with it. But, as the lads at Gigantica can prove, the fishing later in the year is very often at its best.

I

n years gone by, many holiday anglers have ignored fishing in France in November. Travelling across the Channel doesn’t appeal to many keen anglers, and when considering the colder temperatures and hard fishing conditions, it comes as no surprise. However, in recent years, November has proved that it is the month of chunks, and a time not to be ignored. In the past few years, anglers have searched for their new personal bests and stunning trophy shots of a prehistoric goliath glistening in autumnal sunsets. All you have to do is look at the catch reports. In 2013, over 10 named big fish graced the nets of some dedicated

anglers. This included Fudgies at 80lb 4oz, Spences at 68lb, Sparky at 74lb, Pips at just under 60lb, and many, many more. It may not be the time of year to bag up, but it certainly is the time to catch a whacker. So why would you want to fish Gigantica in autumn? Well, first of all the fish are in their glorious dark winter colours and at their biggest weights. Secondly, they are well and truly on the boilies, filling up their bellies for the winter ahead. One thing to consider when fishing at Gigantica is that it’s not all range work. At any time of the year, casting to the horizon doesn’t mean you’re going to clear up. Last January, young

Gigantica in November can be as beautiful as any other time of the year. ABOVE

Max Leggett caught a fish now known as Mad Max only 11 wraps out from The Stink, in freezing conditions, which just goes to show that even in the hardest conditions they’re catchable. Method-wise, keeping things simple, as in most situations, is the key, and Gigantica is no exception. All through the year the same tactics seem to produce the goods. Gigantica has weedbeds dotted across the lake, and with no predominant features these are obvious magnets for the carp. So, finding a clear area next to the weedbeds gives you the opportunity to create your own feature with bait. While I’m on the subject of bait, even though the lake holds plenty of

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Gigant ica

1

2

3

4 boilie-munchers, it’s always best not to go in too heavy. Gradual baiting always comes up trumps through the week, so introduce more bait as the week goes on, and more and more fish will turn up. There are freezers on site, so not only can you purchase Hybrid boilies, you can also store your boilies in the freezers to keep them fresh through the week. Predominantly, Hybrid boilies have been introduced and have easily produced the most fish, however, that’s not to say that any other boilies won’t work. Many anglers have had great success on CC Moore’s Equinox and Sticky Baits’ Krill, all of which have produced some of the giants that swim in the depths. When it comes down to rigs, again, simplicity is the key. The famous IQ2 D-Rig is popular among many anglers, and from the results, you can see why. Barty, the head bailiff, had a flurry of fish through the summer on a simple Knotless Knot presentation on a Size 6 Krank hook, alternating between a Banoffee Wafter and Hybrid bottom bait mounted with an attractive popup. Matching the hatch with your hookbaits works well when the fish

5 1. Spences

at 68lb.

2. The

Giggler at 57lb 8oz. 3. Sparky

at 74lb

4. Fudgies

at 84lb 4oz.

5. Pips

at just under 60lb. Keep it simple. D-Rigs are easy to tie, and work well. RIGHT

are engrossed in your free offerings, but if that doesn’t work, bright ‘in your face’ hookbaits work wonders, especially through the colder months. So there are the tactics; what have we got to offer you? There are still spaces available for this coming November, so book while there are still spaces. The price is £325 per person including breakfast and dinner, which is a small price to pay for the chance of a carp of a lifetime. Check the website: giganticacarp.com/availability for more details on the November places. There has also been a winter rule change this year; the number of anglers has been changed from eight to 10, and the number of rods allowed from four to three. This is to keep the fish moving around and getting on the bait, and it proved eventful when we allowed some lucky anglers to fish the main lake for free from the beginning of

January. The lake thrived from angling pressure when the lake was normally empty; the fish moved around and instantly went on the feed. So, this time we have more offers for you. In December we are offering places for £275 per person on the weeks commencing 29th November to 6th and 13th December, which includes the basic food package of breakfast and an evening meal. Then, for all the hardcore anglers out there, the weeks commencing 20th and 27th are free, with the option to have the basic food package for a standard rate of £120. This then rolls us over to 2015, where again we are giving away free fishing on the main lake, through January, February and March. This time the food package is not optional and will cost each angler £120 for the week, which is a small price to pay for what shapes up to be fantastic fishing. CW Septem ber 20 14 C a r pwor l d 169

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Ca t c h in g t h e U n c a t c h a b les Etienne Geb el

E T I E N N E

G E B E L

Catching The Uncatchables Have you ever said to yourself, ‘I’ll probably never catch this fish’? Well, Etienne has, but it’s no good being so pessimistic – he says it’s up to you to come up with something to make it happen.

T

o us, catching carp is merely a hobby – but to a carp, feeding and living is all about survival. The fish are always learning something new to ensure their safety. In truth, we have no real place in their underwater habitat, we are merely visiting it. We are aliens, something that disturbs the peace. In short, they are constantly aware of our presence, and their behaviour towards bait is changing. Have you ever been in this situation? • Your baited area has been cleaned out and you didn´t get bite? • The new angler catches the one that everyone thought had died? • At your local venue, two special carp are always caught in the same session? • A match angler catches an unknown carp with just a floater and a worm? • An inconspicuous spot that has never been fished is suddenly a new hot spot? • There are old tench getting caught with boilies at your local water? Do any of these ring bells for you? It’s possible that the carp you are angling for have become wise to the standard tactics, so let’s look at the possibilities. A few years ago I talked to two locals

Just occasionally, we get a result and it makes all the hard work worthwhile. Here I’m returning a colossal German mirror to its home.

who had been fishing on a lake for a the carp´s taste buds. Many of the bait long time. They both seemed to be in companies try to match their baits to the know about the stock. Apparently, the fish’s natural diet, although whether there were around 35 mirrors and this actually works is open to discussion. the average weight was very high. Despite the effort to give the fish food, To top it all off, there were a couple which is, in reality, alien to them, such of highly sought-after linears as as boilies, pellets, hemp and maize, there well – and no common carp at all. are fish which are focused on natural I was the new boy on the lake, but food. These are carp which we might I caught a big carp on my first session, never catch, or only rarely, with our and it was a common as well. Maybe food offerings. I’ll give you an example. the fish took my bait because of my I had a session on the Lower Rhine, ultra-effective rig, or maybe my 10mm near the Dutch frontier. I’d baited with baits just looked different. Could it two sorts of boilies and was fishing have been where I was fishing for it? It’s alongside my friend. We both used probably a mix of all these. Anyway, the baits rolled by ourselves. One of them locals decided the fish had consisted of a very simple, but been recently stocked effective, carbohydrate from another lake, mix. It was cheap and “The result of the but later in the year cheerful and so could I caught another be mass-baited. session was 14 fish – common. It was The other bait was and every one came on later confirmed that a very expensive the expensive, moretwo commons had high-end boilie been stocked many with all the extra attractive bait” years ago. Why weren’t goodies added, such these fish caught despite as fish extracts, liver the high angling pressure? powders, oils and predigested The two commons must have fed fishmeals, etc. This bait gave off heavily on bait over the years, otherwise many signals underwater, which are they wouldn’t have grown so big. supposed to stimulate the fish, but this But why hadn’t they been caught? extreme attraction came at a price. A Is it possible that fish have different kilo of the bait cost more than double food preferences? After all, we do, the cheap and cheerful stuff, and every don’t we? So, with this in mind, it’s time I threw a kilo in I flinched. quite possible that the baits we’re using The result of the session was 14 fish aren’t to the particular fish’s taste; it is – and every one came on the expensive, ignoring the bait even though it could more-attractive bait. Incredible, I be lying next to it. Some carp may like think. We knew the fish were happy small food parcels, or natural foods. It eating it – we could see the results on may be that’s all they’ve eaten since they the unhooking mat! Even changing the were fry – freshwater snails, daphnia rods around didn’t make any difference, and mussels. This kind of natural food and we were also fishing on a huge gives off signals which are received by river where the fish had never Septem ber 20 14 C a r pwor l d 181

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seen boilies or, possibly, even hooks! What did we learn from this? I suppose the expensive bait and its additional ingredients just suited the fish’s diet. Actually, we kept the cheap and cheerful boilies for the next session, and guess what? When we used them on their own the session turned out to be very successful. We surmised that if the fish have got a choice they will take the more attractive food; if there’s no choice they’ll eat whatever’s there. During the second session we spotted a massive mirror right over our baited spots. We didn’t see it eat

and didn’t catch it. Would we have done better with the more expensive (attractive?) high-end bait? Here’s another example. A friend of mine was after a particular small linear. He fished a lot of nights and was very successful – but the linear he was after avoided capture, although some of the others were caught several times. He changed swims, fished on and off his baited spots, and tried everything, all to no avail. In the end I told him to try climbing the trees to see if he could see the fish and what it was feeding on. He spotted it digging in the mud in a

I targeted this fish and learned its ways. Did this make a difference?

marginal spot near a weedbed. It was heavily focused on the natural food. At the same time, its mates were feeding heavily on the baits on the well-baited spots. My friend decided to give small natural food a try. At the end of the day he was successful on maggots fished under a float. Seemingly the fish just liked natural food instead of boilies. Here’s another reason why some fish aren’t caught. In the lake I was fishing when I wrote this feature, there is a mirror that’s easily distinguished because it has a hard misshapen mouth. Both the corners of the mouth are deformed, and as a consequence, you’d be very lucky to hook it because there’s nowhere for a hook to gain purchase. I’m convinced that this fish is a regular visitor to baited spots and it’s a real fan of boilies. It’s a cracking fish but hasn’t been caught since its injury. At the moment I’m after the biggest fish in the lake – aren’t we all? It hasn’t been caught for nearly 2 years, but it has to be a big feeder because its body needs a continuous supply of nutrition. So why hasn’t it been caught? It has to be a competitive feeder otherwise it wouldn’t be so big. I know its spots, where it used to be caught, and that it is a boilie-eater. I’ve caught other fish in there two or more times, but not this one. I’ve carefully put all the pieces of the puzzle into place, and due to extensive research, I know its preferences and habits. I’m catching fish which I know are seen swimming around in its company, and some more than once, but the fish still eludes me. Why? I’ve no real idea. As I said before, for the fish it is a fight for survival. For us, it is just a sport, hobby or pastime, call it what you like. Every time a fish is on unintentional shore leave, it gets more cautious and smarter. Its instincts become sharper and it will be more careful in the future. The consequence of this is that fish can become harder to catch. They are constantly learning through experience and they have learned how to deal with baited rigs, sometimes sitting motionless when they feel the hook. Different fish have got different feeding habits, this we already know. Thus, not every rig is suited for every

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ANGLING T I O N S P U B L I C A

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