Carpaholixx Magazine Issue 3 by Carpaholixx Magazine

issue 3 CONTENTS

Editorial News

Videos Features

Learning Zone Notes from the Bivvy

Editorial April 2012

Here we are at the beginning of the great British summer. Note the word beginning. We are still in a state of transition as the water begins to warm up. It is also a time for carp to spawn.

03 NEWS - May 2012

Cemex Angling Estate Purchase LEGACY ANGLING PRESS RELEASE Legacy anglingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intent to purchase Cemex lakes.

04 On The Gate - Tom Doveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mobile Angling Masterclass.

We meet up with TOM DOVE before first light at Walthamstow reservoirs to get a master class in mobile angling.

33. Carp Biology - Lifting The Lid. Part 2 - In The Swim By Leon Fisher

Carp Biology part 2... Leon Fisher, warm water aquaculture lecturer at Sparsholt College examines the basic anatomy of the carp. Here he concentrates on scales and the bits of it anatomy that carp use to swim and manoeuvre, as well as looking at sensory perception.

39. Carp Fishing Video - Tips And Tactics - Part 1 40. Carp Fishing video - Tips and Tactics - part 2 41. BEN HAMILTON - HIS VERSION OF THE KD RIG

11. Line Lay And Angles By Paul Moulder

Paul Moulder describes how observation and the careful positioning and the laying of lines and baits is critical to carp fishing success.

16 Extreme Carp Fishing By Remon De Zeeuw

We meet up with Dutch Carp-Ace Remon de-Zeeuw as he tackles one of the huge Dutch inland seas using just a rubber dinghy or two! Carp fishing has many variables - weather conditions, air pressure, moon phases (if you believe in that sort of thing), bait quality, other anglers, etc, all of which, if they are working against you, can affect your chances of catching fish.

22. Dave Magalhaes - Journeyman Part1 the carp bug bites

Renowned master of the margins, Dave Mag takes us through his carp fishing life from his very early days to the present day.

y g o l o i carpnbg the lid lifti im - in sw part 2 her leon fis

CARPAHOLIXX Magazine Editorial Office: 3D Angling Ltd, Unit 1E Littlehampton M arina, Littlehampt on, West Sussex BN17 5DS E: sean@3d-angl ing.com W: www.carpaho lixx.com Editor and publis her: Sean Tidy Designer: Sean T idy Illustrator: Mark Smith Carpaholixx.com – sean@3d-angli welcomes articles with photograp before submittinng.com – with a short synopsis hs. Please email the editor font, double line g it to us. Text to be supplied of your article or article idea preferred. Note: spacing. Photographs must be hias an electronic file – 10 pt writing that the it is a condition of acceptance th gh-resolution files – jpg files article or articles at are exclusive to Caauthors are able to state in rpaholixx. © 2013 Carpaholi xx.com ISSN: No part of this pu consent and writt blication may be reproduced in en permission of any form withou t the prior the publisher. Carpaholixx acce pt s no lia bil ity for any actio this publication. n article. Subscribe Carpaholixx does not endorsearising from the contents of rs are ad vis ed to check manufac opinions expressed in any for products and services advertise tu d / promoted in rers and suppliers claims this publication.

From The editor Here we are at the beginning of the great British summer. Note the word beginning. We are still in a state of transition as the water begins to warm up. It is also a time for carp to spawn. The effect on them is significant as they aren’t that interested in feeding as they perform their part in nature’s cycle. However, those that have spawned are ready for a feed. These fish need to regain their weight and at this time of year, there is a wider selection of natural food available to them. The carp angler, therefore, has to decide on a course of action to tempt them to the hook.

I don’t subscribe to the view that fish think about what they eat. I am more of the learned behaviour tribe. It’s simple; fish eat the bait, enjoy it and it has a beneficial chemical reaction within their bodies and this satiates the need for certain nutrients. That same bait may work well all year round for a particular venue, may be successful at a certain time or times of year in another, and might be a complete waste of time in another and so on. That’s why I stick with the learned behaviour, as it is less of brain drain for me than looking at fish as thinking animals and trying to reason their behaviour in human terms. But, that’s my opinion.

The proliferation of available baits – types and flavours – over the years has certainly made carp fishing more scientific and the days of chuck out a bait and chance it are long gone. Arguably, successful fishing can be about being in the right place at the right time – and some may say that is the key to catching the fish rather than the methods used. I’m not so sure. Those post-spawning carp are looking for food and the job is to get the right bait to them. I do wonder what actually triggers the carp to feed on the angler’s bait, particularly when using ingredients that are foreign to the water. Whether it is fishmeal or strawberry flavouring, it is a puzzle.

The job in hand is to catch the target – whether you can see them in the margins or if they are well out of sight (but, you “know” they are there). I also find simply watching people fish at this time of year revealing. Granted many anglers may not appreciate this and so I am always careful not to intrude. There are several local venues where it is easy for me to watch and observe carp anglers and their different approaches to early summer fishing at a discrete distance and without intrusion.

Editor: Sean Tidy

news

Note: due to name conflicts with other organisations we have changed our name from Heritage Angling to Legacy Angling

Cemex Angling Estate Purchase LEGACY ANGLING PRESS RELEASE We are angling to purchase the whole of the Cemex waters which have been put up for sale. The heritage, legacy and importance of the Cemex properties to the angling world is of the utmost importance to us.The passion, devotion and love (let alone blood sweat and tears) that has been poured into all of the lakes by their members and especially their bailiffs over countless years is heritage which cannot be lost. The whole ethos around the family of bailiffs, anglers, users and their families is unique to this set of waters and we feel this should be preserved. We are just an ordinary couple; Graham is a bailiff on one of the waters with a passion for ‘his lake’. He has fished the same lake for over 20 years; when he says home he means the lake and not his house! Georgina simply loves the countryside and appreciates what a wonderful sport angling is. The habitat around the lakes has been kept so well by the bailiffs and anglers and this should be encouraged and improved on. When we heard about the sale the thought that some faceless corporation would come in and buy it, make a ‘quick buck’ and sell it on for a profit after a couple of years without any particular interest in the lakes or the current members was abhorrent to us. Or worse, for the lakes to be lost to angling altogether! On taking professional advice we found that it was possible we could actually raise the capital to purchase the whole portfolio. With this we can ensure the future of the lakes and keep the same people, the same rules and actually put the profits back into the lakes to improve them. We want to work with the local members and bailiffs to find out what they actually want from their lake and work towards giving them this. Where everyone

is happy with current arrangements (such as sailing etc.) then we are more than pleased to renew contracts to continue this usage of the waters. We are not promising the world, but sensible, achievable goals and friendly sympathetic management on the ground. We understand that there is a lot of interest in these properties and know our chance of buying the whole portfolio is as good as anyone else’s; but we have to try. We would forever regret knowing this dream was possible and not attempting it. We have already found much support from the bailiffs and anglers at many of the lakes; they agree that this is the management they want for their futures. This is one of the reasons we have created our website: www. legacy-angling.co.uk and various links from there for people to join us in support. We hope that this expression of support will be great enough to tip the balance in our favour when it comes to bidding when the actual sale goes ahead. Some of the local bailiffs and members have been trying to raise funds to purchase their local lakes; many of these have decided to join us both with their vocal support and their funds. We feel that the larger our backing on the ground then the more strength we can have to achieve the winning bid. We really don’t know who else is interested in buying these waters and what aims they hope to achieve and this concerns us and the current bailiffs and members very much. But if there is anyone else out there who feels the same way we do and would like to ‘join forces’ rather than bid against each other for no reason then please get in contact with us. We would love to work together on this. We are open to all possibilities and suggestions at this stage and are very willing to accept help from any quarter, not just support and financial investment but business skills, communications, PR etc.. If anyone would like to know more or help out in any way then please contact us.

ON THE GATE

We meet up with TOM DOVE before first light at Walthamstow reservoirs to get a master class in mobile angling. If there is any such thing as a dead cert in carp fishing, then it’s Tom Dove on Walthamstow. Throughout his formative years Tom fished hard on the North London Complex, learning his trade and today he’s back, trying to catch for the cameras. Despite his familiarity with the place, Tom’s enthusiasm never seems to dwindle. This continued love affair means that he’s ‘on the gate’, to use the ‘Stow parlance, well before first light. When I arrive, Tom’s van is parked up on the kerb and his barrow is already loaded. This part of London is still asleep and the only other vehicles on the roads are taxis and buses on their way to a day’s work. Getting in the right area is key to success on the ‘Stow, hence why we’re here so early. “I know exactly where I want to start,” Tom tells me as we peer down through the gloom, into the gin-clear Coppermill stream from the road bridge. “Experience has taught me that the end nearest the car park on the Two & Three ressie is a good place to start in the mornings.” A few chub and bream jostle for position among the streamer weed below us, as light creeps into the eastern sky. When the bailiff arrives to open the gate, Tom parks up, before pushing his barrow past the old cottage that the bailiffs now use, following the road

as it curves under the railway line and crossing the Coppermill again. There’s water each side of us, with the prolific No1 reservoir on the right and the No2 on the left. It’s the No2 that we’ll be targeting today, a lake that Tom knows like the back of his hand. We pass a few swims before Tom puts his barrow down. “They tend to show themselves at this end during the morning,” he notes, as we stand and watch the eastern horizon smoulder. Keeping his eyes on the water, Tom slides his rods from their holdall. They’re set up with the simple tubing and lead clip arrangement that Tom favours and he sets about tying up a few rigs, all the time keeping his eyes on the water. Once he’s constructed his simple rigs, which feature size-eight Mixa hooks tied to N-Trap Soft hook links and snowman hook baits, Tom lightly licks some soluble foam, wraps it round the hooks and casts them out. “I’ve just fanned the baits out across the middle portion of the lake, slightly to the left, which is where the fish tend to show up early on. Ideally, I’m looking for a firm drop out there, which would make me much more confident of a bite. A lot of the bottom is silty and soft, like many of these ressies, but if you can find a firm drop there’s every chance that it’s a spot that the fish have worked recently.” With three hook baits out there, Tom drags his unhooking mat off the barrow, folds it up and sits down to watch the water. As the golden orb of the sun finally appears, its warming rays are welcome! It

on the gate - tom dove

seems that the fish think so too, as three or four show out in the middle section of the lake. Although his baits are positioned in the same section of the lake, Tom isn’t happy that he’s fishing right on them. “I’m going to move my left-hand rod further left onto the fish that are showing just off the weak wind line. Tom skips the rod in, checks the rig over, re-foams it and whacks it out, feathering and then trapping the line to kick the rig away from the lead just before it hits the water. As the lead impacts, Tom seems happy with the drop, which thuds down onto firm lakebed. He decides to scatter a few dozen Cell freebies out with the throwing stick, landing the baits loosely in the vicinity of the hook baits. Tom jumps up and races down to the rod, lifting into a fish that does little other than nod away at long range. His eyes switch between the rod tip and the line as it enters the water as he carefully leads the fish in. The slowly pulsing bend in the rod leaves us in no doubt that Tom’s into a decent fish. It’s not until the fish comes close in that it starts to scrap. Each time the rig tubing breaks surface we’re offered a tantalising glimpse of the fish before an explosion of spray signals that it’s off once again. This process continues over a period of minutes, with the fish making a couple of determined lunges for the soft reeds to the left of the swim. When the fish finally submits, it’s with not a little relief that Tom is able to draw a good mirror over the net cord. We leave the blue-backed carp in the net to rest up for a few minutes, while Tom sorts his scales and mat out. The swollen Cell hook bait and tipper pop in and out of the carp’s mouth as it gently recovers its breath. Up on the scales, the old warrior goes 29lb 8oz – a proper ‘Stow chunk! Tom gently cradles his prize in front of one of the old weeping willows that are dotted around this end of the lake.

Nigel on theSharps gate - tom memorable dove capture

The appearance of the fish seems to have made Tom change his mind about a move, unsurprisingly. “I’m going to give it a little more time down here I think, just until the chance has definitely gone – perhaps another half an hour or so. I know that the fish tend to start to move up the lake towards the island so I’ve very much got that on my mind.” Once we’ve seen out the 30-minute slot, Tom wastes no time in packing up his bits. The rods are the last things to go onto the barrow, primed for a quick start in the next swim. We trundle the few hundred yards up the causeway between the Two & Three and the No1, before we arrive at a swim that faces out onto the large snaggy island that dominates that end of the No2 ressie. “My mate Sparky is in the Tea Party 2 swim,” Tom tells me, “He’s had fish showing up in front of him already and he’s bagged one too.

I’m going to fish the same sort of area, dropping my hook baits off that snag on the island margin.” With that, Tom swings into action, putting his rods together, re-baiting the rigs and wrapping the soluble foam onto the hooks. We set up base camp at the top of the steps that lead down to the swim, among the oaks that flank the pegs around here. It’s a great viewing area, so we should spot any fish that show as they make their way down the lake. With two rods just off the island, in the slightly deeper water, Tom attempts to get some 18mm freebies out to accompany them. The seagulls have other ideas however and mob the area as the baits touch down. “I’m not going to be able to get anything out at the moment,” Tom laments, “They know exactly what a throwing stick means!” He has to settle for singles for the moment then. “Most people tend to bait up at dawn or dusk, when the seagulls aren’t such a menace. If I’ve really got my ‘Stow head on, I’ll drive up here the evening before fishing and put a couple of kilos of bait over the area that I’m hoping to get into, which really works well. My rods will be clipped up, ready to be flicked into place as soon as I arrive.” After an hour or so with no action, Tom is concerned, “I really thought that we’d have nicked one by now. Even though this isn’t a swim that I’ve fished before, I’m pretty sure that the marks that I’m fishing will produce, as the fish naturally move up here for the afternoon.” He’s proved right pretty quickly as his left-hand Delkim stutters into life. Bending into the second fish of the day, Tom has to take action as the fish kites left heavily on a long line.

After that, the carp’s energy seems spent and Tom is able to guide it up the margins and into the net. “I thought that I’d caught both the known linears in here,” Tom says, looking into the net, “This one is a bit bigger than those two though – it’s not one that I recognise.” We weigh the long, immaculate fish at 27lb and Tom poses for a few snaps with it under the oaks before slipping it home out of the weigh sling. Tom wastes no time in getting the rod back out there, because where there is one Stow fish, there are usually more! “That’s the first one from this swim then,” Tom says, “I’m delighted with him, albeit a little puzzled because I know many of the better-known fish in here. I’d expect to get another bite or two as the day cools into evening because this area is renowned for that.” We settle back into our chairs to await further events, although the fishing seems to have slowed for all of those positioned around the island (whose number also includes Korda boss Danny Fairbrass!). As the traffic builds just before rush hour, I leave Tom and make my way out onto Black Horse Road to join the commuters, making their way out of London. Although Tom knows the venue very well he has still proven that moving with these nomadic carp can be extremely productive. One of the other things that is striking is how little bait that Tom used to take his two carp – truly mobile angling!

NigelLAY LINE Sharps & ANGLES memorable - PAUL MOULDER capture

PAUL DESCRIBES HOW OBSERVATION AND CAREFUL POSITIONING AND THE LAYING OF LINES AND BAITS IS CRITICAL TO CARP FISHING SUCCESS Over the years, I have witnessed many instances where anglers have subtle signs of feeding fish in their swim - small bubbles, the odd swirl or slightly coloured-up water and getting the occasional line bite - without it actually developing into a bite, all very frustrating. It’s obvious the carp are having a slight feed albeit, not that confidently, so I can only put the lack of a bite down to a few things, one being bad line lay.

is highly stocked, or a big windswept inland ocean, this extra thought could be the difference between catching a few fish, getting a bite, or no action at all. Think about your chosen spot and how the fish will approach it, from which direction and angle. Some features will be easy to figure out while others will take more time, and learn from them by watching the fish’s behaviour - this can be invaluable.

It is very important when targeting any species to fully understand the topography of the swim that you are fishing. Bars, gullies, deep holes, silt pockets, plateaus, weed beds - the list of features that could be in your chosen swim is many, and knowing what is where is so important to be successful. Once you have chosen a swim, and the decision has been made of where you are going to place your hook baits, extra thought should then be given of what lays between you and your chosen spot, and the best way to fish to it. Ideally what we as anglers are trying to achieve is bait placement where the fish won’t realise that they are being fished for. Whether you are targeting a small commercial day ticket water which

There’s many different ways to hide your mainline from the fish (an assortment of varying back leads are available, leadcore, and various types of monofilament and braided lines that all work slightly differently from each other and need to be fished in different ways to get the best result from them). If the spot allows, I prefer to fish as slack a line as possible. You will have to take into account the surrounding features and distance that you are fishing to see if this is a viable option, but I believe by fishing this way it has most definitely put extra carp on the bank for me.

So how do slack lines work? I’ll try to describe with a few diagrams (on the opposite page) what could be happening in your chosen swim, remember this is only a guide as every swim and lake is different but it should start to help you to understand what’s happening in front of you. By fishing a very slack line, I’m trying to get my main line to follow the contours of the lakebed, hopefully eliminating its presence from the fish in the swim. By doing this hopefully wary fish that I’m targeting won’t be made aware to my presence. That’s quite a statement I’ve just written there. Do fish really know we are there? I believe so. I believe that fish become trained to their environment and if fish are regularly caught from a lake while feeling anglers line, then I’m pretty certain that they will begin to spook from the area after feeling it. So by keeping my line pinned along the contours of the lakebed I feel more confident of a bite. There will be times however when its impossible to pin your line down completely to a spot and working out the best way of getting most of it out of the way can be a little trickier. There’s no need to rush this, you might as well get it right once and catch that fish, than get it wrong and spook them. Second best somtimes wins!! I sometimes change the spots that I first think about fishing because I can’t achieve a near perfect line lay. Why? Well because I would rather fish 100 per cent pinned down to my second choice than only 80 to 90 per cent at my original spot. Take a look at diagram (fig3) where this is explained. As you will see having the rig placed on spot ‘B’ or ‘C’ should still get a take, without the chance of spooking wary fish. There will be times

when slack lines are not an option as it’s not deemed safe to fish them. An example of this could be up against snags, lily, reed or big weed beds. Using back leads is an option in situations like this to pin down some of your line, but keeping it more taught and in contact with the end tackle. I’ve used many different types of back leads over the years and they are all pretty much alike with none standing out far greater than others. Just as long as they drop off on a take is all I ask of them. I’ve even played around with captive back leads over the years and again in the right circumstances they work well, but like all back leads, get it wrong and they can really work against you. Refer to diagram (fig4) to see what I mean.

Changing the angle

NigelLAY LINE Sharps & ANGLES memorable - PAUL MOULDER capture

I mentioned at the beginning of the article about angles of line as well and I believe this to be just as important as the line lay itself. There are times that no matter how you rack your brain your just not going to get all your main line on the lake bed, or its just not safe to do so. This is where, thought over the angle that you are fishing from comes into play. I’ve caught quite a few fish from pressured waters by doing something a little different and fishing to known features from different swims. Let me explain a little. A few years a go while fishing CEMEX Horton Church Lake I spent some time watching carp visit a small bay known as Weedy Bay. This bay follows its name, and during the summer months becomes very weedy. Where I wanted to place my bait, getting my line down through the weed was a real problem. The spot was only 10yards out in front of the swim, but the weed was so hard to get good line lay I was never confident in a take. What I decided to do was fish to the spot from the swim next door, which was only 10 yards away. From this swim I could get my line down along the back of the weed and achieve perfect line lay. The result was a couple of fish that I’m sure I wouldn’t have been holding up for their pictures if I’d tried to fish it from the other swim. I’ve also used this method more recently. I had found some fish in an area where in front of the swim was a huge amount of weed. The fish were quite happy on the back of it and could be seen feeding away early in the morning. So instead of fishing to the spot from the swim in question as I’m sure if I would of hooked anything with my bad line lay I would have had no chance in landing it, so it would of never been an option anyway. So I decided to fish to the back of the weed from another swim, which gave me a better angle and line lay. Again, a little bit of thought and I was soon holding my prize up for the camera. So putting thought into the angle that you fish features is as important as the spots themselves. Let’s go back to the diagram (fig3) with the two bars and the gully between them. You might find on your venue that there’s another swim to the left or right of this feature. From this swim the two bars don’t run parallel with the bank, but run away from it. From this swim, a hookbait placed in between the gravel bars will have a better line lay than any from the other swim.

I have to talk a little about angling etiquette here as I’ve mentioned fishing to spots from other swims, and different venues will have different rules and understanding of what I’m trying to achieve. Ultimately we could be fishing out of our swims boundaries and another angler could turn up in the other swim wanting to fish to the same feature. If the other swim commands that spot, then I’m afraid that’s the chance you took as will have to wind your rod in from it. Luckily many of the lakes I fish are low stocked with few members and respect is given to all and me doing something a little different has never been a problem, but then I’ve always wound my baits in if asked as it’s the chance I’m prepared to take. Well I hope I’ve got your grey matter working and reassess some of the spots that you already fish. Give your rig placement just that little extra bit of thought; it really could make all the difference. After all we do go fishing to catch! Until next time... Paul Moulder

EXTREme CARP FISHING By Remon de Zeeuw

Nigel Sharps extreme FISHING memorable - REMON DE capture ZEEUW

We meet up with Dutch Carp-Ace Remon de-Zeeuw as he tackles one of the huge, Dutch inland seas using just a rubber dinghy or two! Carp fishing has many variables - weather conditions, air pressure, moon phases (if you believe in that sort of thing), bait quality, other anglers, etc, all of which, if they are working against you, can affect your chances of catching fish.

WIND DIRECTION

SETTING THE ANCHORS

17 There are few guarantees in carp fishing, but finding the fish before wetting a line ‘will’ improve your chances - and that is guaranteed. Whether you are fishing a 5 acre lake or 5000 acre lake - the same rules always apply - location, location, location. Locating and fishing for carp on large, continental, inland seas can be problematic, but with a little bit of thought and ingenuity the seemingly impossible is made probable. Standing on the bank of a 5000 acre lake, casting at the sun is going to get you nowhere fast! These huge waters require a completely different approach if you are to succeed on this type of venue. Enter the Dinghy – Any sea-worthy boat will suffice, but a rugged and reliable inflatable, hard-bottomed, boat is the best choice for this type of fishing, especially when you consider that you could be anchored over one of the many plateaus or ridges that are common to many continental waters. Remon’s preferred choice of boats are Zodiacs and Avons, which make the best water-born mobile fishing platforms.

1 FAIL TO PREPARE AND YOU PREPARE TO FAIL! Limited space and the fact that you are open to the elements discourages a lot of anglers from trying this approach, but if you apply a few simple rules the rewards can be out of this world. There are many advantages to fishing from a boat. These include increased mobility and response times and not having to construct a bivvy (a major plus!) The disadvantages are initial set-up costs, personal safety, exposure to the elements and very sore lips after inflating the boats! Where possible try to fish in pairs – it’s safer and much more fun and remember to always wear a life jacket or floatation clothing when fishing from a boat. AT THE VENUE On arrival at the venue, Remon and Daan’s first task is to inflate and load up the boats. One boat each to eat and sleep in and another two to hold all of their tackle, bait and rod pods. After a few essential safety checks – they climb into their respective boats and make their way out into the lake. Once afloat, they make full use of the time available to them and start looking for signs of fish or simply drifting in and out of likely looking ambush areas - making a mental note as they go. Remon spots several fish topping near some reed-

lined margins and gently makes his way to with in casting range. Keeping a safe distance, Remon and Daan’s next task is to secure the boats together and then set the anchor! The anchors are old-school homemade devices made from 5-ltr buckets filled with concrete and incorporating a casting loop to which a rope long rope is attached. Remon says that the finished makeshift anchor should weigh in at about 12lb. After a little bit of adjustment both boats are positioned skilfully facing into the wind. The anchors are then lowered from the front of the boat allowing enough slack (approximately 20mtrs) for the anchor to set on the lake bed. Once the slack has been taken up and the boats have stopped drifting backwards, a second anchor is lowered from the rear of the boats, which stabilises the fishing platform. Some movement is expected, but this can compensated for by reducing your main line tension (once you are fishing). Remon comments that he has experimented using light poles driven into the lakebed, which act as a mooring, but due to changeable wind strength, direction and tension, he finds that the bucket method is the most reliable. The non-fishing boat can be covered with oval brollies (which were checked and tested prior to setting sail).

Nigel Sharps extreme FISHING memorable - REMON DE capture ZEEUW

This acts as a haven which is ideal when the weather isn’t favourable; or, if either of them get towed around the lake by a monster carp the other is still able to take shelter, cook food or even sleep - if required! WETTING THE LINES We have been planning the trip for several weeks and have left nothing to chance. With all the preparations complete and the boats secure, we can finally start fishing. The baits that they have decided to use are Spicey Liver and Scopex from the KGB stable, which are highly attractive, water soluble and smell wonderful. These are fished snowman style. Place your bets - Daan remains with the rod pods, while Remon tows the lines out and places the hookbaits and free offerings in the desired spots using his boat. “We prefer to fish with slack lines,” says Remon. “This prevents the carp from detecting the lines in the vicinity of the hookbait, but perhaps more importantly compensates for any movement in the fishing platform which stops any false or phantom takes.

CATCHI Once the rods have been set up, there is nothing else to do but relax and watch the water. Settling back into the dinghy I now fully appreciated just why Remon and Daan prefer this style of fishing. There is a huge sense of freedom; I found the whole experience liberating. The sound of the wind and the waves gently lapping against the side of the boats was enough to send you to sleep. And they’re off - Daan’s alarms are the first to burst into life. Quick as a shot, Daan bends into his rod. After a short but determined fight - Daan’s net is soon bulging with a feisty 24kg carp. Keeping your balance while standing in a boat can be difficult, but when you have a fish on it’s particularly difficult! These boys are highly skilled – they have excellent water craft and

seem to know exactly where they are on the water at all times. I rattled off a few frames before the carp is returned to it’s watery home. No sooner had I packed my camera away, when one of Remon’s reels went into overdrive. Remon coolly picked up the rod cupping the spool in the process and gently slowed the running fish. A dogged fight ensued ultimately won by the man in the orange corner! Another whopper for the cameras; this time slightly larger at 25kg. Remon and Daan take everything in their stride – demonstrating high levels of self-control when under pressure – truly remarkable! The remainder of the session was fairly eventful with a large carp lost at the net due to a hook pull, and a large cat fish swimming through and severing a mainline – S**T HAPPENS, as they say, but we stuck to our task and managed to catch a few nice carp in the process.

ING Nigel Sharps extreme FISHING memorable - REMON DE capture ZEEUW

EM!

FINAL THOUGHTS... A lot of modern day carp anglers measure success purely by the size of the fish that they have caught (regardless of fish care/safety and their fellow anglers) with little or no care for anything else. It’s a sad indictment of the modern carp scene in the UK, but we need a rethink – I think! I don’t want to harp on about the good old days, when there was a competitive, but ultimately fair natured relationship between anglers, but perhaps we can learn something from the likes of Remon and Daan - I know I have!

20-21 20

Nigel Sharps extreme FISHING memorable - REMON DE capture ZEEUW

Dave Magalhaes, a renowned master of the wet stuff, takes us on his carp fishing journey, from his early days to where he is today, having gained recognition as one of the most notable stars in the sport. Owing much to being an outdoorsman from an early age while summer holidaying at his grandparents’ home in Portugal, Dave brings his unique skills of observation, carpy logic and insight to catching big carp. His just do it approach is refreshing in these days where we see increasingly complex techniques; he encourages all to have a go because that is simply the best way to try to bag the monster we are all eager to catch. Over the coming months, learn how his watercraft and methods place him as one of the carp world’s leading lights. PART 1: THE CARP BUG BITES

to find the rabbits. It’s funny the things that you pick up, really, just by sitting around and killing time. The rabbits were the ultimate test as they’d hear you coming from miles away. It’s so quiet up there that you wouldn’t stand a chance of a shot by roving around. It didn’t take long to suss that with a bit a patience, sitting up a tree once you found lot’s of rabbit dropping’s was the way forward. In the end, I actually got bored. The fun for me was always in the chase, but once I’d sussed how to go about targeting them, the fun was gone, and in the end I’d just sit up tree’s or higher up in the mountain and watch them. It was one of these times as I sat up a tree watching the rabbits, that something in the river caught my attention.

Up until then I’d never really paid the rivers and reservoirs much attention. Anyway, there in the crystal The carp bug is a peculiar condition. Some people clear water I watched a fish of enormous proportions. get a mild case of it causing them to dabble for while; At the time, it was roughly the length of my leg from whereas others, like me, get a far more serious case the bottom of my shorts to my ankle (and probably of this obsessive compulsive disorder. Unfortunately, weighed between 6 and 10lb). In a flash, I realized that once you have it, there’s no cure! The compulsion I now had a new adventure to follow, and I turned and to fish is always there; whether you’re in a nightclub ran the mile or so to my Nan’s house. with your mates, food shopping in the supermarket or sitting in front of the TV watching your favourite Back home I re-told my story of this fish in the river, show. and how I was going to catch it. In the local shop, I managed to get hold of a packet of hooks-to-nylon. For me, the bug bit the moment I hooked my first carp. With a cane I’d taken from one of my Nan’s fields and But, I think it was beginning to take a hold long before a length of string and a cork, I was fully equipped to that quiver tip wrapped round and a monster 2 1/2lb catch the monster from the deep! I never did see that common carp tried ripping the rod out of my hands. fish again, instead I spent many a frustrating afternoon chasing much smaller trout in the rivers further up For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an outdoor the mountain to no avail. person. When I was a kid, for example, my parent’s would send me to Portugal during the school holidays Eventually when I went to middle school, I made to stay with my grandparents. The villages were friends with some boys that would change everything. remote to say the least and more often than not, Back home, all I wanted to do was play rugby. The the only way to pass the time was to go hunting. It’s trout chasing would become just something to pass incredible to think that two hours on a plane can put the time through the summer holidays. you somewhere that is so, so different from home. I hated school with a passion, and the only reason Back then, the only rules I had were to be back by I went everyday instead of bunking off, was so that sunset and not to go too high into the mountains as I I could play rugby (and then go to meet girls in was likely to come across the wolves and wild boar. So Wimbledon after school). At some point during off I’d go rifle in hand on my daily adventures. the spring term, when the rugby tournaments had finished, my friends asked if I’d like to go fishing with For the first few years, while I was still very young, it them. I still remember thinking, why would I want to was just a case of shooting the odd bird and catching go fishing, when we could go and meet the girls? frogs and snakes. As I got a bit older (and braver), I’d venture further into the forests and up the mountains I agreed to go along, more so because I didn’t want to be left out. We went to Old Bury Hill in Dorking to fish Bonds Lake. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing,

Nigel Sharps TALES OF A JOURNEYMAN memorable - DAVE capture MAGALHAES

so my mate Geoff set me up and told me what to do. way...an eight pounder!” Once I’d cast my line, he told me to sit and watch the That first trip just blew me away. I had carp of 11lb tip and strike when it pulled round. 4oz, 12lb 6oz, 8lb and 6lb! Martin had a couple too while everyone else blanked. I waited for what seemed like an eternity when suddenly the rod was wrenched from its rest and The doubles were massive and I really struggled to very nearly ended up in the lake. I shouted at Geoff keep hold of them. Luckily, Martin was on hand to help and lifted the rod. He came running over and tried out and told me what to do. By now, he was heavily to get me to play the fish, but all I did was pump and into his carp fishing and I knew that I had to catch reel. The poor thing must have had a sore mouth for up or he’d soon leave us all behind, especially once he weeks after that. At 2 1/2lb, it appeared to me to be started driving. Fortunately, for whatever reason, the an absolute monster. The rest of the day was spent fishing just clicked. Whether we were bream bashing chasing perch and roach on the main lake. I was truly on the Thames, chubbing on the Mole, or tenching at hooked. Old Bury Hill, we caught loads. From that day on, I wanted know everything about fish and how to catch them. I think the carp bug had bitten, but with so much to learn, the carp could wait as I was just happy being at the water’s edge catching anything that came along.

I’ll never forget one day on Milton Lake; I just couldn’t do anything wrong and caught a exceptional number of Tench and Crucians, so much so that some of the men practicing for their matches left their pegs to stand behind me and asked Martin what I was doing. I think for whatever reason, the fish were just there Some years later, I remember my friend Martin coming and I just happened to be in the right swim. to college with pictures of big carp he’d caught over on his granddad’s syndicate. He would have been 14 or It was around this sort of time that I couldn’t make 15 years old at the time and he was catching 20lb’ers up my mind whether or not I wanted to take the regularly. He’d actually caught most of the known big match fishing a bit more seriously or go carping with fish at the time to over 30lb. His pictures would always Martin. If I’m honest, I think what finally swung my have us talking for the whole day, and obviously just decision was the fact that I kept getting crap draws in stoked the fire that burned within us all. the matches. If I could have a walk round and choose a swim, I’d always catch loads, but with the matches, Looking back, I can’t believe how good an angler he more often than not, it came down to the draw and in was at such a young age. He would more often than the end I just thought poke it! not fish on his own and would just catch constantly. He’d come over and play about with our set-ups, tell I decided to concentrate a bit more on the local park us how to feed, and then suddenly we’d start catching! lakes, and in particular Bushy Park. Here there were It’s a shame actually that he never used to publicize two main carp lakes, the Heron and the Diana. The his fish, as he really was a talented youngster. When Di was a bit of a runs water, mainly doubles and a few you consider the today’s carp scene, filled with kids scraper 20lb’ers, but it also held a larger carp called who only know carp fishing and are so eager to be Mick which was a low-mid 30. The Heron was a bit sponsored, there are very, very few that are as complete trickier, but had a good head of 20lb’ers with a couple an angler as he was. of 30lb’ers; big fish for the time really. Over the next couple of years, I spent every second I could fishing. It got so bad that during my GCSEs I went fishing before and after my exams. How I ever passed them, I’ll never know.

One cold autumn day, while walking round, I saw a carp launch itself out of the water. I stopped and watched for a while, and it showed a few more times. Before leaving that evening, I catapulted out a whole bag of Tails-up 15mm Protavit Liver boilies into the lake; this bait was murdering the fish in the Park lakes at the time.

It was around this sort of time that Martin offered to take me to Clapham common. I knew that by asking me to go fishing with him I must have been doing something right. He only ever went there with the I returned the following evening, armed with another older kids who really respected him at the time. I’ll bag of boilies. never forget him saying: “You’ll probably catch an eight pounder from there!” I thought in response: “no

Although I didn’t see any fish show, I put out the whole bag to the same area. I repeated this for another two evenings, until the following Saturday when Martin joined me. Typically, he had everything ready and his lines were cast before I’d even finished tying my rigs. This was around the time that I started playing about with leadcore, and had a huge great length of it. I was really paranoid about the fish going through my lines and I’d read an article by someone who was using 10ft lengths of it (although I learned that he was using a boat to drop his rigs). Martin kept telling me to trim them down as I couldn’t cast them, but eventually after wading out as far as I could, I got the rig to land right on target. Before I could even cast the next one out, the first rod was away. Instantly we knew it was a better fish and Martin kept telling me to remain calm. He waded out a bit and, after a slow dogged fight, scooped up a hoofing great carp. It turned out to be one known as the Rudder, and at 28.08lb was a new PB and my first 20lb’er.

that year, we found ourselves walking down the path of the now infamous Richmond Park. The first thing that struck us was how busy it was, which wasn’t great as it meant we couldn’t walk around to find the fish. Those first few days were a bit of a revelation, as we couldn’t move anywhere due to the number of anglers. As we sat on the causeway looking down the lake, big Paul Cann had a twitchy take, which resulted in the awesome Royal 40 at 42+ lb. After the photographs were taken, I raced home and pulled a plastic folder out from under the bed. There in the clear sleeve was a page I’d ripped out from a copy of Big Carp. It had eight photos of Little Rich and his quest for the Royal. At the time, I didn’t know where the fish lived, but I remember staring at the pictures for hours, captivated by the atmospheric scenes. The rest of the year was spent trying to catch the few fish out of the Heron that I hadn’t caught, in particular Duck and the Mole. It sounds funny, but I never really thought about catching my first 30lb’er. All I wanted to do was just keep enjoying what I was doing and catch from everywhere.

The Heron was a great place to learn. It showed how incredibly spotty fish could be; a few feet either side and they just didn’t want to know, but by watching where they regularly bubbled and showed, they were easy enough to catch. Martin didn’t fish there much, but I loved the place. It was reasonably quiet, and so long as you made sure to be bang on the spots, you could always catch.

By the winter, I’d caught all the bigger fish I was after except the Duck, which had passed away by then. One afternoon while I sat watching the water, Terry Hearn stuck his head around my brolly; “Any joy?” he asked.

Once Martin got his driving licence, there was no stopping us. We ventured everywhere in our quest for carp, catching fish and in particular 20lb’ers, from everywhere we went. It’s funny, but because Martin never publicized anything, it kind of rubbed off on me. He just never saw the need as it was always easy. Maybe one day if we struggled and eventually caught something that we really worked hard for then we would do it. It got to the point where we wouldn’t even take pictures of them, which looking back now I do regret a little bit, but we just loved catching them wherever we went, I guess we were just spoilt; oh what it is to be young and naive!

“No worries. Be lucky,” he said, while turning and wandering off down the lake.

By talking to some of the older guys over at Bushy Park, we’d heard about a huge carp that lived in one of the other local park lakes. So at the start of the season

A little shocked, I squeaked back: “No.” “Seen much?” he continued; again I replied “No.”

An hour or so later, I plucked up the courage to go to him for a chat. He was very friendly, and as we sat talking, he had three quick takes. I think it was two tench and a small common. I asked where he was going next year, and he told me of a 65-acre lake not too far away, that held a possible 50lb’er. I didn’t want to pester him too much and eventually I left him to it. It’s funny how things go sometimes, but the following spring as I was driving to university, I pulled off at Wraysbury and went for a wander. Don’t ask me how, but I got a little lost and I eventually ended up on Wraysbury two. As I walked round the corner of the lake, I saw two anglers setting up. I strolled over to them to have a little chat. They were understandably a little coy

Nigel Sharps TALES OF A JOURNEYMAN memorable - DAVE capture MAGALHAES

about the lake and what it contained, but one of again, taking mixers. I shuffled back up the tree while them said something about the fish and that’s when I Ozzy casted. I watched as she came back round and remembered the chat with Terry. took his hookbait. “Is this where the Pet lives then,” I asked. They were a little shocked before replying with a smile and a nod. Again, I didn’t really think much of it and wandered off trying to find my car.

“NOW,” I shouted. He struck, and I remember the hook glistening in the sun before she dropped down and waddled off. Keeping the pressure on, he soon had it coming in. There I was in my best jeans and boots, but I just thought sod it and jumped in with A couple of days later, it was a scorcher of a day and the net! I’m sure the fish didn’t know it was hooked, I remember getting to the turn off at Wraysbury and and the first chance I got, I lifted the mesh up around thinking I’d probably see a few fish cruising on the her. Ozzy understandably was over the moon, and surface. I already had a passion for floater fishing then, said If I wanted a ticket he would do his best to sort catching fish to just over 28lb. Sure enough, the first me one out. Later that evening, I telephoned Martin bay I walked into, I saw a common cruising about. I and told him what had happened, and that Ozzy said I watched him for a bit before carrying on walking could probably get a ticket. I remember saying to him: round the lake. “Mate, it’s just like any other carp we’ve fished for. If I got the chance I’d definitely catch it.” He said: “Get a It wasn’t long before I bumped into someone. His ticket, get a ticket.” name was Ozzy, and he was a bailiff. I actually thought he was going to tell me to get lost, but he was sound. For the next two weeks, on my way to and from We chatted for a while, and he made it clear that it was university, I’d stop off to trickle some bait in and watch a syndicate and I wasn’t to try to fish it. I told him that what the carp were doing. Initially I started with 22 I really had no interest as it was well out of my league. spots. Literally everywhere, I saw a carp. As the days As I went to leave, he said I could pop in anytime I went by, I whittled them down until there were seven liked to say hello. or eight spots that were continually being wiped out. The following day, the weather was the same, so I stopped off again on my way to university. As I walked down the path, Ozzy came running up to me. “Did you see it?” he asked excitedly.

Often, I’d stumble across fish feeding and I’d watch them, mesmerized. In the crystal clear water, I could see everything they were doing, and I grew more and more in confidence. I spoke to a couple of the regulars, and they kept telling me that the best spots were way “What?” I replied. out in the lake. Apparently, I wanted to be out by the triangle of buoys, as that’s where the fish liked to be. “The Pet; it must have swum straight past you,” he said. I’m sure they were probably right; but, at the time, I was seeing lots of carp close in, so I saw no need to I told him I’d seen a dumpy mirror that looked like a look out there. mid-twenty. “That’s her,” he said, before running off. Eventually, my ticket dropped through the letter box I followed him and climbed a tree overlooking the bay. and I rang Martin to tell him I was going over. By the Ozzy pulted out a few mixers, and we both watched in evening, I’d baited a couple of spots on the end of the anticipation. It wasn’t long before the Pet was wolfing wind, and had a few carp feeding. Martin turned up them down and Ozzy cast his line. He shouted to me and I told him to go and have a look. When we walked to let him know if she took his mixer because the sun’s over and looked down, the Pet was there with the big glare was making it difficult to see his hookbait. common absolutely troughing, along with a few other carp. The Pet got closer and closer until it surfaced and took the bait. I shouted Ozzy to strike, but he didn’t hear “See, I told you they were like everywhere else!” me very well and struck a little late. She spooked and Martin was more excited than I was, and kept going bow waved out of the bay. I got down from the tree over for a look. Before leaving, he said: “Give me a call and Ozzy said he was a bit deaf in one ear so I needed when you catch it.” to shout a bit louder. He was gutted at missing the chance. Within minutes though, the Pet was back and The following morning I woke up, a little

surprised not to have caught one. After a bit of breakfast, I quickly got the rods sorted, as the wind was already picking up and I knew it wouldn’t be long before the carp returned. Sure enough, as the day wore on, more and more fish drifted into the margins below me. I lay on my front, content to just watch what they did. Eventually, looking up, I could see a large bow wave slowly making its way down the margin. It had to be her, as most of the other fish in the lake were already there below me. I watched, a little shocked, as she rolled and rolled over my spots out in the lake, before eventually drifting in below me as well. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a sandwich and broke the bread up into bits, before flicking them out, slightly up wind. Ever so slowly, they bobbed their way back in the breeze. As soon as the Pet saw them, she turned and started taking each bit one by one. I had a stalking rod set-up with a float attached, and as quickly possible, I tied on another hook, threaded on a bit of bread flake, and carefully lowered it as close as I could. With the Pet now racing between each piece of bread without a care in the world, I knew it was only a matter of time but eventually I bundled her in. Back on the bank, I before I had my chance. slipped her into a sack and called Martin to tell him of Finally, she turned, eyes fixed on my hookbait. Just as my good fortune. He turned up a few hours later with she came up, she turned at the last minute creating a his girlfriend, and I went and got Jon who was set-up swirl by the bread causing it to come off. As quickly around the corner. With their help, we weighed and as possible I reeled in and attached another piece and photographer her. At 49.10lb, it was the biggest carp gently swung it back out amongst the last few bits. to be caught from the surface at the time.

Once again, she came back round, bee lining for my hookbait. This time there was no hesitation and she It’s funny, but because of how we were, I really wasn’t fussed about the weight or even photos and I certainly took it with gusto. did not intend to publicize the capture. There were a As I lifted the rod into the fish, she turned instantly few random stories popping up in the weeklies about and charged out of the small bay. I jumped straight a student catching a “floater record” and how I’d into the boat and followed it out, knowing that the sent my scales to weights and measures to get them weed was already growing thickly. With the soft rod checked so that I could “claim the record.” It was all I was using, I really struggled to make an impression nonsense; all I wanted to do was to fish!

on the fish and in the clear water I could see it angrily powering off in short bursts, before suddenly burying On the subject of floaters, I can feel the spring sunshine beating down on my face through the window, and I itself in the weed. just know that the old carp will be cruising around on For the next five minutes or so, I tried everything to the surface. I’m going to leave the story here for now, get it out, but it stayed buried at the bottom of the grab my rods and head off to the pond. Next time I’ll lake. Finally, giving it everything, a great ball of weed talk about my first season over at Richmond Park, started coming up towards me. My heart sunk as Silvermere, Colnbrook West and even my afternoons the ball of weed got closer and closer, with no carp over at the Mere. to be seen. As I madly pulled clumps of weed off, I suddenly noticed the line going out the other side and Until next time, be lucky! there, slowly coming up from the weed below, was the Pet. I had a real nightmare trying to get it in the net, Dave Mag

carp biology lifting the lid part 2 - in swim leon fisher

Leon Fisher, warm water aquaculture lecturer at Sparsholt College examines the basic anatomy of the carp. Here he concentrates on scales and the bits of the anatomy that carp use to swim and manoeuvre, as well as looking at sensory perception.

The scales fit into the scale pocket. Tiny groups of muscles hold the scales in place and pull them down into the dermis of the carp. These muscles will release the scale under a relatively small amount of pressure. Other species such as perch will have scales that are much harder to detach. This is due largely to the rough nature of the scales, which causes more drag and, therefore, the scales must be more secure to prevent loss. Anglers must be very careful when handling fish to try to minimise the chance of removing a scale. Carry an antiseptic Losing a scale is a fairly big deal to a carp and it should not be treated as a minor injury, especially if the scale pocket becomes damaged, as this will prevent the scale from re-growing. I would recommend that carp anglers ensure that they carry antiseptic treatments to try to help the healing process should they come across a fish with scale loss. I recommend “Orabase”, which is used to treat mouth ulcers in humans, as this will help to create a barrier over an open wound, helping to prevent infection. Other antiseptics - although effective - will just wash off the wound when the fish re-enters the water. Both mirror and leather carp have a much tougher dermis than common carp. Their skin is thicker and stronger to compensate for the lack of scales. The scales of a carp can be read by experts and the age of the fish accurately determined, as well as the scale showing major events that have occurred in the life of the fish. Fin types The fins of the carp come in two main types, paired and unpaired. Pectoral and pelvic fins are paired and the caudal (tail fin), anal and the dorsal fins

carp biology - leon fisher

Beginning with the outside of the fish, the most obvious feature is scales, or lack of them in the case of a leather carp. With common carp, for example, the scales act very much like body armour. These are cycloid scales and they overlap and fit on the fish very much like slates on a roof.

are unpaired. A carp’s fins are made of very strong, flexible material, which is reinforced by a series of spines and rays. Compared with many other fish, the carp’s fins are relatively large which enables good manoeuvrability and also allows for short but very fast bursts of speed. Carp can easily fold and tuck their fins into the sides of their body to increase streamlining and they also have the ability to swim backwards using their pectoral fins. The carp’s ability to raise and retract its dorsal and anal fins is enabled by a pair of muscles located either side of the base of these fins; the protractor muscle extends the fin and the retractor muscle depresses the fins. In addition, the soft rays of the anal and dorsal fins are able to bend using lateral inclinators that allow the fish great subtlety of movement. Abductor muscles control the paired fins of the carp - the ventral abductor moves the fin up and down and the dorsal abductor moves it back and forth. White muscle The vast majority of the muscle found in carp is “white muscle”; the fish uses this for powerful, short bursts of speed. These muscles tire quickly, therefore carp are unable to swim at very fast speed for sustained periods. This explains why at certain points when playing a fish you will often experience slow

fig 4

plodding phases interspersed by relatively short but very powerful runs. White muscle in carp is so called due to the lack of myoglobin within its fibres. The number of veins running through these sections is relatively small and so a lack of oxygen explains why these muscles tire quickly. Red muscle The carp also has a thin layer of “red muscle” under the dermis. This muscle is used to carry out the normal swimming requirements of the fish, and being highly vascularized (veins) is full of oxygen and so tires more slowly. Anglers need to be aware that it takes a very long time for the white muscle fibres in a carp to recover from exertion - up to 12 hours - so fish should be well rested before they are allowed to swim away after capture.

Swim bladder Together with their fins to aid manoeuvrability, carp also have an organ called the “swim bladder”. This helps to maintain buoyancy. Without a swim bladder, a carp would have to swim constantly to prevent itself from sinking. The swim bladder is positioned under the spine of the carp and is split into two compartments. Gas, which is broadly similar to atmospheric gas in composition, (although containing slightly more CO2) enters the swim bladder through the blood and exits the same way. Carp generally avoid rapid changes in depth as this can lead to damage to the swim bladder, this isn’t generally a problem in most British waters, but it might be something to consider if fishing at great depths on some continental venues. Damage to the swim bladder can result in the fish developing a protrusion from the gut area that looks like a broken rib sticking out from the rest of the rib cage.

Sensory perception We are often told how good a carp is at sensing our movements on the bank, but how does a carp actually detect this movement? As well as the use of sight (as discussed in my previous article Carpaholixx, Issue 2, April 2012), carp have a very acute sense of hearing (but this does not operate like human hearing). A carp’s ears are located just to the rear of the skull of the fish and have no connection to the outside. These “otoliths” are a different density to the other tissue in a carp’s body and they vibrate differently. A sensor located directly under the otolith will send these signals to the brain of the fish. Most sounds will actually pass right through the tissues of a carp because these are the same density as water, but denser structures like the otoliths enable sound detection. Carp also use their swim bladders to help them hear, this organ is connected to the inner ear of the fish by a series of tiny bones. This otolith and swim bladder combination gives the carp an extremely well developed sense of hearing, although they have an inability to detect very high-pitched sounds such as bite alarms. However, they may well be able to detect the vibration of an alarm, especially if this is transmitted through the water by a tight line. So a lesson to be learnt for all those who like to fiddle with their alarms, not only does it annoy other anglers it may well be costing you fish; switch them off if you want to play with your danglers!

Lateral line Carp also have distinctive lateral lines that run along each side of the body and finish at the caudal fin. These lateral lines enable the carp to detect vibrations in the water. As we can see from the diagram, water travels along the lateral line canal and passes over neuromasts containing tiny sensory hairs encased in a jelly like structure that protrude into the canal. The movement of water in the canal moves these structures and the hairs detect movement and transmit the information to the brain of the fish. The two lateral lines enable the carp to locate the source of vibration - the side nearest the source will receive the strongest signal. The lateral line is also a sensory system that can trigger a startle response giving the carp the ability to move extremely quickly when frightened. A startle response will consist of a carp rapidly flexing its body and flicking its tail, repelling the fish away from the stimulus that caused the reaction. This vital response can take less than 100 milliseconds to occur and is purely instinctive. Figure 3: A cut-away revealing the structure of the lateral line (B) Figure 4: The structure of a neuromast (C) I’m sure that’s enough science for now, next month we will continue our look inside the carp and examine the internal organs as well as begin to look at diseases and how they can affect the fish. Leon Fisher

fig 3 - lateral line

Next month Leon looks at carp internal organs and diseases.

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