Carpaholixx Magazine Issue 1 by Carpaholixx Magazine

issue 1 CONTENTS

Editorial News

Videos Features

Learning Zone Notes from the Bivvy

Editorial 03. Nigel Sharps memorable capture

31. lEARNING ZONE - HOW TO TIE THE I-Rig

Nigel Sharp - one of the world’s finest carp anglers and a regular contributor to Carpaholixx, with his exclusive diary page - takes a break from his usual writing to describe how he managed to pull a real Cracker

The iRig, developed by Ian Lewis of Gardner Tackle, has been designed to allow the hook bait a high degree of natural movement whilst using a semi-stiff (super-clear) hooklink material. We show you how to construct this winning rig.

12. Jamie Smith - Perseverance

34 Notes From The Bivvy - More Colne Valley Capers By Adrian Fautley : The Secret Canal

Jamie Smith delivers an exclusive Carpaholixx lesson on keeping carp rigs, baits and methods simple, which frees up the carp angler to concentrate on finding the fish and catching them

18. Dave Magalhaes - Winter Wonderland

Many carp anglers won’t venture out during the cold winter months, particularly during inclement weather. Carpaholixx writer Dave Magalhaes on the other hand thinks it is a great time of year for carp

23. Stay Sharp - A Guide To Sharpening Hooks

One of the easiest ways of giving yourself an edge over the next angler (assuming that they have not read this article) is to sharpen your hook. This often overlooked procedure ‘will’ put a few extra carp on the bank for you - guaranteed

28 . news - Gardner Tackle Hydrotuff line What’s it all about!!

29. Behind The Rods - Nigel Sharp’s Carp Fishing Tips Video - Part 1

Nigel Sharp, one of the UK’s most successful carp anglers, gives are rare insight into his winter carp fishing. In this episode Nigel takes us through the basics; Approach, Observation and application.

30. video - dave benton’s winter bait boat tips.

The Secret Canal by Adrian Fautley - The diary of an incurable carp addict. Throughout my angling career I have focused my attention on still-waters and as such have never really been interested in fishing any other type of venue, even though I hear of carp anglers such as Danny Smith and DaveVaughn catching some rather large carp from canals and rivers....

37 Yateley Copse Lake Venue Guide

An introduction to the Cemex Yateley Copse Lakewithout doubt one of the prettiest waters on the Yateley Complex

t may be February and the early signs of spring are showing, but it is still as the neighbour put it: “...frickin freezing.” The chill lingers as I write this column, but deep in my heart I take cheer that the new fishing season ahead holds promise of good things to come. Besides, having prepared the content for this issue and read what our carp experts advocate to do when the winter weather is against you, I am much better prepared mentally and practically - to take on the elements. Carp fishing during the cold winter months can indeed turn in much bounty for the persistent and prepared. Such stalwart winter anglers have gained wisdom, live by their own experiences and take their own advice. Undoubtedly, this is what makes them exceptional anglers and we are pleased to have some of the best of these carp anglers contributing to the Carpaholixx iSite. Nigel Sharp, Adrian Fautley, Birdy and Dave Magalhaes, each one has something to say about how they overcome the doldrums and get on with the job. Also, when you think about, we really haven’t had it so good when it comes to the availability of equipment to keep us warm, dry, and able to concentrate on our fishing. So read up, gear up, and get out there while the weather permits – and while you are at it, let us know of your successes. In fact, tell us about your blanks too, as it is always useful to examine tactics and try to work out why they failed.

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 liability for an this publication. y action article. Subscribe Carpaholixx does not endorsearising from the contents of rs opinions express are advised to check for products and ed in any manufactu services advertise d / promoted in rers and suppliers claims this publication.

Another article you’ll love in this issue is some practical advice on hook sharpening. Yes, it’s true we are looking at a fundamental thing we all should do prior to baiting up and wetting our lines. It is very easy to dismiss the need to sharpen hooks, as there is assumption that they are already sharp. With the advent of chemically sharpened hooks, many anglers simply gave up on a practice that probably goes back to prehistory. That is why we are issuing a call to arms to look after your hooks. It is twofold process – first, you are getting your primary weapon clean and ready to do the business and second you are preparing your mind. It is amazing how the simple act of sharpening a hook focuses your thoughts on why you are actually out there. Anyway, enough said; have a read.

Editor: Sean Tidy

A memorable capture NIGEL SHARP

Nigel Sharps memorable capture

igel Sharp - one of the world’s finest carp anglers and a regular contributor to Carpaholixx, with his exclusive diary page - takes a break from his usual writing to describe how he managed to pull a real Cracker. The Carpaholixx team has asked me to do something different for my next article, i.e., write about a memorable capture. Those who have read my book, “Living the Dream”, will know that I’ve written about most of the fish that I’ve caught and been able to publicise. Anyway, having had a fair few memorable captures, I think it is best for me to keep it seasonal and tell you about a winter 40 pounder I caught just after the festivities ended in January 2007. I began the campaign to catch the fish in the autumn of 2006, and by the time I had got to grips with the lake and worked out how to catch its residents, it was the start of the Christmas break. As it was a mild winter, many anglers where making the most of it and the banks of the CEMEX Sandhurst venue were far too busy for me to get a swim so I was forced to lay off until everyone went back to work. By the time the lake had quietened down again, it was the New Year. My first session was on the 2 January. When I arrived at Sandhurst, I was delighted to see that I had the place to myself. After spending the best part of an hour looking but failing to spot a fish, I used my instinct and set up out of the cold westerly wind. I chose swim number 19 on the Copse lake bank. Trees surrounded the swim and it was just that little bit more comfortable than sitting in a cold wind. After setting up and flopping out three maggot bags, I sat on my low chair and began to make a cup of tea. In my haste to get fishing for “Cracker” again, I’d forgotten to get milk. With a tea drinking habit like mine, this wasn’t good and I had to think about what I was going to do without hot drinks.

Nigel Sharps memorable capture

few minutes later, his van swung in through the gate and he drove around to my swim. The kettle was boiling as he arrived and so we had the first proper cup of tea for the New Year. After Bidders had drunk his brew, he went for a good look around the lake. Not long after he had left my swim, Richard Wilby of the Angling Times telephone me. Richard explained that the reason for the call was that I’d won the Carp Angler of the Year award and with it came a lovely cheque for £5,000. I was over the moon to hear the news. It just went to show that on that day in May, when I caught the Burghfield common, someone up there was looking down on me and I suspect it was my mum. SHOWING FISH FOCUS ATTENTION After finishing the call, I noticed that Bidders had reached the far end of the lake where he was having a good look around the margins. Just as he got to the car park swim with the cold wind whacking in, a carp leapt and on its re-entry sent up a big spray of water. This showed the fish were still active, so I kept my eyes focused on that bit of water. By the time Bidders had reached peg 6, another fish showed in the same area. On seeing this, I began to get ready for a move. As the last bits and pieces were stuffed in my rucksack, Bidders had completed his circuit and arrived in the swim. I told him I was moving down to the far end and he offered to load my barrow into the back of his van and drive it round there for me. A few minutes later, we arrived at the far end of the lake and w set up to try for the s howing fish. I lined up my casts up with swim 19, as I’d seen the fish from there, and sent three bags of maggots out about 80 yards. All three casts went surprisingly smoothly and it wasn’t long before I was putting my little brolly up to form a windbreak to make me feel a little bit more comfortable. With the brolly obstructing my view of the lake, this wasn’t exactly ideal for watching the water but it was better to be at the right end of the lake where the fish were. Surprisingly, that day passed quite quickly and before I knew it, the light was fading. Just as it got completely dark, a couple of bites delivered two dirty great bream. After landing them, I stopped for the day. Just as I had put the last of my gear in the car, Nick Helleur arrived. I told him what I had seen and he dropped straight into the car park swim for the night.

A PROMISING START The following morning, I arrived just before dawn and found Nick and, surprisingly, Bidders awake. While we had a quick chat and a brew, I learned that Bidders had caught a 26 lb common from the “secret swim” during night and I noticed that the wind had warmed up by a few degrees. As we talked, it started to get light. Just as it got light enough to see, I spotted a couple of fish showing about 70 yards out in front of the Pipes swim. When I pointed them out to Nick, he said that a few had shown in the same spot during the night and he encouraged me to double up with him. If I was a good caster like Nick, I probably would have joined him but instead I headed to the Pipes to set up. Just as I finished assembling my gear, I heard the sound of one of Nick’s buzzers...

and he was soon bent into a fish. With that, I ran back around to see what he had caught. By the time I arrived, he had the fish in his net and it turned out to be one of the big’uns, a fish called Rosy. After helping him weigh it and taking a few shots of the 32 lb carp, I returned to my swim to get my rods out. Before I had switched on my bite alarms, one of them was away and I was into a fish. By the time I landed the fish, Bidders was at my side and ready to help with the pictures and weighing. That fish, a kinky-backed common of 27 lb, turned out to be one of the characters of the lake. After returning the kinky backed fish to the water and recasting the rods, I remembered what Dave Benton had told me about how well the lake fished in January, which was the time to hit it hard. Dave had caught 32 fish in the space of three nights the previous year so I thought that Bidder’s, Nick’s and my captures were just the start of things to come. Another thing I took into the equation was most of the big’uns - except Cracker - had already been out that winter and some of them were starting to put in second appearances. This suggested to me that the next bite could well be Cracker! So, I had to put in as much time as possible until she came out. As that day wore on it became apparent from the showing fish that they was backing off slightly from our pressure and were moving closer to Peg 10 on the road bank. With no further action that day, I packed up just as it got dark and headed for home to get my kit sorted for the next day.

A SURPRISE FROM A MIRROR Early the following morning I returned to the lake, headed straight to the road bank, and settled on Peg 10. By the time I had got set up, it was light enough to line up my casts with the Pipes swim. Again all three of those went well and I was soon sitting down with a steaming hot cup of tea. About two hours later, and just as I thought it was time to recast, a big fish showed to the right of the Pipes swim. It looked to be about 40 yards out and in line with Peg 6. Not long after its first appearance it showed again and this time, it sent up a big spray of water. I didn’t need any more encouragement to wind in my rod and race around to the Pipes swim. Within minutes of arriving in the Pipes, I cast one bag to where I thought the fish had appeared and the other two rods were cast out a bit further to the spot from where I had caught the kinky-backed common the day before. The big fish showed a couple more times during the next few hours but it looked like it was heading further out into the lake towards where my other two baits lay. Each time it showed, I got a better look at it and it looked like Cracker. This was on-the-edgeof-my-seat stuff and I was almost trembling at the thought that the bite I wanted was inevitable.

Eventually, after leading it into the margins and carefully tiring it out by letting the rod do all the work, the fish started to give up and neared the surface. When a dumpy mirror of 26 lb slid over the net cord, we were shocked to see that it wasn’t Cracker. After that wind up from the bionic mirror, I fished on into darkness. After a few hours, it was time to pack up and head for home to get sorted for the next day’s session. As the next day was Friday and it was more than likely to be busy, I decided that I would make a special effort to get up early and get in the Pipes swim while it was still dark. I was up early the next morning and after a quick cup of tea, I loaded my kit into the car. As I was doing this, I noticed that the wind had dropped slightly and the air temperature was up a little; maybe a degree of two and it felt like a spring morning. When everything was loaded, I headed off on the short 3-mile journey to Sandhurst. Just like the morning before I was delighted to see the car park was empty. With that, I loaded up my barrow and pushed it around to the Pipes swim. As I walked, the birds were singing and if I didn’t know better I would have thought that it was late March and not 5 January. When I got to the swim, it was still pitch black. Using my head torch, I slowly set up everything, tied up bags and got ready for when it was light enough to cast out. Then I made myself a tea and sat on my low chair watching the dawn break. GREAT EXPECTATIONS When it was light enough to see the bags land I tied them on, hooked on a couple of maggots, nicked

Nigel Sharps memorable capture

At about 3pm, Bidders appeared for an evening session and set up in the Second Pipes. Soon after he had his rods out, my middle bobbin pulled up tight and the line sprung from the clip. When I picked the rod up, I felt a heavy weight on the other end of the line. It didn’t take any line, just held its ground out in the open water. My legs turned to jelly as the fish kited on the long line from left to right and then back again. After a couple of minutes, I finally started bit by bit to gain on it. As this was going on, I had convinced myself that I had hooked Cracker. As I was only using a size 10 big T hook this was nerveracking stuff.

the hook in the side of the bags and then cast them out to the same areas as I had fished the day before. After a couple of hours, a big fish cleared the water just to the right of my left-hand bait. I starred at the spot and a few seconds later it appeared again. This time I got a better look at it and it was Cracker. A few moments later, it showed again, then again, and then again! This was a very good sign, but my bags had been out for two hours already and I began thinking that maybe the maggots had crawled out and I might need to recast. It was decision time and it was a hard one to make because I didn’t want to spook the fish. In the end, I opted to leave the rods out for another hour and review the situation if nothing happened. That hour dragged and I became more and more twitchy as the minutes ticked away. By the time it was up, I had already tied three new bags. While I wound in my right hand rod, I saw Dave Benton driving along the track opposite. This didn’t cause me any stress, as I knew he was on his bailiff ’s round. Dave and his wife Sharon turned up in my swim just as I was drying my rig and tying on a bag. While we chatted, my middle bobbin pulled slowly

it was Cracker in her full winter glory... to the top and the line started cutting through the water. With Dave encouraging me, I picked up the rod and leaned in to the fish. The fish took line from the clutch at an alarming rate and I could not stop it before it had taken at least 70 yards. By the time it had started to slow down, it was swinging right and heading up the lake towards swim 12, taking more line as it went. Dave said: “I bet that’s one of those big commons, they fight like that!” Sharon had a different opinion and said: “I bet its Cracker.” When the fish stopped taking line, it kited left and with well over 150 yards of line out at this point of the battle, it was pretty nerve racking stuff as it headed for swim 10. When it got level with swim 10, it turned again and gave me a brief chance to gain a few yards before it made another dash up the lake. This time the fish just kept kiting and it was looking like it was going to take me round the far end of the island. Just as the line got to within a few yards of danger, it stopped and headed back out into open water, which gave me the chance to start pumping it back. THE NEED FOR CAREFUL PLAY After gaining about 40 yards, everything went solid.

This wasn’t good as I knew there was an underwater snag out in front of the island. About 30 seconds later, the rod tip sprang back and we all thought that the fish was off. However, after a few quick turns of the handle I felt the rod take up its battle curve again. Expecting the line to be damaged by now, I spent the next minute or so carefully coaxing the fish towards the margins. As I did so, Dave got the remaining rod out of harm’s way and made ready with the net. When I got the fish onto a shorter line, the fight was far from over and it held down deep in the margins for a good few minutes. On its first surface roll, Dave said: “that’s a big’un mate.” And, the next time it appeared on the surface, Dave scooped it up in the net and brought it to the bank. We knew by the huge scales down its lateral line that it was Cracker in her full winter glory. We recorded a weight of 40lb 10oz but Dave said he wasn’t up to being responsible for taking the pictures of such a lovely fish. So after making her safe in the margins I made a telephone call to Yateley Angling Centre to ask whether Steve could come down and help me out. Steve was happy to oblige and brought along our mutual friend, Jason Parker. Just as they arrived, Bidders turned up so we had plenty of hands to help with the memorable occasion. After Dave, Sharon, Jason and Steve had left, Bidders set up in the Second Pipes.

Nigel Sharps memorable capture

While we spent the rest of the afternoon soaking up the moment, I managed to bag another fish, which turned out to be an 18lb mirror. Catching a forty pounder is a memorable occasion but what made this one special was that it was a January forty and, importantly, I had some good friends around me to share in the memory. The above article is based on an extract from my book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Living the Dreamâ&#x20AC;?. Signed copies are available from www.calmproductions.com or telephone 0845 408 2606. A limited number of leather bound copies are available while stocks last.

hrough my various videos and articles, many of you will understand that I am a true fan of keepings things simple for successful carp fishing. I never try to overcomplicate matters, preferring to concentrate on locating fish and then applying tried and tested rigs, baits and methods to catch them if they are feeding. If I don’t catch, I can’t blame the bait or the rig it will be because the fish weren’t having it on that particular day. Here’s an example that will illustrate my point of simplicity. While fishing on one particular lake, I opted for an island swim where I’d found a large number of fish jumping and bubbling about 40 yards out. Setting up quickly, I cast out two identical maize stacker rigs with size 9 Drennan barbel hooks tied on KD rig style. Each had with a reasonably short hair onto which I’d mounted a grain of Enterprise fake corn and a grain of maize, separated by a small sliver of Gardner zig foam. This created a presentation that barely sank. The hooklink in this case was a six-inch length of 15lb Sufix Camfusion. This is one of my favourites because it is a supple-coated material that suits the wafter presentation, which enables a nice natural bait movement in the water. The terminal set up was a simple inline pear lead of 2 oz with a couple of blobs of Gardner Critical Mass Putty spaced at around one foot and two feet up the line ensuring that it was all pinned down nicely on the bottom. I used this set up because I’d been told that the fish on this particular lake didn’t like distur-

The old two - bait stringer trick!

bance and this arrangement entered the water with a discreet “plip” rather than a “splosh”. This was fished with a tiny mesh bag containing two crumbled Richworth tutti fruttis and a few grains of PVA-friendly maize. This set up had previously proved to be a success on this water and I had full confidence in using it again. I eagerly anticipated some action but nothing happened. The fish kept boshing and bubbling right on the area I was fishing out to but they didn’t bite. I eventually found out that the fish were feeding on bloodworm and when they’re feeding on naturals, they’ll generally ignore your bait. I could have tried other rigs but none of them would have caught those fish. The only thing that might have taken would have been something that closely resembled the food they were feeding on, such as red maggots or a redworm, which matched the hatch. I always apply rigs and baits that I know work, but if they don’t take I just go back another time and try again. I could have tried other rigs but none of them would have caught those fish Something similar happened to me quite recently on another water. Remember that I said that I always place location of fish as my number one priority because if you’re not on them then you can’t catch them! So, if I’m fishing a fair bit and in tune with the water, then you’ll usually find me fishing out to where the main group of fish are. On my most recent fishing trips things have been quite right, however. Something similar happened to me quite recently on another water. Remember that I said that I always place location of fish as my number one priority because if you’re not on them then you can’t catch them! So, if I’m fishing a fair bit and in tune with the water, then you’ll usually find me fishing out to where the main group of fish are. On my most recent fishing trips things have been quite right, however.

I began using my tried and tested helicopter set up with a bottom bait rig using a size 8 Korda wide gape hook, a small piece of 0.5-mm Fox silicone tubing on the bend of the hook, with a half inch length of Solar micro shrink-tubing over the eye and knot to crank it over. The hooklink was my new favourite 25lb sheath skin (gravel colour); this is a hooklink that suits this presentation perfectly having slightly stiffer properties than the Camfusion. For bait I used my ever-faithful 16mm tuttis mounted onto the hair and

PERSEVERANCE - JAMIE SMITH

Sometimes, it just doesn’t happen!

leaving a 1cm gap between the top of the bait and the silicone tubing. I fished this with a two- or threebait stringer, which is a presentation that I’ve used to catch many fish in the past. After persevering with this set up for a few weeks and catching nothing, my mate Martin caught a nice fully scaled mirror on red maggots.

9 Drennan barbel hook, which has a super sharp straight point and is extremely strong for its size. I’ve used size 10 ESP Big Ts but then I switched to the size 9 barbel hooks because they’re that little bit bigger and they grab a larger knub of flesh when they hook in, thereby giving me a bit more confidence when playing fish.

We concluded that due to the unseasonably warm weather, the bloodworm hadn’t died off and it seemed that the fish were once again feeding on the natural food bonanza almost to the exclusion of everything else.

These are fished mag-aligner rig style, with three maggots on the hook and a five-inch length of Korda Supernatural, which allows for a very natural bait presentation. I never use a longer hooklink longer because if the fish are feeding in a localised area I want them to prick themselves almost as soon as they take the hookbait into their mouths.

It was obvious that Martin had caught his fish because his bait closely resembled the food that the carp were gorging on. He then went to have a couple more fish including a nice mirror and a cracking 35lb-plus common from the same area using similar tactics. Another friend came down and had a couple of fish on the maggots too, so I decided a switch onto the grubs too. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! Once again, I was using a presentation that I am confident in using. The rig I use for maggots is a size

A longer hooklink allows the fish too much movement and is less effective. My terminal set up consists of my usual helicopter set up with a bag bomb of my own design, onto which I tie a bag of maggots with a bit of tutti frutti crumb in the middle. This serves the dual purpose of providing extra attraction and an area into which I can nick the hook into, without fear of popping any maggots and bursting the bag. I fished this rig in one of my favourite winter areas for two sessions on the trot but still caught nothing

despite the fact that I was getting liners indicating the fish were there. The point I’m trying to make is that although I was using a bait that was producing fish, with a tried and tested rig and terminal set up in an area where there were obviously fish present I simply didn’t catch. Sometimes, it just doesn’t happen! Discussing this with a friend we concluded that you just have to keep persevering with using the rigs and methods that you know work and eventually the results will come. I for one shall be carrying on using this presentation for the rest of the winter, as I believe it offers me the best chance of a bite.

Split shot pop-up Rig

Split shot pop-up Splitwith shot cranked pop-up Rig over shrink tube

I’d also like to touch upon adaptation. Although I rarely deviate from the rigs I trust, but I will adapt them for different bait presentations and fishing situations. A good rig for illustrating this is the simple no knot rig. This comprises a size 8 Korda wide gape hook and a 15lb Camfusion hooklink, with an inch stripped back between the coating and the eye of the hook. The only addition to this is a 6mm length of 0.5mm If I wanted to use a pop up, then I would simply tie the hair shorter so that the pop up was tight to the shank and then pinch a split shot where the exposed braid started, creating a simple but very effective rig that would leave the hookbait clear of any bottom debris. I could fish any of the above rigs with one, two or three bait stringers or bags of boilie crumb, pellets of various sizes breadcrumb or a stick mix to create endless possibilities for bait presentations that could be adapted to any given fishing situation. There is no point switching to the latest all singing, all-dancing, blowback chig rig because it won’t catch you any more fish than what I’ve just described if you fish it with confidence out to an area where the fish are. To take this one step further, you could tie up the simple no knot rig as I’ve just described with endless variations of hooks and hooklink materials to suit any bait presentation. For example, if I were using a single grain of plastic I’d use a size 12 Gardner Mugga hook and a slightly longer length of silicone due to the hook’s slightly longer sweeping shank. If I were using a 12mm bottom bait, I’d use a size 10 Korda wide gape. This could be adapted to a mini snowman presentation with a little 10mm pop up on top.

Snowman Rig

Alternatively, if I wanted to use an 18mm or 20mm bottom bait, I’d tie it up with a size 6 wide gape. This could also be used for a snowman rig using an 18mm bottom bait and 14mm to 16mm pop up. If the water was weedy or snag infested I would change to a size 6 Atomic Claw hook, which is stronger but just as sharp. it’s not a case of putting on the latest fandango rig So, I hope you can see that it’s not a case of putting on the latest fandango rig, it’s a case of adapting a very simple rig to the given water/fishing situation. It’s a case of creating a balanced presentation and using the correct size hook in relation to your hookbait choice. There are infinite possibilities when combined with various hooks, hooklink materials, hookbait choices, colour of hookbaits, PVA stringers and bags. I wish you all tight lines and full nets. All the best, JAMIE.

get yours today at www.carpaholixx.com

fter a series of harsh ground frosts, and with the trees trying desperately to hold on to their last remaining leaves, it’s clear that winter is setting in rapidly. It seems like only yesterday that I was crouching down behind a bush catapulting out mixers and watching the carp carefully snake their way in and out of the weedbeds, before they swam up to the surface and engulfed each freebie. Fellow anglers fear not the winter, because with a little bit of thought and preparation, there are still plenty of carp to catch before the spring arrives. With a little bit of thought and preparation, there are still plenty of carp to catch before the spring arrives. Over the years, I’ve fished in some savage conditions and on lakes that realistically I was never going to catch from during the winter. I can remember what a chore it all was and how much I hated the winter months. I’m not sure who or what changed my views, but these days I have a very different outlook to winter fishing and I really look forward to it.

The most important thing for me is to be comfortable. Comfort is without doubt the most important factor in getting through the winter on the bank. Sitting under a brolly, with no groundsheet in the freezing cold and rain wearing a pair of tracky bottoms and trainers with mud all around you isn’t enjoyable; trust me! A decent quality twin-skinned bivvy, some warm clothing and boots, plus a good sleeping bag make the world of difference. And, no .matter how harsh the weather gets, if you’re comfortable, you’re happy to sit it out in the hope of the rods rattling off SEEK OUT THE FISH! One thing I’ve noticed is that people seem less willing

to actually go and look for the fish during the winter. I can honestly say that I’ve not seen an angler actively walking around the lake, climbing trees and looking for fish throughout December, January and February. It can sometimes seem like hard work, but you’ll be surprised by just how many carp you actually do see. You won’t spot a fish every time you climb a tree, but with the water clarity at its best, it’s amazing sometimes what you can spot in freezing conditions. I’ve watched fish clouding up in very shallow water in the most bitter of conditions, when you would have expected them to be resting in deeper, more secluded areas. At other times, I’ve watched shoals of carp just moving around lethargically, as they would in the warmer months, but in slow motion. It’s actually surprising just how much time they spend in midwater, or even just below the surface through those bitterly cold, clear days and nights; so, I think that it’s always worth having at least one rod out on a zig rig. Some of the best winter fishing places I’ve found aren’t too dissimilar to those that perform well during the warmer months. Snags, for example, are always a good bet, for example, especially if they’re on a south facing bank or island - with shorter daylight hours, any south facing bank will receive most of the sunshine. I’ve also found that any plateaus or raised areas amongst deeper water can be productive. Again, I’m sure it’s because the fish move up from the deeper water when the sun comes out. WEEDBED MAGIC The remaining weedbeds can also attract carp. On several waters, I’ve found the majority of the lake’s stock held up in and around big weedbeds and they’ve remained there for most of the winter. Don’t ask me why, but just like in the summer, carp absolutely love weedbeds. I can remember fishing on a small gravel pit in Southampton and climbing each tree as I made my way round, until I nearly fell out of one at the sight below me. There in front of me at one end of the lake - and in a swim that I didn’t fancy fishing - was a weedbed in eight feet of water that reached from top to bottom. Around it swam most of the lake’s stock, including a lovely old mid-40 pounder, slowly drifting in and out and around it. I watched the carp for a little while before climbing down and putting together a couple of zigs. After a couple of casts, I soon had

WINTER WONDERLAND - DAVE MAGALHAES two whittled down white pop-ups sat just below the surface, either side of the weedbed. Quickly climbing back up the tree, I got comfortable and watched in anticipation, fully expecting one of the rod tips to nod down any minute. For the next couple of hours I watched in disbelief as the carp took it in turns to suck in my baits and then spit them back out. Some of them actually held them in their mouths for a good five seconds or so before deciding something wasn’t right and spitting them back out! They did not spook; they just continued to chill out around the weed. From the ground, I really wouldn’t have had a clue what was going on, even though they were so close to the surface and not more than 30 yards out from the bank.I did eventually manage to catch one small scaly carp of about 14lb, after jumping down from the tree and striking before it spat the hook. I tried this tactic a few more times but kept missing them. In hindsight, I should have had “A Passion for Angling” moment and sat up the tree with rod in hand; I bet I would have caught a fair few! WATCH THE BIRDY Carp are very much creatures of habit and there’s a good chance that if an area produced in the past,

it will do so again. On the trickier venues, then past sightings and captures could make a massive difference to your catch rate, so it is worthwhile exploring them a bit further. I can think of two venues where I’d learnt about certain areas that had produced in the past, and just by watching the water out in front, it was clear that the carp were present. This was confirmed by the groups of birds that would come slowly paddling over before breaking rank and flapping off in a panic. Observations and information like these can make a huge difference in the winter when trying to find the carp. As it happens, on one of the lakes, CEMEX’s Sandhurst, the behaviour of the birds encouraged me to swing three rods around into a ten or fifteen yard stretch. This paid off as I ended up having one of my best winter catches with a 40.10 lb mirror, a 37 lb plus common, and a small common and a lost fish. I even told my friend in the swim next to me to put his rods as close as he could to mine, and he caught a 24 lb mirror while I played the 37 pounder. You’ll be surprised how often this can happen in

the winter; not so much the size, but bite time. You can almost set your watch by them, so it does pay to make a note of the time that people are getting their takes. Sometimes you can get a crazy hour or couple of hours followed by nothing, then you may as well pack up and return for the same time the next day. SHALLOW WATERS WORTH A VISIT These days, venues such as Sandhurst, or other shallow waters with a good head of carp, are the sort of places that I fish when it’s cold. They tend to react quicker to any changes in the weather, and, if we do get a period of mild weather, quite big hits of carp are possible. The warmer months are more often than not spent chasing elusive bigguns, and the thought of sitting it out for a whole winter for one bite on my own doesn’t appeal anymore. Instead, I try to use it as a break, get a few bends in the rods and also try and catch up with friends. There’s nothing like a good winter social, all camped round someone’s bivvy eating a curry, telling stories of past captures. I think it helps to keep each other sane and importantly looking forward to the next trip. If you’re planning to fish right the way through on one specific venue, then it can pay to keep the bait going in, especially if you’re likely to be one of only a few to see the winter through. I’ve got

friends that in past winters have kept the fish fed all the way through to the spring. Their results were phenomenal, but it was an expensive strategy. COST-EFFECTIVE BAITING PAYS DIVIDENDS! I tend to take a slightly different approach, and try to fish for a bite at a time – just as I do at any other time of the year. I try not to feed baits that will fill them up too much, and instead use things that will pass through them quickly and keep them grubbing about. Baits such as hemp, maize, maggots and even groundbaits, as well as a few 10 millers. Don’t be afraid to try the odd alternative bait either. I remember fishing next to someone once that hauled on slivers of pepperami, so much so that for a while it was the ‘in thing’ to use. I’ve got a couple of little tricks that I’ve found to make quite a difference to my catch rate when the going gets tough, but I think they’re best saved for another time. Good luck through the coming months. I hope that we’ll have a better winter than last year, and, before you know it, spring will be upon us once more. Until next time, be lucky! DAVE MAG

Learning Zone

STAY SHARP the definitive guide to sharpening hooks

23 - 24 Bite Eye Gape

Bend

Shank

ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS OF GIVING YOURSELF AN EDGE OVER THE NEXT ANGLER (ASSUMING THAT THEY HAVE NOT READ THIS ARTICLE) IS TO SHARPEN YOUR HOOK. This often overlooked procedure ‘will’ put a few extra carp on the bank for you guaranteed. Quick wins in carp fishing are few and far between these days, but this little gem is 100% guaranteed to bank you more fish.

The 3 Side Method... What you are aiming to do is shave off tiny amounts of the protective coating and hook material on 3 faces, between the barb and point. (Note: once any protective coating has been removed from the hook, corrosion will begin to take place in the form of rust. A small dab of Vaseline will help to protect the bared metal, but this is not essential.)

What you will need... 1. proprietary hook sharpening file / kit 2. A little bit of patience!

Learning Zone

25 Sharpening the sides.. Hold the hook firmly by the shank. Following the natural angle of the hook point, gently push/move the file towards the point of the hook, working in one direction only and from the barb to the point. 5 to 6 strokes is usually enough. Inspect with an eye or magnifying glass (if you have one)...

Sharpening the sides.. Repeat the same procedure for the other side of the hook making sure that both sides of the hook point have come together evenly. This can be checked by looking down the end face towards the point.

www.carpaholixx.com 100% Usefull

26 STRAIGHT TO THE POINT... Gently pushing the file towards the hook point and in one direction only. Remember to follow the contour of the hook when sharpening the end face. The point of your hook may have an interned, outurned or straight point..

BEAKED POINT... Observe the same procedures for step 3. Finally file the raised edges between both sides and the end face of the hook (remember to work in one direction only) this final touch will give the sharpened hook a round, needle like, finish.

www.carpaholixx.com 100% Useful

Learning Zone

27 AND FINALLY... Remember to check your hook point after each cast and re-touch/sharpen if required. We cannot over enfasise the importance of sharpening your hook. Hook Sharpening is very much trial and error, but practice really does make perfect. So make it part of your carp fishing routine.

HOOK ANATOMY...

Bite Eye Gape

Shank

Bend

Developed from hydroFLO but even tougher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; designed to cope with hard, battling, big fish and those situations where you absolutely need the toughest line you can get. No other high abrasion line offers the same superb performance for casting, sink-ability, feel, knot strength and all round outstanding reliability. Stronger knots and ultimate abrasion resistance

thanks to the unique GT Nano Resin formula. Super soft and smooth finish glides through rod rings for ultimate casting performance. Steely finish with controlled stretch to give a crisp and ultra responsive feel when casting out, striking and playing enabling you to react instinctively to the fishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s every move like never before. Available on 4oz spools in 10lb, 12lb and 15lb.

VIDEOS BEHIND THE RODS - NIGEL SHARP’S CARP FISHING TIPS VIDEO - PART 1

dave bentonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baitboat winter METHOD

dave benton DEMONSTRATES how he uses a baitboat for his winter fishing

Learning Zone

31 The i-Rig

step 1

Developed by Ian Lewis of Gardner Tackle, has been designed to allow the hook bait a high degree of natural movement whilst using a semi-stiff (super-clear) hooklink material.

Cut down a 15mm Mistral i-40 pop-up boilie. You may need to trim the pop up further (when it is attached to the finished rig) to acheive the correct balance

Application... Superb when used over particles or boilies in marginal situations.The rig has superb anti-eject properties and if used in conjuction with a lead release system is super-carp-safe.

32 step 2

step 3

Tie a small loop in a length of 15LB Gardner Trickster hook link material and attach the pop-up. Use a suitable boilie stop of your choice.

Whip to a Gardner size 6 Chod hook using a seven turn knotless knot after sliding a small piece of silicon down the bend. Trim and glue the Trickster to the hook.

step 4

step 5

Once the glue has dried, knotless knot 15lb Gardner Mirage 11 times around the shank of the hook. Trim the tag end and glue if required.

Attach a large sinker or rig putty 1â&#x20AC;? from the eye of the hook. We advise using rig putty because it can be increased or decreased to suit the size of boilie being used.

Learning Zone

33 step 6

step 7

Tie a figure of eight loop at the other end of the hooklink material. Rig length can be a personal choice, but the rig works best when used at a shorter lenghts of 5-6â&#x20AC;?.

Ever so slightly elongate a size 8 swivel at one end. This is best carried out using a pair of forceps.

step 8 - 9

step 10

Attach a Gardner Q Ring to the elongated end of the swivel and then on to the hooklink loop.

And finally... attach an inline lead to the tail rubber and plug the swivel into the end of the lead, laying the line over the back of the lead in the process.

Thread on a tail rubber and attach 16lb Mirage mainline to the elongated end of the swivel using a Palomar knot. The Palomar knot is a prefered knot, but other types can be used.

THE SECRET CANAL by Adrian Fautley

Adrian unlocks the secrets of the canals... Throughout my angling career I have focused my attention on still-waters and as such have never really been interested in fishing any other type of venue, even though I hear of carp anglers such as Danny Smith and DaveVaughn catching some rather large carp from canals and rivers. A good friend of mine Brian Byford, from Solar Tackle, had been telling me about the secrets in the canals. After showing me some photographs of the carp that he had caught, I decided to take him up on his offer and go and do a few sessions on one of his favorite stretches (I cannot divulge any information about these spots as he will hang me out to dry!). Well it wasn’t the fish that got hooked it was me (ha ha)! My first session was a success. After only a few short hours I managed to bank several nice fish. I was extremely pleased with the way that the session had progressed. I could not wait to get back on there and the thoughts of the pit that I had been fishing had gone from my mind (well for a while any way), which is very rare for me as when I have set my sights on a venue I will not deviate from my plan.

control and the fish swam straight through Brian’s line, managing to free itself in the process. ‘’What a noddy’’ I said. The sinking feeling that followed lasted only a few seconds because without warning my other rod leapt into life. The line was spilling from the spool, but as I lifted into the fish I thought – “this feels a bit breamish”. I had the grace of a 4lb Chub caught on a choddie - never heard of that before!! The remainder of the session passed without so much as a ripple. With all the shows that I have been attending recently it has been difficult to get back out angling. Also the big freeze kicked in and even the canals were solid, so I was literally climbing the walls. There is only so many rigs you can tie at home! I had a phone call from Brian telling me about a spot he had found that was not frozen. Without further ado I went to have a look, and it didn’t take long to find some fish fizzing. I decided to do some pre-baiting with some Nash Monster Squid boilies (which is a great bait to use all year round) and return to fish the next day.

On my return to the canal I decided to use my trusty chod rigs incorporating the awesome Nash diffusion leaders. I like to keep things simple but I will ring the changes if I feel the situation dictates, but as they say; if it ain’t broke - don’t fix it. My Facebook page tells a story – Simple, consistent fishing = success!

I arrived back at our secret spot early the following morning (Poor old Brian had man flu, so couldn’t make the trip - ha ha!). I Loaded myself up with fishing gear and walked up and down the bank looking for signs of fish. One thing I will say is that I have learnt to leave the barrow at home and travel light, as you never know what you may need to climb over.

After a few bite-less hours Brian decided it was time to up sticks and move to one of his other favorite areas. This area had produced some big fish in the past and I couldn’t wait to give it a go.

I found the fish feeding over the spot that I had prebaited the previous day. I decided to use the same terminal set up that had been so successful on my previous trip.

On arrival we found that a work party had recently cleared a lot of the fish-holding snags, but I was still eager to have a go and it wasn’t long before the Nash Sirens were screaming. After a few liners and a tough battle I finally got the fish, a nice size mirror carp, to the edge of my landing net, but in my excitement I lost

The Nash diffusion leaders blend into any lakebed and sit great when using a back lead.

Bait-wise, I decided (due to undertow) to use a minimal amount of crushed free baits. This was enough to keep the fish feeding. I started getting line-bites straight away, but I had to sit on my hands and wait. Before long my buzzer burst into life – I was in!

NOTES FROM THE BIVVY - ADRIaN FAULTLEY

fter a great battle I had an awesome winter canal carp laying in the bottom of my net I could not have been happier. The problem was I had nobody with me to take a photo and traveling light I only had the camera on my mobile phone to hand. I was in trouble, so I quickly phoned Brian as I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t call anyone else or they would know where I had been dangling! After a lot of sniffing and sneezing Brian agreed to drive down and took a photo for me, so a big thank you to you for that mate. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get back down there, but it is now getting to the start of the carp fishing matches, with my first one at the end of February, so its time to start getting ready for those. Keep your eyes on the mag for more on what I have been up to. I Just want to say a big thanks to Brian Byford and to Mark Mann from Frozen Moment photography for tidying up my pictures. See you on the bank... Adrian

VIDEOS YATELEY COPSE LAKE VENUE GUIDE An introduction to the Cemex Yateley Copse Lake- without doubt one of the prettiest waters on the Yateley Complex

The Copse Lake is without doubt one of the prettiest waters on the Yateley Complex. Nestled in-between the Match Lake and Sandhurst Lake, it is very secluded and peaceful. With bars, islands and bays, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always plenty of features to go for. The Carp stocking levels are unknown, but twenty stunning Horseshoe - Orchid Carp were stocked in early 2010. These carp have shown fantastic growth rates with two different 30lb fish recently caught. The Copse Lake also has the potential to be a great stalking water, with the Carp easy to find in the shallower areas in the warmer months. Note: The Copse Lake is open to syndicate members only. Please contact Cemex Angling on: 01932 583 630 for more information.

29 03 December 2012 | Volume 1