CHRIS BALL
IAN CHILLCOTT
BACK IN THE DAY – DUNCAN KAY
HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND
THE ORIGINAL AND STILL THE BEST
inside
WINTER IN THE VALLEY
MADNESS ON THE MEADS – GREG ELLIS
MAR – 2020 Issue
354 £4.99
ISH FISH HE
TOM GI BSON
DAV E L AN E
O L I DAVIE S
TOM AND A HANDFUL OF THE STICKY TEAM
D AV E R E C O U N T S H I S T I M E O N A VA S T
O L I L O O K S B A C K A T A N I N C R E D I B LY
EMBARK ON A MISSION TO FISH A HUGE
B E D F O R D S H I R E P I T T H AT H E F I S H E D W I T H H I S
S U C C E S S F U L S E A S O N C U L M I N AT I N G I N T H E
PUBLIC VENUE ABROAD
PA R T N E R I N C R I M E , M R . F, I N T H E N O U G H T I E S
C A P T U R E O F A T R U LY R E M A R K A B L E F I S H
ALSO: TIM PAISLEY ROB HUGHES DEREK PYE PAUL FORWARD JIM WILSON BRIAN SKOYLES STUART LENNOX STEVE BRIGGS
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The
Ellis Diary
Madness on the Meads! Rather than tough it out on a ‘headbanger’, Greg often looks elsewhere for the chance of a bite once winter has taken a hold of his target venue. Last November he took the decision to leave the expanse of Burghfield behind for a few months and focus on somewhere closer to home Greg ellis
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Put to the test! With plans to head over to a huge public lake in France and have a good ol’ laugh together, Bev, Jake, Garth, Tom G and Chris had no idea what they’d let themselves in for when they agreed to fish a public lake in the heart of France with Sticky Baits boss, Tom Anderson! TOM GIBSON
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Better to be lucky than good
Oli Davies looks back on a successful year’s angling when, for almost as long as he can remember, his heart wasn’t always in it – and for personal reasons it certainly wasn’t the first thing on his mind
Oli Oli Davies Davies CARPWORLD
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2019 ABOVE
2019 started with a banger
RIGHT TOP
A brief February overnighter in Belgium produced several stunning commons
RIGHT BOTTOM
A late birthday present came in the shape of this Cray Pool original
was a rollercoaster of a year. Thrilling and terrifying in equal measure. On the outside it might seem like business as usual, but it was a tough year for me. In fact, it just may be my toughest yet. Without going into too much detail, myself, my good friends and family, have all had a lot to deal with. Sometimes it’s difficult to just carry on as if nothing is going on. I’m sure all of you have had and will have cause to relate at some point in your lives. That’s just life I guess, and keeping a grasp on reality is essential. At times fishing has taken a back seat. Sometimes I’ve had the opportunity, but I simply haven’t wanted to go. To put that into context I have never felt that way in my 30-odd years of fishing, no matter what has been going on in my life. Even when there wasn’t an opportunity, I would still create one and more often than not, if I could squeeze in a couple of hours I would. However, I have fished far less this season than I have in the last 10 years, particularly over the latter half of the year. Relatively speaking, I probably still end up fishing more than most with
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work, but my ‘personal fishing’ has been minimal. One or two overnighters a week, the odd short session through the warmer months, and just a few Friday nights where I saw fit to stay during the day on Saturday. I got a new ticket this year. For my £300 I have fished one solitary blank night on there. In spite of this, it’s been an incredible year fish-wise. I’ve caught consistently, which I always try to do, but normally my style of fishing means I tend not to catch many big fish. That’s fine by me – I love carp of all sizes, but it’s always nice to catch a big one once in a while! I must have trodden in something however, as I’ve been blessed with more than my fair share of good fish for relatively little time spent fishing during the year. I guess it’s better to be lucky than good! Right from the off I started racking up the captures. I began 2019 where I had finished 2018, on RK Leisure’s Crayfish Pool on the Horton Complex. I’d really enjoyed fishing there over the previous few months and caught some nice fish. The stock is really impressive for a small lake. There are a lot of really pretty mirrors in there and a fair few 30-pounders, with the biggest carp touching 40lb, something I hadn’t really noticed previously. Having spent a fair bit of time watching the fish in the edge over the previous season I was now well aware of how many good fish there were to go at. I did my first overnighter of the year on the 5th of January, arriving at gone midnight. The fish were still extremely active, as they often are in the middle of the night, jumping all over the lake as I set up. More importantly, I had found them in the edge and nearly managed to stalk one earlier that day on a quick recce prior to returning with some accommodation for the night. I already knew the fish were active and I knew how to catch them so when I did turn up in the dark I knew where I wanted to be and quickly had three traps set, made easy by the baiting spoon. It was cold; below freezing, but a dry cold brought by the northerly wind. I actually wound up sleeping under the stars believe it or not, but it was one of those nights where an open-fronted shelter offered no advantage, with no condensation to worry about. The dawn was just creeping in when I was woken by a bite. Within the space of 10 minutes each of the three rods went in turn. By the time the carnage was over, in my two nets sat a double, a scaly 20, and a decent mid-30. It was a mad, intense feeding spell on such a freezing cold morning! Lewis popped up to do the pictures, and my hands were somewhere between burning and numb by the time I had hoisted them all up for the camera. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year. Well, actually I could... A birthday carp would have been nice! Unfortunately I couldn’t repeat that miraculous feat and blanked, something I am well accustomed to with having a January birthday. Undeterred, I was back again two days later and normal service resumed. A midnight arrival; rigs dropped super-accurately with the aid of a baiting spoon and three more bites for my trouble.
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THE BOATHOUSE BATTLES
in the day RED SLYME RULES! Chris Ball
This month’s piece sees Chris taking a look at the early life and times of one of carp fishing’s innovators and almost without question, one of its biggest characters too, the legendary Duncan Kay
I
know it’s often said nowadays that fishing doesn’t have characters like it used to, though I’m not so sure when I look around the carping community these days. However, there can be no getting away from the fact that in the past there have been some larger than life individuals in the carp game. Over 45-years ago a young man was making a name for himself when it came to catching carp in the Northampton area. He’d tackled some pretty tough waters and came away with the spoils of war. Besides catching carp, he became intently interested in flavours, additives and all manner of other goodies to make bait. This combination of successful carp catching and a mania for bait was to bear much fruit. So who the hell am I talking about? A clue to any long-time carpers out there, are the words Red Slyme; and if you recognise that name it can only mean one person – the late Duncan Kay. For those who started their carp fishing in the 1970s and 80s, he was a major player though his writing, his catches and of course his bait company. Although initially qualified as a leather technician, his abiding passion had always been fishing and in the mid-70s he became avidly interested in producing his own ‘modern’ baits. After many carefully controlled experiments, plus extensive testing, he started making baits for a few of his friends. These were so successful that in 1977 he decided to market his own range of specialist baits. Starting with just a few items, the Duncan Kay range of baits steadily grew as did the business, and the following year he opened a spacious new factory. A quote that was used at the time ‘... if you use his baits ONLY the fish can lose.’ The big seller was his Red Slyme. This description is from an early 80s brochure. Red Slyme – in Duncan’s opinion this is the best carp bait of all time and it also catches big fish of all other major species with regularity. The base is very high protein, with a strong amino acid profile and slightly scented aroma. CARPWORLD
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Back in 1971 Duncan Kay was a red hot keen carp fisherman and the species got his unswerving attention. Flushed with success by catching big fish from contrasting waters, such as the mighty Billing Aquadrome – no mean feat – and Cuttle Mill, the then controversial midlands carp lake, he got into a fairly exclusive water at Hemingford Grey called Waterways. This fishery, with two lakes, was owned by an eccentric gentleman solicitor who evidently was deeply into mystic arts. The fishery was run by his gardener who was even more deeply into backhanders. Duncan’s first visit was in early February and was really just to look round. He sat on a garden seat talking to one of the members, who filled him in regarding the history of the water, plus some other assorted general hints and tips. Without warning a chap called Bob Benton came staggering along from the Bird Lake with an enormous carp which barely fitted into his landing net. Duncan took the fish out and weighed it for him at 29¼lb – possibly the largest true winter carp on record at the time. Duncan wrote at the time, “Honestly, I just couldn’t wait to get back to try my own luck the next weekend. I’d chosen my swim, which I called ‘The Boathouse’ (for obvious reasons), because, apart from being next to a boathouse, it couldn’t really be encroached on from any other swim, which made it exclusive. Also, it had deep water gravel bars at 25 and 45 yards, plus a large lily bed some 50-yards out to the right. I put in the standard loose feed, half a bucket of mashed bread and one pint of maggots. The hookbait was a flake/maggot cocktail on standard six-pound line and size 8 hook. Soon after casting out I got a lot of twitches with the line just lifting a little from the rod tip to the water, and as it was a ‘new’ lake I assumed that roach were responsible. However, each time I reeled in, the flake had gone and the maggots were ‘skinned’, so I thought, big roach, and shortly after struck at one small lift of the indicator. The result was devastating with a big carp taking off to the right at such a pace it jerked the rod horizontal. It then charged down the lake for 40 or 50 yards, before turning round and tearing up the middle of the lake again. It carried on for another 50 yards, but slowly I got him back into the net – at 17½lb, not a bad mirror to start with. I put the fish into a keepnet as I used to do then, but I noticed the other line ‘doing things’, so I struck that as well, resulting in a 16lb mirror.” This state of affairs continued for Duncan for the next four casts, with a 15½lb common and three tench, which wasn’t a bad catch for the first hour in his new-found swim. As time went on a pattern emerged of a frenzied feeding spell for an hour or two each day, but the fish would not lift a bobbin of any kind. In fact, he only had one run in the first year – which was missed! That year stood Duncan in good stead for other waters where this happened, for he caught many big fish by just watching the line rather than a bobbin.
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THE FOLLOWING YE AR The next year (1972) was the best at Waterways, taking 40 fish with an average weight of 15lb. Many swims were tried with success, but he always felt at home in The Boathouse, and on May 13th set up the shoddy bundle of sticks he loosely termed as rods, for what was to be a memorable day. The hot sun did little for the carp, nor did the tempting morsels of crust. His friend, Steve Radford, caught nothing either, down to his left in the Pens swim, so it appeared that all looked set for a glorious blank. However, not being one to give up easily, Duncan sent a bait out towards the lilies 50 yards away. Settling down to enjoy the afternoon sun was no problem, until the buzzer sounded, followed almost immediately by the sound of the reel handle spinning. He leapt up and struck instinctively, the fish was well-hooked, pulling the rod horizontal and starting upon the longest and most vicious run he’d ever experienced from a carp. Lilies were cut off as if with a cheese wire and the line picked up rapidly to the fish which was
already an incredible distance across the lake. He found himself with the rod still pointing flat at the fish and the reel screaming like never before. Even with finger pressure on the spool this continued until the 100-metre knot went up through the rodrings! Then it all slowed down gradually, coming to a stop with about 120 yards of line out. He called to Steve to take the boat out and try and dislodge the fish which had gone to ground in weed, but as he was halfway out Duncan could see the line cutting back towards him. He yelled for Steve to get the oars out, which he did, just in time to avoid a disaster. A good 20 minutes later the carp circled around in the swim and was drawn into the net. Duncan takes up the story once again, “What a fish it was! It became my personal best at that time, at 26½lb and a record for the main lake by four ounces. The next year was a different story, as by now about 50 anglers were members instead of the official 25, and it was difficult to get The Boathouse swim at weekends. I was experimenting more with specials and additives by this time and had started up my own water which took up a lot of time in the early days, but by the end of November I was again in The Boathouse swim, having had a reasonable season despite the difficulties. This time the flake I used was covered in the French ‘Mystic’ paste, which is rather like red Airfix glue, Picric acid, essential oils and esters. This had worked well so far and I felt fish may be attracted by the solvent in the ‘Mystic’. I loose fed a few pieces of flake, but only the hookbaits had the additive on. The fish were most responsive, especially roach at first. Then came the carp on the hour, five times, all doubles up to 17lb. I was overjoyed, as this equalled the best catch in a day there before and for me it was a fitting finale to fishing at that water.” It was at Waterways that Duncan first met a young Kevin Maddocks, who was then a general, all-round angler, trying to catch a carp. Little did he know it would be the start of a long friendship, and that before too long Duncan would be learning from Kevin himself.
ABOVE
One of the carp Duncan Kay caught from Billing Aquadrome – 20½lb June 1970
LEFT
An early Slyme Baits brochure
RIGHT
Yes, I know this is a picture that would be frowned upon today, but things were very different over 45 years ago. Duncan, with his PB from Waterways weighing in at 26¼lb
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A Trip Down Memory Lane
Dave rounds off his ‘trip down...’ tales with a look back at a slightly unknown quantity – a lightly fished, vast, Bedfordshire pit that he fished with his partner in crime, Paul Forward, in the noughties
Dave Lane
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S
o, we come to the end of this series of articles which, originally, I intended to be 12 of my favourite lakes, but it turned out that I actually had 14! After a brief flirtation with the North Met, which didn’t end quite as we had planned, myself and Mr F decided to look for pastures new and purely by chance ended up at Brogborough. Somewhere during my search for large, wild and untapped waters I was shown a picture of a carp known as The Red Fish, from a huge lake in Bedfordshire, one I had actually looked into a few years earlier and everything just sort of fell straight into place after that. The tickets were easily obtainable, there were boats allowed and the lake was receiving very little pressure at the time, in fact it was deserted most weeks. At 240 acres it certainly fitted the ‘large’ requirement and when the wind got up ‘wild’ was a fairly inadequate adjective really, as it could become savage in no time at all. As for untapped, well it had been fished a bit, but the remaining original stock, including the ‘red fish’ was unknown, but we also heard it had been stocked a few years earlier, yet quite how big these newer fish had grown to, we were unsure of. The week before our start was spent in constant preparation – boat repairs, battery charging, engine maintenance and marker construction, along with all the bait and food stuff of course. That first session really had a supercharged vibe to it. It was just so exciting and, once we started to see a few fish, it grew even more so. On the first evening of the trip, after rowing out a bait to a showing carp, Mr F put the first one on the bank, a lovely looking mirror of about 18lb and I wasn’t overly far behind with a common of similar size an hour later. These were obviously the stock fish, but we were hopeful of a few bigger ones throughout the summer if we played our cards right and learnt a bit about the lake and the fish movements along the way. Brogborough is absolutely peppered with gravel bars. It’s one of the strangest diggings I have ever seen and almost resembles a central spine with countless ribs stretching out on both sides. When it was flooded they must have left all the trees and bushes that would have grown on these bars as the place is festooned with bleached white snags, some of which are just single branches, or roots, others are whole trees. These soon became very problematic as your line could easily cut into them underwater, but it was then almost impossible to pull it back out again, which was very frustrating. At some stage in its past I believe Brogborough Lake was the original site for making Marston Bricks and, as such, the entire margins are covered with rejects. Whole and half house bricks are present in their thousands which made wading a bit dangerous but, on the upside, it made barbeque construction an absolute art form. We ended up
just taking a coal tray and metal grid around with us and lovingly putting together a proper brickbuilt barbeque in every swim that we fished. The two opposing ends of the lake were very different indeed, whereas the road end was shallower and covered in bars and plateaus the sailing club end was far deeper and, although it still had the bars, they would be 14 to 16 feet deep in 20-odd foot of water. Bear in mind here that the main section was around 1000 yards from end to end, this left room for a lot of scope to find pretty much any depth or feature you required. Right up at the sailing club bank. The margins were also quite extreme, with huge piles of bricks, rubble and old lorry tyres all imbedded into the banks, there was even a man-made bar, constructed from stacks of lorry tyres all wired together and this was, apparently, for divers to amuse themselves in and around. Luckily for us, the sailing club was very inactive that particular year, but we did still have to contend with the extreme swimming club; a group of surprisingly elderly folk who would don their rubber caps and then front crawl their way along the entire lake and back, sometimes stopping for a breather right over your baits in the middle of the lake, but neither of us ever managed
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