Improve Your Coarse Fishing Issue 349 (PREVIEW)

A SET OF SHAKESPEARE FEEDER & WAGGLER RODS !

N WI

TOTAL E PACKAGH WORT £440

BOB NUDD

'S

T O H D RE H C A O R S T E R SEC of bait! p 0 5 n o p u ■ Bag ger fish ig b r o f s ig r ■ Deadly tial kit you need ■ The essen

Experts answer your angling problems

DES SHIPP

Easy ways to add yardst to your cas REVEALED

Jon Arthur'sd new Metho t feeder twis

April 9 – May 7, 2019 £3.90

ISSUE 349

NEW SERIES!

FISHERY FOCUS: IN-DEPTH GUIDES TO THE UK'S BEST VENUES

This month...

Issue 349 April 9 – May 7, 2019

Fishery Focus 8

Monk Lakes, Marden, Kent

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24

NEW SERIES!

Mousecroft Pool Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Tactics 24 30

Bob Nudd Hemp for commercial roach

Neil McKinnon Commercial specimens

34

Jamie Read

40

Bait types: Pellets

42

Tom Downing

Juggle your groundbait options Everything you need to know Three rigs, Three depths and a load of fish!

49

46

49 54 58 62

Pole pots explained The types and their uses

Rob Swan Master casters for silvers

65 70

75

Tony Curd Heavy rigs for silvers

Rig School Flatbed Method feeder

Method feeder... with a twist

Fish Better with Des Shipp Add yards to your cast

Quickfire Tips Essential knots to tie

Jon Arthur

78

Q&A Your questions answered

Below the surface The importance of plants life in lakes and rivers

82

80

Tackle 80 42 82

Carp tactics 104

84

Rob Hughes Hit-and-run tactics 88

Rig of the month

108 Speci Method feeder 110

112

92

Carp Q&A Sticky’s experts solve your carping problems

96

Object of desire Daiwa 18 Ninja LT reels

New gear Latest tackle releases

Live test: JRC Defender Combo

Kodex launch New Karp Lokker luggage

Buyers’ guide Match rod holdalls

Guru’s spring goodies New from the match brand

Jonny Fletcher big-water carping Step up to big-w 104

Your IYCF 20 98

Subscribe... ... and save up to 51%

Your letters Have your say

Daiwa Mission

100 Your catch shots xxx

Crossword

116 Win a Korum Lure Bag 70

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The seeds of success When you’re after the finest roach in the lake you need to rely on home-prepared hemp, says former World Champion Bob Nudd Words Tony Grigorjevs Photography Lloyd Rogers

I

T’S fair to say that the vast majority of commercial fishery anglers have little interest in catching roach.

This sad trend is mainly down to the stamp of fish they encounter, with nuisance tiddlers, including redfins, often the source of their frustration. If they were in with a chance of catching quality roach that pulled out plenty of elastic then there’s every chance they would

TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: ROACH DIFFICULTY:

24 • IYCF Issue 349

become a much more appealing target.

“Big roach are stocked in lots of commercials – it’s just a matter of using the right bait to find them,” explains four times world champion Bob Nudd.

“Maggots and casters are great for getting lots of bites but if you want to catch the biggest specimens then hemp should be your first port of call.”

TACTICS

IYCF April 9 – May 7, 2019 • 25

34 • IYCF Issue 349

TACTICS

JUGGLE YOUR OPTIONS If you believe that the way groundbait is fed has no bearing on results then it’s time to think again, says Jamie Read who proves it does Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs

W

HEN you embark on bream session, a couple of bags of groundbait are the first item in the bait bucket.

A shoal fish by nature, bream travel around their watery home in large numbers and when they pass through your peg it takes plenty of grub to stop them in their tracks.

Combine the flavour of groundbait and the thousands of tiny particles it is made from on the bottom and you’ve got a meal that to keep

hungry skimmers and slabs occupied for long enough for you to catch plenty.

But while we are all agreed it needs to play a big part in our armoury, the precise style of feeding groundbait is open to debate.

Should it be fed loose? In large balls? As a slop? In tiny nuggets?

Ask Bait-Tech and Milo’s Jamie Read and he’ll tell you that all of the above should be used at one point or another during a session.

TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: BREAM DIFFICULTY:

IYCF April 9 – May 7, 2019 • 35

BAIT TYPES: PELLETS

Whatever species or type of water you fish, pellets will undoubtedly play a part. But with so many available, which is best?

P

ELLETS are a staple part in the diets of most fish. Many species, especially carp, are reared on them so actually recognise them as a valuable food source.

One of the main advantages of pellets is that they are incredibly versatile.

They can be used as loosefeed or as a hookbait and make an excellent filling for PVA bags or an

addition to a spod or groundbait mix.

But with so many different types available choosing the right one can be confusing. From size, to oil content and even shape, pellets can vary greatly from one another.

This month we look at the main types of pellets available and explain in which situation they are most effective.

HALIBUT

These high-oil pellets are

crammed with nutrients and proteins. Available from tiny 2mm pellets used to create beds of free bait, through to gob-stopping 21mm giant pellets. Big carp, barbel, catfish, bream and chub love them. Best for use in the warmer months due to their high-oil content.

CARP

Many commercial fisheries ban

halibut pellets due to their high oil content. Based on vegetable proteins, these pellets are less oily but are still excellent attractors. They make an excellent loosefeed or can be banded on a hair rig as a hookbait. Available in a variety of sizes, with 4mm, 6mm and 8mm the most popular.

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EXPANDERS

These hard, buoyant pellets are designed to be soaked in water to soften. This enables them to be hooked directly on to the hook. Because they are so soft, they work best when fishing the pole as this enables the bait to be gently lowered into the water without it coming off.

ELLIPTICAL

The flattened shape of these pellets helps them stay in position in fast-flowing rivers and, as such, they are hugely popular with barbel and chub anglers. They can be fished inside PVA bags, drilled and threaded on to a hair. Also, try gluing two pellets back to back on a hair rig.

MICRO PELLETS

Tiny pellets which are excellent for getting carp and silver fish feeding and holding them in the swim. They are commonly used with Method feeders because, once dampened, they will stick securely to the frame of the feeder.

IYCF April 9 – May 7, 2019 • 41

Fish better with...

DES SHIPP

Brush up on key angling skills with England International Des, to put more fish on the bank

THIS MONTH: HOW TO ADD YARDS TO YOUR CAST

H

OW many times have you turned up at your peg, spotted a feature at range that you just know is going to hold fish?

The excitement builds up to the first cast before a wave of disappointment hits you. Why? Because you’ve found you’re unable to cast tight enough to the island.

Trying to find somewhere else in the peg closer to the bank that holds fish is often the response of many anglers but you can so easily add extra yards to your cast to hit the mark every time.

This month I reveal five simple changes that will make a world of difference to how far you can cast.

HOW TO:

CAST ACTE DISTAN

SWITCH FEEDERS Picking a heavier feeder might seem obvious. But it is actually the type of feeder you need to change. Something that is streamlined and has all the weight at the front, such as a Preston Innovations Window Feeder, will fly like a bullet.

70 • IYCF Issue 349

1

2

3

IDEAL DROP Having the feeder too close to the tip will reduce the power you generate when preparing to cast. Make sure it is around 3ft from the tip when using an 11ft rod.

3ft

HAND POSITION How you hold the rod is vital. Place your right hand over the reel seat and your left at the bottom of the butt.

If your hands are too close together you will generate less power.

4

5

TIP CHOICE A light tip will not provide the necessary power to chuck a feeder to the maximum distance possible. A 2oz version will have enough power to cast but is still sensitive enough to help you spot every bite and liner.

LIGHTER LINE The thicker the line, the tougher it is to peel off the spool and pass through the rod’s guides. You need to strike a balance between aiding your cast and landing everything you hook. Use 6lb Preston Innovations Sinking Feeder Mono and you’ll easily hit 50-60 yards.

TOP TIP

When using a reel that has multiple spools, it can be easy to forget what strength line is on each of them. Pick the wrong one for the job and your casting could suffer so it is best to use a Tippex pen to write the line strength on the spool. This can be easily scratched off should you spool up with new line.

IYCF April 9 – May 7, 2019 • 71

Short and sweet LIVE TEST

This wallet-friendly rod and reel combination may be short in length but it’s long on assets when fishing smaller venues JRC DEFENDER 10ft, 3lb COMBO RRP: £69.99

I

TACKLE

T WASN’T that long ago that if you wanted a specimen carp rod, it would be 12ft or 13ft. Anything shorter were specialist tools that only a few manufacturers made.

Nowadays, though, almost every range will have a ten-footer, or even shorter in some cases. So what is the benefit of a shorter rod?

Not only are they much easier to transport, whether that be in your car, in your hand or on a barrow, they enable you to cast more accurately and generally provide a far more pleasurable experience.

On big lakes where long casts are required, then yes, you will still need a 12ft or 13ft rod as a short rod creates a much smaller arc during casting which doesn’t generate as much power. But on many venues casts of more than 50 yards are rarely required and a shorter rod is far more suitable.

For this month’s live test I had been sent a pair of JRC’s new Defender 10ft, 3lb combos.

These sets, which comprise a two-piece Defender rod, a Mitchell Avocet Black Edition freespool reel spooled with mono and a quality, well-padded single rod sleeve.

There’s also two 12ft, 3lb combos available – one a two-piece, one with a three-piece.

Long Island Lake, situated in the Cambridgeshire village of Earith, would be the ideal venue to try out the 10ft rods.

The lake, around a couple of acres in size, is divided by a large peninsula which runs across the middle and several reedbed islands of varying sizes which means there are no big casts required. Instead, short accurate casts would suffice.

Having never fished the lake before, I made a couple of circuits of its banks. Fishing along one bank is restricted to those staying in the on-site caravan park but I found several groups of carp enjoying the early spring sunshine dotted in several different parts of the lake. I eventually decided to set-up towards the end of main peninsula as this would enable me fish in both halves of the lake and cover plenty of water.

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TOP TACKLE ADVICE TO ENSURE YOU BUY THE RIGHT GEAR

GUIDE TO...

ROD & POLE HOLDALLS

Each month our team of experts at IYCF HQ take a look at some of the best tackle items on the market. This month we focus on rod holdalls...

I

F YOU haul more than rod for a session then you’ll need a holdall at least. Match and pleasure anglers will often need a feeder and a waggler rod or space for enough tubes to transport their pole and top kits.

A good quality holdall not only helps keep your kit organised, it will also protect it during transportation and in storage.

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As well as transporting your rods or pole, most holdalls will have extra internal or external pockets for housing items such as umbrellas, landing net handles, feeder arms or banksticks.

This month we selected a variety of holdalls to suit different requirements with options from under £35 to more than £100.

The holdalls at the higher end of the price spectrum tend to be made from tougher materials and have more padding, especially on the shoulder straps.

If you don’t use a barrow or trolley and have to carry your holdall from the car to your peg, these features are worth considering before you buy.

TACKLE

GURU FUSION

MIDDY MX-3T

MIDDY MX-6T

With a carbon fibre effect and bright orange piping this holdall both protects your gear and looks great. The double-sided design enables you to store up to four rods with reels with a padded middle section and thick external walls. There’s an adjustable padded shoulder strap, an EVA carry handle and a handle at the bottom to help when loading and unloading. Two internal pockets house accessories such as feeder arms, umbrellas and landing net handles.

A lightweight three-tube holdall measuring 1.85m for storing 12ft two-piece rods or up to three tubes.

Made from a tough 240 denier nylon material it features two gusseted side pockets for accessories, an adjustable shoulder strap and a zipped main closure.

It’s lightweight design makes it ideal for shorter sessions when multiple rods aren’t required and you don’t want to be weighed down by a large holdall.

A six-tube holdall made from exclusive 840 denier hard-wearing SkinMax material with additional hard-wearing twin skin reinforcement at the top and bottom. At 1.89m it is ideal for storing 12ft two-piece rods and 16m poles. There are two gusseted side pockets, a balanced and ergonomic carry handle, padded secure shoulder strap, chunky robust zips plus star-stitching at critical stress points to ensure longevity and durability.

RRP: £99.99

RRP: £39.99

RRP: £89.99

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Rob Hughes loves off-the-cuff day sessions. Here he explains how to catch more carp in less time...

Words Rob Hughes Photography Mark Parker

C

ARP Team England Manager Rob Hughes is a master tactician. When it comes to getting bites, he knows exactly what to do.

Home or away, big waters or

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small, he’s got the answers so we took him out on a rather wet, miserable, cold day to find out how best to approach day-ticket waters at this time of year. These are his success top five tips for success.

TIPS, TACTICS & RIGS MORE RE TO CATCH MO

Everybody always talks about location and it’s obvious that if you’re in the wrong place you’re not going to catch. But how do you find the right place?

Commercial venues such as Barston Lakes near Solihull, West Midlands, are fantastic for bites. It is typical of a match venue that’s overlooked by many carp anglers. The carp in such places used to be small but now contain fish of 20lb-plus. Almost all have a good head of doubles and on a day like today, a few bites with a couple of doubles is exactly what the doctor ordered.

We’re talking about day-only sessions here so it’s important to get location right. Don’t be shy! Head straight to the office and ask where recent matches have been won. You can find out exactly what weight was caught from which peg on what day.

If you’re not fishing a match venue then look at what other people are doing. If everyone is sat on the wind and hasn’t caught anything it would suggest the fish are at the opposite end. The other thing to consider is at what depth are they sitting. Your peg choice might be right but are carp on the deck or up in the water? Again, study what everyone else is doing. If 10 anglers haven’t caught anything on the bottom, I’ll cast out a zig rig.

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