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FISHERY MAPS

The Big Fish Off's...

18-PAGES

WINNING RIGS! Learn to tie the set-ups used by Dean & Ali

OF TACKLE

NEW SONUBAITS GEAR REVIEWED SONIK CARP & MAVER FEEDER RODS TESTED BUYERS' GUIDE TO CATAPULTS

ETS R C E S ROM F IT TV H THEHOW S

April 10 – May 8, 2018 £3.80

ISSUE 336

PLUS

PACKED WITH EXPERT ADVICE

LEE KERRY

Catch mixed bags on the pole

ANDY MAY Improve your feeder fishing

DES SHIPP

How to get your pellets perfect

CONTENTS Issue 336 April 10 – May 8, 2018

24

Winning rigs from the new TV series of The Big Fish Off

GREAT BRITISH FISHING

41

14

46 50 52

8

Navigate your way to canal silvers – Paul Hardy Commercials with variety – Lee Kerry

TACTICS

24 The Big Fish Off’s winning rigs – Dean Macey & Ali Hamidi 30 Just one rod is all you need – Dave Watson 34 10 tips for Spring F1s – Connor Barlow 4 • IYCF Issue 336

56 60 64

Improve your feeder fishing – Andy May Bank on bread – Dan White 5 top bream baits tips How to tackle new lakes – Joe Oakes Lassoed maggots – Glen Picton Fish better with Des Shipp Rig school: Insert waggler

CARP TACTICS

108 Spring day-ticket carp tricks – Mike Bridges

112 Spring carp location solved 116 Baiting with a difference 120 Carp Q&A

TACKLE

84 Thinking Anglers luggage 86 New gear 88 Live test: Sonik Dominator X carp rod 92 New from Sonubaits 94 Buyers’ guide to catapults 100 Live test: Maver MV-R 8ft Mini Feeder

HAVE YOU TRIED OUR DIGITAL EDITION?

You can now read all your favourite articles in our digital edition, available on iPad and Android! Prices from £2.99

8

Follow Paul Hardy’s advice to fill your net with silver fish from canals

78

41

Andy May reveals the feeder fishing basics you should follow

Carl & Alex say farewell to another river season with a spectacular outing on the River Wandle and preview the months to come with a successful visit to a secret carp lake

YOUR IYCF

20 Subscribe and get a Daiwa Sweepfire reel 102 Your letters 104 Mission: your catch shots 106 Reader offer: Stillwater Shuriken Commercial Rod for £34.99 122 Crossword: win Korum lure bags 124 Bob Roberts’ diary

88

Tackle Editor Mark Sawyer revels in the ability of the latest Sonik Dominator X carp rod

108

You’ll catch more specimen carp on a dayticket using tricks suggested by Mike Bridges

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 5

HING ● G R FIS

T BRITISH EA

HING ● G R FIS

8• IYCF Issue 336

T BRITISH EA

tion A celebra iver, st r of the be canal lake and hat fishing t s a the UK h r e to off

Navigate your way to big canal silvers Targeting rarely fished waters has paid dividends for Paul Hardy who has discovered a canal stretch full of big roach Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 9

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The Big Fish Off's...

WINNING RIGS!

LEARN HOW TO TIE THE MOST EFFECTIVE RIGS USED BY ALI HAMIDI AND DEAN MACEY IN THE HIT TELEVISION SERIES

D

URING four years of filming The Big Fish Off, presenters Ali Hamidi and Dean Macey have visited many venues and use a wide variety of tactics.

Series four of the action-packed hit TV show has just hit your screens, and sees Ali and Dean joined by some top celebrities from the world of sport as they travel around the UK, and even venture as far afield as Florida in pursuit of different species.

The presenters have often found themselves using the same rigs on a number of occasions, with just the odd tweak here and there to suit the water. Here, Ali and Dean look at some of their favourite and most successful rigs, along with the tactical changes that made all the difference in the various challenges they faced.

Ali’s rigs...

IQ D-rig

When it comes to fishing for carp on the bottom, then usually the first rig which Ali would consider using is the IQ D-rig because it has been so effective for him over the years.

This is a set-up which he has used in his own fishing over many years and it has accounted for the capture of some very big carp.

He has also put it to good use on several of the challenges on the show, where it has helped him and his partner to beat Dean’s team.

In the first episode of the new series, it makes an appearance on all three of his rods during the deciding challenge, when he teams up with heavyweight boxing star Tony Bellew to take on coach Dave Coldwell – you’ll have to watch the show to find out if it outscores Dean’s set-up on this occasion!

It can be used with all sorts of different hookbaits, although Ali tends to favour one that is balanced, and on this occasion he opted for a tigernut fished along with a Mainline Topper to give it some buoyancy.

For all of his fishing with this rig in the UK, he uses a size 4 or 6 Kurv Shank hook with a brighter coloured kicker and 20lb IQ2 fluorocarbon, and fishes it in conjunction with a Hybrid lead clip or Heli-Safe System.

A Safezone leader keeps the set-up pinned to the deck to prevent spooking fish A Korda Helisafe system enables the lead to break free if it becomes snagged

A pink Mainline Topper is used to balance the tigernut

24 • IYCF Issue 336

Margin pole rig Although Ali doesn’t come from a match fishing background, historically he has generally done well in challenges that involve pole fishing.

It is also a method which the guests seem to get to grips with quickly – even if they have never fished before – and it never takes long before they are able to use it proficiently enough to catch fish.

Often in these types of challenges it has come down to speed and who can catch the most fish, with bites being plentiful.

But there have also been times when honing his tactics have really paid off for Ali and his guests, and that has rarely been more apparent than during a challenge for crucian carp with Tony Bellew.

He explained: “Getting bites wasn’t a problem, but the lake was full of small silver bream and roach, and only crucians counted in this challenge, so the team that was able to suss out how to catch them had a big advantage.

“Everything changed for us when I spotted some tail patterns right in the margins, and although I didn’t make any major changes to the rig, dropping it just inches from the bank a little way down the margin from where we were sat made all the difference, and we were soon steadily catching our target species.

“This was far from an ideal scenario, as we all know that when fish are that close you need to try and be as quiet as possible. But not only did I have a guest who wasn’t used to a pole and dropping in a rig with as little disturbance as possible, and then being careful not to move it around, but we also had a film crew with us who had to move around to get the shots they needed to make the TV show. Luckily, however, the fish didn’t seem to mind too much!” said Ali. Ali’s margin pole rig which he uses in shallow water is constructed from 0.15mm N-Gauge rig line, with a 0.4g float, and size 18 LWG Ready Rig, with the bulk shot around two-thirds depth and a dropper close to the hook.

T BESIE THE FRO T RIG T S SHM OWHE

Ali uses a 0.4g float for fishing in the margins

The bulk shot is set at two-thirds depth with a dropper shot close to the hook

Baits such as sweetcorn will help to avoid smaller nuisance fish and pick out a better stamp

Ali and Tony (left) caught plenty of fish once they’d found them in the margins

TOP TIP

Dot your float right down when fishing for crucians.

If you have too much protruding you won’t spot delicate bites.

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 25

10

TIPS FOR SPRING F1s

r approach Connor Barlow says now is time to tweak you

A

DISMAL winter that buried us in copious amounts of snow, sleet and ice has finally passed. It is now time to start thinking about catching bigger weights of fish.

The tactics required to get bites now that the temperatures have crept up have changed, with anglers across the UK altering their rigs and tackle for the spring season.

Guru’s Connor Barlow is, like most of us, glad to see the back of the grim winter conditions.

He believes that making 10 simple, yet deadly, tweaks to your approach will help put more fish in the net when F1s are your main target.

TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: F1s DIFFICULTY:

34 • IYCF Issue 336

1

KEEP IT LIGHT

Everyone knows that you need to scale down your tackle and use really light lines and hooks in the depths of winter, but most think they can step up a few diameters in spring.

While I will fish slightly heavier now that the fish are starting to get their energy back, I still like to keep my rigs quite light.

Almost all of my F1 rigs are made of 4lb Guru N-Gauge mainline to a 3lb hooklength of the same material. When it comes to hooks, a fine yet strong size 18 Guru F1 pellet will be up to the job of landing even the biggest F1s.

2

UP THE FEED

Trickling in as few as 10 maggots too many when the water is really cold could have a detrimental effect on the number of bites you get. But now is the time to step up the feed a little. At this time of year the fish will start to come close to the bank and on most venues you can be sure that an area around 6m out will produce lots of big F1s.

Start by feeding 20 maggots by hand every five minutes and continue doing this until 90 minutes of the session has gone. In the meantime, fish elsewhere and let this area settle. Once this time has lapsed, fish over the top and expect to get a run of fish.

Keep fishing here and feeding at the same rate until the bites cease. It is then time to fish elsewhere again but keep that feed going in.

Return over the spot with around an hour of the session remaining and you are likely to get a bite every chuck from quality F1s.

3

SET UP SHALLOW

Although most of your bites will still come on the deck at this time of year, be prepared to come shallow.

If you start missing bites or foul-hooking fish it is a sign that they have come off the bottom. It is then time to reach for a separate rig that has a carbon stem and a slimline body. If I have 6ft of water I will set it at around 3ft – we haven’t yet reached the time where you can fish just under the surface.

Feed a few maggots over the top, lay in the rig and then lift and drop regularly. If nothing happens within 90 seconds, pull the rig out and lay it in again. Keep feeding and repeating this and you should get bites within 10 minutes.

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 35

TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: SILVER FISH DIFFICULTY:

46 • IYCF Issue 336

TACTICS

BANK ON BREAD

Widely pigeon-holed as a winter-only bait bread has yearround potential if you tweak the way it’s fed, says Dan Jones who shows how to bag canal silvers on a sliced white Words Dan Jones Photography Tony Grigorjevs

I

F BREAD comes into the equation on canals then thoughts of crystal clear water, chilly conditions and a tough few hours ahead come to mind.

It is seen as the last resort – the bait that will buy a bite when all else fails – and is pushed to one side when the hike in temperatures begins.

But in my eyes, it’s not just a bait that needs to be fished in a negative fashion and it has more than a bit-part to play when the fish really turn on to the feed.

At this time of year the biggest change is the amount you feed. In cold conditions a nugget of bread here and there is all you can risk introducing but in spring this can be increased.

Put simply, you can easily pile in several loaves of liquidised bread during a session and catch double figures of silverfish.

How you use your loaf once it warms up does change a little and the rigs, feeding and overall strategy requires a rethink.

Feeding zone The most important thing to get right with bread fishing is the liquidised feed. The night before a session I put three or four loaves of Warburtons thick sliced bread through a blender, leaving the crusts on.

What comes next is a crucial part of the process – it all goes through a flour sieve.

If it didn’t go through a sieve, it would be too food-rich with large particles and could easily overfeed the fish. For the hook, I use Warburtons Toastie Medium as there simply isn’t any better bread out there for the job. It’s soft, yet tacky enough to stay on and doesn’t come off when you strike.

Accurate feeding is key in almost every type of pole fishing but when bread fishing on canals you want to do exactly the opposite – spread it everywhere!

Aim to feed over a metre square to get the fish moving around the swim to take the loosefeed.

Scaled down tackle is essential when fishing for silvers with bread

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 47

!

S E I R E S W E N

Fish better with...

DES SHIPP

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

THIS MONTH: PERFECT BAIT PREPARATION

T

TOP TIP

HE decisions you make while actually fishing will clearly dictate how many fish you catch, but what happens before you wet a line is every bit as important.

Bait preparation is often overlooked but mixing your groundbait in the correct manner is an absolute must.

Mix it too dry and you’ll struggle to mould it into a ball or round a feeder. Make it too wet and you’ll end up with a sloppy mess that is useless in most scenarios.

This month I show you how to whip your groundbait into the ideal consistency.

Some groundbaits have been created for specific uses so pick a product that will work with every tactic. Sonubaits Match Method mix can be used on the feeder, made into balls or cupped in loose down the edge.

HOW TO:

MIX GROUNDBAIT

60 • IYCF Issue 336

PRODUCT Tip three pints of your chosen groundbait into a bait box

1

2

3 MESSY LOOKS Once the water is added it will be sloppy – use your hands to mix it up

ADD WATER Place the groundbait in a bucket and add a pint of water

4

5 LUMPY TEXTURE Once the water is absorbed place it on a riddle

FINISH IT OFF Push it through the riddle to remove lumps and create the finished product

IYCF March 13 – April 10, 2018 • 61

In association with

INSERT WAGGLER FLOAT RIG There’s nothing more natural or delightful than watching an insert waggler for signs of a bite. Here’s how to set-up this classic tactic

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HERE can be few more pleasant ways of catching fish than by using an insert waggler and getting bites as the hookbait flutters down through the water. Bites can be expected at any time and are often registered by the slim tip of the float failing to settle, rather than it shooting under. This is very active fishing.

Once the bait has reached the bottom it is time to catapult a pinch of bait and then recast, ensuring that the hookbait follows the free offerings towards the bottom for the best chance of a bite.

Most of the weight required to cock the float should be built into its base, or incorporated in the locking shot either side

of it. This will ensure that the rig casts easily and is less likely to tangle. A couple of No.10 shot down the line are sufficient to ensure that the hookbait falls at the same speed as the free offerings. Believe it or not, the drag from the line means that without this small amount of weight being added the hookbait will actually fall at roughly half the speed of the freebies.

Go as fine as it’s safe to do so. For roach and rudd this will mean a 2lb hooklength and 3lb mainline is sufficient. A fine size 18 hook with two maggots is the ideal bait. Using this light tackle will ensure that you get a lot more bites as the line in particular will be less visible than a thicker hooklength.

YOU WILL NEED...

z 2g-5g loaded insert waggler depending upon distance being fished and water depth z Size 18 barbless fine wire crystal bend hook z 3lb mainline z 2lb clear hooklength line z Split shot of various sizes

HOW TO CREATE AN INSERT WAGGLER RIG

Thread the loaded waggler on to the mainline and lock it in position using No.4 shot

Tie a small loop knot in the end of the mainline to which the hooklength can be attached

Use a through the eye whipping knot to tie the hook to the hooklength line

Tie a small loop knot in the end of the hooklength, which should be about 30cm long

Pinch a No.10 shot 15cm above the hook and a second 30cm above that

These tell-tale dropper shot will help you to spot bites when fish take the bait on the drop

64 • IYCF Issue 336

TACTICS

Use a 2g-5g insert waggler with weight already built into the base

Lock the float in place with enough No.4 shot to ensure only the float tip is showing

Two No.10 dropper shots help the hookbait to fall at the same speed as the free offerings and appear natural

The lighter you can safely fish the more bites you will get. A 2lb hooklength to a size 18 hook is ideal

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 65

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY EXPERTS A 3AA bodied waggler is stable in the water and won’t be affected by any tow. It is locked in position with two BB shot

The bulk of the shot, made up of several BBs, is positioned at just over half depth.

This helps to get the hookbait down quickly

Tie a size 10 hook on to a 4lb mono hooklength that is 20cm in length.

Large baits like lobworms or prawns will deter smaller nuisance fish

Add a No.4 shot 12cm above the hook. This shot should be on the bottom when setting the depth

I’ve discovered a lovely lake that is home to some half decent perch.

I’d prefer to fish for them with a waggler. Could you suggest a suitable float set-up?

Ken Cross, Hampshire

70 • IYCF Issue 336

A

The rig detailed above eliminates the resistance which can cause perch to reject a bait. The hookbait is nailed to the lakebed by fishing slightly overdepth with a small shot to anchor the float in position. Having plenty of shot down the line also helps to keep the rig in place and stop it from being moved around.

Perch bites are normally very bold, but with this rig you can shot the float down so that only the tip is showing when the No.4 shot rests on the bottom. Should you cast out too far, the shot will not be on the bottom and the float will disappear, telling you that you need to fish a little closer.

ASK US A QUESTION...

Email: IYCF@bauermedia.co.uk Write to: IYCF Magazine, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA www.facebook.com/iycfmag @iycfmagazine

Over feeding is the main cause of foul hooking, so cut back on the loosefeed

Q A

How can I prevent foul-hooking?

Simon Connor, via email

This can be a major headache because you lose fish and may spook the shoal. Even worse is the risk of breaking tackle items such as pole sections.

Q A

How often should I recast when fishing a Method feeder?

Alex Haynes, via email

On a typical commercial start by casting every 3-5 minutes to get some bait down and hold the

The most common cause is loosefeeding too often, which pulls in too many fish that quickly come up off the bottom and swirl around snatching at any particles up in the water.

Solve this by reducing the amount and regularity of loosefeeding for a few minutes and then resuming feeding but less often than the time period that originally caused the problem.

carp once they arrive. You may find that you get short bursts of fish, then nothing for 20 minutes, then three more in quick succession.

In the last hour the swim may well be solid with fish as by this time there’s plenty of bait on the bottom and the fish are properly on the feed. This is a very positive way of fishing.

Start by recasting every 3-5 minutes with a Method

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 71

TOP TACKLE ADVICE TO ENSURE YOU BUY THE RIGHT GEAR

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GUIDE TO...

take a look at some Each month our team of experts at IYCF HQ

HATEVER style of fishing you’re into, you’ll need a catapult, and probably more than one, to help maximise your sessions.

Unless you are fishing a great distance when a Spomb or spod may be more useful, for anything up to 50 yards a catapult is an excellent way of sending out the loosefeed around your hookbait.

Providing that is, you use the right one.

Whether you’re feeding particles or groundbait, here’s a selection of what’s on offer to accurately feed your swim.

DRENNAN SOFTFEED GROUNDBAIT CATY RRP: £10.50

The Softfeed Groundbait Caty features a special cup that gently cradles balls or soft, squeezed, hand-sized portions of bait and enables you to deliver it on target with impressive accuracy from 25m-60m BEST FOR: Groundbait www.drennantackle.com

MIDDY GROUNDBAIT CATY RRP: £7.99

A strong and robust catapult with a specially designed pouch that won’t crush balls of groundbait. It features super power thick natural latex, ergonomic handle and integral pins that rotate to prevent the latex twisting.

BEST FOR: Groundbait www.middytackle.com

94 • IYCF Issue 336

DRENNAN GROUNDBAIT CATY RRP: £10.95

Capable of firing a tangerine-sized ball of groundbait a whopping 80m thanks to the high quality elastic which provides a positive feel throughout the whole length of its stretch.

BEST FOR: Groundbait www.drennantackle.com

S T L U P A T A C

TACKLE

is month we focus on catapults Th t. rke ma the on ms ite kle tac st be the of

DRENNAN FEEDERPULT RRP: £8.45

As well being ideal for loosefeeding particle baits, the Drennan Feederpult is also great for small balls of groundbait. The lightweight, toughened frame features extra long life elastic and a non-twist system.

BEST FOR: Groundbait, maggots, casters, hemp www.drennantackle.com

GARDNER SLINGA GROUNDBAIT RRP: £10.99

The Slinga catapult now features upgraded pouch clips and natural colour latex elastic. It also boasts an extremely strong, lightweight, reinforced, composite moulded frame and a non-slip rubberised hand grip.

BEST FOR: Groundbait www.gardnertackle.co.uk

CATAPULTS

GROUNDBAIT

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 95

IE REV WS Y

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LIVE TEST

CAN TRUST OU

A mini marvel from Maver Short rods are ideal for catching F1s at close range, as Mark Sawyer proves with Maver’s new 8ft offering MAVER MV-R 8ft MINI FEEDER RRP: £110

T

HE new MV-R Commercial Mini Feeder rods from Maver are the perfect tools for anglers fishing venues where short-range casting for carp and F1s is required.

The 8ft and 9ft models are part of the MV-R range that consists of nine rods. There are four float fishing models and three feeder rods on top of the two mini feeder rods. All the rods feature ultra-slim high modulus carbon blanks with a jet-black gloss finish.

Boasting a seamless, progressive fishplaying action and top-grade ceramic guides, cork and EVA handles and screw down reel seats, their good looks are matched by their superb performance.

For this test I decided to give the 8ft Mini Feeder an outing. This rod has a wickedly

There a two Mini Feeder rods in the extensive new MV-R rod range, which also includes float and longer feeder models

100 • IYCF Issue 336

fast progressive action that will easily cast a feeder or straight lead of up to 30g to 35 yards without too much effort. If you think you will need to cast further than this then the 9ft version is what you want.

The first thing I noticed about the eightfooter was that it felt a tad tippy, but it’s just the job for F1s and smaller carp, minimising the likelihood of hook-pulls or snap-offs at close range. The blank is well suited to reel lines from 4lb-8lb, and hooklengths of (0.13mm) and upwards.

The pencil thin carbon blank breaks down into two 48in sections with one of the three supplied quivertips - 0.5oz, 0.75oz and 1oz - fitted. This two-

TACKLE TECH SPEC EVA twist grip Top quality full cork handle Quality low rider SiC lined guides Quality graphite screw reel fitting Folding hook keeper ring

THE FULL MV-R RANGE MV-R Commercial 10ft Mini Float £120 MV-R Commercial 11ft Pellet £125 MV-R Commercial 12ft Pellet £129.99 MV-R Float 3 Piece £139.99 MV-R Commercial 8ft Mini Feeder £110 MV-R Commercial 9ft Mini Feeder £115 MV-R Commercial 10ft Feeder £125 MV-R Commercial 11ft Feeder £130 MV-R Commercial 12ft Feeder £135

DID YOU? KNOteW casting

Accura atures is fe tight to ier with a piece design means you can s a have it ready-to-go with a reel much e er rod r sho t attached in your holdall, saving you the time normally reserved for setting up when you arrive at the venue.

For this test I headed to Willows Lake on the Decoy complex at Whittlesey just outside of Peterborough.

The plan was to fish a small maggot feeder which I was confident would produce bites from F1s. This tactic requires minimal feed and accurate casting which is exactly what this rod delivers.

I found the 8ft MV-R very much to my liking. It cast, as expected, straight as a die, and on a small platform it was nice and easy to get into position.

Tippy it may be, but that suited me fine as I landed several fish up to about 3lb. Had anything bigger come along I would have been confident of landing it because I have handled enough short feeder rods to know that this one had more than enough steel in its backbone to handle it.

A weak-willed wobble wand it certainly isn’t so well done Maver. www.mavermatch.co.uk

Mark’s verdict The rod is free of flat spots, with an impressive fish-playing pedigree to suit commercial waters. It would also make a handy summer margin Method tool.

It’s not cheap for such a short rod, but you get what you pay for. For me, a big plus point is the equal-length sections, making it a doddle to transport already made up in a carryall.

IYCF February IYCF April 16 –10March – May15, 8, 2016 2018 • 101

TIPS, TACTICS & RIGS TO CATCH MORE

H C T A C O T HOW AY-TICKET D E R O M

CARP

S

PRING is finally here which means the water temperatures are becoming more stable and carp will be emerging from their winter slumber and preparing for spawning, which won’t be far away.

In times gone by, carp have tended to feed very heavily prior to spawning, but these days we often have such mild winters that ultimately, I don’t think they do go dormant anymore and feed more than they used to during the winter months. It’s therefore important to change your approach in order to keep catching.

As fantastic a time as spring is for getting a few bites, it’s also a time when you can get it so wrong! In order to assist you in catching some pressured day-ticket carp, here are my top tips for tackling them...

USE BACK LEADS

This is something I do regardless of the distance I’m fishing at or the lakebed contours in front of me.

By allowing my line to sink for a few minutes then back leading right under the rod tips, I feel this gives me the ultimate line concealment.

I fish some of the most pressured dayticket waters in the country such as St John’s lake on the Linear Fisheries

where the making rigs ck-up in e m ti e tl Invest a lit ts after a pi atically rese hook autom

Complex, where it can literally be one in and one out of a swim. These carp have seen everything and are accustomed to leads being chucked their way as well as having to weave their way through dozens of anglers’ lines. Therefore, being different gives you a real edge when looking to fool one of these streetwise fish.

RIGS MUST RESET

Pictures M

ark Parker

CARP Bridges Words Mike

ay-ticket d d e r u s s e r Highly-p e real tough b n a c s r e t a w amite Baits’ n y D . k c a r c to als his top e v e r s e g id r Mike B more of g in t t u p r o f 10 tips abitants on h in y il w ir e th the bank...

can mm boilies Smaller 10 ing ed fe to in trigger carp

Carp fishing is a minefield, especially when it comes to rigs because there always seems to be a new one in fashion.

Personally, I try to avoid getting caught up in these trends and prefer rigs that have stood the test of time. Any rig I use must be able to reset itself upon being picked up.

No matter how good you think your rigs are, you will ‘get done’ at some point. If your rig will still sit effectively after being spat out your chances of catching massively increase. A set-up I have great faith in and have used for years is the multi rig. It’s simple to tie and when fished low is ultimately an exaggerated bottom bait for those big old wiley carp that are swimming in those day-ticket depths.

‘FEEL’ THE LEAD DOWN

This is a skill every carp angler should master. It isn’t difficult, but just takes some practice. It’s imperative you understand what you are fishing

t for is really grea ay sea lead ttom bo e th on A break-aw s t’ exactly wha finding out

over – weed, gravel or silt. This knowledge can only be obtained by what your rod and line transmit back to you. Once this skill is mastered it will transform your fishing forever.

To ‘feel’ the lead down, trap the line with your fingers as soon as the lead hits the water and hold the rod at an angle of 60 degrees. Then on a tight line wait until the lead hits the bottom.

The more solid a ‘donk’ you feel through the rod, the harder the bottom is. A soft ‘donk’ will indicate softer silt or possibly clay, while no ‘donk’ indicates thick weed which has prevented the lead from reaching the bottom.

GRIPPING DETAILS

Moving on from making yourself aware about what you’re fishing over, I then take this concept one step further by casting a 3oz sea-fishing gripper-style lead.

For me, it is imperative to know what debris is out there because, ultimately, a bare fishing lead will tell you nothing, nor will it latch on to anything.

A gripper lead will pick up strands of low lying weed and even deep silt that may contain bloodworm, which is the ‘mother’ of all spots to be fishing at any time of the year. Go the extra mile for success.

BANK ON 10mm BOILIES

A huge edge anywhere, but particularly on busy day-ticket waters, is the use of 10mm boilies. Carp are less accustomed to eating these, because the ‘average’ angler tends to use 15mm, 18mm or 20mm baits.

Fishing 10mm boilies on their own, without anything else, can produce a redletter session because they create a bed of feed that the carp won’t have encountered before and will be less cautious of.

IYCF April 10 – May 8, 2018 • 109

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