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AUTUMN The easy way to huge nets of roach Catch bigger carp on the Method Top tips to land more barbel
E IC V D A G IN H IS F E L O P T R E P X E
BAG UP ON CARP WITH SNAILS
FLOAT SELECTION EXPLAINED
MIX UP YOUR PELLET COLOURS ISSUE 342
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Sept 25 – Oct 23, 2018 £3.80
INSIDE
Issue 342 September 25 – October 23, 2018
24
Sam Collett reveals the classic bait combo with a twist he’s been bagging up with
GREAT BRITISH FISHING 8
14
Silvers in the city – Lucas Gough Raiding the castle’s treasure – Will McCranor
TACTICS
24 A classic bait combo with a twist – Sam Collett 30 Bigger fish on the Method – Glen Picton 34 Get your groundbait right – Darren Massey 40 How to fish the mud line – Andy Dyson 4 • IYCF Issue 342
44 Quickfire barbel tricks 46 Boost your baits for quicker bites – Aidan Mansfield 50 Pole floats explained 53 Experiment with pellet colour – Dan Squire 58 The quickfire chub bait mix – Dave Roberts 64 Big barbel in small rivers – Jake Benson 68 Beat the wind with a feeder – Russell Shipton 72 Fish better with Des Shipp: Shotting patterns explained
77 Q&A 80 Rig of the month: Cage feeder
TACKLE
84 Preston Innovations Inception seatbox 86 New Gear 88 Live test: Sonik Specialist Barbel rods 92 Buyers’ guide to net handles 96 Live test: Kodex CX-i carp rods
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8
Lucas Gough targets silver species at a haven in the centre of midlands city Lichfield
53
The colour of pellets can have a huge effect on your catches insists Dan Squire
46
Boosting your baits with flavour is one of the easiest ways to increase your catches
58
A ready-prepared goody bucket will enable you to maximise chub sessions when time is limited
CARP TACTICS 102 106 110 112
Have your best autumn Using distance sticks Carp Q&A Safely fish snags
YOUR IYCF
20 Subscribe and save 52% 57 Reader offer: Specimen combo from just £50 98 Your letters 100 Mission: your catch shots 116 Crossword 118 Bob Roberts’diary
88
Sonik Specialist Barbel rods pass the live test with top marks from tackle editor Mark Sawyer
112
Fishing snags may seem a risky idea but Ross Ryder shows how it can be safely achieved
IYCF September 25 – October 23, 2018 • 5
HING ● G S I R F
T BRITISH EA
HING ● G R FIS
14• IYCF Issue 342
T BRITISH EA
tion A celebra iver, st r of the be canal lake and hat fishing t s a the UK h to offer
Raiding the castle’s treasure William McCranor fills his net with roach under the shadow of the medieval Warwick Castle Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
IYCF September 25 – October 23, 2018 • 15
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A classic bait combo with a twist Hemp and corn, hemp and meat and hemp and casters are proven combinations. But, as Sam Collett proves, there’s a new partnership that carp can’t resist… Words & Photography Mark Parker
24 • IYCF Issue 342
TACTICS
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: CARP DIFFICULTY:
IYCF September 25 – Octover 23, 2018• 25
S P I T P TO gger fish For bi d o h t e M e h t on
it that has been feeding on all the ba FTER a summer of will be at their top ial t every commerc os alm in the rp ca in, piled w personal best at your sights on a ne is w no as t, no weights. If you set r fea list then, yet to tick it off the start of year but are conclude the chase. a the perfect time to Picton loves getting ed Fin-backed Glen ott his up s ck tri few a s Garbolino and Sp oth mirror and ha mm ma a m fro rod bend in his t the larger fish. means sleeve to single ou the older fish. This e lot are likely to be th of to st up d se wi ve “The bigge ha ll wi s in the past and lot ht ug ca en be they’ve s,” said Glen. standard approache and by putting still feeding heavily are h fis e es “But th you can kle tac d your bait, rigs an some thought into it.” ba ok your ho fool them into taking top 10 clusively reveals his ex en Gl h nt mo is Th der... fee e th on bigger carp tips on how to bank
A
TACTICS: METHOD SPECIES: CARP DIFFICULTY:
30 • IYCF Issue 342
1
2
TANCESan IS D T C A X E T S me CA water, that doesn’t fishing into open ll
y be ll sti “Although you ma hidden but fish wi Yes, they may be . es ate ur loc at to fe no rts e pe ar there r or local ex to the fishery owne el bar av gr a ld to e ar u hog them. Speak , yo im. If, for example casting to features in your sw ly accurate when me tre ex be ed ne 5m apart, s ck sti is 40m out you nk p. Place two ba to on er ed fe ur yo then clip up land d eight times and wrap the line roun l. This will oo sp e ck on to th before reeling it ba you’ve m of line out once mean you have 40 ng ba u yo ng p, putti cast and hit the cli e.” ur at fe n on the hidde
EADER SHOCKLle sta TIE ON A ges of the day dd ely to spend the mi
are lik ink you have “The biggest fish e. Most anglers th e centre of the lak th in catch them. nd to ou se ar clo ing me cruis n when they co oo rn te af e required to lat e til nc to wait un cast the dista ht tackle you can rig e ockleader th sh a ing e us us s by ay t Bu of the day. I alw at he e th g . This a rin du ca reach them making long sts ts breakages when ound en ar ev is pr at is th th e ine us beca end of your mainl e th to As ed ch lb. ta 10 at is length of line e shockleader will be 6lb and th sts ine ca inl g ma lon My by g. ed 20ft lon e shock induc ts, this absorbs th acking off.” the name sugges ts the line from cr en ev pr d an
IYCF September 25 – October 23, 2018 • 31
GET YOUR GROUNDBAIT MIX RIGHT Your groundbait mixture is fundamental to success on canals, insists Darren Massey
Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
T
O THE untrained eye most groundbaits look exactly the same. Peer through the outer packaging and you’ll see a brown powder that appears pretty much identical to the next bag on the shelf. But analyse the ingredients of each and you’ll discover that they are all different. Food content, consistency and the way it mixes are just a few of many variants and picking the wrong products for your next session could seriously hamper how many bites you get. Groundbait plays a key part in the attack of many canal anglers and Darren Massey is among that group of enthusiasts. The Bait-Tech and Shakespeare-backed star is
34 • IYCF Issue 342
one of the nation’s leading canal anglers and has caught heavily from waterways all over the country. In almost every session on ‘the cut’ he relies on groundbait. Great consideration is given to what he wants his mix to achieve. “Some mixes have ingredients that certain species adore and others will have no interest in it. You have to think about what you are fishing for before choosing your groundbait. It is one of the most important decisions you will make. You’ll be amazed at how many fish you can put in your net if you get it right.”
TACTICS
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: MIXED DIFFICULTY:
IYCF September 25 – October 23, 2018 • 35
FOR QUICKER BITES
BOOST YOUR BAITS
Bait-Tech’s Aidan Mansfield reveals a simple trick to ensure your hookbait is always picked up first Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
I
T’S one thing to attract stacks of carp into your peg but it is another to get them champing at the bit to take your hookbait. Catching a few fish at this time of year is rarely challenging. But if you want to drastically reduce the amount of time spent waiting for the float to dip it is time to give your hookbaits a boost.
That is exactly what Bait-Tech and MAP star Ade Mansfield has started doing this summer and he hasn’t looked back since. “The key is to make your hookbait more appealing than the loosefeed so that the fish pick it up quicker. I have found a cheap and effective way of achieving this and it has worked wonders,” enthused Ade.
TACTICS
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: CARP DIFFICULTY:
IYCF August 2 – August 30, 2016 • 47
REVEALED
THE QUICKFIRE CHUB BAIT MIX
When time is limited you need to do maximise every available minute. Dave Roberts reveals the simple preparations that enable him to go fishing at the drop of a hat… Words Dave Roberts Photography Tony Grigorjevs
I
MPROMPTU fishing sessions have always been the most exciting for me. Those days where you find a window of opportunity because you’ve finished work early, or the family have gone out and left you alone. You think: ‘Could I squeeze in a couple of hours?’ It can be easy to talk yourself out of it. The reasons not to cast doubt in your mind. It will take too long to load the car, I haven’t got any bait, or I’m not sure where to go. Sometimes it is
easier to just not bother. Like many people I find these opportunities rare, but with a different outlook I’m rarin’ to go and have enjoyed some cracking sessions recently.
If you don’t need it, don’t take it! The first thing to look at is your kit. I am predominantly a match angler so tend to carry a lot of kit – seatbox, holdalls full of gear, and a trolley to cart it all about. This is not going to work when you’ve got limited time. Over the winter when there wasn’t much fishing going on, I put together a rucksack of equipment to cover me for a roving river approach. A selection of terminal tackle for both float and feeder. Disgorgers, baitdroppers, scissors, hooks and split shot etc. Everything that I need, but just enough to cover me. I then sorted out a couple of rods and reels – one float and one feeder – and a landing net with a short handle so they were handy if I was in a rush.
TACTICS
TACTICS: FLOAT SPECIES: CHUB DIFFICULTY:
IYCF September 25 – October 23, 2018 • 59
TACKLE NEW GEAR REVEALED, ON THE BANK TESTS & EXPERT ADVICE
OBJECT OF DESIRE
PRESTON INNOVATIONS INCEPTION SL30 RRP: £339.99
(£249.99 without footplate) WEIGHING in at a mere 11kg with the footplate and 7.6kg without, this is the lightest seatbox Preston Innovations has ever made. The box is remarkably spacious with a super-strong plastic top section configuration comprising a ready-divided 40mm deep drawer unit and a 100mm fixed deep tray. There’s space in here for reels and catapults as well as accessory boxes. Key features include the latest Preston Mag Lok clips, telescopic 30mm aluminium legs and a padded seat with integral poleretaining strap. Add quick and easy height adjustment, reinforced mudfeet, unique multi-grip handwheels and footplate grips, a centrally located spirit level and Preston’s shuttle adaptor and you have what is arguably the best value seatbox currently available.
EXPERT OPINION: LEADING THE WAY IN TACKLE TESTS & REVIEWS
MARK SAWYER Tackle Editor
84 • IYCF Issue 342
JAMES FURNESS IYCF Editor
TONY GRIGORJEVS Features Editor
The mid-fram e enables the he design igh be easily adju t to sted
KEY FEATURES
te cassette The footpla y moved can be easil wheels on and using the h of the box either side
Padded seat Deep side drawer unit 100mm deep container base unit 2 x telescopic seatbox legs 50cm 4 x standard seatbox legs 50cm 1 x cassette bar and footplate Deluxe padded shoulder strap Centrally located spirit level Mag Lok clip system Multi grip handwheels IYCF September 25 – October 23, 2018 • 85
LIVE TEST
The ultimate barbel rod test IYCF tackle editor, Mark Sawyer, enjoys a hotly anticipated session with two incredibly well-priced barbel rods. But would they be capable of taming the Trent?
IYCF’s tackle wyer ito ed r Mark Sa g in ew vi re has been ore m r fo ar ge ng fishi s to re ca he years tban r be em m re
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CAN TRUS OU
88 • IYCF Issue 342
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REVIEWS
REVIEWS
CAN TRUS U O
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SONIK SPECIALIST BARBEL RODS 1.75lb & 2lb RRP: £49.99
TACKLE
I
HAD been looking forward to this live test since the start of the new river season. Not only would I get the chance to run the rule over two of the best bargain priced off-the-peg barbel rods from Sonik, but I had a swim booked which was allegedly stiff with big barbel at the famous Gunthorpe weir on the Trent above Nottingham. With the car all packed up and ready to go the night before, an early start saw me winding my way towards the river across the Lincolnshire flatlands. Inside the car, a heady aroma of halibut pellets, freshly cooked hemp and a raft of other super-smelly hookbaits and pastes added fuel to that burning sense of anticipation and promise that all true anglers
periodically suffer from. Oh yes, I was off to the Promised Land of plentiful bites… As a further treat, I had arranged to meet up with the angling photography legend that is Mick Rouse, who is enjoying well-earned retirement after decades of great service as staff photographer for Improve Your Coarse Fishing and Angling Times. The fishing on Gunthorpe Lock Island is limited, as there are only three swims, but it is available through a syndicate. As you might expect, it does have a bit of a waiting list, but it certainly is available. Parking the car right next to the river, it was only a hop and skip across the lock and on to the barbel equivalent of Fantasy Island.
No backbreaking slog of a walk, or having to negotiate rickety stiles, and tackle-threatening barbed wire fences. Basically, my day was getting better by the moment. Even the sun came out by way of a cheery greeting. Now, before I even clapped eyes on it, the relentless pounding noise coming from the huge weir was overwhelming. The air was heavy with that unmistakable aroma of river water. Two steps later and there it was before me – a crashing crescendo of white foamy liquid. Surging and gushing, huge boils and creases were caused by unseen rocks and boulders, with flat runs of water where deeper gullies lay.
IYCF February 25 16 –– October March 15, IYCF September 23,2016 2018• •89 89
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