GEAR! TREAT YOUR FEET WITH OUR ESSENTIAL FOOTWEAR GUIDE
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TOP THERMAL SOCKS FOR EXTRA WARMTH THIS WINTER
! HURRAYH
10
PERCON SEAS RE IS HE
Expert winter Method feeder edges to try
That stinks!
Why smelly baits rule for mixed bags on rivers
Nov 17 – Dec 15, 2020 £3.99
ISSUE 370
ACTION GUARANTEED l
Dai Gribble: Combine lure & bait tactics for more bites l Rigs & tips to achieve your Perch Mission badge l Enjoy quick-trip fun on tiny rivers
FISH BETTER WITH DES SHIPP - CATCH WITH CORN
This month... Issue 370 November 17 – December 15, 2020
Fishery Focus
24
8
Pipehill Fisheries
14
Grand Union Canal
Staffordshire
Northamptonshire
Tactics 24 30
Dai Gribble
Combine lure and feeder
Chris Ponsford
Top method for bream
34
Jake Fowles
39
Emma Harrison
44 46 50
Smelly baits rule on rivers
Keep on bagging with a two-rig attack
Quick fix
How to attach a jig head
Sam Collett
Become a silverfish baller
Expert tips
Boost your Method feeder catches with these edges 8
54 56 60 62
Rig school
Running leger pike rig
Owen Robinson
Roach a chuck for a fiver
Tom Scarr
5 ways with light lures
Fish Better with Des Shipp
Catch more on corn
66 4 IYCF | Issue 370
Q&A
Your questions answered
62
70
34
Tackle 70 74
Footwear guide
Treat your feet this winter
New gear
The latest tackle releases
Carp tactics 90
Greatest winter tips Cold weather edges
94 96
98
Rig of the month
76
Balanced tiger nut rig
Carp Q&A
Sticky’s experts solve your problems
What’s a lead clip?
Popular lead attachment method explained 94
Your IYCF 76 80 82 88
IYCF chats to...
Noelie Goforth
Your letters Have your say
Daiwa Mission Your catch shots
Angling puzzle break
Win a Korum Lure Bag
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A comeback on a grand scale Grand Union Canal, Nether Heyford
Lee Newson heads to the once flagging venue that has suddenly become an angler’s paradise packed with silverfish Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
Covid-19 At the time of going to press, although we understand angling is still permitted, the exact rules around fishing and travelling to venues had yet to be finalised for the lockdown starting on November 5th. Please check local and national restrictions before travelling to any fishery featured in this month’s IYCF and adhere to any Government measures in place.
FISHERY FOCUS An in-depth guide to the best stillwaters, rivers, and canals that you can fish for the price of a day ticket
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 15
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Top method for bream We join top all-rounder Chris Ponsford at the beautiful Shearwater Lake as he runs us through his simple feeder tactics for bream Words Chris Ponsford Photography Lloyd Rogers
30 IYCF | Issue 370
TACTICS: FEEDER SPECIES: BREAM DIFFICULTY:
S
ET in fabulous Wiltshire countryside near the military town of Warminster, sits Shearwater Lake. Part of the Longleat Estate, the 37-acre water is surrounded by woodland and rhododendrons and is simply a most fabulous place to go fishing. Not only is it a terrific match venue, full of carp, bream and roach, but it is equally loved by hordes of specimen carpers and pleasure anglers alike. It really is one of those rare venues that offers something for everyone. There is also a cafe near the dam, ample parking behind most swims and Nick, the knowledgeable and long serving bailiff, is always on hand to share his expert advice, and collect day-ticket money. I have been a regular visitor to the venue since I lived in Bath many years ago and, even now since I have moved away to the Midlands, I still return to enjoy its great fishing. All methods seem to work, so you pay your money and take your choice, be it plentiful and quality silvers, great bream fishing or tearaway large carp – some of which weigh more than 30lb. As all the fish eat the boilies and pellets intended for the carp, it isn’t just the mirrors and commons which have packed on the weight.
A match-style approach
For this particular feature my plan was to fish for bream in the morning before turning my attention to the plentiful roach stocks in the afternoon. Joining me was top specimen carp angler and host of BT Sport’s On The Bank, Rob Hughes, who intended doing some zig fishing for the carp. Conditions were perfect. Damp and overcast although fairly mild for the time of year and a gentle breeze blowing down the lake. Absolutely ideal for some fishy action. My plan was to find a quiet area of the lake with some nice scenery and a few fish for myself and Rob. I settled on an area known as The Lawns and I fished off a platform by the old boathouse. This would give me an easy cast to the deepish water which would hopefully be full of hungry, lazy, bream for myself and plenty of carp to keep Rob occupied. I decided on a match-style approach, sitting on
TACTICS my seatbox with everything to hand and casting regularly to get some feed out for the hungry bream. The tackle I use for this style of fishing is really straightforward. The main factor to take into consideration is how far you need to cast and what weight is required to achieve that. It’s also worth bearing in mind what else might pick up your hookbait other than your intended target species. As I mentioned earlier, Shearwater holds a lot of big carp which can put in an appearance at any time. Given that they run to 30lb-plus, I favoured slightly stronger tackle than what would be needed if I knew for certain that I was only going to catch bream. I decided to use a small 30g Method feeder with an elasticated centre to give me some extra stretch in the set-up. This would create a shock absorber should any marauding carp come along. My hooklink consisted of four inches of 7lb (0.19mm) mono to a size 14 barbless hook with a hair-rigged bait band. Into that I would place a washed-out Band’um wafter. My choice of feed to load the feeder was Sonubaits 2mm Sticky Pellets. These are incredibly easy to use as long as you follow the mixing instructions, and they stay on the feeder for the long and effortless casts required.
A Method mould will create an aerodynamic payload on the feeder every time
The baits, tackle and feeders The Pons uses for bream
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 31
TACTICS: FEEDER SPECIES: MIXED DIFFICULTY:
SCENT dbait Choose groun at and pellets th ts will release lo of flavour
PARTICLES Hemp is a winning ba that will ap it p to most spe eal cies
34 IYCF | Issue 370
COLOU A bright R bait concoct ion will stand o ut nearby fi to sh
NG FEEDI e of pl A cou f the o pints more mix is nough than e
TACTICS
MIXED BAG MAGIC
SMELLY BAITS RULE It can be tricky to find fish on many rivers, but Jake Fowles’ baiting plan will help draw some very special quarry to your hookbait Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
Y
OU may have a rough idea about where the fish are hiding on your local river, but it’s often impossible to pin down their exact whereabouts. This is particularly true on stretches where every peg looks the same, whether that’s because there’s a raft of cover along the entire far bank or the complete opposite where features are non-existent. It would take a tremendous amount of luck on these waters to cast and get among the fish from the first chuck. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the time you spend waiting for the action to commence.
Top all-rounder Jake Fowles believes bait choice is paramount in such situations and he always follows one golden rule. “I fish a lot of rivers where the fish move around frequently so my approach needs to be geared towards drawing them in from elsewhere,” explained Jake. “Using pungent baits to create an unmissable scent trail that leads the fish directly to your hookbait is undoubtedly the most effective way to get results in this scenario. It’s not a speciesspecific way of fishing, either,” he added. “I’ve caught barbel, chub, bream and roach with my tactics.”
A carpet of bait that oozed flavour helped Jake attract this clonking 11lb-plus barbel
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 35
KEEP IT CHEAP!
ROACH A CHUCK FOR A FIVER There’s no need to spend a fortune on bait when after river roach as Owen Robinson proves with less than a fiver’s worth of grub Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
I
T’S time to downgrade your expectations a little when most species are the main target. Yet if river roach are your focus you should be doing the complete opposite! While chilled water has rolled back the appetite of the majority, redfins are more than willing to feed in cool temperatures. Action may have ticked over a few weeks ago but have a go for them now and it can be full throttle, with a roach coming to the net every chuck if you get it right. Better still, according to Owen Robinson, you’ll need less than a fiver to buy all the required bait and three pole rigs will cover every scenario. The up and coming starlet spends much of his winter fishing rivers for the species and reckons they are the most reliable of all feeders when the going gets tough. “If you land on a shoal of roach then you are in a great position to get bites all day long,” stated Owen. “They are rarely bothered by the cold conditions and if you give them the baits they want in the correct manner, they’ll soon come thick and fast.” Bread is a bait that provokes an instant response from roach
Working one line
Effective pole fishing often requires you to rotate between different areas of your peg to keep the bites coming. That isn’t necessary for this style, though, and Owen concentrates his efforts on just one line. “The Warwickshire Avon is on my doorstep and I usually fish around 12m out as this puts my bait in the main flow,” he said. “Just because I am fishing one line doesn’t mean I stick to a single style and throughout the day my tactics will change.” Owen starts the session on bread because it tends to provoke an instant response. Its bright nature means it stands out in coloured water and its light and fluffy texture enables it to be taken by roach of all sizes. As the river is around 10ft deep on many stretches, he uses a baitdropper to introduce liquidised bread. “This prevents it from drifting away in the current and gets it to the bottom. Although not all the fish will be on the deck, they’re likely to be close to it and this concentrates them over a single spot. “I introduce one full baitdropper at the start and top up with another every 15 minutes or so,” he added. Owen’s rig for fishing bread is made up of 0.12mm mainline to a 0.10mm hooklength and a size 18 hook. A fairly heavy 0.8g Sensas Guillaume float is used, with an olivette positioned 2ft 6in from the hook with three smaller droppers spread below. This bombs the rig through the upper layers where tiny fish could be sat before slowing the fall to a more natural pace as it enters the area where the roach are waiting.
TACTICS
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: ROACH DIFFICULTY:
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: SILVERS DIFFICULTY:
Become a silverfish baller Groundbait is a winning bait for winter silvers but Sam Collett reckons the way you feed it will dictate just how many fish you attract Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
I
T’S no secret that groundbait is a deadly bait for silverfish in winter. Packed with attraction and low in food content, it is the perfect offering to draw fish in without immediately overfeeding them. Cupping it in is often seen as the only viable way to introduce it when pole fishing, but Sam Collett reckons that throwing it in by hand produces even better results. The Guru star has fished for England at youth
46 IYCF | Issue 370
level and with ‘balling it in’ an essential skill on the international scene, he has had plenty of practice feeding in this manner. “Most anglers steer away from throwing in balls of groundbait by hand because they fear the ball will break apart mid-air and bait will end up all over the place,” said Sam. “It is much easier than it looks though, and there are a lot of reasons it is more effective than using a cup.”
TACTICS
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 47
Lee Kerry
Adam Rooney Jamie Hughes Neil McKinnon
Andy May
10 TOP METHOD TIPS Get ahead of the game by acting on nuggets of invaluable advice from some of our most accomplished anglers. Their wisdom and experience will help you to net more fish this winter
1
DON’T IGNORE THE MARGINS Lee Kerry
“If you have a margin that is at least 3ft deep then there is every chance that carp will feed there later in the day. “The pole seems the obvious tactic but, in clear water, the fish can be spooked by it waving over the top of their heads. “Under-arming a small Method feeder to your chosen spot helps alleviate this problem while only delivering the tiny portion of loosefeed that is required. “Look to fish towards vacant platforms, overhanging bushes and big reedbeds to give yourself the best possible chance of a few wrap rounds.”
2
ROTATE HOOKBAIT PRESENTATION Adam Rooney
“There are several different ways to attach your hookbait when Method feeder fishing. It pays to rotate between them to get the best results. “A bait band is ideal for 6mm or 8mm pellet hookbaits, while a hair-rig is the best option if you want to use discs of bread. Wafters and mini boilies are brilliant winter baits because their bright colours catch the eye of fish and a bayonet will easily impale these hard offerings and prevent them breaking off. “There’s also a place for straight hooking, with dead maggots suited to this.”
50 IYCF | Issue 370
TACTICS
Rob Wootton Tommy Pickering
Nick Speed
Will Raison
Pemb Wrighting
FROM 10 TOP ANGLERS! T
AKE a close look at the Method feeder approach of the greatest anglers in the country and you’ll discover that it is the tiny tweaks they make that puts them head and shoulders above everyone else.
There’s nothing radically different about their set-ups, but their attention to detail when it comes to bait, rigs and their plan of how to attack a swim is second to none. Every top angler has different tweaks to help them reach the elite
level, with many relying one piece of advice that they swear is the most important of the lot. So, we asked 10 of the UK’s best feeder anglers to reveal their number one tips for bagging on the Method this winter. And they agreed...
FIRMLY SQUEEZE THE FEEDER
WORK YOUR WAY UP
Neil McKinnon
Jamie Hughes
“If you have an island in front of you then it can be tempting to chuck your feeder as tight to it as you can from the word go. “This may catch you an early fish or two, but it is often a recipe for disaster as the session progresses. “Do this and once the fish spook they can only swim to the side and that means they’ll leave your peg. “It is much better to cast a couple of metres short to start with, catch a few fish and then peel off a couple of foot of line and re-clip. This enables you to chase the fish up to the island and keep the tip going round.”
3
4
“If you were to fish the Method feeder in the heat of summer then you can expect to get a bite within minutes of it hitting the deck. “With that in mind, the loosefeed needs to start breaking down quickly or else the hookbait will remain buried and out of sight. “But in winter the wait for a bite is often a lot longer. As a result, you can tightly squeeze the micro pellets on to the frame so that none of them fall off on the cast or while the feeder drops through the water column. “They will still break off the feeder within a couple of minutes and provide the type of presentation required to fool a big carp.”
ADD BOILIES TO YOUR MIX Andy May
5
“A lot of venues where the Method feeder is dominant are heavily fished by specimen carp anglers. They tend to favour boilies and, as a result, carp in these fisheries have a taste for them. Putting in whole boilies could fill the fish up at this time of year but you can still reap the rewards by blending or riddling them. This will create a fine powder that can be added to your micro pellets or groundbait. It adds the flavours that the fish are used to and draws carp and F1s into your swim.”
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 51
Fish better with...
DES SHIPP
Brush up on key angling skills with England International Des, to put more fish on the bank
THIS MONTH: BEAT THE COLD WITH SWEETCORN
G
ETTING bites has become a little trickier as a result of the dropping temperatures, but if there is one bait that can keep you on track it is sweetcorn. It’s a proven winter winner and I have caught lots of big nets of carp, F1s and quality silverfish using it when others around me are struggling to get any action. Although it will produce the goods in most instances, there are plenty of little tricks you can employ to make it even more effective. This month I reveal my top five tips for getting lots of bites on corn.
HOW TO:
BOOS CORNT APPE AL
GLUG IT UP It’s more important than ever to give your baits a boost in winter. If a fish is semi-dormant, a pungent flavour could be just the thing to trigger it into having a go. I always have a tub of corn drizzled in Sonubaits Haze and this seeps off any loosefeed or hookbait, stirring a response.
62 IYCF | Issue 370
1
2
3
GRAIN SIZE MATTERS If you are fishing pellets, you are likely to notice a difference in catch rate if, for example, you fished with a 6mm hookbait as opposed to a 4mm. The same applies with boilies, wafters and even meat cubes. But, for some reason, anglers rarely pay attention to the size of their corn hookbait. I have had incredible success using the smallest grains from the tin. They are easier for the fish to hoover up when they are lethargic and appeal to all species.
USE SENSITIVE FLOATS Although the fish are likely to want to eat corn, they won’t go rushing in like they would in summer. They’ll gently mouth the bait, ejecting it at the first sign of danger. It is therefore important to spot a bite the moment they pick up the corn and a sensitive float that is well dotted down will enable that to happen. My favourite is a 4x12 (up to 5ft deep) or 4x14 (5ft or more) Preston Innovations F1 Maggot.
4
5 STRING YOUR SHOTTING
USE THE RIGHT HOOK Corn can be both straight hooked and hair-rigged and you need the right hook for both scenarios. When using the pole, I will straight hook it and a size 16 Preston Innovations GPM-B is perfect. The grain sits on the curve, leaving plenty of point showing. I hair-rig corn on the bomb or feeder. You will cast with more force and this will make sure it doesn’t fly off during the process. This means you need an eyed hook and I rely on a size 16 KKM-B.
One of the reasons why corn is particularly deadly in winter is its bright colour. It stands out from a mile off in clear water and fish sat at all depths will show an interest. When you consider that not all fish live on the bottom in winter, it is important to make your hookbait fall slowly so those mid-water fish have a chance of eating it. A strung shotting pattern through the bottom 2ft of your rig will help achieve this. This gets the hookbait through the top layer of water quickly where there are unlikely to be any fish, before slowing down as it approaches the bottom.
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 63
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY EXPERTS... What baits should I go for if I want to catch a mixed bag from a canal? NIGEL MOORES, EMAIL
A
The stocking of canals up and down the country has diversified significantly over the years, with a vast array of species now on offer. Wriggly baits definitely fare well on canals, although you don’t need huge quantities of each to keep the bites coming. Look to use baits that appeal to a wide range of species. For example, a single swim could throw up half a dozen different species, with roach, perch, bream, chub, gudgeon and carp a possibility.
Worms
Maggots
A brilliant bait for tempting a response from big perch, bream and even carp. Use half a worm on the hook and feed finely chopped loosefeed close to any cover
If you have plenty of chunky roach and perch in the area and want to avoid the attentions of tiny fish, then turn to maggots. Feed a dozen by catapult every few minutes
66 IYCF | Issue 370
Pinkies If you want a hookbait that will stand out like a sore thumb to small fish, then try a pinkie. Avoid loosefeeding them, as they can fill up small silverfish quickly
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
Q
I hear ‘dobbing’ mentioned a lot on commercials, but they mean different things in summer and winter. Can you explain the difference? MAL DAWSON, EMAIL
A
Dobbing is an approach where you use just the hookbait and no loosefeed to tempt a bite. During summer, a pole rig with a reasonably long length of line between the tip and float is used. The angler then looks for fish cruising on the surface and swings the rig into their path to provoke a response. In winter, the tactic is different. It involves setting up your pole rig so that the hookbait is off the bottom before shipping it close to a feature such as an island or far bank. It is then a case of lifting the rig every 30 seconds, dropping it in a slightly different place each time to try and locate shoals of fish. Start a few inches off the deck, but don’t be afraid to come even shallower if you are getting indications. Bread and corn skins are great baits as they are light and sink slowly.
Q Squatts This bait has a really low food content and they are ideal for feeding little and often. Trickle in 20 every few minutes to keep bait going through the water for small silvers
Are there any scenarios in which groundbait can be useful for attracting perch?
COLIN TAYLOR, EMAIL
A
Perch are a predatory species and are attracted by movement of other fish or live baits such as worms and maggots. Feeding groundbait can have several advantages. It is likely to draw in silverfish, which will in turn interest perch. It is also packed with flavours that will linger in the water column and trigger a response.
HOW TO MAKE A PERCH BAIT MIX
Take a bag of Dynamite Baits Frenzied Hemp Black, soil and some leam
Mix contents quite wet and on the verge of sloppy. Add Dynamite Baits Liquid Worm
Grab a handful of lobworms and chop them up so that the juices go into the blend
Pack your feeder with the mix. It can also be cupped in for use on the pole line
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 67
TREAT YOUR FEET THIS WINTER No one wants numb feet while out on the bank. We take a look at some of the best boots (and socks) to keep you warm and dry
W
HEN it comes to fishing clothing and staying warm and comfortable on the bank during the winter, footwear is one of the most important items you can buy. What you choose to put on your feet is probably the area where it’s easiest to go wrong and hardest to rectify on the bank. You can always chuck an extra layer of
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clothing on your body, but choose the wrong boot and you can end up cold, blistered and frustrated. There’s no doubting that if you can fish in comfort, you will fish more effectively, and continue to enjoy your time by the water over the coming months. This month we’ve compiled a selection of some of the best boots and wellies
available. So, whether you’re planning on braving it in the freezing cold or want a lightweight pairs of boots for roving, we’ve got something to suit. And, of course, if you’ve treated yourself to a warm pair of boots you’ll want a decent pair of socks for that extra bit of comfort. Fear not, we’ve rounded up some great examples of them too…
TACKLE Vass Fleece Lined Boots RRP: £59.95
PROLOGIC BANK BOUND CAMO TREK BOOTS HIGH
Tying laces with freezing cold fingers isn’t a task that anyone relishes. Thankfully, the large Velcro fastening on these boots means that it’s not something you’ll have to worry about. The moulded lower part is made from a hybrid material that is 30 per cent lighter than PVC so they remain comfortable for long periods. They are also waterproof to halfway and the textile upper is shower-resistant. There are no metal parts go rusty. Sizes: 6-12 www.vassrainwear.co.uk
Nash ZT Polar RRP: £54.99
RRP: £79.99
Styled like a tall field boot, the ZT Polars are made for the more mobile angler. The rugged sole, which is extremely grippy, extends around the whole lower section for complete waterproofing, while the flexible upper and large laced section add comfort. Inside is a super-soft fleece with a faux fur collar that looks great, but could well be a magnet for mud. They are very comfortable and warm, and the rotproof laces and eyelets look up to the job. Sizes: 7-12 www.nashtackle.co.uk
A lightweight and flexible boot with a mesh lining and waterproof membrane. This high cut version offers excellent ankle and lower calf support but there is also a slightly lower cut version available. The heel and toe areas are PU-reinforced for durability and the grip on the rubber soles is incredibly deep and chunky. Multiple ringlets allow the laces to be secured nice and tightly. Sizes: 7-12 (incl 7.5) www.prologicfishing.com
Regatta Kids’ Samaris Boots RRP: £55.95
Regatta Women’s Holcombe IEP Boots RRP: £55.96
Designed specifically for female feet, these boots offer extra padding along with a host of features such as Hydropel water resistant technology to keep your feet dry. The sturdy rubber outsole provides a reliable grip on muddy banks and weighing just 420 grams they can be worn in comfort all day long. EVA footbed cushions your feet from impact. Sizes: 4-7 www.regatta.com
Streamlined, lightweight and weatherproof, the Samaris V Mid Junior Walking Boot is built for comfort. A seam-sealed waterproof/breathable Isotex membrane and Hydropel upper treatment delivers reliable, weatherproof performance. The padded collar and tongue support the ankle while shock-absorbing EVA cushioning at the heel and a hard-wearing rubber outsole provide lasting comfort. Sizes: Infants 9-13 & Juniors 1-6 www.regatta.com
Regatta Samaris II RRP: £69.95
If you like to stay mobile and rove around during winter sessions, these sleek boots from the hiking market could be right up your street. Engineered from a tough-wearing endurance mesh they have a lightweight X-LT sole for improved grip. As you’d expect from a hiking boot, they are well padded and supportive in all the key areas. Sizes: 6-12 www.regatta.com
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 71
TIPS, TACTICS & RIGS TO CATCH MORE
THE GREATEST EVER WINTER CARP EDGES! Even though it’s cold, plenty of fish are still being caught. Here’s how...
Q
UIETER banks and frosty dawns can hold a sort of romantic appeal during the middle of the year when it’s a struggle to find a free peg and you spend your session bombed by mozzies. Yet, once winter arrives and the reality of carp fishing throughout colder months sets in – long hours of darkness, fish feeding less, trying to take a bivvy down with numb fingers
– many anglers stash their carp rods away until spring. But before you do that, just remember there is a very good chance that your next bite could be from the biggest fish in the lake! Confidence is a big part of being successful, so keep your spirits up and you’ll reap the rewards. Here are some of the best winter tips to help see you through the next few months…
CAST AROUND YOUR SWIM
Carp become much less active and if you leave your hookbait sat in one place for the whole session the chances of a carp encountering it are slim. Recast at least one of your rigs to a different part of the swim every 30 minutes or so. This enables you to cover a lot of water during the session and vastly increases the chances of you placing a hookbait in front of an interested carp.
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TARGET THE DEEPER, SILTY AREAS
Deep, silty areas maintain a more constant temperature and therefore will be warmer as the air temperature drops. Carp will feel more comfortable in deeper troughs than in shallow water. Also, silty areas will be rich in the last of the year’s natural food, some of which will have only just been uncovered as the weed dies off. Another reason why silt is so good later in the year is that the fish will have been caught a few times from firmer gravel areas, which they will become wary of and start avoiding on busy lakes.
FISH FOR LINERS
On lakes which are well stocked with carp, you can actually fish for ‘liners’ to pinpoint their location. To do this, cast two rods with a light lead to the same area and just a couple of yards apart. Don’t turn on your buzzers or clip on a bobbin and slacken off the line six inches at a time when it becomes taut. Every time the line settles and tightens you can use it to locate where the fish are. If you’ve landed on fish you’ll be able to see telltale twitches where the line enters the water. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, recast to a slightly different area and repeat the process. Once you find the fish, you can then cast out a couple of baited rigs. Using the lightest bobbins possible you’ll still be able to register any subtle liners. If these stop, the chances are the fish have moved out of the area. They don’t usually go far and simply swapping your rod over to a different side of the swim will help you find them.
CRACK OUT THE SWEETCORN
Sweetcorn is great all year round but really comes into its own during winter. It’s highly visual in clear water and it won’t fill carp up too quickly so they will keep visiting your spot. The other bonus is that it’s incredibly cheap – a kilo bag of frozen corn costs just over £1. Fish a couple of plastic pieces of corn on a hair-rig and for corn in a PVA bag lightly coat with groundbait to prevent melting the mesh.
ADD SOME MOVEMENT
Maggots are a superb bait in winter and can be used to make a standard pop-up boilie hookbait super enticing to a cruising carp. After you’ve mounted the boilie on the hair, tie five maggots to the hair loop using bait floss. Five is just the right number to catch the attention of a carp but not too many to affect the buoyancy of the pop-up. This can be fished as a single hookbait or in conjunction with a PVA bag of maggots.
KEEP YOUR TIPS DOWN
In autumn and early winter, any weed that grew in the summer breaks up and dies. When this happens it floats to the surface and drifts about. If you fish with your tips high then the weed can gather on the line and drag your leads out of position. Set your banksticks so that your rod tips are under the water and any weed will drift over the top of your lines.
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W
INTER’S coming! Make the most of things this month as the fishing is about to get a bit harder, but the spoils are there for those who stick at it.
Week one...
With little in the way of any significant rain in the past two months the Trent was at its lowest level in more than a year, flowing sluggishly and crystal clear. She can be a pretty dour mistress in these conditions so not the best time to receive an email suggesting Brian Skoyles and I make a film about catching a double-figure barbel, in daylight, from a day-ticket stretch of river. We agreed to Brian using a conventional boilie and pellet approach, while I would contrast this with maggot feeder and float
ure double-fig Catching er is never easy rd barbel to o
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tactics. Chances were we would struggle and one or both of us might fail. I’ll cut a long story short because you’ll be able to watch the results on YouTube, but it was a dire struggle. I set off feeding heavily using a baitdropper to lay down a bed of hemp and maggots, then topped up with three more droppers every few minutes. It sounds a lot of bait, but I knew I had to feed off the shoals of dace, roach and perch to stand any chance of attracting barbel. It was a calculated gamble, especially as I was not going to start fishing until I’d been baiting like this for a full hour. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, but after running a float through for 10 minutes I knew I was in trouble. No signs of barbel or chub, just lots of nuisance roach and perch. I could have stepped up
the feed again but with ‘only’ a gallon of maggots plus half that again of hemp, I could actually run out of bait! That would have been too big a gamble, so I continued with the steady feeding and pressed on. After a couple of hours, the wind had freshened, pushing downstream. It was obvious my chances of catching a barbel on the float were diminishing. A switch to the feeder brought a steady stream of perch including a cracker pushing two pounds, but not what I was hoping for so I adopted an aggressive approach, recasting every two minutes over the same area. I knew deep down if I kept this up I would eventually get a chance and, sure enough, with just five minutes left on the clock the tip bounced in the unmistakable fashion that screamed BARBEL!
the tch’ on a c y ‘b Lovely rbel session ba
Ryan Hayden was away filming with Brian, but he’d left a camera trained on my rod tip to capture the bite. That was a masterstroke. I had been asked to use a budget range Daiwa Black Widow rod and reel combination for the session, a pairing I was using for the first time. I had dropped down to a 5lb hooklink in an attempt to scratch out a bite so I was now flying by the seat of my pants, unfamiliar with its capabilities and having little choice but to take things very carefully.
Week two...
There’s now an autumn nip in the air and at last we’ve seen a drop of rain. Not a lot but, as the advert goes, every little helps. The Environment Agency river levels indicated that the upper Trent would rise six inches or so but it would take another 24 hours for it to have any real effect on the lower river, so I checked the Don. Hmmm, it was showing a slight rise. Would it be enough to add a tinge of colour? Only one way to find out. Grabbing a feeder rod and minimal gear, I drove to Denaby. As the crow flies, the Rotherham & District day-ticket stretch is just over three miles from my door. Why I don’t fish there more often, heaven only knows because the fishing can be brilliant. I parked up, walked 50 yards and chose a peg on ‘the wides’. The colour was perfect, gently flowing, it looked breamy. I only had groundbait and some pellets with me, possibly a mistake but time would tell. Having a quick cast around, I found a clear area of bottom in around 12 feet of water 30 yards out and clipped up for accuracy. Nothing was topping so I erred on the side of caution and chose not to attack the peg, simply recasting every five minutes for the first hour hoping to build the swim. I couldn’t have been more comfortable and was very happy with my
The fish didn’t scream off. It hung deep, demonstrating power rather than speed. This felt a very good fish but you know what it’s like, first fish on a new rod, you cannot be sure. Slowly, I worked the fish towards me into the danger zone. Rocks extended down the near slope into 14 feet of water. If the line brushed against one it would be game over. I needed to apply pressure, but how much against the small hook? I was nearly as nervous as Ryan, the cameraman, who told me he hoped the
footage was okay because he was actually shaking with excitement. When the fish came into view we could see it five feet down in the water and it looked a beauty. Slowly, I worked her to the surface where she exploded in a frenzy of tail slashing and foam before powering off again. Desperate to not suffer a hook-pull at close range, I took my time. Three times I brought her to the net and on each occasion she refused to roll over, tempting me to pull just that little bit harder, but I resisted. On the fourth attempt my patience was rewarded. Much whooping and hollering followed. That Fergie-time fish was too close to call, but it saved the blow-out. Her tail showed worrying signs of a possible otter attack on the lower lobe. She had broad flanks, but was hollow and for a rare change I had a fish hoisted on to the scales. Weighing 11lb-something, there was potential for her to go considerably bigger as these fish invariably fill out in the coming months. I stopped on the way home for a wellearned fish and chip supper feeling pretty smug and self-satisfied that I’d pulled a rabbit out of the hat in the nick of time, but it could have been all so different. Sometimes you need that little bit of luck.
A delightf ul day River Don on the
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