Improve Your Coarse Fishing Magazine - Issue 392 by Improve Your Coarse Fishing magazine

This month... Issue 392 August 2 – August 30, 2022

Fishery Focus 8

Moorlands Farm

Cooper’s Lake

Worcestershire Derbyshire

Tactics 24 30

Will McCranor

Have fun on the whip

Will Raison

10 pellet waggler tips

Nick Crookes

Darren Cox

The masterplan to crack wide, slow moving rivers Attract fewer carp and you’ll catch more fish! 34

44 46

Quick fix

Darryl Hodges

Ian Smith

Pellet types explained

How to triumph on a river you’ve never fished before Make your rig invisible

Charlie Simpson 54

Get on the meaty micros Method

4 IYCF | Issue 392

Rig school

Crucian float rig

Derren Burr

Turn up the heat with chilli meat for big chub

Fish Better with Des Shipp

Shallow fishing on the pole

Q&A

Your questions answered

R ME M SU THING

CLO E 2022 GUID

Tackle 72

76 78

104

Live test

Your IYCF 20

Shimano Purist X3 Barbel rod

New gear

The latest tacke releases

Buyers’ guide...

Summer clothing

Carp tactics

Mike Salisbury

Rig of the month

98 102 104

Zig fishing in the edge The Ronnie rig

Carp Q&A

Sticky’s experts solve your problems

108

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Cooper diary

The adventures of a fishing family

Support your local Tackle shop guide

Your letters Have your say

Daiwa Mission Your catch shots

Puzzle break

Win a Korum EVA Groundbait & ridde set

Bob Roberts’ diary

Find out what our top all rounder has been up to

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The country’s fishtastic pub garden Cooper’s Lake, Derbyshire

Brad Parkes visits a fishery located in an unusual setting and proves it’s a venue you’ll want to cast a line at Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs

14 IYCF | Issue 392

EAD to a pub that promises outdoor facilities and a kid’s play park, or a beer garden is the likely treat for visitors. Arrange a trip to the Coopers Arms in Derbyshire and you’ll see it overlooks a 32-peg lake that can compete with the most prolific of mixed fisheries anywhere. Locals have been in awe of what is on offer at the prime location for 30 years, but its popularity boomed a couple of years ago thanks to rave reviews from some of the sport’s most skilled stars. Jamie Hughes, Andy May and Cameron Hughes were among the household names that sampled its delights before promptly giving it a firm thumbs up via their social media channels. Good access, plenty of parking and well-constructed swims all contribute to why it has been received so well, with the online booking system that enables you to secure your favourite swim also proving a winner. The varied nature of the fishing itself is of course the biggest positive of the lot, with a blend of quality bream, tench to 7lb, ide over the 3lb mark and roach complementing the carp that run to 20lb.

Anglers are frequently making lengthy journeys to take advantage of the action and Brad Parkes has no qualms about making a near 100-mile round trip for the privilege. A big fan of heading to venues that keep you guessing what will feed next, he’s visited on numerous occasions and his love affair grows fonder with each session. “This is a million miles away from what you’d consider a commercial fishery, and it offers an experience that nowhere else can,” said Brad. “Every species is thriving, packing on weight and contributing to some very impressive mixed nets that are often free of carp.”

FISHERY FOCUS An in-depth guide to the best stillwaters, rivers, and canals that you can fish for the price of a day ticket

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Will Raison’s...

10 DEADLIEST

pellet waggler tips The England international reveals his essential advice for bagging up on this scintillating summer tactic Words Ryan Hayden Photography Tony Grigorjevs

HERE is little doubt that the pellet waggler is the number one approach for bagging carp that are sat beyond pole range in summer. Determined to soak up the warmth, they’ll cruise around within inches of the surface. That rarely has an impact on their desire to feed though, and appropriately presenting a

30 IYCF | Issue 392

hookbait close to where they are patrolling often leads to an instant bite. Former world champion and Daiwabacked star Will Raison loves nothing more than to sink his teeth into the tactic at this time of year and is a mine of information on the topic. “If big carp are your target during the

height of summer, look no further than the pellet waggler,” suggests Will. “Catching the odd fish isn’t particularly hard but bagging up on it requires you to stick to a few basic, but essential principles.” This month Will reveals his 10 deadliest tips for having a summer of success with the pellet waggler.

ANALYSE YOUR HOOKBAIT OPTIONS

TACTICS Technique and practise is the way to feed your swim

“An 8mm pellet presented in a band is my number of hookbait. “This will blend in with the loosefeed, making it tricky for carp to spot the trap. “That said, there are days when breaking away from that way of thinking can work and going with a brightly coloured wafter is the alternative. “It will stand out, potentially producing more bites if the fish are proving less choosy.”

2 A banded 8mm pellet is the go-to choice but don’t be afraid to vary what’s on the hook if the fish are proving more cooperative

CY FEED WITH PINPOINT ACCURA

“Spraying bait all over your swim is a recipe for spreading fish all over the place. “I rely on a little trick that helps group the 8mm pellets in the same spot every time. “I hold the frame of the catapult flat in front of my face, with the elastic and pouch dropping below. The pouch is grabbed before the elastic is stretched down to my

3 FIND THE WINNING DEPTH

stomach and I then create the angle to fire the pellets. This makes sure the pellets are fired in with the same force every time.” “It’s rare that I stray away from 8mm pellets, firing in around a dozen at a time early on to build up the swim before halving that once there are plenty of fish competing in the swim.”

Feeding the same spot every time pays dividends

“The fish may be sat very close to the surface but that doesn’t mean you need to set your rig extremely shallow. Big carp can spook easily and getting your float to plop in with the hookbait falling a few feet beyond often provides the ideal presentation.” “I usually start the session at 3.5ft-4ft. With no shot on the line, the hookbait falls slowly and fish that are, for example, just a foot beneath the surface still get the opportunity to take the bait. “It also prolongs the fall a little, keeping the hookbait on the move and looking natural that bit longer.”

With no shot on the line the hookbait falls slowly and looks natural

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Wide, slow moving rivers Nick Crooks’ approach proves that a simple attack can unlock these venues in no time at all Photography & Words Tony Grigorjevs

HERE’S no hiding the fact that at first glance wide, featureless rivers are a daunting prospect. Venues such as the Thames and Trent pose all sorts of questions, and the answers are rarely staring you straight in the face. An abundance of watercraft is required

1. 40m with a cage feeder for silverfish 2. 60m with a blockend feeder for bonus barbel and chub

1. 1.5kg of groundbait 2. Two tins of hemp 3. A pint of maggots 4. A pint of casters

River Trent, Farndon, Notts

34 IYCF | Issue 392

to work out where your quarry will be sat and how they’ll want to be fed, so several pieces of the jigsaw need to come neatly together to get the fish into the net. Nick Crooks has spent plenty of time on such venues, fishing both pleasure sessions and big matches with Drennan Barnsley

Blacks – the best team in the land. “Many people are put off wide, slowmoving rivers because they think they’ll be out of their depth – but that’s rarely the case,” he said. “Stay on your toes, be willing to tweak things as needed and keep it simple, with just two lines of attack.”

Cage feeders allow a speedy release of the contents.

Groundbait-based feed at 40m will get to the bottom and then break up easily.

On the big-fish line at 60m the swim is first fed with five blockend feederfuls of hemp.

“The first job is to pick where I want to fish, and the silverfish line wants to be pencilled in at the deepest part of your peg. “Roach, skimmers and bonus bream are usually the target, and this is where they feel most comfortable. “My peg today is around 80m wide, and I’m going to fish this rig at 40m. Five cage feeders packed with groundbait and a few loose offerings will go in at the start, with half a bag each of SonuBaits Black Roach, Super Skimmer and Crushed Hemp going into the mix. “This is sticky enough to get to the bottom, but it then breaks up and releases a lot of flavour. A quality roach from the 40m silverfish line for Nick Crooks

“My big-fish rig, which aims to catch a bonus barbel or chub, is pencilled in slightly further across at 60m. I want to separate the two so that they don’t interfere with each other. “Five blockend feederfuls of hemp go in at the start. I use distance sticks to measure out my range and these enable me to take the clip off if I hit a big fish that surges off. I can then measure up again and make sure my rig goes back over the baited zone. “It also helps to create a reference point, and if it turns out to be a successful day, I can visit the peg again and get my rig into the same spot without any guesswork. “The first hour is spent on the silverfish line, and I expect near-instant action from smaller silverfish. Keep casting every five minutes to keep the swim topped up and to make a little noise that will draw fish in.”

Lure fewer carp to catch more! An overcrowded swim is a recipe for line bites and foul-hooked fish. Darren Cox shows how to keep fish numbers in check Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs

LARGE vortex appears in your swim, and moments later it is followed by a series of repeat incidents. Carp are clearly competing for food in your swim, and the adrenaline levels are climbing at a rate of knots. Determined to keep those fish in your swim, you reach for the loosefeed and either catapult or dump in another batch of bait to do just that. Stop right there! It may sound bizarre, but having too many fish charging around your

swim can create a whole load of trouble. Holding the attention of just a couple of fish at a time and allowing the others to back away slightly is the key, and Darren Cox knows exactly how to make it happen. The England international is fully aware of the issues that huge numbers of fish can cause on heavily stocked commercials, and attacks his swim in a style that will only appeal to a minority. “Attracting dozens of hungry carp into your peg may seem like a good idea, but it

SH! U R C P CAR y fish in

Too mancan end in the swiming landed fewer be

40 IYCF | Issue 392

is really only a recipe for constantly foulhooking fish and being plagued by line bites,” explained Darren. “Most commercials have a high stocking volume and there are literally thousands of carp stocked – and at this time of year, they all want to feed. “It’s all about setting your stall out so that only one or two fish are around the hookbait at any one time, decreasing competition and making sure every bite leads to the culprit being lip-hooked.”

TACTICS Moderated feeding

Carp will try and eat every morsel that is fired at them in summer and the more food that goes in, the more fish it will attract. “Place a pint of 6mm pellets on your sidetray at the start and make sure you don’t top it up. “It’ll force you to remain cautious and not get carried away while feeding. “Half a dozen freebies is all you need each time you feed – the ideal quantity to attract a fish. “It’ll come in and your hookbait will be taken in no time at all as there is very little else for it to eat.” Darren starts feeding via a catapult, with the noise created drawing fish into his peg. Once he gets a few bites and it is clear that

the commotion has triggered a response, he switches to using a small cup to dump them in. This sneaks the bait in and some of the fish that raced in excitedly will drift away, leaving just the odd one that drifts across to investigate your loosefeed. Hookbait is also a 6mm pellet which is banded. Rather than place the band on a hair-rig, Darren prefers to hook it directly. “Although these fish are very hungry, the bites they give can still be delicate. That slight gap between the bait and hook when hair rigging gives the fish a split second to escape when they’ve gently mouthed the pellet. “By directly hooking the band, they have less chance to eject the bait.”

Imagine the chaos if all these pellets went in at once!

TACTICS: FEEDING SPECIES: CARP/F1s DIFFICULTY:

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METHOD M IX

Meat is added dampened m to and ground icros b stick to the f ait to eeder

TACTICS: Feeder SPECIES: Carp/silvers DIFFICULTY:

54 IYCF | Issue 392

TACTICS

Time to give your Method a bait twist

Charlie Simpson reveals how he goes against the grain when putting together a cocktail of baits for mixed bags on the feeder Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs

ETHOD feeder fishing is all the rage right now, and it’s not hard to see why. One rod can cover your whole swim, preparation is minimal, and setting up the rig doesn’t get any simpler. The one drawback that many point to is the apparently limited number of baits that can be moulded on to the frame. Dampened micros and groundbait are the only options for most anglers, but Charlie Simpson has a third choice in his recipe book that is proving unbeatable. “Fish in most venues are becoming cagey when feeding over little piles of groundbait and pellets because they’ve seen it so many times before,” explained Charlie. “You need to give them something that they aren’t used to seeing, and packing plenty of riddled meat on to the feeder has been working an absolute treat for me. “Micros and groundbait still form part of the bait mix, but add meat and the contents of the feeder takes on a completely different look that the fish don’t associate with danger.”

“This enables me to work out which bait I think is doing the damage. I use a pole cup to measure out my quantities to keep it accurate. “For example, I’ll usually start the day with two cups of meat and a cup each of micro pellets and groundbait mixed together. “If that works well, I stick with that ratio, but if action is slow or bites tail off, I can adjust it and reduce or increase the relative quantities of the baits in a process of trial-and-error.” Charlie’s meat is pushed through a riddle for preparation, although he uses a version with a reasonably large 4mm mesh. This prevents it from turning into a mush which would, in turn, release a lot of liquid and make it much sloppier. For groundbait, he whips together an even blend of Bag’em Matchbaits Supreme Meaty Method and Boilie Crush.

Stodgy serving

The traditional baits that are relied on for Method and Hybrid fishing are so popular because of their ability to bind together. They stick to the frame, enabling you to propel the rig the required distance without fear of the contents flying off during the cast. Meat on its own has too much moisture to remain in place, but Charlie combines it with the old favourites to get the required consistency. “I have a bait box each of dampened micro pellets, groundbait and meat. Rather than tip them all together at the start of a session, I make up small batches as the day goes on.

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Fish better with...

DES SHIPP

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

THIS MONTH: SHALLOW FISHING ON THE POLE

E ALL love to bask in the sunshine at this time of year and fish are no different. As soon as the rays beam down on the surface, the shoals sit high in the water to soak up the warmth. They’re still in the mood for feeding but presenting a bait on the deck is pointless. Shallow fishing is the way forward

and it’s important to get to grips with the intricacies of it if you want to get lots of bites. It’s nothing like fishing on the bottom, with the feeding, rigs and techniques a million miles apart. There’s also a lot of differences in how you should fish for carp and F1s. This month I reveal my top tips for getting among both species.

THE WINNING DEPTH F1s are very fussy and if your hookbait is sat slightly too shallow or too deep to what they demand, they’ll simple ignore it. I find that setting the rig 9in-18in deep is best during the heat of summer. Keep adjusting your rig by a couple of inches within that range and the float will eventually fly under. You’ll be amazed how you can’t get a bite at 10in but switch to 12in and it suddenly flicks a switch

S RICK T P TO

P U G BA F1s ON

64 IYCF | Issue 392

3 USE SHORT TOP KITS Most modern poles come with the option of shorter top kits, and they are ideal for catching F1s shallow. They stiffen up your pole, enabling you to connect with the rig a split second quicker on the strike and that leads to more fish being hooked. They also bring the fish closer to the net once you’re down to the top kit, making it easier to land them

BULK IT UP Bulk shotting is the best pattern. A bulk keeps the line tight and also creates a bolt rig effect, making it easier for the hook to set the moment it is sucked in. Use a 4in hooklength and pin the bulk just above the loop that attaches it to the mainline

WINNING SET-UP

TWO BAIT CHOICES

A soft elastic that won’t bump fish on the strike is vital. A grade 11 Preston Innovations Dura Hybrid is my choice. Mainline is 0.17mm and while this may sound heavy, it is important to use something that can handle the wear and tear of a bagging session. At the business end it is a 0.13mm hooklength to a size 16 GPM-B hook. Float is a 4x10 or 4x12 Preston Innovations F1 Shallow

Pellets are a brilliant bait for F1s and I’ll often feed 4mms and band the same for a hookbait. A lot of anglers use a 6mm hookbait but F1s are crafty and I’m convinced this helps them spot the trap. Maggots are a great alternative, and they are particularly effective on venues where small fish won’t cause problems. Whichever you go with, feed 5-10 freebies every 30 seconds to keep a trickle of bait going through the water column

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THE ADVENTURES OF A FISHING FAMILY

It’s been a busy month for the Coopers, but they’ve still found plenty of time for a spot of angling at several different venues...

HIS month has been like many months for us, seizing opportunities where possible to squeeze in a few hours across a range of venues. We often get comments on social media asking where we find the time, so this month in between talking about our outings, we thought we’d explain how we fit in angling into a very busy life! Meg and I both have full-time jobs, Cosmo and Milo are obviously at school but have a lot of other interests which means when we’re not working, we’re often ferrying the

kids to and from judo, gymnastics, cubs/ scouts, and a lot more (we even managed to fit in a few hours kayaking into the centre of Birmingham!). The key is being willing to seize every opportunity, and to tailor your fishing accordingly. This also means that short sessions keep the kids interested as do mixing up the types of fishing we can enjoy. After spending most of the day kayaking into the city centre for the British Canoeing Annual Paddle to the Heart event (and watching Cosmo & Milo enjoying the seal

We kayaked into Birmingh am city centre for a charity event

eal ed the s y o j n e p ilo yak tri and M Cosmo nch on our ka lau

launch for the first time – videos on our TikTok) we were left with a couple of hours to catch some fish. We decided to visit Fisherwick Lakes’ Match Pool to try and catch a few small carp. We elected to fish the pellet waggler, pinging pellets regularly and fishing a Hinders Tutti mini wafter on a band. We’ve found this technique works well and guarantees some sport on a sunny evening, and we’d each caught several carp before heading off for a well-deserved takeaway.

The Match Pool at Fisherwick Lakes is always good for a few bites

You can’t beat a few hours on the bank on a sunny evening

One of several carp caught before heading home for a takeaway

A pretty little mirror carp caught on simple pellet waggler tactics

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CARP Q&A

IN ASSOCIATION WITH STICKY

HOW CAN I GET CARP TO FEED OUT OF WEED?

How would you approach a scenario where the carp are holding up in areas of thick weed and don’t seem to venture out to feed over the clearer areas? Luke Murphy, email

Patience is key if carp are hiding in thick weed

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

104 IYCF | Issue 392

SCOTT LLOYD – Sometimes the fish can just

be in that mood where they spend all day in the weed and don’t want to do anything else. This is typical of warm spells in summer. If they don’t want to move out, then the best you can do is find a spot that they might travel to at night or just get as close as you can. If the major spots on the outskirts of the weed aren’t producing anything then I would see if there’s any really small spots in the weed which the fish will feel safer feeding in during the day. There’s normally one or two holes but it can be like finding a needle in a haystack. At night I can almost guarantee the fish will move out of the weed, as it sucks oxygen out of the water, so baiting somewhere close to the weed, near where the fish enter and exit will give you two bite opportunities – one in the evening on their way out and at first light on their way in. The only other thing I can suggest is to look for spots in the margins, but if the fish aren’t there, you are never going to catch them. It’s all about weighing up the situation and choosing the best option, or give both a try if your swim allows.

A tight bed of particles will be effective in small holes in weed and on gravel patches

Boilies are at their best when spread out on a clean lakebed covered in light silt

How do you decide whether to fish over a tight bed of particles or a spread of boilies? Does it depend on conditions or is it venue specific? Phil Williams, email OZ HOLNESS – There’s no doubt certain

venues respond well to boilie-only tactics and others seem to fish better on particles. The baiting scenario really depends on the spot I choose to fish – the smaller the spot, the tighter the baiting. Small holes in weed, gravel patches in silt or small mounds and bars are all examples of where I would opt for a tight bed of particles over a spread of boilies. The bait is concentrated on the feature rather than around it, which helps focus the carps’ attention. In contrast, I tend to use a spread of boilies when targeting flatter lakebeds, often covered in light silt. It also lends itself to fishing in light weed, where they hang at different levels in the weed. A spread of boilies is a different feeding scenario for carp. They tend to feed slowly and deliberately and the bait itself becomes a feature rather than the thing you are fishing to.

YOUR CARP QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY STICKY’S EXPERT ANGLERS

I’ve got an exclusive lake booking with some friends this summer. How much bait and what type as well as rigs would you take to fish a venue which you haven’t ever fished before? The lake has a decent head of carp with lots of twenties and a few 30lb-plus fish. Rob Gregory, email MITCH HAMMONDS – Fishing a new

venue is all about confidence – carp are the same wherever you fish so anything you use on your local venues will work on others. This goes for rigs, baits and the type of bait you use – there’s no point fretting about it. In terms of quantity of bait, it’s a difficult one to judge but I would take as much as you can and anything you don’t

use can be brought back with you. It’s the perfect opportunity to use freezer bait for the main portion of your bait and then take some shelflife as a back-up. If there are no rules against it, I would also take some particles as they can be deadly at this time of year. On a lake where the fish are used to consistent pressure, lightly baited areas of particles can often pick off the better fish. There’s no need to mess with different rigs. Use the handful you like to use and suit them to the spots you find when you get there. If you can do some research and ask the bailiff or other anglers or friends that have fished there before, you can be one step ahead.

Are there any particular baits that are best to use when targeting carp post-spawning?

Steve Palmer, email

JIM WILSON – Once the fish have spawned, they tend to be highly catchable simply because they are hungry! With the deed done for the year, their only thoughts are to replace energy that’s been lost. I use a lot of high energy food in summer, which involves a lot of boilies and pellets, with plenty of rich liquids. I supplement the boilies with some particles, just to bulk it out a tad as you can’t half go through some bait in summer. My advice would be to pick a quality boilie, like Krill Active, along with some good pellets such as Bloodworm Pellets and use as much as you can, while you can. In a month or so, the fish will be much harder to catch and you will have to start thinking more outside the box, but for now, give them some bait.

Being able to get three rods accurately on a spot will catch you more

Quality boiles will appeal to ravenous carp

If you had one bait edge that you could use to get you extra bites, what would it be? Andy Belton, email

TOM MAKER – A lot of people would probably go straight into this question head on and choose a bait to catch on if their life depends on it. I am going to suggest something a little more universal, something that catches me extra fish on every trip and that’s accuracy. It stands out time and time again, especially when I am on Linear Fisheries. Anglers are generally not accurate enough! If you can’t fish three rods on a 6ft by 6ft square at 100 yards, then you either practise away from the lake, or learn on the job and work up from shorter ranges. The more accurate you can be with a bed of bait, the more fish you will catch. A tight bed of bait with three rigs creates the perfect scenario for you as an angler, yet a scattered zig zag of bait with rods in and around the zone is far from ideal. By concentrating the bait and rigs you give yourself the best chance of catching, and it’s certainly one of the things that I attribute to my consistent catch rate on any venue.