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ISSUE 381
e's Follow Hadrian Whittl 're advice to ensure you eg p always in a fish-filled
PLUS
SIMPLE BAIT EDGES TO TRY LAY ON A BANQUET FOR CANAL SILVERS
CATCH BIG CARP USING ONLY CORN
Shakespeare Search For A Star winners announced
COMBAT THE TIDDLERS WITH A LOBWORM
TESTED NEW MIDDY XTREME M2 MARGIN POLE
This month... Issue 381 September 21 – October 19, 2021
Fishery Focus 8
River Wharfe
14
River Severn
24
North & West Yorkshire Worcestershire
14
Tactics 24
30
Hadrian Whittle
Reservoir bream on the feeder
Alex Dawson
Nail it down to bag in the margins
34
Phil Taylor
40
Glen Picton
Beat tiddlers with a worm Carry on casting to spark a feeding frenzy 34 44
47 52 56 4 IYCF | Issue 381
Quick fix
Shotting patterns for all depths
Kayleigh Smith
Feed lots for canal nets
Duncan Charman
58 62 66
Loafer float rig
Bag-up in snaggy swims
Andy Phelps
Get silvers hooked on meat
Fish Better with Des Shipp Boost your baits
Day breaming on the Thames
Rig school
Russell Shipton
70
Q&A
Your questions answered
Tackle 74 78
78
80
Live test
Middy M2 G-Pulse pole
New gear
The latest tackle releases
5 Brilliant barbel rods Great performers for £80
94
74
Carp tactics 94 98
100
Your IYCF
James Furness
20
Carp Q&A
29
What is a test curve?
82
Catch carp using only corn Sticky’s experts solve your problems Rod strengths explained
84
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102 Find out what our top all-rounder has been up to
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www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 5
White water Wharfing River Wharfe, Tadcaster
Rino Morisini shows how to tame wild, tumbling water in his quest for barbel and chub on one of the finest stretches in Yorkshire Words & Photography Ben Fisk
8 IYCF | Issue 381
A
S A RIVER for fishing, the Yorkshire Wharfe pretty much has it all. From deep in the limestone hills of the Dales it rises and for, most of its length, is a game river – shallow, wild and rocky. There are weirs, untamed rapids and the dangerous ‘Strid’ section at Bolton Abbey, where the river is channelled into a narrow, 15ft deep gorge which has claimed the lives of almost all those who have fallen in. But from the market town of Wetherby, the Wharfe becomes a coarse river. And a very good one at that. Chub and barbel are in abundance particularly in the downstream towns of Boston Spa and Tadcaster, which arguably offer some of the finest running water sport in the county. Tadcaster is a firm favourite with Spotted Fin coarse
team member Amorino ‘Rino’ Morisini and a glance over its iconic old stone bridge suggests why. The nearby weir, against the backdrop of the impressive eleven arch viaduct, provides a constant main flow of welloxygenated white water down the whole stretch. On a bright summer’s day you can often see shoals of fish as they pack into the shallows to spawn. “The best session I’ve had here recently is 30 barbel and four chub in an evening,” said Rino. “You couldn’t feed enough! My mate was giving them a scoop of hemp every run through to keep them feeding. When they’re really ‘on it’ you’ll see them flashing in the current to get at the bait. There’s no finer way to catch them than putting a float through. In water this fast it’s exciting stuff. I can wade out and keep my float tight to the far bank trees where they live,” he said.
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 9
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TACTICS: FEEDER SPECIES: BREAM DIFFICULTY:
24 IYCF | Issue 381
TACTICS
Pick a fish-filled peg every time Giant reservoirs may seem a tough proposition, but here’s how Hadrian Whittle bags up every visit Words Tony Grigorjevs Photography Ryan Hayden
S
TUDY an image of a large netful of reservoir bream and hybrids and you can’t help but be thoroughly impressed. Most of us will have a momentary urge to sample that style of fishing before recalling the supposed reality and subsequently stick to the easier type of fishery you frequent on a regular basis. Let’s face it, vast reservoirs are daunting. There’s a fear of wasting your precious time on the bank struggling for bites wondering where on earth the shoals are waiting.
But Hadrian Whittle reckons that doing a little homework can help you find the fish every time, dramatically enhancing your chances of a red-letter day whenever you set out to conquer a reservoir. “It’s rare for every peg on a large reservoir to harbour fish and you have to make the right decisions before you tackle up so the odds are stacked in your favour,” Hadrian told IYCF. “Once you’ve selected a peg that looks like it will produce bites, you need to attack it properly to make sure you entice those fish into feeding.”
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 25
Beat the tiddlers with lobbies Phil Taylor displays the worm fishing tactics that help avoid being plagued by tiny roach and rudd during your next silverfish session Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
T
HE days of anglers being only interested in catching carp seem to have gone. Yet while they want to experience the thrill of the putting other species in the net, they still want to duel with something that holds their own during the fight. Swinging in miniature silvers one after another soon becomes tiresome for many and that leads to them hooking on bigger bait to find those rod-bending specimens. Turn to the likes of pellets or corn and it’s likely to be a carp-only affair, but Phil
TACTICS: FLOAT SPECIES: SILVERS DIFFICULTY:
34 IYCF | Issue 381
Taylor reckons there is one bait can lead to a real mixed haul of quality fish. The Lincolnshire-based angler swears by the pulling power of a natural offering for good stamp fish of all species. “If you’re visiting a water that has had an explosion of tiny silverfish, lobworms will help you pick out the better samples that you are after,” he said. “Of course, not every bite will lead to a personal best, but when the float goes under, you can feel confident that you’ll need the assistance of a landing net!”
TACTICS
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 35
Carry on casting to spark a feeding frenzy How often do you recast when fishing the Method? If it’s not every few minutes you could be missing fish according to Glen Picton Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
TACTICS: FEEDER SPECIES: CARP DIFFICULTY:
40 IYCF | Issue 381
TACTICS
C
OMMERCIAL lakes are packed with carp that are constantly on the hunt for food during the heat of summer. They’re capable of devouring large beds of bait in no time at all. In reality, the amount of grub that is delivered by a feeder is just about enough for one mouthful! When float fishing and feeding either by hand or a catapult, it’s easy to make regular top-ups and put in the quantity of bait they want. But the frequent feeding rhythm that proves so successful on both the pole and waggler goes out of the window when the feeder comes into the equation. Suddenly, casting out a rig and leaving it stationary seems acceptable. Many anglers
wait up to 15 minutes, if not longer, before reeling in and starting again. Glen Picton, however, would have cast at least six times during that timespan. It’s this active approach that he believes is the main reason for his success on the tip. His rod spends very little time on the rests, with the commercial expert casting at least every two minutes. “It is so important to recast regularly. Not only does it keep the bed of bait topped up, the noise it makes draws in fish from elsewhere,” explained Glen. “Most bites come soon after casting, so I’ve realised that leaving in a feeder for long periods is a lot of time being wasted.”
Carp respond well to a regular casting routine
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 41
Set out on a dawn raid for urban bream Imagine Thames bream and you instantly think of a nocturnal assault, yet Duncan Charman shows that an early start in the city can be most rewarding… Words Duncan Charman Photography Paul Garner/Duncan Charman
C
ATCHING a big bag of specimen bream on the mighty River Thames isn’t difficult these days, especially if you arrive a few hours before the sun dips on the horizon, pile in plenty of groundbait and have the time to wait. Catching in daylight, however, is a different ball game…
52 IYCF | Issue 381
TACTICS
TACTICS: FEEDER SPECIES: BREAM DIFFICULTY:
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 53
G I R OL
CHUB LOAFER FLOAT
SC H
O
This chunky item is simple to use and offers superb bait presentation for chub, barbel, roach and even grayling. Here’s how to use the set-up
W
HEN targeting chub and barbel in fast flowing rivers it is often more productive to forget about finesse and concentrate instead on correct bait presentation. This is especially true when float fishing with a big bait, such as bread, cheese or meat in fast, streamy water. A buoyant float that carries plenty of weight is essential to ensure the bait tracks straight down the swim and stays close to the deck.
This is ideal for the loafer float, a very buoyant, dumpy float, that is fished fixed top and bottom. Available in a range of sizes, loafers work in swims from just a metre deep, to over three metres, by increasing the size of the float, while other parts of the set-up remain the same. This is also the perfect float to use if you are new to trotting a float on a river. The mass of the rig means that it can easily be cast underarm, and will run through the
swim in a straight line, even in a tricky wind. By holding back so that the float is running at about half of the surface speed, you can also more closely match the speed of the river near the bottom, making the bait more appealing to fish. This rig is especially useful for chub and barbel, but in fast water it can also be used for grayling and even big roach, in fact any time that you need to prioritise presentation over finesse.
HOW TO TIE A LOAFER FLOAT RIG
Attach the float to the Next, tie a small figure-ofTie a size 12 eyed hook Complete the hooklength by mainline with t wo float eight loop knot in the end to a 60cm length of 5lb t ying a figure-of-eight knot 1 2 3 4 rubbers - one on the shoulder of of the mainline. Remember to fluorocarbon using a four-turn in the end of the fluorocarbon. the float, the other projecting just beyond the base of the float
moisten the knot with saliva before pulling tight
grinner knot. Neatly trim the tag end of the knot
The finished hooklength should be around 40cm
YOU WILL NEED
You can now attach the The dropper shot closest to Position the remaining shot hooklength to the mainline 6 the hook is a No.4 positioned 7 as a bulk around 45cm above 5 using a simple loop-to-loop knot about 15cm above the hook the hook
56 IYCF | Issue 381
✔ 2-6 swan loafer float ✔ 6lb mainline ✔ 5lb fluorocarbon hooklength ✔ Size 12 Guru MWG eyed hook ✔ Spilt shot
FLOAT
The chunky loafer float is attached top and bottom with suitable float rubbers
MAINLINE
A 6lb mainline is strong enough to deal with chub as well as any big barbel that might come along
SHOTTING
The bulk of the shot is fixed 45cm above the hook. Use AAAs for a streamlined finish. A No.4 dropper shot is positioned 15cm above the hook to help keep the bait close to the bottom
HOOKBAIT
HOOKLENGTH
Joining the hooklength to the mainline via a loopto-loop knot means that if you need to pull for a break you’ll only lose the hooklength rather than the entire rig
Loafer floats are perfect for use with large baits such as meat, cheese or bread in fast water
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 57
Give ‘em a pasting in the snags! Russell Shipton reveals the tactics you need to win every battle with big carp in swims shrouded by cover Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: CARP DIFFICULTY:
58 IYCF | Issue 381
F
IND a swim entangled in cover and you can guarantee that a big carp or two will be lurking nearby. The sight of those dense green reeds twitching violently will get your adrenaline pumping and you can’t help but to imagine your float going under on the first put in of the day. Then reality hits home and you begin to doubt whether you’d stand a chance of extracting a hefty lump so close to a major set of snags. More often than not you back away, settling down in a less enticing swim to nullify the growing fear about whether your tackle would survive such a bruising encounter. However, there are some that will take the plunge and pit their wits against these snaggy swims, fully convinced they can win every battle they bravely set out to create. Commercial expert Russell Shipton is one of them. He has proven on many occasions that you can come out on top in the grizzliest of pegs. “A lot of anglers fear that carp are going to run straight into the snags and break their rig within a split second of hooking them, but there are ways to take charge from the word go,” explained Russell. “The biggest fish often live in these areas, so it is well worth taking the plunge and getting used to tackling them.”
Prepare for battle
Your quarry will spend its time cruising between the sanctuary offered by reedbeds, branches and bushes and as soon as they feel a hook hit home, they’re going to power straight for cover. The duel can be won and lost in the opening seconds and piling on the pressure straight away is essential if you want to get the carp out into open water.
TACTICS
Heavy tackle is essential in order to help you boss big fish away from features
That means using strong tackle and Russell is well equipped to banish any fear of possible expensive breakages. “Everything from the pole itself right through to your hook needs to be strong and able to cope with a lot of pressure,” he stated. “I use a pole that is specifically designed for hauling big fish from the margins, with the Middy Xtreme M2 MKII up to the job. A tightly set grade 20-24 elastic is run through the top kit, with the rig made up of 0.22mm mainline to a 0.20mm hooklength and a size 12 hook.” Pressure needs to be applied as soon as you strike - there’s no time to work out how big the fish is. You can worry about that later. Take control by pulling in the opposite direction to the snags and you’ll move the fish a small distance before it even cottons on to what is going on. This can prove pivotal, giving you the upper hand and ultimately putting you in charge.
Big carp often live within dense cover
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 59
Fish better with...
DES SHIPP
Brush up on key angling skills with England International Des, to put more fish on the bank
THIS MONTH: ADD FLAVOUR FOR BETTER CATCHES
F
ISHERIES up and down the country have been busier than ever this year as more people spend time outdoors as a result of the pandemic. It’s brilliant for our sport and it’s amazing to see so many people either trying fishing for the first time or coming back to it after a long break. Such large numbers on the bank means the fish have faced a fair amount of pressure and, as a result, they’re wising up to what’s going on. That means we all need to up our game to keep the bites coming and boosting your bait is one way to do that. Present a hookbait or dose of loosefeed that oozes a flavour the fish rarely see, and it’ll lull them into a false of security in no time at all.
USE THE CORRECT GROUNDBAIT FLAVOUR Grab half a dozen types of groundbait that are all roughly the same colour and you could be forgiven for thinking they are almost identical. But there’s every chance the ingredients within them will be very different. If carp and bream are on the agenda, look for something that is packed with fishmeal. Roach, on the other hand, are often put off by fishmeal so a sweet mix is the way forward.
66 IYCF | Issue 381
1
HOW TO:
BOOS YOURT BAITS
2
3 FLOOD THE MARGINS Fish of all species are very inquisitive and they’ll always investigate things that look a little different. When fishing the feeder in shallow water, I regularly add a dash of flavouring on top of my Method. This disperses within a split second of the feeder hitting the deck, creating a cloud in the water. It reduces the amount of time you need to wait for the fish to come and take a look.
THICKEN YOUR GROUNDBAIT Groundbait is packed full of attractants but if there are lots of fish in your swim, it can be easily wafted off the bottom as they compete. This can lead to line bites as the fish come off the deck to take the morsels. Adding a glug to your groundbait makes it heavier, helping it stick to the bottom for longer. This concentrates the shoal on the deck and enhances the chances of every indication being a proper bite.
4
5 TRY UNUSUAL COLOURS Tackle shop shelves are packed with an array of colourful baits, yet by the far the most common are shades of green, brown and red. If you are targeting a venue where the fish have wised up to these, try a colour that most other anglers would fail to think of. I’ve caught some very big carp using meat that has been dyed orange and even pink!
ADD A SPARKLE The bait you are using may be a winner so there is no need to abandon it completely. Your micros may blend into the bottom and go unnoticed, but adding a few scoops of Sonubaits Fluoro Rocks to your tub of pellets will add a tint of luminous colour. They add minimal food content but are a great way to boost attraction.
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 67
LIVE TEST
“You’ll never make this pole redundant”
We all love to replace tackle with newer versions but Tony Grigorjevs finds a tool that will play a part in your commercial work for years on end MIDDY XTREME M2 MKII RRP: £299.99 (AROUND £199.99 IN SHOPS)
E
ACH time we buy a new pole, we convince ourselves it’ll be our pride and joy for the foreseeable future. But the tackle market and our abilities are constantly evolving, lead to a significant proportion of us being led astray from our original intentions. Catch a glimpse of a new model that lights up your eyes and if everything falls in your favour financially, you may just bite the bullet and add that new pole to your collection. This is likely to leave your old version redundant, with the latest purchase getting used at every opportunity.
But there are some poles that will play a part in your fishing for years, if not decades, and the Middy Xtreme M2 is definitely one of them. Coming in at 10m long, it is the ideal tool for those taking their first steps into this branch of the sport. It’s packed with power and more than tough enough to deal with the inevitable mishaps that are part and parcel of learning a new trade. Available at around £200, it ticks all the boxes to get you going. Last month I visited The Glebe in Leicester and found that the venue’s reputation for having some of the hardest fighting carp in the land was well and truly warranted. This was a pole that needed to be pitted against brute force, so another trip was pencilled in to run the rule over the M2.
Impressive package
With all of the sections out of the holdall, a quick inspection gave me a good feeling. Firmly pinching the ends of the each produced no give, with the carbon offering an early indication it was up to the task of commercial bagging. The pole shipped through my hands with no complaints, and it wasn’t particularly heavy. It was quite responsive too but, in reality, this quality isn’t that important when whacking into great big lumps is the name of the game. A lot of poles in this price category also come with the bare minimum, but there’s a few additional extras that were a very pleasant surprise.
TACKLE
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 75
TIPS, TACTICS & RIGS TO CATCH MORE
CATCH CARP
USING ONLY SWEETCORN Rather than merely an addition to a spod mix, James Furness says you could be missing a trick by not making corn your primary bait for a session Words James Furness Photography Tom Scarr
94 IYCF | Issue 381
CARP
I
F THERE is one bait in specimen carp fishing that really doesn’t get the credit it fully deserves, it’s sweetcorn. It’s been doing the business ever since anglers first started specifically targeting carp and its effectiveness hasn’t waned in the slightest over decades. It’s readily available and catches carp from the easiest of runs waters through to the toughest of low-stock gravel pits. Yet for many anglers it’s simply something that’s merely added to bulk out a spod mix or used in fake form to tip off a boilie hookbait for a little added visual attraction. I would argue that sweetcorn deserves a lot more recognition as a bait in its own right as opposed to something that is used as an addition to other items.
Reasons to love corn
One of the key advantages that corn offers is its bright yellow colour. Even just a small handful of sweetcorn on the lakebed is going to be impossible for any nearby fish to miss. Carp are generally an inquisitive species and will often be unable to resist investigating further. And once they do start picking up a grain or two, they’ll soon want more of that sweet and flavoursome taste. It is also soft and easily digestible for the carp which means you don’t have to worry about putting in too much. It can also be used effectively at any time of the year – even in the depths of winter when carp appetites are massively reduced. And then, of course, there’s its price. It’s ridiculously cheap! You can grab a 300g tin for pennies or you can get even more for your money by investing the 1kg bags of frozen corn you’ll find in the freezer section of most supermarkets. If you want to embark on a prebaiting campaign or bait heavily over the course of a session, your wallet will definitely thank you for using sweetcorn. If you fancy something a little bit different to standard sweetcorn, most tackle shops also stock tins of it in a variety of different flavours and colours. A cracking corn loving common that couldn’t resist a bit of yellow