WIN! A MIDDY XTREME M2 MKII POLE
Revamp a roach classic!
WORTH £299.99
PLUS How to tackle the UK lake that's nine miles long and 200ft deep!
Breathe new life into this bait combo for stillwater redfins
Ensure you have a carp filled autumn
Get results with moving baits
Master trotting for chub and barbel
Make a killer big perch groundbait
Try this simple recipe for a specimen stripey
REVEALED THE BEST LIGHTWEIGHT WELLIES
ISSUE 382
Oct 19 – Nov 16, 2021 £4.20
Pole fishing tweaks to make
This month... Issue 382 October 19 – November 16, 2021
Fishery Focus 8
Ullswater
14
Makins Fishery
24
Cumbria
Warwickshire
8
Tactics 24
30
34
Tony Curd
A modern take on a classic bait combo
Steve Bellion
10 top autumn commercial carp tips
Darryl Hodges
Trot big baits for big fish 60
40 44 47 52
54 4 IYCF | Issue 382
Ashley Clements Balling in groundbait
Quick fix
How to hair-rig a hookbait
58 60
Richard Ray
Find big fish under your feet
Bait advice
64
Knock up a killer groundbait for big perch
Brad Parkes
Cover all your options
Rig School
Paternoster for perch
Owen Robinson
Catch bigger fish with groundbait and pinkies
Fish Better with Des Shipp
Barbel/chub on the feeder
68
Q&A
Your questions answered
76
72
Tackle 72
76 78
Carp tactics 94 96
98
30
Preston Innovations Superium pole range
New gear
The latest tackle releases
Best wellies to buy Waterproof footwear
Your IYCF
98
90
Live test:
20
Edges for autumn
80
Rig of the Month
82
Carp Q&A
84
Tweak tactics to catch big The combi rig
Sticky’s experts solve your problems
What is a zig rig?
Multi depth bait presentation explained
88
Subscribe...
... and save money
Support your local Tackle shop guide
Your letters Have your say
Daiwa Mission Your catch shots
Puzzle break
Win a Korum Roving Bag
Bob Roberts’ Diary
102 Find out what our top all-rounder has been up to
SUBSCRIBE! From just £3.90 a month* VISIT: www.greatmagazines.co.uk/IYCF CALL: 01858 438 884 QUOTE: ‘JHAA’ CLOSING DATE: 15/11/2021 *When you pay by Direct Debit
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 5
Breathtaking in every sense Ullswater, Cumbria
Kieran Marsden visits a giant stillwater packed with fish below the surface and awash with stunning scenery above it Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
8 IYCF | Issue 382
T
HE Lake District is one of the most stunning areas in the UK. As you leave behind the urban feel of Lancashire while cruising up the M6, a new tone is set. Housing and industrial areas fade away as the rolling hills of Cumbria give you a taste of scenic delights to come. Very few would refuse a weekend to soak up the beauty of the region but if you were after a memorable coarse fishing trip, the region is unlikely to be high on the agenda. Many are daunted by the sheer size of the lakes,
convinced that hunting down a few fish would be the angling equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack. When you look at the statistics surrounding some of these venues, that is a perfectly understandable mentality. Take Ullswater for example, the second biggest venue in the region. It’s no less than nine miles long and takes 20 minutes by car from the village of Glenridding at the most southerly point to Pooley Bridge at the other end. Add to that astonishing depths to over 200ft and you realise the resident fish stocks have an awful lot of water to roam.
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
SUBSCRIBE TO IYCF TODAY...
FOR JUST £3.90* *when you chose the print option and pay by monthly direct debit
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE OR BY PHONE QUOTING 'JHAA' Visit: www.greatmagazines.co.uk/IYCF Call: 01858 438 884
PLUS
"Make the most of every second you spend on the bank and boost your angling skillset by never missing an issue of IYCF. Each month the magazine is jam-packed with easy-to-follow advice and tactics covering a wide range of methods and species. Whether you fish on your own, with your mates or with the whole family, we’ll make sure you’re the top rod!"
CHANC TO WIN NEES TACKLE EV W ERY ISSUE
James Furness, Editor
CHOOSE FROM TWO OPTIONS: PRINT ONLY
DIGITAL ONLY
£3.90 A MONTH
£2.60 A MONTH
OR
OR
13 ISSUES FOR £49
13 ISSUES FOR £33
WHEN YOU PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT
WHEN YOU PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT
WHEN YOU PAY BY ONE-OFF DEBIT/CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL
WHEN YOU PAY BY ONE-OFF DEBIT/CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL
WHAT IYCF SUBSCRIBERS SAY: JOIN US!
DISCOVER ALL OF THE BENEFITS ✔ Never missing an issue ✔ We will deliver for FREE ✔ Instantly download to your smartphone /tablet ✔ Pay just £3.90 per month
“Great mag. Ideal for both the experienced and inexperienced angler”
“Fantastic magazine. Great for amateur anglers”
“Excellent y magazine ver informative”
nt lots of r a e l e v I' “ and have s g in h t new w bits I'd e f a t n r a s. re-le my hiatu g in r u d forgotten ly pleased I I'm real ” signed up
Terms and Conditions: *Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. The minimum term is 13 issues. Recurring payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. This offer closes on November 15, 2021. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the geographical location in the UK. You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Phone +44 1858 438828. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions: please visit http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions
Offer ends: 15/11/2021
LINES OPEN 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat) OVERSEAS READERS CALL +44 1868 438884
A modern take on a classic bait combo Top match angler Tony Curd says it’s time to breathe new life into hemp and tares when targeting a bumper net of stillwater roach Words Tony Curd Photography Tom Finney
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: ROACH DIFFICULTY:
24 IYCF | Issue 382
TACTICS
W
HEN it comes to catching bags of quality roach there aren’t many better baits than hemp and tares for winkling out the better quality fish from a shoal. Unless you’re fishing on a river, however, there’s a good chance that this classic bait combination has long been forgotten and won’t figure in most anglers’ armouries. While most modern methods champion casters as the number one bait for roach, the old favourites still have a place, even on today’s modern commercial venues where huge shoals of roach abound. When combined with some of our modern tactics they are capable of delivering glittering results that simply cannot be ignored! The beauty of this method is that it’s so adaptable. It can be fished at all depths and can be fed according to your bites. A hungry shoal
of roach will happily consent to you throwing a good amount of bait at them each cast. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that on a commercial venue you’ll be limiting your chances of catching other species of fish on these baits, though – anything that eats pellets will be caught on hemp and tares too. Plus, you’ll have a big edge as you’re likely to be the only angler using them. I’ve had some incredible days fishing with hemp and tares on this type of water. Providing that you choose one with a good head of quality roach and other silverfish you’ll be in for a memorable day’s fishing. A real eye-opener for me is to combine an old classic bait combination with some much more modern methods. I’ve found this to be a superb way to speed up my catch rate and put together big weights of fish.
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 25
Trotting BIG baits for BIG fish Daryl Hodges insists a moving bait is the best way of catching the larger specimens in your swim, so much so that he rarely considers the feeder or bomb on some of his favourite rivers Words Daryl Hodges Photography Mark Peck
T
HERE are few more pleasing sights in fishing than a perfectly shotted float drifting its way silently downstream before rapidly disappearing below the surface – recognition that a greedy fish has intercepted your naturally presented hookbait. Many anglers assume that float fishing on rivers is a tactic only employed by match anglers and those targeting small silvers. In fact, it is everything but! I have been targeting specimen fish with float tactics for more than 25 years and have noticed more recently a trend for others to do the same.
34 IYCF | Issue 382
This may be due to river fishing enjoying something of a comeback or just because some anglers are getting a bit bored of sitting behind a pair of rods pointed at the heavens. While good technique and experience can obviously help you put more fish in the net, I also believe that fishing a float for big fish such as barbel and chub is pretty easy to master. Some anglers are put off the tactic because they don’t believe their tackle is up to it – or that you need years of practise. While practise does make perfect, it’s not a technique that needs to be complicated. Feeding the swim
and making the hookbait act naturally are the two most important factors, followed by using balanced tackle. Of course, it’s harder work to stand and wade all day compared to sitting behind your rods, but the fun you will have being kept active and not knowing what your next fish will be when the float buries is more than worth it. I’ve fished stretches where anglers around me have struggled, and even blanked, using a static approach while I’m catching quality chub or barbel in excess of 10lb. The looks and comments you get are priceless!
TACTICS
TACTICS: FLOAT SPECIES: CHUB / BARBEL DIFFICULTY:
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 35
Ball it in and catch from the off Boldly launching big balls of groundbait by hand is much more effective than relying on a pole cup to get reservoir fish on the feed, says Ashley Clements Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
I
T SEEMS that a period of inactivity before the action commences is widely accepted when big reservoirs are the choice of venue. The theory being that laying down a bed of bait will eventually pay dividends once a patrolling shoal stumbles upon the banquet you’ve set of for them. If you’re fishing for five hours, a decent proportion of that is effectively written off as you stare at a motionless float. Silverfish enthusiast Ashley Clements refuses to sign up to that inevitable lull at the start and believes you can trigger a feeding frenzy almost instantly. “Groundbait plays a big part in getting roach, perch and skimmers to feed on reservoirs. How you feed it dictates how quickly you begin getting bites,” Ashley told IYCF. “The temptation is to feed it with a cup to make sure each ball accurately reaches the same destination, but balling them in by hand is much more effective as the commotion rings the dinner bell in an unmissable fashion.”
Riddle your groundbait once mixed to make sure you have a fluffy blend free from lumps
40 IYCF | Issue 382
Opening gambit
Preparing the groundbait is Ashley’s first job when he arrives at his peg and he aims to create a certain consistency. “I like it to be slightly stickier than if I was going to cup it in. You’ll know when it is right as you’ll be able to easily pack a ball together with minimal pressure and it won’t show any signs of disintegrating in your hands. “This will allow you to launch the balls without them breaking up in mid-air, yet once they hit the surface they start to crumble. “A cloud is formed in the water column by the bits that fall off while the rest goes to the deck to create a carpet,” he explained. Ashley’s preferred blend is Adrenaline Baits Mega Byte Carp Method Mix. Despite the name, this dark mix has the ideal scent and ingredients to attract silverfish into the area. Six large balls of this, each the size of an orange, go in at the start.
Ashley’s groundbait may mention carp on the packaging but it’s also effective for silverfish
TACTICS
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: SILVERFISH DIFFICULTY:
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 41
Cover yourself for EVERY situation It’s difficult to predict how much bait fish want at this time of year, but Brad Parkes’ rod and line attack means he is in prime position to get bites regardless of their appetite Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
LONG METHOD
Chuck the feeder 50m-60m and leave it for 10-15 minutes before recasting
SHORT BOMB
Regularly trickling in 8mm pellets at 20m-30m will prime an area that fish will respond to if they are hungry
54 IYCF | Issue 382
TACTICS
A
UTUMN is a time of year that brings a large degree of uncertainty. You can feel confident that the fish are constantly looking for food during the summer, while in winter it is the complete opposite as they are happy to rely on the odd morsel at mealtimes. But it is difficult to call which mood the carp are going to be in when lukewarm temperatures are the norm. If you stick all your eggs in one basket on the feeding front, then it could go drastically wrong. Which is precisely why Brad Parkes goes down a route that makes sure he is covered for every eventuality. Just two rods come into the equation, but they are both geared towards very different approaches. “On some days the fish will be really keen to feed and on others they’ll act very cautiously. You need to be ready for both scenarios,” explained Brad.
“By fishing a couple of lines and attacking them in a very different manner, your peg is primed for whatever comes your way.”
Starting long
When targeting an open water lake, Brad will start by fishing at range. A lot of fish are likely to linger here in the early stages and a Method feeder will get them interested. “I’ll mould micro pellets around the frame of the feeder and aim to cast 50m-60m. If you can’t reach that distance, choose a range that you can comfortably hit because getting it in the same spot each time is important. “It’s impossible to feed this area with a catapult so the contents of the feeder are all the fish will get. This makes it quite a negative way of fishing. “If a big carp turns up, the bait around the feeder is one mouthful and they’ll take this even
when they don’t have much of an appetite. Brad adds a little dry groundbait to his dampened micros to stiffen them a little, along with a sprinkle of Sonubaits Match Method Mix. When it comes to casting, he initially chucks out every 10 minutes. If that doesn’t work after three casts, he will adjust accordingly. “I always use a stopwatch and make a note of how long it takes to get a bite. You’ll often notice patterns, with the fish preferring to attack the bait at a certain point as it breaks off the frame of the feeder. “It’s amazing how on some days you can’t get a bite when the feeder has been out for 10 minutes yet leaving it in for just five minutes longer sees the tip go round every time!” he added. On some days the Method could be just the tonic and you’ll have hit the jackpot almost instantly. But on others, it may fail to produce and that is when Brad’s short line does the damage.
DEAD ZONE
Leave this area alone so that the negatively and positively fed areas don’t conflict with each other
TACTICS: FEEDER/ BOMB SPECIES: CARP DIFFICULTY:
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 55
No confusion with superb Superiums LIVE TEST
IYCF’s Tony Grigorjevs runs the rule over Preston Innovations’ new range to see if they have the potential to be top sellers in the coming months PRESTON INNOVATIONS SUPERIUM POLES – RRP from £349.99
I
F YOU’VE spent months on end saving for a new pole and have finally clawed enough together to make a purchase, you’re bound to be excited. Enter your chosen tackle shop and you’re likely to be flooded with options and it’s at that point the confusion can kick in. There are so many variables to think about, with strength, length, balance and the spares package all coming into consideration. Wouldn’t it be nice if the experts could simplify the whole process to give you the confidence that you’ve spent your money in fine fashion? Well, fear not because Preston Innovations has stepped up to the plate, launching a
brand-new range of poles that has something for everyone. The Superium series replaces the XS Response and Protype versions and puts every pole that the company offers under one banner. Starting with the Superium X10 at the bottom end of the price bracket and going through to the elite Superium X90, there are eight to choose from and, on paper, the company has put together some very eyecatching packages. But it’s one thing to look good at first glance and another to impress on the bank, so I arranged to take a look at the whole bunch during a silverfish session on the River Nene near Oundle, Northamptonshire. The finish guarantees they’ll ship through your hands with ease
TACKLE
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 73
CARP Q&A
IN ASSOCIATION WITH STICKY
HOW CAN I GET FISH TO COME BACK TO THE SPOT I TARGET?
Q
I’ve been catching steadily from a spot for the last couple of months but bites have slowed up recently. I’m still seeing fish in the area so I know they’re still about. Up until now I’ve just been fishing a mix of standard boilies and pellets. Do you think I should try using something different like dumbell-shaped baits or particles to see if the fish will drop their guard again?
David Wilkes, email
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
JONNY FLETCHER: I have to say bait is probably last on my agenda when it comes to this scenario – the theory that bait blows is absolute nonsense most of the time. My first port of call would be to remap your spot and find the edges of it again, as it is likely to have become larger over time and the fish will treat the centre with much more caution than the edges. Secondly, it could be worth changing your line angle. If fish are used to seeing lines in the same spot all the time, then you could do with moving them to help make the fish feel safe. Finally, it may be the fish just need a rest on that spot. If they have been caught from it a lot, then it could be worth baiting it for a few weeks without fishing, and I can almost guarantee you the fish will come back.
Q
Should I continue to use liquids to boost my boilies now that the temperatures are starting to drop?
Bait is perhaps the least important consideration when trying to revive a once prolific spot
96 IYCF | Issue 382
Peter Carmichael, Plymouth JIM WILSON: Absolutely, if anything
the cooler months benefit even more from the use of liquids as the fish’s metabolism reduces and they require less food. Using liquids vastly increases pulling power without having to use a large quantity of bait. It is, however, important to use the right liquids for the job as some are much better suited to warm water conditions and tend to be less effective as the weather cools. Super soluble food liquids such as Pure Shrimp and Pure Calanus liquids are the way forward in the cold water of autumn. They are by far my favourite as they have a thin viscosity and still pump out lots of attraction in cold water. As the weather gets even cooler, I still use these liquids because I have utmost confidence in them. In fact, I use them all year!
YOUR CARP QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY STICKY’S
Q
Q
Beaked point and straight point hooks… are there situations where one is better than the other or is it a personal preference thing?
When fishing over a spread of boilies, how wide an area would you actually spread the baits?
Mike Cantlee, email
Beaked and straight point hooks are each best in different circumstances
LUKE STEVENSON: This is a bit of
Paul Edgerton, Leicester SCOTT LLOYD: It is a personal choice. Just like most things in angling, there’s no definitive
right way of doing things when it comes to hookpoints. However, over the years, I have come up with a definitive set of choices. When fishing on the bottom, especially on gravel, I always use a beaked point pattern, on a Noodle rig. I have seen it first-hand where the fish might swim across your line and drag the rig across the spot slightly, and on a straight point hook this means game over! As a result, I always use a beaked point when fishing on the bottom, to give me the best chance of it not being turned over. When using a pop-up, I use either, but straight-pointed hooks are normally my go-to. There’s no doubt they catch hold faster, and on those cruder presentations like the Stiff Hinge, this can only work in your favour.
Big carp are less likely to feed over smelly silt bottoms
Q
tricky one as without knowing the exact situation I couldn’t say exactly, but I will give it my best shot. There’s no wrong answer here. I have caught fish spreading bait as far as a tennis court, but also the size of a bivvy. The key determining factor is quantity of bait and the number of rods you are fishing in the area. An example would be the needle-in-a-haystack scenario of one rod fished among 20 baits scattered across a tennis court area. The chances of the carp finding your bait is slim to none, so you have to bear that in mind. When fishing smaller quantities of bait over single rods, I would keep the bait within the area of a large bivvy. This should be enough space to result in a little caution but still create a feeding response strong enough to get a bite. You can go bigger, use more bait and add more rods. Three rods over a few kilos of boilies in a 15-yard square is a feature in itself and is the reason why this method of angling is so devastating.
When fishing in silt, can the silt affect the flavour of the boilie? Conor Mitchell, Gravesend, Kent
OZ HOLNESS: The silt can definitely affect the smell of your bait. I pay a
lot of attention to how the bottom smells on any spot I am thinking of fishing. The best spots are the ones that smell fresh, like water from a lake should smell, rather than a horrible rotting odour that is produced by deep silt. I would never recommend fishing deep, smelly silt spots as they will not harbour enough natural food for the fish to even contemplate visiting them, and by the time they come across your bait they will be so tainted by the silt itself, they won’t even notice it. Fishing shallower silt, the stuff that feels like glass on the marker rod, is the best option. If you wanted, you can try washing your baits with a combination of lake water and liquid food, which will stop the baits being tainted by the bottom, yet maintain a bit of attraction and taste. The best tip I can give is to always sniff your leads. If they come back stinking like an old sock, then you need to find a new spot!
A marker rod and lead can help you assess the state of bottom silt
How many baits to feed over a defined area depends on a variety of factors that must be considered if success is to be achieved
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 97