el co me ,a nd ca nw ef in al ly sa yi t? Sp ri ng is ar ou nd the co rn er !S oon th es me ll of ba rb ec ue sw ill be ri fe ,t he si gh to fm or ec ar pi nt he bo tt omof yo ur ne t, br ig ht er ni gh ts ,l on ge rd ay sa nd ba gs ofop po rt un it yt ob eh ad. If oron eh av ee nj oy ed th ew in te rb ut Ia mf or su re re ad yf or the wa rm er mo nt hs ah ea d! Ne xt we ek ,a sI wr it et hi s, is sh ow ing th ef ir st si gn of do ub le fi gu re te mp er at ur es at ni gh ta nd it was as ig ht fo rs or ee ye s. I’ ve ba ng ed th ed ru mr ecen tl ya bo ut ca rp be in gc at ch ab le al ly ea ra ro un da nd of co ur se ,a sw ea ll have pr ov ed ,t he ya re !B ut no wi tg et sg ood!
If eel likem ak in gt hi si ss ue wa sa wh irlwin de xp er ie nc e, we ’ve be en al lo ve rt he UK an de ve no ve rt oB el gi um fo rt hi so ne, fo ra Ca rp Ar en av is it wi th none ot he rt ha nR ob Bu rg es sf or an ab so lu te ma st er cl as so fa ng li ng .R ob wi ll no do ub tb em ak ing mo re To ta lC ar pa pp ea ra nc es th is co mi ng se as on an di tw as on ly ri gh tw ek ic ke do ff wi th am eg a4 0l b-pl us mi rr or fo rt he co ver sh ot ,w hi ch Ic an on ly as su me yo uh av ea lr ea dy se en if yo uh ave go tt hi sf ar.
Ma rk Ho lm es is ba ck af te ra sh or tb re akaway wi th mo re of hi si ns ig ht fu lw ay so ft hi nk in gt oh op ef ul ly he lp yo uc at ch af ew mo re ca rp ,a nd Sp oon er ha sa ls ob een on hi st rave ls ;t hi sm on th he br in gs so me be hi nd th es ce ne su pd at es fr om Cr oa ti aa nd
So ut hA fr ic a. Ol iD av ie sp ho to gr ap hs wh at co ul dp ot en ti al ly be th en ex tB ri ti sh re co rd on ly am at te ro fw eek sa ft er Is po ke ab out itla st mo nt h, co ul dw es ee th is ye ar al on g- st an di ng re co rd br oken fo rt he fi rs tt im ei nn ea rl ya de ca de?
As we ar ec om in gt ot ha tt im eo fy ea rw it ht ic ke tr enew al s,
Ma tt Ea to nt al ks ab ou tp ic ki ng th er ig ht wa te rf or yo u. Sc ot ty
CO MP ET IT IO NW IN NER January2025
Fortis Tundra Jacket andSalopetes PhillipTabberer, Worcestershire
Ka nd Le wi sR ea dj oi nu sf ro mt he Th in ki ng An gl er ss ta bl ea nd mu ch mo re in te rm so fh in ts ,t ip s, tr ic ks an da dv ic e.
In Ge ar we have af ul ls to ck of pr od uc ts th at have ha do ur fu ll ru nd ow n, th eS ai lv va yC se ri es ,a ll- si ng in g, al l- da nc in gb ai tb oat is up al on gw it ht he Tr ak ke rP ro pe lr
On TheCover
MARCH 2025
54 CA RP SC ENE
If yo u’ ve ca ug ht ab ig ca rp ,a PB ca rp ,y our fi rs tc ar p… or ju st an ic ec ar p– we wa nt to se ei t, an dy ou co ul dw in ap ri ze fr om St ic ky Ba it s!
126 HO WT O…
Us in ga dj us ta bl ez ig sise as y.
136 HAVE YO UR SAY
Ho wd oe st he publ ic fe ed in gt he bi rd son pa rk la ke sa ff ec tt he us eo fp ar ti cl es for ca rp fi sh in g?
78 TH EG EA RPAG ES
As we be gi nt ol ea ve wi nt er be hi nd it ’s ti me to ta ke al ook at so me ne wg ea rf or th en ew se as on.
52 SO LAR
He re ’s yo ur ch an ce to wi na So uth
We st er ly Pr oU ni Sp id er Bi vvy and ex te ns io nw or th £6 89.9 8!
REGULARS
32 EVER YS EC ON DC OU NTS Ol iD av ie sv isit sW at er si de Fi sh er yw he re he is on hand to ph otog ra ph th eb ig ge st co mmo ni nt he co un tr y!
38 BI G- CA RP MI ND SET
Ma rk Ho lm es gi ve su st he lo wd own on ap ro pe rw in te r’st al e. As su b- ze ro co nd itio ns hi tt he UK he is st ill ou tt he re wi th hi st he rm om eter,l ook in gf or any in cr ea se of wa te rt em pe ra tu re.
61 TR OU BL ES HO OT ER
Ia nR us se llis at Th eG ra ng ein
Be df or da hi re bu tt hi sm on th hi s‘ cl ie nt ’is le ar ni ng ab ou tf ilmin gr at he rt ha nf is hing.
66 Q&A
Yo us up pl yt he qu es ti on sa bo ut yo ur ca rp fi sh in g, ou re xp er ts su pp ly the an sw er s, an dD yn am it e, Ca rp Sp irit and Ok um as up pl yt he pr iz es!
70 TA LK IN GP OI NT
We as ke df iv et op an gl er sh ow to id en ti fy sp ot sa sf eed in ga re as ,w it ho ut be in ga ble to ph ys ic al ly se et he m.
74 JU LE S’ MO NT HLYM US IN GS
Ju lia nC un di ff sh ar es hi sm ot iv at io ns be hi nd st ill ge tt in go ut th er ea nd do in gi t, de sp it ew or ki ng in th ei nd us tr y.
108 VE NU EF IL ES
Th re em or eg re at ve nu es totr y, in as so ci at io nw it hC at ch ,t he bo ok ing we bs it ea nd ap p.
120 IN SI DE TH EM IND
Wi th ne wt ic ke ts an dr en ew al son th ei rw ay,M at tE at on he lp susp ic kt he ri gh tv en ue sf or us ,a to pi ct ha ti sv ery im po rt an ti nm at ch in gt oo ur lif es ty le s.
128 TA LE S, ED GE S& RE FL EC TI ONS
Oz Ho ln es s’ mi ni ma lis tk itis pa ra mo un tto hi sc ap tu re sa nd even th ou gh he ’s sa idit be fo re ,h er eh es ay si ta ga in an df or go od re as on to o!
134 IC ONS
Al ook at Ya te le yC ar Pa rk La ke ,a ni co nic ve nu eh ol di ng ma ny ic on ic ca rp.
138 QU IC KQ UE ST IO NS
Th is mo nt ht op jo ur na lis t, vi de og ra ph er an dc ar pa ng le rT ho mA ir sa ns we rs the qu es ti on s.
12
20
In
27 AC AR PA MO NTH
As
44 KE EP TH EFAI TH ,S PR IN GI SON TH EWAY
Th es ea so nt ha tp ro mi se ss om uch –a nd so me ti me s( oc ca si on al ly) de liv er sh an ds om el y. Le wi sR ead lo ok sf or ward to th ea rri va lo fs pr in g.
Burgess in Belgium
Th is mo nt h’ sc ov er co me sf ro mn on eo th er th an Ko rd aK oa ch
RO BB UR GE SS ,f ro ma liv ef ea tu re th is mo nt ho ve ra tE mb ryo
Ca rp Ar en aw he re he ma de us eo fo ne ro d, fi sh in gl on gr an ge, an dp ut ap le th or ao fc ar po nt he ba nk inle ss th an id eal we at he rc on di ti on s.
ROBBURGESS
PB: 53lb 11oz
OCCUPATION: KordaKoach
SPONSORS: Korda, Mainline
INSTAGRAM: @rob_burgess
Firstlight broughtsome harshnor th-easterlywinds butthe action washectic.
Thefirst bite came quicklyafermaking some changes.
Wit ht hi sb ei ng my fi rst tr ip ov er to Ca rp Ar en a,
Id id n’ th av ea lo tt ogo on .I ha dn oi de ao ft he be st ta ct ic sa nd th eb est ba itin ga pp ro ac ha si t’s ap re tty ne wv en ue to Em br yo ,s ot he re ’s not mu ch kn ow le dg et ol ea non cu rr en tl y.
Line layisimpor tant at range, usingthose markers as referencepointshelps keepeverything in check.
Bigskyline markers ofen make great referencepoints.
So ,i nt ha ts it ua ti on ,I al wa ys go wi th wh at I’m mo st co nf id en tw it h. And wi th it be in gl at ew in te r, ea rl ys pr in g, ab ri gh t, vi su al ho ok ba it ov er mi ni mal ba it ,w he re Ib el ie ve the ca rp to be at th et im e, is al wa ys th eb es ta pp ro ac h. An da tt hi st im eo ft he ye ar, th es ha llo we rw at er in and ar ou nd th es na gs is al wa ys ag ood ,s ol id be t. Ro se me re, on th eC ar pA re na co mp le x, wa sp re vi ou sl ya sn ag -l in ed wa te rw he re th at ty pe of fi sh in gd om in at ed it ,b ut th is ca na ls oc au se so me di ffi cu lt yf or ne wa ng le rs as we ll as al lo wi ng the ca rp to se ek sa fe ty in the sn ag sa ll th et im e, ma ki ng it av er yo ne -d im en si on al la ke .A sa re su lt ,t he gu ys at Em br yo ha ve do ne lo ts of wo rk th is wi nt er to re mo ve al ar ge po rt io no ft he sn ags to ma ke th ef is hi ng mo re su it ab le fo re ve ry on ea nd ge tt he fi sh mo vi ng .L eaf lit te rf ro mt he tr ee sc an al so ha ve an eg at iv ei mp act on wa te rq ua lit y, so wi th al lt ha ti nm in d, th ew ork ha sh ap pe ne dr ecen tl y, an dt ho se ca rp wi ll st ill be se ek in gt he sn ag sw he re po ss ible ,a nd wi th so few le ft ,I kn ew wh er eI ne eded to be ta rg et in g.
At Ca rp Ar en ay ou ca nm ak eu se of ab oat an do ut bo ar dm otor for dr op pi ng yo ur ri gs ,w hi ch gi ve sy ou ar ea lly go od op po rt un it yt oi ns pe ct the sp ot sa nd th es na gs and ma ke su re yo ua re pl ac ing th em in th eb es tp os si ble pl ac e, an di tg iv es yo ut he ab ilit yt oa ls of is hw ith re al ly st ro ng ta ck le ,w hi ch fo rt hi ss it uat io nw as pa ra mo un t. Us in g2 0l bS ub Br ai dm ea nt bi te in di ca ti on wa si ns ta nt as th er ei sno st re tc hi nb ra id ,f is hi ng at ne ar ly 20 0y ar ds yo ua lso ne ed co nt ro lo ve rt he fi sh to mo ve th em away fr om
Time fora look at thecarp.
Afer alitle batleinthe middle of thepondthe fish wasinthenet.
Robuseda helisafe dueto thesofer nature of thelake bedand potentialnatural literfromthe recent snag removalprocess.
Kamakurassaveyou sharpeninghooksyourself.
sn ag s. At ta ch ed to th ee nd wa s1 5f eet of IQ 2i n2 0lb as al ea de r, wi th as ho rt le ad co re le ad er an da le ad cl ip.
Af te rt he fi rs tf ew ho ur sI ha dr ecei ve da lo to fl in ers an dt he na hu ge dr op ba ck. Af te ra ss es si ng wh at had ha pp ened ,i ta pp ea re dt hat Ih ad be en pu ll ed of ft he sp ot by ca rp mo vi ng up and do wn th em ar gi n, as wi th br ai da sm uc ha si th as its be ne fi ts ,t he le ad ca nbe mo ve dv er ye as ily.W he nI wo un db ac ki nt he le ad was co ve re di nc la y, su gg es ti ng even th ou gh it fe lt fi rm th el ea dw as st ill pl ug gi ng in .I we nt ba ck ou ti nt he
When usingbraid,a reliable reel with good gearinghelps youmakefiner adjustmentsto theclutchasyou don' thavethe safety netthatmonoofers.
Usinga 10frod canhelp dropping rigs butalso when playingfishfrom theboat.
Sharphooksare keyfor pickingofthose slower moving carp.
bo at to re al lyin te rr og ate th es po tm or ea nd fo un da re al ly fl atar ea of ft he sn ags th at wa sr ou gh ly 10 fe et .I sw it ch ed ov er to ah el is afe se tu pt og iv em ea be tt er pr es en ta ti on ,a nd wh en pl ac in gt he ri gI wo uld fe el fo rt he dr op ge nt ly th en lif ti tc ar ef ul ly again an dl ay it ba ck do wn ,j ust to ma ke su re ever yt hi ng wa sp er fe ct .I t’ sl it tle di ff eren ce sl ik et hi st hat wi ll ca tc hy ou mo re ca rp ,in my op inio n.
Fo rm yh ook ba it and ba itin gc om bo Iu se da 12 mm Pi ne ap pl eI so to nic pop- up ov er ah an df ul of cr um be du pC el la nd th ree
or fo ur 10 mm Es se nt ia lC el l; ve ry is ol at ed ,m inim al ba it, as cl os ea sI po ss ibly can be to th es na gs wh ile be ing sa fe .F or th er ig Iw as us ing sp in ne rr ig sc on st ru ct ed fr om 20 lb Bo om an ds iz e4 Cr an ks ,u si ng av er ys ma ll lo op an dm inim al pu tty ;I wa nt my ho ok ba it to be co mi ng to re st sl ow ly and th en al mo st bo un ci ng on ce as it se tt le sa tt he en d. Be fo re Ip ut th er ig ou tI ’ll ch ec kt ha tt he ho ok be ad isin th ep er fe ct pl ac ea nd ever yt hing is si tt in gin th em os to pt im al po si ti on fo rh ook in ga ca rp ,e ven ch ec ki ng th at th es wi ve lis ro ta ti ng fr eel y.
Ro b’ st op ti p: As se ss yo ur ri gs th orou gh ly,if ever yt hing is pe rf ec ty ou ca nf is hw it hu lt im ate co nf id en ce an dk no wy ou ar en ’t wa st in gy ou rt im e.
Wi th al lt hi ss et tl ed the ro dw as ou ta nd fi sh in gj ust be fo re da rk –i t’ sw or th me nt io ni ng I’dp ai de xt ra at te nt io nt om yl in el ay to o! Th is st op pe dt he lin ers an dI wa sc on fi de nt fo ra bi te no w; sh or tl ya ft er wards Iw asawayan da ft er al it tle ba tt lein th em id dl eo ft he po nd th ef is hw as in the ne t, am id -t hi rt ym ir ror th at wa st he ca ta ly st for un lo ck in gt he co de .A tf ir st
Anothermega Carp Arenamirror.
EssentialCellfreebiesto matchthe yellowpop-ups.
Once youfindthe winning method,keep tuning it and improving.
Detailsare paramountin fishing, even in thefish.
It mightsound obvious, but at this time of year,spare clothesand warm clothes area must.
Thenumbers were stacking up.
lig ht th ea ct io nk ic ke do ff bi gt im ew it ht hr ee pr et ty mu ch in st an tb it es ,o ne af te ra no th er ;t he sp ot Ih ad pi ck ed wa sc le ar ly ho lding nu mb er so fc ar pa nd the ta ct ic sw er ew or ki ng, ho we ve ra ne as te rl yw ind ki lle dt he te mp er at ur eo ff so th at sl ow ed th in gs ri ght do wn th at da y, ju st one of th os et im es wh er eno ma tt er wh at yo ud o, you ar eu pa ga in st it .W ef elt th eb it te rn es so fi ts oI ’m su re th ec ar pd id n’ te nj oy it ei th er.
In th en et we had an ot he rR os emer et we nt y, at hi rt ya nd af or ty.A fa irly su cce ss fu lf ir st ni gh t, in my op inio n!
Afer thelongjourney back to thebankthe rodwas away before Robhad achanceto putitonthe rest.
Th ed ay pa ss ed an dI th in kI ma na ge dt on ic ka st oc ki eb ut so me be tt er we at he rw as in bo un dt hat even in ga st he wi nd was du et os wi ng .T he ne xt day br ou gh ts ever al mo re bi te s, by th is po in tI ha df ou nd ac ou pl em or es po ts and ha db ro ug ht ex tr ar ods in to pl ay,a sf or th ef ir st co up le of ni gh ts Iw as on ly fi sh in go ne ro d. It ju st go es to sh ow th at fo cu si ng yo ur ef fo rt onon er od ca ns ti ll ha ve an ex tr emel yp os itive im pa ct an di t’ sn ot al wa ysa ne ga ti ve.
Ap at te rn emer ge df rom th is ;I wo ul dg et ab it ef rom an ew sp ot pr et ty qu ic kl y, th en th at ro dw ou ld go qu ie tf or aw hi le ,s of in di ng ne ws po ts wa st he ke yto ke ep in gt he bi te sc om ing re gu la rl y. Th ei ni ti al rod th at di dt he bi te so nt he fi rs tm or ni ng wa ss ti llin it ss am ep os itio n, so wi th th ei nf or ma ti on Ih ad le ar nt Id ec id ed to re do it and agai n, mo ve it to as lig ht ly di ff eren ta re ai nt he sa me zo ne .A ma zi ng ly,a ft er ge tt in gb ac kt ot he sw im ,I st ep pe do ut of th eb oa ta nd wa sj us ta bo ut to pu tt he ro do nt he re st an di tw ent in my hand .I tm us th ave be en in th ew at er le ss th an fi ve mi nu te sa nd sh or tly af te rw ar ds an ot he rt hi rty wa si nt hene t, an ot her ty pi ca ld eep -b od ie dB el gi an ca rp.
Th er ew er ea fe wc oots on th el ak ea nd Id id ha vea co up le of is su es wi th pi ckup s, bu ti nt ho se si tu at io ns th eo nl yt hi ng yo uc an
Anotherheading
do is ha ve ev er yt hing pr ep ar ed an do rg an is ed to ge tt he ro db ac ko ut as qu ic kl ya sp os si bl e; bi rd lif ei si ne vi ta bl ein fi sh in ga nd wh ils ti t’s fr us tr at in gy ou ju st ha ve to cr ac ko nw it hi t.
Th et ri pc on ti nu ed and Ik ep th it ti ng re pe at on th et ac ti cs an dw as re al ly co nf id en ts om et hi ng bi gg er wo ul dt ri pu p, even ha vi ngha da me ga fo rt ya lr ea dy.O nt he fi na lm or ning ac oot wa sd ivin go no ne of my sp ot sa nd Iw as ha lf ex pe ct in ga pi ck -u pa ft er it di sa pp ea re du nd er
th el ak e’ ss ur fa ce .I was ri gh t, th eD el ki ms ta rt ing so un di ng of f, ho we ver th ec oo ta pp ea re da ga in an dt he ti pw as pu lling ro un da nd th en wh at ever wa so nt he en ds ta rt ed to ta ke lin e. Il if te di nto it an df un ni ly en ou gh it wa sn ’t ac oot ,o ri fi tw as it wa sa ve ry la rg eo ne.
Th is fi sh he ldit sg ro und an dt ri ed di vi ng to wa rds
se ve ra ld if fe re nt sn ag sso
Iw en ta ft er itin th eb oa t.
Af te ra 10 -m in ut eb oat
ba tt le of th is th in gj ust cl in gi ng to th eb ot tom of th el ak el ik ea de ad we ig ht it fi na lly po pp ed
up an dw asan ot he ro ne of th es eh ar d- fi gh ti ng 30 lb mi rr or s. Af te rs ome ph otos an da co ff ee, the lo ng ro dI me nt io ned ea rl ie rh ad av er ys te ady in di ca ti on ,a co up le of in ch es sl ow ly dr op pi ng ba ck be fo re pu llin gup ti gh ta ga in un ti li tf ou nd it se lf on at ig ht lin e.A co up le of ti ck so ft he cl ut ch an dI lif te di nto it ,w al ki ng st ra ig ht ba ck –t hi sf is hf el td if fe re nt to ever yt hi ng el se ,i tw as he av y, ju st do in gs te ady lu ng es ,t he te ll- ta le si gn of ab ig ge rc ar p. Al ot of th eo th er bi te sh ad
It's adecentone.
Over themagic 40lbmark!
Just becaus eyou're goingabroadit doesn' tmeanyou need to step things up toocrazily.
Oneof the lake's jewels
ki te do ut in toth em id dle away fr om th es na gs bu tt his on ek ne we xa ct ly wh er eit wa sg oi ng ,i tk it ed ha rd le ft to th es na gs an dI cl am ped do wn on it tr yi ng to ge tit to tu rn .U nf or tu na te ly af ter pr et ty mu ch fl at ro dd in gme at 15 0y ar ds it sh ed th eh ook, ab so lu te ly de va st in ga ft er the ho ok -h ol ds on th ep re vi ous 11 ca rp ha db ee nb an go n. No ne th el es s, 11 ca rp to 41 lb
in th ew in te r, on ab ra nd new ve nu e, is st ill wh at it ’s all ab ou t.
As as um ma ry yo uj ust ha ve to fi sh wi th co nf id en ce, ma ke su re yo u’re us in gr igs th at yo u’ ve ca ug ht pl en ty of ca rp on in th ep as t. Ju st be ca us ey ou 'r eg oi ng ab ro ad it do es n' tm ea ny ou ne ed to st ep th in gs up to oc ra zi ly, lik ed ou bl e1 8m mb ai ts .I ’m st ill fi sh in gt he sa me wa yI
do ba ck at ho me ,a lit tl eb it st ep pe du po fc ou rs eb ec au se I’ ms na gf is hi ng .G oi nto it wi th pr ov en ta ct ic sa nd ad ju st fr om th ere; ma ki ng ma jo rc hang es st ra ig ht away do es n’ ta llo wy ou to ma ke tw ea ks ,i tp ut sy ou in ap os itio nw he re yo uh ave no id ea wh yi tm ig ht no tbe wo rk in g. Us eb ai tt ha ty ou ’ve go tt he ut mo st co nf id en ce in, an de ac hr ig th at yo up la ce ou t, ma ke su re yo u’re pu tt ing it ou tt he be st it ca nb ea nd ma ke su re yo u’ ve go ts ha rp ho ok so n, yo u’ ve go tn ice st ra ig ht bo om s, an dy ou ’re pu tt in gi ti nt he be st sp ot th at yo ut hi nk is po ss ible. Th an ks fo rr ea di ng ,g et yo ur se lf bo ok ed on to Ca rp Ar en a, it ’s an amaz in gv en ue wi th av ai la bi lit ya nd mu ltiple la ke ch oi ce s, an di t’ so nl yo ne ho ur fr om Ca lais!
41lb 10ozof Rosemere Mirror.
