Jules q&a by Official Nash Tackle

Q&A WITH JULIAN CUNDIFF

Q&A

Julian Cundiff

I hear about is bright Q All hookbaits in the spring

SPRING HOOKBAIT TIPS

There’s been such a rush towards Pastel pop ups and washed out shades that bright baits are being less widely used than before.

The way a pop up is presented is as likely to spook a carp as the colour. Keep your bait tight to the bottom if you’re after tricky carp.

Is a bright colour a problem or which colour you use? Carp may avoid pink but get caught on white or yellow for example.

Only if you are sure you should have had takes and bright baits aren’t working consider a switch to a natural hookbait colour matched to the freebies.

the same as the winter, but surely carp must be just as wary of them at any time of year? Should I be on natural colours for difficult fish?

DAVE OTLEY, OLDHAM

The great thing about carp fishing is that there are no rules, only opinions based on experience, results and sometimes guesswork. There is no black and white, will work/ won't work and it's a case of experimenting rather than accepting views of others as gospel.Logically I’d agree carp must become wary of bright hookbaits but my findings over thirty years is that with a degree of commonsense you are just as likely to catch them on a bright bait today as you were last year, the previous year and the year before. Providing they are put in the right place, not too high in the water and on a good old Multi Rig with a sharp hook a bright bait still catches them out all year long. Start with the bright colours you have confidence in (for me it’s white, pink, yellow and orange) and try it before you dismiss it or overcomplicate things. Find the carp, get the rig in position, fish the pop up as low as effectively possible and see what happens. If I was satisfied that carp were in the area and feeding but not taking the hookbait

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I pick leeches off carp when I Q Should catch them in the spring? MAT THORNE, MATLOCK

then, and only then would I consider using a duller or darker hookbait. I'd have to be sure it was the colour keep seeing others catching on more natural colours - another important clue. But I’ve known bright baits catch some of the hardest carp, from Wraysbury to

Sutton-at-Hone where everyone probably thought the same as you. Sometimes we are guilty of over complicating it rather than the carp. I’d get those Citruz beauties whacked out this Spring mate and I’m sure bright will do the trick for you.

I have seen different advice on this from a variety of anglers but personally I try to brush them off with wet hands. With the carp in the cradle or mat I pour water onto it and with wet hands get rid of those leeches. I have found this removes them fairly quickly and I think painlessly. If there are any marks left then add some fluid from our Medi Carp Kit to protect skin and prevent infection. I work on the basis that removing a parasite burden can only be helpful to an overwintered carp – like feeding them good food to get them back in condition. Good question and well done on picking up up the point.

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Q&A WITH JULIAN CUNDIFF follow advice about Q Icasting at showing fish

is your baiting Q What approach at this time of

but there are days when I see loads of carp jumping and can't get a take. What am I doing wrong?

year, some people say fish for one bite at a time but I am more confident with feed in the swim - do you put free offerings in Jules?

GILES EMMETT, STOCKTONON-TEES

CHRISTOPHER LEE, TAUNTON

In a word Giles maybe nothing and welcome to the world of carp fishing that can drive all of us crazy at times. The good news is that you are on fish and casting at them is clearly not spooking them. As to why you are not getting takes that I guess is the million dollar question. It could be that they don't like what you’re offering them or it is not presented at the depth of water they are in. In water over 6-8 feet they could well be in the upper layers in which case you need to get on the Zigs. You'd be amazed how that can turn things around when your best rig and bottom bait is totally ignored. If the water is shallower or Zigs don't work then I'd be looking at varying my hookbait or presentation. Ring the colour changes and if that doesn’t

work try a more neutral colour like the freebies you are using. Vary it between pop ups and bottom baits if it's not too weedy don't forget the snowman too. If you are not getting any bleeps or suggestions of being picked up and the hook shaken back out or the rig dumped it's probably not a rig issue but unless you ring the changes you will never know. If it’s warmer get some Risers and Slicker Floaters over their heads and see if that helps. If they start taking on the surface get that Bolt Machine

out and its game on. Sitting back and waiting definitely won't work Giles so the lesson is keep trying until you get an answer!

experienced carper told me that Q Athemore way a carp bolted after being hooked can give you clues as to where they came from or are heading for. Is that for real? MORGAN PIOTROWSKI, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD

Normally I’d say use the tactics you are confident in but at this time of year I do think less is more. A lot depends on the stock and time you have available but if your fishing is like mine I really am looking for bites in the spring not huge beds of bait for big hits. The fish on my waters are still fairly lethargic and I think that single baits with just a scattering of free offerings round them is a good tactic. My advice is to find the fish first and concentrate on not spooking them. A big lead and Spomb after Spomb of feed is at best going to unsettle them and at worst have them leave the area. Start with single hookbaits

you use a cradle or unhooking mat Q Do Jules? JORDAN TURNER, WORCESTER

Both! But mainly an unhooking mat. Most of my local angling is for carp up to maybe 35lb and a Black Ops Flat Mat Compact is perfect. It is easy to pack

using a light lead to hit the spot. Maybe a PVA stringer or bag if you feel you need to enhance the attraction around the hookbait. If I was on fish and not pressed for time I'd certainly give it an hour sat on my hands without any freebies at all. If nothing happens providing I can be accurate by hand or catapult I will add 20-40 15mm freebies to see if I can encourage them to feed. At the moment it is 20-40 Key freebies heavily soaked and glazed with Bait Soak and Stick Mix and a bright white pop up sat amongst them. Five fish last trip proved the tactic worked! The only time I would fish over more bait is if I were there for longer, say a night or more and felt conditions warranted it. Then and only then would I up the feed to maybe 60-100 15mm baits over each rod. Let the attraction of your hookbait and accuracy of your location and casting do the hard work and don't go mad on the freebies. away, perfect for carp mid 30s and has a useful retaining cover plus it can be clipped to the Black Ops Assault Pack if you use one. When I fish for larger carp say at Church or Copse then I prefer the Carp Cradle. They are better suited to carp up to 50lb or more and rock solid and safe. It really depends on what your fishing involves but whatever you choose go for the best you can afford.

Black OPS mat – perfect for all but the very biggest carp

Well it’s a new one on me Morgan... That’s either a wind up or more likely putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5. I have watched fish at close range being hooked and other than when they are next to weed and snags they tend to just panic and bolt, with no obvious pattern as to which direction or why. Close to weed and snags they will try to get into them but that's not going to give you a clue as to where they normally travel. I think it's just a carp fishing myth…

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Q&A WITH JULIAN CUNDIFF rigs all seem to Q Your have really short hairs, and I've noticed the same with Simon Crow's rigs. Do you not like a longer hair and if not why not? STEVE ERICSSON, SLEAFORD

Much of my carp fishing involves pop up rigs where I am relying on the pin sharp hook and the counterweight to hook the carp. A long hair is unnecessary as the buoyancy of the hookbait

coupled with the tensioning of the hooklength against the lead will prick the carp on the Twister or Fang X. When I use a bottom bait then I

use a hair rather than D-Ring or Bait Screw. Here I want the hook to turn so a degree of separation is necessary to ensure it does precisely that. Too long a hair and the hook may not enter the mouth, too short and the hook may not turn and take hold as expected. The only time I use longer hairs are when I fish in silt or on a clean bottom and I am using a large Cultured Hookbait. I would use a hooklength on a quick change swivel and slide a PVA stick down over the hair and hookshank too... Hope that helps!

the wind is cold in April will carp still Q Iffollow it? When do I start using the wind direction as a key carp location pointer. ASHLEY YEOMANS, DUNSTABLE

There is an old expression Ashley which says they are where they are and that's where you fish for them. We can presume where they will be but carp also sometimes do the exact opposite of what we expect. In

the colder months I would expect them to shy away from the cold winds but your eyes will tell you. Carp love sun at this time of year and I'd be looking for calm water with sun on it. A cold wind wouldn’t usually be attractive but don’t be surprised to be surprised. Once water temperatures increase and stay constant, usually in May, I'd be looking to fish into the wind rather than have it on my back. A new wind oxygenates the water and carp love oxygenated water. Good luck and let your eyes rather than accepted wisdom dictate swim choice.

HAIR OR NO HAIR?

DON'T FORGET On my pop up rigs the spinning of the hook with the point directly under the bait hooks the carp. A D Loop on a Multi Rig with a Bait Screw or rig ring offers the best mechanics.

Treat Zigs like pop up rigs, the bait mounted tight to the hook produces the best chance of hooking carp. I use a short hair with a small pop up or rig foam.

Longer hairs are used on my bottom bait rigs so the hook can turn freely point down as the hooklink is tightened. I typically use 5-10mm separation from hook to bait.

Longer hairs can cause tangles, so if I need a longer hair for example with a Cultured Hookbait I thread a PVA stick down the link and pull the hook into it – no tangles, guaranteed!

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As soon as the first signs of spring are here I really do expect to catch off the top and they are far easier to catch now than in the summer months where they are under more pressure. Riser Pellets, Slicker Floaters and a Bolt Machine are always in my bucket with a catapult and pre-tied hooklengths. Don't miss out, get in early!