Avid Carpers Volume 12 - September / October 2014

S R E P R A C D I AV FREE

Volume 12

avidcarp.com

2014 September / October

FMROENTEHLY

BI-

INE

MAGAZ

AUTUMN TIPS INSIDE: IAN RUSSELL JON ‘SHOES’ JONES DAVE MAGALHAES CHRIS LOWE NIGEL WILLIAMS

CONTENTS...

COVERFEATURE

06 A NEW BEGINNING

Ian Russell reflects on a memorable session he had on RH Fisheries’ Monument 2 in Shropshire.

04 To SUBSCRIBE or READ PREVIOUS ISSUES Of Avid Carpers on PC, Android, iOS or download the latest Avid Carpers app on iPad.

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INTRO/SOCIAL MEDIA

DS LEADS

Jon Jones introduces Avid Carpers and reveals how you can keep upto-date through social media.

If you’re serious about fishing at range, take a look at these purposely-designed leads.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

C O N T E N T S AV I D CA R P E R S FOR MORE ARTICLES AND VIDEOS CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING ...

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MONO RIGS

THE HQ BI VVY

Jon Jones reveals why he’s started using monofilament hooklinks more over the last year.

Find out why we believe the HQ bivvy is the most feature-packed shelter on the market today.

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THE FLEXI RIG

TOP TIPS

Christian Kessler reveals the versatile presentation he uses for the majority of fishing.

Catch more carp this Autumn with Nigel Williams Top Tips!

KEEP UP-TO-DATE...

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TRAP LINE

BOILIE FISHING

Trap Line is a great all-round main line that has been designed with strength in mind.

Dave Magalhaes explains why autumn is the best time of the year to get on the boilies.

Vis it t he web s it e av id carp . com Like u s on faceb ook /av id carp p ag e Follow u s on Twit t er @av id carp ers

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H O O K PAT T E R N S

F E AT U R E F I N D I N G

Jamie Simpson explains the importance of selecting the correct hook pattern.

Chris Lowe believes feature finding is one of the most important aspects of modern carp fishing.

Follow u s on Ins t ag ram @av id carp Su b s crib e on YouTu b e /Av id Carp

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INTRO JON JONES

WELCOME...

Hello and welcome to the September/October issue of our bi-monthly Avid Carpers magazine.

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year to be on the bank. The temperatures drop, the leaves start to fall from the trees and the carp get their heads down. It’s one of the most productive times of the year to target big fish, as the carp start to feed in preparation for what could be an extremely long winter. With this in mind, we’ve made this issue an autumn special aimed at giving you all the information you could possibly need to make the most of this special time. In this issue, we join Ian Russell on the

banks of the Monument Two for a live session, Dave Magalhaes explains why boilies are his favourite autumn bait and Nigel Williams reveals his top tips for autumn. What’s more, Chris Lowe lifts the lid on feature finding and yours truly reveals how monofilament rigs could catch you more carp.

As well as being a great time to be on the bank, autumn is a very important time for Avid Carp for another reason. It’s when we launch all of our new products for the forthcoming year to the press, tackle shops and public. If you’d like to keep up to date with all our new products, make sure you grab the next installment of Avid

Carpers. It’s going to be a product special and will be your one-stop guide for all our new releases.

Shoes

Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

A NEW BEGINNING IAN RUSSELL

A new

beginning Ian Russell reflects on a session he had on RH Fisheries’ Monument 2 in Shropshire.

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HO W TO M A R K Y OU R M AIN L INE

0 1 . S tart by placing your main line

02. Y ou will need some Avid

0 3 . S nip a length of elastic off

04. C reate a loop in the main line

0 5 . P ass the elastic through the

06. P ull the elastic tight while

in the clip on the reel.

and hold it next to the main line near the spigot.

loop three times.

0 7 . S nip the tag ends using some sharp scissors.

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Marker Elastic.

and elastic like this.

moistening the elastic.

08. J ob done! It really is that simple.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

When Rob Hales kindly invited me to fish the Monument Two in Shropshire, I could hardly believe my luck. The 10-acre venue, which is situated a stones throw from the well-established Monument One, boasts a small island, various underwater features, 16 purpose-built swims and a mouth-watering stock of carp. The lake is due to open next June but bookings are being taken from September 1st 2014.

Rob wanted myself and a couple of the other Avid lads to test fish the venue and also do some filming to give anglers an insight to what the lake is like, what tactics work and what people can expect when it opens next year.

After a long drive, I eventually met Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones and Jason Umney at the service station in Shifnal, Shropshire. We grabbed a quick cup of coffee in Starbucks before jumping in our vans and heading off down the country lanes that lead towards the Monument Carp Fishery.

Fifteen minutes later, we were sipping another cup of coffee looking at an aerial photo that shows all the features in the lake.

I’ve fished lots of new venues over the years and most have always contained lots of small carp. I should have known Rob would have done things differently. He doesn’t mess about when he’s creating venues, that’s for sure. As Rob explained what he’d stocked in the lake, I could hardly believe it. Containing 600 carp, the venue is set to be a runs water. In total Rob has introduced 200 twenties, at least 20 carp over 30lb and one common that could be touching 50lb when the

A NEW BEGINNING IAN RUSSELL This was the view from Ian’s swim.

Ian opted for 10mm Code Red boilies

venue opens next year.

At the moment, the bulk of the fish are doubles but, judging by the amount of bait and feed Rob is introducing on a weekly basis, there’s no doubt the average stamp of fish is going to increase dramatically.

As Rob flicked through his iPad and showed me a selection of the fish he’d stocked, I couldn’t believe the different strains that were now swimming around in the lake. There was everything from long, dark scaly fish that looked 50 years old, to huge-framed young-looking fish that looked like they had the scope to be colossal within a couple of years. You really won’t know what’s going to slide over the spreader block. Now that is exciting!

Before I knew it, I was loading the barrow and heading off around the lake in search of carp. Within a few minutes of arriving, I could see where a lot of carp were held up. Towards the far end of the lake, where the wind was blowing, there was a huge area of coloured water, which indicated fish were feeding on the lake bed and disturbing the bottom.

I plonked my barrow in a swim that faced the wind, which would allow me to target the coloured water. I only had a day at my disposal so I frantically sorted my gear and threw a brolly up to shelter from the wind.

First things first, I attached an Avid DS Lead to one of my fishing rods and cast it towards the coloured water. The new DS Leads have small fins on them and an aerodynamic design so

they are perfect for casting into the wind. The lead landed in the middle of the coloured water, at about 80yds, and landed with a pronounced donk. I clipped the rod up, marked it with marker elastic, and then counted the amount of wraps using my Yard Sticks. This then allowed me to clip up my other fishing rod and spod rod so I could fish super-accurately in the area of coloured water.

I cast two of my trusty longshank blow-back rigs baited with two 10mm Code Red boilies into the area of coloured and then introduced five Air Cage spodfuls of matching freebies. I didn’t want to overfeed the fish because it was clear they were already rooting around in the area. I just wanted to introduce enough grub to gain their attention.

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1 Ian used a simple lead clip approach.

2 An Air Cage was used to introduce bait.

3 10mm boilies were the order of the day.

4 This scaly 26lb mirror was the highlight of Ian’s trip.

To book your place on the

2

call 01952 463141 10

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

A NEW BEGINNING IAN RUSSELL Within five minutes of casting out, I received my first take and, after a short but spirited fight, there was a mid double mirror sulking in the folds of the next. After a couple of quick trophy shots, I blasted the rod back out on the spot and introduced two more spodfuls of boilies onto the spot.

It was my kind of fishing.

After bagging a couple more doubles, my right-hand rod rattled off and I lifted into what felt like a much better fish. It kited right but, after applying a bit of side strain, I managed to turn it and gain some control.

The fish plodded around in the deep margins in front of me and, cautious not to loose it, I let it take line whenever it needed it. Eventually, a scaly mirror emerged from the depths and I promptly slid it into the net. With the help of Rob Hales, who was wandering around the lake at the time, I weighed the fish and got

a couple of trophy shots rattled off. We both agreed that the fish weighed 21lb on the nose before returning it back to its home.

As I tidied the swim from the carnage that had just unfolded, my left-hand Delkim sounded and I was into another Monument carp. Funnily enough, this one felt better and actually flat rodded me as it tore about 30yds of line from me reel. I slowly but surely pumped the fish towards the bank and, after a few minutes, the fish was wallowing in the margins under my feet. It was certainly bigger than the last and was definitely prettier. Rob did the honors and expertly slipped the net under the fish as it surfaced.

This one was a scaly 26lb mirror that looks as old as me. It was an absolute stunner!

As the day progressed, I landed a couple more doubles and, unfortunately, lost what felt like an absolutely huge fish. Shoes caught a couple of nice fish too and Jason Umney was lucky enough to bag a few too.

Now I’m not going to make out that the fishing is really hard on the lake, because it’s not.

It’s not designed to be. The fish are naïve, there are lots of them and they love good-quality bait.

Rob Hales is trying to create a venue that will give you plenty of action and the chance of a huge fish or a PB. I think he’s already achieved just that and, when the venue opens next year, the fish will be even bigger. Watch this space! I for one will be doing everything I can to have another go when it opens to the public.

ANGLER PROFILE: Ian Russell Age:

51

UK PB:

57 lb 8oz

Occupation:

Fu l l Time Angl er Instagram@avidcarp

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

D S L E A D S P R O D U C T F E AT U R E

• Front heavy • Camou colour • Double coated • Coated swivel • Aerodynamic • Small fins • Anti-tangle sleeve The DS leads are designed for anglers that want to achieve massive distances, or those who just want to put a few extra yards on their cast.

To ensure the leads fly through the air with minimal resistance, they are front heavy and boast a round, aerodynamic profile.

Accuracy is absolutely essential when fishing at range, so the leads boast small fins that ensure they flight straight and accurately every cast. To avoid tangles the leads even have a small piece of silicone sleeve over the swivel.

If you’re looking for the ultimate lead for fishing at range, look no further. Available in 3oz and 4oz.

avidcarp.com

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MONOFILAMENT RIGS Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones reveals why he started using monofilament hooklinks more and more over the last year.

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

MONOFILAMENT RIGS JON JONES

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There’s nothing complex about Jon’s mono rig.

I’m sure If I asked 100 carp anglers to list their favourite hooklink material very few, if any, would mention monofilament.

When modern day carp anglers think about monofilament, most think the material is only suitable as a main line to spool up their fishing reels when, in reality, it’s one of the best hooklink materials I’ve ever used.

Earlier this year, during a chat with Midlands-based consultant Steve Hall, I started to think about alternative hooklink materials.

Steve uses a lot of nylon rigs and catches absolutely loads of large carp from a whole host of different venues. As Steve and I discussed the advantages of nylon hooklinks, I started thinking

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back to my early carp-fishing days. Back then, nylon was my favourite hooklink material and I had complete confidence in it.

It’s funny how things change and how quickly we neglect such great presentations to follow more modern trends.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

A hook with an out-turned eye is a good option.

MONOFILAMENT RIGS JON JONES

HO W T O T I E J ON ’ S M ONO F IL AM ENT R IG

0 1 . S tart by tying a small loop in a

02. F ix a hookbait in place using

03 . A ttach a CHD hook using a

0 4 . A dd a small Tungsten Rig

05. T ie a small loop in the end of

06 . T hat’s it! Monofilament rigs

length of monofilament.

Dropper to the rig.

a boilie stop.

the monofilament.

simple knotless knot.

really are that simple.

Trap Line in 15lb breaking strain is an ideal starting point for any mono rig.

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The night after Steve and I had our chat, I started playing around with a spool of monofilament and knocked up a few of the simple rigs I used to use many moons ago. That week, I headed of to RH Fisheries’ Weston Park for an overnight session and ended up banking several stunning twenties using the super-simple presentation. Although I may have caught these fish on my standard rigs, there was something satisfying about catching them on such a simple presentation.

Monofilament is brilliant because it’s so simple to work with.

There’s no need to strip it, it passes through the eye on even the smallest hooks a couple of times and it sinks reasonably well too. Add to this the fact it’s extremely cost effective when bought on a bulk spool, it’s surprising carp anglers don’t use it more.

As a general rule of thumb most modern monofilament materials boast a low diameter and are relatively supple. The great thing is though, due to the nature of the material, it has great anti-tangle properties and carp find it extremely difficult to eject the hooklink once it has been sucked up.

When using monofilament rigs it’s important that you select the right breaking strain for the situation you are fishing. More often than not, I will use Trap Line in 15lb as a general starting point. Trap Line is finished in a subtle brown colour that blends brilliantly on a whole host of different bottoms.

Although it does naturally sink, I like to add a couple of Avid Tungsten Rig Droppers just to be sure. These will be available later this year.

When using nylon rigs I generally stick to a knotless knot presentation incorporating an Avid CHD hook. When using stiffer materials, it’s important you use a hook that has an out-turned eye so that the gape of the hook isn’t reduced by the stiffer material.

That said, Trap Line is extremely supple so you could use it with pretty much any hook pattern you desire. It does look good when tied with one of the CRV hooks.

ANGLER PROFILE: Jon Jones

43 P B : 47 l b

Age: UK

Occupation:

Br a nd M a na g e r o f Avid Ca r p

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

If you’re looking for an alternative hooklink that won’t break the bank, give monofilament a try.

I’ve used it to great success over the last year and it’s now got a regular place in my tackle box. More often than not in carp fishing, it’s often the things that have been neglected for the longest that end up being the most effective. Give it a try.

MONOFILAMENT RIGS JON JONES Jon has caught loads of stunning carp like this one using monofilament hooklinks.

@jon_AvidCarp

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the

bivvy

We truly believe the HQ bivvy is the most feature-packed shelter on the market today. Its permanent twin-skin technology make it a unique and innovative product, that’s quickly become one of the most desirable items on the market. It’s bivvy design on a new level.

The HQ bivvy has been designed around the anglers needs. Built from the highest grade materials this new unique concept utilises extra space with its separated frame system which provides a more stable bivvy along with a greater floor space providing room for the biggest of bedchairs such as the Restbite X. 20

The HQ comes with a clip-in inner wrap. This inner is fully breathable and removable eliminating all condensation.

The inner wrap is not attached to the groundsheet so it can be left in place when packed away so to not increase the bag size and mess caused by sewn-in groundsheets. Indeed, the HQ packs down reasonably small

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

for a bivvy with such a healthy footprint.

In short, it’s the bivvy that all other bivvies are now compared to. Check out all of those features and make up your own mind. We know you’ll see the light.

T H E H Q B I V V Y P R O D U C T F E AT U R E

AVAILABLE IN ONE & TWO MAN

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thFLEXI e rig 22

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

RIG CLINIC CHRISTIAN KESSLER

German consultant Christian Kessler reveals the versatile presentation he uses for the majority of fishing.

I first started using this simple presentation a couple of years ago while targeting a crystal-clear gravel pit in Germany. Most of the lake’s residents could be caught from the gin-clear margins so I used to spend most of my time crouched in the undergrowth trying to stalk them in the edge. I was using a simple knotless knot presentation at the time that featured a relatively short hair that was fixed tight to the shank using a small piece of silicone tubing.

This was my favourite rig at the time and one I would be happy using on any carp lake in the world.

This viewpoint soon changed though, as it quickly became apparent the rig wasn’t performing as well under the water as I’d imagined.

Over the course of a few weeks I witnessed countless carp effortlessly pick up my rig and spit it out. They weren’t ejecting the rig and spooking, it just wasn’t taking a hold in their mouth. I did catch the odd fish on the rig I was using, but more fish were ejecting it than actually getting hooked.

I was convinced the small piece of silicone fixing the hair to the shank of the hook was hindering the flexibility of the rig, so I started playing around with presentations that offered more movement.

Removing the silicone from the shank of the hook and lengthening the hair did convert more pick ups into runs but the fish were still getting away with it.

I’d used hook swivels and beads in the past to create rigs, but had never watched fish pick them up in the margins. The day I tried using them on the crystal-clear lake my whole perception of rigs changed completely. Every single fish that picked up the rig was hooked. Not only were they hooked, but they were absolutely nailed in the bottom lip.

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I couldn’t believe how much difference such a small tweak can make. The improved flexibility allowed the hookbait to spin in the carp’s mouth when it picked it up. It therefore didn’t matter how the carp picked up the bait because the rotation of the hook would prevent the hook point from turning in at the wrong angle and increase the chance of it taking hold. As well as this, the small swivel created a brilliant anti-eject presentation and ensured the hookbait never impeded the hook point.

Nowadays I use this presentation for 90% of my fishing. It is an extremely versatile presentation, but it’s worth bearing in mind that you must select the right hooklink to suit the situation if you really want to get the most out of it. If I’m fishing on a clear bottom I will go for Avid’s Stiff Rig Filament and if I’m fishing in weed or silt, I will go for something suppler like the Captive coated hooklink. The presentation can be used with bottom baits, wafters or even pop-ups if you want to add a small split shot to the rig. In most

instances though, I like to go for a Code Red wafter because I feel carp find balanced baits much harder to deal with.

In a nutshell, this presentation is simple to tie, has brilliant antitangle properties and carp find it extremely difficult to deal with.

If you’re looking to try a new rig or you think the fish are getting away with it like they were on the lake I was fishing, give it a try.

I’m certain you will convert more pickups into takes.

HO W T O T I E C H R I S T I A N ’S R IG

0 1 . H ere are the

components you will need.

0 5 . N ow slide a Hook

Bead onto the shank like this.

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02. F ix a CRV hook to

03. C arefully blob

0 4 . S lide a Big Eye

06. A lways make

07. C reate a small loop

08. F inally attach

your hooklink using a knotless knot.

sure you test the knot strength.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

the tag end using a lighter.

in the end of the rig using a loop tyer.

Hook Swivel onto the hook.

the hookbait of your choice.

RIG CLINIC CHRISTIAN KESSLER

1 2 3

Code Red wafters work great with the flexi rig.

It’s important to select the correct hooklink for the lakebed.

CRV hooks in size 6 are Christian’s first choice.

avidcarpers.tv

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ANGLER PROFILE: Christian Kessler Age:

25

European PB:

48l b

Occupation:

F ilm a nd M ed i a S tud ent

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

THE FLEXI RIG CHRISTIAN KESSLER This magnificent 40lb-plus mirror was nailed on the rig outlined in this article.

Christian Kessler

avidcarpers.tv

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Catch more carp this Autumn with Nigel Williams’ Top Tips!

for

AUTUMN SE A RC H F O R S I L T As soon as the water starts to cool and the fish can sense colder weather is just around the corner, they will inevitably start searching for food in preparation for the winter ahead.

With the weed in most lakes starting to die off, silt will often be their first port of call because it’s packed with naturals. If you want to catch some big, fat autumnal carp, get the marker rod out and find some silt.

ST IC K WITH IT If you’ve had a successful season and your fishing has gone well through the summer, there’s a good chance you won’t need to change your rigs, bait or presentation. The way I see it, there’s no point in changing something if it’s not broken. More often than not, by introducing a good-quality boilie, you can continue your good form through till winter.

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

NIGEL WILLIAMS

PLAY THE BAITING GAME There’s no doubt that prebaiting can be absolutely devastating. If you introduce bait in an area of the lake on a regular basis, the carp will become accustomed to feeding there. Then when you do actually fish the lake, they will feed much more confidently and the chance of them picking up your hookbait will be much, much higher. Give it a try.

WAT CH THE WATER If you’ve had success fishing certain features or areas of the lake, don’t fall into the trap of targeting these spots exclusively through the autumnal months.

These areas may produce fish, but feeding areas do tend to change throughout the year.

Watch the water at first light and sit out at night and listen for crashing fish. The hardest part of the puzzle is often finding the fish. Once you’ve found them, the rest tends to be much easier.

G E T PR E PAR E D When autumn approaches, I like to sort all of my gear and give everything a clean. There’s no better feeling than starting your new campaign organised and ready to go. Stock up on essential tackle items, organise your gear and make sure you are ready for the months ahead.

The autumn is an incredibly rewarding time to be out on the bank so it’s important you make the most of it.

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GET ON T H E F E E D E R S I’ve done really well over the last couple of years fishing with method feeders. They are simple to use, quick and extremely effective when the carp are feeding with caution. They offer a presentation very similar to a PVA bag but are much more convenient to construct. I usually fish two feeders on an area and introduce a scattering of boilies over the top to get the carp grubbing around in the area.

B OT TOM BAI T S AN D W AF T E R S There’s every chance the fish in your lake will have seen their fair share of chod rigs and pop-up presentations throughout the summer months. For this reason, I tend to stay well clear of more blatant hookbait presentations, preferring to use bottom baits and wafters. It may seem like a small tweak, but these are often the most effective. Check out the Code Red wafters from Sonubaits. I’ve caught lots of carp during the autumnal months using them.

SPO OL UP As soon as the summer is out of the way, I always respool my reels with brand new main line. Fishing weedy lakes through the warmer months can put a lot of strain on your line and the smallest nick or graze on your monofilament could result in lost fish later in the year. There are a whole host of lines on the market but I stick with the Avid Trap Line. It’s strong, reliable and sinks well.

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

NIGEL WILLIAMS

B OI LI ES If I had to use one bait through the autumnal months it would have to be boilies. As well as being extremely convenient for the angler, carp absolutely love them. Whether you’re targeting a heavily-stocked lake for lots of runs or sitting it out for a forty on a sparsely-stocked pit, get on the boilies. Although fishing over large beds of boilies can work at this time of year, more often than not, a hundred baits is often enough to tempt an autumn chunk.

WAR M CL OTHING This may seem like a fairly basic tip but it’s one that I see lots of anglers neglecting. The British weather can change quickly overnight so always make sure you’ve got plenty of spare clothing in the car.

P I N I T DO W N Although carp feed heavily during the autumnal months, this doesn’t mean they are easy to catch. The fish can be line shy, wary and tricky to tempt. For this reason I like to ensure my end tackle is always pinned to the deck. This is why I use Pin Down leaders and hooklink material.

Both sink like a brick and blend brilliantly on the bottom.

Instagram@avidcarp

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ANGLER PROFILE: Nigel Williams

37 41 l b 10oz O c c u p a t i o n : S e l f Em ploy ed Age:

UK PB:

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

NIGEL WILLIAMS

If you follow the tips in this feature, you too could be posing with a whacker.

@nigel_AvidCarp avidcarp.com

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T R A P L I N E P R O D U C T F E AT U R E

e n i L p a r T

Trap Line is a great all-round main line that has been designed with strength in mind.

From day one, the aim was to produce a monofilament that was strong, reliable and incredibly robust. Eventually, after two years of testing and development, we finally reached our goal and the Trap Line was launched. Although it’s extremely tough and hard wearing, Trap Line is super-soft and extremely supple. Boasting low diameters even in the higher

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breaking strains, it casts well and is brilliant for fishing at range. As soon as the line hits the water, it sinks quickly and becomes virtually invisible on the lake bed. After testing various different colours, we opted for a subtle brown finish because it was a great all-round colour that disappeared in weed, silt and across gravel.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

BREAKING STRAIN (lb)

BREAKING STRAIN (kg)

LINE DIAMETER

10lb

4.5kg

0.30mm

12lb

5.4kg

0.32mm

15lb

6.8kg

0.35mm

18lb

8.1kg

0.40mm

good things come in

small packages

advanced technology tackle Angling electronics innovation

attackle.co.uk

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

B O I L I E F I S H I N G DAV E M AG A L H A E S

B ILIE FISHING Dave Magalhaes explains why autumn is the best time of the year to get on the boilies.

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Code Red is Dave’s number one choice for targeting big carp.

Don’t be afraid to fish over lots of boilies during the autumn!

Adding Code Red oil to your hookbaits can make all the difference.

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

As the sun begins to set on another summer, we find ourselves moving into the months of autumn. The temperatures begin to drop, the leaves start to fall and the banks slowly get quieter. I always have mixed emotions about the arrival of autumn, mainly because I enjoy my stalking and surface fishing so much and I know that that’s coming to an end. Having said that though, on many of the trickier venues I have fished, the summer months can often be hard going and incredibly frustrating when trying to catch a carp off the bottom. I’ve said this before in the past, but it almost seems as though the fish spawn, have a slightly crazy spell where they eat and get caught, then go on a diet for the rest of the summer. It’s not uncommon to find that particles, such as maize, hemp and tigers, are the main downfall of many a big carp during the summer months, especially during July and August.

Come the autumn, however, this begins to change quickly.

B O I L I E F I S H I N G DAV E M AG A L H A E S

CODE RED AVAILABLE IN • 12MM BOILIES • 15MM BOILIES (INCLUDES MIXED POP UPS) • 18MM BOILIES (INCLUDES MIXED POP UPS) • FEED PELLETS (2 &4MM) • POP UPS (12, 15 & 18MM) • 15MM MIXED COLOUR POP UPS • 15MM MIXED COLOUR WAFTERS • BAG MIX • OIL

For me personally, the autumn is all about the boilies. The subtle, delicate rigs, the coring out and balancing of hookbaits, the arduous task of actually getting the particles out into the lake and the mess they leave are all replaced by the simple, yet incredibly effective, boilie.

The carp themselves suddenly get their appetites back and The chod rig is Dave’s chosen presentation when fishing over boilies.

actively begin to look for the more nutritional food items that will help them fatten up for the coming winter months.

Rightly or wrongly, these days I have a very simple outlook on boilies. If I want to catch big carp, especially mirrors, then I need to use a red fishmeal. Everybody has different opinions and I’m sure if you lined up 100 anglers, many of them would have conflicting ideas, but my thesis is all based on simple maths. On the very limited time I get to go fishing, I look at what has caught the big fish over and over again during my years fishing, and the stand out bait is always a red fishmeal. Admittedly, in more recent times there seems to have been a slight change, with the trend leaning towards nutty, creamy baits, but I feel this is mainly down to the overzealous marketing of these baits rather than their actual appeal to the fish themselves. The simple fact is, big carp love fishmeals and in

particular, red fishmeals such as the Code Red. With high levels of liquid food attractors, the Code Red releases food signals the moment it hits the water, drawing fish in straightaway. The level of highly digestible ingredients including pre-digested fishmeal and liquid liver means the carp will recognise ‘Code Red’ as a valuable food source and keep coming back for more. Although the baits can be used straight out of the bag, I still like to add my own little twist, especially if I’m fishing on somewhere like the river Thames, so before casting out I leave my hookbait soaking in the Code Red oil. I douse all my floaters in extra oil and it works wonders, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be the same with my boilies. If I’m using any form of PVA bag, I’ll also glug that in the oil too. That way I have this little cluster of goodies with a mass of attraction around it, plus if the carp begin nudging around, the oils are released and a slick appears on the surface above.

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Over the years, one of the biggest issues for any carp angler has been storage. Quality bait, unfortunately, comes at a price and a big way to cut down that price historically, has been to order in bulk. This then leaves you with the problem with storing it all. Not only that, but any planned longer sessions also came with the worry that the bait could turn and go mouldy.

Working in a tackle shop, I’d say that almost every angler that goes fishing in France, asks about air drying their boilies.

By including precise levels of natural preservatives such as salt, sugar and oil along with modern tasteless and odourless preservatives used in the food industry (yep, those same ones that we all consume in the majority of our food), the Code Red stays fresh.

I have to admit that, for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been told that I “had” to use frozen boilies as they’re fresh and are better than readymades.

This mindset is something I found difficult to get out of but, having had one of my most prolific summers, in terms of numbers of fish, thats completely gone out of the window. In fact, I now find myself asking why it took so long for a company to take the next step and move forward in bait development!

Dave has been having considerable success on Code Red recently. Here’s just one of the many large carp he’s bagged using it.

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

Whatever the reason, I know one thing, this autumn I’ll be using shelf-life boilies with no concerns other than where to put them in the lake.

B O I L I E F I S H I N G DAV E M AG A L H A E S ANGLER PROFILE: Dave Magalhaes Age:

31 49l b 10oz

UK PB:

Occupation:

Tac kl e Sho p Sal es Assistant

Dave aes h l a g a M @Dave_AvidCarp

Instagram@avidcarp

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

H O O K PAT T E R N S J A M I E S I M P S O N

CHO OSIN G THE CO RRECT HOOK P AT T E R N Jamie Simpson explains the importance of selecting the correct hook pattern‌ As a follow on to the hooklink piece I did a couple of months back, it seemed appropriate to write an article about hook patterns and how I use them in different situations. No pattern is suitable for all rig presentations and it is essential to have the right balance of hook, bait and

hooklink material for any given situation. Each situation requires a different approach to be most effective. This may sound like common sense but it is surprising how many people stick with one pattern and one presentation for all their fishing.

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WDG (WIDE GAPE)

I generally use these kind of hooks when fishing with solid PVA bags and incorporating the supple Captive braided hooklink.

Often using small hookbaits, I generally use a size 8 and keep things simple utilising 4� hooklinks and a simple knotless knot coupled up with a 2oz inline lead and Bag Stem.

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This pattern also lends itself to fishing with sweetcorn and other small baits when coupled with a size 10 hook.

The WDG pattern is also excellent for zig rigs and the non-glare finish of the hook is a big advantage in this situation.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

CHD (CHOD)

These hooks, as the names suggests, are designed for fishing with chod rigs, as well as hinge-stiff rigs and other pop-up presentations.

When fishing with chods tied using super-stiff materials, it’s imperative that the hook you select features an out-turned eye. This will ensure the gape of the hook isn’t reduced and, in the case of the CHD that has a super-aggressive outturned eye, will make your hookbait sits at an aggressive angle. The CHD hook also features a straight point, which I think is absolutely vital when using pop-up presentations.

Although beaked point hooks work, I think straight points drive home into the carps mouth, something I think is imperative when using rigs like the chod.

H O O K PAT T E R N S J A M I E S I M P S O N

CRV (CURVED SHANK)

This is a pattern I have caught countless fish on over the years and is probably my go to pattern when under pressure to nick a bite. My preferred rig for this hook pattern is a pop-up presentation utilising our super-supple braided or Pin Down hooklinks. By adding a little piece of shrink tube or kicker to the rig, to extend the curve further, I find that I can get a very well balanced pop-up presentation that just hovers on top of any detritus on the lakebed. Using either a blow-back ring or silicone on the shank, this rig is really effective as it also resets itself if you get ‘done’. I tend to use the size 8 CRV hooks for 12mm hookbaits and size 6 for 15mm hookbaits. I also like using this pattern when fishing a D-rig utilising our stiff rig filament in 15lb and wafter hookbait. I then generally use a short 6” hooklink and increase the length to around 10” when fishing in light silt.

LSK (LONGSHANK)

I use this hook pattern when I’m fishing with bottom baits or snowman presentations, especially when I’m using the Captive coated hooklink. The rig I use is super simple and usually consists of a small piece of silicone tubing on the shank of the hook to keep the hair in place, and a piece of shrink tubing or kicker over the eye of the hook to encourage it to flip and turn in the carp’s mouth.

When using snowman presentations and boilie hookbaits I generally use a size 4 or 6 hook if I’m using smaller baits, like nuts or pulses, I generally scale down to a size

8 or 10.

Longshank hooks are an incredibly effective hook pattern and one that lots of anglers totally neglect these days.

If you haven’t tried them, give them a go. The hook holds are usually incredible.

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Avid Carpers September / October 2014

F E AT U R E F I N D I N G C H R I S LO W E

FEATURE FINDING Chris Lowe believes feature finding is one of the most important aspects of modern carp fishing. Here’s why…

As lots of you are probably aware, I spend the majority of my time fishing Linear Fisheries in Oxford.

Anglers regularly quiz me about the best tactics and the most important things to bear in mind when fishing such pressured venues. My answer is simple.

Find the fish, find a feature and give them some good-quality bait.

Rather than talking about feature finding in great detail and boring you half to death, I’m going to talk about a very special capture I had this year and how being able to use a marker float competently allowed me to catch one of the most sought after carp in the UK. It was first thing Monday morning when I arrived at the Linear Fisheries complex for a week of tutorials. The angler who I would be fishing with for the week was keen to learn about finding clear spots in the weed, so we ended up starting the session on the famous St Johns. As well as being littered with gravel bars, silt channels and a whole host of other prominent features, there was new weed growth in the lake, making it perfect for the tutorial client to try his hand at finding clear areas.

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We ended setting up on the beach and I spent most of Monday teaching him how to find clear spots and showing him how to fish and bait accurately in them. As the sun disappeared behind the distant tree line on Monday evening, I grabbed the marker float and started plumbing the swim for features.

Now I know lots of anglers would advise against feature finding on pressured venues because of the disturbance but I don’t think it makes a difference. I could have fished PVA bags and nicked a few bites but that’s not my style.

I want to find a feature, introduce a big bed of bait and catch lots of carp. I’m never going to catch dozens of fish using small PVA bags. If I can create a competitive feeding a confident feeding zone and get the carp competing for my bait, I can usually rack up a big hit of fish.

After twenty minutes flicking the marker rod around I found a large weed bed at about 60yds range.

I gently pulled the lead towards

To make life easier, we sell a Marker Float Kit that contains everything you need to start feature finding.

me, until it pulled smoothly along the lake bed. This indicated that the weed bed had ended and I was pulling across a nice, clear bottom. I’ve found that carp will often patrol the edges of weed beds and are very confident feeding on beds of bait that are positioned tight to them.

With the float popped above the surface, I positioned three rods as tight as I could get them and

introduced a couple of kilos of my favourite spod mix, which consisted of Code Red boilies, S-Feed Pellets, Elliptical Pellets and Hemp ‘N’ Corn.

Just twenty minutes after introducing the bait my middle rod rattled off and I was rewarded with a stunning 31lb mirror.

After landing the fish, carp were showing on my baited area repeatedly and I was confident of

E S S E NT I A L I T E M S Y OU WIL L NE E D TO STAR T F E ATU R E FI NDING

0 1 . A big pit reel

with a quick-drag system is perfect for marker work.

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02. Y ou will need

a marker float, large lead and a buffer bead.

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

03. B raided main line is

essential. Check out the Depth Gauge Marker Braid.

0 4 . A rod with a stiff

test curve. The Distance Marker rod is a great bit of kit.

F E AT U R E F I N D I N G C H R I S LO W E more fish. Unfortunately though, as the night progressed, the shows stopped and the night passed without any more action.

At first light on the Wednesday morning, after a couple of cups of coffee, I started to re-evaluate my approach. There were certainly still fish in the swim but they’d moved further out into the lake and were showing at 80 yards.

I reeled all three rods in and started having a lead around where I’d seen most of the fish show over the last couple of hours. After a couple of casts, it became clear why the fish were showing on the same spot repeatedly. I found an area of clean gravel that was absolutely rock hard – perfect. I popped the marker float up again,

repositioned three rigs tight to it and introduced some more of my spod mix.

It may seem a little bit strange moving rods from an area that has produced fish but, like I have already said, I go carp fishing to catch numbers of fish. Catching one or two fish is nice, but I’d rather bag more if I can.

At 1am the following morning all hell broke loose. I can’t remember how many fish I caught over the space of a few hours but it kicked off in style. I had a couple of stunning carp, a 34lb catfish and then all went quiet. I actually thought the carp had cleared me out and moved on, so I introduced ten more spodfuls of bait and sat on my

bedchair watching the sunrise.

As I sipped my coffee, the bobbin on the left-hand rod twitched ever so slightly and line began slowly ticking from my spool. I knew the fish was big as soon as I picked up the rod. It stayed deep and I struggled to gain any line for the first couple of minutes. After a long, dogged battle I noticed a massive flank of scales simmering in the morning sun and knew exactly what I was playing. It was the Big Plated and one of the fish I so dearly wanted to catch from the pressured dayticket venue. After what seemed like an eternity, the colossal mirror eventually gave in and I managed to slip all 44lb 12oz of it into the net.

HO W TO S E T U P A M A R KE R F L O AT AR R ANG E M ENT

0 1 . P ass your main line

02. N ow carefully slide a

0 3 . P ass your main line

0 4 . Snip the tag end that’s

05. S lide the buffer bead down

06 . I f the arrangement is

through the swivel on an Avid Marker Lead.

left behind using a pair of sharp scissors.

buffer bead onto the main line like this.

the braid and push it over the eye on the float.

through the eye on the float and tie it in position.

setup correctly it should look like this.

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Chris caught the Big Plated from St Johns after spending a prolonged period feature finding.

If you want to catch more fish, get your marker rod out.

ANGLER PROFILE: C h r i s Lo w e Age:

50

42

UK PB:

5 6lb

Occupation:

Avid Carpers September / October 2014

Angling T u to r

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