S R E P R A C D AVI A RTI C LE
Volume 3 March/April 2013
FREE
BAG UP! Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones explains how you can transform your season
avidcarp.com
CHODS MADE EASY Neil Edge reveals everything you need to know about Chod rigs
SESSION OF A LIFETIME
The full story behind Ian Russell’s big-fish hit from Linear Fisheries
F REE B I-MONT
DIGITALHLY MAGAZ INE
PLUS: COMPETITIONS TERMINAL TACKLE TIPS TOP TIPS FOR SPRING RIG CLINIC NEW! QUICK-CHANGE BAIT SCREWS BAG STEMS SAFEGUARD CRADLES TRANSIT BARROWS
C O N TENTS
“Welcome to the first Avid Carpers of 2013.”
.
06 BAG UP
12 UNITY OF TIME
Jon Jones shows how Bag Stems could transform your season.
18 MAKE IT FLIP
Carp-angling machine Ian Russell reflects on one of his best sessions ever.
Jason Umney explains how Line Droppers can improve your rigs.
22 SPRING TIPS Chris Lowe reveals
his top ten tips for catching big carp in the spring.
2
AVID CARPERS
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M A RC H/ A P R I L 2013 Hello and welcome to the first Avid Carpers of 2013. The magazine has been so popular over the last couple of years, we have decided to bring it out on a bi-monthly basis. As far as we are aware, this is the first printed bi-monthly magazine to be produced by a carp fishing manufacturer and we’re sure it’s going to prove popular with anglers everywhere. The magazine will be available FREE of charge from all good Avid stockists in paper form, or online in a digital format. For a small price to cover postage, you can even get the magazine delivered straight to your door so you never miss an issue. So what can you expect to see over the next year? Here at Avid, we’re passionate about upping your catch rate and producing products that will enable you to catch more carp. The bi-monthly magazines will be full of hints, tips, articles and news from Team Avid. Whether you’re looking to catch your first
double or targeting an elusive fifty pounder, we’re sure you will find Avid Carpers a great read. There’s going to be a wide mixture of content aimed at anglers of all abilities. Plus, it’s your chance to take an in-depth look at some of the exciting products we will be releasing this year. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the shape of things to come. I’m sure you’re going to love the new bi-monthly magazines and everything we have in store for 2013.
Shoes
Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones
FOR MORE CK CHE A R T IC L E S L O W IN G L O F O U T T H E IN E S MAGAZ
28 RIG CLINIC Jamie Simpson reveals how to tie the ultimate pop-up presentation.
34 CHODS MADE EASY Neil Edge explains everything you need to know about Chod rigs.
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3
NEWS
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From time to tim new and existin e, g paper format subscrib ers will receive a FREE gift!
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PAPER MAGAZINE
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DIGITAL MAGAZINE If you would like to view the digital magazine on PC or Android, you can look at it on issuu.com. The digital magazine is generally released a month after the paper version, so it will be available the first in week June.
To subscribe and view all digital issues of Avid Carpers go to issuu.com and search Avid Carpers or go to http://goo.gl/2NuUh Or Scan the QR Code
4
AVID CARPERS
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S UBS C R I BE
GO INTERACTIVE WITH THE
AVID CARPERS APP
The brand-new Avid Carpers interactive iPad App is now available to download from the Apple App Store. As well as containing all the great articles that appear in the paper version, the interactive edition boasts bonus interactive features, videos, pictures and additional content. The interactive edition will be available the first week in June. If you haven’t already, check out the March/April interactive app. To subscribe to the interactive edition of Avid Carpers go to http://tinyurl.com/c3dwzbm Or Scan the QR Code
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5
BAGUP! G E T B AGGING
6
AVID CARPERS
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JO N JO N E S
“The new Bag Stems have totally transformed my fishing over the last year.” Product design genius Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones explains how you can catch more carp this year by using the new Avid Bag Stems.
I’ve been using solid PVA bags for lots of my fishing over the last couple of years and I absolutely love them. The benefits of this presentation far outweigh any of the negatives and, since Avid Carp developed the new Bag Stems, there’s never been a better way to make the most of this incredible presentation. The great thing about solid PVA bags is the fact that, once they have dissolved, the bait inside covers the lead and end tackle. Plus, when the carp are feeding with a little more care and caution, I think the combination of the short rig and large lead is absolutely devastating. It just seems to nail them every time. Anybody who has used solid PVA bags will know that speed is often of the essence. I like to be very active when I’m fishing and I sometimes find myself casting every 15 minutes, so you can imagine how much time I’d spend tying bags. Fortunately, since the release of the Bag Stems at the end of last year, I’ve found that all my prayers have been answered. Using these unique little Stems, I can tie dozens of bags at home in preparation for my sessions. The Stems have a length of strong wire running through the middle of them so you can just attach them straight to the end of your main line. There’s no need to splice any short leadcore leaders
and you can attach one to your main line in a matter of seconds. Perfect! The new Bag Stems couldn’t be simpler to use. You simply thread the Stem through an in-line lead, attach your rig to the ring swivel and tie your solid PVA bag. When you’re ready to cast out the bag, you can simply tie your main line directly to the metal loop on the Bag Stem. It’s that simple. Although I don’t put a huge emphasis on dropping the lead, I’m of the impression that it can only be a good thing. By using one of the Avid In-Line Safety Leads with the Bag Stems, you can make sure you drop the lead on the take, increasing your chance of landing the fish when it really counts. So what type of bait do I like to use in my solid PVA bags? To be honest, I don’t think you can go wrong with low-oil pellets, groundbait or crushed boilies. I like to pick baits that are rammed with attraction in small quantities, so I always add some kind of liquid to the bag. Sonubaits Booster Cloud is perfect because it creates a cloud of attraction around the contents of the bag. When it comes to hookbaits, my personal preference is anything bright and attractive. I’ve tried a whole host of hookbaits over the years but I personally think
AVID CARPERS
7
G E T B AGGING
Jon likes to use a mixture of pellets and groundbait in his solid PVA bags
it’s a safe bet to use a different hookbait in each PVA bag until you find one that works. I like to keep my rigs super-simple inside my bags, so I usually just opt for a 3in knotless knot rig tied using Captive Braided Hooklink and a prototype Avid hook in size 8. I think the key to success with solid PVA bags is being prepared and recasting them on a regular basis. Whether I’m fishing over a baited area or trying to nick a bite by casting onto showing fish, I like to reposition my rods on a regular basis. Before the Bag Stems were released, anglers had to splice dozens of short leadcore leaders if they wanted to fish quickly and efficiently. This was extremely fiddly, time consuming and expensive in the long run. The new Bag Stems have transformed this, and more anglers are using solid PVA bags than ever before. This incredibly effective tactic is now simpler and more effective than ever. So whether you are new to solid bagging or you’ve always been a fan of the tactic, you’re sure to take things to the next level if you give the new Bag Stems a try. I certainly FOR MOR have!
CLICK HE
RE
E IN F O O N
PVA PROD
UCTS
HOW TO...
USE BAG STEMS
01
Thread a Bag Stem through an In-Line Bag Lead.
02 Attach your rig to the
03
Slide a Transfer PVA bag over an Avid Bag Loader.
04
05
06 Fill the solid bag with
07
08
Carefully drop your hookbait and Lead into the bag.
8
ring swivel on the Stem like this.
2mm Sonubaits S-Pellet Feed.
AVID CARPERS
Tie off the solid bag using some Transfer PVA Tape.
Add a sprinkling of Sonubaits pellets to the PVA bag.
Trim off the excess PVA bag and it’s ready to cast.
avidcarp.com
JO N JO N E S
AVID
EDGES
To attach a solid PVA bag to your main line quickly, you can simply tie it using a grinner knot, or attach it using a loop-to-loop knot.
ANGLER P
This stunning 20lb-plus mirror was caught minutes after casting a solid bag onto a showing fish.
R O F IL E
s on Jone NAME: J 2 4 : AGE 2lb UK PB: 4 ION: T A P U C OC ger of a n a Brand M rp Avid Ca
AVID CARPERS
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B A I T SC RE WS
T
RE CLICK HE IDEO THE V O W AT C H
SCREW IT! ANGLER P
R O F IL E
on Finch NAME: J AGE: 31 5lb 9oz UK PB: 4 TION: A P OCCU e f Banksid Owner o le k c a T
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BAIT SCR
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AVID CARPERS
RE
IN F O O N
EWS
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JO N F I N C H After looking at other Bait Screws that were available on the market, we thought we could improve them slightly. The screws that were already available were great if you wanted attach them to your Chod rigs and Hinged-Stiff rigs as you made them, but you couldn’t attach them to ready-tied rigs when the loop had already been created. The new Quick-Change Bait Screws have been designed to make changing your hookbaits fast, simple and extremely effective. Unlike other bait screws on the market, they feature a new quick-change design that means you can attach them to rings, loops, swivels and ready-tied chod rigs. This opens up a whole host of different presentations and the options really are endless. Personally, because a lot of my angling revolves around speed fishing, I generally have the Bait Screws screwed into my favourite hookbaits all of the time. Then, when I want to change my High
HOW TO...
USE BAIT SCREWS
Lite hookbait super-fast, I simple unscrew it a little until the arm pops out, pass the arm through the rig ring on my Chod rig and screw it back into the bait. This takes a matter of seconds and is much quicker than trying to tie on a hookbait, or fiddle around trying to screw on the hookbait using a conventional bait screw. I’ve also found the Bait Screws are absolutely perfect for use with Zig rigs if you tie them D-rig style. If you want to change the size of your hookbait when Zig fishing, you generally have to tie a fresh rig so the hair will accommodate your new hookbait. If you use the Bait Screws, you can attach a new hookbait in a matter of seconds and you don’t have to tie a new rig. Perfect!
01
The Bait Screws have a unique quick-release arm.
02
Pass the arm through a rig ring, swivel or loop.
03
Push in the arm until it slots into the recess.
04 Screw the Bait Screw into the bait and it’s done.
AVID CARPERS
11
R E F L EC T IONS
UNITY OF TIME
It’s not often I get the chance to actually set my sights on a large carp and actively target it. Most of my fishing in the spring, summer and autumn is spent shooting features, doing tutorials and filming with Avid Carp. Fortunately, I had a little bit of time on my hands last year so I decided to spend some time targeting Unity Lake on the Linear Fisheries Complex. The lake contains a mouth-watering stock of carp, including a stunning common that usually weighs well over 40lb and a mirror, known as Moonscale, which comes out around 41lb.
Although I’d never fished the lake before, I really started to get a feel for the place after a couple of walks around it. It quickly became apparent that the lake held a large stock of double-figure carp and twenties, so I knew I’d have to play the numbers game if I wanted to bag one of the A-Team. This suited me down to the ground because I absolutely love catching carp of all sizes. During my first session on the venue, it became clear that most anglers on the lake were spodding out particles and fishing small hookbaits over the top. Although they were catching odd fish on this approach, I knew I needed to think outside the box and try something completely different if I wanted to catch lots of fish. I opted for 20mm and 25mm boilies, 4.5oz leads and size 6 hooks. This was totally different to what the other anglers were doing and I was sure it would fool the lake’s pressured residents. I decided to use Sonubaits Code Red shelf-life boilies because I’d had really good results on them in the months leading up to this campaign. Although people shun shelf-life boilies, I absolutely love them. They are convenient and equally as effective a frozen baits if you apply them correctly. I caught dozens of fish at the start of my campaign,
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AVID CARPERS
including countless twenties and several thirties. My campaign was going really well, but things really kicked off in the spring when I had one of my most memorable sessions of all time. I arrived at the lake at 5am and, after heading straight for a swim known as The Saddle, I was not shocked to see Big Craig, one of the lake’s regulars, stood in the peg. To my surprise, he didn’t fancy the peg and let me drop in it. I will be eternally grateful for that decision Craig! I had noticed several huge carp show to the left of the swim a few weeks prior, so I set about plumbing roughly where I’d seen them. After half a dozen or so casts with the marker rod, the lead hit the bottom with a pronounced ‘donk’, indicating that I’d found a clear area at about 100yds range. Bingo! Wasting no time in getting the rods out, I put my left-hand rod on the clear spot and my other two rods slightly off the area to the right. I spodded out fifty 20mm boilies on the left-hand rod and then put five kilos of boilies over the middle and right-hand rod. That afternoon, as I spodded a little bit more bait out, I had a blistering take on my right-hand rod. As I picked up the rod, it felt like I’d hooked a speed boat. Fortunately, Wayne, the angler from the next swim, walked down to help me net the fish. After an incredible battle that saw the fish give me the run-
avidcarp.com
I A N R US S E LL
“Nothing could prepare me for what was about to unfold.”
AVID CARPERS
13
R E F L EC T IONS around, I slipped the net under one of the lake’s large ghosties known as Sumo. The fish tipped the scales to 37lb 12oz and was my largest carp of the campaign so far. Little did I know what was yet to come. As I sat drinking a celebratory cup of tea, Wayne reminded me of a conversation we’d had earlier in the day. I’d basically told him that I didn’t fancy catching a big goldfish and they weren’t my cup of tea. I had to eat my own words because the fish was absolutely incredible and I remember saying I wouldn’t mind catching a couple more of them. At 5am the following morning, the right-hand rod rattled off once again and this time the fish felt even bigger than the last. The fish plodded around at range and, after a cracking fight, a decent mirror surfaced a few yards from the bank. After a few last-minute lunges in the margins, I managed to slip the fish into the net. It was a 35lb mirror and my second largest fish of the campaign so far! As I sat drinking tea and waited for Roy Parsons, the head bailiff at Linear Fisheries, to come and
14
do the photos of the mirror, the left-hand rod was away and I lifted into what felt like a bag of spuds. The fish ploughed through several weed beds in front of me and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I remember praying the hook wouldn’t pull as the line grated against the heavy weed that littered the lake. I eventually managed to gain some control over the fish and, after a few heartstopping moments, a whopping great common emerged in the margins. I knew exactly what I was playing and those final few minutes were horrible. The fish eventually rolled over the spreader block and I let out a massive cheer. The lake’s largest common was mine! Minutes after slipping the fish into the net, Roy Parsons wandered into the swim to help me weigh and photograph it. After rattling off a couple of pictures of the mirror that was sulking in the retaining sling, we focused our attentions on the massive common. With the help of Roy, I hoisted the fish out of the water and weighed it. To my surprise, the needle on my scales eventually settled on
AVID CARPERS
HOW TO...
USE THE MARKER FLOAT KIT
01 43lb. It was a new PB common! After telling virtually everybody in my phone book and anybody who would listen about the session, I rebaited all three rods with fresh hookbaits and spodded out a load more boilies onto the spots. There were obviously a lot of fish in the area, so I decided to introduce a further 6 kilos across all three rods. The rest of the day was fairly uneventful but, as I sat sipping a cup of tea in the early evening, the rod that I’d landed the common on rattled off again. Wayne
Pass your braid through the Marker Lead.
02
Slide on a buffer bead.
03 Tie the Marker Float
onto the end of the braid.
04
The Marker Float Kit is now ready to use.
avidcarp.com
I A N R US S E LL
had obviously heard the alarm sound from the next swim, so he wandered down to help me net the fish. After a surprisingly short fight, another one of the massive ghosties surfaced and Wayne did a sterling job netting it. Apollo weighed 39lb on the nose and, after safely slipping the fish back to its watery home, I sat back and reflected on the session so far. I really couldn’t believe what had
happened over the last 24 hours. The following day I went on to bag a 28lb linear and a 27lb ghostie live for the cameras on a feature for Crafty Carper, as well as four more doubles. Just before I was about to leave the lake, I lost a
fish that felt even bigger than all the others I’d landed. Anybody who has fished Unity will know, at that time of year, the big common and the lake’s largest mirror Moonscale regularly get caught by the same angler from the same area. I had a feeling that it was Moonscale that I’d lost and, although I was gutted, I couldn’t grumble after the session I’d had. I’ll be back!
CLICK HE TO READ
RE
IAN RUSS EL M O N T H LY L ’ S BLOGS
ANGLER P
R O F IL E
ll n Russe NAME: Ia 1 5 : AGE 7lb 8oz UK PB: 5 TION: OCCUPA angler e Full tim
The highlight of the session was catching the lake’s largest common at 43lb.
AVID CARPERS
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N O M ORE PINS
Y T E F SA FIRST ture of g the fu da. in t c e t o r n about p our age sionate ety is high on s or a s p p e li C ’r f We ig sa , Flat r s p d li n C a t h r ay ave r Zig our spo uses ou egular basis m e o h w y Anybod er Clips on a r ely changed th to ipp let Tube Gr at we’ve comp sically, in a bid a h t B a a c rp noticed hem for 2013. ance of h c t e f h o t d hered, design afety an ome tet s c e h b s esign fi it e al pin d should n improv d io a t n le e e g th conv sheddin ped using the p system. o t fi s tion t ic we’ve r f a r o ed f and opt
‘CLICK’
HOW TO...
SETUP A FLAT CLIP
01
Slide a Tail Rubber onto your main line.
16
02
Pass your line through the Flat Clip.
AVID CARPERS
03
Tie a Flat Link onto the line.
04
Carefully pull the Link into the Flat Clip.
avidcarp.com
Y
NI G E L W I LLI A M S
ims. t of by ver it sw ill pull ou ins in are d where nt becomes t Link w and the n s with p st don’t u la p F li ro c r a o h d l g lea eme sure swive Althou , we ju d arrang nags, the ugh der pres s unsafe lips that If the lea e clip un ne will slide thro e or s th d no mean re as safe as c e th e u o w h m s li lin in fi ’s fe a in d a li a rp y le If a a e g m . c tan loose an extr to the design think th t e rp e fi n a b o c n n d o e a a ti e c th fric ed to damag t the rig it, giving s of escape. boast a g attach nning s to ejec ean d on a ri as it trie . and a m is hooke hich has a pin ru ure e c rable w e a , s p p li re to c -safe, th ir it d lea nter of ing ultra n-fit e e o le c b ti g g e s ic to u a fr th r tr ll a s with As we h easie through arp may ed e a clip arp dly. lso muc el, the c If you us ’re giving the c of ps are a more user frien li c the swiv lead if it’s jamm u t d o ri y lo und , g e p a n ro li in a th d ig c tt des fiddle of ge to the use an to eject secured on, the only r chance rrangement. If o need to t a case of e r n o th ’s o e c n re a e la a Th jus in p situati nd lead ered pins, it’s clip so . In this out, the rig a es become teth with the swivel into the unsafely t the hook falls e th o t, d c a h e tha ing the fis s to eje pulling th s’ into place. hope is from tow lead fail lick the fish and the that it ‘c relieving
ANGLER P
R O F IL E
CLICK HE
ams igel Willi NAME: N 7 3 : AGE 1lb 10oz UK PB: 4 TION: OCCUPA ed loy p Self em
RE UT H T U B E G R I OW TO USE PPERS T O F IN D O
It’s imperative that we look after the future of our sport so that, in years to come, everybody can catch large carp like this one.
RE C L I CO UKT HHOEW T O U S E T O F IN D ZIG CLIPS 05
The Flat Link should firmly ‘click’ into place.
06
Finally attach your lead like this.
AVID CARPERS
17
F L I P IT
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RE
UNIQUE TE R T A C K L E BMINAL ITS
MAKE IT 18
AVID CARPERS
FLIP avidcarp.com
JA S O N UM N E Y I’ve been using these neat weights for some time now and I can honestly say they have transformed my fishing. When you first look at the Line Droppers, you could be forgiven for thinking they are a niche product with just a couple of uses but, when you start experimenting with them, the applications are endless. Line Droppers are made up of two small weights that are joined together with small piece of elastic. You simply slide your main line into the groove on the Line Dropper, pull the two weights apart and twist one half 360 degrees. The more you twist the Dropper, the tighter it will grip the line. When I received my first batch of Line Droppers, I instantly started playing around with rigs and experimenting with them on my hook links. I quickly discovered they had a whole host of applications and could be used in a variety of different situations. I’ve used them for balancing Chod rigs, as flying back leads and for stalking carp in the margins.
Although lots of anglers like to critically-balance their pop-ups, over the last year I’ve done really well over shotting them with the Line Droppers. When I’m targeting large fish, I actually like to make sure that my rig stays pinned to the deck as the carp swim around in the area. When large carp feed around balanced baits, they can often waft them around, resulting in rigs that aren’t sitting perfect on the bottom. But, if you do like
critically balanced baits, it’s actually extremely easy to create them with the Small Line Droppers. I’ve only just scratched the surface with these neat little weights. Regardless of where you fish and what your favorite approach is, I’m sure you’ll be able to find a use for them. Every angler should have some in their tackle box.
ANGLER P
NAME: J
R O F IL E
ason Um ney AGE: 25 UK PB: 3 1lb 8oz OCCUPA TION: Media m an at Av id Carp
Although they have a multitude of applications, I’ve found they are perfect for adding extra weight to my hooklinks to encourage the hook to flip in the carp’s mouth. Plus, they are perfect for creating over shotted hookbaits.
HOW TO...
USE LINE DROPPERS
01
Make sure the grooves on the Line Dropper are lined up.
02
Carefully place your hooklink into the groove like this.
03
Pull the Line Dropper apart and twist one half 360 degrees.
04 The more you twist
it, the tighter it grips. It’s that easy!
AVID CARPERS
19
TA K E CA RE
SAFEGUARD
EVERYTHING Here at Avid, we’re passionate about protecting the future of our sport. In order to do so, we must ensure that every carp we catch is treated with up-most care. After speaking to our top consultants and top fishery owner Rob Hales, we decided that we could improve the carp care cradles that were already on the market. 90CM
SAFEGUARD
50CM
120CM
70CM
SAFEGUARD XL
T
RE CLICK HE IDEO THE V O W AT C H
HOW TO...
SAFELY UNHOOK A CARP
01
You’ve finally slipped the net under your catch.
20
02
Break down the arms on your landing net.
AVID CARPERS
03
Slide an Avid Weigh Sling under the net.
04
Carefully place the carp in the Safeguard.
avidcarp.com
P R O D UC TS
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RE
CARP CAR E ITEMS
“Cradle mats have been around for some time, but now Avid, particularly in the case of the smaller version, has made them even better and more convenient.” Marc Coulson, Total Carp magazine
There’s no doubt that carp cradles offer incredible protection because they keep the fish away from the ground at all times. After looking at lots of the cradles that were already available on the market, we noticed lots of them were bulky, difficult to erect and lacked sufficient padding. After two years of extensive development, we launched two new collapsible-framed unhooking
05
Remove your rig and slide your net away.
06
mats that can be erected in a matter of seconds. Unlike other cradles on the market, the Safeguards boast a fully padded interior and exterior, and a large mesh section to improve water drainage. The safeguards are available in two sizes to suit angler’s requirements. Although some anglers prefer the large cradles, others may not necessarily need something so big. If you regularly fish for doubles and twenties, with the chance of a thirty, the smaller Safeguard will suit you perfectly. Alternatively, if you’re targeting huge fish in the UK
Weigh the fish. Hopefully it’s a PB!
07
or Europe, the Safeguard XL will suit your needs. The Safeguard cradles are supplied in a heavy-duty bag and, once they are folded away, will neatly stack on top of your barrow and in the back of your car. They are even supplied with a cover flap that can be temporarily used to secure fish, or placed in the bottom of the cradle if you prefer to retain water. If you’re looking for a carp cradle that offers unrivalled protection and complete portability, take a look at the new Safeguard cradles. They’re the future of carp care!
Pose for a couple of catch pictures.
08
Return the carp using the Weigh Sling.
AVID CARPERS
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T O P TIPS
CHR
reveI S L O W E als his
TOP1
GET SET FOR
for c
0 TIP
arp fis spri hing in ng.
S
SPRING 01 TARGET THE UPPER LAYERS Many anglers seem obsessed with fishing on the bottom when, in reality, most carp spend a lot of time in the upper layers. During the spring, when the sun comes out and the upper layers start to warm up, carp can be found a few feet below the surface. If you’re struggling on the bottom, it’s well worth chucking a Zig rig out. There are a whole host of buoyant materials that make great hookbaits but the Avid Zig Lites take some beating.
03
02 BRIGHT HOOKBAITS When the carp become more active and start moving around, it’s a great idea to give hi-viz hookbaits a try. Carp are inquisitive creatures and will find it hard to resist a bright hookbait that’s full of attraction. The new range of hookbaits from Sonubaits are absolutely perfect.
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AVID CARPERS
BAIT ACCORDINGLY Just because the carp are starting to move around more doesn’t mean that you should be chucking in kilos of bait. Start by using small PVA bags and single hookbaits then introduce more bait accordingly. More often than not, a single hookbait or mesh bag of pellets is usually enough to tempt a spring whacker. Remember, you can’t take the bait out once you’ve put it in.
avidcarp.com
C HR I S LO W E
04 CAST AT SHOWING FISH Casting at showing fish is a great tactic regardless of the time of year. Carp are not shy and will often reveal exactly where they are by fizzing, crashing or rolling. If you find the fish and you’re not close to them, it’s time to move swims or cast onto them if you can. Once you’ve found the fish, they are often easy to catch. Location is key!
06 LITTLE AND OFTEN
05 BE PREPARED I absolutely love solid PVA bags in the spring because they are perfect for nicking a bite as the carp start to wake up. To ensure that I’ve always got loads tied up ready to cast out, I tie dozens of them up using the new Avid Bag Stems. They allow you to tie all your bags before your session and attach them to your main line using the metal loop quickly and efficiently.
I regularly see anglers introducing kilos of bait in the spring because they expect the carp to be in a feeding frenzy. Although fishing over loads of bait can work, it can sometimes totally ruin your chances of a bite. Try introducing 10 spodfuls of bait every hour or so. This will keep the swim active, introduce regular attraction and anglers rarely do it.
07 FIND A FEATURE As the carp start to move around more in the spring, it’s a good idea to find features on the lakebed that will attract them. Areas of soft silt tend to be the most productive because they hold lots of natural food. The Avid Marker Float Kit is great because it contains a super-buoyant float that flies like a dart, and two marker leads that transmit loads of information through the rod tip.
AVID CARPERS
23
T O P TIPS
10
08 PIN IT DOWN As the carp wake up from their winter slumber they often feed cautiously to begin with, so it’s important that you keep everything pinned to the deck. Pin Down leaders, Back Leads and Line Droppers will all keep your line out of harms way and increase your chances of catching.
OUT C H E CeKr t s i n a l l
v our ad ading carp e l e for h t ations public
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Chris Lowe caught this 46lb mirror using the tactics outlined in this article.
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09 EXTRA ATTRACTION I’m a firm believer in giving my hookbaits, PVA bags and bait as much attraction as possible. Over the last few years, while targeting Linear Fisheries, I’ve done extremely well dipping my PVA bags and hookbaits into Sonubaits Booster Cloud. Once in the water, the liquid creates a cloud of attraction around my hookbait which carp find irresistible. Perfect for bagging a Spring whacker!
ATTENTION TO DETAIL Although the carp are active in the spring and often willing to pick up your hookbait, it’s still essential that you use effective rigs. I absolutely love blowback rigs because I think carp find them incredibly difficult to deal with. As soon as a carp picks up your hookbait, it will find it extremely difficult to shed the hook, increasing the chance of it getting nailed in the bottom lip. Perfect!
ANGLER P
NAME: C
R O F IL E
hris Low e AGE: 42 UK PB: 5 6lb OCCUPA TION: Angling tutor
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CATC H R E P O RTS
CATCH
REPORTS Welcome to the Avid Catch Reports page – the area of the magazine that gives you the chance to see your catch pic.
TOP CATCH WINNER
ANTONY MARRS, 34 36LB 12OZ
If you’ve caught a carp using Avid tackle, send a picture to catchreports@avidcarp.com, and it may appear in the next magazine. What’s more, the winner of the star prize will receive a bundle of tackle from the Avid carp range.
NAME: Pete Durrant AGE: 30 FISH WEIGHT: 34lb 8oz VENUE: Yateley Pads Lake BAIT: Pop-up over Sonubaits S-Pellet Feed TACTICS: A solid PVA bag on a clear spot in the margins. I used the InLine Groove Leads, Drop-Off Stems and Avid PVA bags.
NAME: Antony Marrs AGE: 34 VENUE: Kent syndicate BAIT: Fishmeal boilie
TACTICS: Used a 10m baiting pole to position a rig under overhanging tree. I used Flat Clips, 2.5oz Flat Swivel Leads and Captive Coated Hooklink.
NAME: Gareth Dawkins AGE: 32 FISH WEIGHT: 28lb VENUE: Pines Lake, Great Linford BAIT: Hi-viz pop-up TACTICS: I fished a standard pop-up rig in the margins. I was using Thread & Go Tubing, 2.5oz Bag Leads and Drop-Off Stems.
NAME: Martyn Davies AGE: 28 FISH WEIGHT: 20lb 10oz VENUE: Whelford Pools BAIT: Tiger nut boilie TACTICS: I found an area at 30yds range and fished over a bed of crushed boilie and particles. I used the Avid Marker Elastic to mark my line and the new Avid Bag Stems.
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T R A N S IT BA RRO WS
GET
We truly believe the new Transit Barrows will set the benchmark for barrows in the future. They have a variety of innovative features that are sure to make them popular with carp anglers everywhere.
LOADED “Even if loaded incorrectly, Avid’s Transit Barrows will have anglers pushing previously unimaginable amounts of kit with sheer pleasure. They’re beasts – and I love them.” Joe Wright, Editor-In-Chief of CARPology and Maximum Carp
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TRANSIT BARROWS
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P R O D UC TS TRANSIT 2 BAG
legs on the barrows considerably shorter. There really is no need for long legs on barrows because, more often than not, they will catch on the ground when pushing the barrow over uneven terrain.
INTERNAL POCKETS
Unlike most other barrows on the market, the new Transit barrows boast a unique adjustablehandle system that allows you to customise them to suit your SHORTER LEGS height. The handles on most barrows are set in one position so, regardless of your height, you often have to bend your arms when pushing your gear. Although this may not seem like a big deal over short distances, it can really ADJUSTABLE put a strain on your back and HANDLE shoulders if your barrowing long SYSTEM distances. By adjusting the length of the handles to suit your height, you can customise the barrows so you can push them with your arms straight all the time. This will reduce the strain on your body and make pushing them over long CHUNKY TYRE distances a piece of cake. As well as designing this newhandle, we have also made the
There are two barrows available in the range. Both feature the unique-handle design and shortleg system. As well as this, they both come supplied with a chunky all-terrain tyre and a FREE wheel bag. If you’d prefer a different wheel, there are two other varieties available to suit angler’s needs. The Transit X is designed for transporting huge loads over large distances. It has a large central pocket that perfectly accommodates one of the Transit 2 bags, and two pockets either side of the wheel that allow you to distribute the weight better across the front of the barrow. It also has side rails and a front pannier bag. To ensure that your gear stored inside the barrow’s pockets stays protected, it comes supplied with a hardwearing cover.
SOMETHING A
LITTLE MORE
COMPACT
If you fancy something a little more compact and strippedout, the standard Transit maybe exactly what you’re looking for. It boasts all the hallmark features of its bigger brother, but it doesn’t have the side rails, pockets either side of the wheel and the front pannier bag.
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R I GS T H AT RE SET
I believe that effective rigs are the key to success when targeting carp. Obviously selecting the right area and baiting correctly are important, but it’s the rig that finally decides whether you succeed or fail. There are hundreds of rigs out there and, if you’re a newcomer to the sport, it can be very confusing when you look at all the weird and wonderful rigs that are at a carp angler’s disposal.
HOW TO...
TIE JAMIE’S POP-UP RIG
RE C L IFCOKR MHO REE RMINAL E T E U Q I N U ITS TA C K L E B
01 Tie your hooklink to a swept-shank hook.
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02 Thread on a Big Eye Hook Swivel.
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JA M I E S I M P S O N After watching the incredible underwater footage that has been relayed on several DVDs over the last few years, it’s apparent that carp of all sizes can eject rigs effortlessly time and time again. Although some carp are masters at ejecting rigs, I think most of the time they get rid of the rig by accident, and they sometimes don’t even realise they’ve picked one up in the first place. So how can we increase our chances of hooking a fish? Well, obviously it’s important to use a supersharp hook and select a rig that has a decent track record for snaring carp. The biggest tip I can give any angler is to select a rig that has the potential to reset itself should it get ejected. The last thing you want is a carp to eject your rig within the first ten minutes of a session, leaving the hair tangled and the rig fishing ineffectively.
Jamie bagged this stunning mirror using his favorite pop-up presentation.
then it’s a good idea to use a pop-up rig of some description. Chod rigs and Hinge-Stiff rigs are perfect but, if you want to use a more conventional rig on a lead-clip arrangement, there are several options available.
If you want to use a rig that will reset itself
Over the last year I’ve been doing really well using the new Avid Hook Beads and Hook Swivels. I simply slide them onto the bend of a curved-shank hook, add a shrink-tube kicker and attach a small Line Dropper to the hooklink.
03 Carefully slide on a
04 Attach the hookbait of
Hook Bead.
your choice.
If a fish should pick up the rig and eject it, the rig will fall back to the lake bed and the pop-up will slide back up the shank of the rig, leaving it sitting prone again on the bottom. When I’m using this rig, I will always tie it using a length of 25lb Captive Coated Hooklink to ensure that the rig always sits correctly, even if it’s been ejected several times. Although bottom bait rigs do catch carp time and time again, nowadays I’d much prefer to use
ANGLER P
NAME: J
R O F IL E
amie Sim pson AGE: 40 UK PB: 3 4lb 8oz OCCUPA T ION: Producti on engin eer
a rig that will reset itself, especially if I’m targeting pressured carp. If you think the carp are getting away with it and you’re not fishing effectively, give this rig a try. Since I started using it my catch results have soared, and I find myself using it for 90% of my angling.
05 Add a shrink tube kicker 06 Add a small Line and steam it over a kettle.
Dropper to the hooklink.
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AVI D HEA DQ UA RTER S
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MOVE HOUSE We truly believe the HQ bivvy is the most feature-packed shelter on the market today. It’s a unique innovative product that’s quickly becoming one of the most desirable shelters out there. It’s bivvy design on a whole new level. So what is it that makes this bivvy stand out from the crowd? Well, the HQ comes with a clip-in inner wrap. This totally eradicated the need for a winter skin and completely stops condensation. What’s more, it’s not attached to the groundsheet so it can be left in place when you’re packing away. If you’re sick of waking up to the dreaded drip of condensation, you need to get yourself a HQ!
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The bivvy also has a unique separated pole layout, which provides improved stability and floor space. Due to this, it will easily accommodate a large bedchair and all the tackle you could possibly need for a long stint on the bank, yet it’s still compact enough to fit inside tight swims. When we designed the bivvy, we concluded that it was the little things
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P R O D UC TS that often made a big difference. So, in a bid to give you more, the bivvy has a rear vent that can be opened from the inside, a colour-coded groundsheet and two rod retention bars. If you’re after a bivvy that won’t let you down, we suggest you take a look at the HQ. It’s completely storm proof, boasts taped seams and has been tested in wind, snow, rain and intense sunlight. It’s never let any of our anglers down! In short, it’s the bivvy that all other bivvies are now compared to. Check out all of the features and make your own mind up. We know you’ll see the light!
Taped Seams Seems Taped
Storm Proof
x2
1.4m 2.6m
1.3m x 30cm x 30cm
Double Skin
Height + Width
Bag Size
2.6m
13kg
Foot Print
The HQ bivvy comes with Rod Retention Bars.
It boasts colour-coded straps to aid setup.
Supplied in a heavy-duty oversized carry bag.
It has a built-in skin so you don’t need a winter wrap.
Strong tension bars ensure the HQ is drum tight.
The bivvy has a multitude of front options.
Weight
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If you fancy something a little bigger then take a look at the two-man HQ bivvy. It boasts the same features as the one-man HQ, but it obviously has a larger footprint. It’s perfect for the angler who fishes long sessions or just wants a little bit of extra room.
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UN D E R TH E BED
GET ORGANISED
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P R O D UC TS TRANSIT 3 TRANSIT 2
TRANSIT 1
When it comes to carp luggage development, there has been little to shout about for a good 20-30 years. Things have very much remained the same, bar the odd cross-over item from the specialist market. Here at Avid, we’ve not only listened to our consultants – but to you, the angling public – in a bid to take things forward. Whilst other companies provide bigger and stronger items of luggage more akin to a Safari trip than a fishing session, we’ve looked at the realities of today’s carp fishing. How does the gear stack up at home in the shed and garage? How does it fit into the car? How do you transport it via a barrow and where do you put it inside the bivvy? With all these questions, our consultants had found problems. Problems they’d put up with for years. The Avid Transit and Cool Store ranges are customized to avoid these problems, as bespoke items of carp fishing luggage – not just bags with a new badge. The Transit system fits perfectly in and around bedchairs to make bivvy life more organized. It all stacks together nicely at home, in the motor, and on the barrow.
What’s more, it’s adaptable. With fold out, hard cases and removable sections, it’s the most comprehensive luggage range available. Not to mention one of the most cosmetically pleasing! Take the Transit 3 as a prime example of our thought process. This double compartment bag provides masses of protection for your gear, but can also be folded open to fit under your bedchair. Want to keep the Transit 3 either end of your bedchair? Simply unclip it into two separate bags and place them around your bivvy accordingly.
Looking for a nice little hookbait or stove bag? The Transit 1 is about as good as it gets, whilst the Coolstore range provides everything required for fresh bait, food and drink.
The Transit 2 simply folds out and will no doubt become a number one favourite for anglers who like to travel light and carry the minimum amount of gear around. It too boasts a hardcase bottom and top, with the stylish Union Jack i-Design finish.
FOR MORE
We’ve thought of everything, including a top quality Barrow Bag, and you can be sure to expect more intelligent luggage solutions in the future. Watch this space!
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C HODS MA DE EAS Y
THEULTIMATE
PRESENTATION Want to catch more fish? Neil Edge thinks the Chod rig could be the answer. Over the past few seasons my catch rate has soared and I’ve caught some incredible carp from some notoriously tricky venues. Although I’ve worked very hard to bank the fish I’ve caught, I don’t think I’d have had as much success if I hadn’t been using the Chod rig. The Chod rig is arguably the most popular modern carp rig around, and it’s easy to see why when you start using it. The presentation itself has a whole host of advantages that I believe set it apart from any other rig out there.
anywhere in the lake, safe in the knowledge that it’s going to settle correctly over weed or in silt. This means there’s no need to get the marker rod out or plumb the swim, so you’re not going to spook the fish.
allows you to create a neat curve in the hooklink that seems so essential to the rig’s success. To create an effective Chod rig, you need to use a stiff mono hooklink.
To create a Chod rig, you’re going to need a decent Chod hook. I prefer hooks with a straight point, as I’m certain this style of hook penetrates the carp’s mouth more effectively. It’s essential that you select a hook with an out-turned eye. This
Because the rig slides up and down your leader, you can cast it
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AVID CARPERS
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T
NEIL EDGE
RE CLICK HE IDEO THE V O W AT C H
“If I wasn’t using the Chod rig, I don’t think I’d have caught this incredible 40lbplus linear. It’s that good!” ANGLER P
HOW TO...
TIE A PIN DOWN LEADER
01
Pass your Pin Down leader through the wires.
02
Slide on a Flying Chod Bead like this.
03
Slide your Chod rig onto the leader.
04 Push on a Stopper
05
06
Bead.
R O F IL E
eil Edge NAME: N E AG : 33 1lb 4oz UK PB: 5 TION: OCCUPA an M t s Po
Thread on a Chod Buffer.
Finally tie a Distance Swivel Lead to the end.
AVID
EDGES
When it comes to leader materials, you will struggle to beat the new Avid Pin Down. It’s heavy, super-durable and doesn’t have any wire running through the middle of it so it’s extremely supple.
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C HODS MA DE EAS Y
PIN DOWN LEADER
AVID STIFF RIG FILAMENT
STOPPER BEAD
WEIGHTED CHOD BEAD
SIZE 11 RING SWIVEL CHOD BUFFER
The new Captive Stiff Rig Filament is absolutely perfect because it’s stiff, strong and extremely easy to curve between your fingers. The curve is usually progressive and not too extreme, so I’m basically creating a big, curved hook. This is attached to a size 11 Avid Carp Ring Swivel, which allows the rig to spin and rotate freely when a carp picks it up.
My preference is to fish the Chod rig on a Pin Down leader. I tend to fish a lot of lakes that contain heavy weed, so I need a strong, reliable leader that’s not going to let me down. The Pin Down unleaded material is as heavy as leadcore, yet doesn’t have any wire running through the middle so it’s super-supple and will hug the contours of the lakebed.
If you’re going to use the Chod rig, you need to make sure that you use a super-buoyant hookbait that will keep the Chod rig poppedup for a long period of time. I’ve tried all sorts of hookbaits over the years, but I don’t think you can fault the effectiveness of the Avid High Lites. They are superbuoyant, bright and are great once they been soaked in the Sonubaits Booster Cloud Liquid.
Avid produce several different beads designed for Chod fishing but, when I’m using Pin Down, I prefer the Weighted Flying Chod Beads. They are heavy enough to balance the super-buoyant popups and the two-part construction means they are ultra-safe.
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AVID CARPERS
you’re fishing in heavy weed. Simply set the top bead the required distance from the lead and you will be fishing effectively, regardless of how deep the weed is. Although lots of anglers fish Chods over large beds of boilies, I’ve actually done really well going against the grain and fishing over a mixture of crushed boilies, pellets and particles. It may not seem like a conventional approach, but these under-rated tactics are often the most effective.
I’ve used Chod rigs in a whole host of situations, but I think they really come into their own when
avidcarp.com
NEIL EDGE
HOW TO...
SPLICE A PIN DOWN LEADER
1.5OZ DISTANCE SWIVEL LEAD
01
The Pin Down is available in two colours.
02
03
Close the gate on the end of the Pin Down.
04
05
06
Create a loop in the end of the leader material.
Push a splicing needle through the Pin Down.
Carefully tease the end through the centre.
Blob the leader with superglue to secure it.
If you’re looking for an edge this season, I seriously suggest you give the Chod rig a try. Avid has a full range of quality tackle purposely designed to make Chod fishing easier than ever before, so there’s no excuse not to be using it. It’s certainly transformed my fishing over the last few years!
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RE
E N D TA C K PRODUCT LE S This 51lb 4oz mirror, which had only been caught five times in 12 years, was caught using Neil’s Chod presentation.
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