Avid Carpers Vol.6 Sept/October 2013

S R E P R A C D AVI FREE Volume 6 September/October 2013

GO

LONG!

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F REE B I-MON

MAGAZTHLY INE

Chris Lowe reveals everything you need to know about fishing at range

MICRO CHODS

Why scaling down your rigs can make a huge difference

FEATURE FINDING

Carp-catching machine Ian Russell lifts the lid on feature finding

PLUS: JAMIE SIMPSON’S RIG CLINIC TOP TIPS FOR PRESSURED VENUES

NEW PRODUCTS: RODS SUPER HAIR STOPS ZIG BOX REACTION HOOKS MARKER BRAID

C O N TENTS

e m o c l e w d “Hello an r/ October e b m e t p e S to the .” s r e p r a C d i issue of Av

04 FEATURE FINDING Ian Russell explains everything you need to know about feature finding.

2

10 MICRO CHODS

16 TOP TIPS

20 FOUR POINT PLAN

AVID CARPERS

Jon Jones reveals the scaled-down chods he’s been catching on recently.

Angie Lawley reveals her top tips for nicking a bite on pressured venues.

This simple plan could totally transform your season. Don’t miss it!

S EP TEM B E R / O C TO BE R 2013

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With the temperature starting to drop and those warm summer evenings become a distant memory, this is certainly one of my favourite times of the year to be out on the bank. Like us, the carp can sense winter is coming and start to feed more frequently in preparation for what could potentially be a savage winter.

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Although this is an extremely exciting time to be on the bank, it’s also a very interesting time for us at Avid HQ. You see, over the next couple of months we’ll be revealing all our new exciting and innovative product launches for the year ahead. As well as various press days, we’ll also be attending the incredibly popular Tackle & Gun Show where we’ll be revealing our brand-new product releases to the trade.

So what can you expect to see from us over the coming months?

Well, without giving too much away, we’ve strived hard to create more innovative tackle items that really make a difference. Expect to see a full range of rods, more carp care products, various new luggage items and more exciting

terminal tackle bits. Keep a look out online, in all the popular carp publications and in future Avid Carpers magazines for information on all our latest releases.

On another note, we’re pleased to announce Dave Chancellor, aptly known by us as The Shropshire Slayer, is the latest angler to join Team Avid. Dave is an incredibly talented big-fish angler with a track record for catching big carp up there with the best of them. Check out his first feature on page 20 of this magazine. It’s very interesting!

Shoes

Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones

FOR MORE ARTICLES AND VIDEOS CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING... http://www.craftycarper.co

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http://www.maximumcarp.net

28 RIG CLINIC

34 GO LONG

Think the carp are getting away with it?

This rig could be the answer!

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Want to learn how to fish at range? Check out this feature with Chris Lowe.

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F E AT U RE FINDING

4

AVID CARPERS

I A N R US S E LL

FIND THE RIGHT

FEATURE

Having fished Linear Fisheries for as long as I care to remember, a marker float setup has become an integral part of my carp-fishing armoury. Now I know that lots of anglers avoid using them because they believe they spook the fish but I’d much rather make a couple of casts with the float to find a nice area, rather than casting out blind. On places like Linear Fisheries, I’ve actually caught carp when the marker float has still been in the water!

When it comes to feature finding, if I was going to give an angler a piece of advice, it would be to spend as long as it takes to find the right area. It’s well worth spending longer finding the right spot, rather than sitting behind motionless buzzers all weekend fishing the wrong one.

So what are the best features to target? Well, this is a question I get asked all the time and, unfortunately, there isn’t one simple answer, or one kind of feature that produces more than others. As a general rule of thumb, I generally like to target the areas of the lake that other anglers are neglecting. If everybody is fishing on top of the gravel bars on a lake, I will fish in the silt next to them. I’m certain that constant angling pressure on certain ‘spots’ can get the carp feeding www.facebook.com/avidcarppage

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more warily and, although you’ll probably still catch from these areas, the carp may approach them and feed around them with more caution, making them much more difficult to catch. If you target areas that get frequently neglected by other anglers, I’m positive carp will feed around the more confidently, therefore they will slip up more.

Another tactic I’ve found beneficial over the years is to try and find those small, subtle features that are totally opposite to the majority of the lake bed. For example, if a bottom of the lake is made up predominantly of firm clay, I will try and find the areas of soft silt. I basically want to find those small features that are totally opposite to the rest of the lake because I’m certain these will attract carp.

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F E AT U RE FINDING

HOW TO...

SETUP THE MARKER FLOAT KIT

01

Slide a Marker Lead onto your braided main line.

If you want to find small, subtle features, it’s absolutely imperative that you use the right tackle for the job. As well as the Avid Distance Marker rod and a 12000CC reel loaded with Depth Gauge marker braid, I always use the Avid Marker Float Kit. The float is made of a superdurable material so, unlike some other floats on the market, it can withstand some serious hammer.

By designing a float similar to a dart and separating the flights on the float from the main body,the end result is a float that flies through the air straight and true every time. It’s perfect for anglers who are new to feature finding!

Like lots of anglers, I’d always just used conventional leads for the majority of my feature finding and when I saw the new Marker Leads from Avid I was certainly intrigued.

At first I chuckled a little because they looked like the bombs that were probably dropped out of planes during World War Two. When I first started using them though, I couldn’t believe how good they were.

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AVID CARPERS

02

Thread a Buffer Bead onto the line.

04

Push the Buffer over the metal loop on the float.

03

Tie the Marker Float onto the end of the line.

05

It’s that simple!

I A N R US S E LL Boasting unique grooves, the leads transmit more information through the rod tip than standard leads and, as you pull them across the bottom, they collect debris so you know exactly what you’re fishing over. Rather than a buoyant boom, the leads have a solid stem, which gives a more accurate reading when fishing in weed. The swivel on the stem is positioned away from the lead so the float will always rise, even if it’s covered in debris. The leads even have small fins and an aerodynamic body to ensure they cast straight and true every time.

This kit contains everything you need to get started.

If you’re looking for an edge this season and want to improve your chances of catching, don’t be afraid to get the marker rod out.

Yes, it may take a little getting use to but, after a bit of practice, you’ll soon be discovering features you never knew about!

ANGLER PROFILE NAME: Ian Russell AGE: 51 UK PB: 57lb 8oz OCCUPATION: Full Time Angler

This stunning 40lbplus ghostie was caught from a clear area found using a marker float.

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R OD S

OD RROD EVOLUTION RREVOLUTION OUT

NOW

MSX 3.25LB

• Hand built • Built on a top-quality carbon blank • 50mm butt ring • Full Duplon handle

Boasting considerably more power than the 2.75lb MSX, this incredible rod has been built on the highest specification carbon available, producing a rod that is certain to help you cast further.

Although the super-strong rod has plenty of grunt for chucking big PVA bags and large leads, it also has a beautifully forgiving action that eliminates hook pulls when battling fish at close range. The stunning hand-built rod boasts a 50mm butt ring, full Duplon handle and the kind of aesthetics you would expect to find on a custom built rod.

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AVID CARPERS

MSX 2.75LB

DISTANCE SPOD

• Hand built • Built on a top-quality carbon blank • 50mm butt ring • Full Duplon handle

• Built on a top-quality carbon blank • Gloss Finish • Fuji K-Series rings • 50mm butt ring

An incredible all-rounder, this 2.75lb rod is built on the highest specification carbon available, therefore producing a rod that’s at the forefront of modern technology.

Sporting a 50mm butt ring and a full Duplon handle, the rod has the ascetics you would expect to find on a top of the range custom built rod. In a nutshell, this outstanding hand-built rod has all the backbone required for casting at range, but also features a superb playing action with plenty of feedback through the blank.

Knowing that anglers spend hours using them, we’ve created a top of the range out-and-out spod rod built on an incredibly powerful blank that’s designed for punching spods massive distances, yet has extremely fast tip recovery that dramatically increases accuracy.

Boasting K-Series rings that totally eliminate the chances of your braided main line frapping up on the cast, this is the ultimate rod for carp anglers serious about spodding.

P R O D UC TS

DSK 12’ AND 13’ • Dedicated distance rods with

super fish-playing action • Top quality fixtures and fitting • Anti-frap Fuji K-Series rings

DISTANCE MARKER • Built on a top-quality carbon blank • Gloss Finish • Fuji K-Series rings • 50mm butt ring

This purpose built featurefinding rod is capable of chucking a marker float and heavy lead huge distances.

Boasting a stiff yet sensitive tip, the rod will transmit loads of information straight back through the blank of the rod, allowing you to ‘feel’ every variation and feature on the lake bed. Like the Distance Spod, this beautifully built rod is super strong and boasts top-quality fixtures and fittings. www.facebook.com/avidcarppage

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For years, anglers who want to fish at range have had to settle for super-stiff rods that have a poor fish-playing action. Well, from now on, there’s no need to compromise, because we have developed a rod that does it all. By embracing the latest carbon technology and spending countless hours testing a variety of different blanks, we’ve created two rods that are capable of blasting a lead to the horizon, but also have a beautiful action similar to a rod with a much lower test curve. So, these two rods really do offer the best of both worlds. They offer the power of out-and-out casting rods, but also boast the action that you would associate with much softer, fishplaying rods. From now on, there’s no need to compromise when fishing at range because these rods do it all. “Think outside the box” with the DSK range.

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M I CRO C H ODS

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AVID CARPERS

JO N JO N E S

MICRO CHODS

It’s fair to say the chod rig has quickly become one of the most popular carp rigs of all time and I can totally understand why. It has a multitude of applications and has lots of advantages when used in the correct situation. That said though, this extremely popular rig does have some disadvantages, including the fact that it gets used by so many anglers. If carp see the same presentation over and over again, I’m certain they can start approaching it with a little more caution, making them much more difficult to catch. Lets face it, a bright 15mm pop-up wafting around three inches off the deck can sometimes be a little blatant, especially if the carp are feeding with a degree of caution.

Last winter, while fishing a lake that was dominated by chods, I started playing around with what I call ‘micro chods’. The concept was to create a presentation that had all the positive attributes of the chod, but was little bit different so it fooled the most cautious carp. If you speak to any match angler about catching more fish, they will all tell you that the key to getting more bites is to scale everything down. I started playing around with smaller hookbaits, shorter hooklinks and tiny hooks. As soon as I started using the scaled-down chods, I started catching loads of fish straight away.

found using short hooklinks like this, especially when balanced ‘naked’ style on a main line or fluorocarbon leader, the hook holds were absolutely incredible.

I’m convinced this is because the fish were approaching the hookbait expecting it to perform like a bottom bait, but it obviously acted completely different.

The biggest tip I can give any angler when using the micro

chod is to make sure you use a small hookbait. During the winter months, when bites are hard to come by, anglers try smaller bottom baits and pop-ups to nick a bite. Why then, when lakes are fishing hard through the summer months, do lots of anglers persist with large baits.

As soon as I started fishing with smaller hookbaits and freebies, my alarms starting sounding I caught lots more carp.

Bait Screws are perfect for attaching small hookbaits.

After lots of experimenting I quickly discovered that the smaller the hookbait and hook I used, the more bites I got. So, nowadays, when I’m fishing chods, you can guarantee that I’ll be using either a size 8 or even a 10 CHD hook. This will be attached to a short 1in section of Captive Stiff Rig Filament. I www.facebook.com/avidcarppage

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M I CRO C H ODS When using chods, it’s important that you use super-buoyant hookbaits that will hold your rig and hook off the deck for a long time. Obviously, some small pop-ups can lack buoyancy, so I tend to use the 10mm High Lites for the majority of my micro chods. They are super-buoyant, available in a variety of vibrant colours and balance perfect on a naked leader with the Weighted Flying Chod Beads.

Micro chods may look a little bit unconventional to begin with but, if you give them a try, I’m sure you’ll see the benefits. While everyone around you is flinging 15mm pop-ups and conventional chods into the pond, give these a try. I’m convinced you’ll catch more carp.

Shoes loves using 10mm High Lite hookbaits with his micro chods.

HOW TO...

CREATE A NAKED CHOD LEADER

01

Thread a Grip Stop onto your main line.

04

Now slide another Grip Stop and Bead onto your main line.

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AVID CARPERS

02

Carefully push the weighted bead over the Stop.

05

Now slide on a Chod Buffer.

03

Thread your chod rig onto your main line.

06

Finally attach the lead of your choice.

JO N JO N E S

ANGLER PROFILE NAME: Jon Jones AGE: 42 UK PB: 47lb OCCUPATION: Brand Manager of Avid Carp

A stunning 20lb-plus mirror caught using a scaled-down chod.

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S U P E R H A IR ST O P S

THINK FAST! OUT

R E B M E V O N

Eight colours available :

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AVID CARPERS

P R O D UC TS If there’s one thing we’ve tried to do at Avid since day one, it’s to release products that will make anglers more proficient. With match fishing for specimen carp growing rapidly and more anglers fishing short sessions due to limited time, we’re constantly thinking outside the box to develop products that will maximise your time on the bank.

Since the creation of the hair rig, many moons ago, anglers have been using standard hair loops and boilie stops to fix their hookbaits in position. There’s no doubt this simple approach has served anglers well for years but, after long chats with Chris Lowe, Ian Russell and Jon Finch, who are all masters at speed fishing, we knew there was scope for improvement.

After extensive testing and development, the new Super Hair Stops were created. Available in a selection of vibrant colours, these unique hair stops allow you to change your hookbait quicker than ever before. Rather than fiddling around with baiting needles and hair stops, you simply tie one of the Hair Stops onto the end of your hair. Then, when you want to change your hookbait, you push the stop straight through the middle of your bait using the tool provided. It’s that simple!

HOW TO...

USE THE STOPS

01

Tie a Super Hair Stop onto the end of your hair like this, ensuring you don’t pull the hooklink too tight.

02

Push the supplied needle into the hole at the end of the Super Hair Stop like this.

03

Now carefully push the Super Hair Stop through the centre of your hookbait.

04

Once the point is through the bait, gently push it back against the hookbait. www.facebook.com/avidcarppage

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T O P TIPS

s p i t p o T

for NICKING A BITE We’ve all been there when we’re half way through a session, we’re blanking and we’re desperately trying to think of a way to get the bobbins moving.

Well, on days like this, when we’re close to giving up, pressured-venue expert Angie Lawley thinks there are a few things you can do to transform a session…

02. KEEP CASTING 01. INCREASE ATTRACTION

Increasing the attraction of your bait can make all the difference and, although some anglers may only do it when they’re struggling, I make a conscious effort to do it every time I cast out. Whether it’s my hookbait or my PVA bag mix, you can guarantee I’ll have given it an extra boost before I cast it out. The Sonubaits Booster Cloud has a multitude of applications and is absolutely perfect for increasing the attraction of your bait. Give it a try.

When I’m fishing pressured day-ticket venues, I like to keep one rod as a ‘rover’. I basically keep the rod away from a baited area and use it for casting onto showing fish. If the fish aren’t showing and I’m struggling, I generally recast the rod with a small PVA bag attached to various areas of the lake every half hour or so. I’ve lost count of the amount of times this rod has produced the goods and revealed where a proportion of the lake’s population are holding up.

03. RING THE CHANGES

Sometimes just trying something a little bit different can be enough to induce a take. When I’m struggling for bites, the first thing I tend to do is change the colour of my hookbait.

It may seem a little bit strange but, more often than not, this subtle tweak is all that is needed to get the bobbins moving.

If you want to change the colour of your hookbaits easily, take a look at the Corn Stops and Sight Stops. They allow you to add an– alternative fleck of colour to your hookbait in a matter of seconds.

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AVID CARPERS

A N G I E LAW L E Y

05. ONE BITE TACTICS

04. THINK ZIGS

If you’re struggling to get a bite on the bottom, it could be because the bulk of the fish are frequenting the upper layers. If the fish are spending prolonged periods of time near the surface, you simply aren’t going to catch them on the deck. Although you may have little confidence in zigs, it’s well worth giving them a try. They are my favourite tactic and I’ve lost count of the amount of carp I’ve bagged on them when conditions are tough.

If the fish are reluctant to feed on large beds of bait, it’s well worth employing one bite tactics.

Single hookbaits, solid PVA bags and stringers are all great ways to nick a bite when conditions are tough. When I’m trying to nick a bite or two, I absolutely love solid PVA bags because they are tangle free, extremely effective for pressured carp and lots of anglers totally neglect them.

ANGLER PROFILE NAME: Angie Lawley AGE: 52 UK PB: 41lb 4oz OCCUPATION: Consultant

Angie landed this mirror minutes after changing the colour of her hookbait.

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Z I G B OX

STORAGE SOLUTION OUT

NOVEMBER

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AVID CARPERS

P R O D UC TS With the popularity of zig rigs growing at a rate of knots, we wanted to make things easier for anglers that are starting to use them.

Zigs can be quite time consuming to tie on the bank and, on most venues, it pays to alter the length of them on a regular basis if bites are hard to come by, so it made sense to create a storage solution for them. Until now, if anglers wanted to tie zig rigs at home before their session, the nature of the rigs made them extremely difficult to store.

Fortunately, the new Avid Zig Box will answer the prayers of any angler who is serious about fishing with zigs. Supplied with eight specifically designed zig spools that each boasts unique sliders to keep the zigs tight on the spool, the box easily accommodates 16 made up zig rigs. It even comes with 32 spool stickers that can be stuck on the spools so you know exactly what length zig is store on each spool.

The spools are supplied in a handy i-design case that boasts a 12in rule on the side for accurately measuring out the length of your zigs.

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F O U R POINT PLAN

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AVID CARPERS

4

4

DAV E C HA NC E L LO R

POINT

PLAN If somebody told you that, if you followed four simple rules, you could dramatically increase your catch result, you’d listen, right? Well, according to Avid’s latest signing, Dave Chancellor, consistently catching carp isn’t as difficult as you may think, especially if you follow his Four Point Plan.

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1

Before we look at his plan in detail, we think it’s important to tell you a little bit more about the man behind the concept. In theory, if this plan really works as well as Dave states, he should have caught countless large carp. Well, Dave is a very accomplished big fish angler and, for someone who currently holds a full time job and only gets time to fish two nights a week, his current tally is up there with some of the most prolific big-carp specialists of all time. You see, at present, he’s banked an incredible 3 UK fifties, 40 UK forties and well over 100 thirties! So what is the secret to his success?

Well, read on to find out everything…

LOCATION

If you speak to any consistent carp angler, they will all tell you that the key to success on most venues is locating the carp. When targeting a venue, Dave spends as much time as he can walking around the lake, searching for carp and looking for clues to their whereabouts. Crashing, fizzing and swirls can all be firm indicators that carp are in an area and, more often than not, if there’s one fish, there’s bound to be more. It’s important that you never settle for the first swim you come across or the nearest peg to the carp park. Always make a conscious effort to find the fish and, if you can’t see any signs, consider other factors, like swims that have been producing fish. As far as Dave is concerned, one hour in the right swim is better than 48 hours in the wrong swim. Too may anglers select a swim without putting any real thought into the decision when, in reality, this often neglected factor can be the difference between catching and camping. Dave always carries a small book when he’s fishing so he can make notes of everything he sees on the lake. He jots down where he’s seen fish show, at what times he’s seen them and even what the weather was doing at the time. Then, when conditions are similar in the future, he has an idea where the fish may be holding. Crafty eh?

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F O U R POINT PLAN If the conditions are right, Dave does his up-most to get out on the bank.

Dave constantly tweaks his presentation until he finds a winning combination.

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2

CONDITIONS

Unfortunately, like most anglers, Dave has a busy family life and a hectic job, so he can’t plan his sessions around the weather and good conditions.

That said, when the conditions are bang on and he’s got time on his hands, you can guarantee he’ll do his absolute up-most to be on the bank. So what are the best conditions to be on the bank? Well, if it’s overcast, low pressure and there’s a warm wind blowing, you can guarantee Dave will be out there doing it. Once you’re on the bank and the conditions are right, it’s then important that you try and get in the swims that really utilize the favourable conditions. So, if there’s a new south-westerly wind blowing, try and get in the teeth of it because that’s where the carp are likely to be. Keep an eye on weather websites, study maps of the lake so you know how certain weather fronts will effect the lake, and try and get out when the conditions are bang on. Dave’s lost count of the amount of times he’s had red-letter days when the conditions have been bang on.

DAV E C HA NC E L LO R

3

PRESENTATION

Some anglers say that rig choice isn’t important, as long as it’s in the right place, but Dave totally disagrees. He believes you must select a rig that you’re confident in and one that suits the lake you’re targeting. If you’re fishing over weed and debris, a pop-up presentation maybe the best option but if you’re fishing on a clear lake bed, a bottom bait may work. If you’re unsure about the best rig to use, try fishing with three variations of the same presentation on a spot to see which is the most effective.

As well as rigs, it’s vital that you think about the hookbait and free offerings you are going to use.

Dave always considers colour, size, flavour and smell when he’s selecting his bait. Certain venues respond better to specific baits, so it’s essential that you

experiment until you find one that works the best.

Selecting the correct baiting strategy is also absolutely essential. Some anglers may believe that catching lots of fish is all about putting loads of bait out, but this simply isn’t the case. Although Dave does like this, unfortunately, not all venues and situations respond well to large beds of baits.

In general, depending on the venue he’s fishing, he likes to employ one of two tactics. If he’s got plenty of time on his hands and he’s certain the fish are up for a feed, he may opt for the ‘bait and wait’ approach.

Alternatively, if he’s strapped for time and the venue is fishing hard, he may opt for his favourite ‘patch and snatch’ approach. This involves setting small traps and trying to nick a bite.

Here’s a selection of the rigs that Dave puts his faith in.

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AVID CARPERS

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F O U R POINT PLAN

4

RIGHT TIME

Dave believes it’s important that anglers learn the feeding spells of the carp on the lake they’re targeting.

It’s important you have got your rigs in the lake at these times of the day.

The feeding spells can change from lake to lake, season to season and even day to day. If you’re in doubt about the feeding spells, look at catch reports in magazines, speak to other anglers and keep your eye out on the lake. If you’ve just started on the lake and are in doubt about the feeding spells, it’s always a good idea to have your rigs in position early in the morning and during the evening.

There’s nothing complex about Dave’s plan and most anglers have probably considered all these points at some point. The question is, how many anglers think about these every single time they go fishing. According to Dave, if you follow this plan correctly, you could dramatically increase your catch results. With a big fish tally like his, it’s certainly worth considering.

It’s important to have your rods in position at bite time.

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AVID CARPERS

ANGLER PROFILE NAME: Dave Chancellor AGE: 44 UK PB: 58lb OCCUPATION: Uk Sales Manager

DEPTH GAUGE D E P TH G AUG E

MARKER BRAID

.

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OUT EARL

Y

NOVEMBER AVID CARPERS

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R I G C LINIC

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AVID CARPERS

JA M I E S I M P S O N

DON’T

GIVE‘EM AN INCH When a decent common cruised onto my margin spot, sucked in my trusty reverse combi pop-up rig and ejected it effortlessly, it really was a massive kick in the teeth. This was a rig I’d used confidently for years but there, right under my nose, I’d been well and truly ‘done’. It was obvious straight away what had happened. The fish had picked up the hookbait, realised something was amiss and managed to eject the rig before the lead could drive the hook home.

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R I G C LINIC

HOW TO...

TIE JAMIE’S PRESENTATION

01

Splice a size 8 swivel onto the end of a Pin Down Unleaded Leader.

03

Slide a chod rig down the leader against the bead.

05

Ensure the swivel on the Chod sits in the middle of the lead.

07

Bait Screws are perfect for attaching your hookbait to the rig.

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AVID CARPERS

02

Slide a Rubber Bead over the end of the swivel like this.

04

Push the swivel inside an In-Line Groove lead.

06

Now attach the lead to the leader using a large Tail Rubber.

08

A High Lite hookbait is Jamie’s favourite hookbait.

After that session, I went home and started thinking about rigs and presentations that would drive the hook home quickly as soon as a fish picked up the hookbait. Although there was no rig that could guarantee this, I had several presentations in my head that I thought could swing the odds in my favour. After a bit of tinkering and tweaking one evening, I came up with a simple chod rig that was attached to a 3.5oz In-Line Groove Lead. By using such a short hooklink with a big lead, I was convinced that the fish would get nailed as soon as it picked up my hookbait. Being a hug fan of solid bags, I fished the whole presentation inside a size 5 Transfer bag full of micro pellets.

I couldn’t wait to get out and try the rig and, as soon as conditions were right, I headed off for a quick evening stalking session. When experimenting with new rigs and presentations, I always like to fish them at close range so I can see exactly how they perform and how carp deal with them. I had mixed feelings about the rig the first time I used it because it nailed fish time and time again and they really couldn’t deal with the presentation. Unfortunately though, I lost a couple of fish because the weight of the lead popped the hook out during the fight. The penny quickly dropped and I knew I had to eject the lead every time. It was back to the drawing board.

After a little bit of thought and some tinkering on the bank, I came up with the perfect drop-off lead arrangement. By experimenting with the Avid In-Line Inserts and In-Line Groove

JA M I E S I M P S O N Leads, I created a presentation that would eject the lead as soon as a carp picked up the hookbait.

Perfect!

To say I was pleased with the results next time I was out on the bank would be a complete understatement. During a quick evening session, three fish picked up my hookbait, three were nailed and no fish were lost. The position of the chod section on the top of the lead certainly drove the hook home and the drop-off system ensured the lead ejected every time. It was absolutely perfect.

Although you can use this presentation in a whole host of different situations, I think it’s absolutely brilliant inside a solid PVA bag. As the carp drops down to feed on the contents of the bag, the buoyant pop-up catches hold in the carp’s mouth and the rest, as they say, is history. I have caught countless fish on this presentation since its creation and it’s now a vital part of my fishing and, whilst it does not cover every situation, it’s one of the most efficient rigs I have ever used. If you’re looking for the ultimate edge this year, get on this rig. It nails ‘em time.

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Jamie’s caught countless carp on the presentation.

This is how the rig looks when used with a solid PVA bag.

ANGLER PROFILE NAME: Jamie Simpson AGE: 40 UK PB: 34lb 8oz OCCUPATION: Production Engineer

Here’s one of the countless carp Jamie has caught on this unique arrangement.

AVID CARPERS

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P R O D UC TS

Since day one, anglers have been asking continually when we’re going to release a range of hooks. Well, after three years of extensive testing and development, we can finally announce that they will be hitting the shops very soon.

As you would expect, like with everything we do, we’ve developed a streamline range of products that will cover every eventuality. Rather than releasing dozens of different patterns that could confuse newcomers to the sport, we’ve released four great patterns that, as a collection, will cover every angling situation.

When we started developing the hooks we had a clear vision. The concept was to create hooks that were sticky sharp, super-strong and extremely reliable. We wanted to produce hooks that anglers could use straight from the packet, without feeling the need to sharpen them or tweak in any way.

Realising the importance of rig camouflage to the modern day carp angler, we have embraced modern hook technology and developed a non-glare, matt green finish that will blend in on any lake bed. If you’re looking for the ultimate hook range that isn’t going to let you down, take a look at the REACTION range.

LSK (LONGSHANK) Ideal for a whole host of presentations, this longshank pattern boasts a straight point and a straight eye. Due to the length of the shank, it can be used for a variety of different presentations but performs well with blow-back rigs and other anti-eject presentations.

CRV (CURVE SHANK) Boasting an aggressive curved shank and an in-turned eye, this versatile hook will flip and turn in the carp’s mouth quickly. This is pattern can be used with a whole host of bottom bait and pop-up presentations, including the KD Rig, 360 Rig and The Withy Pool.

CHD (OUT-TURNED EYE) Due to the popularity of the Chod rig and hinged-stiff rig, we knew it was important to develop a pattern to suit. The CHD boasts an aggressive out-turned eye that, unlike some other hooks, ensures your hookbait sits at a more aggressive/prone angle.

WDG (WIDE GAPE) No hook range would be complete without a conventional wide gape style hook.

Boasting a slightly in-turned eye, short shank and a beaked point, this hook is sure to find favour with lots of carp anglers. Due to the nature of the hook, it’s absolutely perfect for solid bag fishing, Zig rigs and surface fishing.

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AVID CARPERS

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CAS T ING

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AVID CARPERS

GO LONG

C HR I S LO W E Standing correctly when casting is one of the most important factors.

12000CC Reels and 13’ DSK rods are the perfect combination for fishing at range.

Like most anglers, I spend the majority of my time targeting day-ticket venues, so fishing at range has become an integral part of my fishing. You see, on most pressured venues, as soon as the carp start receiving a bit of pressure, they usually retreat to the safest part of the lake. In most situations, this will be slap bang in the middle of the lake, where most anglers may struggle to reach by casting.

Over the years, especially on large busy venues, I’ve come to realise that anglers who can cast the furthest tend to catch the most fish. I’d say that, where possible, I spend 90% of my time fishing over the 100 yard mark and I’m convinced that’s the reason I’ve been so successful on places like Linear Fisheries and other day-ticket venues. Don’t get me wrong, fishing at range isn’t the be all and end all of modern carp fishing, but it’s certainly a tactic we should all try to master.

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If you’re serious about fishing at range, you need to make sure you’re using the right tools for the job. Nowadays, I use the 13’ DSK rods because, as far as I’m concerned, they are the ultimate rods for fishing at range. As well as having the capability to whack a 4oz lead to the horizon, they also boast a superb action for playing fish under the rod tip.

They really do offer the best of both worlds and I can honestly say they are the best rods I have ever used. If you combine the 13’ DSK rod with the 12000CC reel,

you’ve got the ultimate distance fishing combination.

One of the most important tips I can give any angler is to pick a main line that suits the situation.

I’ve seen countless anglers trying to reach the horizon using 18lb monofilament main line. Sorry guys, it doesn’t matter how good you are at casting, you’re never going to reach mega range. Although braid makes a good line for fishing at range, lots of venues actually ban the use of it, so I use monofilament for all my range fishing.

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CAS T ING I’ve found the Avid Trap Line in 10lb is the perfect line for job and, once coupled with a decent leader, I have no problems fishing over 150yds with it. Although it has a low diameter, it’s still strong and robust so it’s not going to let you down when it really counts.

Distance Swivel leads are designed with range fishing in mind.

If you want to cast further, it’s absolutely essential that you use the correct rig and a suitable lead arrangement.

Although some anglers prefer helicopter presentations because of their anti-tangle properties, I used a lead clip coupled with a 3oz or 4oz Avid Distance Swivel Lead.

Boasting a streamlined design for improved accuracy, these dedicated range fishing

leads really do make all the difference. When it comes to rigs, I simply use my favourite blow-back pop-up rig that utilizes the Avid Hook Beads and Hook Swivels. PVA bags and sticks decrease the distance you can cast your rig, so I always just cast it without one.

Finally, and probably most important, it’s imperative that your casting technique is spot on.

You need to ensure your arms are straight at all times when casting.

With the rod in position and your weight on your back foot, you need to push your weight onto your front foot, while pulling the rod butt into your chest and pushing the other end of the rod away from you. It’s important that you release the lead at exactly

HOW TO...

TIE CHRIS’ RANGE RIG

01

Tie an Avid CRV hook onto a length of Captive Coated Hooklink.

04

Attach your chosen hookbait to the rig like this.

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AVID CARPERS

02

Carefully slide a Hook Swivel onto the shank of the hook.

05

Add a small piece of shrink tubing to the shank of the hook.

03

Fix the Swivel in place using an Avid Hook Bead.

06

Finally add a Small Line Dropper and the rig is ready to cast.

C HR I S LO W E the right time if you’re going to achieve maximum distance. The key to fishing at range is certainly to practice casting as much as possible. You can either practice at a lake when it’s quiet or do it on a playing field if there’s nobody about. Make sure you use the Avid Yard Sticks to find out exactly how far you can cast to begin with, then measure the distance after some practice.

AVID

TIP

Dipping your reel in the lake and wetting your main line can put yards on your cast. If you’re giving it the big’un, give your reels a dip.

10lb Trap Line is Chris’ number one choice.

ANGLER PROFILE NAME: Chris Lowe AGE: 42 UK PB: 56lb OCCUPATION: Angling Tutor

This stunning mirror was caught from ‘no man’s land’ from a pressured day-ticket venue.

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AVID CARPERS

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STU N

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ES