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The TC readers' chance to havetheirsay.Every Ietter wns a orizefrom ManIine or Fox. orinted 4 Junior Carp Scene Thistime it'sthe kids'turnas youngTotalCarpers catchcarpand win Nashgear. 78 rcr Showcase Preview fishing Cet the lowdownon the latest show.The T C F S h o w c a sw e i l lb e h e l dt h i sA p r i l , What'soccurring in the wonderfuI wor|docarp Keepup to daterighthere. fishing?

08 carpscene

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32 outtia" The Box Bread, the orgotten carpbaitthatcan giveyou You'llwant to try this! the edgeon yourwater. 4 Happy oays lan Day headsto Drayton Reservoir and reveals how effective the TC subsgift can be. exactly 7O overnighter We give Lewis Read24 hoursto outwit someof Theale Two'sresidents. He doesn't disaoooint. 94 rtt" Hauler How can breakfast makeyour zig rigs cereals Tim Hodgeshasthe answers. moreproductive?

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Thefirst part newseries in which of NickHelleur's h e ' lb l ec a t c h i n cg arp i nu n u s u a su l rroundings.

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58 ruo*h"tnMonkeys head NeilSmith andthree companions to France fora ew Theresu|t..' fourPBs' days' 164 encyclopaedia of Carp CarpaceDave Lane tal<es a lool< at allthings carpy w ith r. beginnin g t h el e t t eH 44 rroubIeshooter Derek Ritchie shows a TC reader howto choose a where andwhich baits swim, to cast to use.

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gearto fill your tacklebox with ESProds,Shimano reels and a Primus stoveare put through theirpacesby the TC crew. 30 sneat<Preview Ef,@EEIltr We unveil the Fox Stratos Magnesiums, the frrst reels big-pit designed specifically for carpangle'. 34 neader Review What'shot and what'snot? Findout hereas tac<: is reviewed honestly by you,the TC readers.

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04 TOTAL CARP

& 9 cota.wuter Carp Baits Thebaits to useandthose to avoid fornon-stop you. when is against action theweather 26 nig Master Learn fluorocarbon pop-up to tieAdamPenning's rig. Youcantakethis to anyvenue andcatch. 48 ndvice squad pane| oexperts our star-studded sets to workon solving TC readers' carp fishing conundrums. 82 r r Top Tips - PVA ln Winter Usethese essential tipsandmake PVAworkfor youthroughout thecolder months. 89 eack To Basics- Spodding Theinsandoutsothisoften-essentia| tactic plainly andsimply by theTC boys. explained 37 wlnte. Winners quick LeonBartropp reveals thekeyto getting bites in thecold.

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TOTAL CARP 05

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MARC COULSON
e l l oa n d welcome to yet another feature-packed issue of TotalCarp. I have to confess to not havingdone a lot of carpfishing overthe lastmonthor two, what with worl(and familycommitments, -ot to mention the factthat it'swinterl D , r r r gt h e s e spells o I i n a c t i v i tIy l i k et o . " 1a s L h o u g h I a m s t i lg l e t tn g m y ' f i x 'a n d : . ml u c l <iy n t h a tl s t i l lw a l kt h e b a n ko n a rula' basis with manyof the TotalCarp , : n t r i b u t o rT s. h i sm e a n s that, e v e ni f I d o n o t .:.Vemy rodsout myse|, at |east I am out
-;re oettino a fe<te nf it c spe|| . - . i.h' i' n ' 'ot h : t I d n d -r -r' r'i 'n 'J a sw a y r n | yr o d s 'a 1 d h a v ed o n es o o rm a n y ..:rs, is readAnglingTimes(AT). As with all . r ' , 2n e so r p a p e r sa ,s I s u p p o s A e T i s ,t h e r e - ood issues and bad,but everynow and ,.: n a really t h o u g h t - p r o v o k ip nig ece will - --' One srrrh n i c r ei n : ' r e C e n t iSSue : . : ' r n g i n m i n dh o w f a r a h e a dI h a v et o .. rLeseeditorials compared to when you , :-ally readthem)was all to do with the use ' - a i b u tp e l l e t isn c a r pf i s h i n g . . . r : d y b y s L a ra t S p a r s h oC |t o | | e gh ea d 'trovarious pellets and the effectthatthey . . . :o n f r s h I . n a n u t s h e la l ,n df o r t h o s e that tnp _nt

The result of my reading thisreport, which mt Icommend asangling n e w sj o u r n a l i s a i t sv e r yb e s t , i s t h a tI w i l ln o t c o n s i d eu rsing h a | i b uo t r h i g h - o itlr o u tp e l | e te sv e ra g a n . Fishery owners, suchas Roy Marlow,who manyyearsago cottoned on to the factthat too muchoiIwas bad orfish,bannedsuch p e l l e ta sndl, having n o w r e a dt h e p i e c e , congratulate themfor doingso. Thereare plentyof alternative pellets and they all catch f i s h ,b u t w i t h o u t being a danger to their health. Now,thiseditorial will almostcertainly not strike peoplein our a chordwith certain
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Phone (01327) 311999 Fax (01327)311190 EditorMarc Coulson E-mailmarccoulson@dhpub.co.uk DeputyEditorJonathanBones E - m a ij lonathan@dhpub.co.uk Features EditorJamesArmstrong E-mailjames.armstrong@dhpub.co. uk Chief Sub EditorDean Kirkman Sub EditorLee Jones Creative Director Mark Crafton Head DesignerFionaSaddington Layout& Design KatieWright Ad DesignManager Dave Thomson Ad DesignMike Calvert,CharleneHartshorn &
(tanhan lnropn<en

' .e1cl werefed different pelle[s overa - , ed period. One groupwas givenlow:. ets whiIethe otherreceived a dieto ' .-:'-o Ialternatives. I -:: the testswerecompleted, and the . :(cled,the results wereabsolutely - T h ef i s hf e d o n t h e h i g h - o ip l ellets . . : c r r e m o r ei m p r e s s i v ge r o w t hr a t e s but, , o e r e dL p , i t s o o nb e c a m e appallingly ::-i thatthiswas due to large fatty , :. tsaround t h e i rb o d i e sI . h a v et o a d m i t - sickened to the pit of my stomach - i , : wt h e n i c t r t r e s . l n dl ta s h a m e d fe : h a de v e ru s e dh i g h - o ip l e l l e t isn a n y ' . if mostcarpanglers are absolutely ' : ' e y w o u l da d m i t to having used . r r o u tp e l l e t isn l a r g e quantitie in s r : : e v e ni f o n l yo n o d d o c c a s i o n s F, or , - -o,the frshthat had received the o" lerswerefine.if a littlelighter -e others. They would,however, have . . - , = da m u c hl o n g e r l i f ee x p e c t a n c y . - - . . e n to n t o l n t e r v i e w varioue s x p e r t isn . : : o a n g l i n g a n df i s h e r y management, - .ne or two baitmanufacturers. All - - r t r L e h g h o i l c o n t e no t f L h ep e l l e t s : i - a g i n g t h ef i s ha s w e l la s t h e o v e r a l l . ,:. balance of the waters they were

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one subject and refuse to bitemy tongue'| g a l i b up c o m p a n i ep sr o d u c i n h t e l l e td s o n ' tl i k e i t t h e nI ' l lj u s th a v et o l i v ew i t ht h a t .I d o n ' t know manythat relysolely on hallbut pellets f o r t h e i n c o m es , o i t s h o u l d n 'h t u r tt o o m u c h anyway. I will not apologise for beinghonest, I reca|l a conversaton with a riend at a particular baitmanuacturers Sometime back when they hadjustlaunched somepellets that wereso oilythey literally leakedin the bag. I implored the companynot to eversellthe pellets in quantities over4009 and to market them solely as hook baits.I was alarmed at the amountof oil in the pellets and dreaded the thoughto anglers usingthem as free baits" . l t ' sb a de n o u g h a s a h o o kb a l t , l remember thinking at the time.To introduce a few kilosof theseat a timewould be un t h i n kable. Of course, the fishthemselves lovethese pellets, but then I know many people who love beefburgers. They mightbe fine once in a while,but to eat them in largenumbers everyday of your lifewould soon killyou. Remember, we havea choice, unlike the fish, whichrelyheavily on anglers' baitsfor their food. Equally, if somepeoplecondemn what I am saying, as it may add fuelto the antiangling brigade's argument, then I would haveto disagree. I am gladthishas been highlighte ad n d I s i n c e r e lh yo p et h a tw e , a s anglers, do something aboutit and show that, actually, we really do careaboutthe fishand are prepared to put theirwelfare aboveour own greedand desire orfast-growing' but unhealthy, carp. I w i l ln o t u s eh a l i b u p sg a i na t e l l e ta , nd i mal<e no apology for what mightbe construed as a knee-jerk reaction. The clueis i n t h e n a m e . .t . h e ya r en o td e s i g n e f do r c a r p otherwise they'dbe calledcarppellets. Now t h e r e 'a s thought,.. Tight lines a n d a l lt h a t . . . nnA

CraphicsTechnician PeterHolmes

BusinessDevelopment Manager RichardFarnan Mobile 07738457110 Phone(01327) 3'l5409 Fax (O1327)315435 E-mailrichard.farnan@dhpub.co.uk Production Manater JustinFox AdveProduction Rob Brad|ey Advert Production Assistants Rob Henson& EmmaWright Reprographics ManagerDerekMooney SeniorAssistantThomasWebb AssistantAndrew Skeates

Phone (01327) 311999 Fax (01327)31119O r s D N( 0 1 3 2 7 ) 300256 PublisherDavid Hall E - m a i ld a v i d @ d h p u b . c o . u k oPerationsDirecto Roser Mortimer PR & MarketingExecutive Lucy Mellor Administrative DirectorCherryHall E - m a i lc h e r r y @ d h p u b . c o . u k Accounts,Administration and Correspondence to: 2 Stephenson Close,DraytonFields, Daventry, Northants, NN1 1 8RF Subscription & Back lssue Queries & Orders Phone +44 (O)845 345 0253 E - m a i ls u b s c r i p t i o n s @ d h p u b . c o . u k Unit 6, PipewellRoad Ind Est,Desborough, Northants N , N142SW UK Subscriptions: uK f40.80 Europe f50 Restof the World f65 Basedon 12 issues and includes mailing Back lssues: uK f4.50 Europef5 Rest of the World f6 Only previous 12 monthsare stocked Subscription Manager LouiseWincott E-mail louisewincott@dhpub.co.uk (O12O2) PrintedBy: Southernprint 622226 DistributionBy: (01483) Distribution MMC Ltd 211222
Advefrisements: T h e a d v p d ( e m e n L a n d e d i ( o ' i a l c o n t e l t p u b | i s h dI n I h F m P a | n e ae Il.P so|e p'opFry oI Ihe pub|ilher and may not be (opied r reproduced without prior permission o the pub|isher Readers'Adicles: Whi|e we we|come a.tc|es from our readers' we can on|y accept those which arc |yped ard doub|espaced |you Wish lhe5deeIJn o sJme you mu inc|ude a 5lamped addressed enve|opP'

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Averagecirculation for issues between )anuary1st,2005 - December 31st,2005

Deputy Editor . :- Bones

Features Editor James Armstrong

22,524 copies

TOTAL CARP

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GARP
lf you havesomething to say,a story to tell or a catchpicture that you or w o u l dl i k et o b e c o n s i d e r efd p u b l i c a t i otn h e ns e n dt h e m , with details of whereyou caught your fish,to: Carp Scene, Total C a r p ,D H P L t d ,2 S t e p h e n s o n Daventry, Close,DraytonFields, Northants N , N ' l1 8 R F . you can e-mail Alternatively, the information to: carpscene@ d h p u b . c o . u.kP l e a s e s e n dj p e gi m a g e s only.

HOWTO WIN!

Have your say and get your mug in Total Carp!

SGENE
WORTHY

Each month we will publishreaders' letters and catch pics,with the best receiving a superbprize.The Letteror Catch Of The Month, as chosenby TC editorMarc Coulson,will win a completeboxed set of brilliant Fox EOS-r remotealarms,including receiver. Theseare the latestin cutting-edge digitaltechnologyand are packedfull of features, such as tone,volume,sensitivity and night-light control. Thereare threealarmsolus receiver in pub|ished the prizes, so iyou get yourse|f and Marc choosesyoursas the bestentry of the month,you'll be the absoluteenvy oa||your carp ang|ing riends. As well as the technologyinsidethe EOS-r,they also look the dog's danglies. The compacthead is extremely cool and does not look cumbersome. They also featureclip-on,changeable coversthat allow you to customise how the alarm appears. Thereare black,mock stainless steeland even Realtree camou versions. |f you are not chosenas the pick othe month,and sadlytherecan only be one, - there,s don,t ret a prizefor abso|ute|y everybody. lf your letteror catch pic appearsin Carp Sceneyou will receivea greatrunners-up prizerom Main|ine. This wi||be a Iucky dip from greatproducts within the wide range of excellentcarp catchersthat the top Essex-based bait makerproduces. Pop-ups,pellets, boilies, bag mix - it could be anything,but whateveryou receive it will be well worth it and it'll catch plenty of carp.How good is that?

CAPTURES

DearTC I AlthoughI havelandedbiggercarpin England, thinkthesetwo Scottish carpareworthycaptures. A reccetrip to a large,relatively unfished water rod and Smartcast with the plumbing outlined a that lookedpromising. coupleof features On the nexttrip I spotted somecarpin it up and returned u|l thisarea,so I baited of I blanked, expectation. but baitedup againand returned the nextevening. I landed Two hoursintothe session a 15lb2oz |ater carpfo||owed a ewminutes by one o17|b 8oz.The bracemadeit all worthwhile. KeithReid,Tayside Ed: Well done, Keith. We don't get too many catchpics from north of the border,but then therearen't that many carp.I used to receive correspondencefrom one or two guys from the but it has quieteneddown ScottishCarp Society, in recentmonths.Maybe it s lust a bit too cold for this up there (that'smy tokengeneralisation month out of the way!).

08 TOTAL CARP

Dear TC I recently fished, and won, the RAF Carp Champson CEMEX's Lake.The three-day competition was hard going,with only Sandhurst putting our of the 27 ang|ers a fishon the bank'A MainlineFusion boilie fishedtowards somesnagsdid the business and saw me slipping Thisbeatmy previous the net undera carpnamedRosieat 371b. PB by nearly 9lb and was the new RAF minorcarprecord. Thatwas until I bankeda carp known as Crackerat39lb 9oz. What a result. via e-mail Graham Vincent, you know TC writer Leon Baftropp? I "Ed: 6reat result, Craham. Do am sure he used to be in the RAF,didn't he?

Dear TC I have been fishinga localc|ubwaterand managedto bank one o the lake'sbiggestresidents at a whopping 5Olb1oz.The fish fell to a rig placedrightundersomeoverhanging marginal branches, and for four hoursand,seeing boy did it fight.I had only beenfishing as it was only 1Opm, I rangmy mateRussand askedhim to comeand do the photos.We weighedthe fish twice,on separate setsosca|es, This is the biggestweightthis carp has to ensurean accurate reading. ever been caughtat and a new club recordto boot. GerryGiles,via e-mail >Ed:That'sa right lump, Cerry. Well done!

DearTC Dennis Wilkinson rom Her|fordshire this46lb mirror from banked Etangdes Landes on a recent Thismirror was caught tripto France. alongwith sevenothercarpto 301b. Needless to say,Dennis was over t h em o o n . Mary Forstel France going well over there. lt certainly "Ed: Hello again Mary, I hope all is soundslike it is.I wonderif that is the lake record?I know you have a few biggiesin Etangdes Landes,but I am not sure how many you have that are bigger than that. I hope the big ones keep coming for your visitinganglersand wish you all the best with the lake.

Dear TC joineda localclub water with a view to catchingmy first I recently I then twenty. Unbelievably, I succeeded on my veryfirstsession. gradually uppedmy PB by 1lb or so at a time untllI landeda27lb 8oz fish in the lake common.Knowingthatthereweren'tmanybigger I decidedto targetthe largerspecimens by usingdouble baits.The result was this31lb4oz commonknownas The Patch. NathanJones. Essex >Ed:My mate, and TC regular,Tony Makepeace swears by big baits for big carp.I have seenhim cast baits out that are almost the size of golf balls! He catcheshis air share of big ,uns,so it must work,

TOTAL CARP 09

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Dear TC Am I the only overweightanglerwho is struggling to find clothingto fit? I'm relatively new to carp fishingand want to fish on throughthe colder months,so I startedlookingfor some decent winterclothing.I have been lookingfor a few weeks now and all the top manufacturers that I havetriedonly go up to a XXXL. I'm not a hippo by any stretchof the imagination but this is rea||y beginning to bug me. I haveounda coupleof lesser-known brandsthat do largerclothing, but the priceis ridiculous. Have you any suggestions for a desperate and soon to be very wet, cold and miserable fat bloke? John Owen, Bristol >Ed I am not quite sure what to say to that one, )ohn. As regular readerswill no doubt have twigged,although extremelygood looking, I am quite a big lad myself. l've never struggledto find stuff to fit, though, mate. Any clothing companies willing to help?

Dear TC Not wantingto pack away in very wet and windy conditions one SundayeveningI opted to fish anothernight,hopingthat the weather would ease. Well,what a result. On SundaynightI landeda new PB Fish'This Wasmy on|yfish of the o 43|b12oz, known as Poo|ey's session and is my secondUK forty. Chris Burton,Worcestershire >E What an absolutely stunning fish, Chris. Although you haven,t named the venue, we at TC Towersrecognisedit and where it lives. The whole office was impressedwhen this one popped up on screen. Well done, mate - well worth a soaking, in my book.

Dear TC I havejust been lookingat your new websiteand you all felt compelled to e-mailand congratulate on a wonderfuleffort.I reallylikedthe site and, while it is obviouslystillin its infancy, there is plentyon thereto look at and enjoy. I particularly liked Derek Ritchie's film clips.he obvious|y rea||y has unwhen out on the bank and I likethat.Fishing shouldbe fun, afterall. D Maplin,via e-mail >Ed:Thanks for that! There,sloads of new stuf on the site, wwvvtotal ne.com i ncludi ng reviews, videos, tips carpmagazi and competitions,and they are proving extremelypopular.

Dear TC My PB, pctured here,was caughtin the first 1O minutesof putting the rod out on a day session. At first I thoughtshe might be a twenty or even a thirty,but imaginemy surprise when she pulledthe scales roundto 4Olb1oz. This is the new venue record. Andy Rogers,Wiltshire >Ed:Another crackingfish gracesthe pages of Carp Scene.I tell you what, you lot seem to be catching loads of good ones just lately, Maybe it's all the tips and advice you glean from the UK's number one! lust 1oz over the fabulous 40!b barrier too. I bet you were shaking at the prospect. Well done, Andy, it's an absolute belter.

Dear TC lrecentlybrokemy PB,whichhad previously been14lb 12oz,with a mirroro 19|b15oz.My brotherribbedme as I hadn'tcaughta twentyand his PB was 22lb 1Ooz. However, two weeks laterI was the one doing the ribbingwhen I caughtthis 33lb 8oz mirrol smashing both of our PBs. Both fish fell to boi|ies that I was testingorThe Bait Kitchen. Marcus Pettifor.Elland >Ed:Blimey fella, fancy catching your first twenty by bagginga thirty...if you know what I mean! Well done mate, you will certainly have braggingrights over your brother now!

2 ToTAL CARP

Two superpages,just or juniorcarpstars...

,CAR P SCENE

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o

- the pages Welcometo .iunior Carp Scene dedicated to you, the youngerreaders oTota| Carp. We havesome greatprizesfrom Nash Tacklefor every letterand catch pic printed. There has neverbeen a bettertlme to catch carpand sendin your pictures. No matter what the size,if you havecaughta nicefish or havesomething to tell TotalCarp, send the detailsto: Junior Carp Scene,Total Carp, DHP Ltd,2 Stephenson Close, DraytonFields, Daventry, Nohants, NN 8RF or e-mail them to:juniorcarpscene@dhpub.co.uk . Please remember to tell us whereyou caughtyour carp so that we can add you to ourmapsl

THAT EilDS WELL

ALL'S WELL

Dear TC My daughtel Georgina,kept on at me to take her carp fishingand I finallygave in duringherschoolholidays. We went to Sevington Lakes near Chippenham. After showingher how to attach her bait and cast accurately, she went on to cataoult20 free offeringiin the general area.She sat therefor two hoursconcentraiing on the

rodsand all of a suddenshe had an absolutescreamer! After 20 epic minutesI slippedthe net underthis 14lb4oz common. Dave Greenwood, Chippenham >Ed:Creat story and fabulous picture, Dave. It'sgreatto see parents taking their kids out carping - long may it continue,

Dear TC joinedmy After being bittenby the carp bug my grandadand I recently Iocalclub water.We didn't know a lot about the water ano we were invited to fisha'12-hour competition. lt was a hardnightand only a handfulof fish came out, probablydue to the extra pressure. Unfortunately, I blanked. Minutesafterthe whistle blew,though,my right-hand rod screamed off. I struckinto the fish and it was fightingreally hard because the waterwas deep.When surrounding anglersrealised that I had a good fish on everybodygathered aroundmy swim. ln the end I landed thisbeautiful 18lbcommon. Luke Guy, West Sussex

Dear TC I have attacheda pictureo Dean Lewisfrom Crewe. Dean has recently started fishingwith Get Hooked On Fishingfrom our BorderFisheryBay Malton, base.He came to us as a novice anglerand has attendeda seriesof Monday-evening classes wiih myse|, culminating in the captureof this 4lb minor - a new PB. He caughtthe fish on a Trabuccomarginpole,fishingtwo grains of corn down the margin. Dave Smith,Crewe >EdtHi Dave - great to hear from you again. Regular readerswill know that we support Cet Hooked On Fishing and I urge as many of you as possible to do the same. When you seea smile like the one on Dean's face, then you know thatthe organisersare getting it bang on. Well done Dean, and well done to you too, Dave.

>>Ed: Welcome to carp fishing, Luke.I hope you and your grandad catch loads of carp, mate. That'sa cracking fish, especially so early in your career,and what a way to catch it. lt's a shame that it came after the final whistle of the competition, but you must still be really pleased. I bet a load of the other anglers were a tad jealous as well, eh fella? I am not really sure aboutthe whole carp-match fishingthing,but it seems that plenty of people are out there doing it, so more power to your elbows. If you can have a result like that, even after the match has ended, then they cannot be all bad. Well done, once again, Luke.

4 ToTAL CARP

Dear TC This is a pictureomy son'snew PB minor- justone of ninecaughion the day.The fish weighedl9lb 14oz and his old PB bv 6lb 1oz. He obliterates oo|ed the fish fol|owing his decision to openswitchto the marginsbecause waterfishingwas quiteslow Priorto this he baitedup an areaof with a coupleof handfuls the margins of corn and half a tin ocat meat.No sooner had he spotted a good fish feedingover his baitthan he reeled,in and gentlylowereda cat-meatho-g(,r,,' bait into the swim' keepingquietad low so as not to spookthe fish.Within five mnutes he received a screaming take and baggedthe fish. Mr Leslie,Blackpool >Ed: Bri!tiant! / >d: l ceftainlycan imaginehow happy he was I am,thrilledthat he stuckit out as not many of his age would have done so.

Dear TC My dad and I haveonly just started carpfishingand, to be honest,we didn'thavea clue.So, we boughta copy of TotalCarp and tied some rigs usingyour easy-to-follow steps.With the help of your expertadvicewe headedto our localwater.Our first two sessions ended up as blanksbut our persistence was finallyrewarded on our third. After about an hour of fishingI saw my rod tip go and struckinto my first-ever fish,a J4lb 2oz mirrorA coupleof hourslaterI was in again, and althoughit weighed only 6lb 14oz it put up a much betterfight. ShaneGlover,Devon ,Ed: Another happy customer! We do try and bring you plenty of rigsto try out over the courseof a year and I am glad that one or tyvoof them worked for you, Shane.Keep'em coming fella, and good luck.

Dear TC caughtthis My nine-yqaroldson, Luke Bateman, 'fantastic 27lb]common Wh n we nightfished Waltharn'Abbey in Essex. At at a locallake'near approximately 9.45pm his left-handrod screamed off. Followinga 1O-minute battle,which was all his own woik; this beauf was on the bank. He's :always been,inventive with his baitsand this was - it fell to a snowmanrig comprising no exception a tigernut boilietopped with a bright-green pop-up' once again,Luke outfishedhis tutti-rutti father. RichardBateman, WalthamAbbey *Ed: Blimey, that's quite a bait combination, but it obviously worked. I am not sure about that West Ham top, though, young Luke!

WIil GREAT NASH GEARI

Cet your lettersand catch pics in to JuniorCarp Sceneand you could walk away with a fabulousNash prize. The star letteror catchwins a pair of fabulousNash Hooligunrods - perfect ora||carp fishing situations.These rods not on|y |ook the part' they perform too. Fish with a set of these and you will be the envy of the captora brand-newNash beanie-style unhookingmat, ideal your next captureon the bank.Thanksto theseNash orcaringor juniorTotalCarpershave never had it so good. prizes,

published mates trip.Every otherpicture wins on every single

TOTAL CARP 5

RICHARDHOWELL

HOWELL R,ICHARD
inter has always been a favourite time of year for me to go carp fishing. The banks are almost empty and the fish are in peak condition. There is nothing quite like the sight of a winter carp, with its colour enhanced by the cold and highlighted against the backdrop of a bleak, winter landscape. Bait choice is important at any time of year, but it's crucial once the temperature drops; for reasons that I'll explain. There are baits and ingredients that work fantastically in warm water but won't perform in low temperafures. Boilies and pellets with a high oil content ae good examples. These are less effective in cold water because the oils in them start to solidify when subjected to the cold. This limits the leak off of attractors and makes the bait far less digestible for the carp. I tend to avoid oil-based attractors and base ingredients with a high oil or fat content, such as the malority of fishmeal baits and some milk proteins. My favourite winter bait is one that's highly nutritious but easy for the carp to digest. What's more, I make sure that it's a valuable food source that they can continue to feed on over a long period of time. $ith fewer anglers on the bank there will inevitably be less bait introduced to a wate over the colder months. This arre canldn't resist a single fluoro pq-up.

Couple this with the reduced natural food larders and what you have is a prime opportunity to establish a bait. $Vhat I mean by this is ensuring that your chosen bait is introduced to a lake often enough so that the carp accept it as a regular, safe food ::il:J: \hen establishing a bait I try to introduce it as often as possible between fishing sessions, baiting up four or five times a week. Each time I bait up I introduce a mixture of my chosen boilie, a winter pellet with the same attractors as the boilies and a small amount of hemp. During winter the bird life, as well as the carp, will soon take advantage of any regular

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' . 'cl supply. They can polish off a 'uple of kilos of boilies in no time. .':r.rll items of food such as chopped . 'ilics or boilie crumb, pellets and !.urp are much harder for the birds .lcar - they're far cheaper too. By ..:n.g a mkture of baits you also get r -rrien' of breakdown times, which \r ([) the smell of food in the area for :l:.1cr periods. ll.ritir.rg up at night also helps to \r cl) the birds off the bait, at least for - :(\\ hours, giving the carp more of 'When ,:: , rpportunity to find it. baiting -;. lt night I almost always use a spod, .:i \()ur accuracy depends on prior ;.:(.)Jration. Nip to the lake during .:-'rli.gl'rt and locate the spots you want ' ir.rit.Line up the cast with a far'.,nk nrarker, such as a pylon or tree, .,::.r i r r u r kt h e d i s t a n c e o n y o u r m a i n ::rc. I nrark the line with a small piece t insulating tape, using a different rrrloured tape for each mark. By lining up with your far-bank marker and ' Thraughoutthe l b.anked sessio| 1O carp usi*g the tactks atj.*ed,

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casting the spod until your reach the tape you can ensure that the spod lands in the same spot every time, even if you can't see it. If you are going to embark on a winter baiting campaign you must start before the cold weather really sets in. So, to start a campaign noq in February, isn't a great idea. Early to mid-autumn is when you want to start introducing bait to your lake. Ideally, I'11use the same bait all year round and steadily get the fish feeding on it and recognising it as a food source throughout summer. If you do this then bear in mind that you'll be using the bait through winter as well, so don't with a high oil or fishmeal ::'j.""T: There is no need to use huge amounts of bait when prebaiting. The key is to bait regularly and once you start you must keep the bait going in. A couple of weeks without introducing

any bait and you might as well not have bothered starting the campaign. Although a baiting campaign will give you the best chance of continued cold-water action, it's not always possible. If you can't afford the bait, don't fish often enough to warrant starting a campaigfl or don't live near to your chosen venue, then you will need a different tactic. I am fishing at Evesham Vale in Evesham. This is my first visit to the water and I will need to approach the fishing in a totally different manner. I will be maximising my chances of action by fishing for one bite at a time. Single hook baits and small PVA bags recast regularly to locate the carp is what I'll start with. With the cold weather and the fish not feeding in any quantity there is no feason to ple the bait in. If the carp do feed, then I want my hook baits to be almost their only choice.

ToTAL CARP 2

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For single hook baits you can use either a food-source boilie or a highly visual hook bait. \(rhen using'singles' I find it best to experiment and change the colour of the hook bait regularly because certain colours can outfish all others on any given day. Yellow, pineapple pop-ups seem to be everyone's favourite }:'L-vizbait and have been overused, for want of a better term, during the last few years. Sure, they catch carp, but then the carp have seen them a thousand times before. I try to vary things a little because there are so many colour and flavour variations that work well and could prove to be an edge over the anglers who don't experiment and repeatedly use yellow, pineapple popups. I've had a lot of success on white and green baits lately but rarely see anyone using these colours. I use pop-ups when fishing single hook baits and the only pop-up rig I've used in the last eight years has been a 360 rig. I know some people distike this rig due to the pattern of hook that

is used, and I know and respect a few people who have gone into print on this subject. Their concerns are well placed because they only have the carp's welfare in mind. That said, I was fortunate to be pri\,y to this rig at a vey early stage and I've caught a lot of carp on it. I can honestly say that I've never found this rig to cause more damage than any other. I use it on my own waters in France and would never do so if I thought that the rig was in any way suspect. The advantage of using single hook baits, or small PVA bags, is that you're not tied to any one swim having baited it up. How many anglers pile the bait in only to see carp show in some other part of the lake and don't move because they've baited up? If you go for the hook-bait-only approach then you have no such excuse. I will constantly be

looking for showing fish and will be willing to move at any time if an opportunity presents itself. I'm starting at the southern end of the lake, which is the furthest walk from the car and the least-flshed area of the lake. I can see the maiority of the lake from here and if carp start showing elsewhere then I will be able to spot them. Having not seen a fish since my anival I survey the swim, wondering where to position my baits. There is some coloured water by the far bank, caused by a inlet pipe, which is worth putting a bait on. Sure enough, soon after casting a maple Technipop on a 360 rig to this spot I bag the first carp of the day. It's a fantastic-looking fi sh and a great start to the day. { nother bait goes a few -i .. yards to the left in slightly deeper water and the third rod is cast about a rod length from the far bank. Over the next couple of , hours I pick up fish from the inlet spot and the deeper area to the left, but the rod cast to the far bank produces nothing. I recast this rod but drop it short, into the deeper water. Maybe the cold weather has caused the carp to seek sanctuary in the deeper areas of the lake. Five minutes after casting a PVA bag of boilie crumb,

22 TOTAL CARP

hemp and low-oil pellets the deeper water the alarm bursts :o life and I bag myself a carp. Boilie -,rnb is a favourite addition to my ''.\ approach and a great addition to :r winter bait mix. It gives off all the '::action of your hook bait without . .'ing the cap arty substantial food
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\s I said earlier, I like to do :iething a little different to norm. Single-hook-bait ring is synonymous :ir casting out an ultra-

bright, overfl avoured pop-up. This doesn't always have to be the case as a single, food-source bottom bait will often produce. In fact, it can be an extremely effective tactic, especially on waters that are often fished s/ith hi-viz baits. You can even combine the fvvo tactics in the form of a snowman rig. Again, a great tactic and one that's akeady banked me a couple of fish today. There's no doubting that bites are harder to come by in winter, so you have to capitalise on every opportunity. Stick to using rigs that you have confidence in and ones that you know work. Always check your hook point and if there is any doubt about its sharpness then change it. A blunt hook, even if it's only slightly dulled, will cost you fish. I'm lucky enough to catch fish on all three rods today, but the bites all come from a relatively small area of

the lake. After recasting regularly I was able to locate the fish and catch a few in the process, but that's the way it goes in winter. If you can find them, you can usually catch them. It,s been a geat day's fishing and I've thoroughly enjoyed myself, I'11be back out again soon for sure. As it happens, I might just pop in at my local lake on the way home. Got to keep that bait going in, you know how it All the best, Reg. Bos! This ghastie was another single-hookbait victim.

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rllLl,i iii any anglers have latched irjiionto the effectiveness of ,11j1 iii ;1ir ,"fi l,'.rlri iii,.mono or fluorocarbon hook links instead of coated braids; particulaily when cold and clear winter conditions make rig visibility a major factor in our carp fishing success. For many years I have used long, mono hook links and, although this is nothing new (certainly anglers lke Lee Jackson have been writing about long, light 81b hook links in winter for many years), it is still a rig that very few anglers seem to use, The main eason for this is that many anglers are not confident enough to fish this light, particularly when you bear in mind that we all generally use hook links that are rated in the region of 15lb to 251b. Suddenly, 8lb or even LOlb seems suicidally light, but in practice is this really the caseT A lot of anglers are not aware iust how much pressure can be exerted through a standard 31b test-curve carp rod, or should I say just how little pressure. I have carried out tests and the absolute maximum that you can pull is between 5lb and 7lb, depending on the test curve of the rod. I should add that this was at the

ADAM PENNINC
point where the rod was creaking and about to explode, while veins popped out in my neck - far in excess of a normal fishing situation. So why do we use such strong hook links? The main reason is because stronger lines are invariably thicker lines. Thicker lines are always going to be tougher (more abrasion resistant) than thinner lines and are, therefore, better at dealng with hea\,Y weed, mussels and sharp gravel. However, if you are faced with a venue that is generally free of weed and snags, why not fine down your tackle and use a hook link that is lighter than your main line? I can guarantee that the finer you go in terms of pesentation, the more bites you will receir-e. Cleady, bites are not the narne of tl-regame - it is landing fish safelr-. So always bear this in n.rind and ner.er fish so light that you cannot land the carp. So what constitutes a'light'hook link? I regularll. .r." fluorocarbons as light as 10lb and have taken carp to well over 30lb on 101b IQ Xtra Soft without any problems at all. I also like Berkeley XL, which makes a lovely soft hook link in either 81b or 101b. Generally., 6lb is as light as I will ever go, but, and I must stress this, this needs to be used in openwater conditions where there are no obstacles. Knots need to be tied carefully and soft rods of no more than2.75lb will help too.

Ycu don't need too many bits for this rig and it is not too difficult !D tie.

Start by tying a small hair loop in the end ofsome 10lb I{ordalQ Xtra Soft.

Now,attach th hook by tying a hnotlessknot (see p a g e1 ) 4 ) .

Look,Adam'sbaitingneedle matcheshis llainline'lhtti Frutti pop-up!

H usesit to tllreadthe popup onto the hail rig. Keep the bait tight to the hook.

The 12in hook link is then tied to a Ring Srvivelon an inline-leadset-up.

lorm a small braid loop next to the hook link and then passthe tag through...

He thenu'rapsa small amountof plrttl'alound the shot.Job done!

N-ith the lr.inter nlonths now upon .rt. the weed has died back, the carp .rrc often fighting less manically .iircl.rvith the clear water also being .()nrething to consider, r.ou would do .1l()t $'orse than try light mono links :,) set a bite or two. The problem with using pop.:)s on mono links is that I can 'rcver get them to sit right - the ::reterialtends to curve up from the ., )unterbalancing n'eight to the hook, .i hereas I prefer the bait to sit directly ,:ror.e it. The stiffer the mono, the :r()fepronounced the problem is ,:rcl.even with something like 10lb '..rorocarbon,the .irve is so acute that . :hink it looks really ,riful. I couldn't fish ' irith confidence. I <>riginally played :',rundwith curing rc problem in rc late 1990s. . :()undthat by ' 't having the ,unterbalancing ' . r t t vp l a c e d :rcctl1.onto :c hook link it . ,: rr.ruch more '-rrtrrallv', with .c hook and .,it poised directly .,rve the weight. (If ACF contributor ::.1rrrateof mine Jirn Shelley is .rding this, I haven't copied your .klcr rig' fella, but it did tickle me :ncn'hat when I saw it!)

Adamspots a carp towzrds thefar margin,

nick on a Plh bag..,

...and makesa smooth cast to where the fish He'sso good... showed.

...that$ithin minutes he is walking backwards

To achieve this I simply water-knotted (like a grinner knot tied around the hook link) a length of supple braid and attached a split shot to the tag end towards the hook, cutting the other tag off. Leaving a small separation of around 3mm to 4mm between the knot and the shot, blob the end of the braid with a lighter to stop the shot from sliding off. In some cases the shot, dependng on size, will be enough to balance the bait but I prefer to mould a small piece of rig putty around it, which makes it look a lot neater and allows more finite balancing where required. In practice, this arrangement allows the counterbalance to sit gently on the bottom with the hook bait above it. If it is tied w-ith the putfy moulded directly onto the hook link, due to its stiffness it is forced to curve up to the bait ratl'rer than run in a straight line up to it. I like to use the rig with a small, bright pop-up on a long link of around 14 incl.res. I n'ould opt for IQ Xtra Soft fluorocarbon in 101b or, if the lake is still s-eedy I would step up to 121b. Occasionally, if I am fishing oDen \\'ater and there is no weed or

snags, I would have no hesitation in dropping to 8lb. For this I would opt for something like the Trilene Xl that I mentioned eatlier. This is a wonderfully soft and supple line that is very sffong for its diameter. The long hook link allows this rig to be fished over light bottom weed, fallen leaves and other bottom detritus. In fact, it is perfect for this! I balance the bait so that it just sinks and often fish it as a single hook bait with no freebies around it. save. perhaps, a small PVA bag. In the water, the rig looks incredibly inconspicuous, is a bit different to other rigs and, most importantly, ensures that your pop-up sits correctly. Give it a go this winter and, hopefully, your alarms will be singing despite the frost. I've used it to great effect on many different types of water, so you can take it anywhere. Good luck!

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For whatever reason,bread ts a forgotten bait these days. However, Croig Woddington believes that it can add an extra edge to your angling.
rmed with loaves of bread, baguettes and finger rolls, Craig erects his brolly to seek clter from the elements. It's teeming ::h rain, the wind is relentless and it's ::lv chilly. He has polyhene bags full ' :rread, liquidised and whole, and a ':ge of the excellent sonubaits.com .i ourings. These are used to create -. Lrltra-attractive PVA breadsticks that .. l;e revealed a bit later on. 're re sat on the banks of the lific Castle Ashby Fisheries in :thamptonshire. It's a beautiful . cn' that's steeped in history. The :ure estate lake holds a good head - rackingJooking carp, with many . r originals over the 201b mark. ire are three lakes on the complex ;:'ick,vard,Grendon and Scotland. Craig is fishing Scotland because it generally holds the bigger fish; the others are more suited to the match lads. "I can't understand why bread seems to be x'6s#' a forgotten bait," Craig begins. "It's extremely versatile and can be employed into many different methods - PVA sticks, on the hook or even in conjunction with imitation bread. Carp adore the stuff and, if used correctly, it can be a devastating tactic, especially on commercial waters such as Castle Ashby." He's fishing the popular Peg 13, which offers him the opportunity of fishing tight to the island opposite. The carp regularly patrol the overhanging bushes, sunken lilies and tree roots - it's a renowned winter hotspot. "Scotland is very shallow and, therefore, fishes well throughout the colder months. My main plan of attack is to keep on the move. The carp are often localised at this time of year and will huddle together in tight shoals. If they're not an)'where near the island then I may up sticks and try the far end because

the lake narrows. It's a huge area of quiet, sheltered water and is away from the match anglers that are in the neighbouring swims at the moment." Iith the rain easing, Craig punches fwo rods as tight as he can to the island. Both land within a few feet and he's ready for action. I say'punch' because he

CRAIG
with a low angle of trajectory, which prevents the line catching on any overhanging obstacles. One thing that I'm intrigued to find out more about is the multi-coloured PVA sticks that he's employing. ..These are just a couple of thngs I do to capitalise on the advantages of bread. It's basically liquidised bread but with the addition of flavour and colour. It allows me to fish a variety of hook baits over the top and stands out on the lake bed, sending food signals through the cold water. ..I simply place several slces of bread, without the crust, into a food blender. I then blend it until it turns into a white fluffii texture, like a kind of groundbait. To this you can add any flavour ofyour choice. I prefer the sonubaits.com range because they're extremely colourful and give off extra atttactants. I'm using tutti frutti - again, a proven winter winner." A few hours pass with not so much as a bleep. Consequently, Craig leaves me to mind the rods whle he wanders down to the far bay to try and find these elusive carp. "One trait that I've found with Castle Ashby is that once you've pinpointed the fish they're pretty easy to tempt. As a result, I'm going to bait up a few marginal areas in the bay and hopefully induce a couple into feeding. This is where the liquidised bread comes into its own. Simply blend however many slices you requre' You can then add water or glug to form a

consistency that allows you to create cannonball-sized baits. !hen introduced into the water it will breakdown slowly, leaving a bright cloud on the lake bed. I then try to incorporate a matching hook bait. "Imitation bread is great when fishing over any lake bed debris because it can be popped up by simply anchoring it with a split shot or some tungsten-impregnated putty.

"Other white hook baits that I use include boilies, imitation sweetcorn and breadflake, although many anglers struggle to use it. If hooked incorrectly, breadflake will either fall off during the cast or prove ineffective with regard to the hooking efficiency. The common mistake that carp anglers make is moulding t as tightly as possible around the hook. You will catch the odd fish by doing this, but by exposing the hook point you wll increase your chances tenfold. Take a look at the sequence of hookng breadflake and you'll see what I'm referring to," he explains. Craig remains in the bay for around 15 minutes and begins to notice the odd bubble rise from the lake bed. This is enough to whet his appetite so he returns to his swim, reels in two of his rods and heads back to the sheltered bav.

The water is extremely murky and clouds of silt are colouring the water as carp rip the lake bed apart. He tiptoes towards the water's edge and flicks two hook baits into the muddy water - one on breadflake and the other on a small, white pop-up. V{hen you have carp feeding confidently nearby you have to approach them with minimum disturbance. The slightest heavy footstep or crack of a stick could raise their guard and blow your chances completely. As a result, Craig has carefully plopped the hook baits into position, slackened the line off so that it sinks and hidden behind an oak tree. I can't stress the importance of concealing your presence enough. He's only a few metres away from the rods but this is far enough to ensure that he's camouflaged an{ out of sight. The rods are simply placed on the floor with the bail arm in a position where the freespin facility can give line should he receive a blistering take. "Here we go mate," shouts Craig, two minutes later, as he springs to his feet and runs towards the rods. His spool is clicking away as one of the marginal carp powers out of the bay, removing main line at a rate of knots. Craig's light, Korum Neoteric rods create a satisfying curve and the shallow lake erupts as a decent doublefigure mirror aggressively tears from side to side,

34 TOTAL CARP

\:ter several epic runs in the rsoon-like conditions it hits the net. ::.rsbeautiful chestnut flanks and the rth is in perfect condition, with the ::.rin still intact. Despite what many ;lers say, it's not always true that -r s'ith a perfect curtain have never .:r caught before - they've obviously .: treen treated properly or evaded :':ure for a length of time. . ire stunning mirror is around 141b .: Craig returns it a few swims up, via - * eigh sling, to save disturbing the ..1 nrore than necessary. He attaches :her pinch of breadflake and flicks '.ick out to the marginal hotspot. \iru need to cast regularly when ::q breadflake because t can -.ltegrate quickly - say, every 30 '-rtes or so. I always use it with :nt lead as well, so that it causes -- inlpact when it hits the water. It's ' :reat for fishing at extreme range, ' :,rr rnarginal work there's nothing '-:r. If I opt for distance I'11attach a .:c or irnitation hook bait." :'.c carp have obviously moved on, ..-rblv due to the disturbance, so .j places his hook baits in the next ::: :rlong. It is possible to follow the ,,. cluring winter so it's worth a try. .i ::fr his rods in place he notices an , :hat may well be worth a look over :her side. It's an inlet stream that 'rccts the stock pond to Scotland . . The water runs into the bay .::lh the stream and will definitely . :.ic a higher level of oxygen. It may -, rntain fresher items of food such -::.iils and other organisms that cling . decaving leaves and floating - t:< promptly receives another take, :. :() the breadflake.Just like the Lrs fish it looks great in its winter .:' nnd is in pristine condition - a ' io f1r1;" Ashby Fisheries. ::: this area of the bav well ':,;lv disturbed s'e head for the ;.::ng inlet stream. Craig casts . hook baits
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and introduces mashed bread into the stream so that it falls naturally over the lake bed, colouring it up at the same time. "One trick I've carried out many a time is to actually colour the water by disturbing the lake bed. I do this by either getting into the water and kicking up silt with my waders on or digging my landingnet pole into the lake bed. This will send fragments of detritus to the surface, which carp sift through in search of food. It will also ensure that the rigs are less obtrusive because carp won't be able to see them as easily," he explains as an instant bite sees another pretfy mirror hit the spreader. The day has been a real eye-opener and I'll certainly be giving bread a go this season!

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IAN DAY
sonubaits.com man and top !meet !carp angler lan Day on a blustery ldav at Dra\ton Reservoir to see how he utilises the superb range of baits that are included in our fantastic subscription gift. Not only will you receive 12 issues of the UK's numberone carp fishing ll:lagazine, you'Il also get 544.80 worth of bait. He's located on the popular Boards aea of the lake fu1ly armed with halibut pellets, Tuna Wraps, Tuna Spod MLx and Tuna Casters. In fact, his bait bucket reeks of fishmeal - an awesome cap ^tactor all-year round! ..Iizith the reputation of these hungry Drayton carp I'm convinced that they,ll have a bit of tuna. \ell I hope they do because that's all I've brought with me," Ian comments as he hair rigs one of the Tuna'Wrap bottom baits. Like every carp angler that sees a new bait, I'rn intrigued and make a closer inspection of these nifty new Wraps. I pick one out of the bucket, split it in half and take a sniff. They smell superb; with a prominent tuna aroma and an interesting paste skin that looks to be wrapped around a boilie. "They smell good don't they mate," says Ian. "Having used boilies wrapped in paste for many years, for both barbel and carp fishing, I'm well aware of how effective the tactic can be. The oroblem.

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though, is the fact that you have to buy a bag of boilies for, say, 510 and then abag of paste for ,5- not cheap if you're on a limited budget. "This is the reason why the reputable sonubaits.com has decided on these Tuna'Wraps - you're able to get the best of both worlds for a mere 5.9.99. Plus, 150m1 of Tuna Oil is included." \ilith the Tuna.Wrap attached to his hair, Ian dips it into the matching oil and threads on a small PVA bag fulI of 6mm halibut pellets. He dips this 'r, into the oil as well. to ensure optimum attraction. " 'l

+: * * ,
minute to sink the monofilament main line and Ian places the rod onto its rests, which are connected to his chair The innovative Korum chair features arms that allow you to screw in your buzzbars, making it easy to fish on platforms or hard swims - ideal for Drayton really. The choppy surface continues to twitch the bobbins, so a liner is difficult to identify. However, the carp in here are real warriors and the takes are normally blistering. His right-hand rod tip pulls round and then drops back within a millisecond. Ian leaves it to develop and his clutch is soon ticking away as the fish makes its bid for freedom. "They obviously like a bit of tuna," Ian comments as his light, 2lb testcurve rod takes up fu1l arc. It fights doggedly just under the ruffled surface and as soon as it engulfs its first breath of fresh air, Ian knows that he has the upper hand. He glides it towards the waiting net and she's in! 'Blimey, that's a proper hook-hold mate. I've been testing these new for a while now and the results have been impressive. They will be released very soon so watch this space," Ian reveals as he pops the small, size 72 hook out of the bottom lip. The fish is in immaculate condition, with golden scales near the wrist of the tail, and its dorsal fin quivers in the blusterv n'ind - it weighs around 9lb but pro'r-esthe instant attraction of the rJTraos.

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"Vith the water

amount of feeding caro. I've decided to maximise the attraction in my baits. This is to draw the carp towards the hook bait by smell rather than sight. Dipping the hook bait and PVA bag allows me to do this and, due to the nature of the oil, it won't melt the PVA," Ian concludes as he launches his hook bait towards a moored boat. One of the main features of the Boards'swims is that carp can seek shelter underneath them. They also contain natural food because weed and organisms cling to the decaying wood and sunken ropes. He then carefully sinks the line, minding not to move the lead. If this was to happen the hook could quite easill, mask on lake-bed debris, resulting, at worst, in a practically useless rig and a blunt hook. It takes a

I ..-^t]tt., r..^ .^ iL ., I probably due to the

I being so coloured,

going to be a ::ificult tactic to employ today, due the side wind, but spodding would \' \-ery effective here, especially with .rr Tuna Spod Mix. Carp absolutely ,.krre the concoction of active '-:cekdown pellets, funa, betaine and .:rino acids. The pellets break down r:()a dust that's full of aromas and rpealing fishmeal particles. 'The bucket is full of a mkture of .l1 5 tool ensuing that the cafp don't '\'!ome preoccupied on one size. \rc little trick that I utilise is pouring ',-:-eTuna Oi1 into the pellets. This rlps to send plenty of attraction :',rough the layers and clouds the '..lt r - somethng that can be great n gin-clear Rsheries," he says. -So what are the Tuna Casters then. ,:r-:" I enquire. ,\gain, I haven't used them today :': because of the confidence ' :r.n-ein the Tuna .i:.rps but I know cr"d work. . rcr''re basically . Sookable <.iet that sinks. . .cr have been : 1 \c l ( ) p e d -., rrporating a . .<cial texture .ii makes
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enough to hook, or thread onto a hair, while being tough enough to withstand repeated casting and the attenton of nuisance species. I've found them particularly good on the rivers, whether that be targeting carp, barbel or chub," is the reply, as Ian's other rod bursts into life, leaving his Delkim squealing.

His rod tip rips around and this time the hooked fish is on a mission, trying to head br the moored boat in the distance. Following constant pressure, pumping the fish towards him with the rod tip under the surface, Ian makes headway and another scaly mirror is in the net. This one's slightly bigger, weighing just into double figures. In a mere 60 minutes, during pretty poor conditions, Ian has proved how effective these baits can be if used properly. They're high-attract baits that can be used with total confidence. Ian stays for a few more hours and manages to tempt several more carp up to around 121b. See page 44 to subscribe and order your package, which will be delivered straight to your door; you'd be a fool not to!

Pr.oaf af the pudding - use your sttbsgi'fl effectively and yau'lt bag up,

We'veonlygone ond done it ogoln - yet onothersuperb . Poy deol courtesy of Totol Corp ond sonuboits.com subscription just944.80 pock for l2 issues ond we'llsend you o sonuboits.com worthmorethon 9/l1. Come on,you'vebeen meoningto sign up for oges,do it now beforewe run out of stock! for o subscription
'These are truhltnnovative baitsand thefuna W raps,rn particular, lookset to take the carp-batt n.tarket bq storm'To be able to depost highlt1 attractive pastearound the hassle beforehand, the hookbait, but without of havng to wrapthe pastet1ourself and a serious willbe botha t[me saver carpcatcher. Cet on'em! (Marc Coulson Carp editor) ,Total

Yes!l WoU|d |ike to subscribe to Totalcapfor pack, 12 issues at 844,80 andreceive mysonubaits.com please) Yl}|lRllEA|tli: be comp|eted in b|ock capita|s {|r4ust Title Sumame Address Postcode Initials

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SPONSOREDBY

WHICH WIilTER BAITS?

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lf you only had threewinterbaits whichwould they be and why? S James,Leeds

Lee Jaclison sa1's: At the risk of sounding boring, I think most people that have followed any of my writings will probably be able to guess what one of my choices is - frozen Richworth Tutti-Frutti boilies Undoubtedly, the old Tuttis must rate as one of the best baits of all time and, due to their highly digestible make-up and highly attractive flavour, I don't think there is a water in the land where they don't or won't work. Although I don't think that Tuttis have a great deal of food value nutritionally during winter, whether fished as a single hook bait or lreavily baitec with, Tuttis will usually outfish the best-quality food baits around and continue to be effecrive year after year. Perhaps the one drawback is that the,v are a very visible bait, and as \\,ater clarity is often very clear during n'inter, water birds such as tufted ducks and coots can sometimes prove troublesome because they are also on the lookotrt br a qtrick and easy meal. My second ctroice for a winter winner is n.ryold faithful, own recipe, Jacko PopUps, marketed by Solar Tackle under the name ofJacko's Specials. I, and hordes of other anglers, have caught literally hunclreds of \\'inter carp on these. In fact, I find it rerv difficult not to include one of these on at least one of my rods. Included in tlie rub fl'orn Solar is a Pot Shot of the special flavour blend that goes into the nrake-up of tl-resepop-ups, designed to be

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added to boost the attractiveness. This is because the process used when they are made does boil out a lot of the original attractors that are added The instructions on the tub suggest that you simply pour the Pot Shot into the tub, shake so that all of the pop-ups are coated and then plrt them into your tackle bag ready for use. I prefer to pour the Pot Shot into a resealable bag, jiggle the bag about so that the inside is coated in flavour and then add the pop-ups and freeze them for around 48 hours. I then allow the pop-ups to tha'w out in the bag and then tip them back into the tub that thev came in. This freezing process serves two purp()ses. Firstl)', it breaks down the strllcture of the baits slightly, which means that thev s'ill leach off flavours more readilr ancl. secondlr-. it ensures that the flavours in the Pot Shot are absorbed into the pop-ups more cificienth'.

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:\hing $'ith these pop-ups, they -: ire fished as singie high-attract '. ,'rcr the rop of free off'erings. ''' '\\man set-up on top of whatever ' 'n bait ) o u a l e u s i n g .u h a t e v e r . "irps are a $,inter n'inner that will ...rl1rirn1-nere. --l cl-roice of \\'inter bait is maggots, :lreir effectiveness depends on a
'-:\llectS.

::ltisance jsh strch as bream and ] .Llclllike . ]f the 'ater tl-ratyou :]:f.lting on contains a lot of beam - - : it. rher- s'ill clrive you absolutely ..i\c \oLl up all nigl-rt once - ::r 0n the maggots. secondly, ,.::r. One of the main reasons -- :' \\()rk $'ell and attract fish is : ::rcir r isibility aspect. Obviousll', ' : : ! ( ) r r t r l i r la s lot of weed, then 'r '.cconrc buried and evade ' r( )\\e\ er. \'ouf watel has no, or .:.1 growth and not much in the

way of nuisance fish, then rnaggots can be the bait to outfisl"r all other baits throughout w'inter. I lnust admit that, although l'd used ma!..ots \'eaSago to gooc1 effect in l'inter. it s solnething that I'd overlookecl in tllore ecent \.ears' That is until I lrad a con\.efs.ltiolrr'ith rnl. old nate Rob ]Iar lir-r. ri l-rol:ls absolutell' slaying 'enr on the \\ilters t]]at l]e $.as ishing. Rob hacl pertectecl rhe rrag-aligner method, incorporeting EnterpriseTackle's Mag ,\ligncr (lrrrbs. uncl fishecl in coniunction l ith l;ig I)\.\ hrLgsof loads of maggots. After n r \ c o n \ c r \ . l r i ( ) ns i r h R o b , a n d m i m i c k i n g h i s t a c t i c . . \ r ) n l c ( ) i t h e c l t h e rT a c k l e B o x -rcouple of absolutely laclr ;rnrlI h.LrL \ \ r h a tc o u l d b e b e t t e r t u n t r r r t i t\ i : r t c r r c s r t i t s . _ s t l t r rh t I : l I l : . t t s i l t l - i . catch two oI thee gootL fr.lr '.. rc l).icking Llp at 4.30pm and ,. ,pnr 'l.hen it's a nice shower, Ihcn lr':' : : L l < p r r l rh y S p r n - t h i s i s l t o i t : :r : : u h.r: .,.: - . , : : .i . h i r r g i s a l l a b o u t !

Finally, I'd like to dispel a f'ew'mlths about maggots. By their nature, carp anglers norma1ly clroose ed maggots. pellrepr thinking thatthey rninric bloodrvorrns. Well, I've found ordinary 'nvhite n-raggots to $.ork equally as,$.e11, tnaybe er-err bette than different Coloured ones in fact. and so did Rob, so that's good enough for me. Arrglers often kill nla..ots by scalding theilt \\'ith boiling lr.ater',thinhing that they're going to cra\rr4as'ay on tl-re lake bed - u.rongl Drop naggots into cold \\'ater and tl-rey aLnost imrnediatel,v becorne still and rigid. The only reason that thev rnove about on the bottom is dlle to the etTects of undercurrents and toq's. Other than that, rest assured that P\A bags of a f'erv l-rundred free offerings rvill remain in tl-revicinity of your hook bait. n'aiting for a big, hungry winter carp to come alor-rgand snaffle the lot in. Be lucky, see vou on the ice.

TOTALCARP 49

SPONSORED BY

BREAKTIUG.STRAIN QUERY
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C o u l d y o u e x p l a i nw h y c a r p anglersneverdo the same as matchanglers and use lighter hook linksthantheirmain lines? F Barclav.via e-mail
Aclam Pcnning sar-s: Well, this really is a good question. A lot of anglers are not aware just how much pressure can be exerted through a standard 3lb test-curve carp rod. I have carried out tests and the absolute maximum that you can pull is berween 5lb and 7lb, depending on the rod. I should add that this was at the point where the rod was creaking and about to explode while veins stood out in my neck - far in excess of a normal fishing situation. So why do we use such strong hook links? The main reason is because stronger lines are invariably thicker lines. Thicker lines are always going to be tougher (more abrasion resistant) than thinner lines and are, therefore. better at dealing with hear'y weed, mussels and sharp gravel. Hower.er, if you are faced with a venue that is generally free of *'eed and snags, then *'hy not fine down your tackle and use a hook link that is lighter than your main line? I can guarantee you that the finer you go in terns of presentation,

No matter what line you use, it needs to be balanced.

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then the more bites you will get, but clealy bites are not the name of the game - it is safely landing fish, so always bear this in mind and never fish too light to land the carp. So what constitutes a light hook link? I regularly use fluorocarbons as light as 10lb and have taken carp to well over 30lb on 10lb IQ Soft without any problems at all. I also like Berkeley XL, which makes a iovelv soft hook link in either 81b or 101b.

Generally, 6lb is as light as I will go, but, and I must stress this point, this needs to be used in open-water conditions where there are no obstacles. Knots need to be tied carefully and soft rods of 2.75lb or less will help too. With the winter months now upon us, the weed has died back, the carp are often fighting less manically and, with the clear water also being something to consider, you could do a lot wose than going light.

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CHOD COIUCERil
The waterthat | fish is still quite weedy and becauseit's surrounded by treesthereare |otso|eaves and stuffon the bottom. Our club does not allow the use of helicopter set-ups so I cannotfish a chod ig.Cou|dyou suttest any other rigs that might work over such bottomdebrisT P Frobisher, Lancashire
Gaz F:rrehanrsa\s: I could indeed; quite a few actually because I have spent half of my life fi shing similar-sounding waters to the one that you've described. A lot of the estate lakes and meres in my native north suffer from hearry leaf litter and detritus on the bottom dr.rring autumn and winter, so I've dealt with it many trmes. My first choice would, like you mentioned, probably be a chod or helicopter set-up but they are not the only rigs suitable for tl-re task. You didn't mention anlthing about size of venue or how far you need to be able to fish, but one of the first things that I would suggest is dropping your lead size to as small as ).ou can get away svith. A llzoz or 2oz pear will penetrate far less deeply into silt or weed than a 3oz or 4oz version. The second thing I would do is lengthen your hook links. In your situation I would look to use a lead-clip system with a long link, probably between eight and 12 inches, and a nicely balanced pop-up with either a few nuggets of foam or a couple of old spare buoyant baits attached as a stringer to soften the descent and help it all settle nicely. To be honest, I imagine that some people might suggest a paternoste-type set-up with a'lead link' to separate the lead and stop the main line being pulled into the debris. Ho$'eYer. it isn't the sort of thing that I ever use. I ve al*'ays managed perfectly well n-ith a long link, light lead and some kind of custrion in the fornt ol [,'.rrtt \\ orastringcr. t \ The lr\t noint m { .

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BY SPONSORED

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HOW TO TAKE COVER

:, : :: Thereare so many different typesoshe|ter avai|ab|e these daysthat I don't know which Brollies, domes... I to choose. bivvies, don't know where to sta'Have you any advice? S Pavne.Lincolnshire
Tony Makepeace says: This is a question that I am regularly asked in the tackle shop where I work. The first type of shelter is the broily. Most have pegging points, mini sides to keep out the elements and should be used with four storm poles for rigidiry These are very popular with carp fisherman for day sessions and overnighters. Most manufacturers now sell these with a full zip-in front to turn it into more of a biwy. one impotant fact is that most brollies wiil fit into the maioriw of quivers and holdails. The nert n'pe of shelter is the biwy. These are definitell the most popular and probablv the nrost confusing because all the manufacrurers are trying to sell you their latest version. The best, modern design is based on the pran.r-hood principle, with fixed elasticated poles and a removable groundsheet. Options are endless with this rrpe of bisr'. You can remove the groundsheet and front and use it as an overnight brolh.B'pe shelter, or with eve}'thing in place you have a sturdy, fu11-biw1. system' Thee will normally be an optional overwrap that will stop condensation in the colder months and will often give you a porch area for muddy boots or cooking. Vhen packed away they tend to be short, fat and quite healy, so are ideally suited to being transported on a barrow. The newer breeds of this type have fewer joins in fewer poles, which make them longer and thinner. Couple this with lighter aluminium ooles and thev are much more suitable for carrying in a rod bag or rod-quiver system. Finally, there is the traditional dome. I class a dome as the type where you have to manually thread the poles and they will come with a sewn-in, non-removable groundsheet. This type of shelter is ideal if you are, for example, going to Fance for a week or two, because they pack up very small, but take a little longer to set up because of threading the poles. In terms of my own preference, I recommend the biv'vy type. This is because of the versatility - you can use it as a day and overnight shelter or convert it to a fuIl system for longer sessions. The newer, lighter versions allow you to buy one shelter for all your fishing options. The removable groundsheet is great because if you damage it you will be able to replace it and not need a whole new biwy. I have used the Chub Cyfish+ for some time, and more recefltly have upgraded to the Tri-Lite, but there are lots of good ones available to the modern carp angler, depending on your budget.

WI]UWITH GREYS!

: . =-_. reader that hasa question answered . : - ' e x p e r tp a n e w l i n sa p r i z e O . ne ..:: on is chosen for the starprize- a , - :'wonderful3lb test-curve Creys ' i :=- carprods. Theseare usedby .-. othe Creys Academyteam o . ='sw , h i c hi n c l u d essu c hb i g n a m e s as = ',1oore, TonyMakepeace and Nick Helleur : -:rors of the otherquestions will eachbe ser: a top-of-theanswered jacket, great whichis extremely v.'a:- a'c rooks .: CreysCRX-i fleece ; : ' n e m b e rt,h o u g hw o - s ' , : , m u s tm a k e , h e ny o u s e n di n y o u rq u e s : you let us know what sizeyou require, othe-.'. .= .'.:cannotask :^at . o m eo n t h e n , . . : o s e n do u ty o u rj a c k e tC w h a ta . . ' , : - , ' , 1 : l n g or?

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To stand a chance of winning one of the three first prizes or one of six second prizes. simply answer the questions correctly and send the entry form betow to the address sated. If yours is one of the nine co.ect entries picked randomly from the TC hat then you're a winner. Good luck.

Which of the Solar pods are up for grabs as part of the first prize?
lTick Bo\)

A: Worldwide pod B; Mini Boss pod C: Spacepod

How many indicatorc are there in a Quiverloc Presentation set?

What is the name o the Solar terminal tackle that makes up the second prize?
Iick Bor)

A: AmazingRig Gear B: AdvancedRig Gear Cr AdequateRig Gear

form to: S e n dt h e c o m p l e t e d Solar Competition,Total Carp (February), DHP Ltd, 2 StephensonClose, Drayton Fields, Daventry,Northants NN11 8RF

mAngilffibm

CLOSIilG DATE:

NEILSMITH
Just 40 minutes after leaving the airport and we're sat at the fishing lodge sipping red wine while looking across 13 acres of carp fishing heaven. A guided tour by our hosts leads to the usual dilemma on a new venue - swim choice. The main lake has fwo double and rwo single swims. They are only 40 yards apart, so it's great for a social. A toss of a coin is the only way to go in this circumstance and with Steve and myself coming out first, we decide on one of the double swims. Back at the lodge we sort out our bait and tackle and we're ready for our first night, but not before we are fed.'$(/ell what can I say other than the food placed in front of us is outstanding. Steve's doing cartwheels as shepherd's pie with lashings of gravy is served - there's definitely a touch of northern England here! This is followed by sponge and custard, all washed down with red wine and a bonle of lager. This'll tide us over until a full English breakfast at 9am. This venue would certainly suit the editor's style of angling! lVith darkness drawing in we set about getting rcady for the night ahead. It doesn't take long and soon enough my third rod is cast 40 yards out into open water. According to George, this spot produced fish to a whopping 4!lb the previous night to another angler. Rods sorted and it's time for some kip. what seems like mnutes later, but it is in fact almost dawn, Paul wakes me up in a bit of a panic.

Kirk has a fish on, but it's snagged him up. Climbing out of the bag to lend a hand, my left-hand rod bursts into life. Following a deep and dogged fight, Steve slips the net under a large mirror as Paul =*#d' launches the boat that's moored in my swim and sets off into the night to try and sort Kirk's fish out. Meanwhile, my large mirror is hoisted onto the scales. At 39lb 8oz it's a new French PB for me. The first fish of the trip and a near 40, not bad! Unfortunately, Kirk loses his fish but Paul goes on to land a carp of 281b, with Steve also getting in on the act with a J4lb mirror. Over breakfast we discuss our tactics. It seems that small 'pockets' of bait are the order of the day because all four takes came to bags/ stringers with about 20 freebies around the rig. \hile I have a tendency to use small baits, bigger baits definitely score with the big fish in France. As a mate of mine says; "Give them big 'uns something they can find!" As well as buying the large boilies on sale at the venue, I've brought a few hook baits with me. I'd advise anyone to do the same, even
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if vou onlv take a tub of yellow pineapple pop-ups and some dumbbells. If the going gets tough you can ring the changes with single hook baits, snowman or pop-up rigs. Cralfish are also worth bearing in mind when you pack for your trip. Although we haven't had a problem they are present in Etang Negreloube. A tin of tigers could get you out of trouble because the crays tend to leave these alone. Full to the gunnels with breakfast it is time to get the rods back out for the day. The only carp showing are tight against some snags in front of Steve. An awkward cast will put him on the money but he needs to stay close to the rods if he wants to land any'thing. Steve's stiff rigs are just the ticket for this sort of cast, remaining tangle free on the firm lake bed. The day flies by and although Ste'r'e has racked up a few fish, the rest of us are struggling. It seems that the open-$'ater spots are bankers during the night and early morning, but aren : exacth' productive during the daylight hours. This leaves Steve in a bit of a dilemma. It would be suicide to fisl.r so close to the snags during the night. but once vou've had action frorn a sp,

,,'*-'t',,,,,

r s hard to ;ome off it. With this in mind, :cve makes the decision to fish the rn-rgs until he can no longer keep his <rcs open. He'll then wind in and drop rcm well short when he hits the sack. The second night follows a similar srnern to the previous one. Paul bags r PB at 42Ib,I pick up a 27Ib mirror p<t Kirk gets off the mark with a carp :r -121b. The third day dawns with Steve vrng the only one not to catch the ;rn.ious night. \rith the light levels etting better and better he casts back r the snags and within 15 minutes he -a -l$av. Again, the action on Steve's ' ds is steady dqring the day, with him :rrrng fish to 361b, but the open-water (i {s are devoid of fish. This is where the other lakes could crr into play because two smaller a. 'ls of around Ilz acres each are rtrccnt to the main lake. Both present 3ret stalking opportunities, wth carp r {.rlb that can be tempted off the top.

If you make a trip to Etang Negreloube it's well worth bringing a lightweight rod and reel, maybe a three or four-piece travel rod, and have a bit of fun during the day. Our short stay is coming to an end, but the action continues. Incredibly, Paul beats his PB again with a huge fish of 461b but he isn't the only one to enjoy continued success. As I sit taking pictures on the opposite bank to our double swim, Steve receives another take. I click a:way as Steve lands his fish just as the other rod tears off. He manages to bundle the second fish into the net with the first. In a frantic spurt of action Kirk receives a take as, quite unbelievably, Steve has a third take on the only rod he has left in the water. Kirk lands his fish and it's a big 'un, 44lb to be precise. Spotting the predicament that Steve has got himself into, Harold takes a spare landing net and helps him land

his fish. Meanwhile, a beaming Kirk struggles to hold his prize up for the camea. With the picture's done I race around to steve's swim and discover canage. Rods, nets, slings and terminal tackle are strewn across the ground. Peering into the landing nets I find a good thirty n the first and two fish, one much bigger than the other, in the second. To make things a bit easier we release the smaller of the two, which looks to be a low twenry before weighing and photographing the two bigger specimens. The first fish weighs 341b, with the second a touch over 40lb and a PB for Steve-whataresult. If we'd set out to catch four PBs in a few nights fishing we'd have been up against it. It's a testament to how productive this venue can be. Vhat's more, the party of anglers that followed us on banked two fifties. For anyone looking to book a French trip then this complex is worth considering. It's easy to get to from Liverpool, Stanstead or East Midlands airports and the tackle is there waiting for you and it's of a great standard. The food is superb and, most importantly, the fish are big and beautiful. Visit www.thefatcarpcompany. com for more information on Etang Negreloube. Better still, get yourself to The Wirral, Merseyside and District carp forum charity evening at Bromborough Civic Centre, Wirral on February 22nd,2008, where you could win a trip for the price of a raffle ticket.

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ffinnvE LANE
It'scarp fishing's most comprehensive guide and this &*sss month #mw* will be talkingabout things beginning with the letter H...

No, not HM Maze Prison, the otherone!An H block is a hi-vizmarker that is designed for dropping rom a boat and will unravelto the exactdepth of the lake. Theseare much easierto use than a standard marker. The beautyis that you can boat around untilyou find a likelylookingspot and then chuck the markeroverboard. lts shapeallowsthe attached |eadto a|| throughthe water,f|ipping the marker over and unravelling the attachedcord.As soon as the lead hitsthe bottomthe cord stopsunravelling and, even in the wind and undertow, it staysexactly whereit is - genius.

H BLOCK

The originalhair rig is a bit of a forgottenprinciple. It revolvedaroundseparation betweenthe bait and hook to fool the carp into thinkingthat the bait was not aftached. The soin-offfrom this was that the hook and bait alwaysseparated in the mouth and, on ejection, the hook was left behindratherthan being taken out of the mouth with the bait. I think that this was the main factorof the hair rig'ssuccess and, as a consequence, I stillfishwith a fairlylong hair wherever oossible.

HAIR RIG

Many companies sell halibutpelletsin a huge range of sizesand they can be a fantastic |ooseeed. They are very oily,so I preferto use them mainlyin the summermonths,when the watertemperature is higher. pellets Careshouldbe takenwhen storing halibut because the oi|can turn rancidiyou keep them for too long.As a guide,you shouldonly storehalibut pellets for six months.lf you don't use many pellets then the best idea sto buy sma|lpacketsfrom reputable dealers and replace them as needed,rather than investing in a greatbig sack.

HALIBUT PELLETS

Hangers,bangers, swingers, springers, butt crackers, drop-backbringers and whatever other namesyou might havefor indicators, they'reall just bobbinsreally. They performa coup|eosimp|e tasks,such as identifying which rod has a take, how ast the fish is movingand whetherit's headingtowardsor away from you. I usuallyfish with my indicators slack,having them layingon the grounda lot of the time. I neverfish with them rammedup tight againstthe rod becauseI think that a slackline givesfar better biteindication than a tightone. Whateveryou choose,alwaysremember that f5 worth of plasticstillgoes up and down the sameas f35 worth of stainless and chrome.

HAilGERS

lf you're leavingbaitsout for long periods, fishing wherethereare lots of smallfish,or even dreaded crayfish, then thesewill come in handy. Thereare a few you can buy readyprepared, aimedat English anglerstravelling abroad,but ljust ai-dry my baits,which has a similareffect. Pour a few freezerbaitsinto a shallow, cardboard box, add a few Chum mixersor a scooporiceto help absorbthe moisture. Leavethem in a warm, dry placefor a few days,an airingcupboardis ideal,and bingo,rock-hard baits. A|ternative|y, some of the g|ugsand dpscan havethe sameeffect.I have left boiliesin a pot of Mainlinedip for monthsand theysimplycontinue becoming harder and smellier.

HARDEilIED HOOK BAITS

TOTAL CARP 65

This is the perfectanti-tangle set-upbecause the entirehook link rotates aroundthe leadel ratherthan twistingwith it in flight. rig is far saferorthe fish as A properhe|icopter opposedto a standard semi-fixed set-upor leadrelease clio, because the entirehook link detaches from the leaderif a breakage occurs.I usethe term ,Proper'because thereare somedabo|ica| versions in usethat are anythingbut safe. The test of the rig'ssafetyis that the bead above the hooklength swive| can be removedromthe |eader by pulling the hooklinkwithoutholding the easily lead.Also, the top beadand hooklength swivelshould passover all knots,leaders and stop knotseasily. lf you're unsurethen take a look at the new safetyre|ease, He|i-Gripter romJRC, it beadsand |eaders hasa large-bore bead and big-eyedswivelto ensure from the leader. total detachment

HELICOPTER RIGS

-..-5
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Probably the bestparticle bait of all time,bar none! |ovehemp and are capableo Carp absolute|y devouringhuge amountsothe stuff. As with any particle, it'simportant to buy goodqualityhemp and prepare it conectly. Thereare a lot versions on the market, which are of ready-prepared very good, but for largequantities I prepae my own usingan old Burcoboiler. Always buy cleanedhemp with a light-brown, shinyfinishto the shells, without too many otherbitsorubbish, twigs and sticksin the Dags. l soak mine in a |arge bucketor24 hours(any I then transfer longerand it mightgerminate). it to the Burcoand boilit untilthe kernels splitopen, a' revealing the white inner.I usuallycook it until at least75 per cent splitsopen, because 100 per a possibility withoutruining centis not usually the softer parts. I thentip it intoa bucket whileit'sstillhoi and put it overnight the lid on, leavlng before usingit.Thiswill seeds. often open the remaining Try to usethe juicefor something as well,eitherfor mixinggroundbait, tippingit in the margins or over the sdef vour boat. lt's a bri||iant attractor.

HENRP

with pop-ups, Usua|y associated the term hi-attract can a|sobe usedorbottombaits'p|astic baitsand anythingdesigned to draw carpto a singleoffering ratherthan a bed of food-basedbaits.lf it's bright, smellyor leakingoff a trailof lovelyaromasthen it's hi-attract.

HI.ATTRACT BAITS

: :

Rod holdalls come in all shapesand sizes.I prefera quiver-and-sleeve system, but whateveryou choose it will makesurethat your rodsand reelsanive in the swim in one pieceand readyto use. When I usedto tie all my rodstogetherwith a pairoo|dsocks,I wouIdregu|ar|y arriveat a swim and find that one of my rigswas in the car park,still attached to the otherend of 200 yardsof linethat weavedits way alongthe path behindme. I also used to breaka |otof rod ringsntransitso, if you value your gear,treatyourself to some decentluggageto keeotin.

HOLEALLS

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As long as you pay closeattention to detailwhen you should choosingthe rightrig for each situation, usuallyend up with a perfecthook-hold. This is genera|ly considered to be the centreothe carp's lower lip, wherethe skin is tough enoughto keepthe hook where it belongs. A good rig and sharphook wi.. helpthis becomea regularoccurrence.

HOOK-HOLD

6G TOTAL CARP :

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I{OOKLEIiIGTH NNATERIALS

When the hairrigwas invented the only hook link we had was monofilament, so lifewas simple. Then, hooklinks, alongcamebraided the associated tangles and the tubingto curethem. Nowadaysthereare to choosefrom, but my three all sortsof materials favourites are coatedbraidsfor all combi-links, pop-uppresentations and any weed or snagwork; for c|ear-water where your rigs |uorocarbon situations and monofilament for long-hair rigs, are morevisible for these. althoughI now prefersoft fluorocarbon shouldbe chosen Coatedbraids to blendin with the lake bed that you'refishingover.They'reusually in weed green,silt brown and a lighter available versionfor sandor gravelbottoms. Thisis whereyour hook linkis mostvisible, when fishingover regular feedingareaswhere all of the silt and detritushas been clearedaway to expose the sand or gravelunderneath. A brown or green walnuts hooklength will stickout like a whippet's againsta yellow background, so alwayscarrya choice and takecareto select the right of hook-link colours one for each situation.

items Obviously, theseare one of the most important you should in any angler's tacklebox and something reallytake careover,especially when choosingthe rightpatternfor the job in hand. hookswith a nice wide gape are Short-shanked presentations, idealfor bottom baitsand basichair-rig hookswill whilelong-shanked and swerved-shanked aid the effectiveness of any pop-up rig. Look at the ang|eothe eye and the hook.link material that you are usingto make surethat the hook flipsover,but is not 'masked'by too greatan For example, a stiff eye angleand too stiff a material. fluorocarbon hook link will work betterwith straighteyed hooks becauseit leavesmore gape betweenthe hook linkand hook ooint. lf you are fishingover hardground,such as sand of usinga or gravel,then think aboutthe advantages beakedpoint.This will protectthe point from bumps a hook, and knocks thatcouldbluntit.The sharper the finerthe point and the easierit will damage. of hooks RecentlyI havedevelopedfive patterns for the JRC Connectionrangeand the main thing a qualitycoatingcan that I noticedwas the difference make,Teflonfor example.Not only does it provide property, it also maintains hookswith an anti-glare Tefloncoatingis a definite the point'ssharpness. that it advantage and, havingseenthe difference hooks. makes,I now only ever useTeflon-coated to When usinga long hair it is not alwayscritical matchthe baitto the hooksizeand a small-hook-bigHowever,if can be quite effective. bait combination you are mountingyour baittight to the hook shank, be sureto havea hook big enoughto catch hold and not becomemaskedbv the size of the bait.

HOOKS

An historiclake in the Colne Valleynearto Heathrow This was the sceneof my very firstcaptureof a 40lbplus carp,way back when I sti|| had a decenthead o hair. I caughtthatfishon just7lb lineand a floating Duringthe two yearsI spenton the Chum mixer. which water I managedanotherthreefish over 401b, was somewhatof a recordat the time. It was home to somefantastic, big, old fish that a lot led a long and colourfullife but, unfortunately, of them died when a diseasehit the water in the late to its formerglory 1990s.Nowadaysit has returned fish in itsdeep,gin-clear and holdssomeincredible waters.

HORTON

TOTAL CARP 67

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Lewis Read goes to the heart of

the Berkshire to see countryside any surrender of its mythical

if CEMEX Angling's Theale Two will

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Two's local anglers -heale kept themselves have alwavs ]irl-. I but why? There I to themselves, ffiie.*
.: are many stories of large, plated mirrors reaching the 40lb mark, but could it all be speculation? \e asked Lewis Read to spend 24 hours on the bank to see if he could outfox any of these legendary specimens. I find myself in a carp fishing Mecca surrounded by beautiful woodland, dense shrubbery and lush, green grass. The banks are ovefgown and, other than the purpose-cut path, it seems completely untapppd territory. As we scan the lightly rjlpled surface you sense that it could hold a surprise or tvvo. There are snaggy areas, intimate islands and quet, secluded bays - literally everything you could wish for in an ideal gravel quarry. You can now see why the locals like to keep this paradise so secret. "I've always known about the potential of the area," Lewis begins, "having fished Theale One on and off for a number of years. However, Theale Two has always remained a bit of a mystery. "I'm regulady in touch with the carp fishing grapevine and a trusted friend mentioned that it had produced quite a few fish up to around 25lb recently. Many of the locals believe that it's due to the hear,y flooding they received. It

LEWISREAD
could be down to the sudden influx of cold water, or a few fish may have escaped from the neighbouring waters - who knows?" Lewis explains. "I think that we should settle in here. It gives plenty of scope for open water and it's opposite a non-fishing bank - if you were a carp where would you be?" he adds. Fishing is prohibited in an area on the far bank simply because it's someone's back garden. The carp are bound to regularly hold up under the bushes and patrol the far margin - it's the safest area on the lake. Lewis then delves inside his rod bag, removes the marker rod and researches the lake bed to identify some likely looking spots. "The topography of the lake bed is up and down like an egg box. At around 100 yards you can pull the lead back nice and smoothly, indicating clean silt with a depth of around six feet." Lewis reveals ..You'll certairy several casts later. receive takes from these spots but I'm looking for something a little more pronounced with variation in depth. "As I continue to retrieve I eventually feel a jolty sensation on the rod tip. This shows me that I'm pulling the lead up a gravel shelf. Consequently, I decide to peel line off my spool a foot at a time to C :ge-the depth. The result is two feet nd my suspicions are correct - a shallow gravel bar.

'At this time of year the frsh will be seeking slightly deeper water and patrolling the bottom of the shelves for food items that may have rolled down the slope. Therefore, I'm pulling the float back until it hits silt and deepens off." Following precise marker work, Lewis identifies a depth of five feet and he's found a suitable winter spot. He finds the same areas for the other two rods and sets about using the remote-controlled boat. It glides across the calm surface and with the flick of a switch drops the hook bait over the desired area. "Many anglers like to let out yards of line before dropping their hook bait n aboat. They do this to allow the rig to fall directly into position. Just like casting, though, I prefer to feel my lead down to the lake bed on a tight line - this lets me know that I've landed on the correct spot. "I'm using fwo different rigs today but ones that I'd feel confident in using anlnvhere. The standard blow-back rig

is great for targeting virgin waters because the carp find it very difficult to eject when they try to blow the bait out. This is used in coniunction with my dependable DT Baits boile sticks, tipped with a grain of plastic corn. "The other rig that I've been using recently was developed by a friend of mine, Jon McAllister, andl rate it highly. It's based on the same principles as a D rig but allows you to change your hook without the need to tie a completely new hooklength. Take a look at the sequence hereabouts and you'll see what I mean," Lewis explains. The baits are now dropped and each lands with a thud, showing that Lewis was in the correct area.'Within minutes the surface of the water is covered in an oily slick that's seeping from the hemp and pellet mix. If there are arry c^p hovering over the spots they'lI surely dip down and par' a visit for the feast. Lewis immediately begins to receive liners, indicating that the'carp are close by. "Carp will often home in on the appealing slick that the hemp provides so action can be pretty instant - depending on the type of water you're fishing, of course. lVitl-rin minutes of dropping the bait I've started to receive small knocks on the rod tip and the occasional bubblc is rising over the hook bait. I'm pretry confident that something lt'ill happen." Just as Lewis is tying a few spare rigs readv for the night ahead his roci bursts into life, sending bubbles and

boils to the surface over the gravel bar. The local ducks and tufties scatter in a state of shock as an aflgry ctp powers towards the lefthand side of the swim. He picks up the rod and takes the strain, ensuring that the line angle is as high in the water as possible. ...sith such a prominent, sharp gravel bar I have to be careful not to sheer the line. The slightest nick from a zebra mussel or stone could cause it to part. By keeping a tight line high in the water it should prevent this problem," Lewis says as he keeps firm resistance between him and the fish. As it nears the margins Lewis wades out into slightly deeper water to net it. This is to prevent it grating its scales on any close-in gravel. Soon enough it's there and it looks to be in superb condition.

Pullb1ckafew ririllirire'r of coating

"It's a bit bigger than we think, maybe an original," says Lewis excitedly. It's quite a pale fish but features some distinctive scratches along its side, which may have been caused during spawning. The solid mirror, which fell to the boilie stick, goes 26Ib 8oz and t's a pleasing start to the session. out goes a rebated hair and the rig is soon back in place, along with another handful of hemp and pellet. !7ith the wind slightly stronger and the surface featuring a ripple, the hemp slick is even more noticeable. The change in conditions act like a feeding trigger and carp begin to show either side of the gravel bar. They're feeding heavily and Lewis makes the most of his opportunities, landing four fish into darkness.

LEWISREAD
"To fish accurately during the night I use a glow-in-the-dark marker float. It allows me to find the feeding spot and negates the possibility of chuck-itand-chance-it casting - also known as a pub chuck. "The float contains a luminous chemical that glows in the dark when charged by a powerful light. It stands out up to reasonable distances and makes recasting eas1.,"Lewis explains. The night sky is clear and the bright stars reflect on the calm surface. It's tricky carping conditions but Lewis is confident that he can still tease another one out. I'm absolutely The bream and amazed because, being the mad hatter tench continue to feed throughout the night that he is, he's decided to sleep under the stars without any brolly or biwy and Lewis is up at - it's freezing, too. first light watching "I often sleep under the stars. It's the water for surface lovely being at one with nature and activity and feels that as long as you own a decent winter a recast is needed. He reels in the rods bag and cover you'l1 be fine," he and positions them comments before hiding away under in the same places the cover for some shuteye. - baited with fresh After several bream and tench, I'm boilie hook baits. awoken by a belting take on Lewis' right-hand rod. The screaming clutch Just like the previous morning the carp begin to show over the gravel 1s frzzing and the TLB alarm is singing its high-pitched tune. Lewis stumbles bar, no doubt feeding on food that had gathered at the bottom ofthe slope. out of bed, puts on his steamed-up glasses and does battle with another As predicted, one of the rods ramps Theale Two carp. off and after a spirited fight a second This one tears around the swim for 201b-p1us mirror is lying in the mesh. The bigger originals are very similar a few minutes but the short bursts in stature but fulI of power and fight. soon come to an end and it's clear\ They're only short fish but real bmtes one of the smaller occupants. He shines the headtorch into the net and --,. around the shoulders. This one goes 23lb 6oz - another cracking result. the bronze, glistening scales reveai i One thing that I notice is that Lewis beautiful koi carp that looks as if it has managed to lose his lead during the should be in an ornamental pond. It fight, on an inline set-up. weighs just into double figures and is I ask him what his thinking behind the rig is.

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"It's simple really - I want the antiejection properties of an inline lead so that the carp feel the weight of the lead immediately. Secondly, I want the inline lead to eiect on the take, leaving the fish to rise in the water rather than hang deep during the ftght. tf it were to stay deep there's a chance that it could find sanctuary in a sunken weed bed or snag - this will cost you fish! "Instead of threading the leadcore through the middle of the lead I attach it onto the outside, holding it in place with the swivel and tail rubber. Again, take a look at the pictures and you'lI see what I mean," he replies. He also states that it's not great for distance fishing, but up to 100 yards it's more than adequate. Overall, the trip was highly successful, considering that we're in the middle of winter, and we'll definitely be returning.

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TOTAL CARP 79

This is arguablyone of ihe best PVA methodsthat I have used in the pastcouple Ater a fair bit of testing by all oyeas. the boys in TeamKorda,the tuna, pellet combo has beentruly and groundbait phenomenal.We have all used different tnnedfish to great effect - sardines, mackerel and tuna have all performed we have admirably and, more recently, with a ewother started to experiment varieties. However, for a 'killer'winterstick mix,try the o||owing. placethe contents of a tin of tuna Firstly, into a baii tub. lt's important that you use The weatherhas tuna in brine(saltywater). taken a turn for the worse,with the lake now half frozen,so oily baitsare out of which is why I have decided the question, and to usetuna. Comparedto mackerel sardines, tuna containsa lot lessoil, and watercoupledwith the brineit's a perfect, winteringredient. soluble Next, add a few handfulsof pellets- they ratethan other havea much betterrelease pellets includeBaitduringwinter.Finally, TechVoodoo groundbait, which is meaty. Add this until you take the dampless qlay

some

baitbsx.

it will meltyour PVA; frpm the tuna.otherwise norma||y suffice. dfew handu|s i You will now have a lovely meaty stick mix that will producethe goods,even in the

Couplethis with most adverseof conditions. a Peperamihook bait and you're ready to go. This is a superbmethodall year round- get on itl

I lovefishing boilies but usingthem can be if you only a bit one dimensional, especially stick to littleroundballs. One simplebut effective way of gettingyour baitsworking moreeffectively is to chopthem up in the palmof your hand. that This has two main advantages shouldneverbe overlooked. The firstis that whenyou crackopena boilieit increases the release I'm usingthe new of flavours. Cellfrom Mainline, whichis one of the best I haveeverused.lt hasa wonderful, coilies creamy, nutty aromathat makesit perfect

yearround. Thereore, a bag of chopswi|| a|| get the tastebudsof the semi-dormant really wintercarpgoing. The other underestimated advantage is thatyou'remaking thema littlemore inconspicuous by breaking them up. Carp roundboilies everyday and comeacross they associate them with dangeso the the fish becoming chopped baitscan prevent usedto only picking up roundones.As a to distinguish consequence, theyfind it harder which between the hook baitand freebies, makes them easier to fool!

Place them into e bag and use vour rlrum ul

TOTAL CARP 8'

I use a lot of smallbaitsthroughout winter to counteract the s|ow.|azyfeedingo carp.Largebaitsare a littletoo blatant for my likingand will often alertthe fish with danger.Duringthe last 15 years,one methodthat hasalwaysstayedat the top list is the halved-bait of mv winter-tricks stringer with 'lOmmbaits.I then use one who|e]Ommand one ha|foa 1Omm boilieon the hair.lt's something a little different from the norm and wi||often ool wary fish. This is anotherwonderfulmethod because the long line of bait gives you a slightlydifferent spreadto the concentrated oile of bait that the Korda FunnelWeb bag produces. This methodis excellent on its own when castingaround and exploringthe water in front of you, and when fishedamong a handfulof freebies.

Place l2 or 13 halved krilie; onto a long needle

,,' of ve . U,l1zinches tape. because it doein'!.l

Fold the PVAtapein ' half anolaeein' dre -

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Tlaead the chops onlo the.,lape leaving a loop

Make s..urethat tlre loop is large'golgh Pfit,.'

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produced The solidbag hasprobably more big frshorme thanany othermethod. Someof my mostmemorable big-fish captures on weedyand siltylakeshave beenwhileusingsolidbags. With the lead, hooklength and baitall in theretogether, you havea methodthatwill crash through gentlyon siltylake blanket weed and settle

providing you with a perfect beds, thereby presentation. I usea drop-off inline set-up on a SafeZone leadel coupled withthe Supernatural braided hook link.Thisobviously takesa lot longer to set-up thanthe KordaFunnel Web system, whichis why I favourit ormorespecia|ised situations, suchas when l'm fishing in weed

bedsor looking to casta longway.By making it the aerodynamic shapethat I have,it'seasy to castthis littlebag of goodnessa very long you'remakinga streamlined, way because top-heavy system thatwill cut through the air beautifu||y. So,orthoseoyou fishing weedy lakes with lowerstocks, learn to usesolidbags - they are truly devastating.

hook bait in Place.your the bo*{'m othe PvA and quarter fill the bag.

Continue to fill with your stick mix and theri place the inline lead in ihe top. -

Now, the carefullyfill reminder ofthgbagand top. twisthe

Tie offwith PVAtape,push in the cornert and stick them down rrsig saliva.

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One very important thing to bear in mind while employingthis methodis the depth that you use it in. In depthsof threefeet or lessthis approachdoesn'tquitework so well.Thisis because the liquiddoesn't disperse as it does in deeper so effectively water. So why is thissucha good method? Basically, a lot of fish spendtime in the upperlayersof the water in winter,seldom visiting By usingthe liquidbag the bottom. you are re|easing a lot owater.so|ub|e attraction up throughthe water column, which is enoughto encourage fish to home in on your hook bait. I rarelyuse oils in thesebags.I favour the water-soluble dipsfrom Mainlineor Hinders- thesedo not melt PVA and are armore effective in winter.oi|s congealin the cold and do not havethe same leakage rate.This methodhas caughtme a lot of fish in the worstof conditions, including sweltering-hot summerdays and bitterly cold winterdays liketoday,when you have morechance Jo Cuestthan a of pulling carp down to your bait. It'svery easyto tie - simplykeep the bag open with two fingers, then gently pourthe dip in untilthe bag is halffull.

Pour liquid, oil-based glug into a solid PVA

Hold the P\.{bag rour fingers between and prepareto lick-

Lick the top Tf tl'bag and fold over,leaving corner free.

-,rm

Yourbag should.now look like this.Be careful

Noq carefully piercq the bag with a fine-wired

Finally,nick the.hook throughthe comer flap

Now lick the top of the bag and fold over, makingsureto leavea bit of bag overlapping to one side.Thisis whereyou will hookyour bait onto the system. Finally, piercea few holescarefully so that water can penetrate the bag. Now hook it

on and cast it out. The PVA will then be able a fairlypowerfulcastof up to 80 to resist yardsor so. This is an excellent system- it very littlesolidfood but carries introduces maximumaftraction, which is exactlywhat you want to achieve.

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Very few baitshavethe track recordof sweetcorn in winter. However, on itsown sweetcorn hastoo muchwaterin it, which meansthat it meltsPVA.A smallbag with a coup|e osweetcorn, coup|ed of (real grains is a deadIy or fake)on the har method. Makingsweetcorn PVA friendly is simple. Firstly, drainthe waterout the tin. Next, pour halfthe contents intoa baittub. Now glaze t h e c o r ni n 1 0 m lt o 1 5 m lo f H i n d e r s Sweetcorn liquid; all you needto do. that's The corncan now be tied in a Funnel Web bag with no fearof melting the PVA. Cive it a go; it'sa realwinner.

Empty theiuicefrom thesweetcorn. Thiswill

Place the grains into a bait tub and coverwith

Leavethem to soak and then place them into a

Some of you will not be usedto stopping the lead beforeit hitsthe surface. This joltsthe leadforwardwhen using generally a PVA bag and prevents the leadclip from droppingthe lead.However,I can imagine how rustrating it can be for many of you i you repeatedly loseleadson cast.The last thing that I want you to do is pushthe tail rubberon too far and potentially makethe lead systemunsafe- so try this. Have the tail rubberpushedover three to ourteeth on the c|ip'Then, between thereand wherethe clip dips down, tie some PVA stringor tape tightlyaround the perimeter of the clip,as shown in the oicture. This will be enoughto resist the forceof the castand shouldkeepyour lead,saving you a few quid in the process! However, Web bags,do try your when usingFunnel bestto stop the lead beforeit landsand feel the cast down.

I use a safety.clip systeii bt only push the tail rubberon lightly so the lead can eject.

To preventthe lead eiecting on impact with the water I tie PVA tape around the clip.

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withthe Funnel Web. A sma :.':: :; :elletsis packed Thisis whereit all started Web system and then hookedc- :-: ::!: :it. You can never tightlyintothe Funnel how good thisis. underestimate I suss:.: :-:: .,cu try this- justto usedPVA before, For thoseof you who haven't and high-ol seehow manyextrafish it putson the bank.Try low-o re ::s ' ivlnter ie: 3:g! The key is to useno biggerthan 5Op-piece-s in summer. is thatyo; -e -ot tryingto feed 'em, thatyou shouldalwaysremember Something you'retryingto catch'em!

This is simplebut very important. A badly presentedrig is as good as a lost fish or no bite at all. During the cast the hair can easily wrap aroundthe hook, deemingthe rig set-up ineffective. By tying the hair off with PVA tape you are eliminating the chanceof this This is of priceless importance. happening.

For thosewho don't want to messabout usingsolid bags,try this.lt's idealwhen castingtight to snagsor weed beds,where you don't want hook linksflailingaround. Simplytie your FunnelWeb bag up and throughthe ho|es. then threadsome brad Use thesetag endsto tie the bag to the swivelon the lead,usinga few granny knots.Now hook your bait on and you're ready to go.

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S milarly to the liquidbag,dippingyour :rnnel Web system in a liquidof your :roicereleases amount a phenomenal :. attraction with very Iittle ood.It's .:ry simpleand veryeffective. lt's little -^anges likethisthat can makeall the : erence in winter. Remember, carpare semi-dormant ,^dnot in totalhibernation. The -,iing can be ln spurts of intense :: vity,so make surethat you have :mething on that will pullthe fish ::,.vn. However, don't soakyour .-gs too far in advanceof the cast nto .:ause w i l ld i s s o l vie theliquid ': PVA and preventthe bag from : ting.

TOTAL CARP 87

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Now, there are pros and cons of each of these styles and set-ups. There are obvious limits to the amount of bait that a Pocket Rocket will deposit, whereas it takes a lot of effort and expense to kit yourself out with the top-end kit. The choice is yours, but there is a style of spod and dedicated spodding tackle to suit every style of fishing. There are three considerations when purchasing your spodding gear. Firstly, and most obviously, is your budget. Ifyou do not have the money to go out and buy dedicated spodding rods, reels and suchlike,
Spods come tn all shapes and uzes.

Greaton a spodset-upor for fishing^trange,a taperedleaderknot lendsitselfto smoother casting. This is a tricky one to tie,but can be mastered with practice.

just buy a couple of small spods and get used to using one on a standard carp rod. Secondly, you need to decide how much spodding you truly need to do, and then the style of that spodding. Finally, make sure that you buy gear that is suited to your style of casting. Don't buy an overly heavyduty spod rod if you struggle to compress, say, a 2.51b carp rod. You will get much more out of a slightly softer rod than you will a superstrong version, unless of course you are some sort of casting demon.

Moving on to how the spod is set up, it is pretfy simple. As I said, with the smaller spods you only need to tie it to a main line of around 12lb breaking strain. This means that you can use one of your fishing rods to spod, rather than buying a separate rod purely for spodding. With the more heavy-duty set-ups you'll need a shockleader. This is a length of heavy-duty line that takes the strain when making big casts. You'll need braid or mono of at least 20lb breaking strain and you should use at least 20 feet ofthis on a 12ft

Thereara,numberof srnaller spods , avai|ab|e t the moderncrp angter, the '.,. most common beingthe GardnerPocket Rocket. There are also more recent mini spodsfrom Fox and Kordathat we know o. Theseonly holda smallamountof baitso do not weigh more than 3oz to'5oz when , filled with. ffiy, maggots; " ' Therefore,you do not need heavy-duty gear with these spods and a standard2.751b test-curverod and most reelswill suffice: requirg The lighterspodswill not nor:mally the u5ef.,a,shock|eader, but you wi||ned.' at least12lb main line and you will only be castingshortdistances.

The majorityof spods 4te bigger than the PocketRocketand its-friends, so you will need some dedicated But hold equipment. on, that doesn'tnecessarily mean that you haveto spendfortunes. Dedicatedspod rodsare available from most manufacturers and they will all cope with standard; sizedspods.Loadedwith most baits, the,' traditional-sized spodswill weigh from 4oz to 8oz. This meansthat the stronger spod rod is reguired, along with a sturdyreel, probablysome form of big-pitversion. Your mainlineneedonly be 'lOlbmono but you wi|lneed a shock|eadr'to of take the stain constantcastingwith heavyspods.

For regularabusewith spodsand longerrangespodding, manyanglers will turn long-range to specialist spod rodsand big, heavy-duty reels.Some of the bigger versions of spod rod can cope with more thab 10oz of casting weight and will also casta traditional.-sizgd spod well over 100 yards.|this is not'yoursortof fishing then the previous two categories are mo.: applicab|e. |it is,then you'|| also need thin line,probablybraid,and a strong lf you are using braidthen shockleader. a fingerstall is an absolutemust and will preventyou slicingthroughyour fingerc^ big casts.

rod. This means that you will have, say, a 6ft drop from the rod tip, the full length of the rod and then a few rurns of leader on the reel itself. This excess amount means that you have no strain on the main line and there's also enough so that you can cut some off now and then and still not have to put more leader material onto the reel. If you're using a dedicated spod rod and reel, you may as well leave it set up permanently and take it on trips where you think that you might need it. One tip is to tie your leader :o some form of quick-change clip io that you can switch spods in an rnstant and without the need to tie .rny more knots. A grinner knot is a :ood, reliable one for attaching this -lip to the leader. So, with all of the tackle pretty :.lruch covered, let me iust finish with '. fw words on the actual technique ,i spodding. As with all fishing, a .:rooth cast will bring better results ':rar.ra juddery, crashing effort.

Assuming that you can actually cast a rod in the first place, the key to spodding is only aiming to get the bait out as far as is reasonable with your casting technique. Hitting the same spot is essential, unless of course you want to spread your baits around alarge area. Let's presume that you ate aiming at depositing a faifly tight bed of bait around your marker float, whch is sitting pretty out n the lake. You have to get your length sorted first, so you need to cast the spod at the marker. Howeveq an empty spod will not reach if your marker is more than 40 or so yards out. One way of getting it out there, without wasting bait or dumping it all over the lake, is to fill the spod with gravel or, if using a spod without holes, you can fill it with liquid. From there, see our stepby-step guide to getting your spod casting absolutely bang on. Give it a go, and Good luck.

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TIM HODCES

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m Hodges is a man who never lets his fishing sit still. Baits, rigs and tactics, he's constantly tinkering witlr them all. He would be the first to admit that many of his ideas amount to nothing, but every now and again he,sfumbles across something a little qiiky that might just up your catch rate,,.' This feture is based on one such idea, which came about during a discussion while out shooting a feature in November 2007. The idea is that by incorporating a mixture of breakfast cereals with varying degrees of buoyancy into a Method mix, and frshing zigrigs over the top, you can have the carp competing for food at all depths. It sounds abit crazy, atd,I suppose it is in some respects, but it works and we'll get on to how and why a little later. I'd arranged to meet Tim at Drayton Reservoir in Daventry one gloomy, winter's morning to demonstrate how

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he's puning this idea into practice. I find him set up on an area of trankside known as The Boards. I stroll into his sviim iust as the first cast of the day is launched sk)'rvards. After the initial pleasantries Tim explains a little about the rigs that he's using. "Both of my rods are set up with zig rigs, but before I explain the reasons behind my approach let's start at the lreginning and take a look at what a zig rig is.

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and usea buovant b'ait hair

For tying a zig rig use a reliable,thin mono and

A zig is simply a rig with a long, mono hook link coupled with a buoyant hook bait. This enables you tr pesent a bait anywhere fronr five or s inches off the bottolr.r, right up to the surface. "In all the times that I've watched carp in the water, be it in a lake or tank, unless they're feeding they don r spend tl-reirtime rnega-close to the lak bed. Nlost of their tir.neis spent rnidwater and when it's cold and the car1. arerr't s'illing to clrop dov'n to feed. pfesclltilg a bait right in front of thr'l. face can be the only way of catching "The n-rainhurdle you have to get or.er qhen using zigs is confidence. This applied to me not too long ago because casting a hook bait out to u.. around in n-rid-waterfelt like nothin:

94 TOTAL CARP

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TIM HODCES
nlore than a chuck-it-and-chance-it approach. When someone casts a zig out it's usually a last-ditch effort to get a bite. Even then they'll only leave it out frrr an hour or so. There is so much nlore to zig-rig fishir-rgand the more you get into it, the more complicatecl it becornes. "The way to look at it is like this. You'll happily leave a bottorn bait out all day, even when you're not getting bites, so why not give a zig rig a fair chance?" Drayton isn't the sort of water s'here many anglers use a marker rod, but noticing one set up in Tin'r's swim I ask to use one hin'r why he's felt the r-reecl today. "I'm not fan-riliaru,ith this slvim so I had a few casts with a marker rod to get an idea of the cleptl.r," explains Tim. "It's clifficult to decide at which depth you should start, but it's far easier if you know the depth of water that you're fishing in. At least this way you can r-nzrke an educated guess and you'll knon' rougl-rly *.hat part of the water c o l t r n r ny o u r h o o k l r e i t i s i n . "Even when yor-r'vesettled on a starting depth, the next problem is how long to give it u'ithout any action before you change the depth. A zig rig is a way of putting a hook bait right in the face of a carp, but 1'ou need to find the clepth at which tl'rey'r'e sat before you'|l reap the rewards. The only way to do this is continually change the depth at w'hich yotrr hook bait is presented until you start to catch. Now, because zig rigging is far fror-n an exact science it can be a bit hit

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and miss. I stalt fishing nlid-water ar-rcl tl-ren adjr-rst tl.rehook links by 12 inches every hour or so until I start getting bites." Tim's barely finished talking wl-ren the bobbin on his left-hand rod drops back slightly and starts dancing on the line. A slrort fight ensues bebre Tinr slips a dr,unpy mirror or'er the net cord Interestingl)', this bite has corne on a shorter hook link, being about fbur f'eet off the bottorn. More groundbait is moulded around

Use different cerealsfor a variety of buoyancies. Tim's Stonze weight before the rig is fired out.'S7ith both rods sorted our attentions turn to Tim's the various boxes of cereal tl-rat Lrrought \\'ith him. "My Method rnk is a cor-nbination of Pallatrax Method rnix, desiccated coconlrt, three types of Lrreakfast cereal, rnkers soaked in molasses. ancl banana milkshake," says Tirn. , "Tl-rethree cereals, Rice Crispies. j Sugar Puffs and Multigrain Boulcler f rthc mixers and the coconut are all ir ' buoyant. Sorne baits, such as nkerr are ultra-buoyant, others, such as the coconut, have an ah.nostneutlul buol'ancy and the various cereals al. rise through the ll'ater at different speeds. Tl-rismlx ceates a coluntn rr: l e e d i r r y o u r s B i r n , w i t l r y o r r rz i g r i l sat right arnong it. "The iclea is to create a rnid-q'ater feedir-rgsituation rrl'rere the carp sill 'search out'baits at various clepths. \\ ll:rts llrol'c.if there arc cJrp in vor.' swirn. but your hook bait is at the urong clepth, then hopefirlly the strt.. of tixrcl particles floating up throlrgll the \\ lrter rvill stir tl're carp and get gi't.err'. thcnr interested.This sl'ror,rld r.r.rore nlrrgin for error lrecause \-otr har e a chance of attracting fish frorr: zrll clepths to your I'rool< bait, rather thun lurvir-rg a single hook bait sat i:r isollttion. '''Ihi\ tuctic is r-nucl"r like an invert. I knou'is ., begging saggler, w'l-ricl-r ertcllr-nt tactic on here because it ;. nr()\tnr:rtch/pleasure oriented n'atc'.

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96 TOTAL CARP

After a period of inactivity, on the carp's behalf, Tim shortens his hook links slightly with instant results. Before long he's tentatively playrng another mirror towards the waiting net. At around 7lb it's not huge, but it shows that Tim's in the right area. Before recasting, Tim moulds his \lethod mix around his Stonze weight. This time he layers the groundbait with his hook link folded among it..With just .r few inches of hook link and the hook bait sticking out of the Method ball, Tim casts out once morc. ''Casting zig rigs can be a nightmare, end the longer the hooklength, the harder it is," says Tim. "There are a (ouple of ways to make casting that bit (.rsier. Carefully folding the hook link :nto a Method ball is one such trick. \ot only does this make casting easier, iut as the groundbait slowly breaks Jown, the hook link is gradually :rleased and the hook bait will rise :hrough the water slowly. "Placing a nugget of PVA :.):rm over the hook will rre\-ent it catching :he ground on the -.rckswing. ! r en better
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this is placing the hook bait on an unhooking mat behind you before casting." As we huddle under Tim's brolly to get out of the biting wind, both alarms let out occasional single bleeps as Tim's braided main line picks up plenty of line bites. "Line bites," says Tim, as he nods towards hs rods. He goes on to explain that line bites afe pat and parcel of fishing the Method because carp attack the groundbait moulded around the Stonze weight. As fish work the Method ball they'll knock food particles off it. The bait and activity helps to draw more and more carp into the area.. There are cleaily plenty of fish in the swim and it's no time at all before one makes a mistake and Tim's in again. After playing the fish carefully because of the small hook and light hook link that's required fot zig rigs, Tim has the fish wallowing alongside The Boards and nets it. 'Syith another Dralton mirror

photographed and returned, Tim sets about rebaiting his rig. Before he has a chance to pick the rod off the ground his other rod signals a take with a drop back, followed by the line tightening slowly. "Have you noticed," starts Tim, "all of the takes have been quite delicate. It's often the way when fishing zigs and absolutely belting takes are quite rare. You, therefore, need an indication setup that's able to detect the takes." With a slow start to the day it seems as though Tim's cereal tactic is working. As the day progresses the more line bites and takes he's receiving. Every bite has come to a pop-up boilie, because this is all that Tim uses with a zig r1g.However, zig rigs lend themselves to all manner of hook baits, providing they're buoyant, right tfuough to pieces of rig foam. That's right, a piece of foam fished mid-water has accounted for thousands of captures - work that one out! Despite it only being noon, Tim's proven that there is plenty of mileage in this slightly odd tactic. I decide to call it a day andhead back to the TC offices just down the road, while Tim opts to continue hauling.

TOTAL CARP 97

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NICK H]]ELLEUR

In the first part of a brand-new seriesabout fishing for carp in surroundings a little bit out of the ordinary, NckHeIIeur kicks off with a trip to a small,local river.

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iver fishing for carp has been growing in popularity steadily in recent years but is seldom written about in magazines. In fact, I've not written much about English river fishing since the odd article in Total Carp's sister title Advanced Carp Fishing some six or seven yearc ago. This style of fishing is close to my heart because, when I was much younge! I spent much of my time fishing rivers and canals, out of necessity to start with it has to be said, but I grew to love the challenge and variew that thev offered.

Like manl'1'oung and keen anglers starting out in carp fishing, my mates and I never had any money but just had to be out there doing it whenever possible. At the start of the 1980s, when I started carping in the Colne Valley where I live, there simply weren't any day ticket waters locally that offered decent fishing for someone just starting out and who had no transport. This meant that for many years the only carp fishing available to my friends and me were local free stretches of the River Colne and its tributaries. Occasional trips to the Thames were only possible when we could con one of our parents into dropping a few of us off on a Saturday and picking us up on a Sunday morning. Today's young carpers iust starting out will no doubt be able to identify with this and I hope that they will be inspired by this series. Currently, all I seem to be seeing are repetitive features, in virtually every :magazine, on the same day ticket venues where, I might add (and this is the big problem for most youngsters), it costs up to 25 quid for 24 hours' fishing, which might as well be a 1,000 I imagine. Most

simply don't have that kind of money; meaning that trips to these waters are solely reserved for birthdays and other special occasions when their parents will cough up the cash. So, small rivers are the perfect answer if you're young and skint, or even if you're older but just want to experience a different style of angling. No matter where you live, you will no doubt have a river nearby worth investigating even if, up until noq you haven't given it a second glance. If most youngsters can't afford these expensive day ticket fisheries, how on earth are they supposed to be able to use the baits that they see the 'experts' using in magazines every month? Of course, as a sponsored angler who gets all his bait for free l've never given

06 ToTAL CARP

this a second thought, until now, but on most features I carrv at least S20 worth of bait. Not an)'more, not in this series at least. I'11not only be showing you how to find qualiq' carp fishing for free, or nearly free, but also how you can get by without having to lay out money on expensive bait. Since I first started out things have changed somewhat, but for the better it has to be said, because most small rivers now hold surprisingly good stocks of carp, courtesy of the increasing number of floods we experience each year. This means that realistic fishing is now much easier to {ind and, what's more, there's even the very real chance of stumbling across something a little bit special; maybe even having it all to yourself. In today's carp scene, that alone is something that nloney can't buy. Location is, without doubt, the nlost important aspect to all carping, .rnd rirers are no exception: more 'o if anl.thing. However, you must :rear in mind that this series is, of .ourse, starting during winter. Unlike .tillwaters, rivers are not only flowing ')ut also likely to be pushing through .rt quite a pace throughout winter, :specially the small rivers. Because of this, likely holding areas .ire reduced and many spots that '.r'ould normally hold carp in low-water onditions throughout the rest of the . rar can be ruled out straightaway. .l'ris makes the often-difficult iob of ':acking down the carp a little easier : anyhing, despite the fact that the rcreased colour in the water rules out -:erching for fish by sight.

Ialking your chosen stretch with a rod and'donking' about with a lead at regular intervals helps build a clearer mental picture. However, learning about a stretch of river is best done, whenever possible, through the warmer months because in low-water conditions, when the water is clear, it is easy to find any deeper areas of the stretch as well as where the lily beds, weeds, snags and suchlike are. It soon becomes apparent, winter or summer, that most small rivers don't always look very carpy at all, My favourite local stretch of the River Colne looks more suited to small chub and maybe the odd barbel. Appearances can be deceptive, though, because most of the deeper sections hold carp, including the occasional big one, and plenty of them too. Because of the unlikely surroundings, the resident cap are, for the most part, left alone and have thrived on neglect. I feel that it's important to illustrate how I go about baiting a small river in winter. It will give you an insight into what I look for when choosing a few spots to bait 48 hours or so before I intend to fish. I always bait two or three different spots because, if I'm lucky enough to catch from one and it kills the swim, I can move on to the next. Because the fish in these rivers are relatively unpressured, bites can come quickly after casting out. This will put any other fish in the immediate aea on edge, so Ilike to have a backup swim. It's not uncommon to get a fish from each baited swim in turn on these short trips. Before moving on to the next swim I put in another handful or two of bait. It's not unheard of that

You.don'tneedalt of rig eom.rmireotS. Tti,ese

For snaggier areas,Nick opts fr this material as

A Korda Flaflnline Pear is his choiie oflead in flowing water,.; .

Doible hbokbaitson a loqglhairis a favourite

A 12inhmk link $ith a split shorpinchedon is

. AP\1{.bagofrpellets adds attraclion in the area of the'hook bait.

ToTAL CARP o7

N|CKHrlu,R
after three swims and three bites I'll end up back in the first. I took my dog for a walk to the river recently and baited a few spots with this feature in mind. The riverbank was very overgrown as I forced my way along that morning and I was thankful that I'd donned my chest waders, or I'd have quickly been soaked to the skin. It was obvious that nobody had been this way for quite a while and before long I came to a likely looking spot. The recent rain meant the river was high and the colour of strong tea and most of the spots I'd fished in the past looked like a raging torrent and hopeless in the

conditions. The spot where I was stood Iooked much more inviting because there was a platform opposite that had been built years before but had all but collapsed. The floodwaters had washed lots of old pads and weeds downstream and these had built up around the old platform and created a lovely slack on the downstream side. I could just imagine a cap ot two sat up in the lee. I knew that the water was qute deep so I baited the spot with a couple of handfuls of 10mm boilies and a handful of pellet before moving on. It was maybe a quarter of a mile downstream before I found another likely swim. Here, the river swept around a bend and just below it there was a small island behind which, during summer, there were lots

of pads. There was also a small, calm channel that left the river and was used as a cattle drink. In flood the spot looked totally different but behind the island out of the flow it looked really good; I just had to bait it as I did the first. The final spot was again totally different and was an inlet that was gushing with turgid brown water just below a road bridge. I knew that the water was at least six feet just above this, by far the deepest in the short stretch, and the influx was causing an inviting eddy. So, out came the bait bag and a few more handfuls were deposited around the swim. It really was as simple as that and I was back home by 9am. I decided to leave it for 24 hours before returning early in the morning and giving it a full day's fishing. Al1 the spots I'd baited are free fishing and not controlled by any clubs, so anyone could do it. Tackle for this sort of fishing is best kept simple and strong and I always travel light with iust a couple of rods, a net, a chair and a small rucksack. I set up at home with simple running inline leads on 3ft lengths of leadcore tied direct by needle knot to 15lb GR60 main line. Hook links are tied with either 15lb Camfusion or the supertough and ultra-reliable 30lb Korda Armakord. This is for the snaggier sn'ims, like the one I baited by the road bridge, where I remembered

seeing several shopping trolleys on the bottom the previous summer! I was up with the lark and not long after first light I dropped a baited rig into the slack behind the old platform in the first swim. Space was tight and using two rods would have cut my chances. Apart from a couple of chub in the first hour nothing else occurred and by 8.30 I moved on. My second spot had more options and would easily allow me to use two rods, so I hooked on a Funnel Web bag of pellets and crushed boilies and swung the first rod in the channel behind the island. The second I cast further up the channel into calm water. I put the rods in the rest, tips high to keep the line clear, and sat back to read the paper. Straightaway I had a bang on one of the rods, which I put down to small fish, but I went and sai by the rods just in case. A few minute. later I received a savage pull on the rod further up the channel which, had I not been sat so

oa ToTAL CARP

:''r '1\-'-

close, would have been pulled in. I was sure that a carp was responsible but before I could gain any control it was off, leaving a big bow wave in its wake. Nothing else occurred in the spot over the next hour but I stuck it out because I felt sure that there would be more fish about. Just as I gave up all hope of receiving any more action and began packing away I had another take. This time all went well and I was soon looking down at a nice mirror of about 151b.V/hile I was playing it down the channel it spooked several others, so

after a couple of pics on the mat I rebaited the swim before moving on. I7hen I arrived at the bridge spot I found two young lads fishing for pike. After stopping to see if they had caught anl.thing I returned to the island just below the sweeping bend, where I blanked until dark. Still, it had been a good day's fishing and apart from the kids I'd not seen another angler all day. I decided to return for another crack at the island swim. It was still dark when I arrived the following morning so I poured a cuppa from the flask and waited for daylight. Eventually it

became light enough to make a cast and out plopped two baited rigs to their respective spots up the calm channel. I waited a surprising amount of time for a bite. In fact, it was past 9am when the tip banged over and I was into a strong fish that shot out of the channel and roared off downstream. I could do nothing to stop it. Ten minutes later, and nearly 100 yards downstream, I netted a cracking mirror that looked well over 201b. I balanced the camera on my rucksack and crouched down low and fired off some self-take shots. I'd stuck to my plan and w-as w-ell rewarded for my efforts.'What's more, I'd caught from a free stretch and had barely used 1kg of bait.

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UHNUilTR+$LilE
FUSIONEXPERT LUGGAGE
351Rucksack Size:21x20x12in SRPt9.99

t15

CarryatI Size: 70x30x36in sRPts9.99

Rucksack 751 Size: 3 0x ' 1 8x 1 0 i n sRP t99.99

25

[15

Steeve2-Rod'Armaplate' Hotdatt Styte

E69.99 2o sRP

RigWattet SuperCase sRP916.99

Sleeve3-Rod'Armaptate' StyteHotdatt

f'99.99 z5 SRP

t5

H 3+3'Armaplate ' oldall

11 zs.ss t,35 sRP

ZERO360 CARP TMVELLER ROD

cHAIR i iGuest
i.iRODPODSET
1 x Fol.dingCarp Guest Chair with Tetescopic Legs 1 x 3 Rod Pod set Up with Carry Bag TOTAL SRP PACK VALUE 99.99

1 x 1Zft - 2.5tbsCarbon PowerCaro Rod Z3 I x Zero 688 Caro Reel 25 t x SpareSpoots 1 x 40" Carp LandingNet Head l x 2pceTete. ft carp Net Handle I x Luxury Padded Rod Steeve TotatSRP E199.99

P&P SmattOrderst5; LargeOrders Onty f.l0, UK Maintand Ptease Send Cheques & Postal Ordersto:

Mail-Order Hotline: 01246 540140 Fax: 01246 540546

Direct Price 69.99

Direct Price 29.99

Pod 1 x 3'Rod Set-Up nods C ta r p Y Y 3 - x D y n a m2 o' h t b s - 1 2 f *t+ carp Reeis i x Euiorunner

ToTAL sRP PACK VALUE [45.00

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1x 1x 1x !x 1x

,^9v
Conqust 40in Net Head conauestft Net Handle DiatScates Conqu6t 55Lbs DC weigh Sting DC UnhmkingMat

LAND & WEIGH MEGASPECIMEN SAVERSET ,ff

Dragon Carp Direct, Unit 3, Calow Brook Drive, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, s4 oDR Please see website for terms & conditions www.dragoncarpdirect.com
Postageand Packaging: Smattorders85.00 LargeordersCl0.00

Direct Price 99.99

TotatSRP t68.99 D i r e c t P r c ef 2 9 ' 9 9

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To bc in with a chance of winning this holiclay. simply answer the question belorr. cornplete the entry form and send ir to the to the address below. The first corrcctlv answered form that's selected at ranclon from the TC hat will win. Best of lrrck.

How many swims are there on Etang llaro||es?

POSTCODE: TELEPHolE: E-MAIL:

form to: EtangMarolles Sendthe completed TotalCarp (February), DHP Ltd, Competition, Close,DraytonFields, Daventry, 2 Stephenson Northants N ,N 1 18 R F

mmnffibm

CLOSlltlG DATEr

All the latestand greatesttackle is reviewed - no just the nonsense, truth.

WAVERUilIUER
i; ; i';;ityi; g ti bTb}ii Th i;.l; ih;|-"t;;i "
Bait Boat boatslaunchedonto the marketin the last year or so, but it reallystoodout when it is The Waverunner arrivedat TC Towers. packedwith features easy and is ridiculously to use' What's more,it offersgreatva|ueora when comparedto boat of its size,especially boatsin the range.This is a sneak similar-sized oreviewso we haven'ttriedit on the water yet, but be in no doubtthatwe will be soon, and we'll let you know how we get on. RRP:Currentoffer priceo t499 Contact:Wayahead on 01925 730924 are very good and TC verdict:Firstimpressions we reckonthis could be a realwinner

21

a I
I

ToTALCARP 5

THESEUS CARP

Landing Net Description: Landingnet with soft,green, dual meshand a quick-release spreader block ls suppliedin a soft-touch sleeve RRP:f34.99 Contact:TheseusCarp on 01709724700

Adjustable Recliner Chair Description: Paddedsession chairwith a reclining back and elasticated mattress. lt also features adjustab|e |egswith swive|mudeet RRP:f49.99 Contact Ultimateon 01472 823777

ULTilNATE

ACE BAITS

Banana Twist Baits Description: A new banana-flavoured bait rangethat can be boughtin a complete packagecomprising 1Okgboilies, a tub of pop-ups,matchingbait dip and paste RRP:f59.99 for a completepackage Contact: Ace Baits on01322620002

Description: Korda'snew braidedhook link is tough and durable, yet extremely supple.ldeal for braidrigsor combi-rigs. Availablein 18lb breaking strain RRP:f8.99 Contact:Korda on O17O8733668

Kwik Change Helicopter Rigs Description: A pack of three,ready-made helicopter rigsincorporating camou rig tubing and Kwik Changeswivels.ldealfor venues that ban eadcore RRP:f3.20 Contact: Fox on 0208 559 6500

FOX

6 ToTAL CARP

CYBA.LTTE sl.-,ll!fl-{t:t:!---osc,iplion'

with adjustable strapand twist-control headtorch lt alsofeatures angleadjustment beam strength. so that you can havethe beampointingorwards orrigtyingand such|ike. A rear or down _ idea| to biwies,tablesand clip allowsit to be attached other itemsfor generaluse RRP:f14.99 Contact:The TackleBox on 01322 2924OO

. -. --rirri*.Jii'i't to'pacr anaurtia:

-c-IPy-.c-.-.ly-".Il]!!:9j91t

SHAKESPEARE

with three,large, Description: A paddedcarryall externalpocketsand a paddedshoulderstrap RRP:f22 Contact:Shakespeare on 01527 51O57O

GARDNER TACKLE
pti .jsi}n er] to protectyour bls.iri on| ET"e
Casting Glove when castingbraidedmain lines.lt forefinger has an anti-slippalm and leatherindexfinger. Availablefor both rightand left hands RRP:6.99 Cardneron 01483 454678 Contact:

HEATHROUI' BAIT SERUICES

Shelf-Life Boilies BaitServices' Red Indian and SupaStench Description: Heathrow variety in 6mm' 1^lmm and 18mm now avaiIabIe in a shel-|ife boiIies, sizes RRP:f10.99 per kilo on 01932 877577 Contact:HeathrowBait Services

JRC

Connect Hooks five patterns, designedby TC Description: A hook rangecomprising point and is contributor Dave Lane.Eachpatternhas an ultra-sharp Teflon, whichis unique to JRC finished in matt-black RRP:f3.50 per pack Contact: )RC on 01527 51O57O

ToTALCARP 7

TRAKKER

Water Bottle Description: An olive green,plastic, water container that wi||ho|duo to 10 |itres o liouid RRP:f9.99 Contact Trakker on 0114 272 7783

luAsH

Dean Macey Carp Rod Description: Rangecomprising two rods, developedby Dean Macey,with slim blanks, graphics, minimal lineclip,rubberised buttgrip and qualityfittings. Availablein 12ft2.251b and 2.751b test curves RRP:2.25|b '44.99 ; 2.75|bt.49.99 Contact:Nash on 01702233232

Back Rests Description: Two stylesoback rest,one each orrodswith u||-Dup|on and abbreviated handles. The grip the rod sitsin is a different size,depending on whichrod you have RRP:f2.35 Contact:ESP on 01865 748989

ESP

PRETNIER BAITS I_'J!Lt_ti:!_{r,liT

Description: A stickmix that has a low-oil, high-protein content and contains bagso krill.ltt idealfor cold-water conditions, but is also effective in warmerweather RRP:f4 per kilo Contact:PremierBaitson 01843 583595

CHUB 9-lgg-eg-9*y3!l _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

-Description: A stiff-sided ."r;i;l I ti';i;;;' tcollapseif it's not full. lt features five external pockets, and five internal carryhandleand shoulder strap RRP:f27.99 Contact:Chub on 01665 602771

8 ToTAL CARP

:a;:

cql-d-: p. l-'e -99-c-9 t!,-t!!!l! -s-yly

Description: The rangeof Active Ade Particle And Pellet is designed orpouring into partic|e and pe|let svri,ps rnixesto providean added boost.They can also be used as a soiiie soak with greateffect.The Coconut Milk version is perfect at thistimeof yearand cloudsup clear water superb|y. |t a|so|eaks off |otsocreamyattraction aroundyour baits RRP:f5 99 Contact:Your nearest Mainlinestockist

KORUM -u-l!'_q:!.jl_s_!!_qt

mat measuring Description: oval, oam-fi||ed unhooking a kneelingmat,folding head 90cm x 55cm. lt features coverand peggingpoints RRP:f10.99 Contact:Korum on 01952290520

TF GEAR
Primal Boots and Description: Hard-wearing bootsthat are breathable 100 per cent waterproof. They featurea precise-fit system for comfort,a camou patternand are available in sizes6 to 12 RRP:f59.99 TF Cear on 01874 612612 Contact:

WYCHWOOD F-lgrirt------Er9Jr-c!!9!-

C C MOORE

gripand slimline Description: with a non-slip A 6ft carbonhandle dual ;creader with a42in net madefrom soft.green. block, coupled - esn RRP:Handlef99.99;netf39.99 Contact: Wvchwood on01527 587450

Visual Attractor Pack pop-ups, containing 35 Hellraisers Hi-attract bait packages Description: in Avai|ab|e |iquid and 3kg of SuperStimpe|lets' 125m| omatching Plum OrangePearDrop and Red Fruity BlueSquid, YellowPineapple, RRP: f 19.92 Contact:C C Moore on 01963 362234

ToTAL CARP 9

Safety Backlead Clips Description: A clip-and-sleeve combo that allows you to make a back leadfrom any swivellead. Eachpack contains four clipsand four sleeves RRP:f 1 .99 Contact:Svendsen Sportson O292O791700

PROLOGIC

GREYS

;;;iPiid. il',;:;.; .i'';;| ;"il

Platinum Quiver

--.-

folded out to accommodate five rods.Single sleeves and a hood are available too RRP:Quivert89'99; sing|e s|eeve 29'99; hood f34.99; completesett179.99 Contact:Hardyand Creys on 01665 602771

KORUN'I
Description: A pack containing five metresof anti-ladder, micromesh PVA on an EasyLoad tube.A waterproof storagecase,plungerand a stickneedle RRP:f5.99 Contact:Korum on 01952290520

RICHWORTH l-ge:_u_t_4!,1::

SOLAR

Description: Basemix for creating your own pop-upsthat can be mixedwith eggsor water. Availablein Natural,Day-CIowPink,DayClow Yellow,Day-Clow Orange and Fishmeal RRP:f6.20 Contact:Richworthon 02089 417771

Mini Boilies Description: Shelf-life boiliesin a 6mm size avai|able in six different avours, inc|uding Club Mix and Top Banana. Supplied in 4009 oags RRP:f6.50 Contact Solar on 01689 874654

2o ToTAL CARP

Dumbells -D;sc'i - . -ar5a, ihtrJiT6il |es Wiih ; Pii onI b u-mbl'tl;str in 5009 bagsand are 12mm diameter. They're supplied in a huge rangeof flavours available RRP:f5.99 Contact:Cotswold Bait Creationson 01666 575330

COTSWOLD BAIT CREATIOIUS

ATONNrc TACKLE s1!1Pv_r!

Description: Brilliant U-bardesign that makes thisone of the bestand most effective catapults on the market. New materials make it super-lightweight as well as robust.Spareelastics and pouchesalsoavailable RRP:f9.99 Contact:Atomic Tackleon 01932 879888

Master Spod And Marker -DEcri piidn: Mi[i ani i pbd ?a;Wii6 ; fi i ;|fiiis li and qualityfittingsto matchthe BeastMasterAX fishing rods. The marker rod is 12ftwith a2.75lbtestcurveand the sood rod is 12ft with a 5lb test curve RRP:Marker rod f.84.99:spod rod f94.99 Contact:Shimano on 01386 425826

SHIMAilO
Beast

AX

Rods

THE EDGE BAIT CONNPAilY

Wafterc Hook Baits Description: Hook baitsthat are critica||y with the weight o ba|anced including Pepper Ramiand Chocka a hook.Available in four flavours, Holix.Due in the shopsat the end of February 20O8 RRP:f5.99 Contact: The Edge BaitCompany on 08701 999783

Carp Clothing Description: A hoody with Born & Bredlogoson the front and back. There'sa|soa rangeoT-shirts with eitherfunny sayingsor the Born & Bredlogos.Availablein M, L and XL and in a rangeof carpycolours RRP: Hoody f39.49; T-shirts t17 .99 Contact:Born & Bredon 07723 060849 or visitwww.bornbred.co.uk

BORil & BRED

ToTAL CARP2

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After testingthe 12t9inwandsfrom EsR Morc Coulson explains how he hasdiscovered that length.might be important afterall!

MK-ZTERRY HEARN CARP RODS

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! n termsof carp fishingrods I have never |onger thana 2ft,so it was ! triedanything I not withoutan elementof trepidation that I took the longerversionof ESP'sMK-2 Teny Hearn rodson a few trips recently. One suchventure on to the bankwas the one to LesQuis,whichyou would haveread aboutin previous issues of TC. I was not convinced thatthe extralengthwould be that much of a benefit,but I haveto admitto beingabsolutely soldon theserodswithinthe firstafternoon of the trio. fhe 12ft.9in, whichboasts a 3.251b test curve(there is alsoa 12ft.2.751b version) coped effortlessly with a cast of around90 yards. Then,whenfacedwith playing hardfightingcarp aroundsome marginal trees and lilies, thatextranineinches madeall the difference. I reallyfelt the additional length come into play when stretching to steercarp away from those nearside troublespots. The construction qua|ity and bui|d othe MK-2 are superb and theyfeelgreatwith a big-pitreelattached. The 40T carbon construction retains its characteristics over long periods otimeand the 1K-carbon wrap adds both strength and a sexy look.Topquality FujiSiC guides areevident throughout, fromthe double-legged, 40mm buttto the single-legged intermediates. The extralength,and therefore weight,did not haveany ill effecton the balanceand I honestly feltat homewiththeserodswithin halfan hourof firstusingthem.In trueTerry Hearnstyle- he genuinely had a majorpart in the develo.pment of theserods- the look is one of understated The full-Duplon class. handleremains, although it hasbeenrefined sincethe original version thatwas so well received some six yearsago. This is the rebirlh of a classic, but with 21stcentury knobson. you mightbe orgiven Final|y, for thinking that this imoressive Iistofeatures and benefits come at a hefty price.Well you'd be wrong, and I reckonthat they not only perform superblybut they do so at a reasonab.le price, especially when compared to some other rods on the market.

MK-2 Terry Hearn Carp Rods

RRP:f199.95 Contact ESP on 01865 748989

Testperiod: Six monthsplus Likes: Justabouteverything... they really are wands impressve Dislikes: Erm,nothing

TOTAL CARP 23

]i:.#!Lr'
1.. i F.. :..r :: Lakesis a well established Clearwater carpfisheryin the ruralregionof Bdttany,NorthwestFrance.OfferingDrive & Survive holidays on a complexof two maturespring-fed lakes.The Spring Lake (:.oacres)is stockedwith 5oo+carp to 6olbs. The Mill Lake $ acres)is an ideal 'runs'water holding a stockof z5o carpweighing up to mid zo's. t Fresh bait and pellet . CWL bait package available o Bait boats allawed and availoblefor hire

Brochure Line: o2o 8669 53o Telephone: oo33 2gT tg4 266 E-mai l: U K@clearwaterlakes.com

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www. castlela kes.fr

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Castle Lakes
* TWo12th-century lakes,B & 50 acres * Two additional maturelakes a v a i l a b l e ,& 2 7 acres programme * Hugestocking to supplement existing stock in 2005 undeftaken * Massivehead of carp from 40lbs to 60lbs+ * English Speaking * Self driveand airportpackages
._r-! * Bookingnow beingtakenfor April 2008 onwards ForInformation anda brochure contact:

SHNNANO POWER AERO IOOOOXTA

lon Bones has been trying out the latestversion of his favourite ree!.So, how does it perform?
!have beenusingPowerAero reels XT10000was !exclusively sincethe original l |aunched at the end o2003. | |ovethem; if I didn'tthen I'd havereplaced themyears ago.Thatsaid,the original reels did havea The clutchcou|dn't few |aws. be |ocked up ratiowas quite poor,making tight,the retrieve fishing distance a pain,and theywerea bit Horvever, my reels shinyfor my liking, didn't stayshinyfor long. Firstimoressions of the PowerAero 10000XTAwould suggestthat Shimanohas The retrieve solvedtheseproblems. ratiois vastlyimproved, the clutchcan be tightened rightup, although not lockedsolid, and you'd needto be guidedaroundthe streets by a golden retriever.not to find them drop-dead gorSeous. Eachreelcomessuppliedwith a sparespool pouch.The reelcan be as well as a protective in ths pouchwhi|e secured set up on a rod, it safeduringtransportation. keeping Thesereelsare packedwith features, including the uniqueBaitrunner SpoolSystem, theyare super-smooth, the usualShimano is evident buildquality and I am yet to find faultwith theirperformance. Not everyone is but convinced by the Baitrunner SpoolSystem, I thinkthisis down to a lackounderstanding in usingit. With a little or a lackof experience you can get the spoolset exactly tinkering you'reafteran ultrahow you want,whether sensitive clutchor the exactoooosite. ,youget what you pay or'is The phrase it doesringtruewith overused, and although the PowerAero,f310 is a lot of moneyfor a reel.lf you really needa big-pitreelfor fishing yourfishing with serious or don't mindparting cashto look cool,then I can't recommend lt'lltakea reelof epic thesehighlyenough. propotions to replace theseon my rods. itheseareout of your price Howeve1 range, or you haveno callfor a largereel, then I'd recommend thatyou look no further Shimano Baitrunners, than one of the smaller because theseperformwell and are much cneaper.

SHNNAilO l-gv-: r-4s-.-ol-9 9-q9f-4----

RRP:f309.99 Contact: Shimano on 01386 425826

Testperiod:Fivemonths performance Likes: The styling, and Baitrunner Spool Svstem Dislikes: Not foundany yet

ornl CARP25

S h o p o p e : : i : : :i : ,r u r s : Mon-Sat: girnr- J:3opm I Sun: 9am - 3pm Mail order hotline: Mon-Fri: Sam - Spm I Sat/Sun: 9am - spm

Customer S Mon-Fri: 9am to S:3 Sat & Sun .

Postaoe Charoes

H@E ffiEE i:F:"lnat t4g'g

Gicnt Stnokeu BranchLugg.ge

Set

An excellent luggage set whichconsists (3 madeup and 3 spare) of 6 rod holdall 75ltrrucksack and largecarryall. All items areinished in the'smokev branch. pattern camouflage LD7483 Features: . 4000denier conslruction . Rodandreelholdall which holds upto 6 rods, padded with harness carryall rucksack carry withpadded shoulder strap .size o ho|da|| 180 x 120 x 30cm .Size of carryall 30 x 20x 30cm ' Sizeof rucksack 50 x 30 x30cm
RRP t99.99

,'Thisrod is superb value for money,'

xavie Pao]rzz

tntuition2'7slb Carp Rod

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Putse-rronicvr set

''In my opinion his is the best value for money rod on the market. t am confident that ths rod will esb,isl' is ' fas a good allrounder that will dominate in this price range"
Rod H|chin.on

The full monv I All the alarms,cable! & sounder boxforunderE4o'Asuperb buv for a qualitvalarmset whlchso|dthoSands at it's
normal prtce. lncludes: .3x Pulse-Tronic bitealarms . Sounder box (requires PP3 baltery) . Fu||se| ocab|es . Protective carry s e for

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The lntuition is a superbprogressive actioncarp rod produced to the very higheststandards. The origina priceof these rods was 8120 and even value,boastingqualityand performance at that pricethey were excellent normally seen on the most expensiverod ranges.At this pricethese rods Wi|| not last Iong! oderquick|y to aVoiddisappointment' Iimited stocks! RRP.'9.99

f69.ee

CocoonBedclzar
JR0l 45

iir&*Mrchwood Rogrue lugrgragreset

RRP T130
ou best se||ing carp |uggage to meet every need of all specimenanglersfromthe beginner to the proffesional. Top quality throughout 1D6966 . 12 tt RogueRod Holdall caries threerods completewithreelsand three without . 50 litreBogueRucksackholdslargeitemslike sleeping bags,clothing, tackleand bait . l\4ini Carp LuggerCaryall holdsexlra kitfor lonostavsor tackle

n ezzt tgrCa ry "Rctd & Reel ofer

E6g.g9

K-ser'es Carp Rod tzft z.,1lb test A superb12ftcarprodwhichotfers amazing value.The K-series: playing gUic.] orers an excellent ish aclionand is fitted WithIined a screwree|seat' Idea| orang|ers |ooking s. to startcarpjshing

Wyctnv,ood,/ Gan t Bzg ?7? Com bo

The mostsensational deal we'veeverdone I Greatvalueat the normal pice Edge is butat |essthan 5 0 We mustbe mad'The superbWychwood rea||y hitthe spotWith rigsor a dreamlo ishWith as We|| as cast& and Wi|| for bags.Perfectly matched withthe Giantbig pitreelit reallyis impossible you howgoodthiscombois or |heprice. us to proper|y te||

fi-series 5ooo l;reesltht ReeI Designed tocompliment theK-series rodthis reel boasts 3 ball bearings,

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ith 16ball bearings at the :artof the reel, the Stratos incredibly smooth and buih last. 44 coils ofline are aced on the spool per linear cillation meaning the lineJay the Stratosis unsurpassed. A atentedmultidisk frnt dras ; orecise and accurate.but th pol can still be removed at the 'E' ush of a button. The latest rsion will orove very oopular ^ th anglers on a bud!t.

*';l|.;'l'ml*ll""l':ll''ml' . ;
monofilament .:'

adjustable freespool systemand front

t49.99
LD7022

Noma||y !129.99

tG!!t]l! Gan t l,ugrgragre,Set

Fo.all specimen hunters, this set really delivers. Holdall designed for 12ft 2 piece rods. Holds up to 3 made-up rods and 3 spare rods. Includes e*ernal pockets forlanding net, bankstick and umbrella. Large 80 litre mcksackwith 4 eftemal pockets and full erryinghamess; size: (H)3scil LL o/\Dsocm x (L)socm. 40 litre carp carryall with 3 e*ernal pocketsplus Iryinghandles and shoulder sbap] pocketsplusIryinghandlesandshouldersbap) ^ *

ffi eftgPlececanprod
. 3 piece Carp rod. 2.51btest curue . Screw rcel seat. Quality lined Guides . Abbreviated Duplon Handle

Features:

E19.ee
KE0604

size: (H)35cm x (W)5ocm x (L)Socm.3 quality pieces of ]ug8a8 to ttmsport all your gear safely' efficiently and comfofr ably.

'tTtrffi Power Carp

,.,"^,,824.99

otr""k ffi weighlite SpecirnenDio.IScoles

An amazing Deal Include

F'. on|y KE0476 J f.{5-i.t ffil#frltk" #:ti!j-i':*" tzg.gg

Superblyversatile carp rods,at home on both commercial fisheries when catchinghardfighting doublefigured fish,yet equallyadept at targeting huge more demanding waters.Built specimenson larger, on a qualitycarbonblank,the powerseries represent performance unrivalled at unmatched value prices. Features; . Highquality carbonblank . Durable and robust jng castingcapabilities . Outstand . Beautiful fish playing actions

E#E Hldrxr'--',irgh."f#"",p,lF"s7sxsocm
SenjnelMudbuster
superb carp chairwith padded cove and ielescopic legs. Boasls large 'Mudbusle'' folding mudfeet'

RRP: # |99 t79.9g 3 ,aiuuy quick Incredibly erect umbrella styleactionbivvy.Hinged

folding fibre glass frame. PA coated water resistantnylon coverwithbuiltin groundsheet.Zippeddoors and side ventilation window. Suppliedwith pegs and carry bag.

4*,*

|i33ffi.".p,.oor
. . . . . .

Features:

Can be erected in under go secontls !

. Width50cm . acx ne|gnloccm

l,atrnAn l

. Seal heighi 26-40cm

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RRP: !3*.99

Deluxe Kombi Mat

. Super dense,thickwater foam padding repellent . srouno Groundsecung securingroops loops .Adjustable.roll up fi rerarnrng srrap t . zip up sides h,

Features: KEoooo

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*' :,,J?J::I""JB:;B"']iHEB f 1 9 .99

Features:

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lzn 2'5tb Carb Carp Rod

KE0605 RRP: 3 } 9

Lightweight and easy to erect _ Y: : M|tip|e oor openingoptions . -Ysh Heavy duty peggingpoints Extremestten9tr]' trXtteI|e shength,Wllt]SIat]oS withstands the WoTst Ine worstwea: wea:'. Detachablegroundsheet to increasewarmtl' -'-., :'' RRP:

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1 E,

TC editor Marc Coulsonexplainswhy he is finally retiring his trusty stove...and replacingit with a brand-newone.
!always told anyonethat caredto listen certainly didn't) I (anda few that almost !that mv Primus Omni-Fuel stovewas one othe most important itemsogearthat |'d everowned. So much so, in fact,that upon hearingthat they were being replaced by a newerversionI boughta second.I sworethat I'd neverchangeto anotherstove. Howevel two yearson and I have let one go to my good friendAdam Penningand the otherhas been retired to'the loft.The reason? Well, I recently took deliveryof the brandETAPower, following a spanking-new Primus recommendation from anothermate,ACF's RichardStewart. Richardknowsthat I like a stove and was alsoawarethat this would be right up my street. Oh, how right he was. The ETA Power is a littlebulky comparedto most otherstoves, but giventhat I almostalwaysuse my barrow thesedays,and it slipsinto my banow tidy withoutfuss,this is ngi an issue. pot, with a 2.1-litre The stoveis supplied fryingpan (bothhard-anodised alloywith lining), pot gripper, wind titanium non-stick shieldand insulated storagecase.That'sthe tech specsoried- | won't even go into all the and suchlike. detailaboutthe fuel efficiency All I will say is that the ETA Power apparently harnesses the umes that are wastedby other stovesand makesheatingwater an absolute from cold in cinch.I can boil my Primus kettle lessthan 90 seconds. l haveusedit in airly windyconditions and there has been almostno effecton the boiling making time.I usedit ora week in France' p|enty gas bott|e of cupsotea,and one sma|l lasted I had neverenjoyed that the duration. sort of life out of any gas before. Now,the only possible downside to the ETA Power,unlessyou are the sort who takesthe absolute bareminimum of gearwith you, and will not appreciate bulk, therefore the larger is the price.At the best partof 75 quid it is investment. However,if. like a considerable me, you appreciate a cup of tea on the bank and preferto cook your own food insteadof wastingmoney on expensive takeaways, then investment at the it'llbe a veryworthwhile sametime.Cet on to Primus and find your localstockist, then check it out for yourself.

PRINNUS ETA PO\A/ER STOVE

PRilrflus

ETA Power Stove RRPtf74.99 Contactr Primus on 07885 198912

Tester: Marc Coulson Testperiod:Four months Likes:Brilliant. ultra-efficient stove Dislikes: Perhaps a littlebulky

ToTAL CARP 27 *

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We send unsponsored anglerstackleand bait to use in real Then THEY revieWit, completely,honestly... fishing situations.

'w

GORDOII NNARKUS
Age:31 UK PB: 26lb 8oz Location:Bristol Testperiod:Threemonths

're#
and I was not disappointed. It'sa lightweight, iough-plastic - the claspsare firm container and a bit stiffto open at first but thesewill becomelooserover time.Theydo eliminate the risk of the box openingunexpectedly, though. The box openscompletely The flat enablingeasyaccess. foam is a betterideathan cork because cork tendsto chip. lt how manyhook was surprising linkscan fit into ihe soacewithout managed36 quite easily, any tangles. at one The threecompartments end are a good additionbecause you can storehooks,swivels, pinsand the like for those lastminute adjustments on the bank. a smallslopeon the Nevertheless, insidewould have made it easier

|lAuREEil s'nlT||
Age:45 UK PB: 9lb Wales Location:South period:Five months

IUASH RDA BaltBucket Rig Box Barrowloglc

his new bait bucketrom Nash has some pretty when it's decentfeatures compared to what I usuallyuse to lug my baitsaround- a Tesco Valuecoolbagl For instance, the inside liningis removable, The so it can be cleanedeasily. bag also has a coupleof large externalpocketsthat could easily accommodate a smalltacklebox, or the variousbitsof tackleyou mightneedwhen stalking carp - boilies,particles and pelletsand suchlike. The insulation is of a high qualityand will keep your baits rozen orseveralhoursif you put a coupleof cool blocksin the bag to get your as. Just remember baitsout as soon as you arriveon the bank,as tryingto get rocksolid baitson a hair is not easyl The soecifications advisethat the bag can hold 15kg of bait - although I didn'tuseanything likethatduringmy sesslon becauseit'swinter. Anotherbonusis that,due to the depth othe bag, a two.pint container of milk will easilyfit - so it'san idealshortinside session bag for yourgrubas well as bait. With an RRP of29'99 (| have seenit cheapelthough), it does seemquiteexpensive, but I am surethatthisbag will lastmany seasonsbecause it is a quality product. The fact that it can also integrate with the restothe Barrowlogic rangewill appealto a largenumber of carpers.

O::r:lffii:]ff:,

to removethe smallitems,but The thisis only a minorniggle. box is a nice sizeto fit most bags, can easi|y be stwed to tke on a sta|king trpand you have a varietyof linksat your disposal ora|loccasions. I usedto keep my hook links wrappedaroundCDs in an old CD wallet,whiChwas not ideal. Havingtriedand testedthe Korda box I havechangedall this and the box is in my tackle it is a bag to stay.In summary, well-madeproductthat'stough and durable.

KORDA

Barrowlogic Bait Bucket RRP:f29.99 Contact:Nash on 01702233232 TC verdict:Keep your bait fresh!

iii;ft;6--Contact: Korda on O17O8733ffi TC verdicf A saeway to store your rigs'

Rig Box

34 ToTAL CARP

Fancyreviewing somegear?Turnto page152

Agei 42 UK PB:261b4oz Location:Barton-le-Clay Testperiod:Six months

ilETL WLNNORE

KlERAil
43

HOGAT

London

Quiver
l t was a breathof reshair thisquiver !when lreceived I holdall. I'vealwayslugged my geararoundin a six-rodbag but it took up spaceand added morebulkto my load.This sloweddown my fishing timeand gear aroundthe lake transporting was a bit of a chore.Now I can simplyplacethe made-uprods into the designated sleeves and I'm readyto go. I havea week'strio to France bookedin spring and they allow four rods, whichmakes thisbag even better. You can have up to six made-uo rodsat one timeand stillhave room to storeyour oval bro|y and banksticks. The othergreatadditionis the detachable straothat can be placedon your rightor left-hand side.I'vehad a bad shoulder this wintel due to a rugby injury, and this luxuryhas made carryingmy roos easv. The zips are extremely heavy duty and the reinforced base prevents the bag romsquashing when puttingit into the car and suchlike. One littlepointthat I would liketo recommend when using the quiver, though,is to get yourselfsome rod wraps.These will holdthe buttand spigot sectiontogetherand prevent your linebecoming caughton any surrounding objects in either the car or aroundthe lake,which coulddamageit.Thankyou Total Carp.

ESP

A PRODUCTS Himalaya Clothing

|t consisted of a beniehat, baseball cap, a zip-off hoody, polo shirt,bib 'n' braceand jacket.Each itemfeatures a smart Aqua Products logo, makingyou feel the part on the bank. I was not on|ympressed with the price,I was amazedat how comfortable and lightweight each item is compared to other clothingI have used in the past. Aqua has reallygone to town on the lightweight and easy-to-carry theme. The material is extremely flexibleand allowsyou to sit on the roughest of floorswith maximumiomfort. The bib 'n' bracecontains two handwarmer pockets, wterproo kneepads and anklezips - theseare especially handywhen you are wearingbulky bootsbecause they

l**'ils,:"J#TTi:#

can be slipped over the top with ease- retaining all the heatthat is createdin the trouserleg. You can wear the whole lot as one set,which I can fully recommend in the extremecold, or separately in the warmer ronih, fo, ityle and comfort. Buyingthe itemsas tet is valuefoi money.So, all in all, Aqua has added anothersuperb productto its rangeand it's a 100 per cent British company. Takea step forwardthis winter and treatyourself!

Quiver RRP:f29.95 Contact:ESP on 01865 748989 TC verdict:Carryingyour rods is madeeasy!

ESP

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Contast:Aqua Productson 0845 125 9399 TC verdict:Greatall-season price! clothingat an unbelievable

ToTAL CARP35

'!1\. "*S, \

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\ir*'. LEoNBARrRgtp

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THE

Pics:Alex Bones

Freezingwater and winter carp callsfor minimalfeeding and a refinedapproach.

how demonstrates to get a quick winter bite with

groundbaitand small PVA bags.
fu

<t** < ==*fnr=$p

small pile o bait, no larger

baits as he sits waiting behind his three rods cast to clear spots among weed. As he scans the water for signs of fish I delve into his bait and tackle box to get to the bottom of his supersuccessful approach and quiz him on just how to get some winter success on day ticket waters. Having abeady caught countless fish this winter by adopting this minimalfeeding, single-bite approach, Leon decided it was time to lift the lid on the secret. The ingredients that make up your stick mix form the most crucial element of the approach, as Leon explains: Generally, all venues are clear at this time of year so I use visible baits to my advantage. My number-one mix is actually white/cream in colour because its largely comprises Monster Tiger Nut ingredients. This contrasts massively to the darker-coloured lake bed, but the oils and other secret ingredients that I use are all there to do specific iobs.

Fq- :lil"fi;'"""T' ifi::nshook

LEON
Monster Tiger Nut boilies form the base of the mix and are, to the best of my knowledge, one of the best winter baits of all time. Their sweet aroma and taste make for the perfect cold-water offering. In addition to that, they give off clouds of milky attactant once in the water. I liquidise l.Omm baits at home using a blender, but it's possible to do it on the bank by breaking the baits between your thumb and forefinger - it iust takes longer. Bird Sand, the stuff that goes at the bottom of bird cages, might not be an ingredient that many of you may have given consideration to before, but it forms an essential part of my mix. It has an aniseed aroma and is packed full of crushed oyster shell, an ingredient well documented as a superb fish catcher. The sand is bright white and is very porous, meaning it absorbs the oils and liquids, thus prolonging the leakage once the bait is in the water. After it has absorbed these liquids it becomes very healy and lays on top of any bottom debris, creating a tiny flat area with your hook bait'perched'on top - clever eh? Crushed hempseed adds actvity to the mix, which in turn can stimulate lethargic carp into feeding. The crushed seeds also add substance and particles to the finished concoction. When wet, this ingredient helps to form a milky cloud around the hook bait, thereby creating a'safer' area for the fish to bury their heads in. The use of liquids and oils in winter is another subject that's well documented because it allows you to create

flavour without any feed value. I steer clear of excessively oily liquids such as salmon and other fish oils in the cold. Instead, I prefer to use ones that complement the other ingredients. I use a blend of two liquid flavours - Monster Tiger Nut liquid attractant and sesame seed-oil, intended for Chinese and stir-fry dishes. I mix them 50150 and use the oily blend to saturate the other ingredients for maximum leakage. l,hile all of the other ingredients are there for a specific purpose, I do like to add a few particles as sample hook baits. I use Frenzied Hempseed, one of the ultimate carp-holding baits, chopped tiger nuts to complement the boilie crumb and to give'crunch'. Finally, I add Dyamite XL Corn for added visibility and sweetness. These ingredients blended together to create the ultimate winter stick mix and, when fished in con;'unction with a single hair-rigged grain of maize or mini tiger nut, can be absolutelv unbeatable. The mix leaks off a white milky cloud and the oil from the Monster Tiger Nut Liquid and sesame oil help to pull fish to your hook bait as the flavours disperse into the surrounding water. If you keep a close watch on the area of water where you cast your PVA sticks,

you'll notice a slick appear if fish disturb the mix. The sand holds the liquids superbly and movement from a carp's fin or nose as it investigates the bait will cause oils and flavours to explode from the mix. I generally steer clear ofusing excessive amounts of groundbait in cold water, but Dynamite's Swim Stim Method Mix is an exception to this rule. On venues that are very pellet or groundbait dominated throughout the warmer months, this krill-based mix can earn you bites when you may otherwise struggle. I use this neat in PVA sticks and wet it using a PVA-friendly liquid. It makes for a great alternative at the back end of winter once the water starts to warm up. To create a'different' approach I use the groundbait in Funnel seb-style PVA. I've found a golf-ball-sized bag to be ideal. Sn-im Stim lmm Micro Pellets are another favourite of mine for coldwater carping and since their launch have caught me dozens of winter carp,

Ieonrates tinl P\A bagsin winter, caught andtlrevhave of carp. himloads

He startsoffn'ith a tubeof ESP web-qpeP\.{and des a

Hethenadds a small amount of hiswintermir to thetubeof PVA.

Usingthesupphed ESP plunger he thencompresses themtxslightly.

-t
\.-*_
hishandtomake Heuses surcthePVAdoes notfall off thetube whilecompressing, ThebaitandPVAis then pushed outof therube,
G:..

Heonlyuses smallbags andtheplunger onlyiust reaches!

]:=-t*i*&ii*b,-

=:

Thebaitscompressed and Leonpullsof some excess PVAfromthetube,

\..:11,.1l.

thePlh andholds Hetwists a length out,rtadyto tiethe bagoff. including some impressive fish in excess of 301b from hard waters. I use them straight from the bag and, aga:rfl,on v,/aters where pellets are dominant they can be a better choice than other baits, especially when fished in coniunction with corn. Constructing PVA sticks correctly is very important. They must be compact for casting efficiency, but their compactness also helps to create a neat mound of bait on the bottom. The rype of PVA that you use is also verv important. I use 20mm ESP PVA mesh because it's perfect
t, ry,r: st

Hemakes a loopandthen pases thePVAbagthrough it,likes0,..

pulling ...beforc it all tight a simple overhand to create knotin thePVA.

onceit's all tiedoff rightly, it's rcadyto trimfiom the restof thePVA Sorted!

for use in cold water and has a small diameter, allowing me to create tiny, compact sticks. Using a larger diameter would cause me to filI it with too much bait. A small stick roughly the size of a 5O-pence piece is often all that is needed at this time of year. Remember, you are fishing for one bite at a time and not trying to attract every carp in the lake! !hen threading any PVA sticks onto a stringer needle, take care to avoid the knots in either end. Use the needle to pull your hook link through the PVA stick and nestle the hook in the base of the stick to prevent tangles on the cast. Larger leads need to be used when

b.*ts

casting P\A sticks j,,'1 \ a.ug that they

create in the air. I use 3oz and 4oz Korda designs and my favourite setup lrlcorporates a readr-tied ESP he Iicopter arrangement sr r:h .i s* ivel lead.

To help frnd harder areas, I like to have a few casts with a lead before I start and before I actually clip on a hooklength and PVA stick. However, I won't often consider using a marker set-up because they will spook fish easily at this time of yea,

ToTAL CARP 39

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I
I

DVD onone you how can catch carp? Prepare t0besurprised, Janshows
fartocatch andoroves that have tocast action voudon't

- a star world Don' Ritchie contributor toTotal Welcome tothemad, mad ofDerek'The young fans' Carp magazine and a irm avourite with anarmy o - caught - publisher Tota| carp Advanced Carp Fishing upWith one o David Ha|l o and persona|ities Laord compIex inWorcestershire' There thesport's biggest attheMaver have made The Don oftheUK's hewas introduced tothe variety ofmethods that one most consistently successful carp anglers, paste pop-ups' ree.Iined a|| eature inthis brandThe Zig rig' spodding' stalking and isthe exp|ains what itisthat sets him new DVD. And, o course, there chat' asDerek |ike him from odinary ang|ers' and others apart you'|| ish a great enteftainer' watch Derek over and over A tremendous catcher and put ]arge carp many the wrinkles that have helped him count|ess again asherevea|s o onthe bank,

Get

\ilithTheDon!

'Bolllos, AndBlg$r Pop-Up$ programme, king He Jan explains why the boilie isthe ofthe carp baits, In this second going paste and a Who|e host 0 other bait options doesn't stop there either' ontodiscuss He exp|ains how and when touse the |atest how toget the best rom each one' a|so and your rigs the best from carping. toget 8011106, Balb AndBedlam qualified was first n0one better right there when thePVA stick used, sothere's Janwas ascinating intricacies o this devastating method' And Janreturns tothe touncover the - you it. never know too much about the stuff orhow best toapp|y subject o bait can

Pole.N'Pe|leG/|kod feder great programmes Two half-hour onone D!D, unmvr Jamle Masson's secreb pelleb wlth bofipols-flshed and tho Mebod feeder Match Flshino's Dave Ham|| asloe ouestons.

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Palt onel UJagglaAndPole Mabh Fishing edihr Dave HarB|| vis|b Docklow Pools todemonstratB waggler fignsholls usa\'arlety |sh|no' ofpole flshlng atfiepicfuresque bchnlques BarBhn kks.

hilllnru tuederWaggler AndStick Float gBb Daw Hansll among fie masslve l/vyo dac8 shoa|s ofe majesb R|ver and dsmonst?bs fie running-watel' skllls hathaw made him aconslstent match W|nner or more 20years. than

Patlh'o:s.weeh0|/' Fin'sSeaet Weapon Andy Findlay's ingenious approach to Andy a|| ere|sb know exp|ajns about fe derishing' using boladitlona| making he most o one ofe cheapest - swestcom. eedes and fie|at'Mefiod'eBder you'll balb around Plus, design' has mado him aorm|dab|8 also learn everythlng about one of opponent 0ncap Waters |ength guardsd the and Andy's most closely secreb. ,, breadth o the paste. country. sloppy matc|fi$urr!ffiasg Palt Onc Carp0n Po|e & Feede |n e first Mabh Fishing MasterD|ass' Dave Harell isJo|ned byDaen cox puB Who togeer impresslve catches ofcarp' |rst on the fuoder and then on the oole,

ffiAffiffiW

mtutuk

BiverFloatTactics(Nol) Dave Hanell has won hundreds of rlver comoetitions onthe |oat, and |n fils DVD, the first one ofa new series onrivers around the UK, hereveals some ofe secrets that have made hlm sosuccessful.

ffihmEmn

mtuBenk

(llo2) RiverFishingTactics jolns Davld Hall Dave Hanell to dlscuss touse themeod how When persct. conditions fom aro far 0na very co|d R|Vor sevem, Wi the Water temperature atjust reveals 3f , Dave a host oftrlcks and t|os toko bites put coming flsh and inthe net.

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tutuBank

Elleb,FoleAnd fueder We efumBd toThe Glebe With Andy Flndlay InOctobsr when ltwas much colder How would hofoed it,would hefeed, would hecatch? 0fcourse hecaught. Hs's also developed a new fe6der. here seen or the De||et first time,

bWvL{nE]ry

tutuw_

Andy'ssecet secet your wantto win lfyou more than fair you Tacllcs(No commercial.Wa&f shars ofwlnter matchss have to ) UK Champlon Jon Arthur covers jlm. Watch this Devasbt|ngly simple Double .scret everyth|ng from rigs and tack|e choic incredib|y and etfectve' Andy's tobait and coect feed|ng, your will revoluUonise Secret' approach to|ocaon' animpressive welght for to|egering 0ncommorcia| isheries' ash0builds the cameras.

ffi
0uantity

Ina|c|ild'mffiffi

DVD Quote: 802TC

- Simp|y HOW T0 ORDER i|| out the order torm and add theposta| charge. P&P is12.50 or the first DVD and tl or each additiona| tit|e
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DEREK,R,ITCHIE

s*ge#* ff*$el$* explains to TC reader ffisp#tr how to decide S$e**p on a swim, which baits to use and where to cast them.
44 ToTAL CARP

ffif-*ffi

The man is back, doing n'hat he does best. Derek'The Don'Ritchie is here to solr"e all your carp fishing problems in his excellent new series. Basically, he'll be taking you, the reader, out on the bank to help you develop as a carp angler. You pose the problem and he'll solve it. Anlthing from PVA-bag queries, through to receiving too many tangles - it's entirely up to vou.

.
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Havingalways fishedwith friends, who are more accomplished anglers than me, I wouldn't know how to selecta swim and decidewhereto cast withouttheirhelp.I want to startfishing lackingin on my own but am seriously confidence. Can you help me? MattShea, Cuildford
cold n'ind is blowing on the CEMEX Yateley South Lake, careering down the venue to*'ards the two cat park swims. Despite the clear sky and bright sunshine, it's cold and not nice conditions to be out in. Even so, ensconced in the teeth of the wind in swims 1 and 2I find Derek Ritchie and .pupil' for his the flex 24 hours, Matt Shea. ..\louldn'tit be better to set up out of the wind, where it's more comfortable?" asks Matt as he sets up his rods. "Are you some kind of wuss?" jokes Derek. "It's not nice having the wind blowing straight in your face, but we're sat here for a reason. In a cold wind, any aeas of sheltered water, such as the back of the nvo islands in front of us, are going to be warmer and more comfortable for the carp to shoal up in. There are snags running between the two islands. Carp love to hold up in snags and always frequent island margins anryay. Couple this with the fact that I've been reliably informed that this area of the lake is one

of the most productive and it's the obvious place to start. "So, lesson number one is to choose a swim where you think the carp will be, regardless of how uncomfortable it is to fish." "Okay then, with so many features to target in front of us, where are we going to put ou hook baits?'' asks Matt. "u7e're going to spread them along the island margins," says Del. "If you look along the islands there are certain spots where you can cast that bit closer to the island or snags. \(/hether there's an indent in the island bankside, a gap in the overhanging vegetation/snags or whatever, these are the spots that we're going to tatget." "Are you going to use a marker rod to find out what's in front of us?" asks Matt. "No," replies Derek. ..$ith the carp not really playing ball it's going j to be hard enough to get a bite as it is.

Thrashing the water with a marker rod will scare anv fish in the area, reducing any chance that we might have to almost

'#^

nothing.''
Matt then asks Del to take him through setting up a marker rod and give him a few guidelines when it comes to using one, which he

:-

gladly does.

Lesson over and Matt's left to set up his rods for the session ahead. As he's rummaging through his tackle box Matt goes on to explain that over the past year, since he started carping, he's shadowed his mates on every session. $7hile this has been a help, it's restricted his learning process because the only rigs and tactics he knows are those that his mates have shared with him. With two rods readv

Watching Derek like a hawk as he sets the rods on the alarms, Matt notices that he sets the rods in a specific way and asks the inevitable question, why? "You're fishing close to snags, so I've disengaged the free-spool

facility," explains Derek. "ff

a carp gains line in this

situation it's a recipe for

disaster. It'lI be into the snags before you can do anything about it. "You'll notice that the

for action, Del strolls back into Matt's swim to cast hs eyes over the set-ups.
"Hey man, they're not bad," says Derek. "These rigs will catch you carp but they're more complicated than they need to be and there are a few things that I'd change. For now, though, we'Il get these cast out so that we can get a wanger on your bangerl" After a couple of miscasts Derek drops one of Matt's rods in a tiny gap in the snags against the island and the other is placed alongside a rather large tree that's fallen into the

butt ring is on this side

of the alarm. This'll stop

the rod from being pulled in if you get a violent take. Finally, I've set the indicator with a little drop. You'll be lucky to get any indications if fishing with a bowstring-tight line when the fish can't pull line off the spool. As you're fishing against an island there's a good chance that you'll get a drop-back indication, so a slack line with the indicator lying on the ground would be useless." Matt sticks the kettle on while Derek concentrates on getting his rods cast

The weather is far from conducive to good carp fishing (excuses, excuses!) and from what the baliff told Derek earlier, very few carp have been seen or caught over the past couple of weeks. That said, Derek's quick to point out that there have only been a few anglers fishing South Lake, so it's not fair to say it's fishing poorly.

"I wonder if anyone has been fishing at night?" says Derek. "The water here is gin clear, so I think that the hours of darkness will be our best bet for catching. The chances are that if the lake looks dead during the day then the carp will be active at night; so sitting up listening for crashing carp will give you something to go on. I'm not sure why the hours of darkness are productive on clear waters, maybe it's because the reduced visibility makes it easier for the carp to make a mistake. W'hatever the reason is, I have seen it too many times for it to be a coincidence." lith every'thing sorted and cups of tea on the go, Matt presents his tackle box and rig wallet to Del for inspection. "I only know what my mates have taught me," says Matt. "My tackle is bought and rigs are tied according to their say-so, so let me know if I'm heading in the right direction." "I said earlier that your rigs will catch, but they're a little overcomplicated," starts Del. "Keep your rigs simple. There's less chance that they'll go wrong and they will catch almost everywhere." Derek goes on to show Matt how to tie his favourite rig, a knotless knot tied with a coated braid. However, Del's advice is to use one of the suppler, coated braids because this will suit more situations than an ultra-still one. "That's brilliant," comments Matt. "It's simple to tie, there's no messing about svith shrink tubing and if it's

46 ToTAL CARP

good enough for vou Derek then I have utmost confidence in it too." l0hile Man practises rying the rig he's been shown, Del takes a look through his tackle box and bursts into hysterics as he removes no less than five pairs of pliers and a rather large knife. "I've heard of being tooled up for the job, but this is ridiculous," laughs Del. The day wears on, but no action is forthcoming. V{rile the conditions aren't great there's a distinct lack of activity. We haven't even seen a fish, let alone had a chance of catching one. Derek gets Matt to wind in and change his rigs to the ones he's just tied, before casting them back towards the snags. Each rig is baited with a Manline Dumbell and accompanied by a tiny bag of Mainline pellets. "So what's your thinking behind bait choice?" asks Matt. "It's cold and the carp won't be feeding heavily, especially if there's been little bait going in over the past few weeks," says Derek. "The carp won't start troughing on bait, they'Il just take one or two mouthfuls. Therefore, you're best chance is to put a few small piles of bait into the swim, the PVA bags, with a hook bait in each. "I've avoided hi-viz pineapple wangers and fluoro pop-ups because of the bird life. tJith this clear water the birds would be constantly diving on a bright hook bait, which is no good." The daylight fades and the temperatures plummet, although only briefly. At around 10pm thick cloud cover rolls in, the wind drops and the conditions are improving by the minute. Unfortunately, a takeaway from the local Chinese proves the highlight of the evening because the South Lake carp remain elusive during the hours of darkness.

Derek heads off on a lap of the lake lookng for any clues as to the carp's whereabouts, but his efforts are in vain. The lake looks devoid of life. By late morning we accept defeat and pack up. Unfortunately, no carp have graced the bank despite our best efforts. Nevertheless, Matt's learnt plenty and, what's more, he has the confidence to get out on the bank all on his own. At LOpm I receive a call from Del. He headed off to his syndicate lake after the feature was finished and has .!hat just returned a 40|b L0oz mirror. a fantastic effort, but it seems that his luck has come good about L2 hours too late for Matt!

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ToTAL CARP 47

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Vlvier is situated in beautiful, wooded countryside, thr|v|ng Wlth anassortment ofwi|dIie. wasormed The|ake about 100yeats agoandis appox' 15acres insize. Anon.site mobi|e home canprovide sleeping accomodation at anextra charge.

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52 ToTAL CARP

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