crafty carper july 2016
DESCRIPTION
July’s issue of Crafty Carper is packed with highly informative features to help you catch more fish during the month of July, and there are tips to help you brush up on some fantastic tactics for this time of year. This issue sees Iain Macmillan giving a masterclass on the perfect oily PVA bag, which is a deadly tactic in the warm conditions. He reveals how he goes about tying up these neat parcels of oily pellets – perfect for quick bites, or when presenting a normal rig is difficult. Simon Crow returns with his bi-monthly piece, and this time he’s been on fine form. He bagged two of his target fish in 2 weeks, and gives a full rundown of how he managed to catch two epic northern carp. There’s all this and more, including all the latest and greatest bait and tackle on the market in the Carp Food and Carpers’ Kit sections.TRANSCRIPT
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July 2016 | Issue 227 | £4.25
No.2
27
July 20
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Get Crafty... G
ET CA
TCHIN
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ONE OF FOUR CHUB
TIE THE BEST SOLID PVA BAG EVER WITH IAIN MACMILLAN
IAN STOTT UNVEILS HIS SIMPLY AWESOME TANGLE-FREE SETUP
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July 2016 | Issue 227 | £4.25
No.2
27
July 20
16
Get Crafty... G
ET CA
TCHIN
G!
BY PREBAITING
WIN
ENJOY SCORCHING
SUMMER ACTION
WITHDAVE LANE
HOW TO TACKLE LARGE WATERS MARK WATSON REVEALS ALL
CATCHMORE
TACTICS AND RIGSTECHNIQUES
+ T H E V E RY L AT ES T TAC K L E , BA I T S , T EC H N O LO GY A N D T I P S
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Crafty Carper /// Issue 227 /// July 2016 /// www.craftycarper.co
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craf
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July 2016 | Issue 227 | £4.25
No.2
27
July 20
16
Get Crafty... G
ET CA
TCHIN
G!
craftycarper.co
BY PREBAITING
ONE OF FOUR CHUB FLATBEDS >>
On
sal
e 2
2n
d J
un
e –
19
th J
uly
20
16
TIE THE BEST SOLID PVA BAG
EVER WITH IAIN MACMILLANIAN STOTT UNVEILS HIS SIMPLY
AWESOME TANGLE-FREE SETUP
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Get Crafty... G
ET CA
TCHIN
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BY PREBAITING
WIN
ENJOY SCORCHING
SUMMER ACTION
WITHDAVE LANE
HOW TO TACKLE LARGE WATERS
MARK WATSON REVEALS ALL
CATCHMORE
TACTICSAND RIGSTECHNIQUES
+ T H E V E RY L AT ES T TAC K L E , BA I T S , T EC H N O LO GY A N D T I P S
001_Cover_CC227.indd 1
06/06/2016 16:41
On the cover: Mark Baxter with a stunning 26lb common from his Cambridgeshire syndicate.
4 Crafty Carper
43 Prebaiting On The Money – Mark Baxter Cover star Mark Baxter has tackled some
difficult venues in his angling life, and one of the secrets
to his success is prebaiting. We caught up with him to
see exactly how he goes about this brilliant tactic.
16 Chub CompetitionHere’s your chance to
win one of Chub’s fantastic new
bedchairs from their brilliant
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No.2
27
July 20
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ONE OF FOUR CHUB ONE OF FOUR CHUB FLATBEDS ONE OF FOUR CHUB FLATBEDS ONE OF FOUR CHUB ONE OF FOUR CHUB FLATBEDS ONE OF FOUR CHUBWIN
ENJOY SCORCHING
SUMMER ACTION CATCH
50 Post-Spawning Spectacle – Dave Lane Following on from his feature in the
last issue of Crafty, Dave Lane explains his
approach, how it changes after the fish have
finished spawning, and how you can reap the
rewards when targeting these hungry fish.
30
7 Editorial This month, editor Steve
Broad informs us of the recent happenings within The Carp Society, talks about his latest carping adventures, when he took his first trip to the historic Mangrove lake, and admits to a terrible tenching session.
10 Cast With Confidence Ian Stott
Captor of six 50s in 6 months, Ian Stott reveals how he ensures that he has the utmost confidence in his rigs when fishing at long range, so they are fishing effectively and aren’t ever tangled.
19 Reap The Rewards David Cooper
Owner of Lac de la Ribière, David Cooper certainly knows a thing or two about French fishing, and gives the low-down on how to get the most from your carp-fishing holiday.
25 Two Targets In Two Weeks Simon Crow
Crowy has been on fine form in recent months, banking some incredible fish after having a slow start to the year. Check out his latest article on how he went about banking two stunning northern fish.
30 The Big Blue Mark Watson
Tackling a large water can be a daunting task in itself, so where do you begin? Mark Watson is an experienced angler on these huge venues, and shares his knowledge on the matter, with some excellent advice.
004-005_Contents_CC227.indd 1 06/06/2016 19:44
We’ve put together a fantastic Zig package in conjunction with the guys at Avid, which is everything you need to catch fish feeding in the upper layers. They can be caught from here at all times of the year, so Zig fishing is truly a tactic that you need to master, and here is the ideal bundle to get you going – you even get a hat to keep the sun out of your eyes. We strongly advise giving Zigs a go during the warmer months. They can be a deadly tactic when fished as over-depth Zigs, and a static surface bait can be much more effective, instead of a controller float, whilst trickling floaters in over the top using a Surface Spod. In the package there
is a selection of Ziglites in different colours to choose for hookbaits, different-sized hooks to suit your angling situations, and a Zig Box to ensure that once you’ve finished tying up the Zigs, you can keep them safely stored – plus much more.
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112 Crafty Carper Crafty Carper 113
May 2016 | Issue 225 | £4.25
INSIDE
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June 2016 | Issue 226 | £4.25
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001_Cover_CC226.indd 1 09/05/2016 14:02
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July 2016 | Issue 227 | £4.25
No.227 July 2016Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!
craftycarper.co
BY PREBAITING
ONE OF FOUR CHUB FLATBEDS >>
On sa
le 22
nd Ju
ne – 1
9th Ju
ly 201
6
ONE OF FOUR CHUB
TIE THE BEST SOLID PVA BAG EVER WITH IAIN MACMILLAN
IAN STOTT UNVEILS HIS SIMPLY AWESOME TANGLE-FREE SETUP
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July 2016 | Issue 227 | £4.25
No.227 July 2016Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!
BY PREBAITING
WIN
ENJOY SCORCHING
SUMMER ACTION
WITHDAVE LANE
HOW TO TACKLE LARGE WATERS MARK WATSON REVEALS ALL
CATCHMORE
TACTICS AND RIGSTECHNIQUES
+ T H E V E RY L AT ES T TAC K L E , BA I T S , T EC H N O LO GY A N D T I P S
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Crafty Carper 5
37 Supreme Solid Bags Iain Macmillan
PVA bags are a phenomenal tactic when used in the right situation, and here, Iain Macmillan explains how to get the most out of them, and gives a great insight into how to tie up the ultimate oily solid bag.
58 The Question Is Our panel of experts for
this issue consists of Jack Meyer, Brad Greening, Ellis Brazier, John Kneebone and Rich Adams, who are all highly experienced anglers in their own right. This month, you’ve asked the guys some great questions, including how to extract fish safely from weed, and how to approach the surface for first-timers.
67 Carp FoodThis month, editor
Steve Broad takes a look at some of the latest offerings from Mainline Baits, as well as Spotted Fin’s new Catalyst and Sticky Baits’ deadly Manilla range, which is set to be a big hit.
77 The TicketMasterThere are three great
venues featured this month: Willows Lakes in the south of the country, the fantastic recently reopened Frisby Lakes in the East Midlands, and the ever popular Stanwick Lakes’ Mallard Lake. Be sure to take advantage of the free fishing on offer in this issue of TicketMaster.
81 Carpers’ KitBringing you the latest
and greatest kit from some of the biggest manufacturers in the game. This month we take a look at some great new products from Prologic, some fish-finding tech from FishHunter, with the 3D mapper, and Dovetail Games’ epic Euro Fishing for those days where you can’t get out on the bank for real.
93 In Too Deep Ellis Brazier
Deep venues can be notoriously tricky, especially in the warmer months, when bites can be hard to get. Ellis
Brazier is a dab hand with deep waters, and explains how he gets the most from these difficult situations.
99 The Great Crafty Debate
Does rig concealment matter? Do we need to spend a lot of time camouflaging terminal tackle, or are we just overthinking things? Our panel of experts give their opinion on the matter.
103 Crafty Carper Under-21s
Dan Price continues his monthly blog, and shares his latest carping adventures, including how he has been planning his fishing for when he finishes his busy exam schedule. In the meantime, he has managed to sneak some Zigs out to try to get a few bites.
107 Catch ColumnThis is the place to
get your catch picture published, so send them in to us, and you’re in with the chance of a great prize, courtesy of Sticky Baits.
112 Subs OfferGet your copy of
Crafty Carper delivered to your door each month, and save yourself the hassle of trekking down to the local newsagents.
115 No Passport Required
Lewis Clayton You don’t have to travel across the Channel to get some big fish, and if you look in the right places, you don’t have to travel far at all. Lewis Clayton had a recent trip to Birch Grove, a fantastic UK holiday venue.
121 Overnighters Julian Cundiff
Jules is back with his regular slot, and this month we joined him on one of his local venues which he regularly fishes. He explains how he goes about getting the most from the limited time he has on overnight sessions.
126 CC InboxKeep up to date
with all the latest news and views from around the carp-angling scene, plus the recent winner of JRC’s Every Picture Tells A Story competition.
129 Mega DealsThere’s always
a bargain to be had in Mega Deals, from some of the leading retailers in the industry, so check it out and pick up some great offers.
112
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Contents /// July 2016
004-005_Contents_CC227.indd 2 06/06/2016 19:45
Crafty Carper 19
ReapWe all look forward to our fishing holidays, and trips to France are up there as top destinations for
big-carp fishing. David Cooper, owner of Domaine de la Ribière, gives some interesting tips and
insights on how to get it right, and catch.
ReapDAVID COOPERReapReapO
ReapReapWe all look forward to our fishing holidays, and trips to France are up there as top destinations for
big-carp fishing. David Cooper, owner of Domaine de la Ribière, gives some interesting tips and
ReapReapOO
ReapO
ReapReapO
ReapR E WA R D S
Thomas Kamin with Alex at 72lb, caught using light leads.
019-023_Reap_the_Rewards_CC227.indd 1 06/06/2016 19:35
20 Crafty Carper
Reap The RewardsDavid Cooper
I love fishing in France, and like many
anglers, I have fished a wide range
of venues. One thing they all have in
common is that they are pressured
and the fish are often very clued-up,
so if you go there thinking it’s going
to be easy, you can often get caught
out. Looking back at my records and
approach over the years, it’s certainly
changed quite a bit, hopefully for
the better. In the early days, I often
felt the pressure to catch, and catch
It’s never been easier to research a
venue now we have the Internet. Lots
of them have maps of the lake and
pictures of all the swims, and quite a few
have video clips which can be found on
YouTube. A few hours spent researching
gives you an idea of the lake in your
mind, and on paper. The first thing I do
is print off a Google Map of the water
and start marking the pegs and the lake
depths, including any features I can see.
On Ribière, there are pictures of every
swim and you can see each peg drained
down. This is very valuable information
because you can see key features
such as the drop-off areas and sunken
bridges, other snags, and nice areas of
hard lakebed. The next stage is to start
talking to as many anglers as you can
who are regulars on the lake. You will
find them in the catch reports and on
Facebook pages. There will be someone
you know, and a quick message asking
for advice on key spots can be worth its
weight in gold. Also, don’t be afraid to
talk to the owner. I am often asked about
specific pegs and areas, and I’m happy to
give out information, but not everyone
does this. There is no excuse for turning
up in a peg without any prior knowledge
of the venue and the swim itself.
Once you’re in your chosen peg, you
big. I would put myself under pressure
to do well and end up making a lot of
mistakes, not enjoying the experience
or the holiday. I would kick myself after:
Why did I do that? What was I thinking?
If I was with friends, there was also
the added edge of competition. I have
learned now to relax a little more, and
spend more time on my preparation well
in advance of a trip, especially if it’s a
new lake. Starting with the right mindset
is key for my fishing. My preparation
focuses on four key areas – venue and
peg knowledge, bait and bait application,
rigs and tactics, and finally, watercraft.
Being prepared allows me to relax and
put it all together once I am at the venue.
still need to find the spots. With the
aid of bait boats and echo sounders,
it’s not difficult to see what’s in front
of you within a short period of time.
Get the map out and add the depths
and any features to the peg, and then
take stock. I always run a lead over
the lakebed, to make sure I have a feel
for what I am fishing on – silt, hard,
soft, weed, etc. For me, the depths
and the key features in front of me
are so important to unlocking the
peg. At Ribière, every peg fishes in a
different way. On some you need to
fish long in the far margin, tight to
the bank or under a tree, on others
you need to be at the bottom of the
shelf, in the silt, or on the edge of the
silt, and on others you fish short.
Quite often at Ribière, most of the
runs will come from one spot, so getting
the spots to produce can be vital. If fish
are in the area and you aren’t catching,
small changes can be key. I have seen
spots produce for 3 days and then go
dead, but a move of 2-3 yards right or
left can have the fish back on it again.
Anglers here for a week spend
less than a couple of hours actually
finding out what’s in front of them.
Think about it! You have the whole
week, so half a day is nothing to spend
making sure you know what’s out
there. Equipped with this knowledge,
you can make decisions on the spots,
taking into account the weather, fish
movement, and the key features.
Remember to try something different. Use Zigs, running rigs, heavy or light leads.
Above: With a boat and echo sounder, it’s easy to map out the swim and any key features.
Main: Even in cold weather, the fish will be moving, so stay alert.
Right: It’s important to know about any features and potential snags in your peg. The bridge at Ribière needs to be approached with extreme caution.
KNOW THE VENUE
MINDSET
019-023_Reap_the_Rewards_CC227.indd 2 06/06/2016 19:35
Crafty Carper 21
Reap The RewardsDavid Cooper
When it comes to bait, for me, the
starting point, again, is research. How
many fish are in the lake? How big are
they? Are they young and growing?
At Ribière we have over 500 fish with
an average weight of mid-40lb, so
that’s 20,000lb of carp in 22 acres,
and they need to eat. If you are at a
venue for a week, you know that the
fish will feed at some stage (in normal
conditions), so making sure you have
enough bait in the swim to get them
feeding is key. In normal conditions,
with carp moving, water temperatures
above 11°, and no big natural hatches,
I am more than confident to feed
heavily as the week progresses,
and especially if I start catching.
However, the first couple of days
are always a time for caution. You don’t
know how much has gone in the week
before, and you have no idea how the
fish are behaving when you arrive. My
advice is always to build the swim,
and bait easy-to-moderate to begin
with. If you’re catching from the off
and the fish are having it, then it’s an
easy decision. When the fish are rolling
and moving and you’re not catching,
or when you get no indication of how
they are responding and the lake just
isn’t fishing, you need to be cautious.
In this case, small clumps of bait, a light
baiting approach, and even singles can
work well. The key is to make sure you
are basing your decision-
making on observation
and feel, and not just blind faith.
How much to bait and how often
is another question I am asked a lot.
In winter, if the fish are in front of me
and I feel they are feeding, I often have
a couple of kilos of bait over each rod.
In November at Ribière, I have caught
fish to 60lb with this type of approach.
I keep it going in every day because
I want there to be bait available for
them to eat. At certain times of the
year, putting more in when you’re not
catching can be a big leap of faith. On
high-density waters, I have had a lot
of success doing this in the spring.
It’s not the norm but it can work, and
it seems to get them going and they
respond to it. In very hot weather, I have
adopted a little-and-often approach by
fishing singles and a few scatterings.
The water is warm, there are lots of
naturals, and you need to catch them
out. Attraction, curiosity, and having
it in the spot they are patrolling can
give you the take when it’s difficult.
The wrong way to go about it is to
come here with a preconceived plan
of piling it in and sitting and waiting.
It’s a one-chance approach with a very
high probability of failure. Once it’s in
you can’t take it out, so build it up in
response to the behaviour and feeding of
the fish, not assumptions. By all means,
bring the bait and have it with you, but
don’t start on Saturday with 20kg in
your peg. On good weeks at Ribière, you
can use 50kg of boilie and particles, no
problem. I know Gary Covell very well,
and his recent trip included three 50lb
fish and a couple of 49lb fish over big
beds of bait, but it was applied once
the fish arrived, and was consistently
fed during the rest of the trip.
Remember to try something different. Use Zigs, running rigs, heavy or light leads.
Try mixing it up, with chopped
boilie, maize and pellet over
a wide area, rather than
just dropping a tight spot
using the boat.
Bob with a beautiful 53lb mirror.
BAITING AND BAIT
APPLICATION
019-023_Reap_the_Rewards_CC227.indd 3 06/06/2016 19:35
30 Crafty Carper
U
the more you fi sh it, the smaller it will
feel, and that is key to unlocking it“ “
030-034_The_Big_Blue_CC227.indd 1 03/06/2016 15:19
Crafty Carper 31
Tackling vast waters can always be a challenge, and discovering where to begin can be a daunting task in itself. We caught up with big venue specialist Mark Watson to share his knowledge on how to approach lakes of epic proportions.
MARK WATSON
The Big BlueMark Watson
030-034_The_Big_Blue_CC227.indd 2 03/06/2016 15:19
32 Crafty Carper
The Big BlueMark Watson
When I first started on this
huge 200-acre pit many years
ago, there weren’t an awful
lot of fish in here, and it made things
very difficult. When I say there weren’t
many, I’m talking around 30 carp, a good
handful of mirrors, with the rest being
commons. As the years went on, it was
stocked with around 800 fish, which
made things a lot easier, but still, finding
them in 200 acres is hard work. As well
as the stock of carp being low, there are
also several elements against you, but
this should never deter you from taking
on a challenge such as this.
One of the most important parts of
taking on something like this is your
mindset. You have to be committed to
the task in hand, and something you
need to take into account is the amount
of time you are willing to spend to try to
suss out the venue. The more you fish
the lake, the more you unlock it in your
head; you won’t fully understand the
lake if you only stick to one swim where
it may be comfortable, and you certainly
won’t be on the fish every single time
by having a one-track mind. Try lots of
swims, which may not mean you catch
more initially, but when you start to
work out what is in front of each swim,
the more likely it is to work out where
fish will be. For example, there may be
plateaus, bars, silt patches, weedbeds,
or other kinds of underwater features
that fish are attracted to. Initially,
the lake will feel massive if you are
used to smaller waters, but the more
you fish it, the smaller it will feel,
and that is key to unlocking it.
Before you even start on the lake,
do your research, and find out as much
information about the place before you
even start. There are a lot of things you
might want to know, such as the stock
levels. If it’s an old pit, find out what it
was originally dug for, as this will help
to know the make-up of the lakebed
before even casting the lead out. In this
case, the lake was originally dug for the
sand and gravel, and if you’ve ever seen
pictures of these sorts of pits before
water filled them, you’ll know all about
the steep slopes and various trenches.
These can be great features for
finding fish, but can cause you to lose
a lot of fish due to the sharp rocks and
things which may be there. Use the
Internet and maps for an aerial view
of your chosen water, and if you look
closely, you will see the difference in
areas; the shallower areas are lightly
shaded, and the deeper areas are
generally a lot darker in colour. They
can often reveal things which you can’t
actually see from the bank, such as piles
of boulders, as at this venue. These are
obviously very attractive to fish because
they provide cover and give an element
of safety. This means they will be
confident to feed in these areas, as they
have the security of the rocks near them.
While on the subject of maps, take
note of wind directions. Print off a map
of the whole lake with a compass in the
corner; this will help you work out wind
directions, so you are ready to jump on
to a new wind, or steer clear of a wind
if it’s a bitterly cold northerly. As well
as this, you can be prepared to make
moves before the changes in weather
even happen. I do this with the aid of
a reliable weather app, so I can make
a decision of where I want to be on the
lake, and I can batten down the hatches
ready for an incoming weather front.
On your first visit to the venue, it’s very
important to choose a swim with a view of
as much of the lake as possible, because
you need to be watching it at all times. By
doing this, you can work out where fish
are in the current conditions, which helps
give a starting point for the next session
if the conditions are similar. You can use
this knowledge to your advantage, which
may mean fishing a different swim, but
if you’ve seen fish there, you stand a
good chance of getting a bite, rather than
sitting behind motionless rods for your
session. Take into account all the different
elements which create the conditions,
make a note of them, and then choose
your swim based on this, as you stand a
good chance of locating the fish. On these
massive venues, you can’t just turn up
and expect to catch. A lot of research has
to be done, and for the first few sessions,
you shouldn’t be disheartened if you don’t
catch. Eight-hundred fish sounds like quite
a few, but when you put that number
of fish in 200 acres, they can be hidden
anywhere. Fish in big pits are generally
fairly nomadic. The odd few will group
I like to use heavier indicators to help combat the severe undertow.
Using a weather app can help predict your next move on to fish.
With everything looking pretty, I sit back to watch the
water, and the boats.
030-034_The_Big_Blue_CC227.indd 3 03/06/2016 15:20
Crafty Carper 33
The Big BlueMark Watson
up, but compared
to commercial-style
venues, where you can
expect many big hits in
quick succession, with this style of
fi shing you may get one or two fi sh
in a shorter period of time, and be
waiting quite some time for a hit.
Before this lake was restocked, and
the original ones were all that was in
here, I remember being the top rod
for one of the seasons, with only fi ve
fi sh to my name. Five fi sh in a season
doesn’t sound a lot, but when you
think about
catching
fi ve of the
30 fi sh in
200 acres,
it’s actually
quite an
achievement.
I was very
pleased
with this,
although it’s
not for the
impatient
anglers.
The fi sh can very much be loners
in the world of carp, so it pays to
be fairly mobile. You may be able to
drive around the lake, but if you can’t,
strong, lightweight gear is important.
It may not feel windy when you’re
loading up the car for your trip, but
on these huge expanses of water,
the slightest of breezes can feel like
gale-force winds! This means you
may have to balance the lightweight
properties with strength; your kit is
going to be facing elements which you
may not be used to if you usually fi sh
secluded lakes. Across this much open
water, the wind can pick up easily,
which also affects the undertow.
Undertow can be a nightmare,
and in really harsh conditions you
may fi nd that your rigs have been
moved. Lines get caught in the tow
and pull the rigs about, which means
you have to keep an eye on them. I use
large leads to try to keep everything
anchored, and to be able to cast my rods
out there, which can be very diffi cult
in serious crosswinds that are all too
common when tackling big venues.
Whilst on the subject of strong
tackle, this is replicated in my rigs.
The thing with big pit fi sh is that they
aren’t massively
pressured
compared to
those in smaller
venues. This is
because they
obviously have a
lot more space to
escape angling
pressure, and
because they
aren’t pressured
all that much,
they aren’t riggy.
I use very simple
but strong rigs, and this is another thing
to remember when tackling lakes of
such large proportions. Big strong hooks
and strong braided rigs are what I use,
and I don’t stray away from two rigs
which have worked very well for me to
date. I tend to use a blowback-style
rig for my bottom baits and
Snowman presentations,
usually around 7-8ins long, with
a big, strong curve shank hook, a
bit of shrink tube over the eye as
a kicker, and silicone on the shank
of the hook to keep the Hair in position.
The other is the rig I use for pop-ups,
and that is the Multi-Rig. It’s simple to
tie and very effective, so I can be sure
The fi sh can very much
be loners in the world
of carp, so it pays to
be fairly mobile.
“ “ Heavy leads and anti-tangle sleeves are the main factors to ensure my rigs are set correctly.
Two very simple rigs which lend themselves very well to my style of fi shing.
Stay active and on the move, and
be prepared to change swims at the drop of a hat.
Another big pit victim; fi sh like this make the time and effort worthwhile.
030-034_The_Big_Blue_CC227.indd 4 03/06/2016 15:20
34 Crafty Carper
The Big BlueMark Watson
that if I hook a fi sh, I’m confi dent I will
land it. When you have waited so long for
a bite, the last thing you want is to lose
the fi sh, especially if it’s the one you’ve
set your sights on. I don’t use things
like swivels and bits of putty all over
my rigs, as I like to keep them simple.
The only thing I do use on them is an
anti-tangle sleeve, and this is because
when my rigs go out, I need to be 100%
confi dent that they aren’t tangled on
the lakebed; they may be out there for
a day or more while I wait for a bite.
When I turn up for my sessions on
this venue, I often arrive at the crack of
dawn. Something I have noticed from
fi shing here over the years is that the
fi sh often show themselves early in
the morning. If I’m there when they
are showing, I can often get amongst
them quickly, and set up on the fi sh
without having to do too much work.
I can fi gure out where they might be,
and this goes back to knowing more
than just one swim. The fi sh could be
anywhere on the lake when you arrive,
but you’ll have a rough idea when you
suss out the wind direction, and this
is where knowing features in different
swims can pay off. If they are in a swim
you know, then the chances are that
you’ll be able to put rods onto known
spots you have fi shed previously.
If I turn up and see the fi sh straight
away, I don’t put any bait over them, or
try to fi gure out what they are showing
over with a marker fl oat. I simply put
single hookbaits over them – and the
best single hookbait anglers are all
from Yorkshire! If I catch one or two
from the showing fi sh, I wait until there
hasn’t been anything showing for a
little while to avoid spooking them off
the area, and that’s when I put in my
freebies. When I do this, contrary to the
Yorkshire stereotype, I actually put a
fair amount of bait in. I glug my boilies
for maximum attraction in the water,
as I want lots of food signals out there
to keep the fi sh searching long after
the last bait has been eaten. With the
savage undertows on these big waters,
the scent can travel a long way, and
carp can home in on this from greater
distance than just a standard boilie
being put into the water. I also use
particles, but they are only worth my
while when bream are not a problem.
You can cause a lot of disturbance
when wading through shoals of
bream, because of having to keep
baiting and recasting onto the spot.
When you really get in tune with
the lake, things will become easier.
It doesn’t feel like the mammoth
challenge it started off as, and
eventually, things will come good and
those big pit fi sh will soon be yours! CC
Giving my bait a good glugging using some KS15 liquid for extreme attraction.
Returning a big pit beast – back to the depths it goes.
I’m not shy when I’m putting bait in, and I like to use a very potent bait.
This stunning mirror is one of the 800 stocked, which has now darkened up.
030-034_The_Big_Blue_CC227.indd 5 03/06/2016 15:21
50 Crafty Carper
POST-SPA WNINGThe majority of the fish across the UK have now finished spawning, possibly even more than just once. It’s safe to say they are at their lowest weights, and the fishing can be very difficult. Dave Lane has tackled this issue year in, year out and gives the low-down on how to get the most from this tricky time.
The
SPECTACLE
Playing a fish from a big bed of bait in late summer.
050-054_Dave_Lane_CC227.indd 1 06/06/2016 22:05
Crafty Carper 51
The Post-Spawning Spectacle Dave Lane
POST-SPA WNINGSPECTACLE So, the summer is passing and
the fish have completed their
spawning ritual, maybe even
more than once, but we will forgive
them that. After all, they have waited
a whole year for the chance! After
spawning, the fish are obviously at
their lowest weights of the year,
but they will be keen to replace that
weight and repair any damage they
may have sustained, and a good food
source is the quickest way to achieve
this. Depending on the sort of weather
we get, there may well be hard times
ahead from an angling perspective.
For example, a roasting-hot August
often puts a spanner in the works,
but for now it is full steam ahead.
Carp can feed heavily after spawning,
and the food source we offer them is
particularly good. High-quality boilies
contain just about everything a carp
needs to aid healing and bulk up.
I have witnessed some
amazing growth rates in the
period from spawning through to
early autumn; a pound a week is
not unheard of with larger carp,
once they get on the munch.
I remember fishing a lake in
Northampton where I caught a
spawned-out mirror on 17th July. She
was a little battered after her ordeal,
and weighed 32lb. On 7th August
I caught her again, and she looked
fantastic, weighing a few ounces
under 37lb. In 3 weeks exactly she had
gained almost 5lb in weight, which is a
pretty amazing statistic, but one that
cannot be denied; the same scales,
the same angler, and digital dating on
the photographs, let alone the obvious
physical changes. Obviously, eating
went a long way towards this process,
and I would imagine that bait was the
greater part of this feast, but here is
an interesting fact that I never knew
before then. Female carp actually start
to grow spawn,
or eggs, for
the next year
very soon after
clearing out
what they were
already carrying.
I only learnt
this through a
conversation
with Simon Scott
from Sparsholt
Fishery College,
shortly after
this capture. It’s
amazing how
much there is still to learn about carp,
even after a lifetime spent pursuing
them. This little snippet of information
isn’t going to help you bank any more
fish, of course, but I just felt like
sharing it with you. Now we are all
that little bit smarter – cheers Simon.
So what will help us bank more fish
after spawning time has passed? For
this month at least, I reckon the main
point of attack is to learn where the
fish do the majority of their feeding,
and then gave them exactly what
they are looking for. Carp can get very
predictable for a while, and use the
same routes, the same feeding areas,
and lay up in the same safe houses
during the day. What we are looking
for is where the fish are during feeding
times, and midnight to mid-morning
are the classic times during this period
of the season.
As with all
carp-angling
scenarios,
there is no
substitution for
observation.
Watching the
water is always
the greatest
way to invest
your time
spent on the
bank. You will
learn nothing
at all from
your phone, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram or any other distraction.
Observing will help you catch carp,
or find where they are feeding.
I always like to be awake and
watching just before it gets light. It
always amazes me how many anglers
sleep through the most telling times of
the day. In the height of summer this
may actually mean setting an alarm
for 3.30 a.m., which is a hideous time
to be waking up, but once you are
up and about, it is by far the most
magical time of all. Watching the
world come to life is a spectacle in
itself, but seeing how the carp behave
as the sky breaks each day is a very
revealing process that cannot be
replicated at 8.00 a.m., or whenever
else you crawl out of the sleeping bag!
First light and last light are quite
often the calmest times of the day as
far as wind is concerned, and during
these periods it is often possible to
see where the fish are feeding. Scan
the water with binoculars, and look
for bubbling and fizzing, which is
a sure sign of feeding carp. It’s my
considered opinion that the evenings
are not what they used to be as far as
feeding carp are concerned, hence the
early starts. As a kid, I remember that
the last vestiges of light were always
the trigger for feeding activity, and I
used to hang on as long as possible,
staring through the twilight at the
top of a quill float when fishing for
small wildie commons. Nowadays
though, the evenings seldom seem to
produce for me, and I put my full faith
in the coming of each day, learning
as much as I can to keep me going
until the next dawn comes around.
Once you have identified the
areas where the carp are during the
hot times, it’s just a case of giving
them what they need in the right
DAVE LANE
It’s amazing how much there is still to learn about carp, even after a lifetime spent pursuing them
“ “
050-054_Dave_Lane_CC227.indd 2 06/06/2016 22:05
52 Crafty Carper
The Post-Spawning Spectacle Dave Lane
areas, and making sure your rigs are
positioned, and undisturbed, well ahead
of time. What they need, of course, is
top-quality boilies, or at least that’s
what always works for me at this time.
I know you read a lot about particle
use in the summer – hemp, tigers, corn,
etc. – and this approach will work, but
after spawning, I think that a bed of
boilies gives the carp exactly what they
need in an easy meal, apart from the
odd one with a hook in it, of course. If I
am moving on to fish which are already
feeding, then I am happy to fish singles
or a very small and delicate scattering
of bait, rather than risk spooking them,
but if I have identified a good area and
I am setting traps, then I feed a lot
heavier than in previous months. At
this time of year, I like nothing better
than to have all three traps set over
a bed of good food, and know that
each rig is presented as well as it can
possibly be. This may take time, but I
do it well ahead of the predicted bite
time, probably the evening before,
and then sit and wait, causing as little
disturbance to the swim as possible.
Quite often I actually bait the swim, clip
up all three rods, and then go off for a
walk or a social barbecue with mates
on the opposite bank, leaving the swim
rested and free of lines for hours at
a time. If I am convinced that I know
the bite times, then I cannot see the
point in risking spooking the fish before
“I like nothing better atthis time of year than tohave all three traps setover a bed of good foodand know that each rig is presented as well as it can possibly be”
All spawned-out at 32lb.
Three weeks later and nearly 5lb bigger.
Weed changes the game completely!
050-054_Dave_Lane_CC227.indd 3 06/06/2016 22:05
Crafty Carper 53
The Post-Spawning Spectacle Dave Lane
they get settled by thrashing about
in the swim. Just three quick casts
with clipped up rods before I retire for
the night is often the best method.
In the morning, nice and early, I
will be hovering over the rods and
watching the spots, although this
can sometimes be frustrating. Quite
often it’s almost impossible to resist
the urge for a recast when the fish
are bubbling all over you and you still
haven’t received any action, but it is
seldom the right answer. I always try to
sit tight and leave the rigs in position,
putting faith in the fact that I have
cast them out perfectly the previous
evening. Sometimes it can take hours
for a feeding carp to actually make one
mistake, and I often wonder how many
times they have rejected or purposely
avoided the hookbait before slipping
up. Once again, keeping everything
low profile and the swim undisturbed
will help speed things up, as will bait
application over the previous days or
weeks. Prebaiting, or regular baiting
of the better areas will always work
in your favour, but on a lot of the
busier pits it is just as likely to work in
someone else’s favour. If you can get
an area going and keep some freebies
going in when you aren’t actually
fishing, this will vastly increase your
chances of a bite. Even baiting when
you leave the lake, as long as you are
fairly sure that nobody else is just
about to move in, can help lower the
defences of the fish as they feed on
bait without lines or rigs present.
Going back to the Northants pit
for a moment; I discovered an area at
one end of the lake where the fish
were feeding every morning, during
the first 3 hours of daylight. It was in
a large bay and easily fishable from
the side of a small point which jutted
out into the lake and actually formed
one side of the bay. More importantly,
however, while watching the water in
the evening, I spotted a fish very close
in to the end of the point, only a rod-
length or so from the bank. Normally
this swim would be fished at range, but
that single sighting changed the course
of the following few weeks for me.
I had stumbled across the route the
carp were using to go in and out of the
bay to feed, and during the night, on
a single rod on the end of the point,
I caught as many carp as I did during
the hot times from the bay. I had not
one, but two, target areas which fished
at different times of the day, and I
managed to land a good number of fish
in a short period, culminating in the
three largest fish in the lake in a frantic
12-hour spell. I kept both areas topped
up with bait and loaded the swim
before I left each week, and I think
this helped a lot with my catch results.
The rod on the end, fished on single
banksticks and a sounder box, produced
at least one fish every single night,
and always between midnight and
2.00 a.m. The bay, on the other hand,
never gave me a bite at these times,
and it was usually first light as they got
settled in, or occasionally, an evening
bite before they left again. I think the
fish had originally started using the bay
in the mornings because of the way it
faced the sun, and the abundance of
fresh weed and natural food in there.
My bait had come as a welcome bonus
for them, and hopefully, was part
of the reason they stayed so long.
During this latter part of summer,
the weed growth greatly affects the
fish and the areas they are using,
and even within a swim, things can
change dramatically. Last season
I fished a certain swim on St Ives,
as often as I could get in there, and
over the year it accounted for 10 of
my total of 18 carp from the lake.
I always keep a record of all the
spots I fish, particularly those I catch
from, and the period between the
end of June and mid-August tells an
Better than Facebook – why would you rather
stare at a tiny screen?
Carp spawning on a big gravel pit.
The end of the point rod, a bite every night.
One of my many hot spots last year.
050-054_Dave_Lane_CC227.indd 4 06/06/2016 22:05
116 Crafty Carper
No Passport RequiredLewis Clayton
With the onset of the warmer
weather, the inevitable
spawning up and down the
country has been taking place, the
result being that my current syndicate
was closed for a month, so I was
left pondering my options for a few
nights on the bank. During a chance
conversation with Jemima at Angling
Publications, the subject of Birch Grove
came up. She let me know that nobody
was fishing the venue for the next few
days, so plans were quickly made for a
couple of days on the historic water.
Birch is a stunning, beautiful 5-acre
mere which offers anglers the chance
to fish one of the most famous waters
in the UK on an exclusive basis. Its
peaceful surroundings, comfortable
swims, and good facilities attract
anglers from all over the UK, who want
to sample a piece of carping history.
There’s the added advantage of not
having to mess around with long drives,
ferries, or passports, and it’s surprising
how this keeps the cost manageable.
Birch Grove features include a
smooth, silty bottom, bloodworm beds,
overhanging trees, lily pads, reedbeds,
and deep margins with lily beds and
overhanging trees. The water is around
13ft deep, and houses four comfortable
pegs, comprising the Caravan Swim,
the Compound (often used as a double
swim to ensure the lake is fished as
efficiently as possible), the Helipad
and the Main Boards. Birch can be
fished by a maximum of four people
at any one time. In addition there is
a small stalking swim at the far end
of the lake. The stock is a mixture
of mirrors and commons to well over
30lb, and although it can be a tricky
water, the rewards are there to be
enjoyed. There’s also a small lodge
with a stunning view of the lake, which
houses a flushing toilet, shower, a
kitchen with a fridge, and freezer. This
is perfect when you book the lake for
a full week, and allows you and your
party to eat like kings, which really
does add to the whole experience.
I made a quick phone call to my
mate Si to ask if he fancied it, and to
see if he could get the time off work
at such short notice, and the next day
we were Shropshire-bound. I had fished
the lake once before, so I gave Simon
the choice of swims. He opted for the
last swim known as the Main Boards,
and I dropped in the middle swim to Si’s
left, called the Helipad. It was around
teatime by the time we had the rods
sorted, and the weather wasn’t great. It
was reasonably high pressure, but was
due to drop over the next 48 hours.
The first night passed without
event, although in the night I heard
a few fish crashing in the pads to my
right in Si’s swim, and also at the back
of the pads and snags on the far side
in front of me. It’s a good chuck from
the middle swim, and ask anybody
who knows me, distance casting is not
my forte! However, the spots I fancied
were around 135 yards, so not out of
range for me. I figured the majority of
anglers might well fish to the obvious
spots, where there was a clear gap
between the pads and snags. Bait boats
are allowed on Birch, so I thought that
these spots had probably been pretty
well-fished over the years. I’d fallen
into the same trap on the first night,
and fished my rods in these gaps,
but I’d received no action so a rethink
was the cards. I decided to fish to the
middle area of each set of pads. I looked
for any indentation or Vs in the pads
that I could fish to, and once I’d picked
After a short rest in the sling, she was ready for some pictures.
Home from home – the Birch lodge.
Safe and strong was all that I needed.
115-118_Lewis_Clayton_CC227.indd 2 06/06/2016 15:08
Crafty Carper 117
No Passport RequiredLewis Clayton
three spots, the rods were dispatched
and I spread a kilo of boilies all across
the pad line. I settled in for afternoon
of rig-tying and coffee drinking.
Dusk soon descended, and as I stood
watching the water, a whopping great
carp came crashing out at the back of
the pads. My confidence was growing
as I went to bed that night, and it
was well founded because I was soon
scrambling from my sleeping bag to hit
the first bite. The rod was locked up
solid so the fish couldn’t go anywhere,
which is a must when fishing like
this. It was one of those pitch-black
nights; the low pressure had rolled in as
promised, and there was heavy cloud,
so I couldn’t see a thing. At such a range
with snags and pads all over the show,
I just started pumping the fish away
from any potential problems. The only
way I knew which direction the fish
was heading was by feel, and it soon
made its intentions known by kiting
right into Si’s swim. I had snags close in
to my right, in the shape of some fallen
trees, so I knew I needed to gain line. If
it carried on going
I was in trouble.
Luckily, I
managed to turn
the fish, but to
be completely
honest, it didn’t
feel particularly
large. I wasn’t too
concerned until it
surfaced just my
side of the close-in
snag to the right. I
could then clearly
see its frame, and
realised it was a better carp than I’d
originally thought. At this point it was
doing its utmost to get into the snag,
and I was giving it everything, hoping
and praying that the hookhold held. I
knew I’d won the battle when a change
of tack from the carp saw it scream
across the front of the swim in the
opposite direction to the snag. It wiped
out both my other rods, and it could only
be described as a scene of devastation! I
had rods on the deck, line tangled round
alarms and reel handles, both rods on
the floor with open bail arms, and line
everywhere – not what I needed at all!
Somehow, and I have to say more
by luck than design, I managed to
finally slip the net under a rather large
common. I took one look at the sea of
carnage in my swim and thought I could
do with another pair of hands on the
job, so I went and woke Si. The fish was
unhooked but I
thought I’d leave
weighing her until
the morning, as I
now had all three
rods out of the
water. It was just
after 3.00 a.m.
and it would be
light in an hour
or so, so I slipped
her into a retainer
and proceeded to
sort out my swim.
Morning was
soon upon us, and after a quick coffee
to kick-start the day, we weighed her at
34lb 7oz. After taking a few photos in
the morning sun, she was slipped back
to her watery home. Just 10 minutes
later I was standing at the front of
swim watching the lake, when I saw
one of Si’s lines cutting through the
water. He was in! After a fairly short
spirited fight, a lovely mirror around
the mid-20 mark went into the net
It was reasonably high pressure, but was due to drop over the next 48 hours
“ “
I put a good spread of bait along the edge of the pads.
Si’s cracking mid-20 – a real bruiser of a fish.
A stunning 34lb 7oz common, proof that Birch still has it.
115-118_Lewis_Clayton_CC227.indd 3 06/06/2016 15:08
118 Crafty Carper
No Passport RequiredLewis Clayton
at the first time of asking. We’d both
had a carp, so we were really happy
with how things had gone so far.
An hour later, the same rod on which
I’d had the common was away. After
just a few bleeps, the bobbin pulled up
tight and I was instantly on it. I walked
back to steer the fish away from danger,
but unfortunately, I gave it a little too
much and the hook
pulled. However,
you can’t take risks
near snags, and
I’d rather have a
hookpull in open
water than have
a fish snagged. I’d
already had a mid-
30 so I wasn’t too
despondent, and
it gave me hope
that there was a
good chance of
another bite or two.
After a quick phone call to Jemima,
we managed to arrange to stay on for
one more day. Friday night plans were
cancelled, and after a quick supermarket
run to stock up on provisions, just over
an hour later we were ready for the final
night. The carp were still crashing in the
pads on the far side as I retired to bed,
so I was brimming with confidence. I was
woken from my slumber by just a couple
bleeps in the middle of the night. I was on
it instantly, and was soon battling another
carp at range. This fight was much more
straightforward than the common, and
it wasn’t long before I was netting a
stunning heavily-scaled mirror. It went
just over 22lb, and it was evident that
they were feeding
hard. I’d put my last
2kg of S-Core in the
previous evening,
and this carp was
passing it out all
over the mat. It was
a great way to finish
the session, and I
can’t wait to return.
If you want to
give this fantastic
little water a go,
you can book
it exclusively
for 7 days. For more information visit
birchgrovefishing.co.uk. It was the
ideal break for us, without the hassle
of travelling down south, across the
Channel, and then a few hours at
the other end. Instead we enjoyed
some great fishing where there was
definitely no passport required. CC
After just a few bleeps, the bobbin pulled up tight and I was instantly on it
“ “
Gently returning her
to the tranquil waters of Birch.
A stunning 22lb mirror which obviously loved its food.
The perfect hooklink for silty meres.
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ON SALE: WEDNESDAY 20TH JULY 2016
I N N E XT M O N T H ’ S C RA F TY C A R P E R
THE R IG MECHANIC IS BACK WITH
LEE WAGNER
MARK BARTLETT STARTS H IS FANTASTIC
NEW SERIES.
FEATURES FROM
TO M M A K E R
DA R R E N B E LTO N
J U L I A N C U N D I F F
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NextMonth_CC227.indd 1 06/06/2016 21:50