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On sale October 24th – November 20th 2012

Get Crafty... G

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No.1

83

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12

IAN POOLE / ELLIS BRAZIER / TERRY HEARN / DAVE SPRINGALL / JERRY HAMMOND / JIMMY ARMSTRONG / ROB HUGHES

November 2012 | Issue 183 | £3.90www.craftycarper.co

COMPETITION TIME: OVER £3,700 OF CARPY PRIZES TO BE WON INSIDE!

JULIANCUNDIFFExperience a month in the life of an angling legend

SHARP SHOOTER

Rob Hughes’ essential advice to help you

land your rigs bang on the spot every time

Our experts show you how to have yourself an autumn harvest by making the carp really get on the munch!

001_CraftyCover_183.indd 1 10/10/2012 15:47

FacilitiesThe facilities really are second to none.

There is a superb on-site Stables Café, which

serves an excellent full English breakfast,

and a range of hot and cold snacks and

drinks throughout the day. It is open

six days a week (except Monday) from

9.00 a.m. Monday-Friday and from 7.30 a.m.

Saturday and Sunday. The local takeaways

also deliver food to the main gate. There

are ladies, gents and disabled toilets, and

showers are also available, which is a real

bonus for any long-stay anglers. Top-quality

freezer baits are available to buy on site,

including those from the Mainline range.

Rules• A maximum of three rods per angler

• Carp landing nets must be used (minimum

36ins). No spoon nets to be used

• No braided main line

• All anglers must have a carp care kit

in their possession (or similar)

• Bait boats may be used

• Fish within the markers of

your swim at all times

• No fi sh are to be retained. The

use of sacks is forbidden

For the full fi shery rules,

check out the website.

The TravellerMark Pitchers

14 Crafty Carper

Tickets and Prices• Q Lake is for members only. The cost

of membership is a one-off payment

of £40. Fishing is then charged at

£20 per night, and discounts are

available for longer sessions

• Fishing is from midday until midday

• Day tickets are available for £12

• Discounted winter rates run from

1st November to 1st April

Contact InfoAddress: Pool Bridge Farm, Wheldrake Lane,

Crockey Hill, York YO19 4SQ.

Tel: 01904 633340 or 07928 359420

(calls answered between 9.00 a.m. and

2.00 p.m. every day except Monday)

Email: info@poolbridge.co.uk

FISHERY INFO POOL BRIDGE FARM Q LAKE, YORK, NORTH YORKSHIRE Despite being familiar with the

area, I still opted to make a few

exploratory casts with the marker rod,

just to freshen my memory. I quickly

discovered a bank of thick weed

covering most of the far margin, and

it was clear this was an area the carp

would be frequenting, so it made sense

to maximise my chances by placing

all three rods there. Hookbaits were

10mm Mainline Clockwork Orange

pop-ups, and these were presented on

a Size 8 SSSP hook tied to 4ins of 15lb

Sandy Coretex coated hooklink, which

matched the colour of the lakebed

superbly. Although I much prefer to

use braided hooklinks for my PVA bag

work, I stripped away the majority of

the outer coating from the Coretex,

with the exception of a small section

that exited the hook. This stiffer

section helps to create an aggressive

angle to improve the hooking potential

of the rig, and I like to emphasise

this even further with the inclusion

of a slightly shorter length of shrink

tube steamed in place over the top.

Hookbaits are then tied on D-Rig-style,

and this very neat and highly effective

rig has now become the number one

choice for all my PVA bag work.

A simple 3oz fl at in-line pear lead

completed the setup, and each rig

was placed inside a small Rapide

PVA bag. This was then fi lled with

“The carp currently average around low- to mid-doubles, with the

lake record being a mirror that tipped the

scales at over 28lb”

The Venue

At around 8 acres in size, Q Lake has clearly

been designed with anglers in mind. Housing

just 13 swims, the pool features a large

central island which is accessed via a small

bridge, and this is the only area where

angling is allowed. The island not only helps

form the lake’s very distinctive Q shape,

which gives the lake its name, but the design

also ensures each angler has their own area

of water in which to fi sh.

Each swim has its own

distinct boundaries that are

clearly indicated by highly

visual posts placed on the

far bank. These markers

have also been fi tted with

solar-powered lights, so

there is never any confusion

or infringements from other

anglers, even during the hours of darkness.

The shape of the lake also means that

regardless of the conditions or time of

year, most swims are more than capable

of producing fi sh. It is for this reason that

the fi shery has hosted qualifying rounds

for the BCAC for the past 3 years, and many

regard the Q as being one of the fairest

venues in the competition. Each swim has an

abundance of features to fi sh to, including

gravel bars, deeper holes, plateaus, lily

pads and reedbeds. The average depth is

around 8ft, but can reach up to 12ft in the

deeper areas, and can shallow up to just a

few feet on the plateaus and far margins.

Although the lake was constructed just

4 years ago, it’s immediately evident that

an incredible amount of hard work has gone

into this fi shery. Hundreds of lilies, reeds,

trees and shrubs have been planted, and as

a result the lake looks to be maturing nicely.

The lake has been stocked with several

hundred carp, with the vast majority having

been hand-picked following

a series of successful

nettings carried out across

the other four lakes on the

complex. There are also a

number of stunning looking

fi sh from VS Fisheries,

with further introductions

planned for this coming

winter. The carp currently

average around low- to mid-doubles,

with the lake record being a mirror

that tipped the scales at over 28lb.

The Q is actually run as a members

only fi shery, which costs just £40 for a

lifetime membership. Becoming a member

is very straightforward; in fact all that’s

involved is a quick chat with the bailiff to

prove you’re a capable angler, and that you

are in possession of all the appropriate

tackle and carp care accessories. Once

becoming a member, it’s just a case of

paying for a day ticket as normal.

www.poolbridge.co.uk

BELOW Mark went for the citrus pulling power of the Clockwork Orange pop-ups – look on the next page to see how he attaches his hookbaits.

BOTTOM The pop-up rigs soon did the business for Mark.

013-016_Traveller_CC183.indd 2 05/10/2012 14:13

ANDY STEER ILLUSTRATIONSVERDILAAN 14, 5583XT WAALRE, THE NETHERLANDS. T +31(0)40 2220908 F +31(0)40 2220897 E Andy.Steer@iae .nl

QUICKLY ATTACH A POP-UP USING BAIT FLOSSHere’s an alternative to using a Hair stop, which can sometimes seem cumbersome when used with small baits

Using a latched baiting needle, push on a pop-up hookbait.

Slowly pull the pop-up onto the bait fl oss, like so.

As the fl oss reaches the pop-up, dab it with a moist fi nger.

Next, pull off and cut a 6ins length of Neutral bait fl oss.

Next snip off the fl oss, leaving two short tag ends.

The blobbed fl oss acts as a perfect boilie stop – easy!

Pass the fl oss through the rig ring of a pre-tied pop-up rig.

Carefully use a lighter to burn the fl oss down into position.

The fi nished pop-up rig – quick and easy bait attachment.

1

4

7

2

5

8

3

6

9

The Traveller: Mark’s Pool Bridge Farm Q Lake Tactics

The TravellerMark Pitchers

Although it may seem strange to fi sh

all three rods in such close proximity on

one area, in this situation I didn’t feel

it necessary to spread the rods around

in an attempt to explore the swim and

locate the fi sh. Instead, the plan was

to concentrate all my attentions on one

precise location and work that spot in

order to maximise the number of bites.

By now it was early evening, and

although the rods had only been in

place for a couple of hours, I was still

some fi nely crumbed Cell boilies plus

some Mainline Spod & PVA bag pellet

mix, which contained a variety of

different-sized pellets with varying

breakdown rates to provide massive

levels of attraction over prolonged

periods. With such a good stock of carp

present, I decided that a heavy baiting

approach would be the best option in

order to hold the fi sh in the swim for

as long as possible. So, with a host of

goodies at my disposal I put together

a very simple yet highly effective

spod mix that comprised Hinders

Pure Hemp, whole and crumbed Cell

boilies, Mainline pellet mix, plus a

good helping of Cloud 9 groundbait.

To give the mix a serious boost of

attraction, I also added a big squirt

of Coconut Particle & Pellet Syrup,

which helps disperse food signals

throughout the entire water column,

enticing carp onto the baited area.

I had about 5kg of mix prepared,

so I got busy with the spod rod and

deposited the whole lot on one spot

about half a rod length short of the

weed. With the baited area ready to

rock, three PVA bags were then cast

into position and the traps were set.

Crafty Carper 15

a little surprised that no action was

forthcoming. With the sun beginning

to fall in the sky and the storm clouds

brewing, I decided to bang in a fresh

injection of spod mix, and recast all

three rods with PVA bags ready for the

night ahead. The fi sh certainly weren’t

fazed by this baiting commotion, as

just a few moments later one of the

alarms burst into life, signalling the

fi rst take of the session. The result

was a cracking-looking mirror of around

15lb, and this capture fi lled me with

confi dence that there

would be more to follow.

POOL BRIDGE FARM Q LAKE WHERE MARK FISHED

ANDY STEER ILLUSTRATIONSVERDILAAN 14, 5583XT WAALRE, THE NETHERLANDS. T +31(0)40 2220908 F +31(0)40 2220897 E Andy.Steer@iae .nl

ABOVE AND BELOW A variety of small food items was Mark’s chosen baiting approach for the Q Lake carp.

BELOW With this 15lb mirror, Mark was sure there were more to follow.

013-016_Traveller_CC183.indd 3 05/10/2012 14:14

22 Crafty Carper

Big Fish AngleJerry Hammond

LEFT A typical bright autumnal day – perfect to be out and angling.

ABOVE The first frost of the year is a sure sign to the carp that it’s time to feed up for winter.

BELOW Natural food depletes rapidly as the weedbeds start to break up.

021-025_AdvRigAngle_CC183.indd 2 09/10/2012 14:13

other side of the lake and then hit the

surface, as some of the big residents

tended to do. I carefully played it all

the way back, and only moments away

from seeing my prize, sadly, it fell off.

I was gutted but at least I had found a

feeding area and got a bite, and they

had returned. It’s such a big edge if you

sit up some nights, because the fish

will give themselves away eventually.

During the autumn, is mass

baiting absolutely essential, or is

trickle feeding the way to go?

This is a bit tricky because over the

years I have found that every lake is

different in the way they respond to

bait at this time of year. On my own

syndicate lake recently, the fish were

very active; there were lots of signs

of feeding fish and big shows, but no

bites to the anglers. The fish were

obviously very much on the naturals,

and they seemed to get so engrossed

that anything put in front of them was

ignored. In this instance, to heavily

bait would be a waste of time and

money, but on more heavily stocked

waters where they spend all their

lives competing for food, they may

well see big beds of bait as natural

food. I would prefer to regularly trickle

some bait in a few areas, and once

I started to get some action I would

step it up a bit and try to keep the

area going right into the winter.

How do you think the reduced light

levels after the autumn equinox

affects the fish’s feeding habits?

I think that the reduced light levels

are what make the fish aware

that it’s this time of year, that

winter is coming, and it is this that

prompts them into feeding more.

Why do fish tend to be at their

bigger weights during the autumn?

The fish are bigger at this time because

they have added the extra weight to

get them through the colder months,

when their natural food supplies would

have been harvested or died off.

Does the big autumn feed-

up really happen?

I’m sure it did years ago; I always

remember September being as it

should be – fairly windy and rainy

low pressures, and the fish fed really

hard on anglers’ bait and got caught.

On one lake I fished in the Lea Valley,

I had such a good hit one night, and

I took six fish; I named the swim

Septembers. Every year after that I

always headed for that swim for my

autumn action. Looking back to last

October, we had a heatwave and I was

out floater fishing; it seems that the

climate is changing and we do tend to

get longer warmer weather, then all

of a sudden it just switches

to freezing winter and

Big Fish AngleJerry Hammond

Crafty Carper 23

After an hour or so into daylight the

feeding seemed to more or less stop.

I flicked out a lead to have a feel on

the bottom, and as I expected it was

deep silt in about 11ft of water. When

I inspected the lead the swivel had

bloodworm stuck in it, so this was

the food source they were after.

At this point did you bait up

or just fish for them?

I saw no point in baiting up because

I just wanted to position a hookbait

in the feeding area, in the hope that

they would take it. I cast single bottom

baits out on two rods and slackened

the lines right off. I was tired from

being up all night and it looked like

rain, so I got in the bag for

some kip, and I hoped

the fish would return.

Some time later I was

awoken by a take, the

first on the lake for ages.

It was a very good

fish that tore

across to the

Can you give an example of

where the carp have obviously

been feasting on the natural food

and what you did to get bites?

A few years ago I was fishing at a lake

called Toll Pits; it was autumn and

the fish had gone really quiet, and

there was hardly any angling action

for weeks. One night I was up in the

early hours, listening for the fish to

give themselves away. It was a calm

night and I started to hear fish crashing

out, and some big ripples were coming

from the area. I reeled in and took a

walk round; the fish were showing

only a rod length out from the bank,

in front of a small swim that never

really got fished, and they were really

on something, crashing and cleaning

out their gills. I ran back to my gear,

packed up and moved round there.

By the time I was set up it was

daylight, and I was able to

see all the feeding activity;

thousands of tiny bubbles

were pinpricking on

the surface as at

least three or four

different fish

were munching

away.

“I have found that every lake

is different in the way they respond

to bait at this time of year”

ABOVE Use your eyes – the carp will tell you everything you need to know about their location.

BOTTOM Even when the temperatures start to drop, there’s no reason why the action should stop.

021-025_AdvRigAngle_CC183.indd 3 09/10/2012 14:13

ANGLER PROFILE

Dave Springall...........................Age 35...........................HometownMalden, Essex...........................OccupationMedia Coordinator...........................UK PB45lb 15oz...........................Favourite venueBraxted Back Lake...........................RodsCentury FMA2...........................ReelsShimano Technium 10000XSB...........................AlarmsDelkim

40 Crafty Carper

040-043_Springall_CC183.indd 1 09/10/2012 16:51

As we are constantly reminded, the most

important aspect of watercraft and

carp-fishing in general, is finding the

fish. If you don’t have a rig where they are then

you ain’t gonna catch ’em – simple as that! To

my mind, there is no easier way to find the carp

and view them feeding than in the margins at

close range, no matter what level of angler you

are, so when the editor set me the challenge

of bagging one for the camera from less than a

rod length from the bank at the ultra-pressured

Linear Fisheries St. John’s Pool, I was confident

I would be able to find them fairly quickly.

Unlike many of the anglers who angle on the

Linear Fisheries complex, I had only ever been

to St. John’s once before. I managed two bites

on 12ft Zigs, lost them both to cut-offs in the

weed, and then the fish began spawning the

next day, cutting short our session and seeing

me drive the two hours home fishless. Not ideal,

but hopefully things would turn out better this

time, with less than 24 hours to try to trick one.

Eyes OpenUpon arrival I checked the out of bounds margins

first, which seemed like an obvious place to

start. It’s a no fishing bank and with the sun

being high in the sky and temperatures reaching

30°, sure enough, there they were. A group of

about six fish all sunning themselves over a

blatant gravel spot to the left of a big bush in

around 3ft of water. Not rocket science you may

think and, to a degree, you would be right.

In the past I would have run straight to the

van, grabbed the gear and either set up in the

nearest swim and got a rig in quick-smart, or

started throwing bait at them, but these St. John’s

carp are not only amongst the most pressured

in the country, but I was going to be angling for

them from one of the most pressured swims

and spots in the country too, meaning that

although finding them was far from difficult,

hooking one may well be a different matter.

As with all creatures, we only learn about carp

by observation and behaviour, and over the years

I have learned that I have caught more carp by

watching them for a while first than I ever have

by simply getting overexcited and dropping a rig

on their head as soon as the opportunity arises.

Watching these particular carp this is what I

learned in a few short minutes. Casting across

from the swim, only the right side of the bush on

the out of bounds bank was accessible to me by

simply casting. I felt certain this area would have

been inundated with bait and rigs of all

descriptions on a daily basis and that

Dave Springall’s

CHALLENGE ONE: CATCH FROM WITHIN LESS THAN A ROD-LENGTH OF THE BANK

Dave Springall steps up for the first of three challenges over the coming months. First up, he needs to try to catch a carp from within a rod length of the bank.

Crafty Carper 41

1 Observation revealed that there were some fish present, but on the far side of the bush.

2 & 3 Dave trickle-fed some pellets to get the carp interested – it didn’t take them too long to drop and feed.

3 After an initial trickle of pellets, some crumbed T1 boilies were scattered over the spot.

1 2

3 4

040-043_Springall_CC183.indd 2 09/10/2012 16:51

Underwater RevelationsRob Hughes

60 Crafty Carper

Casting accuracy is a topic that

comes up time and time again,

and one thread in particular

that everyone seems to mention is

how far past the marker float you

need to cast to drop directly onto the

chosen spot. Imagine this scenario

– you cast out your marker float and

locate an area that you wish to fish

in 8ft of water. What happens next?

Do you cast the lead at the float,

presuming it will land bang on the

spot? Or do you cast at the float and

clip up, mark the line and then cast

back out? What about walking the

lines out to the same distance as the

marker rod, mark the line, clip it out,

and then cast back out? There are

several ways of achieving the same

thing, but which one works the best?

Other questions that we’ve

been asked include: ‘How much

past the float do you need to cast

in 8ft depth, and does this differ

dramatically in 20ft depth?’ or ‘What

happens if you just cast at the

float and let the rig drop directly

down – does this work?’ So many

questions with so many variables,

but in reality, which methods

consistently work to accurately hit

the spot time and time again?

Cutting to the chase, there

are many different variables in

these methods for accurately

hitting the spot, so much so that

it’s a job to know which way to

turn. Some anglers have a way

of doing it that suits their style

of angling – but what happens

when you actually test a variety of

different techniques and measure

them against one another to judge

which one is best in a situation?

Crafty Carper’s mission with

Rob this month was to test out

several methods of essentially

achieving the same thing –

consistently trying to get as close

as possible to a pre-marked spot

when casting from the bank.

“Which methods consistently work to

accurately hit the spot time and time again?”

“Casting at a float

to clip up works well

if you are experienced

in this method; try to

replicate this at longer

ranges and the margin

of error is likely to

be higher”

059-063_UnderwaterRev_CC183.indd 2 08/10/2012 14:05

Underwater RevelationsRob Hughes

Crafty Carper 61

SpotThe chosen fishing area where you cast the baited rigs.

ClipThe line retaining clip fitted as standard on most reels.

Clip upSet a fixed length of line from the lead to where the reel is clipped up.

Feather/TapSlow up a cast by applying pressure to the spool with your finger.

The dropThe feeling the lead transmits back through the rod.

Good dropThe feeling transmitted back down the rod when the lead cracks down on the lakebed. This can be felt even with monofilament line.

Feeling the lead downWhen you’re clipped up, this is the method of progressively moving the rod towards where you’ve cast, once you’ve hit the clip to get a good drop.

WrapsUsing two banksticks or bivvy pegs 12ft apart – the number of wraps it takes to reach the clip. One rod length = 4yds; 25 wraps = 100yds.

Swing backWhen casting out and hitting the clip, the lead swings back towards you underwater.

Tight lineA method used to feel the lead down so that it transmits what’s on the lakebed back down the rod.

The Test ZoneA marker float was cast out from the

bank and a designated spot was located

in 7½ft water depth at 56yds’ range.

Rob, Chris and Jerry agreed that this

would be the spot they would try to

cast a lead to during the tests. The spot

was marked using a static marker and

Rob surfaced to confirm that it was

in position. Once it was, the float was

wound down to the lead, clipped up,

and the line marked at the clip so that

the exact distance from the bank to the

lead was set as a fixed variable. Upon

measuring this distance using set of

Distance Sticks, it was bang on 14x12ft

wraps, which equated to a casting

distance to the lakebed of 56yds.

The EquipmentThe same rod, reel, leader, lead and

rig were used for each test. The only

difference was the hookbait, so each

separate cast could be colour-identified

after the casts had been completed. The

rig was a coated braid pop-up rig with

a popped up hookbait. For the braided

main line test, the reel spool was

swapped for a spool loaded

with Fox Horizon braid.

ABOVE Rob positioned a tape along the lakebed; 5m was the centre point of the spot, so the casts could be calculated as being either longer or shorter than this point.

ABOVE Back on the bankside, the casting zone was set up to regulate the casting position.

RIGHT Feeling the lead down on one of the casts.

ABOVE AND BELOW Rob positioned a fixed static marker pole on the spot.

ABOVE A 3oz Helicopter setup with a leadcore leader was used for all the casts.

ABOVE The lead was wound down to the float, the marker rod was then clipped up and the number of wraps was measured – precisely 14 x 12ft wraps = 56yds.

RIGHT The marker rod was clipped up and the line marked with some pole elastic.

059-063_UnderwaterRev_CC183.indd 3 08/10/2012 14:05

Living the DreamJames Armstrong

66 Crafty Carper

065-069_LivingDream_CC183.indd 2 09/10/2012 12:10

Well, it was on a dark, damp,

autumnal night, 1.30 a.m. to be precise,

that saw me board the rickety old

boat and get towed through several

weedbeds as I battled it out with my

dream. I had to start with this because

it has been such an epic journey that

has seen blood, sweat and tears,

everything that singling out certain big

carp should provide. It’s an adventure,

a moment that should be cherished

once conquered and finally I had. I

shared the moment with my mate

Elliott Gray, who had made the long

trek cross country at silly o’clock in

the morning, so I must thank him. The

pictures are incredible fella, so cheers.

The place is so special that I can’t

name it, and for now folks, I’m holding

the majority of the pictures. Although

this was the highlight of my month

– well, year – and probably angling

journey, I have been up to a lot.

Once a year I get the invitation

to fish an awesome water, again in

Cambridgeshire. It’s a £40 a year

club ticket, yet dead-man’s shoes.

How does that work? Although I’ve

tried just about every avenue to

get into this club, it’s impossible.

However, the man who taught me

to fish all those many moons ago,

promises me a trip once a year on a

guesty, and I’d be a fool to say no.

The water contains a mind-blowing

number of carp; big, scaly chaps,

plainer, Italian-looking mirrors, and long,

chestnut-brown commons shaped like

torpedoes – it’s a real box of chocolates.

I arrived just before first light.

The sun was glistening through the

morning mist that danced on the

water’s surface and through this I tried

to make out the huge shapes that I

could hear slapping the surface in the

distance. As I sat there on the damp,

dewy grass, my mind was immediately

made up. They were putting on an

aerial show and so with my barrow

eventually laden with tackle, I bumped

along the path, under the towering

oaks and arrived at Swim 67.

It’s an amazing venue with a huge,

steep chalk face on one bank. It’s

probably 80ft in height and slopes

down into the gin-clear waters of this

mysterious venue. The area is out of

bounds to fish from, but acts like a

carp magnet. The nearest available

swim to this cliff face is Swim 67

and it’s a big-caster’s paradise. The

further along the face you can fish,

the more bites you get… simples!

From experience, I knew this, so

came tooled up for the job; 3¾lb

DFs with big pits loaded with 20lb

Whiplash braid and shockleaders were

at the ready. These were completed

with simple lead clip systems and 4oz

tournament casting leads. I had to

be hitting the clip accurately at 120-

130yds, so needed a rig in which I had

the utmost confidence, a presentation

that wouldn’t tangle and would be

presented well every time even if

the bottom was a little weedy. In this

situation there’s nothing better than a

Hinged Stiff Rig. The IQ2 fluorocarbon

boom would kick the hooklink

away from the lead on the cast

preventing tangles, but would

also be soft enough to fish

over any rubbish on the

lakebed. Not only that, it

is my favourite big-fish

rig – and there were

plenty of those in there.

Using Dark Matter

tubing as my leader,

I soon dispatched two hookbaits

sailing out to the face. No PVA, just

the rig! They landed within 5yds of

the bank and I felt them down to a

satisfying ‘donk’. It was rock hard,

a kind of soft clay. This was just

enough to hide the rig yet leave the

hook and bait proud. I’d balanced the

hookbait, a cork dust Atlantic Heat,

so perfectly with putty that it would

straighten out as it slowly sank to the

bottom. As usual, I then manipulated

my short 20lb Mouthtrap section

into a slight arc using my thumb.

Due to the steep sides of the

face it would be hard to introduce

offerings. I wanted to fish particles

and bits in conjunction with boilies.

Consequently, I’d concocted a mixture

of hemp, crushed boilies, snails and

pellet, plus whole boilies. Then, to bind

this I added some Mainline Activated

Hemp Mix, enabling me to ball it up.

I wandered around to the chalk

face, leaving my friend in charge of the

rods, and crept along it, peering over

the edge in every nook and cranny.

I walked up to where I was casting

and immediately noticed two large,

black shapes ghosting along the face.

Once out of the area,

I introduced 20 or so

“Once a year I get the invitation to fish an

awesome water, again in Cambridgeshire. It’s

a £40 a year club ticket, yet dead-man’s shoes. How does that work?”

Living the DreamJames Armstrong

Crafty Carper 67

LEFT The ancient Leney linear to which I have dedicated the last two years of my life.

ABOVE The rig that caught me the carp of my dreams.

ABOVE, RIGHT The last look at one of the most special venues I’ve ever tackled.

RIGHT My little balls of magic that did the trick toward the chalk face.

065-069_LivingDream_CC183.indd 3 09/10/2012 12:10

£1200+ TRAKKER COMPETITION

You want to be comfortable whilst carping in the months to come, but when a cold snap hits, the last thing you want is an unwieldy bivvy which takes an age to set up. Enter the Cayman…

Cold Weather Approaching – Bring it On!

Trakker have released a new bivvy to go

alongside the already impressive array of

shelters they have to offer. With bivvies,

it’s all about how light, how easy to assemble and

disassemble, and how much space a bivvy has to

offer. And while a nice compact bivvy is easier to

Cayman One-man Bivvy

RRP: £199.99

The Cayman Bivvy is a cleverly designed bit of

kit, and it’s easy to use. It features a two-rib

system, which has only two breaks, so is dead

easy to set up, not to mention how light it all

set up, meaning you spend less time grappling

with torsion cables, the last thing you want is to

be constantly making trips outside your nice cosy

shelter to gather your gear. So, a compact bivvy

with plenty of space ticks all the boxes, and so

does the prize we’re offering for four lucky readers.

ONE OF FOUR CAYMAN

BIVVY PRIZE PACKS

WORTH £309.98 EACH!

110 Crafty Carper

110-111_TrakkerComp_CC183.indd 1 09/10/2012 10:28

HOW TO WIN Simply answer the following question:

How many ribs does the Cayman One-man have? (Please tick one)

A) 1 B) 2 C) 28

Name

Postal address

Postcode

Telephone noMobileEmail

Daytime delivery address (if different from above)

Postcode

Post your entry to:Trakker Competition, CC183, Angling Publications Ltd., Regent House, 101Broadfi eld Road, Sheffi eld S8 0XH.

You may photocopy this page to avoid spoiling the magazine. Winners will be notifi ed in writing, please allow 28 days for the delivery of your prize (for which a signature will be required), which will come direct from the manufacturer. No cash alternative.

For further details of Trakker gear, check out the web: www.trakkerproducts.co.uk

The competition closes at midnight on 21/11/2012.

Crafty Carper 111

is. This system is also designed to create the

maximum amount of internal space possible.

This is because the rear panel is fl at, meaning

that you can shove the bedchair right up to

the back of the bivvy; this leaves plenty of

room for the rest of your gear, or if you’re so

inclined, it enables you to have a more spacious

porch area. With the peak at the front it gives

a nice area for you and your mates to socially

huddle around the barbecue. It also has the

other quality touches we’ve come to expect

from Trakker: a heavy-duty groundsheet, a

roll-up mozzie window in the door, a zipped

carrybag, and the brilliant heavy-duty T-pegs.

Cayman Bivvy Extended Wrap

RRP: £109.99

This is just what you need for those times when

things really start to get arctic-like; this wrap has

been developed to fi t perfectly around the Cayman

Bivvy. It’s like putting on an extra layer over your

body warmer, but it’s for the entire bivvy. The

wrap helps to keep the heat inside, whilst also

helping the airfl ow to reduce condensation (the

last thing you want is a big icy-cold splodge of

water dripping down your neck in the middle of

the night!). This is ideal if you’ve decided you’re

not going to let the cold weather get in the way

of a good long winter session on the bank.

110-111_TrakkerComp_CC183.indd 2 09/10/2012 10:29

Guy LakesGuy LakesSyndicate

Guy LakesGuy LakesThe

Guy LakesGuy LakesGuy LakesAPPLY

TO JOINNOW!

Membership to this fabulous three lake

syndicate will become available

regularly from the beginning of January

2012 and throughout the year.

Membership is rolling and is for one

year from the date of joining. Apply to

join now to secure a 2012 place on these

three high-profi le lakes that are

regarded as amongst the top in the

country and all of which can be fi shed

on the one permit.

• The three lakes cover over sixty acres of fi shable water.

• Well stocked with two of the lakes producing several carp over 40lbs.

• A good head of 30lb carp in all three waters.

• A secure site where the access is through locked gates and over a river bridge.

• Adequate parking and toilets on site.

• Limited membership.

• Shower block a short drive away.

• No silly rules.

To obtain an application form to

join the syndicate apply through our website at www.linear-fi sheries.co.uk,

email: brochure@linear-fi sheries.co.uk

or call: 01908 647320 (Mob: 07885327708)

Unity Lake 31lb

Unity Lake 42lb

Gaunts Lake 40lb

Yeomans Lake27lb

Regarded as one of the most stunning sites in the country, the lakes are all landscaped in a very mature setting.

Linear has instigated stocking plans to boost the already high stock levels and these are well on their way to

completion.

Price for one year’s membership from April 1st 2012 is £475.

Payments by a direct debit arrangement can be spread

over twelve months.

LinearThird_CC176.indd 1 12/03/2012 14:05

slowly packing away the gear, the

same rod was away again! I had to

look up and down twice before I lifted

into it, thinking it was a duck over the

shallow spot because they had been a right

nuisance. The fish felt and reacted just like the

39 I’d had, and heavily weeded me up twice after it

kited behind the shorter gravel hump – it was like a

déjà vu moment. I kept the pressure on and it kicked

its way out of the weedbed, until it finally came into

the deeper water and away from the danger area. It

finally showed on the top, and we saw the size of the

fish as it was netted; I remember us all looking at the

fish in the net. It was a bit of a surreal moment for

all of us, to be fair, and for me moments like this are

what fishing is all about. The fish was verified as being

Popeye, another one of the

A-list Manor fish. I’d now

had two of them in less than

an hour. Popeye tipped the

scales to 40lb 2oz, so I had

just landed my first English

40 and another personal

best! It finally sank in that I

had beaten my PB yet again,

and it was then that I got

a big hug off my wife and

massive congratulations

from my mate Carl Humpage,

who had just moved into

the bailiffs swim next

door. I took some water shots with Popeye, but with

all the excitement I didn’t realise that I had left my

phone in my pocket, and totally trashed it. It caused

me days, if not weeks, of grief, but well worth it

in the end when I look back. That was my last trip

for at least a month, but what a way to end it.

I had a trip to Canada for a week in Toronto, and

after my return I had practice sessions at Barston Lakes

and then the semi-final of the BCAC – all in the same

month. So it was farewell to Manor for at least a month,

according to the wife, who had already put the dates

on the calendar for the next trip. A month passed by

in no time and my wife and I were back at Manor Farm,

and joining us again was my mate Carl Humpage, the

manager at Fatty’s Tackle. This time down I was hoping

the swim I’d had last time was free for Carl to have a

go in, as it was similar conditions to when I had the hit,

plus I wanted him to have a good chance of a bite if

fish were there. I fancied a peg to the right called The

Bailiffs, which I had never fished before, so when we

got there on Sunday it was happy days because both

were being vacated later on. I have fished so many day

ticket waters over the years that I’m used to turning

up like anyone else and fishing from what is spare, or

I just wait for a swim like anyone else; I even do the

same when doing features. If I’m going anywhere to

do a feature I would rather turn up on spec like any

other angler and fish from what’s available.

For me, it’s a true account of what the

everyday angler has to do and put

up with every week. Carl had to

wait a fair few hours for his

swim, and went off stalking in

the meantime. Five hours later

and I’d finally got the rods out

in my swim; it had taken me a

few hours to find what I thought

were the right spots. I tend to keep

away from the more blatant areas

that a lot of anglers find with a marker

float and then fish, and I tend to look for more silty

areas, or even ones that are a little bit weedy. Fishing

in areas like this is no problem when using PVA bags.

I baited my area with a few pints of maggots and a

scattering of a kilo of 12mm the Edge boilies. I know

how a lot of fish on some of these waters get caught,

and tight baiting and all three rods on one spot is a

very popular tactic and it does catch fish. With the

number of fish in Manor I wanted to try to create a

larger dinner table and pick fish off from a much larger

area than before. I am a big

user of natural baits and

always have been; I often go

against the grain or try to

think outside the box, which

is needed on busy day ticket

waters. The area I baited up

was around 20ft in length

and maybe a rod length

wide. I always start with

two rods on the spot and a

roving rod to try different

areas and methods. The

area can change in direction

and shape depending on

how I can intercept any fish and get them grazing on

the bait. I would probably say that I fish how a match

angler would, and I have different baited areas to fall

back on at different ranges in my water. The method I

use and love on waters like this (clear, silty and weedy)

is solid bag fishing and maggots. Maggots can help

produce bites even if it’s tough going on any water,

and they have never let me down yet. I presented a

12mm white the Edge pop-up with around 10 white

maggots tipped on top. I fished it on a Blowback Rig

using a Size 7 Fox LSC hook, with a small rig ring. This

was then tied with 4-5ins of 15lb Vardis hooklink with

a No.1 shot below the hook. I opted for a 3oz in-line flat

pear lead to drop off if needed. I always fish 18-24lb

fluorocarbon leaders most places I go, which also act

as shockleaders for punching out bags. I know that

with around 25ft of fluorocarbon in the baited area, it’s

definitely vanished and pinned down to the lakebed.

At 1.00 a.m. I was awoken by a screaming Epic alarm,

and a proper spool spinner, which resulted in a 24lb 8oz

mirror that went like it was on Red Bull, but with a fish

on board I was well happy. Later that morning I rebaited

the area I’d found with some more 12mm Aqua Dynamix

the Edge boilies and maggots, knowing that

any fish could be out in the daytime, which

TOP This time around I went in with a few pints of maggots as well as the scattering of boilies.

ABOVE On clear, silty, weedy waters I love the use of a solid PVA bag.

“It finally sank in that I had beaten my PB yet again, and it was then that I got a big hug off my wife and massive

congratulations from my mate Carl Humpage, who had just moved into the bailiffs swim next door”

135-138_MostMemorable_CC183.indd 3 10/10/2012 14:42

Most MemorableRoy Russell

136 Crafty Carper

It was there that

I noticed a lot

of fish drifting

over the gravel

humps in front of

the car park swims,

and because there were

so many I decided to give it a go

for at least 24 hours. I only tend to do

48 hours or less when I go fishing, so

I need to get things right, and quickly.

The first 24 hours is crucial for me to

work out any patterns or bite times, or

maybe fish location if I have to move to

the fish. I watch the water religiously

when I’m fishing, and I tend to stop up

late and get up early on all my trips. I

can’t get out every week so I make the

most of any time spent on the bank,

and it makes me try harder to catch.

On this occasion I fancied the middle

peg. It had just become vacant so the

process of unloading the tackle from

the car was under way. I do tend to

take a lot of different bait options when

I go, and most of the car was taken up

with buckets. The middle swim on the

car park has two predominant features,

with a right-hand gravel hump at 85-90

yards, and the other one is at around

110 yards on the left of the swim.

The wind was turning to a westerly

like I knew it was going to; I could see

more fish starting to drift in under the

surface, and even more could be seen

over the gravel humps as the sun was

getting hotter. I decided to fish a rod

I thought there could be the chance of

another fish in quick succession. Just

as it got to about 11.00 a.m. the long-

range rod saw more action, and this

time it was a pretty slow take, followed

by the feel of a heavy slow-plodding

fish which was

giving my clutch

some work to do,

and going through

the weed before

kiting behind the

smaller hump to

my right. After 10

minutes of having

to weave the

rods under each

other and a few

hairy moments

with weed up

my line (it looked

like a washing

line strung up

with the weed left to dry), my wife

Julie netted the fish. I unhooked it in

the net, not knowing what fish it was,

but looking at the size of it I knew

it was a good upper-30, or maybe it

would nudge the magical 40lb mark.

The fish was weighed using a weigh

crook, to help give a more accurate

reading, and it turned the dial round

to 39lb on the button, a new personal

best for me by 1lb 4oz. The fish

was later verified as being called Mr

Ridiculous, which normally goes over

40lb, but on this occasion it was a

little down in weight due to the very

recent spawning. I didn’t care that it

hadn’t made 40lb; it had made my trip

and I’d beaten my personal best! The

pictures were taken and this huge

stunning creature was slipped back

with the admiration it deserved.

I quickly got the rod back out onto

the same spot after I trekked around

to fire some more Edge boilies in both

areas, even though it was just the

one hump that was producing. Just 30

minutes later, while Julie and I were

on both of the

humps, but just

on the drop-off

because I didn’t

want it blatantly

in the middle on the

clear gravel. With the third

rod I opted to fish an 8ft Zig in

the deeper water to my right after

spotting fish just under the surface,

coming in on the warm wind. The first

evening went by without as much

as a knock, that was until 8.30 the

next morning, when the rod fished on

the long-range hump burst into life,

resulting in a hard-fighting chunky

mirror weighing 28lb 12oz on the bank.

I always say to my mates that I only

go to catch one fish, and anything

else after that is a bonus if I get it

right. Time ticked on and it was still

a bit inconclusive on what the bite

times were for the past 24 hours. It

was now reaching midday and there

were fish back over the spots again;

I was determined to try to catch one

if it killed me. A few hours later, after

trying a few different things, it was

the Zig rod which finally saw some

action, and a few minutes later a

very welcome 25lb 10oz mirror was

making its way over the net cord.

Going into the second night, I was

really happy at catching a couple of

fish, and more than happy if these were

to be the only two I ended up with

before packing up the next afternoon.

I was up watching

the water with

a hot brew at

4.00 a.m. after a

fruitless night. I

wanted to leave

the rods out until

well after 9.00

a.m. because of

the result the

previous morning.

It got to 8.30 and

the long-range rod

rattled off again.

After a few tussles

in the weed to the

left a hard-fighting

24lb common was landed. After a few

photos I slipped it back and made my

way round to the point to rebait around

the hump with 10mm the Edge boilies;

I made sure that I baited around the

hump and not blatantly bang on top of

the gravel. The rod was cast back out

on to the same spot pretty quickly, as

1 It wasn’t until the next morning that I got my first take on Manor.

2 10mm Edge boilies were my first choice to scatter around the gravel hump

3 After a good scrap, Mr Ridiculous was 39lb on the nose, and a new personal best for me.

4 Using a sharp hook is essential for me; I like to touch mine up with a JAG file.

RIGHT Just as the session was coming to an end, I had another personal best – Popeye at 40lb 2oz. Get in!!

“The fish was later verified as being called Mr

Ridiculous, which normally goes over 40lb, but

on this occasion it was a little

down in weight due to the very

recent spawning”

1 2 3

4

135-138_MostMemorable_CC183.indd 2 10/10/2012 14:42

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CarpinOn_2013_Teaser.indd 1 10/10/2012 09:35