1

E-ZINENovember2011The word from the top

LIFE AT NASH

NICK MADDIX

eXCLUSIVE!

PLUS!

2

3

IN THE MIX KEITH JONESHello and welcome to the latest addition of Nash-E-Zine.

Once again we’ve got a fantastic line up of contributors with articles, features and information that will help us all to catch more carp this autumn and winter.

THE OTTER PROBLEM

Before we get started, within these pages you’ll find a questionnaire from the Predation Action Group. Otters represent a major threat to carp fishing and its one that shouldn’t be underestimated. I find it surprising, frightening even, just how many anglers seem oblivious to the problem. Huge numbers of carp and other species too, this includes some very special fish that can’t be replaced, have already been destroyed by otters. This is a problem that can’t be allowed to continue! There’s no quick fix, but presenting the facts to the right authorities must be the first step and this is where the newly formed Predation Group comes in. The group has been founded and is backed by a good number of responsible and well respected people from within our sport. Together we can all make a difference. So if you have experienced any problems or have any information which might help the cause, please get in touch.

IN THE MIX - KEITH JONES

4

GETS THOSE RODS OUT!

As I write this, autumn has again proven itself to be a fantastic time to be out on the bank, the fish look stunning and are possibly at their most catchable, but I’ve also been really looking forward to this winter too. There’s something extra special about proper winter carping, frosty nights, icy painfully cold water and a bleak wintery countryside can sometimes make it seem like a hopeless task. But life below the waves pretty much goes on as normal, carp are always hungry and with the right approach there’s some special fish waiting that shouldn’t be too difficult to track down and catch.

Also within these pages, Kevin writes about his fishing and seems as enthusiastic as ever, which I think says a lot about a person who has been at it for longer than most. Gary always has something interesting to talk about, like Kevin he’s thinking on a different level to the rest of us. The office team is buzzing and despite a hectic work schedule they too are out there doing it whenever time permits. Our consultants have been catching well on new and established products this year, these people are top anglers and always have some interesting things to talk about and pass on.

GOOD BAIT PROVIDES THE ANSWERS

Bait size is something that has occupied my mind a great deal recently, should I go down the obvious and often over used tactic of changing to smaller 10mm boilies or should I try something different. Sometimes the carp’s natural diet or more to the point the size of it has influenced my choice of boilie size, as a general rule I prefer not to use a bait that is bigger than the largest natural food item in the lake. One of the lakes I’m fishing holds huge amounts of really big snails, the carp absolutely love them so in theory they should happily pick up a relatively big hook bait.

Although I’m confident using any ready made Nash boilie, my hook baits and the small number of freebies used to bait the traps are often home made. I use the frozen and shelf life

5

ready made boilie pastes to make them with a few additions to boost attraction and taste. I’ve just finished making a small batch this morning; I’ve saturated the paste with Food Dip to the point where they have literally become balls of liquid. I’ve given them a quick boil and they are now drying ready for a short session tomorrow. If you drop one into water, you can see a kind of halo of attraction that hovers around the bait, they remain attractive much longer than soaked or dipped boilies, carp find them hard to resist!

For me, Air Ball Pop ups are also a winter bait bucket essential. All of the pop ups that I’ve used or tested from other bait companies in the past seemed to be little more than buoyant flavour carriers and they’ve left me far from impressed, but our pop ups are different.

The Air Balls have a high food value and are formulated with a special mix of water soluble ingredients. But why does a hook bait that the

carp probably won’t even eat need to have any food value you might ask?

That’s actually a difficult one to explain but thinking about it from the human perspective, it’s a bit like the smell of food being cooked, it makes us hungry and if diner is not yet

ready, the temptation is to start searching the cupboards for something tasty to eat, just to keep us going, sounds familiar?

This is exactly the effect that the water soluble ingredients in the Air Balls have on carp. Artificial flavours can only go so far in achieving this but when combined with a proper winter food source, the multiple food signals that permeate the water will be impossible for any carp to resist.

THE GREED FACTOR

Some anglers seem to think that a special rig or something different to the norm will bring them winter success. It’s important not to underestimate the importance of what goes on at the sharp end, after all the hook is that all important point of contact with the fish. Get it wrong this winter and all that hard work and effort will be wasted. The hook related comments from our contributors this month certainly makes interesting reading. Personally I think carp know when they are being angled for and it’s all about persuading them to take a chance. Creating greed with irresistible food, giving the fish something they must have is the best way to overcome their suspicions. The peripheral products such as Soluballs, Chain Reaction, Food Dips and a host of other items in the range have been specifically designed to do this.

66

GETTING STEALTHY

Missing Link is a very popular coated braid, but everyone on the waters I’m fishing seems to be using it or something similar, so to be different I’ve been stripping off the coating completely. I’d forgotten what a really nice braid the inner core really is, it has a soft ultra supple weed like feel, I particularly like the ‘Silt’ colour option. Unlike the virtually invisible Diffusion components I’m using, you can see Missing Link on the bottom but somehow it just looks natural as if it belongs there if you know what I mean.

Terminal tackle is only one small part of the complete Nash range although it is an important one. In my opinion it is also something that we have been getting very right in recent years. I find it strange how some specialist terminal tackle companies who must have all day to think about nothing else sometimes seem to get it so badly wrong. The sort of things that spring to mind are beads and components that float, colours that stand out horribly on the bottom, some even have strong chemical smells that could repel carp. As a precaution and it’s something I’ve done for many years, I think it’s a good idea to let any new rig components ‘breath’ for a few months before you use them. I like to hang mine in the garage for a while or even soak them in lake water to naturalize them. It might not make any difference but it can’t do any harm.

I’ve also changed back from mono to Bullet Braid recently, the carp I’ve been fishing for are ultra spooky of line, even when fished ultra slack they seem to easily detect it. I say detect not see as I believe carp have multiple senses almost like a submarine’s sonar that we probably will never fully understand.

Actually I don’t believe that any type of mainline can be made undetectable to carp if it runs mid water or off the bottom, even fluorocarbon lines which may look invisible to the human eye are easily detected by carp. Which brings me back nicely to my original line of thought, at times carp can be so tricky, they are without doubt masters of their watery home and they can sometimes seem impossible to catch. But they are only fish and they are always hungry, so good bait must be the answer.

77

COSULTANTS – THE FACTS

Here’s a strange thing, I think there seems to be a general misconception by some people as to the role of our consultants. Although I never look at these things myself, I’m told that on various websites and forums, some rather out of touch faceless people have made negative comments regarding the large numbers of consultants that we have and that many people have no idea who most of them are.

So who exactly are these people we call consultants and what do they do? Well there are a good number of them and they all have an important and highly valued role to play.

We have our team of Senior Consultants; these are some of the country’s top anglers who are out there fishing on a regular bases throughout the twelve months of the year. They catch an impressive number of big fish and tend to be the people you will regularly see in the carp monthlies, DVDs, TV programs and so on. We do have some less well known consultants, but they are all highly motivated talented anglers. Some are undoubtedly stars of the future, some actually prefer to be less high profile but without exception everyone brings something valuable to the team. For example many give up there precious free time to support us at shows and events which is something we greatly appreciate

Although much of the innovation and initial development of new products at Nash comes from Kevin, Gary, and key ‘in house’ staff, at various points in the process the input from our senior members, less well known ones and also our highly valued field testers ensures we get the products right.

Although Gary is very much the driving force behind Nash Bait, it is an area in particular where multiple input from team members, anglers of all abilities and also from various specialist sources is needed to push forward the boundaries and with bait that’s a continuous and relentless process.

That really is the essence of what we do at Nash – market leading innovative products purpose designed and developed for carp anglers by carp anglers, it’s as simple as that!

Well that’s it from me – read on and enjoy!

8

Kevin NashThe word from the top

T ime, I mean, and where does it go? I can’t believe I’m writing this, and

October is already upon us. Did I get pissed, or something? What happened to June/July/August and September? I was alright until June. I recollect spending a lot of time up on the Church with mates and some great product ideas came out of that. Then I had my own fishing on the Copse, which I filmed on a home camcorder. Lucky I did – when I think of what I caught.

Winston, our tame cameraman got hold of my tapes and, I’m delighted to say, I am putting it out as a DVD entitled ‘The Final Account’ – in time for Christmas. Not only has it got the fish and the secret bait edges but also the mind-blowing bite indication content. Which is what fascinated me.

Where does it go?

8

9

Kevin NashThe word from the top

You see me on film catching carp that have been rigged up without moving off for several hours. It was only because I realised that I should trust the Sirens, that I sussed it. Until then, I hadn’t realised that the odd bleep I was getting was not a liner, not wind, not undertow, not a nearby farting mosquito, or any of the other excuses, but in fact, a carp with my hook stuck in its gob.

Only a Siren can tell you this, with its unique bite detection system which maximises sensitivity at all times, whatever the conditions. One of the reasons that I decided on a final go on the Copse was that I had realised the carp were doing me regularly, and I hadn’t found a way to get the takes going regularly again. I felt that I was back in the 90s, before I came up with the blow back rig. I didn’t realise, until making the film, how far behind we have slipped with the carp.

Why do I have this recent few months blank spot? It seems to be timed with the carp spawning, and me stopping fishing and then getting sucked into work – that’s an understatement. I haven’t fished since, but the rewards, I hope you will agree, are in the new gear that I polished up and now we are showing. There are some great ideas. The carp world’s first double-size bedchair, an amazing new Titan brolly, as well as the Groundhog and Hog are back, barrows, luggage and lots more. Look forward to seeing you all at this winter’s shows. Me? I’m going to grab what’s left of this year before it’s completely gone, and I’m back out fishing.

9

10

OLI DAVIS Life at nash

As this is my first piece for the E-zine I guess I should introduce myself. Having worked on Advanced Carp Fishing magazine for the past three years, I have now joined Nash as the in-house photographer/journalist. I’m three months into the job and I am slowly adjusting to the hectic pace of life at Nash. Kevin and Alan drive the company forward with an immense energy and enthusiasm that is both inspiring and at the same time exhausting! My main role is twofold; first to get out with the Nash consultants on the bank, shooting features for both the British and European magazines, and secondly to assist the amazing Winston in providing content for Nash TV.

The first part of this is something I am well used to, but the second part is all new to me and the learning curve has been steep. Apart from the odd bit of mobile phone footage I have rarely shot video in the past. I couldn’t hope for a better teacher than Winston however. His attention to detail and creativity is a breath of fresh air, and working with him illustrates graphically why Nash TV stands out from the crowd. He has also opened my eyes as to what a fantastic creative tool a DSLR can be when used for filming, so I hope that I have brought something new to the party too. The beauty of a Digital camera with good-quality glass (lenses) is that a real ‘film look’ can be achieved in some circumstances. Of course, there are limitations too, but it offers another creative avenue. Practice makes perfect as they say. So far this filming has already had me traveling up and down the country, from Blackpool to Kent, with plenty more stuff planned so watch this space!

10

11

Life at nash Things are rarely that straightforward in life, and at Nash each day brings something new. At the busy times it is a case of all hands on deck. There are always new products and samples coming in and it is hard not to get involved. This product all needs to be photographed, so some days I am based at Nash HQ assisting Tom with this. Images need to be supplied to magazines, tackle shops and shot for use on packaging so there is always something that needs doing. It’s a great place to work, the lads in the office are always up for a bit of banter, and of course the setting isn’t too shabby either. A short walk brings you to Kevin’s two lakes, the Church and the Copse. These are both picture-perfect, and setting up bivvys here to be photographed on a fine summers day isn’t the worst job in the world! I have already, on several occasions been called to photograph some of the Church Pool residents too, caught by those lucky enough to be invited to fish there. Some of the carp are truly stunning creatures, and most

of them are enormous to boot. I haven’t been privileged to witness any of the true giants on the bank yet, but I am sure it will only be a matter of time, especially as we are entering the autumn feed up – usually a productive time of year. This

weekend, I will actually be wetting a line in the Church Pool for the first

time since I joined Nash, as I am joining Steve

Renyard for his

Weekender Feature. Having

been out on the bank with Steve on numerous

occasions, I know I will be in for an entertaining weekend and I

look forward to seeing what culinary delights he will be rustling up! Of course it would be nice to bag one or two as well, as I have a score to settle

from my April session where I lost four…Of course, now I am a Nash employee it would be rude not to use Nash bait, and I’m pleased to report that I bagged a carp on my very first session using it. Although it wasn’t a monster, it gives me confidence, the notoriously fickle Boat Pool carp actually like the Monster Squid Black. Although I have been too busy to fish for carp for the last couple of weeks I’ve made the effort to trickle a bit of bait in when I can.

Hopefully, when I do get a bit of time the carp will have acquired a taste for it and the bobbins will be flying! When time is short I try and get my fishing fix from barbel. I am fortunate to have the river Colne just 10 minutes from my house, and this tiny river can provide fantastic sport on short evening sessions. I still find it incredible that the fish grow so big in a river less than two feet deep and that you can touch the far bank with your rod tip. Most of the fishing is literally under the rod tip, so the takes are violent and the battles explosive, the whole experience played out at close quarters! Last week, I had only just flicked the bait out when the tip flew round and I was attached to an angry Colne double. Twenty minutes from closing my front door I was staring at a Big Old Boris in the bottom of my net! When Ditch in the office saw the picture he begged me to take him, so this week he came too. He duly bagged two, both PB’s, the biggest weighing in at 8lb 4oz.

Judging by the shaking legs and huge grin, another ‘married man’s carp’ angler is born!

I hope I haven’t bored you with my ramblings, and I’ll catch you next

time!

11

12

Carp fishing has become a passion for me, but the problem is life always seems to

get in the way. Anyone reading this who has to balance their fishing with full time

work, family commitments and all the other things that seem to take up so much of

our time will know where I’m coming from with this I’m sure. Life in the office has

been as hectic as usual lately but sometimes you just have to make the time to go

fishing. The easy option is probably not to go at all, but once I’m on the bank, even if

it’s just a short session or an overnight visit, it always seems worth it. I always learn

something, or come up with a few ideas that should get me fishing more effectively.

Even if I blank, rather than look at it as a failure, instead I prefer to think that I’m a few

more hours closer to banking that next target fish. 12

Nick MaddixLife at nash

1313

Life at nash Over the last year or so my first ever ‘proper’ syndicate campaign has been an entirely new experience for me due to the fact that I’d never really fished anywhere with ‘known’ or ‘target’ fish before. Prior to moving to Essex to take up my position at Nash I’d only ever fished weekend sessions on the rivers or local waters. Basically my fishing revolved around not knowing what I was fishing for and just being happy with what came along.

I’ve dabbled on a few day ticket waters in Essex but never really got stuck into anything serious until I discovered Lakelands Fishery. Greg, a work colleague at the time got me really buzzing about the place with photos and stories of some special fish, one in particular, ‘The Swirly Common’ particularly grabbed my attention.

Before long a ticket was winging my way and I found myself walking the banks of Lakelands and formulating a new plan. My head was buzzing, here was just so much to take in, I had confidence in my bait and why not, the awesome Monster Squid seems to catch everywhere. My rigs and tactics are well sorted, they’d worked elsewhere so why not here? But even so, it was going to be a completely new experience.

Attention to detail is important to me, in particular, the spots I bait, the way I set the traps and the positioning of hook baits is vitally important. In hindsight I think I might have messed up my chances on some of my shorter visits with too much recasting, but if it’s not right I can’t settle, I just need to know that everything is bang on the spot and I’m fishing effectively.Carp fishing is very much a learning curve, as well as my experiences gained on the bank, my fishing and the way it has evolved in recent times has been heavily influenced by the people I work with. There’s always a real buzz in the office first thing in the morning, without fail several of the team will have been out fishing somewhere and more often than not someone will have had a result. So during those inevitable low points in any campaign there’s always someone to give me a few words of encouragement or advice. There’s some absolute legends working for Nash Tackle, within the team there is probably the equivalent of several lifetimes worth of carp fishing knowledge to draw on. That’s probably one of the reasons why the gear we produce is so right.

TARGET ACHIEVED!

I’ve really enjoyed my time on Lakelands, I’ve enjoyed every capture but there’s one or two that have become permanently etched into my mind.

I remember one morning in particular just as it was getting light I was awoken by a screaming Siren.... the early morning cuppa went flying as I rushed to pick up the rod but this time I was connected to something different.I jumped into the waders and walked out past the shallow margins and tried like hell to halt the steam train roaring out from my swim.After a 15 minute monumental battle I had a good idea of what fish it was, as she neared the net I saw a big set of shoulders break the surface by which time my legs had turned to jelly. As soon as the fish was in the net I dropped the rod and frantically cleared back the net mesh to reveal a dark, chunky mirror with those unmistakable ‘Single’ scales on either side of her.

For the very first time I now really understood what it was like to have a target fish in the net, I’d been chasing this one for nearly two years and it had become an obsession! Tom did a great job with the photos as usual, thanks mate!

Syndicate fishing has now really got under my skin. Working out all the pieces of the jigsaw and then seeing the plan finally coming together is a very very rewarding experience.

Well that’s it from me for now, I’ve just got back from an over nighter, the gear is drying out in the car park after a wet pack up and its time for another day of mayhem at Nash HQ!

1414

Richard ballard

Life at nash(AKA DITCH)

I haven’t written much about my own fishing in the ‘Life at Nash’ section of our E-Zine before, however over the last couple of months I have managed to get out a few times, and have caught a few personal bests along the way too! So here goes…

RIVER LEA PB!

It has long been an ambition of mine to catch a 20lb+ river carp in England. However up until recently the only place I had ever seen one in the UK was on the Thames, right in the heart of London town, and of course this fish was bobbing about in full view in the most public “No Fishing” area possible! Great! I did intend to have a bash on the Thames at some point, but when a friend showed me photos of some old looking warriors from the River Lea, not too far from my home, I just had to have a go for one; even if a 20 pounder was a little ambitious from this stretch of river.So off I went one Sunday morning armed with a Barbel rod and a tackle bag, in search of some River Lea cyprinids. When I eventually found a

1515

Life at nash group of Carp they were quite active, swimming in amongst the streamer weed in about 2ft of water (at most!), and they were looking right up for having their photo taken. So that I did!!! If you look closely, you can see a chunk of luncheon meat about 2feet in front of this fish.

Free-lining a chunk of luncheon meat, which had been soaked overnight in some Halibut Frenzy In-Juicer, I flicked the bait

towards the far bank of the river, well upstream of where the carp seemed to be holding. The current then did its job and swung the bait in towards the fish. The meat bounced the bottom once… twice… three times… and was just nearing the spot I wanted it to settle in when a ravenous chub shot out of the weed and grabbed my hookbait mid-water. I

resisted the temptation to strike, and the chub duly spat the bait out into a lovely looking channel in the weed. The first fish

to sample the bait was a good common, of approximately 18lb, I struck but never connected with it. I messed

up a further two attempts before finally hooking this superb looking fully scaled mirror. Not a monster by anyone’s standards really, but I was chuffed with my new river Lea P.B. of 14lbs and oz’s.

LES TEILLATS

My next trip was a little further afield, and had been planned for over 6 months. I was buzzing during the build up to this one, and buzzing the whole time I was there to be honest. Cross Channel

Carping Les Teillats is home to some monster carp to over 80lbs, and I was ready for my week long stay!

Or so I thought. To cut a long story short, my week’s fishing was plagued by catfish, although this gave

me a chance to test my gear to the extreme, it wasn’t really what I wanted to be catching!! I caught cats steadily throughout the week, with monsters to 120lb falling to my seemingly miniscule rigs (well a size 6 Fang X looks small embedded in the mouth of catfish weighing over 100lb!!) I did catch a few carp along the way too, including this brute of a mirror at 46lb 2oz.

That’s it from me - Be lucky!

1. When the weather has been good I’ve been doing a

bit of fly fishing, nothing complicated, just a 7/8 weight

general rod and line and some unusual hookbaits that a

load of us are testing. It’s been very, very interesting, and I’ve had some nice fish up to high 20’s

Lifeat nash

Alan Blair

16

Lifeat nash

2.The Nash clothing range finally arrived,

then sold out, arrived again and sold out once more – Yep, it’s been very popular so grab it while you can!

3.Oli Davies started

working at Nash. He has been out shooting features with our consultants, photography and getting stuck in with Nash TV! – Big up!!! Top bloke, and a mega angler.

4.Another big addition to

the Nash Team recently has been Crowy and Briggsy, who have come on board as consultants for certain product ranges. Their knowledge is invaluable and it’s a right result to have them as part of the team.

17

5.Kev has continued filming his DVD ‘The Final Account’ and I’ve often wandered

down the lake to sit, chill and chat. Likewise I’ve often found myself running down there with the other lads to see, weigh and photograph him with another huge Copse carp. It’s been exciting and inspirational watching how he approaches his angling and you never know how big the next fish is going to be...

6.I actually dropped onto the top lake one night when Kev was on

the closest bank of the Copse. Typically I didn’t make things easy for myself and positioned my

rods out in the lake on long storm sticks to get rods down a reedline, I would require a small boat to quickly get to the rods ‘if’ I got a take. It’s just getting light at 5 in the morning and I’ve had a flying take. I’m into boat with net and out into the lake in a flash, grabbing the rod on the way past. As is always the way, the other rod goes of immediately and Kev runs over and takes this fish. Mine doesn’t want to come in, but Kev has got his in already. There’s one small problem - I’ve got the net! As my fish is stuck in

a thick weed bed, I row back net and net Kev’s fish, then with one fish already in the

net and Kev opening the bale arm on the rod that he is holding I go back out, extract it from the weed and net mine in the same net! What a bloody mess but so enjoyable all the same. Luckily Mr Nash TV, Winston, was about due to filming with Kev and the end result was most of it was captured on film – Keep an eye out for Nash TV RAW on you tube.

18

7.Mr Bayes has been cooking up a storm at the bait

factory with two exceptional boilies out on test leaving anglers baffled at their overwhelming effectiveness. I haven’t personally used either of these myself (I can’t stop fishing with that IC-1 – love it!) but I have been testing a product that will be launched in the spring called Magic Mix Attractor. In a nutshell it’s a Whiskey flavour but in reality its far more than that – every bait that I have added it to, I cant believe its effectiveness, and not just for carp either!

8.And talking of bait it’s mind blowing just how much Nash Bait we actually make! This year we have invested heavily in

new plant and other facilities at the bait factory, including these enormous specially built walk in freezers – we even have a freezer dedicated solely to Monster Squid due to you guys catching so much on it!

9.I’ve still been doing a bit of

carp fishing but nowhere near what I want, should, could be doing – instead I’ve been loving these little short sessions - just a couple of hours floater fishing or grabbing a pint of maggots and a float rod catching what ever happens to swim past.

19

10.All of this ‘noddy’ fishing got me to

wanting to learn what is, in my opinion, the ‘method’ of the moment, the Pellet Waggler. Yes it’s a Match fishing technique but boy does it make you work at your fishing and can definitely be utilised across other styles of angling. I’ve used big wagglers and method floats before and caught a few fish but nothing like I can do now that Mark Sawyer from Angling Times took me out on a tutorial and showed me just how it is done – I cant help myself but practice it every time I go at the moment.

11.I’ve recently started doing some work with a local Academy called Greensward. This involves popping into the school twice a week

to teach the lads about the angling industry, fish husbandry and of course how to catch carp. Its great to give something back and even better to see them learning and enjoying it.

12.I went on a well-earned holiday to Austria with the missus last month.

It was great to have a break and we had an awesome time. We did three nights on an island in the middle of a big gravel pit, a day at an Austrian ‘commercial fishery’ and four nights at the Carp Centre Lake. I love the place, love the people and caught loads of pukka fish. I also learnt a very valuable lesson in rigs and its changed my thinking immensely. It’s great what conversations with like-minded anglers can teach you. Nice one ‘Cloudy’!

20

WE ANGLERS NEED TO HELP OURSELVES

W W W . P R E D A T I O N A C T I O N G R O U P . C O . U K

CASE STUDY FORMPlease answers as many questions as possible. Should you need additional space to answer the above questions please use a separate piece of paper stating the number of the question.

Please help ‘� e Predation Action Group’ on behalf of British anglers, to compile Casebook Studies of freshwater � sheries that have deteriorated through predation from comorants, signal cray� sh and otters. � ese studies, via a dossier, will then be sent either via the Angling Trust or direct from PAG to the Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon MP in the House of Commons.

Your name, address and contact details, including daytime contact number and e-mail address:

Name and size of � shery or business that has su� ered, this being a lake, river stretch, guest house, or tackle shop, etc.:

Location, including nearest village, town and county:

Name of the owner/manager and daytime contact number and e-mail address:

Type of predation – otters, cormorants or signal cray� sh, please specify if more than one:

How long has the water been a� ected by predation and what year did it � rst start?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

How many anglers yearly (through day tickets, syndicate members or club memberships) does the � sheries demise a� ect?

Cost of predation – in size of � sh eaten and the cost of replacing them. What proportion of stock has been removed? Dozens, hundreds of carp/tench/barbel, etc. Please also specify a percentage, for example: 10%, one quarter, half or more, etc. of the total stock in the case of silver shoal � sh?

Fencing – has the � shery or part of the � shery been fenced in and at what cost to the owner? Has this stopped predation or is it still going on in part?

How has the � sheries demise a� ected local businesses?

Any other information – please let us know of any other information which you may think may be useful to the PAG in assessing the damage/costs/loss of business that predation has caused at this � shery.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

You can help by reproducing this information form yourself (as many as are necessary for each individual fi shery that is local to you) and upon completion either posting them or sending via e-mail attachment to The Predation Action Group Case Studies, Pip Dean, The PAG, Regent House, 101 Broadfi eld Road, Sheffi eld, South Yorkshire, S8 0XH, from whom further printed forms can also be obtained. E-mail to: info@predationactiongroup.co.uk.

FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF FISHING

#

029_PAG_CT83.indd 1 24/6/11 10:54:05

21

13.I mentioned the Austrian

commercial. I went along with some of the Nash team over there and having heard that

old “They don’t get caught on the top here” we decided to absolutely ‘fill the lake in’ with a serious amount of Riser Pellet. This is

another bait that I’ve been really lucky to have tested for the last couple of years that is finally coming out next summer. Between us we absolutely turned the lake upside down with the fish slurping the surface of the water to a foam. We ended up giving them a proper battering but my other half, Chloe held her own and out fished all of us, catching fish up to 37lb! If you

like a bit of floater fishing then get on the Riser next year…

14.Also this month I went on my first

ever magazine feature with Mark Parker from ‘Improve Your Course Fishing’. I’ve never had a journalist/photographer visit me whilst fishing before and I have to say it was a pleasure. Couple that with the fact the venue was a public lake and it made for an interesting day with four fish banked.

22

23

Here’s what they think, we’re sure

you’ll agree.

“I wouldn’t be without my Indulgence in fact I think it’s more comfortable than my bed at home.”

STEVE BROAD

“Thanks to Mr Nash the carp are now safer for a little bit longer each

morning”NICK HELLEUR

“When it comes to making bedchairs Nash tackle leads and the rest

follow”NIGEL SHARP

“So comfy its hard work getting off it in the mornings” JOHN CLARIDGE

“By far the most comfortable bedchair I have ever used! Once

you have done one night on an In-dulgence you will never use another

bedchair!”MARK MUNSON

Diem. -

“Overnight I went from having dead shoulders and arms in the morning to risking losing my job by staying

an extra night just to enjoy the Indulgence’s comfort.”

JOE WRIGHT Editor-On-Chief, CARPology Magazine

and Maximum Carp

“By far the comfiest bed I’ve ever used, including the one in my house!”

TERRY HEARN

“Simply the best Bedchair & Sleep-ing bag I have ever used or seen!

Ridiculously comfortable, strong & reliable...a night on the bank had

never been so luxurious!”JOE MORGAN

“My Indulgence Wideboy bedchair is the most comfortable and strong-

est bedchair I have ever owned” LEE MERRITT

“The Air Lite Sleep systems versatility is incredible. Perfect for a warm summer night or the depths

of winter, I cant fault it.”MYLES GASCOYNE

“For years angler’s have slept uncomfortably on the bank, until

again, Nash tackle spotted the obvious and overnight changed

the expectation of bedchairs. Well built, solid and a joy to sleep on, for me they are still the number one bedchair available and have

significantly improved my time on the bank over the last few years”

DAVE MAGALHAES

“The best bechair ever”PETE WILSON

“Big, comfortable and strong – just like me.”

ARDY VELTKAMP

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOKwww.facebook.com/OfficialNashTackle www.facebook.com/NashTV.co.uk

15.The Fishery Roadshows have come to an end for another year and the show team and all others involved did a great job of putting on

some fantastic events throughout the summer months. I hope that everyone that attended enjoyed their time there and we look forward to seeing some of you at next year’s events. We ran an ongoing competition over all the shows and the winners have now been drawn. There were some great prizes up for grabs so be sure to check out the results on the website to see if you were one of the lucky winners.

16.Finally in my whistle stop tour it’s the end of October and trade show

time. Retailers and angling press all came down for an exclusive preview of everything that will be launched over the next 12 months. By now I am sure you will have seen stuff via Facebook, websites, and in the magazines, but if you haven’t there are some great new product including the Titan Brolley All Season, Custom-built NR rods, ZT clothing, a new barrow range, the biggest bedchair in the world and much more! And that’s all for now (phew!) I might see you at the Sandown Show if you are going but if not, enjoy your Autumn’s fishing before it gets too cold that the only place you can wet a line is a weir pool!

Alan Blair24

25

26

ZEROTOLERANCENEW ZT CLOTHING RANGE

AVAILABLE AUTUMN 2011

www.nashtackle.co.uk www.nashtv.co.ukwww.facebook.com/OfficialNashTackle

27

ZEROTOLERANCENEW ZT CLOTHING RANGE

AVAILABLE AUTUMN 2011

www.nashtackle.co.uk www.nashtv.co.ukwww.facebook.com/OfficialNashTackle

28

BAIT TALK

Gary

Baye

sGARY BAYES IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE NUMBER ONE AUTHORITY ON CARP BAIT AND WHAT FISH LIKE TO EAT – NASH BAIT LEADS – OTHERS FOLLOW!

GARY TALKS WINTER EDGES

As the water cools down I always want to gain some kind of edge that I can take into winter to try to make the colder months more rewarding. To be honest during the past few years I haven’t always fished right into the coldest months but when I have, I’ve had good results with a mixture of these methods.

29

POP UPS WITH A DIFFERENCE

Fishing pop ups higher than usual off the bottom. I’ve caught carp in the autumn fishing really long hook lengths to allow for a pop up to be fished 6-8 inches off the bottom with a further 6-8 inches of hook link on the bottom so there is plenty of play in the rig.

I actually had 4 of my last 5 bites out of Conningbrook on this method and it really only came about from watching my pond fish. I’d feed them with sinking pellet some of which they would eat on the drop, followed up with a bit of intensive bottom feeding. After a while though they would pass over the bait, ducking down slightly and often performing a kind of ‘dry run’ looking like they were going to go all the way to the bottom but coming up a few inches short. So I thought I would fish a “high” pop up and it worked in September and October, on a fairly slow water. I had also convinced myself that the particular big fish we were fishing for needed a different rig, with a hookbait higher off the bottom just because of its bulky frame. But in fact I also had a 16 inch and a low 20 inch “high” pop up rig tied up ready to try.

I fished this rig with a double 15mm pop up, another little edge I think as who else fishes double pop ups? To a degree the popular snowman presentation that many anglers use these days probably negates some of the “different” advantage created by a double pop up but even so it’s still different, especially if fished high off the bottom. This is the time of year when the bottom is littered with leaves, rotting weed and a lot of crud so a high pop up can be really effective.

FLAVOUR LEVELS

Try altering the flavour levels of your hook baits. Every one is using glugs and trying to make extra strong smelling hook baits, I’ve always been a fan of simply making extra strong pop ups by using up to 30-40ml of flavours, sweeteners and other attractors per 1-2 egg mix. The idea being that a glug on the outside of the bait will wash off and on a long winter night there might not be much extra attraction left whereas a very high flavoured bait will be leaking out good smell and attraction for many hours more. It will still be working effectively ready for the hoped for morning bite. This has worked for me in both pop up and bottom bait form but in the past few years I’ve sort of gone off the idea of too much flavour in my hook baits.

BEING DIFFERENT When almost everyone is doing something similar, there isn’t such an advantage to be gained. As I’ve said I haven’t fished hard in the colder months lately but the bites I’ve had have been on lower levels of flavour, the same as the free offerings or even less.

I’m a firm believer that the carp know where the bait is almost as soon as it hits the bottom, it’s just a matter of convincing them to pick it up, making it easy for them with a high pop up helps. But their senses, although dulled in the cold are still strong enough for them to have made their minds up from a distance, less smell is possibly less scary on a lot of pressured waters.

BAIT TALK

Gary

Baye

s

GETTING IT RIGHT

Casting out interesting food parcels is a very good winter method and will often out fish straight boilie and other methods. Method mixes, ground baits, PVA mesh, spodding and bait boats are all very popular now, especially on commercial or busy waters. I have always preferred a solid bag though, it’s more versatile and it lands in the same area as the hook bait but not in a lump on top of it. Unless there is a lot of carp and other fish activity, method mixes and PVA mesh tends to put the free offering part of the set up too close to the hook bait for me. Solid bags are a little different, depending how you make them up they can be made to split apart sending some of the bait a little way from the hook bait. Spodding and baits delivered with a badly used bait boat can end up miles off the hook bait.

Very lightly hooked on, open topped solid bags will follow the lead down and then rip off the hook rising to the surface, dropping bait in a nice little spread, a bit like a small spod full of bait bang on top of the rig. I literally only pierce the very edge of the top of the bag with the hook, just enough to withstand the cast but not enough to mask the hook and run the risk of bunched up PVA not melting reasonably quickly. Three times through with the hook is usually enough with a strong bag or short piece of PVA tube for a 30 metre cast. The further the cast the smaller the bag needs to be. This winter I’m going to use smaller bags, with about 4-6 smashed up boilies, and a few food dip soaked Monster Carp Pellet with 2-3 Chain Reactions on the hook link. That should create about a 2 metre wide food smell area with a hookbait sat in the middle of it. I’ll let you know how it goes. It looks good from a boat.

PRE BAITING

Light pre-baiting lots of areas has also worked well for me over many years. Literally around 50 15mm or smaller free offerings, 3 to 4 times a week and then fishing single hook baits or my favourite hooked on PVA method on the area on fishing days. I fished a well stocked little water one year and moved from one spot to the next throughout the day catching just one fish (or none) from each area. I actually fished one area out, fishing too intense scaring the carp off by being too fish greedy, I never did get the area going again. I’ve done the same on slower waters, regular light pre-baiting, fishing each swim in rotation. Sometimes the second night after pre-baiting is the best time sometimes the third but usually a pattern does emerge. Get it right and it can be a good winter.

30

BAIT TALK

I’m a firm believer that the carp know where the bait is almost as soon as it hits the bottom, it’s just a matter of convincing them to pick it up, making it easy for them with a high pop up helps

31

32

UP YOURS MATE!

FEATURING:

ANGLING PRESSURE

WINTER PROVIDES THE BEST CHANCE

TACTICAL

BAIT TWEAKS

FOOD DIPS

AMINO LIVER CONCENTRATE

CRUSTACEAN EXTRACT

BULLET BRAID

TRIGGALINK

No we’re not being rude, we’re talking personal bests. This feature contains tips and information from

our top consultants that will help you to seriously up yours!

32

33

No we’re not being rude, we’re talking personal bests. This feature contains tips and information from

our top consultants that will help you to seriously up yours!

ANGLING PRESSURE

One of the main problems of fishing

a busy pressured water is having to

compete against other anglers. During

the warmer months it’s not uncommon

to arrive at a venue to find all the hot

swims are taken. Rather than make an

informed choice based on watercraft

skills and knowledge gained on the

bank, we often find ourselves dropping

into a vacant swim and making the best

of what’s on offer.

Quality bait provides an edge in this

situation, Scopex Squid for example

has an enviable big fish track record

and over many years this legendary bait

has probably caught more big carp than

any other boilie available. If you ask

around, it’s doubtful that you will find

any angler who has fished with Scopex

Squid who hasn’t been impressed with

the results achieved.

Monster Squid is also very quickly

gaining a similar reputation; Scopex

Squid and the new Monster are

particularly effective for ‘pinching’ fish

from areas or spots baited with other

baits. Just a handful is enough, carp

will eat it in preference to just about

anything else.

On busy waters where lots of different

boilies are going in or if there is a ‘going

bait’ being introduced in quantity, you

don’t need to compete with those

quantities to get a Top Rod boilie

working to its full potential. Nash Bait

boilies have so much in built attraction

and more-ish appeal and big fish pulling

power too, combined with some good

angling, it’s an unbeatable combination.

That’s why our consultants and top

sponsored anglers often dominate the

waters they fish.

33

34

TACTICAL

Effective watercraft, in essence

understanding the workings of the

underwater environment in which carp

live is the key to tracking down and

catching the carp of our dreams

Carp fishing is often described as ‘the

waiting game’ but adopting a more

proactive approach, experimenting, fine

tuning and hunting those carp will catch

you those bigger fish

Watch the water during every hour of

daylight and listen for signs after dark

First light is often the time when big

carp will give away their location, set

your alarm, make some tea and be sure

to be active and alert at this crucial time

Accuracy and effective bait application

is important but that doesn’t always

mean fishing tight or bang on your

spots. Although big carp are top of the

food chain, they don’t always like mixing

with the small ones at feeding time.

That’s why a hook bait or just a mouthful

of food positioned just off the feeding

area will sometimes produce the bigger

fish.

Keep an accurate diary of captures and

events, as the winter unfolds, patterns

will immerge and your understanding of

the water will grow.

Always check any scraps of weed that

you pull in with your hookbait, even if it’s

died back, is there evidence of natural

food? If so you may have discovered

a natural larder that carp will be

instinctively drawn to.

Fishing the edge of clear spots will

ensure that your hook bait is positioned

where the carp are most likely to feed.

Weed will also make it harder for those

big old spooky fish to detect your end

tackle.

Keep marker rod use to a minimum,

use the line clip and bank side features

to position hook baits and reduce the

spook factor.

WINTER PROVIDES THE BEST CHANCE

As we head into the colder months the banks of many

waters will be deserted, this allows a good angler to use

all those acquired skills and get on big fish and catch

them. Despite the plummeting water temperatures,

the carp will still be active and feeding. Even the most

riggy difficult to catch fish seem to drop their guard

and are much more likely to make a mistake with the

hook bait. The really big carp could well be at their most

vulnerable. All these factors will combine to provide the

best chance of banking a special fish.

UP YOURS MATE!

35

36

BAIT TWEAKS

Nash Bait Top Rod boilies are proven instant carp catchers they also provide carp

with a well balanced and extremely valuable food source. Top Rod boilies have

inbuilt big fish appeal, all the baits in the range are well proven all seasons carp

catchers. Big carp will actively search them out and eat them with real enthusiasm.

But as with any readymade boilie there’s always scope to boost attraction or give the

bait your own unique tweak.

UP YOURS MATE!

37

FOOD DIPS

There’s a Food Dip to match every boilie in the Nash Bait range, these dense

bottom hugging incredibly attractive nutritional liquids provide massive pulling

power. They attract most species of fish including carp, the dips will also draw

to your baited spots all the creatures and bugs that make up part of the carp’s

natural diet. A combination of Food Dip boosted Nash boilies and small fish and

other creatures that will be drawn to them and also the feeding activity created,

produces a multidimensional form of attraction that is sure to lure in the real

monsters.

Baiting levels are also a major factor, big carp are the ‘boss fish’ and are very

much in tune with the environment in which they live. Their survival instincts and

senses for detecting food will be finely tuned. They will often visit baited spots

when most of the food is gone and the smaller more frenzied feeders have moved

on to the next meal. The Food Dips leave behind a residue that seeps into the

lakebed, even when the boilies have been eaten, there will still be residual food

smells emitted from those spots. This is the time when the big ones move in to

clear up, just a mouthful of food in just the right place could be just enough to trip

up an elusive highly prized monster carp.

AMINO LIVER CONCENTRATE

This is another additive that is highly

rated by many top big fish specialists.

Amino Liver will dramatically boost the

attraction and food value of just about

any boilie recipe. Used as a bait dip or

long term soak, the results achieved

by some of our top consultants and

sponsored anglers has been very

impressive indeed. Soaked freebies

and hookbaits definitely seem to have

big fish appeal and have been used to

catch some very special fish over the

last couple of years or so.

UP YOURS MATE!

38

CRUSTACEAN EXTRACT

Another very special big fish puller,

Crustacean Extract is particularly

effective on food rich or low stock

big carp waters. As we head into

late autumn early winter, adding

Crustacean Extract to a proven recipe

or dip will give you an edge. When

water temperatures drop to below

10 degrees C some of that attraction

may be lost. But late winter when

big hungry carp become more active

and go on the prowl looking for food,

Crustacean Extract will act like a

magnet and lure them in.

39

40

FIND

ING

AN

EDGE

BULLET BRAID

Bullet braid sinks like a brick, fished slack or semi slack it hugs the contours of the lakebed and is almost undetectable. Big or elusive difficult to catch carp may be spooking off mono and ‘invisible’ fluorocarbon. We may not be able to see fluoro main lines in water but carp can detect them for sure, often what the fish can feel can be just as spooky as what they can or cannot see. Bullet Braid is an ultra stealthy tactical material, it literally melts into the bottom and is much less likely to put spooky carp on their guard.

FIND

ING

AN

EDGE

TRIGGALINK

What can you say about Triggalink that hasn’t already been said? It’s certainly not the most popular hooklink material but for those in the know it provides a serious big carp catching edge. Capture avoidance is all part of the daily routine for big carp inhabiting the busy circuit waters. These fish instinctively deal with our baited traps and rigs and feed on our freebies in relative safety with a worrying ease. Most anglers just don’t realise how many times they ‘get done’. Remember those big fish have had a life time of practice! But even the most clued up carp are not so adept at dealing with the unexpected. When a riggy carp picks up a hookbait attached to Triggalink and slowly backs off as they often do, the ever changing elasticity or bungee effect is impossible for them to fathom. Often without any prior warning or even a single bleep back on the bank, the end result is a screaming take and another target nailed!

www.carptalk-online.co.uk

Carp-Talk is the leading news magazine in the world of carp fishing. Created and run by a team of addicted carp anglers, Carp-Talk has been responsible for world exclusives on all the legendary captures including Terry Hearn with Mary at a British record weight in 1996, Christian Baldemann’s 82lb 3oz world record mirror from Lake Raduta in 1998, and in more recent times, weekly updates on all the happenings in the British Carp Angling Championships and World Carp Cups.

Othertitles...

Why not subscribe

to our free online

newsletter Carp-Talk

Xtra delivered weekly

to your inbox

www.carptalkxtra.co.uk

£9.95Plus £1.50 p&p

Softback

£12.95Hardback

£9.95Plus £1.50 p&p

Softback

£12.95Hardback

£40.00

Plus available in leatherbound (Limited number still available)

£12.95

£9.95Softback

£12.95Hardback

Great subscription

offers!

Shop online at www.gifts4anglers.co.uk

£13.99Plus £2.50 p&p

Advice, tips & techniques from some of the biggest names in carp fishing. In hardback.

Plus £1.50 p&p

Plus £2.00 p&p Plus £2.00 p&p Plus £5.00 p&p Plus £2.00 p&p Plus £2.00 p&p

Visit us online nowDelivery costs are for UK mainland only. Check website or call for overseas postage rates

XtraCarp

-Talk

£9.95Softback

Plus £1.50 p&p

Hardback

l Carp-Talk Subsctriptionl Vigilante Abrasion Leader 25lb worth £6.25l Trickster Heavy Camo-Green 20lb – worth £5.99l Trickster Heavy Camo-Brown 15lb – worth £5.99l HydroTuff 12lb Lo-Vis brown 1400m – worth £16.99l HydroTuff 15lb Lo-Vis green 1030mm – worth £16.99

FREE GARDNER WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE

Tel 01430 440624Worth £52.21

£9.95Softback

£12.95Hardback

Plus £1.50 p&p

Plus £2.00 p&p

41

FIND

ING

AN

EDGE

www.carptalk-online.co.uk

Carp-Talk is the leading news magazine in the world of carp fishing. Created and run by a team of addicted carp anglers, Carp-Talk has been responsible for world exclusives on all the legendary captures including Terry Hearn with Mary at a British record weight in 1996, Christian Baldemann’s 82lb 3oz world record mirror from Lake Raduta in 1998, and in more recent times, weekly updates on all the happenings in the British Carp Angling Championships and World Carp Cups.

Othertitles...

Why not subscribe

to our free online

newsletter Carp-Talk

Xtra delivered weekly

to your inbox

www.carptalkxtra.co.uk

£9.95Plus £1.50 p&p

Softback

£12.95Hardback

£9.95Plus £1.50 p&p

Softback

£12.95Hardback

£40.00

Plus available in leatherbound (Limited number still available)

£12.95

£9.95Softback

£12.95Hardback

Great subscription

offers!

Shop online at www.gifts4anglers.co.uk

£13.99Plus £2.50 p&p

Advice, tips & techniques from some of the biggest names in carp fishing. In hardback.

Plus £1.50 p&p

Plus £2.00 p&p Plus £2.00 p&p Plus £5.00 p&p Plus £2.00 p&p Plus £2.00 p&p

Visit us online nowDelivery costs are for UK mainland only. Check website or call for overseas postage rates

XtraCarp

-Talk

£9.95Softback

Plus £1.50 p&p

Hardback

l Carp-Talk Subsctriptionl Vigilante Abrasion Leader 25lb worth £6.25l Trickster Heavy Camo-Green 20lb – worth £5.99l Trickster Heavy Camo-Brown 15lb – worth £5.99l HydroTuff 12lb Lo-Vis brown 1400m – worth £16.99l HydroTuff 15lb Lo-Vis green 1030mm – worth £16.99

FREE GARDNER WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE

Tel 01430 440624Worth £52.21

£9.95Softback

£12.95Hardback

Plus £1.50 p&p

Plus £2.00 p&p

42

WAT

SON

’S

ANGLE

Mar

k goe

s off

the

beate

n trac

k look

ing

for s

ome

peace

and

solit

ude an

d get

s rew

arded

wit

h a sp

ecia

l fish

!

The main thing that drives me

to keep going carp fishing after doing

it for over 15 years to the exclusion of all other

species is that feeling of sanctuary that it brings for

me. After working four twelve hour shifts I can think of nothing

better than pointing the car towards Cambridgeshire for a couple of nights in

search of carp. Not just any carp but big, pretty carp. In fact I’ve got to that stage in

my carping career where going for the latest whacker to appear on the big fish circuit no

longer floats my boat. Exploring and getting off the beaten track and fishing the lesser known and

quieter pits is what does it for me now.

42

WATSON’S ANGLE

4343

I may not catch as many fish as some but I no longer have the patience to put up with the rat race. Everyone likes to catch a big carp but I’ll even

put looks over size. I still like to target carp over 40lb but I’ll take a good looking low 40 over a fat ugly 50 any day. The lake I’ve been fishing since June has been one of the most enjoyable I’ve fished for the reasons

above. It’s a real challenge being man against nature instead of other anglers. In fact I’m sitting in the Titan writing this and there are two other anglers on the other side of the lake. That is the most I’ve seen on here. With so little pressure on the carp they seem to behave naturally and location hasn’t been much of a problem. Sticking a hook in the fish hasn’t been easy for

several reasons. The main one is the huge amount of natural food in the pit. It’s as rich as anywhere I’ve fished with tons of zebra mussels and snails which probably make up a good chunk of the carp’s diet along with bloodworm which I’ve reeled in up to an inch long. I don’t believe that there

WATSON’S ANGLE

44

are carp out there that won’t pick up at least a few boilies so I’ve been steadily applying a variation of the Monster Squid to get the carp to accept them as natural. I’ve had the bait debate with a few friends on rarely or uncaught fish a few times lately and my opinion stays the same. If you do

think that there are non boilie eating carp out there then I suggest you go back and read the “Carp That Time Forgot” chapter in Terry Hearn’s first book or speak to one of the older anglers who can remember boilies first coming on the scene. Ask them how they affected their results then bear in mind that the baits we have now are far better than the first boilies ever were. Having confidence to see it through is the key.

My first

chance at hooking one of the few carp in this pit came on a hot day in July. My first night was a blank so I wound in and went off in search of carp. I found four of them milling around in a small bay and although I couldn’t see them too well I could make out that one of

them was a very big common. The surface of the bay had a covering of scum and the common was moving around taking the odd mouthful off the top. I legged it back to my swim and hastily threw together a floater set up.

I got back to the bay to find the fish still there and the common was coming in very close, still sucking at the surface. All I had to do was lower my hookbait (a cut down IC1 pop-up) in the right spot and it would be game on. Right at the critical moment I somehow managed to stick the hook in my leg right past the barb. By the time I’d finished

swearing and got the hook free the common had melted off and taken the other fish with it. Chance gone.

Over the next few sessions I was finding the fish but they were hanging around in the weediest part of the lake where only an idiot would try and fish for them.

Because of the

45

shape of the lake and an out of bounds area I couldn’t even lay traps for them as they moved out. With so few fish to go at I felt like I was wasting my time fishing elsewhere on the lake so I decided to have a break for a few weeks to save a few quid on fuel.

I returned on Bank Holiday

Monday at the end of August with the weather being a lot cooler and carpy. I spent a couple of hours watching and thought I saw a small fish nut out about halfway up the lake. I saw nothing else so headed for that area and caught the aftermath of a good fish showing while setting up. To make as little disturbance as possible I left the marker rod in the car, put lighter leads on all rods and just cast stringers to the fish.

Nothing happened for the day so I recast all the rods early evening to get everything as perfect as I could and scattered a few boilies around with the Cobra stick.

At first light I was rudely awoken by a strange beeping noise. It was the first time I’d actually been woken up by my Siren

WATSON’S ANGLE

receiver and wasn’t yet totally used to its sound. Being half asleep I picked my phone up before realising my left hand rod had a screaming take. That woke me up proper and I was then bent into what felt like a good fish. It was a good distance away and felt heavy. It was just plodding out there then kited around to my left. I couldn’t make much line on the fish and it was soon in the margins some way away.

I had no real choice but to lower the rod and crank away to keep the fish moving. It weeded me up for a short time but was soon moving again. Fortunately for me the carp had picked up a bit of weed around its head and wasn’t too hard to control from then on. I even managed to net it at the first attempt. First proper sight of the fish confirmed my prize was an immaculate looking common.

I recorded a weight of 38lb and placed it safely in a Monster Carp Sack while I went off in search of a photographer. Even after just a short while in the sack she was a bit lively for the photos but even so the fish was safe and well protected within the confines of the Carp Cradle. I’ve been impressed with the Cradle from day one but having now used it to land, unhook and photograph a big fish, I can honestly say that it is the ultimate in carp protection.

It’s well padded but also relatively lightweight and with the fish safely suspended off the ground it makes holding and photographing a big or lively carp a breeze. Once you’ve used one there’s no going back to a conventional ‘on the ground’ mat

that’s for sure.

Anyway getting back to the lake, the stock is still a bit of a mystery and at first it was thought that my common was an unknown one. But after comparing a few photos it turns out it is the lakes big common but down in weight. So that’s my first run and my first target fish sorted with hopefully more to come. Mind you thinking about the weight, when they look as good as this one, pounds and ounces are a lot less important!

46

47

AVAILABLE

NOW!

Get Carpworld & Cra� y Carper on your computer, phone or even your iPad and get catching!

• Purchase single issues and subscriptions of Carpworld or Craft y Carper magazine • Read your purchased titles on iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android compatible devices, PC and Mac• Search for ‘Carpworld’ or ‘Craft y Carper’ on the app store, and take your favourite carp magazine with you wherever you go• Receive your fi rst issue for free!

Sign up now and receive your fi rst issue for FREE!

www.pocketmags.com Android Market

Carpworld and Cra� y Carper Magazines go Digital!

MagCloner_Both_A4.indd 1 07/10/2011 14:00

CATC

H CARP

WITH

BILLY

FLOWERS

AND JA

MIE LON

DORSBilly Flowers and Jamie Londors are

two highly talented and successful carp match anglers. They also enjoy fishing around on a variety of different waters; they catch plenty of carp and more than their fair share of big ones too.

48

CATC

H CARP

WITH

BILLY

FLOWERS

AND JA

MIE LON

DORS

catch carpcontinues on the next page

49

Some anglers like to play the waiting game, find the spots, bait them, make camp and wait for the carp to turn up. It’s a very enjoyable and relaxing approach but unfortunately not always the most productive one.

But our intrepid duo like to do things differently and fish a more direct approach. Even when they are fishing for fun, the moment they arrive at their chosen venue, they immediately switch into carp hunting mode. Nothing is too much trouble, sitting on their hands and waiting for some action just isn’t an option. They will try different baits and different tactics, even move swims until the carp respond. When they fish together it’s always as a team and they will go to any lengths (sticking strictly to the fishery rules of course) to catch carp.

In a match fishing situation, moving swims isn’t an option so they have also developed methods that allow them to get the very best of what is available in front of them.

BILLY

AND JA

MIES TO

P TEN

TIPS T

O

GET YO

UR NE

XT SES

SION O

FF TO

A

FLYING

START!

50

BILLY

AND JA

MIES TO

P TEN

TIPS T

O

GET YO

UR NE

XT SES

SION O

FF TO

A

FLYING

START!

1When you arrive at a lake don’t be in a hurry to choose a swim, have a good look around, see what other anglers are doing, if you can, find out what if anything has been caught and from where.

2The effects of noise, angling pressure and lines in the water will all have an influence on the fish. Don’t be lazy and just pick a nice comfortable swim or the one nearest the car park. Take your time, think yourself in. Making the right decisions now is crucial.

3Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, the chances are the carp will show you where they are. Next you will need to decide how you are going to catch them so it’s always a good idea to have a good selection of baits and methods available to use.

4Don’t mess things up before you’ve even started. Once you’ve dropped into a swim, don’t be in a hurry to get the marker rod out, instead look for signs of feeding fish, obvious patrol routes or potential ambush points. 5When you’ve found them or decided on a spot to fish, don’t be tempted to put too much bait out and scare them off. Try fishing for a bite or one fish at a time. Fish small PVA bags, single hook baits and Chain Reaction. Bright colours can also be very effective for inducing a quick bite.

catch carpcontinues on the next page

51

6Food and Boilie Dips are perfect for getting the carp feeding. Mixing the two dips together is very effective. Try dipping the complete bag or hook bait and Chain Reaction combination for a few seconds before casting.

7The slick or flat spot created by the dips can be used to bait accurately with a few freebies. Alternatively a piece of rig foam can be added to the bag, as the bag dissolves, the foam pops ups giving the exact position of your baited spot.

8If there are any signs of mid water or surface cruising fish, get on the zigs or surface gear. Don’t waste time fishing on the bottom if the carp aren’t there.

9Take multiple rods, have more than one tactic or method set up and ready to use. If conditions change, be prepared to change tactics and change again if needed.

10If you are fishing with a friend, rather than compete against each other, work as a team, combining your knowledge and skills will help you to both put more fish on the bank.

catch carpcontinued

52

One final thing, once you have caught a few, try building or feeding the swim, if you can keep the fish interested and they will tolerate the disturbance, a regular trickle of feed will keep the fish active and searching for your baits.

If the carp are spooked by the splash of a spod, try introducing a few Soluballs with a throwing stick. 24mm Soluballs delivered with a Cobra stick will travel a long way. They hit the water at high velocity and create little or no noise and disturbance. Soluballs can often be dropped onto feeding fish without risking scaring them off.

Soluballs are ‘rapid break down’ highly attractive balls of food that produce intensive and prolonged feeding activity. Matching hook bait and Chain Reaction presentations will keep the carp coming back for more time and time again.

Remember you won’t catch them sitting at home this winter and in carp fishing effort always equals reward – good luck!

53

NASH HOOKS

If you are hoping to track down a special fish this winter, attention to detail will be crucial, even prolific runs waters can be slow at times during the colder months so nothing should be left to chance. Hook choice is vitally important as it provides that all important point of contact with the fish. Get it wrong and all of that hard work and effort will be wasted.

There are four patterns in the

range, in our opinion, Nash

hooks are, without doubt the strongest

and most durable sticky sharp carp

hooks available today.

Rig TALK

54

Fang X

The super strong Fang X with its straight ultra sharp point and medium length curved shank is an extremely versatile hook. The much copied Fang X is the first choice hook for many top anglers, it’s also a very reliable (considered by many as the most reliable) barbless hook pattern.

Fang Uni

The Fang Uni is another very strong, incredibly sharp, ultra reliable and extremely versatile hook perfectly suited to both pop up and bottom bait fishing. The Uni can be fished with complete confidence in a wide range of circumstances and has proven particularly popular with consultants and field testers fishing in hook and hold situations or in very thick weed.

Fang Gaper

The Fang Gaper with its straight eye, unique wide gape and short shank has provided many anglers with the key to cold water success. When fishing for lethargic winter feeders or pressured rig shy carp, when there was evidence to suggest that the fish were regularly feeding on baits and getting away with it, changing to the Gaper has produced instant success. The Gaper has also proven popular with many successful chod users.

The Twister

The Twister with its radical square bend, straight point, straight medium length shank and 30 degree down turned eye has become an instant classic. Another very strong hook that provides solid dependable hook holds that are often surprisingly well back in the mouth. The Twister can be used to out smart the trickiest rig shy carp.

NASH HOOKS

55

The extreme forces and varying angles of pressure that come into play whilst playing a hard fighting carp provide the ultimate test for any hook. During an extensive development programme, Nash Fangs proved to be up to 50% stronger than the best of the rest, hooked to landed fish ratios were also significantly improved. Having complete confidence in your choice of hook is vitally important. For those anglers struggling with poor hook holds or suffering the frustrations and disappointments of lost fish, the Nash TT Fang hooks will undoubtedly provide the solution.

Rig TALK

56

Rig TALK

NASH HOOKS - THE KEY FACTS

Four radical patterns purpose designed for advanced rig

construction

Cutting edge design and technology

Exceptional sharpness strength and durability

Low friction stealth coating

RIG TIPS TO UP YOUR CATCH RATES

Don’t slavishly copy the latest trends, analyze every capture, understand why your chosen rigs are working, and when necessary use that information to fine tune and adapt. When starting on a new water, always use simple rigs as a starting point.

For bottom bait presentations start with the Fang Twister tied with a knotless knot, fine tune with shrink tube extensions for optimum hooking

Nash TT Diffusion shrink tube is perfect for creating tube extensions and fish friendly ‘bent hook’ presentations, Diffusion technology also maximizes concealment.

For simple pop up or balanced snowman presentations the dependable Fang X blow back rig is the first choice for many top anglers

The sticky sharp Fang X is considered by many anglers to be the first choice barbless pattern

For pop ups, chods and bottom baits use the super sticky ‘claw’ of the wide gaped Fang Gaper to trap riggy difficult to catch carp.

The ultra strong ‘beaked’ Fang Uni is the first choice hook for fishing on gravel or in any situation where there’s a chance a straight point may be damagedA tiny spot of rig glue reduces knot strangulation and significantly boosts the strength and reliability of knots and combi-rig joints

Shortening a proven rig by as little as 2 cms or lengthening it by 4 cms will often provide the breakthrough when feeding carp are proving difficult to hook Hair length is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of rig design, getting it right can turn a reasonably effective rig into an exceptional one Don’t compromise, the hook is the all important ‘point of contact’ with the fish, ultra strong reliable sticky sharp Fang hooks provide a major edge

57

STEVE RENYARD

I am quite often asked what hooks I use for specific rigs and does it make a difference? My answers are always varied in some way because carping situations always vary too. Maybe if it’s winter I will scale down the hook size or hook thickness. Sometimes there are situations where you have to give the carp a bit of stick against snags or weed beds so I have to use heavier gauge patterns. I will always analyse the situation I’m faced with and make a decision as to what hook size or type to use. When it comes down to hook patterns all I can give you is my take on what I use and why. Let’s say I am using the Withy Pool Rig for example, my preferred pattern is the Nash Fang

X. It’s very easy to understand why this hook is so perfect for the job. In simple lay mans terms it’s the curvature of the Withy rig that makes it so effective and difficult for carp to deal with. The Fang X is perfect because of its inherent curved design; it also has a slightly longer shank compared to similar patterns. When making flip and turn rigs the Fang X is right up there for me because of its anti eject qualities, great sharpness and an ability to be re sharpened if needed after catching on it is another bonus. They also benefit from a dull none glare finish which adds to the stealth effect. They are honed to an amazing level of sharpness and will always have a place in my rig portfolio.

TALKIN

G P

OIN

TS F

AN

G X

A H

OO

K Y

OU

CA

N T

RU

ST

58

SEAN LEVERETT

When I was asked which Nash hooks I use and why, that was a relatively simple one to answer, because to be honest for the majority of my fishing I use just one pattern. That hook is the Fang X. Why? Because for me it really is the perfect carp hook, super strong and also pretty damn sharp. When they go in they tend to stay in, I can’t actually recall the last time I lost a fish using one of these ultra reliable hooks. They are a versatile pattern and can be used to construct a wide range of today’s popular rigs, strong, sharp and ultra reliable so why use anything else?

TALKIN

G P

OIN

TS F

AN

G X

A H

OO

K Y

OU

CA

N T

RU

ST

59

KEITH JONES

I can’t remember the last time I used anything other than a Nash hook for any type of fishing, for me they

are as good as it gets. But I have tested just about all the popular alternatives found on the tackle shop shelves and despite much of the hype surrounding some of these carp hooks, I’ve yet to find one that combines the same levels of sharpness, strength and all round durability enjoyed by users of the Fangs.

My particular favourite is the size 8 Fang X, I use this hook for the majority of my fishing and I can’t remember the last time I lost a fish on them due to a hook related problem. It would take a lot to make me change to something else, but having said that, at Nash we are always pushing forward the boundaries of end tackle design and development, so who knows what might lay around the corner?

TALKIN

G P

OIN

TS F

AN

G X

A H

OO

K Y

OU

CA

N T

RU

ST

60

TALKING POINTS

Still regarded as one of the best modern daybooks on the market. Terry needs little introductionand this latest book by the author will have youreaching for the rods to go fishing!

Within the pages of Living The Dream, you'll meetthe Nigel Sharp known only to his closest friendsand family. You'll be amazed at his dedication andenvious of where it takes him, as his tally ofimpressive carp builds, chapter by chapter.

SIGNED COPIES (Until stocks last)

£27.00 plus p+pNote - Limited Leather Bound copies still available!

£19.95 plus p+p

IN PURSUIT OF THE LARGEST DVD - with Terry Hearn and Nigel SharpFar from being Hollywood, much of the footage is amateur, home-video style, taken from several different cameras over a longperiod of time. It’s quite often shot hands-free, and sometimes not in the greatest conditions for filming, but then this is what makes

it so real. Look through the shakes and occasional glitches to marvel at some of the fish that helpedmake big carp fishing what it is today. Stick the kettle on and reminisce, watching old history fish likethe Yateley North Lake’s Bazil, and the Car Park Lake’s Heather The Leather; two of the most famouscarp to have ever swum in our waters.

Also included are tales and footage from Oxfordshire's Big S, the Test Valley's Nutsey, The Big Pit, TheLea Valleys Relief Channel, Sonning Eye, Linch Hill's Christchurch, Longfield's Road Lake, and of course,the mighty Burghfield, near Reading, home to one of the most prized and elusive commons in thecountry. All that and more; well over three hours of precious archive footage for the price of a round ofdrinks...that's got to be good value.

SIGNED COPIES (Until stocks last)

£29.95 plus p+p

Christmas2011.qxp:Layout 1 6/9/11 14:15 Page 1

61

62

CA

RP

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

It’s been a big learning curve for me this year, running my own fishery, meeting and chatting to anglers with completely different views and ideas about carp fishing. In one swim there may be a guy who has been at it for thirty years, but next door to him a lad may have just bought his first bag of boilies. Some anglers are patient and others want a carp in the net every 10 minutes. It has opened my eyes to just how diverse carp fishing is now in the 21st century. We all go for different reasons and I think it’s important for us more experienced anglers to respect that.

I go to catch fish, it is that simple, I hate camping and I’m very impatient. But I understand I might have to put in a lot of time and effort if I want to catch quality carp. That’s what I enjoy, the challenge, working it all out, learning and then hopefully getting my reward – a big fat, dark carp. But sometimes I like to go out

and just get a bend in the rod and I enjoy fishing all type of venues.

This is without doubt the best time of year for carp fishing, in my opinion. I know spring can be prolific for big carp, but I’ve always loved late autumn and winter. For me a carp on the bank in the cold is incredibly satisfying and makes me remember why I became obsessed with fishing.

I

remember when I started out thinking carp were impossible to catch in the winter months and I have spoken to many newcomers to the sport at the fishery who have convinced themselves that winter fishing is a waste of time. I can remember banking my first winter carp, probably 20-years ago, and from that moment onwards I’ve learnt that winter fishing can sometimes be easy if everything falls into place. Location is key, along with using a quality bait that the carp want to eat and can digest.

At a 10 acre deep pit I fished many years ago I think I caught nearly all the sought after carp in the lake between November and February from one little swim, on an area behind a slope. The key to my success was using a good quality boilie, which I made myself, along with baiting up regularly in between my sessions. Luckily I don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen making bait anymore because I put all my faith in the awesome Amber Strawberry, the best winter boilie I have ever used.

It has worked for me on so many different venues, day-tickets, estate lakes, canals and wind-swept gravel pits. I love to glug

“I go to catch fish, it is that simple”

63

CARP

RICH WILBY

CATCHERS DIARIES

Well here we are again with

another carp catcher’s diary... my hookbaits in the Strawberry Oil Palatant

to give them a kick and an extra sweet taste that I’m sure gets me some extra bites every winter.

Another thing I like to do in the colder months with the White Amber boilies is crush them up and mix them with some white bread crumb and hemp for PVA bag work. This is a little tactic that has really stood out on some waters, mainly on venues which I think have been overfished with pellets. I think the visual and flavour attractors given off around the hookbait is hard for a carp to ignore if you put it in the right area.

If anyone is thinking about fishing through the winter for their

first time, I really recommend going for it. Get some

quality clothing, decent winter bait and make

the most of the quiet banks and lack of angling pressure. The scenery can be stunning in winter just being at a lake on a frosty morning will give you a huge buzz and make you want to spend every minute by the water.

Keep warm

and keep catching, all

the best – Rich.

64

CA

RP

ADAM GARLAND

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

Looking back at the year so far I can definitely say I’ve been happy with the way things have gone, and although several of my results have given me a great sense of achievement, there is none more so than the capture of my new personal best mirror carp known as Scarface.

I’d first seen pictures of this impressive creature a few years back, when she reached an all time high of 48lb in late December.

The lake in question holds a good head of large fish, but just the immense frame of Scarface puts it in a different league to anything else that swims. Add to that the pure power of the fish, and its ability to put a serious bend in any rod, and it’s not hard to see why she still remains most anglers’ main target on the water.

I arrived at the lake on Sunday July the 11th and after a good walk around, and a chat with the weekend lads due to pull off, it was evident that although there seemed little to go on, there was a group of fish held up out on one of the bars at around 90 yards over a large bed of weed.

I decided as I’d caught from this swim before and knew what I would be looking for, this would be as good a place to start as anywhere else,so I set about finding a fishable spot in the area near to where the fish were sitting.

Due to the presence of some serious weed, I had to settle for a spot at 60 yards, a little way along the bar to where they were located.

The tactic was simple, three rods in the area and loads of bait!The bait of choice was a combination of Scopex Squid and the matching Monster Carp Pellets, all delivered with ease with my new Nash Deliverance Spod.

The rigs, as always, were my Fluorocarbon stiff link / Nash Armour Braid combi rigs, tied up with the ever reliable Fang Twister in size 8.

A Diffusion Camo shrink tube extension enhances the turning effect, fished blow back style with snowman hookbaits. it’s hard to beat.

I’d stuck with the Weed Safe Bolt Bead system that had already served me so well combined with the Diffusion Camo rig tube for ultimate stealth. After all, with the fish not showing much and lying around in the sun, the last thing I wanted to do was spook them if they did decide to visit me.

The rods were all out and angling by 7pm, and I must admit as I put the spod rod down and set about making the first cup of tea, I had a good feeling about what could possibly happen.

I watched the water well into dark, as one by one the large brown backs, that were happily sitting out in open water started to drift off, and the feeling of confidence I’d previously felt turned slowly to hope!

As the night drew on I sat listening for any signs of fish and looking for anything moving on the surface or just something to give me an idea of where to head next.

At 5am I woke and stood by the rods, I was just looking out over a lifeless lake when the bobbin on my right rod fell off and ever so slowly the reel started to spin and the Siren burst into life as something made off with one of my snow man rigs!The fight started very slow but positive, as the fish tried every trick in the ‘carp guide to hook pulls’. After a while it took off like a steam train heading straight into the margin to my left. I managed to regain control and after a

65

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

few hairy moments with the rod arched over and the fish sitting on the surface twisting and turning at every possible angle I finally slipped the net under her and peered down to see what I had landed.

I’d seen Scarface in the water on many occasions this year, and I knew that other than the huge frame, the other easily recognisable feature was her stump that stuck out where one of her fins should be.

A quick check of both sides confirmed that it was indeed the one I was after, so after preparing the mat and other essential safety items, I lifted her on the scales and watched the needle creep around to 40.08.

Without question the fish was down in weight, but after spawning that was to be expected, and at over 40lb she had just become my new personal best mirror.

TOP TIPThis year I have either been using a snowman rig, comprising of a 10 mm Air Ball pop up and 15mm Top Rod Freezer bait, or a pop up rig with a 15mm Air Ball pop up.

I’m not a fan of ultra buoyant pop ups, so I’ve started soaking my pop ups in the matching Food Dip.

I put twenty baits in a pot with 30ml of dip, left to soak for a few months, the thick dense liquid dramatically boosts attraction as it’s drawn in and creates more of a buoyant wafter which can be fine tuned with a spot of Cling On putty, it really is a killer tactic and one I can highly recommend this winter.

66

CA

RP

SCOT ‘GEEZER’ GRANT

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

After catching the stunning 34lb mirror back in April my year has taken a turn for the worst. Divorce is imminent something I thought would never happen. But as long as my daughters are happy that’s all that matters, but hey ho life goes on. My fishing suffered quite badly and what with work commitments I couldn’t get out on the bank for three months. After getting my head straight I approached the lake with a fresh mindset, but this was soon blown apart as the weed was now horrendous!!

67

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

The lake was un-fishable and something had to be done. I was booked off on holiday from work and with no family holiday this year I was going to spend as much time as possible over at the lake. I turned up in mid August with my mate “Ball Bag” to fish a 72hr session but first we had to clear as much weed as possible from two swims so we could fish. I spent the grand total of five hours in a boat whilst Chris was covered in weed!! I finally managed to cast my rods out at 19:00 then retired for a well earned sleep. I was rewarded for my efforts the next day when I had to take to the boat to land a chunky 33lb 4oz mirror that weeded me up. Bait wise I was using a mixture of the red and limited edition Monster Squid Black, a bait that has taken waters apart up and down the country and a bait that I am more than happy with.

The next morning I banked an old warrior that tipped the scales at 43lb 8oz another victim to the Monster! I returned to the lake two weeks later and managed to get the swim I had prepared previously. The

weed seemed to be on the decrease and the spots were still clear. With

the rods out the house went up and it was chill

time. Only a few fish had been out

so I was more then confident that I would bank a couple

of lumps, confidence plays

a massive part in carp fishing.

After just two hours, the right hand rod tore off and an old friend was netted at 43lb 4oz a real old character and more than welcome, Craig took some great shots (thanks mate). Nothing more happened until the next evening when the middle rod went into melt down and after a dogged fight, a lovely 37lb mirror lay in the net. I felt so confident I knew there was more to come.

Lo and behold the next morning the rod was away again and a 44lb mirror was

landed, I was more than chuffed, A good mate of mine Simon did some cracking photos (cheers mate).

I returned the following week for another 48hrs. Again I managed to get the swim I wanted, there are two fish that have really got under my skin both high 40 pounders, a common and a mirror; these fish will take my bait one day I’m sure.

Anyway on with the session, the first night passed, with nothing to show for my efforts not even a liner! However the next day whilst having a coffee with my old mate “Mungo” I was just telling him about the lake and its population when the middle rod burst into life, the fish weeded me up almost instantly. With the boat tied up on the other side of the lake I had to bide my time I put the rod back onto the rest and slackened the line off, after what seemed like an age, the fish finally moved off and a 30lb mirror was netted, along with a massive ball of weed!

My favourite capture so far this year is a hard one to choose, but a 44lb mirror that I caught recently that was new to me would probably be the one. As long as I am enjoying my fishing that to me is the most important thing, looking ahead in the coming months will my tactics change? Most definitely, I will continue to introduce the bait but on a lighter basis along with the Soluballs. This will keep the fish feeding throughout the winter as it did last year and hopefully I will bank my target fish.

68

CA

RP

JACK BROWN

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

Following on from my last diary entry I’ve been concentrating the majority of my fishing in the Oxford area on a lovely complex of pressured lakes that contain a good head of big scaley carp! You may remember I mentioned that I had been fishing a lot with zigs and hinged stiff rigs, also bright alternative hook baits over a scattering of washed out bait if the situation was right.

Through the summer months my methods changed slightly from boilie to a particle approach. With an abundance of small natural food present and large weed beds cropping up all over the place, for me it was now time to feed smaller items. My particle mix was pretty much a basic pigeon conditioner type thing with added rock salt, chopped and whole tigers, micro pellets and a dash of GLM.

Hook baits were balanced tigers fished in small solid bags. If the fishing was slow or plenty of bait had already been introduced into the swim from a previous angler, the bags where placed just off the main gravelly silty spots in areas of light silk weed. Or if the fish were having it, all three rods on one spot with a tight baited area of particle, being precise and accurate on a water like this is crucial, these carp have seen it all! Making the change really paid

off, even when the fishing was slow, I

landed some absolute belters from upper doubles to mid thirties.

With the show season firmly upon us, I found myself heading off to Belgium with Mr Maddix for a road show. A long journey was endured but I was kept entertained by the crazy moves of Reedy, bopping along to Dub Step Beat, (he was driving at this point also!). We finally arrived at our destination and met up with Simon Stobie, Paul Garner and Leigh Helmsley. The weather was great and an interesting mix of European consultants and anglers hungry for information were out in full force. I must say everyone was really enthusiastic and willing to learn, they really love their carp fishing! Loads of fish were caught, for the young anglers, a mixture of zigs and fishing really close in with boilies were the methods used.

On arriving back to the UK, the weather was baking! So the floater gear was dusted off ready for action. A really useful tool I rarely see other anglers using is the Nash Bolt Machine. These are devastatingly affective and allow you to fish at awesome distances where others simply can’t. As the name suggests the Bolt Machines create a very effective bolt effect and solid dependable hook holds. You don’t even have to pay that much attention! Just wait for the clutch to scream! Some excellent evenings and day sessions were enjoyed with the floater gear, I managed to top up the tan and catch some lovely scaley beauties along the way too.Another Road show was soon underway, Cudmore lakes was the venue, home to the fantastic Fishomania competition. The place was rammed with budding anglers, the Nash team where all present to help and answer any questions, demonstrating rigs and bait and more importantly catching shed loads of carp for the visitors. It was another very successful weekend, well done to all the team!

Back to the fishing, I kept plugging away

69

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

with the particle approach and had some good results, but with autumn looming, it was time to start introducing some proper food, Monster Squid was my chosen bait. Because of the nature of the water and how much fresh bait gets introduced, soaking or washing out my bait in lake water for a night can provide a major edge. I also like to add a light scattering of salt and GLM after the soaking to give them a little boost, but nothing too overpowering.

Rig wise my trusty old hinged stiff rigs will be used again, along with simple

balanced bottom

bait

rigs. Most importantly, hooks must be ultra sharp. I have so much confidence in the Fang X, they simply won’t let you down. The last thing I want is to lose a real monster due to a blunt hook.

Autumn is without doubt one of my favourite seasons; the carp are hungry, at big weights and look stunning. Previous autumns for me have been brilliant, with numerous 40lb plus fish coming my way,

I’ll let you know how it goes next time, until then - be lucky and catch a lump!

70

CA

RP

JERRY HAMMOND

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

I’ve had such a busy summer and autumn, where do I start? Well, I was really enjoying my time on St Ives chasing the Fat Lady, I was right getting into it and things were starting to happen. I managed a nice 27lb common and unfortunately I lost a fish one day fishing long range to an island. And with autumn to look forward to I had a proper plan of attack. Anyway my dreams of catching the Fat Lady were shattered after sadly she was found floating. It seemed she had probably died after spawning. It’s not the first time this has happened to me, Cotton Farm’s big common first then Heather the Leather at Yately, then the Lady.

I had the chance to fish for Heather years ago and boy I now wish I had, as we all know these fish won’t be around for ever.

After the loss of the Lady I carried on with my pursuit of another large carp in Norfolk that lives in a lake called Lenwade. I fished there last year before they spawned, and I caught a few nice fish to just over 28lb off the top, apart from the big girl that at her best is 51.10, there are only three or four scraper thirties and then it’s a big jump all the way up to the big un Baby face .Because I was filming my DVD I didn’t get back again until the autumn last year, where I caught the same fish again, the 28

pounder this

time at 30.8. But then, before I knew it, winter arrived and I

got into fishing nearer home.This year I started back at Lenwade, caught a few fish, nothing big, commons to 24lb and enjoyed some good zig fishing and I have a very good feeling that I may have even lost the big one.

There is a channel that is roped off and the fish obviously love this area, each day the fish would turn up in the morning and follow the weed bed around and into the safety of the channel to chill for a while. I had watched the route they were taking and a lot of the time they were mid water. So I placed one zig at just the right depth in the area where they first meet the weed bed, and then the second about 30 yards before the rope.

At 7am the first rod went, and I caught a 23lb common, then just before I left for home at about 9.30 the other rod went, this fish was a different animal it was very heavy and weeded me up completely. I kept the pressure on but she would not budge then suddenly whatever it was came off. It could have been any of the fish but I just had a gut feeling, as she had only been out once in February and had not been seen since.

I’ve managed to catch some nice fish that included the lakes big common spawned out at 28.8, one session I had six takes and five of those were on zigs, a method that I love and highly rate.

The best fish caught on zigs were two old originals at 29lb and 21lb. At the same time I was enjoying the zig success I had three chances floater fishing where I should have caught the big one. She even took my hook bait a couple of times, but on each and every occasion, she just turned her head and the bait came out, so near yet so far!

I just can’t sit it out fishing on the bottom when it’s a bit slow, trying alternative tactics has caught me plenty of bonus fish. Zigs in particular, if you get the tactics right, it’s a very productive method.

71

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

Whilst I was in the swim zigging, I found no signs of carp during the night, or at least I was not seeing or hearing any, I thought that maybe they were moving away from the weed and low oxygen levels, the lake was very weedy. I thought that maybe they were going up the deeper end of the lake. So on my next trip, I fished two nights at the deeper end, the carp did turn up for a while each night but only briefly and then disappeared, I didn’t received a single liner in over 48 hours of fishing there. So for my last night I moved to another swim. This one has a bar that comes off an island and a nice deep silty channel either side of it, I only had the one night left but as soon as it got dark the liners started.

Then at about 9.30pm she jumped, that sound, it could only be one fish! It was pitch black so I couldn’t see anything but it happened a further two times. I pinpointed the area which was only about 35 yards out and to the left of my swim,

my rods were not a million miles away so I left them where they were hoping she would come across my baits at some stage.

But it was a quiet night and afterwards I cursed myself for not re-casting, but on the plus side I now knew where she was hanging out. Anyway I went home on the Friday, Sunday was my wedding anniversary it was also a full moon, I was sound asleep when I got the phone call at 11.39 pm, it was one of the bailiffs ringing to tell me he has just had the big un at 51.10! The funny thing is he has already caught the fish at over 50lb a few years previous, I don’t know maybe it’s a Norfolk thing and they don’t mind catching them again.

Anyway I will not be giving up, I hate the long drive but I love big carp! I’ve been very close, maybe next time I’ll be telling you how I caught it – good luck!

72

CA

RP

JOE JAGGAR

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

Well, here we are again, the leaves are falling, the rain is pouring and there is a seriously autumnal feel in the air. It doesn’t seem like five minutes since I was praying for my chosen lakes to thaw out, and what a rollercoaster year I’ve had!

I took the plunge earlier in the year and became a full time angler, my personal life took a turn for the worst and my savings account is a lot lighter than it was, but I can honestly say, I’ve had the time of my life!

Unfortunately, due to publicity restrictions, I cannot talk about or show pictures of my favourite capture from this year, but the memories are mine and will stay with me forever.

I’ve also settled down on a rather infamous Bedfordshire Clay Pit which happens to be home to the fish of my dreams, the mighty Mother! I hit the ground running on there, the fish seemed to love the awesome Scopex Squid and were very susceptible to my mobile approach. Although I haven’t yet managed to bag the Mother, I am beginning to feel closer and have bagged the lake’s third biggest resident in the shape of Twisted Scale at 38lb 14oz.With the colder weather now upon us, it really is time for the big carp to have a good feed and my chosen lake will be no exception. I’ve upped the amount of bait that I’m introducing and hopefully they’ll become accustomed to feeding on it, hopefully making them much more catchable.

I’ve recently been over the water to France to fish the record breaking Rainbow Lake for a fortnight, but I’ll save the full story

for another time. This has seriously hampered my plans on the Bedfordshire clay pit but I felt that the opportunity was

too big to miss out on. A fortnight on the greatest big fish lake in the world in the autumn can’t be sniffed at, a fortnight of hard graft, very little sleep and pure torture! But also a chance to bank some of the real chunks that reside there, what more could you ask for?!

Bait choice for the trip wasn’t exactly tough, there isn’t a carp in the world that can resist Scopex Squid and I’ll be crossing the channel with copious amounts, that’s for certain! So hopefully, when you hear from me next, it will be with tales of some hippo sized leviathans!!

Having had over two weeks away will reduce the odds of banking the Mother this year. However, I love the lake, the inhabitants and the fellow anglers that much, if I don’t bank my target I’ll just look forward to heading back there next spring.

73

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

I hope that all your dreams come true over the autumn period, tight lines!

74

CA

RP

JULIAN CUNDIFF

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

Since September the nights have been drawing in but thankfully I’m well organised after 25 years of doing overnighters, but even for experienced anglers you really do have to get your planning right to ensure that it does not all go horribly wrong. So for this issue of the E-Zine I thought it would be nice to give you a run down on what I do to ensure that my overnighters go to plan…and not to cock !!

1-Ensure you concentrate on one venue. Whilst spending days at different waters is okay, when you are

cramming overnighters in it’s imperative to stick to one water and milk it and fish it to death. You are going to have to make pretty quick choices and once you know a water well your judgement is more likely to be sound. I have been fishing three waters pretty consistently all year but I am focussing on one now.

2-Use your time productively. In many ways it is better to spend more time on a longer session rather than cramming in two shorter ones. If possible I try to get to the venue mid afternoon

in the light so I can find fish, trickle bait in and see their response rather than panicking in the half light. I tend to have to organise my fishing around work so I go the day I know I can get a flyer from work even if I have to pack away in the dark. It’s a lot better to pack up in the dark than set up in it.

3-Sundays are the day - On many waters particularly syndicates Sunday dinnertime see’s an exodus of anglers going home. I find that by mid afternoon these waters are often free of any anglers. So if you

Although it would be easy to say what happened to the summer, I don’t really remember there being much of one up here in the frozen North.

‘Don’t leave it to the night to get it right’…

75

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

are struggling for time in the week then get down Sunday dinnertime and be amazed. You can spend time looking, not be in a rush to set up and often have the choice of swims.

4-Be realistic. The only time you are going to get action is when you are there. So tell yourself not to think outside those boundaries but where is your time best spent ? Where are the majority of the fish going to be for the bulk of my time? Sure, some may well be in the shallows but if you can’t stalk one out there, then wouldn’t it be best to set up in a place where you have a good chance of night action. Often I set up on one swim and providing I am not breaking the rules or affecting others I will wander around with a single rod looking for a bonus daylight fish.

5-If you are doing a night then get that shelter up. No matter what some books and articles try to tell you if you are setting up in one spot unless carp are boshing out in front of you, five minutes getting the Titan or Oval up and getting organised is time well spent. The key to making overnighters work is being organised. So for me, once I have made the decision its Titan Brolly up, peg it down, clip in groundsheet, set up bedchair and catch my breath. Its not a race and whilst you should work hard you should also remember you are there to enjoy yourself !! With my Nashy bedchair having the bag already attached to it that’s a godsend and time saved again.

6-The most important thing is not how much you take

but how well organised it is. All my stuff goes in two Barrowbags with the cooking gear etc in one and the tackle in the other. I don’t care that it looks like a lot because it easily fits on the Trax barrow when I push it around anyway. The rods are in the rod sleeves with end tackle attached ( usually Safety Beads and Diffusion leaders ) so all I have to do is decide on lead size and presentation. Fishing one water regularly means you have a good idea of the end tackle you need anyway.

7-I have plenty of presentations pre-tied as I find that by concentrating on one water you have a pretty good idea of what is needed. Generally I will either be using a Multi-Rig with a size 8 or 10 Fang X or a Bottom Bait rig using a Twister in 7 , 8 or 10. An afternoon spent in front of the television watching F1 or MotoGP qualifying usually means I have enough presentations tied for the week. Stored in a rig box, you can concentrate on the fishing rather than the rig tying when you are there.

8-When you are fishing have the minimum of gear out and the maximum packed away at any one time. Other than two torches, lighter, small notebook, pen and phone and keys virtually everything else is packed away when I am fishing. This means there is less

chance of losing anything and its quicker to pack away in the dark in the morning.

9-Although I do drink stacks of coffee I really don’t want to be making drinks and having to pack all that gear away at 5-6 am on a wet October/November morning. Instead before I do go to sleep I make a flask of coffee which will do me a night drink and also one before I leave in the morning. I have a digital radio and I listen to Planet Rock as I pack up ( quietly ) and it makes it all a lot more pleasant.

10-I did write a full chapter on ‘Overnighters’ in my latest book ‘Short Session Success’ which goes into far more detail than I can in this E-Zine so if you want the full story get yourself a copy from Angling Publications on www.anglingpublications.co.uk or call them on 01142 580812. Also now that I am on Facebook at Julian P Cundiff you can also read plenty of good stuff on there too so check me out and log in as a friend.

Get out there and be lucky!

76

CA

RP

MICK HENDERSON

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

Hi everyone, hope all is well and plenty of carp have been banked. The start of 2011 saw me heading southwards once again in search of big carp as my ticket for Elstow pit one had finally come through after a very long six years on the waiting list!

Although I had held a ticket for pit two all those years, I had never visited its banks as it was pit one that really grabbed me the most. With its crystal clear deep water holding some of the best fish in the land, it just ticked all the right boxes for me. So early April saw me heading Bedfordshire bound for my first ever trip. The journey down was a mixture of excitement and anticipation as the last time I saw the place whilst on a winter work party; it was not a pretty sight to say the least. Open and barren with plenty of sticky mud that seemed to cling to everything possible were the memories etched in my mind.

Anyway on arrival there were only two cars in the car park telling me that it was probably a little early for catching some Elstow carp? But I do like to get one or two reccee trips in before the season really kicks off. The information I gathered from the lads fishing was there had been no fish out so

far, which remained the same way during my first two nights.

But the whole place had matured very nicely in my absence and it had been a pleasurable two nights fishing. A fortnight later I was once again pulling the trusty old Astra into the car park ready for another session and hopefully a productive one this time round. Four fish had been banked since my last trip, two on zigs and two off the bottom, that’s good enough for me I thought, there’s maybe a good chance of a fish or two this trip.

After a lap of the lake I settled into a swim in the south west corner called the Reeds Swim. Over the years I have read plenty of material about the Elstow pits and the famous Reeds Swim was mentioned a hell of a lot, and here I was setting my traps in that very same swim. You can understand why the carp get in here in numbers when you first see it as there is a rope crossing the bay restricting you from casting up towards the snags that are visible at the far end of the bay. This creates a SAFE area for the carp, and these fish certainly know when to get in there when they are being angled for. Two rods were fired out towards the far bank at the bottom of the shelf and baited with plenty of the trusty Squid-Red freebies, the other rod was positioned on a clear spot under the rope half way across the bay and again plenty of Squid-Red was peppered over the top. I’ve been using this bait for some time and I highly rate it.

Over the course of the first day I could see the odd fish starting to creep in from the bay over my spot under the rope and it was of no surprise when that rod was the first one to go. The rod had to be locked up to prevent the fish from reaching the snags at the far end of the bay and these carp certainly know where to head for when hooked. With the rod buckled over and my heart popping from my chest the fish was

77

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

showing no signs of stopping and trying to reach the safety of the snags. With steady pressure I guided the fish out into open water were moments later I safely landed my first Elstow carp!

On peeling back the net I was staring down on one of the prettiest fish I have ever caught, big golden scales along each flank told me that I had caught one of the few stunning linears that swim the depths of the pit. On the scales the needle spun past the thirty pound mark and settled on a weight of 34lb 10oz, to say I was buzzing would have been an understatement. The following day I landed a further two fish, both mirrors of 29lb and a chunky 38lb 12oz, again both falling to the spot under the rope, which ended my session off nicely and I

headed home a

very

happy carper. From that session onwards my season has been going very well down on Elstow landing some truly stunning carp to just under 40lb.

As I write this piece, early autumn, it has been almost six weeks since my last trip out due to the school half term and a family holiday to Tenerife. Autumn along with spring are my favourite times to be out on the bank and I am looking forward to the next few months down on the pit and hopefully banking a few more Elstow carp. These fish really like their grub and I have been more than generous when baiting up and really giving it to them on most trips.

At the start of the season I went in with the trusty Scopex-Squid Red which caught me fish from the off. When the Monster-Squid came available I thought I would put it to the test to see how it fared. Well it passed with flying colours and with the amount that they left behind on the unhooking matt the fish must have been gorging themselves on it at times. Another block buster bait to add to the

ever impressive list from Nash baits, so if you’ve not yet tried it you best do it soon, or you will be missing out big

time! That’s just about sums up my season so far, so until next

time – Be lucky

78

CA

RP

NIGEL SHARP

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

To me having confidence in my bait plays a major part when I’m approaching or tackling a water. As many of you will already know I rejoined the Nash stable earlier on in the year. Well to be exact it became official at the beginning of April when my contract started. Like most contracts mine was sorted out a few weeks before its starting date so once I knew I was coming back on board again and with the spring fast approaching, I had to decide which of the vast range of Nash baits to use. Luckily for me I already had 13 years of past experience with Nash Bait so all I had to do was familiarise myself with the range again and work out which one of the baits would suit my fishing for the year. There were several options to consider, do I go on the new Monster Squid? Do I use one of my old favourites that I’d done so well on before or do I use a good old tried and tested bait that had been around for years?

Like I said, spring was fast approaching and the water I intended to spend the spring and summer on started to produce a few fish a little earlier than expected so it was a case of getting some bait quick and hopefully cash in on some of the action.

With the three previously mentioned choices still spinning around in my head,

the obvious choice was the latter of the three, that being use one of the older tried and tested baits for the spring, then get Gary to roll up a batch of one of my old faithful mixes for the summer.

My decision to go on Scopex Squid Red was based on its long-term history of catching big carp right from

when Jeff Pink caught the Yateley North Lake’s Basil way back in the spring of 1995. Since then that bait has accounted for an incredible amount of big fish so I didn’t have to worry whether it worked or not.

Being as this was only meant to be a temporary fix, I set myself a date when I’d change over to one of my old faithful mixes, I based that decision to change on past records. From what I could work out, my old summer bait (Monster Pursuit)

79

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

started to work well around the end of May so I still had a fair amount

of time to just get on with my fishing.

As it turned out, on the water that I was on there were a

fair few other lads using Scopex Squid

in various forms

which also added to my confidence in this choice of bait. During the spring most of us using the bait started catching on a regular basis and from what I could make out this didn’t go un-noticed by other anglers on the lake. I think at one point it became a bit of a running joke because although a lot of them where using other company’s baits there were also a lot of Scopex pop-ups being used by them. This in turn just gave me more confidence in the bait and I ended up staying on it for the summer, rather than make a change and

start competing with people using a bait I could get hold of anyway.

Like I said, at the start it’s all about confidence in your bait and if it isn’t broke why fix it?

If I was on another bait and found myself having to use the going pop-up to get a bite I’d be worried about my choice of bait. Luckily for me I didn’t have this worry thanks to the ever reliable Scopex Squid Red.

80

CA

RP

SEAN LEVERETT

CAT

CH

ER

S D

IAR

IES

Hello once again, I can’t get over how quickly the last couple of months have gone, as I write this October is already fast slipping away.

81

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES

I finished my last diary having just started fishing on the Cemex Road Lake, the season on there had just got under way. Well, the start for me was slow just as it was for many of the members and it looked as though it was going to take me a while to get my first fish under my belt. Eventually though it happened and this was in the shape of a fish known as Star which weighed in at 28lb 4oz and I have to say what a relief that was as I thought it was never going to happen. I have since gone on to have a further four fish including a couple of the better ones that are in the lake. One session produced a fish known as 3 Scales at a weight of 37lb and then the following morning I was

fortunate enough to have one called The Missing Starburst at a weight of

35lb 4oz.

As well as fishing the Road Lake I have been flitting about

between various places one of which is the

big pit that I mentioned

last

time. I’ve only managed

a couple from there to just less than 30lb but

I am more than happy, considering the small amount of time I’ve actually done on

there. I also managed the odd night on Cemex Fox pool and had a small common that weighed in at just over 20lb.

Just recently I had a walk over on Horton and liked the look of that so I’ve decided to have a dabble on there as well as the Road Lake during the autumn. I’ve done a few nights over there and so far have managed one fish. This was on my second trip, on arriving at the lake there were already nine other guys on, who were mostly set up in the main body of the lake. With this in mind I opted to tuck myself away from them and got set up in the corner of church bay. I dropped a couple of rods short, one down my left margin and the other a short under arm flick straight out. Both rods were on maize with a small amount of particle over each.

My first night was unsuccessful but early afternoon the following day I had a take on the open water rod and after a short scrap I landed a decent fish. This turned out to be a fish known as “bugs” and weighed in at 41lb 9oz, a nice start to any campaign.

That’s me pretty much up to date on the fishing front so far, looking ahead I’m off to France with a few friends for 10 days to a tough old water that contains some real gems. When I return from there then it will be full steam ahead on the Road Lake doing a 48 hour session on there each week and then probably the balance on Horton. I may have a look in at the Cemex Car park lake as I have some unfinished business on there but then that may have to wait until next year, I’m not sure. I’ve done next to no time on Dinton but again that lake will have to wait for now.

I have some plans for my winter angling but I’ll tell you all about how that is going in the

next E-Zine so for now that’s it from me. Till next time…….

IN THE

SPOTLIGHTNASH BAIT - THE FACTS

Top Rod Frozen boilies are incredibly effective carp catchers. A complex formulation and high food value also ensures prolonged and consistent success.

Nash Bait Shelf life boilies don’t contain chemical preservatives; they are high on attraction and high on nutrition and provide carp with a valuable food.

Thinking anglers using a frozen and shelf life mix will often out fish those who are using just frozen baits.

When angling for a quick bite this winter, the new Fish Frenzy range of mini boilies, pellets, ground baits and other instant carp catching products are the baits to choose.

Air Ball Pop ups are the first choice hookbait for many top anglers. The Air Ball base mix contains a complex blend of highly soluble ingredients. The water borne food signals given off by the baits are impossible for carp to resist.

Monster Carp Pellets have been specifically formulated as a high value all seasons food source for carp.

During an extensive testing and development program carried out on a wide range of waters, Soluballs significantly increased catch rates for anglers involved in the program.

Chain Reaction takes the Soluballs concept to a new level. This ground breaking product virtually negates the need for PVA and significantly boosts attraction in the area of the hookbait.

82

Nash Bait Food Dips are very effective ‘all seasons’ bait boosters.

Nash Bait Boilie Dips are at their most effective when water temperatures rise above 10 degrees.

Mixing Boilie and Food Dips creates a curtain of attraction from the lakebed to the surface.

Mutant artificial hookbaits have been designed to absorb small amounts of liquid. Soaked Mutants make very effective high attract nuisance fish resistant hookbaits.

On Crayfish infested waters, un-flavoured Mutants will usually be ignored by these often relentless pests.

NASH BAIT - THE FACTS

83

TAKEFIVE

WINTERESSENTIALS

84

TWELVE INCH STEALTH PEGS

Wind, rain and mud, there will be plenty of that to come during the winter months, that’s for sure. When the ground becomes completely saturated with winter rain, standard length bivie pegs can be next to useless. On windy days they easily become dislodged, a normally stable bivie or brolly can up route without warning causing mayhem on the bank! Nash twelve inch Stealth Pegs go in deeper and are long enough to ensure your shelter stays nailed to the ground, even in the worst conditions. Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference!

CARP SACK SAFETY SYSTEM

Nash Zip Sacks were the first carp sacks to be fitted with a Hi-Viz float. If the unthinkable happens and a sacked fish breaks loose of its mooring, the Hi-Viz H-Block marker float can be easily located and the fish safely recovered.

Nash Zip sacks really come into their own during the winter months. If you land that special fish during the long hours of darkness, your capture can be safely retained for a few hours until daylight ready for the photos.

Remember never use a sack without a Hi-Viz marker float - you know it makes sense

WINTER

ESSENTIALSTAKE FIVE

85

DEEP CHOD BOX

Chod rigs are perfect for chucking at showing fish or for casting into a weedy or uncharted area, but storing them can create a few problems. The Deep Chod Box provides a simple user friendly solution and has been purpose designed to store pre-tied chod rigs ready for use. Pinned to a quick release high density foam integral tube, rigs will remain perfectly curved and can be quickly removed ready to use. The Chod Box fits perfectly into any Box Logic Tackle Station or Tackle Box. Once you’ve used the Chod Box you’ll wonder how you ever managed without one.

SUB-LO CHAIR

Perfect for those quick winter trips or as a guest chair or water watching ‘perch’ on those longer sessions, the Sub-Lo Chair features a super strong scissor action frame with a comfortable well padded seat base and arms. As the name suggests the Sub- Lo allows the angler to sit low out of site of fish and also out of those cold winds, just as importantly it’s also incredibly comfortable. Triggalock leg adjustment, Sure-foot mud feet and a critically angled frame provides maximum stability, rigidity and comfort. Weighing in at around 6kg, the Sub-Lo is a serious chair and another winter essential.

86

TAKE FIVEW

INTERESSENTIALS

NEW WATER PROOFS

Nash clothing definitely should not be confused with other inferior quality poorly designed garments, this water proof two piece suite is the business. High quality materials, zips and fittings guarantee long life and you’ll look good too.

Manufactured from ultra lightweight waterproof, windproof, breathable materials, the jacket and trousers can be packed down into two very small stuff bags and stored in the rucksack until needed. They take up very little space.

Although of lightweight construction, worn over a warm hoody and bottoms, you’ll stay surprisingly snug and completely dry in those cold autumn winds and showers. Multi pocket design, stylish and comfortably tailored, a ‘must have’ item for the all seasons angler who goes fishing whenever time permits regardless of the weather. Check out the full range on the website, we’re sure you’ll be impressed!

87

m press mediathe ultimate in publishing

www.calmproductions.com • 0845 408 2606

£27.00 plus p&p

JERRY HAMMOND is obsessed with carp fishing, and no onewho knows him would dispute that. His dedication is portrayedin shed loads within the covers of Catching Memories, Jerry'snew book about his most memorable sessions. This collectionof carping stories will take you from where it all began on thebank at Hainault Park Lake, when he was 12 years old, and thenthrough Sutton, Horton, Yateley and more, to his latestphenomenal captures at Kevin Nash's Church Pool.

As Kevin Nash says in his Foreword to the book, 'I was thereon the bank, when Jerry caught the 51lb common, and I couldsee that, like me, he will never lose the thrill that catching bigcarp brings. The buzz, that feeling that only the true carp anglerknows... and Jerry shares my motto, ‘Make it happen!’

Jerry Hammond has been 'making it happen' for over 20 yearsand is not only one of the best carpers around but also one ofthe carp world's characters. He can certainly tell a story and

this book not only describes some truly great sessions atvarious venues, but it's also peppered with amusing anecdotesthat mostly, demonstrate his love of a practical joke. His bestmates have each written a guest chapter and have written withaffection about his ability to wind them up, and catch decent-sized carp, usually at the same time!

In this long-awaited book, Jerry relates some of hissuccesses and failures, tells us about the good mates he's metalong the way, and even includes a chapter about his years asa film actor. 'Catching Memories' is not a completeautobiography, there are too many tales to include in just onevolume, but it is a remarkable collection of carp stories writtenin true Hammond style, with energy, enthusiasm, humour andsometimes just a hint of pathos. If you want a good, entertainingbankside - or fireside - read, then this is the one for you. Therewill be more from Mr Hammond in the future. Watch this space.

88

DAVE MAGALHAES”Due to the nature of how I fish and the fact that I flit from lake to lake, Im a massive fan of the alarms’ huge versatility. Typically of Nash Tackle, they’ve looked at an everyday item, evolved and progressed it, and in doing so pushed the boundries of expectation.”

STEVE BRIGGS“Of all the new gear on the market the Nash Sirens have been causing more of a stir than anything else and everywhere I’ve been people have been very keen to know all about them. The fact is that since first using the Sirens I’ve stuck with them and they’ve done everything I hoped for and more - reliable, good battery life and a distinct sound which sets them apart from the rest - cant fault them.”

JULIAN CUNDIFF“As an ‘old school’ carp angler from the period way before even Optonics were around I know what I do and don’t want from a bite alarm. Firstly they have to be waterproof and reliable...Sirens... Check.. Secondly they need to be sensitive and easy to use...Sirens... Check... Finally they have to be robust and have a battery life that means I get plenty of value for money...Sirens...Check... That is why the new Nash Sirens are sat on my sticks summer and winter alike and should be on yours too...”

Rod Hutchinson”I couldn’t fault the Sirens in anyway after using them. Turned on for 2 weeks solid with no battery life problems, never let me down through torrential rain and horrendous storms which is where the sensitivity system comes into it’s own – no false wind bleeps and performed exactly how I need an alarm to do so – very very impressed. Classic bit of kit.”

Jerry Bridger“Solid and virtually indestructible (and I’ve tried) the RS-1’s have got more functionality than any bite alarm on the market. The alarm head adjustment facility on the receiver is simply genius. No gimmicks - class bit of kit.”

Targets the chunks with only limited time!

Renowned european big fish angler!

Carp angling legend!

Editor of Crafty Carper magazine!

Short session specialist!

SO WHAT DO YOUTHINK OF THE

www.nashtv.co.ukwww.nashtackle.co.uk

m press mediathe ultimate in publishing

www.calmproductions.com • 0845 408 2606

£27.00 plus p&p

JERRY HAMMOND is obsessed with carp fishing, and no onewho knows him would dispute that. His dedication is portrayedin shed loads within the covers of Catching Memories, Jerry'snew book about his most memorable sessions. This collectionof carping stories will take you from where it all began on thebank at Hainault Park Lake, when he was 12 years old, and thenthrough Sutton, Horton, Yateley and more, to his latestphenomenal captures at Kevin Nash's Church Pool.

As Kevin Nash says in his Foreword to the book, 'I was thereon the bank, when Jerry caught the 51lb common, and I couldsee that, like me, he will never lose the thrill that catching bigcarp brings. The buzz, that feeling that only the true carp anglerknows... and Jerry shares my motto, ‘Make it happen!’

Jerry Hammond has been 'making it happen' for over 20 yearsand is not only one of the best carpers around but also one ofthe carp world's characters. He can certainly tell a story and

this book not only describes some truly great sessions atvarious venues, but it's also peppered with amusing anecdotesthat mostly, demonstrate his love of a practical joke. His bestmates have each written a guest chapter and have written withaffection about his ability to wind them up, and catch decent-sized carp, usually at the same time!

In this long-awaited book, Jerry relates some of hissuccesses and failures, tells us about the good mates he's metalong the way, and even includes a chapter about his years asa film actor. 'Catching Memories' is not a completeautobiography, there are too many tales to include in just onevolume, but it is a remarkable collection of carp stories writtenin true Hammond style, with energy, enthusiasm, humour andsometimes just a hint of pathos. If you want a good, entertainingbankside - or fireside - read, then this is the one for you. Therewill be more from Mr Hammond in the future. Watch this space.

89

90

www.nashtackle.co.uk

E-ZINENovember2011