Nash - April

THE WORD FROM THE TOP - KEVIN NASH

April 2011

E-ZINE

Life At

Nash

GARY BAYES

PLUS!

eXCLUSIVE!

RIG TALK

RICHARD BALLARD

‘NASH TT PROVIDES THE EDGE!’

Joe Jagger FAIL TO PREPARE PREPARE TO FAIL

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M

ONSTER ON THE CHOD

ESSONS LEARNED

I suppose for most people it’s a bit late to be making new years resolutions but having said that, for a carp angler, late winter is the perfect time to start planning for the year ahead. Its also a good time to take a retrospective look at the previous year, evaluate and analyse all those bank side experiences and hopefully gain something for the season ahead.

Many of our contributors this month are doing just that and it makes very interesting reading.

Zig rigs are occupying my mind a great deal at the moment. Carp are bottom feeders so logically thinking that’s where we need to place our hook baits isn’t it? In actual fact on most waters carp spend a large proportion of their time either cruising around or even laying up in the mid to upper layers.

Although in the true sense of the word the fish won’t actually be feeding, or at least not in the way we would imagine them to do on the bottom, carp are inquisitive creatures and will instinctively investigate any potential item of food.

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I’ve seen carp taken off the surface in February in freezing temperatures during periods of high pressure and bright sunshine and I’ve seen zig rigs doing the business throughout the twelve months of the year. I rarely use zigs and can’t help feeling I’m missing out. I have tried them and not just in a half hearted fashion, I’ve tried hard to master the techniques and perfect a system that works for me, but eventually I gave it up.

Last autumn I caught a carp on a zig rig by mistake! I was actually fishing an anchored surface bait but on the cast, the rig tangled and the dog biscuit and lead plummeted to the bottom. The hook bait was probably suspended above the lead by about four feet in ten feet of water. From memory it was probably in place for about thirty seconds. As I attempted to reel it in, the rod was nearly ripped from my hands, unfortunately the fish fell off during the fight which was a shame because it looked like a good one. But on the plus side it has got me re focussed and determined to master an effective way of fishing mid water

One thing I have learned over the last few months is how effective Monster Squid pop ups are when fished on a chod. A dark red 15mm pop up fished in isolation or over a scattering of Monster Squid freebies or just about any boilie for that matter is a red hot tactic for an instant bite. The attractors used in the recipe combine to create a potent food signal, carp find them impossible to resist.

Coating the pop ups in the Monster Food Dip takes attraction to an even greater level. If you freeze and defrost the coated baits several times this draws the liquid into the skin of the bait which creates a prolonged and more consistent leak off of attraction.

White is my favourite colour hook bait and it’s particularly effective late winter and into the spring, the new Monster Squid Hi-Viz pop ups are white in colour, I’m sure they’ll catch shed loads of carp over the coming weeks and months.

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Don’t forget to check out our new free of charge DVD - Nash 2011 A Tackle Revolution, filmed on the bank in a real fishing situation, it’s a great watch and packed full of useful information. The first thing I did after watching it was to watch it again which to me says that once again the team have got it spot on!

I love winter fishing and I often catch my biggest and best fish during this period but this winter has been terrible and the waters I’ve fished have taken a long time to get going after the big freeze so I’m looking forward to better times ahead.

Well that’s enough of my ramblings, I hope you gain something reading this month’s offerings, I’ve certainly enjoyed putting it all together, whatever your plans and aspirations are for the coming weeks and months, after such a miserable winter, lets just get out there and enjoy it!

1. Keith Jones 2. All sorted.

3. Check this out!

4. Monster on the Chod - unbeatable!

5. I haven’t held one this big for a while but I’m hoping to put that right very soon.

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THE WORD FROM THE TOP Kevin Nash

I

ce Age Blessing!

When we were in the midst of a frozen wilderness in December, which not only completely screwed up the fishing but also screwed up our operation at Nash (there was a 4 day period when we had to shut down as no lorries could get in or out) I would never have imagined at that time what a blessing that was to be.

Fast track to mid to late February, compared to last year and the year before it’s been more like end of March and whereas last year February and March were a write off with the winter biting hard and the lakes frozen. This year we’ve been able to get out fishing and it’s worthwhile, the fish have woken up early and are getting their 4

heads down big time.

I saw the change from Winter to spring early this year, we had a beautiful sunny day with temperatures hitting 13°, it was like someone had thrown a switch. Plumes of mud were clouding up the shallows on my Copse Lake, the birds started singing their heads off and indeed every dawn and evening since, they have continued to do so. Nature knows the worst is behind us and it can now think about spring and times of rich feeding and rearing young.

Carp wise, surely we must be in for a great season. Not only because of the early start which gives us a longer time to get out there and catch them but

also the fish are having an early feeding start, surely this should add up to a year of exceptional weights – Big fish year!

There’s at least two or three fish in my lakes that with the right set of conditions I believe could cause a stir or dare I suggest it, break the UK record - let’s watch this space!

So, get out there, enjoy some great fishing and maybe catch the whacker of your dreams.

All the best,

Kevin Nash

‘can now think about spring and times of rich feeding and rearing young.’ 5

LIFE AT NASH Alan Blair

First of all a belated Happy New Year to you all, at the time of writing spring is just around the corner, in fact it might already be here!

As always, time never stands still and I’ve been over to China for two visits regarding developing new products for this autumn’s launches. It may appear that we’re always releasing new products and in some cases removing certain products from within the existing range but this is down to fresh ideas and innovations, new technology becoming available and in most cases its about keeping ahead of the game and in a lot of cases the ‘copiers’.

I really can appreciate the disappointment when you want to purchase a particular Nash item however sadly its now been discontinued – I’ve recently found myself in the same position where I really wanted a new pair of waders from a particular manufacturer however they are no longer available. Initially I was annoyed as I’ve spent hours searching the internet and contacting shops with no fruition from my search. Its just one of those things and after speaking with the manufacturer I can understand their reasons for discontinuing the product and after some advice from my local tackle shop I’ve now found a different pair that I’m really happy with – better features, better fabric and better made. If you have experienced this same problem with Nash and you would like an explanation for why a particular product is no longer available then get in touch and we will be more than happy to give you one and will definitely be able to point you in the direction of a suitable replacement.

As for my actual China trips – again they were whistle stop tours where I bounced between different factories and manufacturers providing detailed information on our development concepts as well as beginning to look at first stage samples for some of our designs. I did however manage to grab a morning ‘free time’ where I was very kindly taken to visit a traditional Chinese Temple – probably not everyone’s cup of tea and I’m sure lots would say ‘how boring’ however I found it to be a very special place, steeped in history and traditions and after a full on week of work – it was a great way of unwinding before flying home.

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We started to receive lots of new products for 2010 just before Christmas and containers have continued to arrive throughout January with around 90% of all new items now available.

One of my responsibilities at Nash is checking new items when they arrive and going through the vigorous task of meticulously examining all elements of a product before its release to you guys. This doesn’t involve me checking one of each product, more like 10, 20, 30 of a product and if I find an issue with them sometimes it’s far far more. Of course, there were a few issues however in the grand scheme of things it’s looking good and already I have received lots of positive feedback from you guys about your recent purchases from Nash.

I have to point out a few particular products and some of the feedback I have received from customers. The Siren RS1 Bite Alarm really stands out and I wouldn’t like to think how many people I’ve spoken to who have commented favourably on their recent purchase.

“I cant believe how well they are made”, I was unsure about how weatherproof they were so I put them in a bucket of water for an hour and they’re still working”, I love the way the sensitivity works and in only two sessions I completely understand what setting I need to be on so I’m only registering bites!” one guy even rang up saying his wife had accidentally bought them for him for Christmas when he really wanted a different set of alarms from another manufacturer however after setting them up and playing around with them he was totally convinced and decided to keep theses instead.

Another product that’s received loads of praise is the rainbow pop-up’s – one flavour of popup i.e. Scopex Squid in a multitude of Fluoro colours. We have had no end of reports from anglers who don’t normally use Nash bait, they brought a pot of Rainbow pop-up’s because A) they were new and B) because of the bright colours that caught their attention in the shop however after actually using them they have been blown away by their results. I have to say, I’ve not actually tried them myself however I know the likes of Joe Jaggar, Billy Flowers and Jamie Londors have been using them through the depths of winter and have had some wicked results when many other anglers are failing.

January, February and in the coming Months of March it’s definitely show time for the fishing Industry. Nash always have a presence at all major exhibitions and I like to think that we not only offer an excellent display of all our tackle, bait etc but we also provide a large number of team members that visitors can approach to ask for advice on a particular product, method, or tactic.

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LIFE AT NASH Alan Blair

My favourite show of the year so far has been Italy and although most people think it’s a waste of time for me to attend (due to my non existent understanding of the Italian language) I absolutely love it!

With regards to carp fishing in Italy, I certainly wouldn’t say it’s in its infancy but they definitely want to learn about everything. I spent most of the two day show demonstrating the TT range and whether I was showing the coating on the leads in conjunction with utilising the lakebed clay and gravel, tying up rigs and explaining the importance of sharp hooks that turn or emphasising the difference that a critically balanced bait can make, they loved it all.

It’s a great feeling being able to give something back and I am in a lucky position where I have information on tap due to the many experienced anglers that I work alongside. Although I am no expert myself, I’m more than capable of passing on my understanding of carp fishing to others to help the individual develop his own styles and technique with the ultimate goal of them catching more fish. Hopefully I’ll see some of you guys at the likes of the Big One and Carping On show during March and if you have not attended shows like this before, I can highly recommend them as a great day out for anglers of all levels and abilities.

By the time you read this the new 2011 promotional DVD will have hit the shelves – WOW – Winston, Rich and all involved have made a mega job of it and I highly recommend that if you haven’t watched it already that you pop into your local tackle shop and pick a copy up.

Product placement and ‘pushing’ has been kept to a minimum, there’s plenty of informative info and some stunning carp caught including young Jack Brown catching an absolute chunk of a 50lb plus!

Also keep a regular check on Nash TV as Winston and the team are continuing to regularly upload new productions on a weekly basis. I am actually going to be doing my own little series on there soon – can’t say too much at the moment but I love the concept of it and the styles of angling and venues it will involve me fishing.

On that note I would like to talk about Mr Jack Brown – carp Anglings first apprentice. Jack has been on board with Nash for a number of years now and about 6 months ago Kevin and I signed a deal with Jack where he would be taken on board by Nash as a carp angling apprentice. Jack began his journey with Nash as a junior field tester, from here he progressed into a consultant and from there on we signed him up for the pilot scheme as an apprentice. I have to say, boy I wish I had an opportunity like this when I was his age (as I’m sure so many other youngsters out there would agree!)

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Already we have had numerous requests from other lads (and the odd girl) about also signing up to this scheme however at present I’m afraid the answer is sadly no. Firstly, we want to trial the scheme for a minimum of 18 months before taking anyone else on and secondly because we are only ever going to select a handful of young anglers at any one time. Jack got to where he is now through hard work, determination and most of all through his uncanny knack of catching fish – not only the biggest, Jack can drop onto any water using any style and nine times out of ten – out fish others around him. I’m not going to go into much more detail regarding this as Jack will begin writing for Nash-E-Zine from the next issue giving you guys an insight into how his apprenticeship is going, what he has been up to and of course what he has been catching and how he has been doing it.

As for my own fishing, its been a great start to the year for me, although its been miserable and cold I’ve really made the effort to get out on the bank (I actually caught a carp on New Years Day, what a great way to kick the year off). I’ve caught lots and lots of carp already this year (nothing massive) however rather than sitting it out and waiting for a better fish behind static rods, I’ve been targeting productive venues with my Peg One Chair, pot of Fluoro Squidgess and a warm flask of soup fishing short sessions where I’ve always managed to get the rod bending double. OK, it’s not a 3lb TC but the fishing excites me all the same and it’s getting me prepared for my spring assault on a new syndicate lake I will be targeting from March onwards. A lot of carp anglers tend to pack the rods away during the colder months or carpers that do stick it out tend to catch very little. I have a different tact and that’s to just get out there and go fishing keeping my enthusiasm, motivation and confidence high.

As well as lots of carp I’ve also caught my fair share of reasonable perch with plenty over 2lb and the biggest being 2.14. Tactics vary depending on the venue but one of the most productive has been pole fishing with chopped worm. I chop the worms in with the soil they come in and add to this some smashed up casters and red maggots. The whole mix is bulked out with some finely crushed hemp and micro pellet and finished off with low levels of Amino liver concentrate and Pure Crustacean Extract – they go absolutely mental for it and I’m yet to not put together a decent bag of fish after only a couple of hours fishing.

It’s Friday as I’m writing this and I’m off to the Ouse tomorrow for a session targeting chub.

Tactics will include the ever faithful method feeder with a Fluoro Squidgee hook bait and although nothing in fishing is certain, I’m looking forward to some epic sport and hopefully a nice 6 pounder to finish a great couple of months angling – I’ll let you know how it goes next time.

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LIFE AT NASH Tom Forman

Life has been at little crazy recently, the next couple of months is “ show season” and not just myself but all the lads in the office have been getting stuck into the preparation. We have a great new range of product to show off this year and with so many shows ( both here in the UK and in Europe ) we most definitely have a couple of busy months ahead. But I can’t wait to get stuck in and get talking to customers and fellow anglers at one of the up and coming events.

The Brentwood Carp Show kicked us off this year and once again it was a great weekend, without doubt the busiest in comparison to previous years which can only be a good thing for the sport.

Whilst writing this I am quite literally about to leave for Germany, me and Matt are heading out there to meet up with Nash Team Germany and help with one of their biggest shows of the year.

Berlin he we come!

I’m also looking after our website and facebook pages as well as helping in the design of the latest product packaging which in itself is enough to keep me busy for months. I’m really excited about the whole website aspect at the moment as our design team’s plans for the new look website look absolutely crazy and within the next couple of months we will no doubt have the best and most interactive website out there ….. watch this space!

I’m also getting in front of the camera, mainly for Nash TV ! It’s a great experience and one that I’m slowly becoming more of a “ natural” with, or at least that’s what I’m told!

So far I have been out on the bank with Winston ( NashTV Main man) shooting a few product reviews etc but I know in the near future there will be a lot more new ideas evolving, exciting times most definitely.

I’m a little embarrassed to talk about this next section and if you read on you will soon realise why, I’m talking about my personal angling !!!!. Well I plan on using the same excuse as most and blame it on “ The Big Freeze “ but that soon came and went and I still have very little to show for my efforts. Over the Xmas period I travelled back home to Milton Keynes to spend a bit of time with the Family so I spent a few days river fishing on the Great Ouse which is a mere 2 minute walk from my house, in search of some monster Perch and Pike. I love fishing 110 9

the Ouse as I grew up in and around it and it really is where my fishing life began. Well I didn’t manage a new PB stripey but I had a few and a few nice pike to match. In terms of carp I haven’t really got my head stuck in yet and what with all the shows and hectic schedule, time has not really been on my side. I am however looking forward to getting stuck in on the new syndicate and will be doing so as soon as I return from Germany next week. So hopefully next time I will have a nice story or two to tell and if all goes to plan a few nice catch shots to match! If your planning to visit a show soon, please come over and say hello.

Richard Ballard (AKA Ditch) Life at the office is always hectic, we’re all keen carp anglers here and what with most of the team visiting target waters, making plans, preparing tackle and baits and even catching some carp, the place has been buzzing!

For most carp anglers, working within the industry we love so much is a distant dream.

So when Kevin Nash offered me a job managing the Terminal Tackle range at Nash HQ I was elated - I would be working alongside a talented energetic team, and rubbing shoulders with some of carp fishing’s most highly respected anglers. This was going to be an education for me!

My first task was to pick up a couple of projects halfway through their development, and see them through to the tackle shop shelves. One of these is a handy coated braid stripper, which Kevin aptly named “The Nasher”. This pukka tool can be stored neatly alongside braid spools in your tackle box. There are three different stripping blades moulded into one disc like handle, this means that the outer-skin from any coated braid can be quickly and cleanly stripped.

The other project was the new “Hook link Sleeves Slim.” This one came about because although the current “Hook link Tails” were perfect for fishing with longer hook links, when fishing a shorter one, a shorter tail was needed.

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LIFE AT NASH Richard Ballard (AKA Ditch)

Early on this winter we realised another baiting tool was required in the range – a needle that could pierce maggots and small baits. We sourced a fine needle, which is sharp and skinny, yet strong enough to deal with the daily abuse a carp angler throws at his tools! It will pierce maggots without busting them, or push straight through small boilies without splitting.

Now that I’m really getting into the job, I love the fact that I am involved from the inception of a product right through to getting it into the shops. One of the projects I am currently working on is a longer, 1.5 meter version of our increasingly popular “Diffusion Camo” Leaders. Further additions to our Camo leader range includes safety bolt bead, a weed safety bolt bead, running rig and helicopter versions. All of these leaders are supplied with the lead attachment facility and a ring swivel or link clip spliced onto the end. They will be offered in both 0.75m and 1.5m lengths.

A new tungsten putty is also on its way, destined to hit the shops by early April, and it’s categorically the stickiest putty you will ever use. “Cling-On Tungsten Putty” will be sold in three camouflage colours – weed green, silt grey and gravel brown. A little trick, which I tried whilst testing the product out in France last year, was to mould a tiny amount of putty just under the barb of my hook. The theory behind this was that when a carp sucked in my hook bait, the hook point would always be the heaviest part of the rig, thus ensuring a bottom lip hook hold - just like the shot on the hook rig.

I fished a relatively long hair, as these carp were big-un’s, with big mouths, and I wanted that hook to have the freedom to drop down inside their cavernous mouths. The results were superb, and during the last two nights of my trip I banked two 40’s and three 30’s, all with secure hook holds in the centre of the bottom lip. One of the 40’s was also a personal best common, so I was well pleased. I think there is really something in this guys and girls, so maybe you should give it a try.

As always I would love to hear your feedback, Nash is about innovation and looking after you our valued customers by producing the right gear that will help us all to catch the carp of our dreams. Like I said, I am a new kid on the block, so if you have any feedback or ideas please get in touch as the boss is a difficult man to impress!

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Nick Maddix It’s been a while since I wrote something for the E-Zine so I guess I’ll start with a re-cap on the end of last year and a bit of a catch up until now, I haven’t really done much angling since the freeze so it’s not like I’ve got loads to tell you about on that front.

Last year I had a brilliant end to my season after not doing enough time through the busy summer, I bagged 3 of my 5 target fish in as many months from a syndicate water I’m fishing so I couldn’t really have asked for a better end to my angling year. Just as I was getting on a bit of a roll over there, the cold weather kicked in and brought my angling to a short sharp and cold stop! Since then I’ve been once in January and blanked on the syndicate horribly for 3 nights in torrential rain, good times! I did take the edge off the pain by bagging a little common out of the day ticket lake next door whilst testing a new bait, just a shame it wasn’t one of the lumps from the main lake that I was really after.

When everywhere froze in November I was due to go dangling but that obviously changed when I realised all the lakes were solid, instead me Matt and Nashy made a surprise trip to the Sandown show to see how the lads on the stand were getting on. Upon arrival we weren’t surprised to see the stand looking awesome, packed out with enthusiastic carpers looking at all the new product and credit really needs to go to Alan here for making the stand look so good.

The Titan that he cut in half and made to look like it was coming out of the wall was absolutely epic despite the lads in the office (me included I’m afraid) thinking it wouldn’t work – Well done mate. It was great to catch up with people at the show and for the first time in ages have a look around and just have a chat rather than working on the stand which made a nice change.

On the work front it was pretty crazy after that, terrible weather meant we had issues trying to get containers of new product into our warehouses which then set us back on the ‘shut down’ process for Christmas....On the last day we had every member of staff out in the warehouse picking orders, packing boxes, labelling them up and then getting them on the lorry for the last day of dispatching until nearly 7pm! Good team work pulled it together though and all orders were out and in shops in time for Xmas.

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LIFE AT NASH Nick Maddix

Now I’ve rambled on about the end of last year I guess I should start on 2011 – and what a start to the year it was! Sales figures higher than we’d had in previous years showed that you guys out there really like the new gear which always gives a positive buzz around the office, especially when we hear good feedback. The beginning of the year is always a busy time, catching up on work that’s built up over the break and of course preparing for the shows that seem to creep up on us very very quickly.

As many of you will know we attended the Brentwood show at the end of January which was a huge success for both Nash and Lee Happs who organises the event, I think Lee had record numbers attendance wise and in our case some of the blockbusters of the 2011 range including the new Siren bite alarms, NRD rods and the Titan Brolly were on display and seemed to go down an absolute treat with all who attended. Since then there’s been shows on almost every other weekend if not every weekend so we’ve been pretty tied up with those. My last show venture saw me and Matt take on the 7.5 hour drive (stuffing our faces with the best Belgian cakes imaginable) at the beginning of February to Zwolle in Holland. Zwolle is like Carpin On, The Big One and the Brentwood show all at once! It really is huge and over the weekend there’s probably 12,000 odd carpers that attend, all mega keen to find out what new ‘toys’ us Brits have to show them.

Since Zwolle I’ve been back in the office playing catch up, constantly thinking about getting over to the syndicate to bag the lake biggie before my ticket runs out in May. I’ve got plenty of great plans in my head with spring being just round the corner, slowly pre-baiting some nice little spots with the oh so faithful Monster Squid and getting all excited but..... plans don’t always work out how you imagine with carp fishing do they? I’ll keep trying though.

On that note I’ll wish you all the very best of luck, hope you all bag some cracking fish - see you next time.

A FINAL WORD FROM ALAN So there you have it – a brief insight into what we get up to at Nash. I hope your next couple of months angling will be as exciting as I anticipate ours to be and don’t forget to take a moment to structure your year so you achieve all your ambitions within your fishing.

From all at Nash good luck, go make it happen and if you manage to catch a special fish or its been a red letter session then get in touch and let us know all about it.

Kindest regards,

Alan 1314

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Soluballs, pellet, dry method and spod mixes, tinned particle and extra boilies can turn a take or two into a spectacular catch. With all the dry bait it’s easy to knock up extra bait to spod out or have plenty of ready mades and Soluballs to pult out when it’s apparent they are having it. There’s nothing worse than running out of bait, I carry loads of extra bait with me under the car seat, all year from spring onwards and it’s caught me extra fish on the red letter days or allowed me to move to fish when they all start showing at the other end of the lake with plenty of bait to fish with.

Many waters had a very slow start this year, January/February, after the terrible freezing winter weather. Generally the fish suffered during the cold freeze up, loosing weight and condition. Many fish known to me have come out several pounds lighter than they were in the late autumn, all down to the frozen lakes. Really it’s a repeat of the year before so going on last year in the next few weeks they’ll be feeding their heads off in a lot of lakes, if they aren’t already. It’s time to take extra bait with you, boilies, spod mix, ground baits, pellet, the lot.

The silly season is nearly here, which used to be the old close season which now signifies the time when the carp really wake up and have a big feed up, breakfast time for the season coming. I never agreed with the March 15th to June 16th close season for carp which need their food then and do all their spawning later but that’s tradition for you.

Depending on the venue, the water temperatures and the angling pressure there will soon be the biggest catches of the year so it’s unwise to go fishing, certainly for longer sessions with too little bait. To carry extra “dry bait” such as Shelf lifes, 16 15

Pre-baiting is really worth it now as the carp are likely to be active most days if the water temperatures are on the way up. A few weeks ago my stock pond fish were very moody, one week they coloured up the lake so I had to feed heavier, the next week the water cleared to 5 foot of visibility and I had to stop feeding, then they ripped it up again the next week, all because the water temperature was up and down like a yo yo.

From mid February onwards the stock pond water will stay cloudy due to feeding activity all the time.

This moody feeding activity will disappear if the weather stays good so once or twice a week prebaiting on your favourite spots will really pay off, just small amounts if the weather is cold, upping it if it’s warmer. Once they do turn on it’s very unlikely there will be more than one or two days when they don’t feed. This is already apparent on the waters where they woke up early January so March onwards they should have already woken up on all waters.

The best catches around the waters I’m close to last year came to big beds of bait or from regularly fished or pre-baited swims. Single PVA bags full of pellet etc, method mix tactics, single hook baits, zig rigs and the 20-50 baits around each hook bait will get you the odd bite but unless you’re in an area where they are hold up there will be much better catches on the beds of bait. All the multiple

Gary Bayes

BAIT TALK

carp catches I know of just lately in the cold have come from tight spots, 6 out of 7 fish on one rod to my nephew, 11 fish on one rod to one of my Bayeswater members and so on. But when it warms up just a little more they will be active all over the lakes and the winter holding area’s will not always have the fish in them, they’ll be on the munch and if there’s nothing to eat in your swim they’ll move on.

This year will be no different to last, except the freeze up was earlier almost everything else, the floods, big winds and variable weather has been the same. My lakes have responded almost exactly the same so far, the Day ticket lake is fishing it’s head off, the stock pond fish are moody and the syndicate hasn’t done a single fish, but will do any day now.

However your lake fished last year will be, or could be how it’ll fish this year so you should be prepared and don’t miss out by keeping on your winter tactics too long.

Good Luck 1. Gary Bayes 2. Time to give them some food 3. Chain Reaction - one of several new products well worth a look 4. Shelf Lifes provide some flexibility 5. Take plenty of options 6. Try frozen and shelf life mixtures 17 16

As with all the best laid plans, something often comes along and throws a spanner in the works. I was all set for my first proper winter campaign in quite some years then everything froze. Not only was the 180 acre pit I intended fishing completely iced up but that ice was measured at 8 inches thick. The airport down the road from me recorded temperatures as low as minus 15 and I measured 14 inches of snow in my garden. Most surprisingly of all was the fact that a small river near me completely froze up, only 10 metres downstream from a weir. That’s just not supposed to happen in this country.

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When I first sat in the Titan at the beginning of February thinking about writing these words it was the first time I’d been on the bank since November. It was good to be back out on the bank but through the enforced layoff I wasn’t missing fishing as much as I thought I would. There was a time when I would have done anything to get out for a few days fishing but I think age is catching up with me. I’m hoping that the break will give me more motivation to really go at it through the warmer months.

I’ve not got any solid plans yet

but I have got my eye on a certain Cambs fish that I class as one of the best in the land. If I do go for that one I’m sure there will be a few interesting tales to tell along the way because of the nature of the lake it lives in. It’s big, wild and is what I think of as ‘proper carping’ and not a dugout swim in sight.

It’s the sort of water where being prepared is everything.

Something which I failed miserably to do on that first February session.

The first thing I had to do when I started fishing again was to visit the local Asda to buy some batteries for my buzzers and a frying pan because I’d left mine at home. The thing is I saw those first few nights as a warm up session and I soon had everything running like a well oiled machine. I parked next to the bivvy with everything chucked in the car ( well almost everything) and in the comfort of the bivvy I started to go through everything and get sorted.

First thing to be attended to was my bait bucket. In here are numerous tubs of popups dips and Mutant hook baits. There wasn’t a lot that needed doing, apart from washing the bucket out after a dip spillage from sometime last year. There’s plenty of everything and it is all mould free so I don’t need to order any more bits right now.

My rig wallet is a different matter. I generally only have a few rigs tied up at

any one time, preferring to tie them up as I need them. The few rigs that were in there have all been discarded to make way for fresh ones that will be tied over the coming sessions. The rig is arguably the most important factor in hooking and landing the carp so I take no chances with them.

Hook sharpness and overall strength of a rig is not an area to compromise on.

My tackle box has had a once over but to be honest it was in surprisingly good order and well stocked.

That’s because in preparation for the winter campaign I gave it a service then didn’t get to fish. All that I have to do now is throw away a couple of used rigs that are lurking in the bottom, blow out all the dust and crap then place everything back where it should be.

My hook wallet seems to be in a bit of a state. This is because I am a hook hoarder.

There must be at least 20 different patterns of hook and 3 or 4 packs of each. I’m going to have to be ruthless here and relegate most of them to the spares bucket in the shed because I have only used a couple of patterns for the last few years.

These being the Nash Twisters, the Fang X and Gapers. These cover every eventuality with the Twisters and Fang X’s being used for bottom and balanced baits. The Gapers 19 2

are perfect for chod rigs and in smaller sizes are the best hook around for surface fishing and zig rigs. Other things like shrink tube and packs of beads also live in there and need topping up so they go on the shopping list.

The front part of my tackle bag is home to various sizes of PVA which all seems to be in order but refills go on the shopping list anyway because I know I’ll be getting through quite a lot of it when the season gets going properly. There’s also a marker float in the bottom which is a bonus because it’s one I thought I’d lost last year.

My collection of spods is almost as bad as my hoard of hooks.

Since Nash launched the range of Deliverance spods they have been all I have used making the others redundant. They too will be relegated to the spares bucket.

Next is the other end pocket of my bag which houses a collection of miscellaneous items such as a pair of pliers, spare leadcore, spare packs of lead clips, tail rubbers and a small first aid kit. The first aid kit is something that every angler should have. Although the intention is never to need it, I have done on several occasions!

Antiseptic wipes and assorted plasters have at times saved me a few problems and possible infections. Wiels disease is always a threat where rats are present and can enter the body through broken skin so it needs to be kept clean and covered up. I’m low on plasters so they go on the shopping list.

120

In my main kit bag, my brew making facilities have been topped up and my cups, utensils and cutlery also needed a good clean as they looked as if they had their own ecosystem growing on them at the time. Going through all my kit like this is not only a practical thing to do but getting prepared for the carping ahead has fired the enthusiasm too. Once the reels have new line on, new rigs are tied and things bought that are needed there’ll be no excuse for not being on the ball.

From then on it will be all about me against the carp and I can’t wait. I’m back on the bank again now so I’m going to sign off, put the kettle on, finish off those last few jobs and tie some rigs up.

1. Mark Watson 2. Night time action 3. This isn’t supposed to happen - its been a grim winter!

4. Tackle box sorted!

5. All I need.

6. Bait bucket essentials ready to go

21 2

RIG TALK

D R A L L A B D R A H C RI

D RIG TALK - RICHARD BALLAR many Its been a tough old winter and difficult anglers have struggled with the o have conditions. But those of us wh t success enjoyed regular and consisten we head into and are continuing to do so as d earned spring have achieved those har ail. rewards by focussing on the det EALMENT MAXIMISE STEALTH AND CONC WITH DIFFUSION CAMO ers have provided Diffusion rig components and lead during this thinking anglers with a major edge encountered gin winter and early spring in the often so as we finally clear water and will continue to do ensure effective head into the warmer months. To n fishing over concealment in any conditions whe e when anglers silt weed and gravel there was a tim t coloured needed to carry a myriad of differen components. st us probably Although the unenlightened among tackle ranges still still do and all other less advanced Nash Tackle’s seem to contain them, to be honest solid coloured Diffusion technology has made all e. components redundant and obsolet

122

d coloured You can test a supposedly silt or wee look Ok, but when leader in the margins and it might can you be sure of you cast out further into the lake, will it stand out or what it has actually landed on and blend in? of the incredibly Diffusion Camo is different, drop one weed, silt, or gravel supple leaders onto any shade of lf to any lake bed and it instantly sinks and moulds itse contours and just melts away. the Diffusion Camo leaders, tubing and ents that are now comprehensive range of rig compon any lake bed available will blend perfectly against e the material is colours and shades, this is becaus light and colour reactive. that is important, But its not just what carp can see ssured carp can when investigating a baited trap, pre e into contact with become easily spooked if they com end tackle. When alien objects such as main line or like feel of Diffusion immersed in water, the silky weed ally eliminates the Leaders and rig components virtu problem. designed to Diffusion Leaders have also been stay nailed to absorb water, they quickly sink and al lead core, the the lakebed, but unlike convention and mould itself material is supple enough to shape to any lake bed contours.

TS

EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMEN

stream of new During 2011 there will be a steady ering the range, innovative terminal tackle items ent avid TT user well all purpose designed to keep the ahead of the game. le ‘ready to go’ Diffusion Leaders will now be availab ed Safe Bead, with standard Safety Bolt Bead, We options available.

Run Rig Bead and Helicopter Rig anywhere’ no fuss The standard Bolt Bead is a ‘use and reliable option that provides effective hooking lead release if required. really stealthy clip The Weed Safe option is a smaller dard version, it with the same attributes as the stan the carp moves off creates a reliable bolt effect but as a carp in or near the lead is released. When playing , fast and reliable weed or over a snaggy dirty bottom ce between landing lead release can make the differen that fish or loosing it. fishing for tricky rig The Run Bead option is perfect for free running bead shy carp or delicate feeders. The ivity around that ensures that any movement or act ly and effectively all important hook bait will be instant ing a small transmitted back to the bank. Hitt often produce insignificant twitch of the bobbin can i fixed set up to a bonus fish. Changing from a sem a tricky session a free running one part way through a blank and a major can make the difference between hit, it’s a tackle box essential.

Helicopter version.

Last, but by no means least, is the copter rig are The anti tangle properties of a heli easily achieve widely recognised, and now you can Leaders, thanks to this presentation on our Diffusion s the rig in place a simple two piece bead which hold event of the lead for the cast and discharges it in the becoming snagged. usion Leader There’s now also a longer 1.5m Diff ificantly increase available in the range, which will sign rig components the area of concealment. Diffusion are proven to catch more fish.

Nash Tackle’s Diffusion technology has made all solid coloured components redundant and obsolete.

GET TOOLED UP a semi blunt pair I suppose you could manage with ing needle but of scissors and a one size fits all bait to hand does having a comprehensive rig tool kit make life on the bank a lot easier. tool for just about There’s a purpose designed quality Nash range and every conceivable operation in the ke each one much the new colour coded handles ma easier to identify. early season Small hook baits can be crucial for boilie needle fishing and a strong reliable micro eze without makes mounting 10mm boilies a bre m. How about the hassle of continually splitting the every time you a splicing needle that doesn’t break er, that must attempt to construct a lead core lead kle box. The new be a worthwhile addition to the tac ‘must have’ addition ‘Nasher’ braid stripper is another ted braid a as it makes stripping any type of coa s will cut through breeze. Durable ultra sharp scissor all those frayed loose weave braids neatly without allows any size ends and the Hook Eye Threader ugh the eye of the hook link to be easily threaded thro if you favour small hook, this tool is particularly useful hooks. , there’s also As well as a tool for every eventuality e designed to a range of Box Logic cases purpos tainment, which provide safe secure and logical con ing and more all adds up to an easier less frustrat on you know it productive time on the bank - go makes sense!

1. Mr TT - Richard Ballard 2. Diffusion gives you an edge 3. New ‘ready to go’ options 4. Low Viz - Low Spook 5. Get tooled up for spring 6. Tackle box essential!

23 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Julian Cundiff

3

1 Julian Cundiff 124

2 Tackle Sort!

This month our top consultants talk about their plans for the spring.

I don’t know about you but I will be glad to see the back of this winter. Last year was bad but this year, well all bar one of my waters were frozen solid from the end of November to the last week in January and that included a canal I’d targeted and some very big and very deep reservoirs. So far its been trips and no action but and this has been a big BUT even though the Sirens have not gone off in anger I have been getting myself in the zone for when it does kick off.

I know that when it is frozen solid it truly is out of your hands but when it isn’t, well it can be awfully dangerous to not fish from November to March and expect to be up and running when the carp start to feed with any degree of interest. After all Lewis Hamilton doesn’t simply stop racing and jump in the car in March and hope to be on form does he? No even though he may not be racing there’s testing and all that to keep him in the zone and in a similar way that’s what I follow too.

Blanking is simply not catching a carp, but on all of those sessions I either learnt something on the bank or remembered things I needed to do next time I was out. One of the best things all of you can do is have a little notebook in your tackle box and as soon as you think about something on the bank get it written down. If you don’t you will inevitably forget it and that applies whether you are 16 or 66!

Its not just an age thing. I am always learning as I4fish and my book will be full of notes on baits, hooks, changing line, renewing permits and so on. Be it remembering to order some Fang Twisters in size 10, to pre-soaking the Soluballs in dip it goes in. I promise you if you do this you will make less mistakes in 2011.

As we don’t have a close season anymore then there really isn’t any ‘down time’ to give your tackle the once over/spring clean and this can be costly. You need to set aside one full day and make sure that you are ready for March when most lakes start to produce the

goods. Does your line need changing, end tackle need cutting off, or the line walking out and the twist unravelled? As you wing it in have a wet cloth in your fingers which will remove all the caked on silt, weed and chod.

What about your shelters ? Wipe them down and check for holes that need patching and seams that may need a touch up of spray. Still got enough Stealth bivvy Pegs ? What about giving that groundsheet a clean ? Or even cleaning your tea making gear and scrubbing the cups ? Are you carting gear around that you don’t use ? Are the hooks still sharp ?

Alarm batteries need changing ? What about drying out the landing net and stitching those rips you’ve been reminding yourself to do for ages ?

Believe me one Saturday at home and you can do all that and more and not when the carp are feeding, I should know as I spent all yesterday doing that. The Oval Plus is in the holdall ready for my first overnighter of the year, the Sirens are on the sticks, the Size 10 Twisters are matched up with Missing Link and I even pre-tied some maggot rigs using the rig foam to balance them out…. Game on SOON I hope…

All that remains is for me to wish you a great 2011. I will be at the Carpin’ On Show at 5-Lakes in Essex the 5th and 6th of March, the Big One at Brentwood on the 12th and 13th March too so pop down and see me and the rest of the crew. With plenty of Nash fishins and two new waters for me to tackle, 2011 promises to be great year.

Get out there, work hard and as Kevin Nash himself says ‘Be Lucky’

Julian 25 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Mike Jones

3

3 Mike Jones 126

This spring is going to be a little different from my last few years as I’m going to concentrate on a syndicate lake in the Cotswold’s. It’s a gravel pit of around 35 acres in size with a good head of big fish to 46lb plus a lot of back up fish to high thirties.

They love bait so I’m going to give them plenty! Monster Squid is my bait of choice, for anyone looking for a new bait at the moment, this is the one to get on, it’s certainly blitz most waters its been used on.

As for rigs, I like to keep it simple, one rod will be fished on a chod and on the others I’ll be using Missing Link - Twister snowman set ups, fished with a 15mm bottom bait and a 10mm white pop up for visual attraction. All reliable and well proven tactics.

I will also be continuing me tuition’s on Horseshoe which are proving very popular.

Horseshoe is a 65 acre mature gravel pit in the Cotswold’s which Holds some of the most stunning fish in the country from fully scales, commons and zip liners to alake record of 47lb.

To fish effectively there you need to be proficient in a wide range of angling skills, pva bag work, everything from fishing at range to stalking and stealthy margin tactics all need to be mastered. My tuitions ensure that anglers master them all. I know the place well and have over ten years experience on this lake and have been a bailiff for six of them.

4

This spring I will also be helping out on the Nash stand at various shows, so why not come along for a chat, the awesome new rods are well worth checking out too.

If you would like to talk tutorials please give me a call on 07816075905 after 6.00pm All the best

Mike 27 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Jerry Hammond

4 Jerry Hammond 128

5 Ca

arp care essentials sorted

For me, late winter early spring is all about preparation for the coming months ahead.

Although I’ll be doing plenty of fishing I will also be visiting target waters, introducing some bait and learning what I can about them. I’m always on the look out for new or interesting places to fish. When you are targeting specific carp, you can never be too sure how long it will take to catch them, even if you fish a venue well, sometimes things conspire against you and it can take some time. Other times you get lucky and bag one really quick, so it always pays to have somewhere new to head to. I’ve actually got plenty of options at the moment but as is often the case and I’m sure for most people reading this, it’s the same, there’s just not enough time or days in the week to fish them all!

I’m actually really busy at the moment, running my fishery, doing ‘on the bank’ features with magazines, I just don’t know where the times goes.

Although I’m still doing very well on the Amber Attract, I really love that bait, the carp can be really tricky at the moment so it pays to go prepared.

If they’re not having it on the bottom it pays to go armed with the zig gear and plenty of other options too. Zigs have produced a result on Kevin’s Church lake for me recently, it was a really difficult session and if I had just sat it out fishing on the bottom hoping for a result I would have probably blanked - food for thought!

Good luck - see you next time

Jerry

29 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Iain Macmillan

6 Iain Macmillan 130

7 Special Hook baits tweaked!

!

Well by the time this little piece hits your screens the spring will be well and truly upon us. It’s been another savage winter but the light is visible at the end of the tunnel now, and I for one can’t wait to get the rods out for some serious ‘Tong time’ angling.

As for waters, I’ll be concentrating on my syndicate down in the Cotswolds, and with any luck I’ll be back on one of my old stomping grounds where so far I’ve only had limited time due to other commitments.

Both lakes hold some stunning, stunning big fish, but they are very pressured for most of the time due, but as the saying goes ‘you’ve got to be in it to win it’!

As for bait I’ll be looking firmly in the direction of the new Monster Squid, I’ve already had some great catches on it both at home and abroad, and already my confidence is sky high, which in my opinion is half the battle won. Its another piece of the jigsaw sorted when I get to the lake, all I then have to do is concentrate on finding the bloody fish!

Another fine bit of Nash kit I’m looking forward to using again is the Fang Twister hooks in some decent sizes. I’ve been faffing about for most of the colder months fishing locally for a few smaller fish, I’ve had to fine everything down in order to get those few extra bites. But once the big girls have woken up and fancy a munch, it will be the time to give them some serious bait with some serious bits of metal attached, and lets be honest here, there isn’t a finer hook on the market than the Twisters!

I’m also sticking with a lovely water close to home where I’ve been a member for a few years now. It’s a stunning 20 acre syndicate in the heart of Shropshire and is a real jewel that doesn’t see a great deal of angling pressure. The banks are practically deserted in the week which leaves me free to wander around and do my thing. But my plan this year is to just fish short sessions and only take specific gear with me, so basically if I only take my floater gear, then I can only fish for them on the top. The same with a float rod and stalking gear, if that’s all I have with me then that will be the only way I can try to catch them!

The fish do show themselves an awful lot, but most of the time they can be found very close to all the banks, so observation and location will play a massive part. Add to that a couple of shows at 5 lakes and the big one at Farnborough, well I’m surprised I can fit it all in, it’s a hard life being a full time angler!

If any of you are planning on attending the shows in early March be sure to come and say hello to us all at Nash, we really do value your feedback and opinions, hope to see you soon.

Iain 31 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Rich Wilby

8 Rich Wilby

9 Well pleased 132

10 Freezers well stocked

As I write this the birds outside my study window are really going for it, making lots of noise – a sure sign that spring is in the air and the carp will soon be very active all over the country.

Unlike most carp anglers though I’m not in a hurry for spring to come too early as I still have a bit of pike fishing pencilled in the diary which I’m looking forward to. Pike fishing is a real treat for me nowadays and I get just as excited going out with a bag of deads or bucket of live-baits as I did 20 years ago when I caught my first little Jack.

To be honest I have only been half a dozen times this winter and only a couple of doubles and lots of Jacks were all I had to show. That was until the other day when I got an invite from an old mate to come and have ago in the small lake he has taken on this year.

This little 3 acre Suffolk Lake was a very good carp water back in the days when it was run by an old angling club. I caught a few nice carp out of there before I moved away from the area, but in the last 6 years the otters have ravaged the place and as a result the club have given the lake up. My mate, Dale, has secured the lease and spent a huge amount of time working on the old lake to bring it back to its former glory. He has fenced and stocked the lake with some nice fish and I’m sure it will become a very sought after ticket in the next few years.

It was while Dale was working on the lake that he spotted a big pike, basking in the sun like a carp. I couldn’t believe it had survived all the otter attacks over the years, but it had and I thought it would be worth having a go for this winter.

To cut a long story short I caught 10 jacks and a low double from the lake and then my last bite of the day produced the big fish which Dale had spotted in the summer. At 28lb it broke my pike PB by 11oz, but the fact it was from a non-

trout stocked water made it extra special for me. She was a real old girl, blind in one eye, but absolutely stunning in my eyes. I rate that catch as one of my best ever and I now have my heart set on banking a thirty, but I would love it to came from a natural water and not a trout res, but that’s a hard target.

On the carp front I have been flat out working in Norfolk on my new fishery, Airfield Lakes, which opens on the 19th of March. Everything is nearly ready and I just hope that lots of fish get caught in the opening few weeks. The carp have been really active in the last week or so and I did chuck one rod out the other day just to see if they were feeding on the bait I put in.

A bite and a pretty little linear in the net after just 10 minutes told me they were in the mood for some feed, so I have been baiting lightly all the way around Mustang Lake to get the fish moving and feeding in preparation for the opening week.

I will finish off by saying that because the my work at the fishery is taking up so much of my time I have made the hard decision of stepping down from my position as media manger at Nash. Trying to do two demanding jobs, be an angling journalist, plus be a family man and go fishing was wearing me out, so although it was a hard decision, it was the right one to make. I will be staying on as a consultant and getting out fishing at least two nights a week, every week, so I can’t use the excuse that I don’t have enough time to catch decent fish anymore. I will hopefully be writing in a number of publications this year and have something to write about because of the time I will be spending on the bank.

I just want to thank everyone at Nash for being so understanding about my decision and supporting me with my new business and angling journalist work.

See you soon.

Rich 33 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Scot ‘Geezer’ Grant

11 The legendary geezer 134

12 Spots loc

cated and baited

My Spring campaign is already in full swing. I have been baiting certain areas of the lake with the awesome Monster Squid boilies. So far this year I have banked the first fish from the lake, a mirror of 31lb 4oz, followed by a 19 pounder on another trip.

Regardless whether I am fishing or not, the bait is introduced to the same areas, come rain or shine. For me this is the most important thing when targeting a water. As soon as the ice melted from the worst winter we have injured in 25 years, the bait was introduced. I have started off baiting with a mixture of different sized baits with a quantity of around 4-8 kilos per trip. As the weather gets milder the quantity will increase.

Just as we are on the brink of Spring I will add Soluballs and as we move into April I will add particles to the baited areas. My previous year on my current water was amazing using the same tactics, my tally last year was fourteen thirties to 39lb and three fourties to 47lb 2oz.

They love the bait so that’s quite a few pieces of the puzzle put together, but until I have the big common in my net the puzzle wont be complete.

I have heard so much about this particular fish that now its become an obsession. Hopefully this year I will bank her at a massive weight.

Armed with the Monster Squid and the TT Fang X hooks I have a big advantage, the fish love the bait and when a fish is hooked its not coming off. Confidence is a massive tool that I currently have in my tool box.

This Spring for me is one I am look forward to very much. I will be writing an update later in the year, so keep checking the Nash website to see how I’m getting on.

Scot 35 2

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.

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W O N K C O T S IN 37

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Sean Leverett

13 Sean Leverett 138

Hi folks, Well, what a tough time of it we’ve had these last couple of months! The weather has been what can only be described as a joke with yet another freeze up just a couple of weeks back.

The sad news from all this grim weather we have had to endure is the demise of my main target fish over on the Car Park in the shape of the Dustbin. The fish was found on Sunday the 13th Feb by a guy walking the lake and to say I am gutted is an under statement. There are however, still a couple of forties and a possible fifty resident in the lake so there’s plenty to go for and I wont be walking away from the venue just yet. In fact I’m more determined than ever now to try and catch an original from the lake before they all pass on. They are old fish and nothing lasts forever.

When the lakes have not been frozen I’ve been doing three days a week on the Car Park and the balance of the week on South Lake, a lake just up the road from Dinton. I had intended staying on Dinton over winter but plans changed and I decided to do Southlake instead.

It’s been a hard slog for me which has resulted in me unfortunately not catching all winter. It’s frustrating when you’re fishing five plus days a week but that’s the way it goes sometimes, especially in winter. I’m sure things will pick up for me when the weather warms up.

What are my plans for the year? Well, I intend to continue to fish the Car Park up to the end of March when Cemex have their close season. I also will fish South Lake along side it until that too closes. I will then turn my attentions back to Football Lake in search of the really special fish that resides in there. I will probably do the spring on there up to the point that it algae’s up in early June. From there it will be back to the Car Park in search of Arfur, the big mirror but in conjunction with that I will be fishing Cemex’s Road Lake. There are some cracking fish in there for me to target and being only a small water of around three acres I feel this style of fishing will be right up my street.

Bait will of course be the ever reliable Scopex Squid but I will be tweaking it slightly as I have been reliably informed that the Road Lake fish have a liking for a certain little something and I’ll be doing this to my bait in the hope of trapping a few of the jewels.

Well that’s it again from me this time round. I hope to bring you some better news next time around!

Sean 39 2

CARP CATCHERS DIARIES Jamie Clossick

14 Jamie Clossick 140

It has been a few years since I have been looking forward to a spring and a new challenge as much as this one.

Having had many super keen spells as a carp angler sadly during the last three years work and family life has become more of a priority.

This year I have made plans to be able to spend more than the dozen or so nights a year I’ve managed in recent times and so my enthusiasm levels are at an all time high.

My chosen waters are a little hush hush at the time of writing but lets says it is back to a bit of un-chartered territory, fish without names and hopefully a big uncaught lump or two for me.

I am still persevering with my goal of trying to catch a 40 pounder from my home county of Lancashire. There aren’t many, three or possibly four and I’ve had two of them a number of times although at smaller weights.

The most viable one for me is a very tricky fish that was last out a couple of years ago from the notorious Manchester Park Lake.

I had previously done well from the infamous eighteen-acre lake, although I started late in the year last autumn and struggled to be perfectly honest.

I had clocked up a few nights before the big freeze for only one very slow and deliberate bite that kited into heavy weed only to come off. If I’m honest it could very possibly have been the particular bite I was looking for although I will never know for sure.

This lake is a busy one being a council run cheap ticket so my baiting approach is mainly to have a variation of the Scopex Squid so that other people putting in Nash bait will count towards my baiting plan but I will be the only person with my unique modification to hopefully give me the edge I need to catch this elusive one.

The other two lakes are very different, both large and one is pressured and the other isn’t.

The seldom-fished lake will not have seen many boilies (if any) and so my plan is to feed a mixed particle feed with about a kilo of Scopex Squid mixed in to hopefully wean the fish onto one of the best boilies ever made in my opinion. I will keep my rigs very basic sticking with my trusty size seven twister with a balanced blow back set up as the fish will not be looking for rigs.

My time will be more spent baiting and walking rather than fishing and I plan to do this for four to six weeks before even casting a line in.

The next lake is large with a reasonably low stock but it does get fished regularly so my plan here is to abuse my bait allocation and let them have it! I have never really taken advantage of my bait ‘privileges’ in the past but as the lake is logistically difficult to fish I want to tip the balance in my favour from the off so I plan to bait more heavily than I ever previously have done.

My thinking behind this is that a lot of the lake is un-fishable due to large amounts of out of bounds areas and so I plan to bait all over the lake picking spots on the end of all the different wind directions so that whatever the conditions are, the fish will be used to finding my bait and lots of it.

By the time the conditions blow in the direction of the fishable banks where I will be regularly checking the weather and looking for an opportunity, picking my bait up will be second nature to the carp and hopefully the battle will already be won…

Here’s to a good 2011 for all of us.

Jamie 41 2

BAIT BOX BAIT CHOICE 2011

Looking for a quality well proven bait for 2011?

Nash Bait Top Rod Boilies tick all the boxes.

Monster Squid - The new Monster Squid has been a top catcher this winter, during a long and intensive development programme, our field testers and consultants have enjoyed impressive results. Late winter -early spring time carp, including those that have never encountered the new bait before have been finding Monster Squid instantly attractive.

The new bait is irresistible and carp will feed on it with real enthusiasm, get on the Monster, its another Nash classic carp catcher in the making!

2. Get on the Monster!

Amber Strawberry - Although designed primarily as a dedicated winter bait, Amber Strawberry is actually a very effective all seasons carp catcher. Anglers fishing pressured venues looking to use something different to the crowds have caught well on this brilliant white incredibly instant boilie throughout the twelve months of the year.

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3. Take plenty of options

For a while after the big freeze many lakes were reported to be lifeless and devoid of catch-able carp with many anglers struggling with poor results. Introducing some attractive easily digestible food and in many cases lots of it has proven the most effective way to bring lethargic disinterested carp back to life. Nash Bait Top Rod frozen and shelf life boilies have been specifically designed to provide carp with a valuable food source and are therefore perfectly suited to the job.

IC1 - Another relatively new addition to the range, the iC1 is a top cold water catcher.

Over the last two years the iC1 helped many anglers turn around a difficult winter, even during the big freeze ups, if the water was fishable anglers caught carp. Summer or winter, carp find the complex aroma and taste impossible to resist.

1. Be prepared, the carp have woken up

Year after year, summer and winter, Scopex Squid and Scopex Squid Red continue to catch huge numbers of carp up and down the country. As well as being an instantly attractive all seasons carp catcher, the Squid also has an impressive big fish track record. Scopex Squid is considered by many devotees to be the number one carp bait of all time. Looking at the number of catch reports that flood into the office each week, they could well be right!

4. Shelf lifes provide some flexibility 43 2

SOLUBALLS UPDATE The Soluballs have been a massive instant success from day one, but the proof of the pudding with any new bait is the passing of time. As expected when we launched the Soluballs, the catch reports and positive feed back from our valued customers was staggering. A year or so down the line and nothing really has changed, Soluballs have become a ‘must have’ addition to any serious carp angler’s bait bucket, combined with other products, the baits continue to catch plenty of carp.

Soluballs have a high food value, they contain the same key attractors used in the manufacture of the frozen and shelf life boilies and there’s one to match every bait in the range. Soluballs break down quickly to leave an enticing attractive pile of feed, they can be catapulted a surprisingly long way and are throwing stick friendly too. It takes a long time for diving birds and feeding carp to clear a spot baited with Soluballs and they never seem to get it all. There’s always a food residue left behind that keeps drawing carp back for more, so baiting with Soluballs at the end of and between sessions is the perfect way to keep those spots hot and attractive.

On the next session as soon as you get the rods out and the baits bang on the spots, you know you’ll be fishing effectively and the chances are the carp won’t be far away too!

This is where Nash Bait Shelf Life boilies really come into their own, all the baits in the range provide carp with a high quality food source. Despite the out dated uninformed and misguided opinions that you might have read elsewhere, carp love eating our shelf life boilies and they greatly benefit from doing so.

6. Just a mouthful

TAKE ALL THE OPTIONS Despite all the good captures that are being reported, carp on some waters are still proving a bit tricky to locate, movement and feeding patterns are also hard to predict. Keeping mobile is the key and when a venue does suddenly switch on, giving the fish plenty of bait often proves to be the key.

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Having a few bags stored in the car just in case does make a lot of sense, some of our top anglers will happily use them in preference to their frozen counterparts.

Bait mixtures are scoring well at the moment - Soluballs - Chain Reaction Monster Carp Pellets - Spod Cloud ground baits - whole and chopped boilies - soaked and dipped baits - alternative hook baits Fish Frenzy boilies and pellets - take the lot!

Also don’t forget the Zig gear and maybe even a few floaters and you’ll be covered for what ever the changeable weather and unpredictable carp are planning on throwing at you!

CHAIN REACTION

5. Boost attraction with Chain Reaction

The new Chain Reaction has all the same attributes as the awesome Soluballs but in many ways it’s moved the concept on a stage further. Chain Reaction is probably best described as a Soluball disc with a hole through the centre, they have a faster melt down and start to fizz and crackle as soon as they hit the lake bed. Literally in seconds Chain Reaction will break down into a highly attractive pile of feed. There’s one to match each boilie and threading a few onto the hook link or one onto the hair before casting out, significantly boosts attraction around the hook bait. Our extensive tests have revealed that a ‘flavour linked’ Chain Reaction and matching hook bait combination will usually out fish the often over used conventional ground bait or stick mix option. The forward thinking anglers amongst us are already devising new ways and methods of using them which is bound to provide an edge - Chain Reaction is the new bait product of 2011.

7. Chain Reaction fizzes and crackles

8. Maximum attraction around the hook bait

9. Try bait mixtures 45 2

Soluballs exploderen op je stek en laten een spoor van voedselsignalen achter, een wolk van kleur en een tapijt van natuurlijke prote誰nes, vitamines en mineralen.

Ze zijn perfect rond en aerodynamisch, ten opzichte van traditionele pellets, kan je nu voeren op extreme afstanden.

Het geeft je een goed alternatief ten opzichte van het gewone spodden en PVA zakken waardoor de karper zeer voorzichtig word.

Soluballs zijn verkrijgbaar in jouw favoriete Nashflavour, zo ben je altijd een stap voor.

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in s t o c k n o w

intelligent sensing . . .

Evolving bite innovation forever.

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J

oe aggar

FAIL TO PREPARE PREPARE TO FAIL

Once again, the country is recovering from another mammoth winter that, for around 8 weeks, destroyed all of our plans and targets for the colder months. Mid February things certainly started to brighten up, this is the time of year that my anticipation and excitement is at fever pitch, I really can’t wait to begin my forthcoming campaigns and get some serious time in on the bank!

Although I’m extremely excited about the coming spring, I very rarely begin a campaign until mid March. This may seem a little strange to others, but with living up here in the North, many of my target venues are hundreds of miles away, with all of the travelling involved I cannot risk my sessions being spoilt by a turn in the weather.

For this reason throughout February I like to concentrate closer to home.

I’ve been fishing on Wyre Lake in Lancashire this February, the fish residing there are amazing and I can’t help but feel I’m edging ever closer to banking my first from the lake.

Along with fishing the occasional session on Wyre Lake, I’ve been putting my time away from the lake to good use and have been doing plenty of preparation for the months ahead. This is something that will pay dividends as you simply cannot be “over prepared”.

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My targets for this ye high and I have acqu lakes which contain s after fish in the land. lovely tranquil lake on contains an awesom to see in the water la a guest. That certainl begin my campaign i of local knowledge fro researched past capt patterns of my target to formulate a plan to slipping into my landi

I’ve also received a le Bedford in January o Pit 2, now this lake n is home to the legend this is one of the fines country and I simply down as I believe this behind it than ahead on the East Coast La bound later in the yea Mother!

1. Joe Jaggar 2. Ready for that first 3. Carp Love Monste

ear are once again set fairly uired a couple of tickets for some of the most sought First and foremost is a n the East Coast which me Carp which I managed ast year whilst fishing as ly inspired me, and I will in March. By getting plenty rom the lads I know, I have ptures and regular feeding t fish and have used this o hopefully ensure it will be ing net this season!

etter from Linear Fisheries offering me a ticket for Elstow needs no introduction and dary Mother. In my opinion st carp we have left in the could not turn this ticket s carp has more years of it. So, if all goes well ake, I will be Bedfordshire ar hunting down the mighty

t bite of the campaign! er Squid!

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I’m already aware that the Mother likes big winds and low pressure systems so can hopefully plan my sessions around these weather patterns.

The lake is extremely open and involves lots of long walks to get to certain swims, so the Titan Brolly is a welcome addition to my kit with this particular lake in mind, it’s ultra lightweight and incredibly strong and robust, making it perfect for the job.

In between my long trips down South, I plan to continue my fishing on Wyre Lake doing quick overnighters between work. Wyre Lake is arguably the Jewel in the Lancashire Crown and has an outstanding stock of very desirable fish, I haven’t actually set myself any targets for the lake, just to catch as many as possible and enjoy my time. The lake is actually available on a limited day ticket basis mid-week, something which all of us can take advantage of.

Along with my campaign style carping, I am also entered in this year’s BCAC and Midlands Masters tournaments alongside fellow Nash man, Dan Atkinson. The match style of Carp Fishing is something that I have rarely ventured into and will be a bit of an eye-opener for me, I plan to give it my best shot and see where it takes us, hopefully we can inspire each other to success.

So I’m leaving no stone unturned, with regards to my kit, I’ve tied literally hundreds of rigs, from hinge stiff links, to standard bottom bait rigs, ensuring that all angles are covered. Plenty of leadcore leaders have been made up for the venues which allow them and I’ve loaded my reels up with fresh line to leave absolutely nothing to chance.

A product which did seriously impress me in 2010 is the Nash TT Tungsten Rig Tubing, it is amazing stuff, super heavy and extremely supple which helps make my end tackle as inconspicuous as possible, it’s something which I will not go fishing without this season and is certainly worth a look.

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Making my own cust I place great importan edge over baits straig period of time I’ve be certain flavours in the have a few proven re confidence. I have als with plenty of bait and the awesome Monste the original Scopex S combination!

Following some outs never again use one mixtures and varying factor which really im picking up the hook b

The matching Soluba vital addition to my b new Chain Reaction. as a Soluball-style dis middle, Chain Reacti the hooklink. This ma tangle proof, boosts disguises your rig und attraction - incredible

This year’s targets are extremely excited of w is for sure, I plan to e be updating my secti regularly so keep you things progress, all th is - Roll On Spring!!!

I’ve always enjoyed s knowledge and skills take it one step furthe angling tutorials for th more. If anyone wish me, please feel free t to discuss your requi

4. Chain Reaction wi 5. Plenty of lead core 6. I also highly rate th 7. On an undulating b be more stealthy than

tom hook baits is something nce in, they provide a major ght from the bag. Over a een experimenting with e Nash Bait range and I now ecipes that really boost my so stocked the freezer up nd this season I’ll be using ter Squid combined with Squid Liver Plus, what a

standing results last year, I will single flavour of boilie, using g sizes adds to the confusion mproves the chances of a fish bait.

alls will once again be a bait bucket along with the . Probably best described sc with a hole through the ion can be threaded down akes the rig pretty much attraction and completely der a bed of crumbled e!

e already making me what is in store, one thing enjoy every moment of it, I’ll tion on the Nash website ur eyes peeled for how hat is left for me to say now

sharing my hard earned s but now I’ve decided to er and offer one to one hose anglers hungry to learn hes to book a tutorial with to call me on 07743 125268 irements.

ill give me an edge e leaders have been made up he tungsten rig tube bottom, the tungsten tube can n lead core

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NASH CARP RODS

PUSHING THE

BOUNDA

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E

ARIES

NASH CONSULTANT TERRY EDMONDS Our resident casting specialist and top carper Terry Edmonds talks carp rods The new rods have been creating a real buzz on the grapevine recently so I thought I would bring you up to date with the latest developments.

TESTING SCHEDULE Test curves and the required action of a rod is only a starting point, to get a ‘feel’ for a new blank I have to go out and test it to the absolute limit. Having an understanding of the manufacturing process and the materials used, how the many different blanks available are made and what are their strengths and weaknesses is all vitally important.

When I’m first sent the prototype blanks, I test their performance in many different angling situations using different casting styles, various lead sizes, main lines and even PVA bag tactics will all be used.

Step 1 - 5 Practice and technique is the key!

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TESTING SCHEDULE The first quality this will reveal is reliability and ultimately what they are capable of. After spending many more test hours in the field and on the bank I will then evaluate the blanks and choose the one that I feel will be best suited to its intended use.

Funnily enough this may not always be the blank that I initially identify as the ‘best’ but the one I feel has most potential to work with.

After this initial process, the next stage is to give feedback to the rod manufacturer, discuss my findings and the way I feel the design of the blank should progress. Of course the rod manufacturer will also have plenty of ideas so its very much a team effort and everything goes into the mix.

I will usually then be sent a selection of butts and tips that can be interchange with each other, all of slightly differing actions, staying focused on our aspirations and the levels of performance we need to achieve, we can then move forward with a relentless testing and retesting program evaluating the various combinations made available to us.

The next stage involves many many hours in a field repeatedly casting with all the different options until I get that ‘feel’ that says it’s a great combination.

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The other attributes that I’m looking for at this stage are: • • • • • •

Reliability Balance Recovery Action Manufacturing quality And to a lesser degree cosmetics (this comes later)

When I have found the combination I am happy with, the manufacturer will then supply me with a few of the final combinations (completed blanks) I have asked for. I will then complete more testing making sure that the action and reliability remains consistent, again differing angling and casting styles have to be taken into consideration.

This involves really pushing the rods to the limits and beyond to make sure the action remains crisp and doesn’t suffer from any softening The next aspect to consider is ring choice and spacings which obviously will depend on the rod and its intended use.

The final testing is performed by our team of experienced consultants, this includes intensive bankside use in real fishing situations, when all the testing and feedback is evaluated by Kevin, the final go ahead is given for production to begin.

NEW RODS FROM NASH The new Nash rods are based on a very light blank that has tremendous balance and recovery, a thin blank thick walled design can feel tip heavy and have a sloppy recovery.

The new rods don’t suffer with this potential problem, there are three in the range, there are 13ft 3.5, 12ft 3.5 and a 12ft 3 pound test curve model all of which have been designed to be ‘fishing rods’ first and foremost.

These designs are perfectly suited to overhead casting, it’s vitally important to have the action correct and a lot of manufacturers rods haven’t got this right, they just don’t seem to understand what’s needed to get the ultimate performance from an overhead cast.

When you first pick up the 3lb test curve model you’ll be amazed at the lightness of the blank, I have achieved simple overhead chucks of over 170 yards with this rod, it’s a true all round rod and plays fish beautifully.

The 3.5 pound TC rods are again extremely light and will comfortably cast leads over 200 yrds in the right hands, but the recovery and weight to power ratio of the blank is really impressive and will truly bring more enjoyment to your long range fishing.

The new NR range of rods has genuinely taken performance and all round playability to previously unsurpassed levels, I’m sure you will be impressed - enjoy!

To aid casting performance, the 3.5lb models have 50mm – 16mm ringing which I have proven helps distance on the tournament field.

The 3lb test curve models have 40mm 14mm ringing to keep the blank light and aid performance, this is in my experience the perfect multi range ringing.

The Fish playing action of the rods is also very impressive as the lightness and balance transmits ‘feel’ exceptionally well through the blank and through to your hands which greatly enhances the enjoyment of playing a fish.

1. Terry knows his rods, he catches plenty of carp too!

2. Taking it to the limits and beyond 3. Waiting for that first take on a new blank - how will it feel?

4. Getting it right - Terry’s casting tuitions are very popular 5. The new rods have been extensively tested in real fishing situations

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CATCH CARP WITH BILLY FLOWERS AND JAMIE LONDORS 156

‘first night, we’d had nine fish on the zigs’

TAKE EVERYTHING! For Billy and Jamie being prepared for every eventuality is a crucial element in their carp fishing, whether its high pressure match fishing or just carp fishing for fun, they always go armed with a huge array of baits and tactics to suit all conditions.

Boilies usually form the bases of their bait armoury, the new Monster Squid is a firm favourite, both anglers commented recently that they just wouldn’t go fishing without it.

The peripheral products are also vitally important, Monster Carp Pellets, Food and Boilie Dips, Air Ball Pop Ups, Soluballs and the new soon to be released Chain Reaction all have an important role to play.

Particles, Sweetcorn, maggots and a range of more traditional baits are always taken too, plus a few hard earned edges that have been fine tuned and perfected along the way.

Bait colour is also vitally important, experimenting with different hook bait options until the fish respond is often the first tactic employed to kick start a session.

Small quantities of bait are used at first, maybe just a small PVA bag to start with.

Prior to casting the bag is submerged in the Food Dip, this significantly boosts instant attraction around the hook bait and is a top tactic for an instant bite. But as the fish gain

confidence and start to feed, more food will be introduced by spod or Quick Stick or by whatever method is deemed most suitable.

The idea is to build the swim and then milk it!

The new Spod Cloud ground bait is an awesome weapon, adding boilies and pellets and other food items and then spodding the mix over zigs really gets the fish on the prowl. If conditions suddenly change and the fish start to feed on the bottom, the area will already be baited and ready to go.

Although many of you reading this will probably associated these two highly successful anglers with match fishing, most of what they do can very effectively be applied to all forms of carp fishing. In a match for example you draw a swim and that’s pretty much what you are stuck with, you just have to get the best out of it. On a quiet syndicate water for example, location is an important factor, spending time looking and finding them before choosing a swim is vital. But many of us fish busy pressured waters where swim choice can be down to literally what’s available on the day.

This is when the ‘go prepared’ approach really scores, sometimes the less favoured vacant swims can turn into sanctuaries where pressured carp will lay up and hide.

If you fish them well or perhaps in a slightly different way to the crowds, you could well turn an unfavoured swim into a hot one.

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MATCH LIFE TACKLING THE TODBER CHALLENGE Billy takes up the story - As the draw was not a water craft draw, it was just a case off pulling a swim out of the hat, myself and Jamie managed to pull out the two complete opposite ends to each other. Before the horn sounded at midday there were plenty of fish showing themselves in the middle part of the lake, so we were both already thinking it could be a hard one for us.

I got off to a good start though as my first fish came within the first half hour and it weighed 17lb 12oz, but from then on the fish just got smaller and smaller with two of them being under the minimum 5lb weight which meant they were too small to count in the match.

I managed eight fish for a total weight of 97lb 1oz which was enough to get me 4th place. A little bit of healthy competition between Jamie and myself did spur us on I suppose, we are both very competitive people.

We usually fish as a team and in that situation it doesn‘t matter which rod goes off or who catches what, we’re both angling for the same result. It was good fun at Todber but we didn’t take the fact that we were fishing against each other too seriously and we were both pleased that we did OK considering the swims available to us. Jamie just beat me into third with 113lb 12oz, he might not agree but I think it was a close run thing!

The angler in 2nd place had only eight carp in total but they were on average a bigger stamp of fish than myself and Jamie. All in all it was a very good match that we both really enjoyed and as I mentioned I think we did well to manage 3rd and 4th from the pegs we were in.

We were well impressed with the lake and onsite tackle shop too, its well worth a visit.

1. We usually see these two fishing as a team 2 Billy Flowers, the Todber challenge offered something different 4. Time for a recast, if its not happening you have to change things around until you get that all important first bite 5. Everything sorted bang on the spot 6. Take everything!

7. Fishing for a bite 8. Todber is a fantastic fishery and well worth a visit - why not come and see us all when the Nash road show visits the venue on Saturday April 16th.

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TODBER MANOR FISHERIES This is a fantastic place to spend a relaxing and very enjoyable weekend, day sessions will be equally as enjoyable and productive too. There are a number of lakes on the complex offering pretty much something for everyone, but Big Hayes where the match was held is particularly impressive.

The lake is around eight and a half acres in size and holds 850 carp including many upper doubles and around a hundred twenties, There’s a few catfish lurking and some cracking big Bream which adds to the interest.

Top tactics - the lake has a relatively featureless bottom, the fish can be quite mobile, if you see signs of feeding carp that’s where you need to be. Solid bags of pellet and boilies work very well, boilie hook baits with a bright pop up or Mutant topper is a top tactic for some hectic action, oh and they really like the new Monster Squid too!

Good Luck!

‘I managed eight fish for a total weight of 97lb 1oz’ 59 2

Dave Beecham - Holiday Carping

1. Dave Beecham

3. Who knows what’s lurking 2. Into the unknown

, I thought I Following on from my last article more about would put pen to paper and write the island. the carp fishing on the whole of the island of As there are many lakes here on all shapes and Gran Canaria which hold carp of y un-caught. sizes, many of which are previousl travelling the Over the coming months I will be es, it really is island and fishing some of the lak an exciting prospect

lake with Presa de Chira is the most prolific 20s, 30s, some thousands of fish including many honest we 40s and the odd 50, although to be ing below really don’t know what could be lurk the unkown! the surface. It really is fishing into so there are The lakes see very little pressure ’t get caught, obviously lots of fish that just don uncaught our clients catch many unseen and le for our day carp, our catch rates are unbelievab catching every trips, its unusual for us not to be single day. fishing on this There is so much more untapped ching carp to island, I have fished other lakes cat and 40s. just over 55lb, along with many 30s

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e a while back I had Tony Davies-Patrick over her started, we fishing and filming and before we island to took the jeep and drove around the fished and find and explore a few of these un carp rolling unspoiled places. We saw many , in the midday and swimming around on the top sunshine! is very difficult As access to some of these lakes some of these we couldn’t really be sure how big all! I will be fish were, but they didn’t look sm ues, which is fishing and writing about these ven here and fish all really exciting as for me to live is as good as it all alone for uncaught large carp gets!

d, but over here Its been a tough winter in Englan ained in the the temperatures have mainly rem it the ideal mid 20s to low 30s, so this makes enjoy some destination to get the rods out and winter sunshine. much like the Through the winter the fishing is the hours summer, the only real difference is and end we fish. During August - September 6.30pm of October the fish are caught from en the sun and right through the night and wh p water for comes up they move into very dee s at night, the day and back into the shallow when the water cools off.

4. Everyone goes home happy!

g below nd is by air, One of the best ways to see the isla s Helicopters, we work with a company called Isla just six they fly our clients to the lakes in erience as minutes! This is truly a fantastic exp carp fishing to the drive is about 1hour, this takes adds much to a new height, excuse the pun and the experience!

Set up, this is All our clients are given a full Nash , Scopex Squid quality gear and well up to the job y well, the fish Red is a bait that works particularl nts certainly just can’t get enough of it, our clie go home happy! island, that’s a There are around 62 lakes on the but out of the lot of water for such a small island, lakes which 62 there are probably only 15 to 20 irrigation. hold carp, the others are simply for

the end of As November creeps in, towards ry, March the month, right through to Februa and the and April the fish are more mobile ng, early afternoon is the best time for catchi colder, as evening and the nights turn a lot we are high up in the mountains. very So if you are at a lose end there are le with reasonably priced airfares availab ch Ryan air or Easyjet and also Monar return sometimes as low as 80GBP for a flight, why not come and see us! om www.carpfishinggrancanaria.c ours.com www.canaryislandcarpfishingt group for You can also follow our facebook daily catch reports Twitter @canarcarpfish Hope to see you soon

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April 2011

E-ZINE www.nashtackle.co.uk