Crafty Carper August 2016

win

One of three nash brollies >>

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arper.c o

No.228 August 2016

August 2016 | Issue 228 | £4.25

J U L I A N c un d i f f

SE SSION Get Crafty... GET CATCHING! craftycarper.co

HOW TO CATCH CARP up in the water with tom maker

+

adventure abroad

make this your best carp fishing holiday with jon mac

perfect selfie

master self-take photography + your chance to win the kit

On sale 20th July – 23th August 2016

layer cake

t h e v e r y l at e s t ta c k l e , b a i t s , t e c h n o l o g y a n d t i p s

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05/07/2016 14:33

Crafty Carper /// Issue CC228 /// August 2016 /// www.craftycarper.co

107

On the cover: Julian Cundiff with a scaly caught on a short session from a Yorkshire venue.

31

16

Rise To The Top

Nash Competition

Alex Shields

Here’s your chance

We ventured down to sunny Essex to meet up with

to win one of three epic Nash

Alex Shields, who was having some brilliant surface-

Groundhog Brollies, which are

fishing action using a variety of hookbaits, along with

great for keeping the elements

his great knowledge of bagging carp off the top.

at bay in the warmer months.

WIN

>> ONE OF THREE NASH BROLLIES

7

Editorial This month, Steve Broad talks

preparation as he gets ready for his trip

er.co

No.228 August 2016

to Teillatts in France. It’s something

craftyca rp

he’s been looking forward to so he spent a good portion of a weekend making sure he had everything ready

JULIAN CUNDIFF

| August 2016 | Issue 228 £4.25

for chasing some French chunks.

11

Master The Midwater

S E S S IO N

Tom Maker

England international and all-round hauling machine, Tom Maker, shows you how to make the most of midwater fishing with Zigs, and how he gets fish feeding competitively with his highly effective Zig slop mix.

18

Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!

Close-Quarter Carping Scott Lloyd

We caught up with Scott Lloyd at Linch Hill’s Willow Lake, where he showed us the way to put fish on the bank from less than a rod-length out. You don’t need to fish far out to catch some truly impressive carp.

25

The Rig Mechanic Lee Wagner

This month, Lee Wagner gives us the

LAYER CAKE

ADVENTURE ABROAD

ins and outs of a rig which has worked

PERFECT SELFIE

super-efficiently for him – the Horton Rig. It’s highly versatile and has caught

craftycarper.co

IN HOW TO CATCH CARP UP THE WATER WITH TOM MAKER

+

MAKE THIS YOUR BEST CARP MAC FISHING HOLIDAY WITH JON

GRAPHY MASTER SELF-TAKE PHOTO KIT + YOUR CHANCE TO WIN THE

2016 On sale 20th July – 23th August

Lee an impressive amount of big fish.

05/07/2016 14:33

121

Short-session Success Julian Cundiff

We all know what it’s like to try to make time to get

Under-21s Blog Dan Price

With A levels out of the way, BYCAC champ Dan Price managed to squeeze in a trip to Linear Fisheries,

ND TIPS E, BAITS, TECHNOLOGY A T H E V E R Y L AT E S T TA C K L

001_Cover_CC228.indd 1

28

where a session on B2 saw him having to make some changes to his tactics to put fish on the bank.

38

What’s Next?

Rob Nunn

We’ve all been there – waking up

on the bank, but it doesn’t always have to be an

after an unproductive night and

overnighter or a day session. A few hours can be just

thinking that was that. But Rob

as productive, as Julian Cundiff shows by giving his

Nunn has a totally different mindset,

expert advice on how he goes about short sessions.

and shows how a blank night shouldn’t dampen your spirits.

4

Crafty Carper

004-005_Contents_CC228.indd 1

05/07/2016 15:15

71

pointers on how you can

Time Greg Myles

get the most from these

Like most of us, finding time

fantastic fisheries.

to get the rods out to feed the

103

The Crafty

obsession can sometimes be

Debate

difficult, as Greg Myles knows

Glugs and dips – do they

only too well. But when you put in the extra effort, the

make a difference? We put

rewards can be well worth it.

it to our panel of experts, which this month includes

75

Precision Trap

the likes of Iain Macmillan,

Setting Alan Stagg

Alex Shields, Lewis Read

When the weed starts to take

and Marcus Barrowcliffe.

hold and the fish are scattered

107

Take The

across the lake, positioning

43

Perfect Selfie

rigs can prove to be a problem.

Ways Around The

We caught up with Alan

Weed

It may seem a tricky thing

Stagg as he showed us how

to get right at first, but

Dave Lane

he gets around these tricky

with a bit of practice you

With the warm sunny

situations to reap the rewards.

can get some perfect

weather comes the dreaded weed, and it’s something that can be a real battle

self-take shots. And to

81

The TicketMaster

go with the tips we’ve

We’ve got three

put together, there’s a

fantastic venues for you this

competition courtesy of

Lane has a few tricks up

month: Lavender Hall Fishery, a

Johnson Ross, with five

his sleeve, which he shares

beautiful lake in the Midlands;

self-take kits to be won.

with us to help find a

Todber Manor’s Wadmill Lake,

way around the weed.

where there are plenty of

at the best of times. Dave

49

113

Catch Column This is the

bites to be had; and finally,

Carp Food

Majestic Pool, an intimate lake

In this issue, Steve

place to get your catch

based in Hull, which contains

picture published, so

Broad checks out some of

some true character fish. Be

send them in to us,

the awesome products from

sure to take advantage of

and you’re in with the

DNA Baits, including the

the free fishing on offer in

chance of a great prize,

Crayfish Mini Mix pellets and

this issue of TicketMaster.

courtesy of Sticky Baits.

Swimstim liquid (a deadly combination), as well as a whole host of brilliant baits which are well worth

85

126

Carpers’ Kit

Inbox

The latest kit in the

Keep up to date

carp-fishing world is featured

with all the latest news

in the Carpers’ Kit section this

and views from around

month. It includes some fantastic

the carp-angling scene,

The Question Is

products from FishHunter,

plus the recent winner

Our panel of experts

checking out this month.

56

Chub’s extremely comfortable

from JRC’s Every Picture

this time consists of Lee

Vantage Flatbed, and some great

Tells A Story competition.

Merritt, John Kneebone,

bits of kit which we think are

Steve Briggs, Ellis Brazier and

essential for modern carpers.

Allan Parbery, a collection of serious big-fish anglers who have caught some truly

129

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June 2016 | Issue 226 | £4.25

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Get Crafty... GET CATCHING!

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Contents /// August 2016

Crafty Carper

Crafty Carper

55 09/05/2016 14:06

5

LINEAR FISHERIES, NEAR WITNEY, OXFORDSHIRE, OX29 7QF 05/07/2016 15:16

TOM MAKER

MASTER THE

WATER

MID

Tom Maker has been on the carp scene for a good number of years, and his catch results speak for themselves, especially his big-hit Zig tactics. The bites don’t always come to you, but by working the swim, you can make them happen, as Tom shows us.

Crafty Carper 010-014_Master_The_Midwater_Feature_CC228.indd 1

11 30/06/2016 10:55

Master The Midwater Tom Maker

I

often find myself fishing on the

At this time of year, you can achieve

higher stocked waters; places such

a hit of carp, multiple catches and

as Linear Fisheries are a prime

exhausting sessions. The key is to spod

example. On such lakes, there aren’t

bait over the top of the Zigs and get

many tactics which are more effective

the fish competing for the food in the

than Zigs, especially at this time of

upper layers. Thinking back to all the

year. Going back 10 years now, I have

matches I fished on these lakes in the

had amazing sessions fishing solely

summer, they were all won on Zigs. The

with Zigs. Back then they were not

fish, under immense pressure, seem

known about as much, but even with

to find safety in the upper layers and

having them at their disposal, they seem just as effective in the right situation. The key to fishing with Zigs on lakes such as Brasenose

“

are willing to feed there.

Like any lake or

The fish, under immense pressure, seem to find safety in the upper layers and are willing to feed there

One and Two is to feed the swim. You

“

everyone

A marker float is essential to understand the depth of the spot.

situation, the first thing I look for is the carp. I walk around until I find an area where they are showing regularly. Once

Having a few Zigs tied up ready will save you so much time on the bank.

I have selected my swim, it is

can catch on single Zigs, but that

important to have a quick lead around,

seems to be more effective during

but also check the depth of the swim.

the colder months, or in early spring.

You need to get a decent measurement Three spods every 10 minutes is a good indication of when to feed.

Measure the Zig against your rod to make things quick and easy.

Once the rods are out, the elastic should sit parallel to indicate them all being on the same spot, and right underneath the spod mix you are introducing.

The slop dispersing from the spod into the layers.

12

Crafty Carper

010-014_Master_The_Midwater_Feature_CC228.indd 2

30/06/2016 10:55

Master The Midwater Tom Maker

Carrying a variety of different-coloured hookbaits is key; some will work better than others, depending on the circumstances.

When playing the carp, keep the rod down and away from the other lines.

Like buses, not long after putting one back, Tom was away again.

An anti-tangle sleeve will kick the hooklink away and prevent tangles.

of the surrounding area too. If it is

I quickly whip them off the disc and

or tubing, as the Zig tends to latch

have found a nice little combination

10ft where it lands on the line clip,

measure them against the rod. I use

itself around it and tangle. With line

that has worked really well for me.

but 12ft a few yards short, then you

12ft rods, so go halfway for a 6ft Zig

straight down, I don’t get tangles. I add

need to make sure that the fishing

and to the reel for a 10ft. It makes it

an anti-tangle sleeve to the Zig and

to the mix, which sinks slowly and

rod hits the clip bang on and doesn’t

a lot quicker than having to measure

pull it up on to the swivel, just to kick

makes up the food element. The

fall short. That 2ft variance can be

it accurately against a rig board or

the hooklink away from the line. When

fish can take this on the drop, and

the difference in getting a bite and

something

sitting behind motionless bobbins.

like that. You

It also allows you to have the depth

don’t have to

in mind to enable you to adjust and

be exact to the

play around with the depths of the

centimetre, as

Zigs. I set my Zig depth depending

long as you are

on the conditions, and how high up

roughly there.

in the water I think the fish are. If it

There isn’t an

was 12ft, then I would have one at

absolute rule

10ft, one at 8ft and one at 6ft, and

on which depth

that would be a good starting point.

to fish, it’s all

I carry a number of Zig Alignas

about where

“

I always deliver three spods, and then leave it for 7-10 minutes before adding a few more

I start off by adding some hemp

it hits the clip,

they do. I then add a few handfuls of

the Zig will lay

corn, but not too much. If there are

out behind the

around four to five grains per spod,

lead, and you

I know that if the fish are feeding,

should see a

they will take it as it drops. This also

second little

helps when I am fishing a yellow Zig

splash where

Aligna, to match what I am putting

the foam has

out, so to speak. I also add some

landed. Once

Manilla Active Mix. I used to use The

the Zigs are

Krill, but the Manilla is perfect for

assembled,

this tactic. Its colour and solubility

I wrap all

makes it the ultimate Zig cloud, and

the rods so

it really does make the water murky.

they match

It has loads of small food items which

the marker

sink really slowly, and this helps add

“

with me too, with various coloured

you want to

foam and kickers. Some days a yellow

be on the day.

will work, on other days it will be

You could have

brown or a black; it really does differ

a load of fish on 6ft Zigs one week,

and the spod rod. I then cast them

more food element. The final addition

from day to day. I have a load of Zigs

and then not get a bite on them

all pretty close to each other to

is the Cloudy Manilla Liquid, which

already done before I go fishing,

the following week. They could be

maximise the chance of getting a

again is extremely cloudy and really

which saves so much time on the

higher in the water, so you have to

bite while I am spodding in the area.

colours up the water. It also sends

bank. It can be time-consuming

experiment and find the right depth.

It’s so important to get the spod

a lovely sweet smell all around the

getting everything clipped up to the

I have a very simple arrangement,

mix right, and I wouldn’t just chuck

swim. With this mix, everything bar

marks, and then having to tie a load

with just the line running down to the

out anything. I have seen various

the corn and hemp lingers in the

of Zigs is just wasting valuable time.

lead clip. I don’t like having leadcore

mixes used and they will work, but I

upper layers for long periods of time.

Crafty Carper 010-014_Master_The_Midwater_Feature_CC228.indd 3

13 30/06/2016 10:55

Master The Midwater Tom Maker That is what I am looking for; I want

it and wonder what it is. If you

to start over again. It’s a tactic used a

and as the day goes on, the fish

to hold those fish up in the water.

do this for an hour or so, you can

lot by match anglers, and it can get you

become more competitive, and as a

Many anglers are unsure when

guarantee that at some point there

multiple hits. The reason they catch so

result, come up higher in the water

to spod, and how much to put out.

will be fish in and around your spot.

many is because they are regimented,

in search of the food. This is when to

feeding after each bite and working the

lift the Zigs up slightly, sometimes

I always deliver three spods, and

Once you land the first fish, make

then leave it for 7-10 minutes before

sure it is safely secured in the net,

swim. It will catch you more fish, but

right up near the surface. If you are

adding a few more. The key is to

and grab the spod rod. You need to

you have to be prepared to work at it.

fishing a water with a good head

feed regularly and give the fish a

keep the fish in the swim, competing

reason to stick around in your spot.

for food. If you leave it for half an

If you keep the cloudy mix going in,

hour and stop feeding, the fish could

the water to

anything which swims by will notice

drift off elsewhere and you will have

start with,

I have found that I often get bites lower down in

of fish, but struggling to catch off the bottom, this tactic is well worth trying, and I am sure it will put you a few extra fish on the bank. CC

Another fish and another 20lb carp – this tactic really can be effective.

how to make tom’s manilla slop mix 1

2

3

1 - Take a good helping of hemp; this will slowly sink through the layers and be the main food particles.

2 - Add a conservative amount of sweetcorn, just enough for around five grains per spod which goes out.

3 - The base of it is Manilla Active Mix. Add a generous helping – you can’t really overdo it.

4

5

6

4 - Pour in some Cloudy Manilla Liquid. This complements the mix and gives a really sweet cloud which is full of attraction.

5 - Mix everything together and add water. Add a little at a time to get the consistency right, and make it sloppy.

6 - Here’s the finished sloppy mix, full of attraction and food signals, and it will work great when put out over Zigs.

14

Crafty Carper

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30/06/2016 10:56

18

Crafty Carper

018-022_Close-Quarter Carping_CC228.indd 1

01/07/2016 12:51

Close-Quarter Carping

Scott Lloyd

CLOSE-QUARTER

CARPING SCOTT LLOY D

On a lot of venues, there are often fish mooching around the margins, hiding in snaggy areas, and finding refuge from the pressures of open water. If you can find the fish and stay quiet enough, there’s always a good chance of a bite, as Scott Lloyd showed us when we caught up with him on Linch Hill’s Willow Lake.

I

’ve fished the Linch Hill complex for a number of years, and have had some brilliant success on all the waters

there. One of the lakes which has taken my interest recently is the smallest lake on the complex, Willow Lake. I’ve learned an awful lot from fishing all these lakes, and the biggest aspect of this, to me, has got to be watercraft. From my time fishing on the huge 47-acre Stoneacres Lake, I’ve often found that when the circumstances are right, there’s no need to cast to the horizon in pursuit of a bite. The margins can be highly productive, and I prefer the element of intimacy of being able to watch fish moving over my spot and feeding over my bait. There’s a lot to be learned from this style of fishing in close quarters, and it soon became a huge part of my armoury when it comes to tackling tricky venues for wary old carp, such as the ones which reside in the waters at Linch.

I arrived at the lake the night before meeting up with Tom (who eventually managed to find his way to Willow, after taking a massive detour halfway around Stoneacres, before realising he was heading in the wrong direction), and immediately started to pay attention to

A snag-feeding victim in the cells, which certainly got preoccupied on the pellets.

Crafty Carper 018-022_Close-Quarter Carping_CC228.indd 2

19 01/07/2016 12:51

Close-Quarter Carping Scott Lloyd

Travel light and find fish which keep out of the pressures of open water.

the water. These venues face a lot of

is my presentation. I have a go-to

with most of the swims taken and a

style of rig which has been highly

lot of lines being present in the water,

successful for me wherever I fish, and

as you’d expect from such a busy day

the mechanics of it work perfectly, so

ticket venue. I was looking for signs of

there’s no need to change. Whether

movement, and walked a few laps of

I’m fishing 2 yards out or 100 yards

the lake before eventually putting a

out, it works exactly the same and is

bucket down in a swim which had some

just as effective. Having watched how

very interesting-looking overhanging

fish react over different presentations

branches and snags in the water.

and seeing what lies on the lakebed,

These are the kind of areas where

the different things you’re fishing over,

they will feed a lot more comfortably

you’d need a huge variety of different

in an area where they feel safer. I set

colours in different shades to try to

up, but before putting the rods out, I

match it all the best you can. To get

walked back to the snags next door

around this, I simply use a good length

and sat there watching the water as

of IQ Fluorocarbon, which is virtually

the fish moved in and out. In these

invisible over almost every bottom. I

kind of situations, you don’t need much

just keep it pinned down with a good

bait to get the

amount of

carp to feed

putty, and

confidently. All

believe me, I’m

you need is a

not shy when

of a goodquality bait in which you have confidence.

I’ve been using Sticky’s Krill,

I spend a lot of time sitting in the tree near to the baited spots, so I can keep an eye on what is going on

it comes to using the heavy stuff. Three big dollops up my fluorocarbon leader gives me peace of

which is a bait

mind that it’s

that has worked

nailed to the

wonders for

decks and fish

me all over the

aren’t going

complex, and for the circumstances

to be spooking off it. The beauty of

I’m faced with. I decided to make a

using a putty like Dark Matter is that

small mix consisting of Krill pellets,

it’s soft enough to rip off should it need

liquid and boilies, which I used crushed

to, and when fishing around things

and whole. This mixture gets the fish

like snags and other such obstacles

really grubbing around and feeding

underwater, if you’re unlucky enough

super-confidently, which is just what

to be cut off for whatever reason, the

you want in these circumstances.

fish are only trailing a small amount

Instead of getting fish to come to you,

of fluorocarbon, rather than a large

and luring them out of their comfort

amount of tungsten putty. That

zones, you go to them and tackle

being said, I’m not a fan of wasting

them in an area they were already

it, and still recycle as much as I can.

happy to be in and feed, which makes everything a lot more effective.

20

to get the right match in colour for all

fish find refuge from anglers, and

good handful

Use big leads that aren’t going to roll down marginal slopes, and move the rig.

The next thing I take into account

pressure over the course of a weekend,

Once my spots are primed with a small amount of bait and I feel

A little tub of bait, just enough to prime a spot with a whole load of attraction.

Crafty Carper

018-022_Close-Quarter Carping_CC228.indd 3

01/07/2016 12:52

Close-Quarter Carping

Scott Lloyd

I’m conscious about keeping my lines on the best angles to avoid spooking the fish.

the fish are confident on the baited

on the bait. As the water started to

spots, it’s time to put the rods in. A

cloud more, and it got harder to see

whittled-down Krill Dumbell wafter is

the baited spot, it dawned on me that

my hookbait of choice, as I can really

the fish had become preoccupied on

get the buoyancy of the bait critical.

the pellets in the mix and the boilies

Knowing that I’m fishing on a gradual

were being avoided, which meant

slope in the margin, it’s vital to use a

that the likelihood of my hookbait

decent-sized lead that isn’t going to

being picked up was much slimmer.

roll further down, and although it may

The fish were simply filter-feeding

sound a bit like overkill, I opt to use

on small particles in the area. I felt I

5oz flat pears. These leads aren’t going

needed to make a change quickly to

anywhere, and they will only improve the hooking potential by having an extra bit of weight behind them to

try to nick a bite while the fish were One of my biggest tools – Polaroids – and a cap to help me see through the glare.

still moving around the area. When fishing very closed-in swims like this

really drive the hook home, and allow

one, the fish can quickly be spooked

you to drop the lead with greater ease.

out of the area. They can very much

Once the rigs are in position, I keep

be one-bite swims, and this means

the lines in the water to a minimum;

it can pay to have a variety of spots

having the best line angle possible

prebaited in anticipation of a move.

when stalking can be a key factor to

After making a quick decision for a

initially getting the bite in the first

change of tactics, and being concerned

place. Venues like Willow have seen

that the fish had been troughing the

it all before, so you have to be extra

pellets, I figured that a solid bag would

sneaky, and that includes keeping your

be just the ticket. When lowered onto

presence on the bank to a minimum.

the spot with minimum disturbance,

The less the fish know, the better.

it would give a good mouthful for any

I spend a lot of time sitting in the

passing carp which had obviously taken

tree near to the baited spots, so I can

a liking to the pellets I’d originally

keep an eye on what is going on. If I

introduced just for attraction purposes.

can clearly see fish feeding over my

I’m sure that if I had only introduced

spot and I’m not getting a pickup, I can

boilies, I wouldn’t have the fish feeding

make key changes to try to induce a

as confidently as they were at the time,

bite. I might not get this if I can’t see

and so sometimes it’s best to go with

what’s going on under the surface,

the grain and give the fish what they

and that’s why my Polaroids are so

seem to want. I used a good helping of

important to me when fishing like this.

the mix I’d already introduced into the

When I was watching the fish over

swim, and although it was messy, I was

my left-hand rod, which I’d positioned closest to the bush, I noticed that the fish came in and fed confidently

ready to lower it onto the spot. I waited A Krill Dumbell wafter, which I can whittle down to be perfectly balanced.

until the fish had returned to the shelter of the branches of the trees,

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Close-Quarter Carping Scott Lloyd

You don’t need to cast to the horizon to get some great action, and big fish too.

It tipped the scales round to just over 21lb, which was a nice result from such a quiet day.

and then lowered the bag into the swim. I watched as the bubbles came to the surface and the bag dissolved.

Standing in the tree once again, I could see that everything was presented just how I wanted it to be, and I was already confident that should a fish come in to investigate the parcel of food lying in wait, I would certainly get a bite.

After around 10 minutes, the rod was away, and I had to jump out of the tree to get to it. My little Outkast stalker was bent fully round as the fish made a desperate attempt to get into the snags, but with a lot of side-strain, Not the prettiest. A bag of goodness, and it was exactly what the fish seemed to be enjoying.

Super-heavy and nigh-on invisible. An IQ leader with lots of putty to really nail it down.

I managed to get it clear. I was already in my waders because the weather had been fairly unpleasant during the day and the area I was fishing was fairly muddy, so I was able to get straight into the water to a comfortable depth, which allowed me further control over the fish. It finally came to the net after an intense battle at close-quarters; it really didn’t want to give in, and I could tell it was pretty angry for being disturbed in its own environment, where it perhaps thought it was safe.

With the fish safely in the net, I let it rest in the margins while I got the mat, sling and carp-care kit ready. These are all pretty old and stunning-looking fish, and it’s important to give them a bit of care, especially when they look like they do. I lifted the fish out and onto the mat, where she behaved for the cameras and weighed in at 21lb 4oz; a beautiful old fish which I’d caught from less than 5 yards out. It just goes to show that fishing this close in allows you to make some important changes, as long as you watch what’s going on under the surface. In return,

Under the rod tip from pickup to landing – serious close-quarter carping.

22

you’ll learn a lot about the way fish behave when feeding, and that will allow you to put more on the bank. CC

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ALEX SHIELDS

RISE TO THE

TOP

It’s the height of summer, the fish are basking in the sun, and you can see them exactly where you want them as they drift in and out of the surface scum. We caught up with Alex Shields for a muggy day’s angling to see how he targets the surface-slurping carp.

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Rise To The Top Alex Shields

D

uring the warmer months, you can really optimise your time on the bank, which doesn’t

necessarily mean being stuck behind the rods, waiting for one to rip off.

I become a lot more active with my angling and time at the lake, and spend more time targeting fish. I personally find it much more enjoyable. You can see what you are fishing for, and watch the behaviour of the fish, and not only are you actually doing more fishing, you’re also learning a lot. You can watch fish visit different areas of the lake, and see how long they stay there, before moving into other areas. A lot of anglers

There are a variety of ways to attach the hookbait, it just depends on the bait and the situation.

will agree with me when I say that it’s the best kind of carp fishing. There’s no other feeling like bagging one off the top, and you can have some really good

Slick off the ripple; a good dose of hemp oil will do the trick.

hits of fish if you do it right. It’s not always the smaller, keener fish which are suckers for a floater, even the big girls are partial, and if you find them, there’s a good chance of catching them.

I arrived at the A12 Cuton Lakes Fishery to find a huge number of fish cruising about on the surface and bathing in the sun. In my opinion, the most important aspect of tackling surface-feeding fish is to get the baiting situation right, and to do this you have to get the fish feeding confidently. When surface fishing, some people get too excited and cast on to the fish too quickly. By doing this, not only are you reducing your chances of getting a bite at that time, it can also be detrimental to a day’s angling, especially when they are usually cagey feeders. The best thing to do is to try to get the fish feeding

competitively, and you can achieve

You can get the baits out accurately

this by baiting up regularly. Something

at further range, which is ideal for

to take into account when baiting

when you want to get lots of bait

up on a regular basis, with floating

out and fast. It’s especially helpful

baits such as dog biscuits or Big Hit

when starting, as birdlife on a lot

Floaters, is that if you get lots of fish

of venues is often in abundance

feeding aggressively, it can be very

around this time of year, and they

difficult to overfeed, so be sure to have

can be a nuisance when trying to

plenty of bait to hand because you

trip up surface-slurping carp. The

can soon go through a fair amount.

birds were no different on this lake,

I have a selection of ways for

Get it out there – Spomb, catapult and baiting spoon, all ways to effectively get bait out.

32

and were soon causing me issues,

getting my bait out, which all achieve a

taking every bait put out. I think the

slightly different spread. For example,

best way around this is to feed them

I use Spombs, catapults and baiting

off in a different area, and this way,

spoons. The Spomb keeps all the bait

they are less likely to bother you. You

together, and can be fished at a much

can go about your fishing without

greater range than a catapult load of

the hassle of watching over your

floaters, which will be more spread

shoulder for the armada of water fowl

out and at a much shorter range. The

heading your way, ready to attack

baiting spoon, although not as compact

strategically placed freebies which

as the catapult, is a great bit of kit.

the carp have just started nosing.

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Rise To The Top Alex Shields

When the fish are feeding happily and taking super-confidently, this is the time to finally get a rod in the water. Although you’ve already waited for the fish to grow in confidence, it’s still important to take your time, and make sure you don’t spook them when you cast in. If you cast amongst the feeding fish, the chances are you’re going to spook them; this knocks their confidence and slows the feeding, which is the last thing you want to do. They are much trickier to trip up when they aren’t competitively feeding. There are a few different types of hookbaits which I prefer to use, and there are different ways of presenting these baits. I like to use pop-ups, Crafty Catcher Floaters, bits of fake baits, such as fake mixers, and even real mixers. For these different baits, there are a few ways in which I like to present them. If I’m fishing with pop-ups, I whittle them down into a square shape, and either cut a groove into the bait and superglue the hook in place, or tie up a Hair Rig to present the bait. I make sure that the hookbait has been whipped close to the shank of the hook. If I’m Hair-rigging the bait, I add a bit of different-coloured foam to the top of the bait. This helps to tell the difference between my hookbait and any freebies around the hook, so I can strike when a fish goes for my mixer, rather than waiting for the float to shoot off and the line to rip up off the surface. Sometimes I even

My third bite in a short period of time, just as Tom arrived with the camera.

My favourite surface-fishing setup: Bolt Bubble, 4/5ft of hooklink, and a Hair-rigged trimmed-down pop-up.

Slick off the ripple; a good dose of hemp oil will do the trick.

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Rise To The Top Alex Shields One of the biggest of the day, a stunning surface-caught mirror.

Keep the swim topped up and the carp feeding confidently. It’s the secret to success.

34

Big Hit Floaters and Hookbaits – high-attract and the perfect bait package to have to hand in the car.

just trim a pop-up and side-hook the

be absolutely devastating. The fish

bait, which can be just as effective,

don’t suspect a thing and take the

although it’s important to try to get a

bait confidently, the only downside

bait which is fairly dark and matches

being that pellet bands can be quite

the freebies. I also side-hook the soft

fiddly, and a bit of a nightmare if you

Floaters, which are ideal for this. They

haven’t got the knack for using them.

stay on the hook firmly enough, and

The next part which is important is

make for ideal baits to be free-lined,

the way you get the hookbait out there.

as well as being boosted and oozing

There are several ways to go about it,

flavours and attractants. This gives

and my personal favourite is by means

the fish something to home in on,

of a controller float. I choose to use the

and due to the brighter colour, gives

Fox Bolt Bubble, which is available in a

you something to see too. On some

few different sizes. It can be filled with

venues, the fish are only interested

water to dictate the amount of weight

in the freebies themselves, and the

in the float, allowing you to cast to the

way round this is to try to match

range needed to get the hookbait out.

the hatch. This is when pellet bands

It’s important to cast past where the

come into their own, and they can

fish are feeding, because the last thing

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Rise To The Top Alex Shields

you want is to plonk a heavy bubble

of hemp oil, so once in the water, it

float right amongst them and spook

flattens off any surface ripple and

them. By casting past them and slowly

makes it easier to see cruising fish. I can

drawing the float and hookbait back

easily target fish this way, and keep the

into position, you can make it appear as

bait going in to keep them interested.

if it’s one of the free offerings which

Don’t be impatient. You may strike out of a few fish, so be prepared to miss some.

I don’t know many anglers who don’t

their way through. I like to keep my

actually use them, but it goes without

hooklinks fairly long, so I use a good

saying that a good pair of Polaroid

4/5ft of hooklink material. This needs

sunglasses are worth their weight in

to be thin so the carp don’t suspect

gold, especially during the warmer

anything, and strong, because fights

months. You can see everything a

can be explosive on light tackle.

lot clearer, and you’re less likely to

Once I had my rod in the water, it didn’t take long at all before I got a take. I decided to use the Hair Rig

It’s common sense, but Polaroids are an important part of your armoury.

It’s common sense these days, and

the fish have been happily munching

make mistakes if you can see exactly what it is that you are doing.

When the weather is warm and there

method of attaching the hookbait, with

isn’t much of a breeze, finding the fish

a small speck of white foam to allow

isn’t always so straightforward. It’s no

me to identify which bait was mine. I

secret that carp love hiding in snags

saw a pair of lips come out of the water,

and bathing in the sun, just under the

slurping in mixers left, right and centre

scum often lying around the margins.

before taking my hookbait. I struck

If you’re on a lake where willow trees

into the fish with the line whipping off

are present, the chances are that

the surface, and I was in contact with

there is a fair amount of willow fluff;

it straight away. It was a good battle,

it settles on the water and drifts into

and I eventually got it to the net after

the margins, and makes the perfect

a good plod around the margins. As

place for carp to hide under. So, even

soon as it was in the net, I got more

if you can’t see them, try dropping

floaters out there. It’s always handy to

a few freebies amongst the scum,

carry a small bucket of mixers with you;

and they’ll soon show themselves.

this is what makes the Big Hit Floater

Don’t be afraid to leave the 3-rod

Kits perfect for this kind of fishing, as

setup at home and treat yourself to a

there is just enough bait for a great

few hours’ walking around your local

day’s fishing. The only thing I do is give

water. It’s easy to put bonus fish on the

it a bit of a kick with a good helping

bank, and have a great time doing it. CC

Onsequ volorep ni omm eaquo eatur r Get amongst the willow fluff – surface scum which provides plenty of cover for the fish.

A common which took the bait on the drop, only seconds in the water to get a bite.

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DAVE LANE

W AYS

AROUND

THE WEED With longer days and lots of sunshine, lakes across the UK are covered in the green stuff, which makes fishing tricky. Dave Lane knows all about tackling weedy venues, and here’s what he has to say on the matter.

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Ways Around The Weed Dave Lane

Cleverley Mere, 23rd August – a new hole in the weed and a huge mirror.

Another Burghfield biggie from a weedy old swim.

A scaly mirror taken from a heavily weeded area.

A

ugust is not generally regarded

easier when the weed is touching

as one of the better months

the surface in August than when it

in the carp-fishing calendar,

is hidden below the surface earlier

but to be totally honest, I have fared

in the year. At least you can see the

quite well. A lot of the larger pits

map when the weedbeds are lying

always seem to fish fairly well at this

across the top, and even flowering in

time of year, and even some of the

places, so visibly pick out the areas

smaller lakes are still productive, but

most likely to be clean, and work out

the main obstacle is often the weed.

the possible routes of the fish.

By August, a lot of our waters are

Carp use the weed in many different

choked with summer weeds, Canadian

ways – as a source of food and a larder

pondweed being the most common,

full of natural grub; as a place to lie-up

although milfoil, silkweed and blanket

and be safe, sheltering from anglers

weed can also be problematic. Weed

and the sun; and as a point of reference

of any sort is obviously going to affect

as they move around the lake from bed

your presentation, but the thing to

to bed. The channels in-between the

that it is not always in a negative way.

One way of looking at the problem is this: if 90 per cent of the lake is covered in weed, then there is only 10 per cent where the fish can feed on the bottom.

“

The channels in-between the weedbeds are often the easiest routes for the fish, the paths of least resistance, and a good place to lay an ambush

“

remember is

This reduces the options of where to cast and

weedbeds

the retrieve, which leads to a lot of

bottom, it doesn’t mean it is clear.

are often

false clear spots. Areas might seem

You need to remember that weed can

the easiest

clean when you mark up, but when

grow on hard ground as well as soft,

routes for

you retrieve the rig the next day, you

and weed which stands straight up

the fish, the

find you were fishing in solid weed!

from the bottom will not mute the

paths of least

There are two things to look for

donk of a lead at all, but you could still be fishing inside a forest of weed.

resistance, and

when searching out clear spots in

a good place to

weed, and the first of these is a clean

lay an ambush.

drop. You need to trap the lead on

present in your lake, it can sometimes

The best way

impact and lift the rod to remove all the

be the slightly deeper and siltier areas

to ascertain

velocity/momentum of the lead. Then,

which are the clearer ones, so the

if a spot is

lower it as slowly as you can, feeling

donk theory doesn’t always hold up,

really clear,

through the water for the slightest

I’m afraid. You are looking for a smooth

or covered in

resistance on the way down. Letting

retrieve, and the slower you feel for

hidden weed,

it swing back towards you is no good

this, the better. What you actually want

is with a

because you are covering too much

is to keep the lead in contact with the

braided main

water, and you are far more likely to

lakebed. If, after a single rod-length

line, a fairly

hit weed; just lower it straight down

of pull-back, you move the tip forward

heavy lead,

through the area you are exploring.

again and feel the lead descend and hit

and a rig; this

Any ping or tap on the descent and

the bottom, then you have lost contact,

Depending on the type of weed

increases your chance of picking the

is far more effective than a marker

it’s pretty much odds-on that you have

and this is most likely because you have

right spot. The challenge – should you

float. A marker float takes away a lot

gone through the top of a subsurface

dragged up the stems of weed, lifting

choose to accept it –is to find these

of the weight of the lead and tends

weedbed, and just because you

the lead across the weed like a fulcrum.

clear spots, but believe me, it is a lot

to lift the lead clear of the bottom on

might get a nice donk as the lead hits

44

Sometimes, a long weedbed over

Crafty Carper

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Ways Around The Weed Dave Lane

Back in the old Wraysbury days, checking for clear spots.

firm ground can feel like a decent spot, but a single tap while sinking the lead will give the game away. If the lead stays in contact with the lakebed and the rig doesn’t snag up, then you have found a proper spot, one worth fishing.

It’s worth noting, however, that not all clean spots on a weedy lake are necessarily feeding areas, but you will only find this out by trying them. Any lake which has gravel in it can also have hard clear areas that are made up of stone or compressed gravel and sand. They are so hard and unyielding that they hold no natural food, and get ignored by the carp completely.

When I used to fish at Wraysbury, and I had the use of a boat to check my spots, I found a lot of rocky areas made up of something called ironstone, and from the bank, they felt just like the classic gravel bars which are usually so productive. They were large lumps of compressed rock and stone which had simply been left behind during the

Kelp weed, one of the worst types of all.

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Ways Around The Weed Dave Lane

Me and Padwar clearing a swim of floating weed.

digging process, and the fish never

been ignored for months due to the

had been written off for at least a

areas, is to watch the birdlife on the

fed on them. Mostly though, clear

huge amount of weed reaching the

month. It was overlooked because of

lake. You can tell a lot about the depth

areas in weedy lakes are kept clean

surface, but I regularly spotted carp

the huge floating beds of weed, which

of the weed and the clearer areas by

by the fish feeding on them, and a

disappearing into a large hole in the

gave the impression of the entire area

watching the way that the swans,

regular supply of bait will keep them

middle of the weed. Previously, it had

being choked with greenery. A bit of

geese, and especially the coots, are

this way, or even expand them in size

been unfishable, but a quick drag with

exploration with a braided line and

feeding. You can see how far the larger

as the fish open them up by rooting

a lead showed me that the fish had

a large lead soon proved otherwise.

birds have to stretch to eat the fresh

around the edges and displacing

changed the bottom completely, and a

The surface weed was still intact, but

tops of the weed, and if you know the

the weed which surrounds them.

large circle of silt had been uncovered

the fish had been busy tearing up

depth already, you can work out the

If a lake gets really weedy, you may

only a few rod-lengths from the bank.

the bottom below the canopy, and I

length of the weed. Coots regularly

find that all sorts of fish are drawn to

I quickly set up, flicked out two baits,

managed to land 13 carp in a 3-day

dive over clear areas, especially if they

a clear area, and baiting with hemp as

and bagged myself two of the bigger

session. The biggest of these was

receive any amount of bait, and this

well as boilies will help to strip it out

mirrors in the lake. Needless to say, the

a fantastic-looking mirror of 44lb.

can be a telltale sign. Are they coming

and make it easier to fish, but there

swim wasn’t ignored much after that!

is usually a limit. If a spot becomes too big and blatant, the carp seem to

On Burghfield, I had my biggest hit of the year by fishing a swim which

Another little trick that is worth

up with weed or not? Are they actually

employing before you start to thrash

going right to the bottom and searching

the water to a foam, looking for clear

for bait? Grebes are another ‘giveaway’

feed over the top of it with extreme caution. They can be seen mooching about, but the terminal tackle becomes very obvious and the carp seem to get away with it a lot more than usual.

During the summer, displaced and floating weed can also be a good indication that fish are feeding in weedy areas and opening up new spots.

Just because an area has been solid for months, it doesn’t mean that it’s not worth rechecking every now and again.

If you see regular bubbling or other activity in a weeded-up swim, then it’s always worth pulling a lead around to see if the bottom has changed at all.

I could recount scores of examples of this which I have encountered over the years, where a swim has been written off, only to produce a big hit of fish to an enterprising angler who decided to ignore the facts and give it a go anyway. There was a little swim on Cleverley Mere which had

46

One of a Burghfield haul from a sneaky clear area under the weed.

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Ways Around The Weed Dave Lane

Sometimes, in thick weed, there is no option but to break out the boat.

species, as they hunt at speed, and

the bottom and drift off to find a better

traditional close season, then August

do to change this, apart from maybe a

rarely through the middle of thick weed.

and lighter area, and this creates the

is not actually that far into the year,

concerted effort on the surface at first

They prefer to charge up the clear

perfect ground for the fish to forage in.

and a lot of the fish may not have been

and last light, trying to bag one on a

caught yet, or maybe caught just the

floater to save a blank. Floater fishing

channels and catch fish as they cross

All the larger areas of this kind at

over from the weed on each side. By

St Ives were soft silt spots, where

once, whereas an all-year water will

is, without doubt, one of the most

watching the grebes, you can often get

the rooted weed was, I assume, not

have had significant pressure by this

frustrating forms of angling, but at the

an idea of the clearer strips, and thus

so wound into the bottom. The fish

stage of the game. This may well affect

same time, it can be one of the most

have a head start of where to look first.

moved straight in as it cleared, feeding

the way a lake fishes, during what is

rewarding, and the middle of summer

Just last August on St Ives, there

happily in the thick silt. I caught a few

traditionally the hottest part of the

is prime time for a surface bite or two.

was a similar situation. The weed was

during this time, using a very standard

year, and the weather itself will also

If you decide to approach the lake

horrendous, and we spent more time

method of tight beds of boilies in the

be a massive factor. When the weed

this summer, don’t be put off by the

raking it out than we actually did fishing,

silt, which is my favourite method

is up and the sun is high, there can be

fact that August has a bad reputation,

but below a lot of the floating rafts, we

over soft ground. To be honest, St Ives

a lot of days where the oxygen levels

or that the surface is more green than

found large areas of clear bottom. It’s

actually fished better in August than it

are quite low. The lake takes on a

blue. There is always the chance of a

not just the fish which clear these spots;

did in September or October, which are

‘cooked’ appearance, and the fish just

bite, but never when you are sitting at

the absolute absence of light makes the

usually the prime months of the year.

bask, being in a very lethargic mood.

home thinking about it! Tight lines, and

Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot you can

go out and bag an August whacker. CC

Canadian pondweed actually let go of

If you are fishing a lake which has a

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e h T e k a T ON T O M M O R R IS

T C E F R E P E I F L SE You’ve found the fish, spent time and effort baiting and targeting them, and finally slipped the net under the one you want, but there’s no one around to capture the moment. Not to worry, here’s how to take the perfect self-take photo.

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Take The Perfect Selfie Tom Morrison

so you can position the trigger over where the photo-taking button on the camera is actually located. The piece that screws into the bottom of the camera also has a thread in the bottom, which allows you to screw in the tripod adapter. This means you can easily put it on the tripod and take it off to store away when not in use.

Another neat trick I actually picked up from Julian Cundiff is to use a weatherproof bag. He doesn’t use a tripod, but instead prefers to use a bankstick with a camera adapter. Once it’s in the ground with the camera on top, he simply covers the camera with the bag to protect it from getting wet, etc. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend leaving expensive camera outside overnight, as you hear far too many horror stories about equipment being

Spend a few minutes to make sure the photos are framed nicely, and the kit is set up correctly.

I

stolen, but if you’re on a secure lake where you trust everything to be safe, things are a little different.

t was only recently that I personally

the extent of using a landing net

getting a trophy shot again!

got to grips with using self-take

pole to push the button down on the

Start at the Top

to take the photo works on pressure. It

equipment. Before that, it was a real

camera just so it was focused in the

Before venturing out and starting

features a squeeze ball on one end, and

struggle to get a nice photo when

right places. It was a lot of effort, and

fishing, it’s well worth getting familiar

on the other is a pin that extends to

fishing on my own. You’re not always

looking back, I’m amazed I actually

with setting up and getting everything

press the camera button once pressure

fortunate enough to be in a position

got any images worth showing to

how you want it to be. It’s not just a

is applied to the squeeze ball. I learned

where you’ve got a fellow angler or

anyone! A lot of people find the

case of point and shoot, but with a little

quickly that getting the angle at which

passer-by to take a photo for you, and

idea of self-take photos a lot more

practice, you’ll

the pin pushes

when you do a lot of fishing on your

effort than they are actually worth.

soon be taking

the button

own, it can become an all-too-common

We’re not all professionals with the

the perfect

correctly is

problem. I even went through the effort

camera, but we all have an idea of

photo, exactly

of using the timer on the camera to try

the photos we want to achieve, so

how you want

to get a picture, just so I had evidence

we got hold of a fantastic self-take

it to look. The

of my capture (and so my ever-doubting

kit which has everything you need

obvious start

friends would actually believe me),

to help you get some great pictures.

is to familiarise

rather than taking a photo of the fish

You won’t have to suffer taking a

yourself with

on the mat. After all, you want to do

mat shot of your favourite capture,

the self-take

it justice, and I don’t think a mat shot

or retaining a fish for hours while

kit you’ve

shows the fish in its true glory.

you wait for your mate to come

chosen. The

7D, but with a

down and take the shots for you.

one used for

few adjustments

Last December, I decided that I’d

The part that triggers the camera

...with a little practice, you’ll soon be taking the perfect photo, exactly how you want it to look

important, as if the button itself is angled, it can cause the pin to stick. This was the case when I set it up on my Canon

had enough of having awful self-takes,

We’ve even teamed up with

and 12 fish in 2 nights’ fishing is what

the guys at Johnson Ross Tackle

features a bracket which attaches

pushed me over the edge, I’d had some

to offer a competition where you

to the base of the camera, to where

nice fish from Berners Hall Fishery,

can win your own self-take kit,

the tripod adapter would normally

kits is that they are incredibly universal.

up to low-30s, and I’d even gone to

and never have to panic about

screw, and has a few adjustments

They can be used on anything from a

this article

and tweaks I got it right, and it worked perfectly for me.

The great thing about these styles of

Get the angle right so the button is pushed down flat, rather than at an angle, which can cause problems.

The pressure release – a simple bit of equipment which works extremely well without any complications.

108

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Take The Perfect Selfie Tom Morrison

With the pin set back, be sure there is enough space between the button and bracket to work correctly.

When the pin is fully extended, it should be effortless to press the camera button.

Keep everything as short as possible. This makes the bracket more rigid and stops any flexing.

using, and know roughly what you need

horizon in a photo doesn’t look great.

to be doing. So, you’ve just landed a fish

The whole point of going through the

and want a picture of it. Don’t panic,

effort of using the equipment is to get

you’ve got time. Make sure that the fish

the best out of it. Make sure that the

sits in the margins either in a retainer or

area in which you have set up the mat

safely in the net, so it can’t injure itself.

and equipment is clean. You don’t want

This gives you

pictures of your

plenty of time

rubbish bag in

to get the self-

the edge of the

compact digital camera to a top-of-

bit of fine-tuning to make sure that

take gear set

the-range digital SLR, providing it

I had it exactly how I wanted. For

up, and even

has a thread in the bottom of the

example, because there is a more

have a couple

camera to allow use of a tripod, so

than adequate amount of adjustment

of practice

you can’t go wrong. I actually much

available with the bracket that screws

shots to make

prefer this system over remote style

onto the base of the camera, there

sure you’re

ones, as it requires no batteries and

was a little bit of flex. Make sure

happy with

you don’t have to try to juggle the

that the bracket is extended to the

everything.

remote and fish at the same time.

minimum; this makes the kit more rigid

To ensure

and totally gets rid of any unwanted

the photos

discovered how it all works, it’s time

flex. It also makes the trigger more

are how you

to set up as if you had a fish on the

sensitive so you don’t need to keep

want them to be, spend a bit of time

mat, so you can start to understand

compressing the pressure ball.

getting everything around you right.

Once you’ve had a play and

The whole point of going through the effort of using the equipment is to get the best out of it

photo, and you certainly don’t want it to look like you’ve got a tree or fence post growing out of your head!

You want to achieve a nice

clean image that you can be proud of.

There’s no point in rushing because

distances and how you want the

By the time you come to take

photos to be framed. When I first

your first trophy shot, you should be

account when framing a photo, such

the tripod level using the adjustable

set up this kit in particular, it took a

familiar with the equipment you are

as getting the horizon level; a wonky

legs, which is something you may

There are a few things to take into

that’s when mistakes happen. Get

Crafty Carper 107-111_Take_The_Perfect_Selfie_CC228.indd 3

109 05/07/2016 14:13

Take The Perfect Selfie Tom Morrison The base of the bracket screws into the bottom of the camera, with the tripod plate screwed into that.

not have had to do when practising.

push down the pressure ball more

The chances are that you were

than once, so make sure you are

on fairly level ground, and this is

comfortable. My preferred position is

something you should always aim

to kneel down, with one knee up so I

for when taking photos, although

can use my foot on the trigger. This

it’s not always possible. Make sure

allows me to take as many photos as

everything is sturdy, as you don’t

I like in one hit, and I don’t have to

want the camera toppling over and

put the fish down and keep picking

possibly damaging something.

it up, which saves it a lot of stress

When you’re happy with how the

and minimises the time it’s out of the

photos are coming out and everything

water. It may not be the ideal carpy

is set up, leave everything ready and

pose, but it gets the job done and

get the fish out of the water, making

still looks great, providing you get

sure you have a spare bucket of water

the fish level and the angle right.

to keep applying to the fish, as fish

If you’ve spent some time setting

welfare is of the utmost importance.

up the kit at home, and still don’t feel

With the fish out of the water and on

overly comfortable using it by the time

the mat, it’s still important to take your

you want to go fishing, it’s well worth

time and be patient. If the fish is a

going somewhere that there are plenty

bit lively because you’ve allowed it to

of opportunities of a bite in order to

rest for a few minutes, no worries; just

build your confidence. Although you

persevere and allow the fish to calm

may not normally take a photo of

down by covering it with the mesh

every fish you catch on these waters,

of your net, flap of the mat or weigh

by practising with smaller fish which

sling, and be sure to apply plenty of

are easier to handle on the bank, you

water until it calms down. It doesn’t

can build your confidence. By the time

always work but it certainly helps.

you catch the personal best you’ve

Everyone has different ideas of

been chasing, even if you’re not in a

what looks good in a photo, but you

position where someone can take the

should position yourself so that you

photos, you can still get some great

are at ease. You need to be able to

shots and capture the memory. CC When you get it all right, you’ll soon be taking perfect photos, just like this self-take.

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! !

N I W

Competition

one of five self-take kits

This is a fantastic chance to get your very own self-take camera kit, thanks to Johnson Ross Tackle.

If you like what you’ve seen and feel inspired to have a go at getting to grips with your own selfies, here’s your chance to win one of five fantastic universal self-take kits, courtesy of Johnson Ross Tackle. In the kit is everything you need to take your own self-take photos, including the tripod, fully adjustable bracket mount, and the pressure release. The bracket is made from stainless steel for extra rigidity, and features threaded holes for both 3mm and 4mm cable release threads. The pressure release has a more than adequate length of cable, so you won’t have to worry about positioning the camera where you want it. All this comes with a fully adjustable tripod which is ideal for the job; it allows you to set up so the camera is sturdy, and the photos are level and framed perfectly. Each kit is worth £42.99, and they are available from Johnson Ross in store and online: www.johnsonrosstackle.co.uk It’s simple to use and will allow you to capture those all-important memories when fishing on your own, and there’s no one around to take the photos.

what you can win

TOTAL PRIZE VALUE

214.95 five lucky Crafty readers will win one of these brilliant selftake kits from johnson ross, EACH WORTH £42.99. capture those great memories by yourself with ease.

Q

Which size of cable release threads can be screwed into the stainless steel bracket?

A ) 4mm and 5mm B ) 3mm and 4mm C ) 2mm and 4mm

1

ENTER VIA MOBILE PHONE

Simply text CC2 then a space, followed by your answer to the question (either A B or C), to 82070. For example, your answer could be CC2 A Messages cost £1.50 per message plus standard network charge.

Under-18s only with bill payer’s permission. Text details may appear on phone bill. Service provider Digital Select Ltd. Helpline: 0844 448 0165.

2

ENTER ONLINE

Head over to www.craftycarper.co to enter via our website.

The competition is open to UK and European entrants only. The winners will be selected at random and will be notified within 28 days of the closing date. No cash alternative available.

Crafty Carper

Start date: 14/7/2016 End date: 22/8/2016

17

*Camera not included*

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