FREE! CUT OUT & KEEP
Essential set-ups that every angler needs in their armoury! PART 2 POLE RIGS: MARGIN / RUNNING WATER / COMMERCIAL CARP / MIXED BAGS
12 T O C O L L E C T April 5 – May 3, 2022 £4.50
ISSUE 388
Two baits for spring action The only feed you need to tempt carp from the margins
WIN
Middy pole fishing tackle bundles WORTH £515
FISH M H C T A C IS FRO H T E LIK E EDGE! TH
PLUS
TOP TACTICS TO GET MORE BITES Mixed bags Serve up a choppie tea for all species
Carp free zone Catch nothing but silvers all day
PLUS 2022 NEW GEAR SPECIAL SECTION
EARLY SEASON TENCH TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS!
The jester’s hat Try this crafty feeder rig now!
This month... Issue 388 April 5 – May 3, 2022
Fishery Focus 8
Chesterfield Canal
14
Hartleton Lake
24
Nottingham
Herefordshire
8
Tactics 24
Alex Dockerty
31
Nathan Mills
36 40
Two baits is all you need to score down the edge
The jester’s hat presentation
10 top tench tips...
...from 10 top anglers
Russell Shipton
They can’t resist a rat’s tail! 44
47
52 58 4 IYCF | Issue 388
56
Quick fix
How to attach a hook to nylon ready rig
Sam Collett
How to create a carp-free zone
Brad Parkes
58 62
64
Twisted boom feeder rig
Go with the tow to net more
Watercraft advice
How to fish the short pole line like an expert
Fish Better with Des Shipp
Switch to hard pellets
Serve up a choppie tea
Rig school
Darren Cox
68
Q&A
Your questions answered
47
IYCF GEAR GUIDE 2022 P74-75
RODS
Whether you want to catch perch on lures, fling a feeder to the horizon or get kitted out for specimen carp, we’ve got a great selection of rods to choose from
Carp tactics 96
108
Spring tips
P76-77
REELS
Edges to use as the weather warms up
Having the right reel for the job will make your time on the bank a far more enjoyable experience and help put more fish in the net. We’ve got something to suit every budget in this guide
100 Rig of the month Slip D rig 102
104
Carp Q&A
Your IYCF
Sticky’s experts solve your problems
20
What is a bivvy? Know your shelters
86 96
88 90 94
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NETS
Once you’ve hooked and played a fish to the bank, you’re going to need a landing net to scoop up your prize. Have a look at our picks that will ensure there will be no escape for your new pb
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P80-81
Bob Roberts’ diary
A good set of luggage not only helps transport and store tackle securely, but it also helps to keep your valuable kit organised on the bank so that you can fish more efficiently
108 Find out what our top all rounder has been up to
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END TACKLE
There’s a whole host of terminal tackle items on the market to help you construct the best rigs possible. We take a look at some of the latest must-have accessories
No such thing as a bad peg Hartleton Lake, Herefordshire
There’s often a race between anglers for the best swims, but Rory Jones visits a prolific stillwater where every area is a true hotspot Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
L
AND on a shoal of bream and a true red-letter day is likely to be on the cards. Famous for packing together in giant shoals, they’re awakening from their winter slumber and are more than willing to compete for every morsel of food that comes their way. It all sounds like a recipe for getting a bite every chuck. On most venues, however, only a select few anglers will experience such delights. This is because fish herd tightly together for security and only a few pegs will be home to hungry slabs. Head to Herefordshire’s Hartleton Lake near Ross-on-Wye though, and you can plonk your kit on any day-ticket swim you fancy and expect the action to commence within minutes of starting.
14 IYCF | Issue 388
Formerly stocked with trout, it was transformed into a coarse fishing venue some 40 years ago, with word of its big-carp potential spreading fast. The huge quantity of bream that had been stocked didn’t acquire the same acclaim and over the years their numbers have grown substantially. Having been weaned on a diet of high protein baits that the specimen carp enthusiasts piled in, they stacked on the weight and bred successfully, with the lake now holding so many bream that pretty much every peg is capable of throwing up a bumper net. Rory Jones is widely regarded as one of the world’s best young match anglers and Hartleton is one of the venues where he honed his vast array of skills. He still continues to visit and despite having travelled the length and breadth of the UK, he’s yet to find anywhere that matches its bream fishing prowess. “This style of fishing usually revolves around pinpoint location but no matter where you decide to set up on the day-ticket bank, you can feel confident the bream will already be there waiting for you,” explained Rory. “I’ve had bags of them to well over 150lb and even in the worst possible conditions, you can expect to catch at least 50lb. “There are so many different year classes of fish. One day you can catch a 1lb-2lb fish every drop in while other sessions can be dominated by giant slabs in the 5lb-8lb bracket.”
FISHERY FOCUS An in-depth guide to the best stillwaters, rivers, and canals that you can fish for the price of a day ticket
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 15
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Two baits is all you need to score down the edge Alex Dockerty proves that a small quantity of pellets and corn is all you need to bag up at close quarters in early spring Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
TACTICS: POLE SPECIES: CARP/F1s DIFFICULTY:
24 IYCF | Issue 388
TACTICS
W
E’VE had months of needing a large slice of luck when the margins are given a bash, but we’ve finally reached a stage where our chances of success skyrocket when fishing close in. Big carp and F1s spend the vast majority of their time lingering in open water when the temperatures are at their lowest, but a slight increase is all that’s required to give the fish the nudge they need to start searching among the nearside cover for food. We haven’t quite reached the stage where they’ll churn up the mud with their guard fully dropped though, with the fish still a little cautious about coming down the edge. They are perfectly catchable, but the positive
mindset of piling in large mounds of bait and relying on heavy rigs can’t come into play just yet. Instead, a more refined approach is required, one that Alex Dockerty has proven works on countless successful occasions. The Drennan Lindholme Lakes manager has regularly tested his theory in recent years and is confident that analysing several factors is key to bagging down the margins in early spring. “You need to set the trap carefully if you want them to fall foul of your tactics,” he told IYCF. “I rely on two baits and you only need a small quantity of each.”
Micro pellets and corn are unbeatable baits when going down the ed ge
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 25
10
TOP TENCH TIPS The size, colour and distinctive red eyes make tench one of the most sought after species. Now’s the time to start planning your campaign for this freshwater icon
FIND A SPOT THAT’S FREE OF WEEDS
1
“Tench love to live close to snags but it is important to find a spot that is free of weed to help build up a swim. “Before I start a feeder session, I’ll cast a 1.5oz lead and try to feel around for hard spots that are likely to be gravel. “If you feel a distinctive ‘donk’ once the lead hits the bottom then you’ve probably found a suitable area to lay down a dinner plate of bait. “On the flip side, if you feel a little resistance before winding in, your rig is likely to have landed in silt or weed and it’s time to explore other areas with the lead.”
2 MIRROR WHAT THE CARP ANGLERS USE “A lot of tench have grown really big because they live in waters dominated by big carp. They are used to grazing over large beds of bait and feeding on hard pellets, boilies, fishmeal groundbaits and particles. “Although you should scale down your hooklengths and hooks, it is wise to feed in this manner as that is what they associate with a good meal. “Introduce a big bed of bait at the start and expect the rewards to come your way.”
36 IYCF | Issue 388
TACTICS
FROM 10 TOP ANGLERS! I
F THERE is one species that this time of year is synonymous with, it is definitely tench. They’ve largely hidden away throughout winter and refused to feed but now that the daffodils are blooming and the lily beds are resurfacing that is all about to change. Stocked
in a wide range of waters including park lakes, commercials, rivers and reservoirs, their streamlined shape gives them immense power which can be seen during any battle with them. Regardless of whether you prefer to chuck out a small feeder, fish the pole down the margins
AVOID SMALL FISH WITH FAKE RUBBER BAITS “Your rig is likely to remain in the same spot for a considerable amount of time and that means you need full confidence that it is always capable of getting a bite. “If the hookbait has been nibbled off by small fish then you have zero chance of catching the big tench you are hoping for. “On venues where silverfish prove problematic, turn to fake hookbaits. Rubber casters, maggots and corn can’t be destroyed by tiddlers but when a tench turns up, they’ll hoover it up in one mouthful with the loosefeed it sits alongside”
3
or sit behind the alarms waiting for them to roar into life, you’ve got the skills and tackle to bag a big tench this month. As usual, it’s the fine details that stack the odds in your favour and here’s 10 top anglers to reveal their greatest tip to hit this iconic species.
USE YOUR OPTIONS “Tench are a species that are constantly on the move and an area of your peg that produced bites on the previous session might not be so prolific on the next.
“With this in mind, I use either two or three rods and present rigs in completely different areas of my swim. “Aim to have a hookbait close to nearside snags, islands and in open water and it’s likely you’ll soon find that one of them produces more bites than the rest.”
4
5
GLUG THE MAGGOTS IN YOUR FEEDER “Maggots are a brilliant bait for tench but on venues where they are frequently used, they will soon wise up to them. “They can still be effective but you need to give them a different dimension in order to keep the bites coming. I find the best way to do that is by adding a few glugs of liquid flavouring to my feeder. “Pack your feeder with maggots and then place the nozzle of the bottle through a few of the holes and squirt a little in. “I’ve tried several flavours over the years but scopex is without doubt the most effective of the lot.”
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 37
HOW TO: ATTACH HOOKS TO NYLON Here’s another fabulous bit of must-have kit that has proved a huge benefit to anglers in recent years. And they are so simple to use...
R
EADY-TIED ‘hooks to nylon’ have come on leaps and bounds in recent times with everincreasing ranges, hook patterns, line breaking strains, rig lengths and styles. Long gone are the days of shoddily tied hooks with dodgy loops made from cheap mono hooklengths with kinks, or too thick in diameter to be of any fish-catching use. Modern ready-rigs are as good as, if not better than, you could make yourself. Plus, they save a lot of time on the bank and enable you to quickly attach a new hooklength without having to waste time with your bait out of the water while you tie up a new one. Nearly all the larger tackle firms have their bestselling hook patterns available in a multitude of sizes and line breaking strains, so you can have your favourites ready to use in an instant. This month we show you the easiest way to attach one to your mainline.
44 IYCF | Issue 388
1. Get your two loops ready
2. Pass one over the other
Tie a loop in the end of your mainline (right, orange) and take a hook to nylon from the packet. Carefully unravel the hooklength to ensure there are no tangles and then position the hooklength loop close to the mainline loop
To attach the hooklength to the mainline requires you to use a loop to loop knot. The first step of this involves passing the loop on the hook to nylon over the loop you tied in the end of your mainline
3. Pass the hook through
4. Tighten it down
Next, while holding the two loops in position in your left hand, use your right hand to take the hook end of the hooklength and pass it back through the loop in your mainline followed by the rest of the hooklength
To complete the knot, moisten it with saliva and slowy pull the hook to nylon and mainline in opposite directions so that the loops tighten together. Your hooklength and mainline are now attached and you’re ready to start fishing www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 45
Time to go with the tow Darren Cox reveals just how important it is to work out where your groundbait is settling beneath the surface
WI
ND
DIR
EC
TIO
N
Words & Photography Tony Grigorjevs
MAIN FEED
TO
WD
IRE
CT
ION
Pick a spot that will act as your main feed zone and develop the swim from there
DETECT TOW
Work out which way the tow is going – it is often the opposite to wind direction
TACTICS: FEEDER SPECIES: BREAM DIFFICULTY:
58 IYCF | Issue 388
TACTICS
A
NALYSING the conditions is a critical part in deciding the best way to approach a swim. Temperatures, wind direction and the weather must all be considered before committing to tactical and feeding plans. But could we be missing an important part of the jigsaw during the process? Darren Cox reckons a lot of us are. A seasoned pro on all kinds of venues, he believes his awareness of another element has helped him catch countless big weights over the years, particularly on large stillwaters where bream dominate. “Most anglers will adapt to the wind but there is another factor that is almost always at play - the underwater tow,” revealed Darren. “It can have a huge impact on presentation, and you need to understand how it is affecting your session to keep the bites coming. “I use two different rigs and they both come into play to make sure the bream never have the opportunity to evade capture.”
Creating the trail
While groundbait plays a big part in Darren’s bream fishing, its lightweight nature means it is susceptible to moving from the place where it went in. Packing it tightly into a cage feeder can reduce how much comes out as it sinks but Darren doesn’t advise doing this. “Creating a tight pile of bait may seem desirable but it can actually lead to you missing out on the bigger fish. “Quality bream and skimmers are often reluctant to go directly over your main feed zone and instead prefer to pick off morsels that have drifted just off it. “By gently packing your groundbait into a cage, you enable a proportion of it to come out. This will drift slightly away and give those slabs a reason to remain in the vicinity of your swim.” Darren starts the session by casting a larger feeder than he intends to use five
Darren uses a groundbait mix packed with fishmeal which bream and skimmers love
times to introduce a bed of bait. He doesn’t use one of the enormous baiting up versions though, preferring to simply use one that is a size up from what he will fish with. His mix for this style is a 70/30 blend of Mainline Match Sweet Marine and 100% Pure Ground Expander, a blend packed with fishmeal that bream simply can’t resist.
EXPLORE
Bream could be sat up to 5m off the main bed of bait so have a cast around
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 59
IYCF GEAR GUIDE 2022
REELS A good quality reel will make your time on the bank a far more pleasurable experience. A smooth performance and reliable internal mechanics will land hard-fighting species such as carp, tench and barbel and result in a product that gives you years of hassle-free use. There’s a vast array of coarse reels on the market, many designed specifically for certain tactics such as float, feeder and lure fishing. Prices vary from a little over a tenner to several hundred pounds.
GOOD FOR
Okuma Custom Black Feeder
SERIOUS FEEDER FISHING
A purpose designed and dedicated feeder reel that would be just at home on the Trent as it would chasing carp on a runs water. The Custom Black Feeder comes in two sizes, 40 for standard light to medium feeder work and 55 for when you need a bit more size and power. This super-durable reel is strong enough to handle big carp and barbel but still light enough to enjoy your fishing, especially in the smaller of the two sizes. It comes with a machine cut shallow aluminium spool and corrosion-resistant graphite body. www.okumafishing.com RRP: £56.99
Shimano Ultegra FC 4000 The new Ultegra is the ultimate evolution of one of Shimano’s most popular mid-priced reels, with the 4000 being the ideal model for float and feeder work in both match and pleasure sessions. Containing many of the latest technical features found on top-of-the-range Shimano reels like Stella, at a price that defies reality, the new Ultegra range offers remarkable value. The combination of Hagane Gear, MicroModule II, X-Ship and Silent Drive GOOD FOR ensures the very best winding performance, even under pressure, with remarkable TOP END smoothness that enhances the fishing PERFORMANCE experience. X-Protect technology prevents ON THE BANK water getting into the moving parts of the line roller and roller clutch, extending longevity and delivering failsafe performance. For distance casting, the Long Stroke Spool design and AR-C Spool enables the line to flow more freely during the cast and the addition of a CI4+ Body reduces overall weight for less fatigue when fishing for extended periods. www.shimano.com RRP: £139.99
76 IYCF | Issue 388
MAP DUAL Feeder As its name suggests, this reel has been designed specifically with feeder fishing in mind. It features a compact body and shallow spool with a precise front drag wheel, enabling you to make subtle clutch adjustments while playing hard-fighting species such as carp. The spool itself is slightly cone shaped which helps to combat tangles both on the cast and the retrieve. Further anti-tangle measures include a line roller guard which prevents line from tangling beneath the spool and an anti-twist line roller system for a smooth casting performance. Available in two sizes – 4500 and 5500 – the smaller of the two will handle most commercial fishery scenarios, whereas the bigger model is designed for casting feeders further on large waters. Supplied with a spare spool. www.mapfishing.co.uk GOOD FOR RRP: £69.99
CASTING FURTHER ON BIG WATERS
Okuma Ceymar XT Match FD An all-round match and coarse reel that is suited to light work on commercials and stillwaters or slow-moving rivers. Available in two sizes – 30 and 40 – to cover both float and feeder fishing. Featuring a precision elliptical gearing system and cyclonic flow rotor design that increases the life of the reel by minimising water ingress and corrosion. A shallow spool means you don’t need to back it up and the enlarged foam handle makes it easy to play fish and reel in faster. Spare spool supplied.
GREAT FOR
GETTING INTO FISHING ON A BUDGET
www.okumafishing.com RRP: £56.99
Shakespeare Mach 1
GOOD FOR
ALL ROUND MATCH AND COARSE
A great entry-level reel for anyone just getting into the sport. For the price you get a product with modern looks and a decent specification which includes 2+1 ball bearings, a lightweight body and rotor, precise felt washers and an extra rigid bail arm. Available in five different sizes of front drag versions – 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 – and three rear drag – 30, 40 and 50 models – there’s a reel to suit everything from light lure work to feeder fishing. If you’re thinking about giving fishing a go or have a young child who wants to take up fishing but you don’t want to invest a small fortune in tackle, this would be an excellent option to get you up and running. www.shakespeare-fishing.co.uk RRP: From £16.99
Okuma Azaki
GOOD FOR
A FULL SPECIMEN SET-UP
Featuring the latest technologies including a Cyclonic Flow Rotor, the Azaki has refined and classy looks to match its powerful performance. A genuine all-rounder designed for spinning, but can also be used for general coarse work such as trotting on the river. Available in sizes 20, 30, 40 and 55, it delivers flexibility according to what you need it to do. The 30 and 40 is also available with braided line already spooled up for those who want a reel they can use straight out of the box. www.okumafishing.com RRP: From £21.99 GOOD FOR
READY TO GO OUT OF THE BOX
Korum Infernos SL Gold The two Infernos SL reels provide an ultra-compact body with a wide spool for improved casting performance. Using a combination of Supa Lite graphite body parts, an oversized multi-disc drag and a stabilised skeleton rotor it boasts 7+1 ball bearings which provide ultra-smooth handling. The 3000 size will cover all your float fishing work while the bigger 4000 model is perfect for dealing with the rigours of casting heavier leads and feeders. www.korum.co.uk RRP: £41.99
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 77
W
INTER fishing is challenging and unpredictable. Be prepared for highs and lows, rewards and failures. This month I’ve learned how you can rely on the support of good friends when you need them most.
Week one...
I have to credit Alan Dudhill with the patience of a saint. Having said he would try to better my pike PB you cannot fault him for effort as we rocked up at his lake for our third attempt. “The most important attribute any pike angler can possess is patience. The thing is,” he said, “a big pike doesn’t feed every day. It might feed for an hour and then lay up somewhere quietly digesting its meal for the next three days or more. We need to be here on the
right day, at the right time, in the right location.” With a strong westerly wind blowing and a noticeable rise in temperature, I really did fancy our chances. Once again, I chucked out a maggot feeder in the hope of enticing a roach and I will cut to the chase here – not a knock. Not even a frightened maggot. Zilch. Three trips have produced just one roach. Uncanny when you consider the place is really stuffed with them. But back to the pike. Would today be my day? There are three known 20s in a water where noone else is fishing for them. The smallest last came out at around 24lb. “It will happen,” said Alan, confidently. And right on cue the line on the left-hand rod tightened up, ever so gently. I was on the rod in a flash
A better still well fish at last but short of m y PB 108 IYCF | Issue 388
ike pping my p u t u o b a s u I’m serio nd one day I will PB – a and released my line from the drop-back clip, holding it in my fingertips and feeling for indications. Definitely a fish there, so I wound down and struck. It was another Jack! Time passed slowly. Bacon sandwich time came and went. So did Scotch egg time and 93 brews. In mid-afternoon we pulled the righthand deadbait on to the marginal drop-off, the sunken paternoster float now visible. “Did that move?” I asked. Just then the float started moving almost imperceptibly upwind. No point in deliberating – when pike fishing it pays to treat every suspicious movement as a bite. A firm strike set the hooks into a clearly better fish, but still not the monster I was hoping for. Never mind, we now had a double to notch on our campaign record. An hour later the same rod was away and I could barely believe my eyes when the very same fish popped up its head. It has a distinguishable bite mark on one shoulder where presumably a monster had tried to eat it so there was no mistaking the repeat capture! We hung out for a while into the darkness without further success but I genuinely feel I’m getting closer to my goal. Sooner or later the stars will align and I will catch that new PB. FOOTNOTE: Yet another trip chasing the elusive monster pike resulted in disappointment but a remarkable thing happened. I caught the same pike that I caught twice last week and would you believe that I caught it again an hour later. The last four bites I’ve had at the pit have been from the exact same fish!
Week two...
With the clock ominously ticking down to the end of the river season I desperately fancied a session chasing chub. I had been due to film a float fishing session for the Daiwa website but a sudden influx of water brought heavy colour and rising levels and a 25mph wind. I enjoy a challenge but there are times when even the foolhardy can read the writing on the wall. I cancelled then dropped back two days later to find the river clearing and just a foot up. That strong wind was still hanging around and the odds would have been stacked against catching on the float anyway, but without a cameraman in tow I could rove around with a feeder rod to my heart’s content. It was one of those days when you feel privileged to be on the bank. Not too cold, intermittent sunshine and not another soul in sight. My intention was to spend 20 to 30 minutes in whatever swim I fancied, then move. I would tempt the fish with liquidised bread in the feeder and alternate between breadflake, crust, cheese or a combination of these on the hook. I had two quick chub and a very nice roach in the first swim I tried and was on the move when the half-hour mark came around. There was always an option to drop back into a ‘going’ swim if things didn’t go to plan, though I needn’t have worried. Swim two, another chub. Swim three, likewise. In fact, I had bites in each of the first six swims I tried. By early afternoon, having racked up decent numbers of fish,
e is cams h t e k li im t chub six sw Decen the first from
I took a shine to a swim ignored in the past, one I’ve walked straight past dozens of times. It threw up an instant kamikaze bite on my first cast which is common in good conditions, but in this swim the bites didn’t tail off as I had anticipated. The bites just kept on coming and I’m talking a bite every few minutes, yet where I’d begun the day with a great bite-to-fish-hooked success rate, I was now missing every single one. The favoured bait was a piece of crust loaded with cheesepaste. Bites came quickly after casting out and when I say bites I mean savage, yanking the rod tip round bites, yet not one did I connect with. I tried all the usual tricks, feeding line at the first indication, coming closer, shortening the tail length, lengthening it, decreasing the size of the bait, and all was to no avail. Over the next two hours I couldn’t drag myself away from these bites despite not hooking a single fish. It brought to mind a sound bit of advice given to me by Ray Tinkler, a founder Barnsley Black who sadly is no longer with us, when I was an up-and-coming match angler. “Bob,” he said, “you can’t weigh bites!” In other words, don’t get obsessed with the bites you are missing, do something different. Today was a classic example of that. I should have walked away and fished a different swim, but you know what? I loved every single frustrating minute of my failure to outwit those chub. Guess I’ll be back for more punishment.
ad, quidised bre li n o g in I was rely ste and breadflake cheesepa
After ca t then couching well I m ov ldn’ t hi t anothe ed but r bite
www.greatmagazines.co.uk | IYCF 109