CARPologyMagazineIssue

the night I’d arrived, but again, until it was light enough for the DARREL’S TIGER PREP
these were smaller commons to cameras to do her justice, and
around the 30lb mark. Consid- the subsequent photos saw the “I use rain water from the
ering what was supposed to be beast look particularly cool, the run-off of the house and
swimming around out there, we lake being heavily shrouded in then boil the (without prior
were barely scratching the sur- dense fog behind her. soaking) smaller tigers for
face. As my single bite had fallen 30 minutes and 45 minutes
to a fairly big bed of boilies and With the spot having pro- for the large variety. I then
tiger nuts, I considered it likely duced just a single take each leave them overnight to
that much of my bait remained night, I made the decision to cool before freezing in
on the spot still. With no way move one of the rods back over session-sized buckets.”
of knowing for sure, though, I to the far bank, the activity at
repeated the same process, bait- night repeatedly confirming leading rod, I settled on another spot at 26 wraps.
ing with a further three to four that I wasn’t making the best use To find this spot, I cast fairly tight to the far bank
kilos of mixed tigers and boilies of the whole swim. After anoth- then gently teased the lead down the shelf until
from the boat. To counter any er mini-interrogation with the I felt the least resistance on the rod and the purr
concerns I had regarding the of clean gravel. Here, it was 15ft deep, close to the
fish feeding for long periods of bottom of the shelf.
time without finding the hook, I
changed to bright white, banof- Jürgen delivered some fresh maize that day, and
fee-flavoured pop-ups. As things it was still piping hot when it arrived in my swim. I
stood, I hoped that the big pile weighed six kilos out into a bucket, and to be honest,
of feed would bring in the fish, I was surprised by how unimpressive it looked. Given
and as soon as they got confi- its water content, cooked maize is very heavy, but it’s
dent, they would inhale one of also very easy eating for the carp. I repeated the pro-
my spiteful little Spinner Rigs. cess of using the boat to deposit the maize directly
over the marker float, and from the bank, I then cast
In the day, and in full autumnal my 15mm yellow Isotonic pop-up over the top.
bloom, the lake was truly beauti-
ful. At the same time, however,
it was absolutely dead… you’d be
forgiven for thinking that there
were no fish in there. The night-
time activity, however, was out of
hand once again, something I had
seen lots of times over the years
at the same point in the calendar.

My second take came in the
early hours and the fish felt
much bigger than the first. The
feel of long, pronounced head-
nods transmitted up the line and
the runs it went on were very
slow and purposeful. After bat-
tling for several minutes, the
fish suddenly breached a few
rod-lengths out, and seeming
blinded by the camera lights, it
went straight into the waiting
net. At first, it didn’t strike me as
being that big. It wasn’t overly
wide, but at the same time, it was
pretty damn long, and on the
scales she went just over 53lb.
She was slipped into the sling

047

T R A P S S E T… A N D R E L A X !

048

THAT’S MORE LIKE IT! A 53LBER

HOW’S THAT FOR A COOL CARP! ALL 51LBS OF IT

049

The gravel patch in the middle produced nothing ABOVE Introducing The night that followed was our last with rods
on this occasion, but the far-bank rod over the maize freshly prepared in the water, and with this in mind, I baited with a
ripped off in the middle of the night, the fight clearly maize, I switched fraction of the amount I’d used before, introducing
indicating that I’d hooked another good fish. It over to a 15mm just a kilo or so over each. The thinking behind this,
bright yellow
Isotonic pop-up

didn’t really do much in the way of running or taking was that there was very likely still bait on each spot,

line, but it made it difficult for me to gain anything and I wanted to top this up only lightly, just to be

on it - the change of spot and tactics had obviously sure that I had some feed around the rigs. This is a

produced a very welcome result on this occasion! tactic I have employed a lot on commercial venues

when I have been bait-

ing heavily throughout

a session, so either not

baiting at all, or as in this

case, only very lightly on

the final night.

“IN HINDSIGHT, I COULDN’T HELP BUT CONSIDER Up until this point, I’d

WHETHER I’D PERHAPS B AITED TOO HEAVILY. THIS had just three takes in

WAS CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY, BUT I HAD TO BE the four nights. During
GRATEFUL FOR THE TWO LOVELY FIFTIES I’D HAD.” the night that followed,
however, I had five! Two

came from the central

gravel area and three

050

LEFT The last
night proved the
most successful
in terms of
numbers… A
35lber kicked
things off

TOP LEFT AND
BOTTOM LEFT
Followed by
more commons
between 25
and 35lbs

TOP RIGHT
To watch
the finished
Masterclass film
and see all the
technical parts
in more detail,
visit Korda’s
YouTube channel

BOTTOM RIGHT
See you next
month when I
will recount a
twenty-fish hit at
Farlows lake in
the Colne Valley

from the far-bank spot after I’d
fed the maize. I had no big fish
though, with them all in the 25lb
to 35lb bracket.

In hindsight, I couldn’t help
but consider whether I’d per-
haps baited too heavily. This was
certainly a possibility, but I had
to be grateful for the two lovely
fifties I’d had. Dan had caught a
fair few more than me, but noth-
ing close size-wise. To watch the
finished Masterclass film and
see all the technical parts in
more detail, visit Korda’s You-
Tube channel.

I’m sad to say this will be my
last diary piece; however, you
can still find out what I’m up to
by following me on Instagram.

DARRELL PECK

05 1

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ADAM PENNING’S CARP DIARY

THE START THE SPRING WAS GONE ALREADY
OF A NEW
ADVENTURE - a blur of pleasure and pain;
lockdown with a stiff measure
BY of media propagated fear, for-
tunately tempered with several
ADAM PENNING forty-pound carp, and plenty of
sunshine. None of us knew what
@adam_penning was just around the corner but
@Adam_Penning whatever lay ahead I was deter-
Sticky Baits TV mined to make every moment
Adam Penning Carp Angler count, savouring everything
whether it was family time or
bankside moments.

I

I’D BEEN DOWN ON A WAITING LIST

for a lake up in Northampton-
shire called Grendon. Not to be
confused with a similarly named
much larger, deeper pit else-
where, the lake lay in the seclud-
ed Nene valley; an area of his-
toric carping renown that I’d yet
to venture forth into. The pit is
very mature, extremely rich and
home to something in the region
of 45 fish in 15 or so acres. The
largest of these, a mesmerising
beast named Tyson, had pushed
the needle all the way round to
55lb the previous autumn, and
along with a good number of
other big commons it did seem a
very exciting proposition indeed.

When I got the call, the fire was
very much lit and although those
emotions of apprehension and
wonder filled me only some six

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM PENNING AND FRIENDS CAPTION: NEW HORIZONS

FEBRUARY 055
2021

PENNERS’ TIPS FOR WHEN YOU
WALK ONTO A NEW WATER...

1 . “Pay very little attention to
local legend. In particular ignore
advice about swims that never do
any carp, and types of bait that
mysteriously don’t work.”

2 . “Be wary of local experts
who try and tell you how good
they are and how you should be
fishing the place.”

3 . “Fish to your strengths;
everyone is good at something.
For example, if your strength is
straightforward, simple boilie
fishing, then start off with it.”

4 . “Be prepared to adapt. You might
not get things correct from the
get go, so be aware of what’s
going on and look for things you
can do that nobody else is.”

5 . “Be your own man. Avoiding
getting involved in Facebook
trivia will do you good. Do it your
way and try not to be distracted
by what others are doing.”

056
2021

months back, they now seem a silently counted down the miles, then I must have driven there
very long time ago indeed. The my mind was elsewhere, ponder- dozens of times, but the only
road I was to walk there was ing over what would lie ahead. journey I vividly remember is
nothing like I ever expected it A new journey, a new mission, a that one, the very first, when my
to be, and the story is one that I new dawn. What would it hold? head was awash with adventure,
think will go down as one of my Bitter disappointment? It was possibility and wonder.
most exhilarating missions yet. possible of course but the truth
was I was ready for anything - I’d I’d decided that I’d start off fish-
The lake lies on a complex that heard plenty about how hard the ing with the Krill and simply cast
is home to various old pits and lake was and I was prepared to where I saw fish and bait lightly.
the ticket gave me access to all of have to tough it out with the rest It’s a tactic that seems to work eve-
them. There was a two night lim- of them while I learnt the lake rywhere for me and with Grendon
it in place as most of the country and paid my dues. having been treated for the ex-
was on furlough and anglers were tensive weed growth, I thought it
out in huge numbers everywhere. You only ever go to a new lake could be the perfect stealth tactic.
It was a long old drive up there once. You only ever set off on that It turned out I was quite wrong…!
from Essex and I was grateful first journey once. The first page
for the air con as temperatures of a new story only gets written The first person I met was Tim
swooned to mid-twenties and az- once - I was in that moment and Bottomley (my autocorrect just
ure blue skies stretched out end- the combination of feelings was
lessly above me. As the SatNav complex and powerful. Since

“THE ROAD I WAS TO WALK
THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE I EVER

EXPECTED IT TO BE, AND THE
STORY IS ONE THAT I THINK WILL
GO DOWN AS ONE OF MY MOST
EXHILARATING MISSIONS YET…”

FEBRUARY 057
2021

changed that to ‘Tim Bottom- TOP LEFT:
less’!) I’d first met Tim on Linear I WAS
Manor in the late 90s and he’s a READY FOR
proper old school guy and also a ANYTHING…
very capable angler. Tim told me
a bit about the lake, how he’d been BOTTTOM
getting on and then, just for good LEFT:
measure, proceeded to catch a PERFECT FOR
mid-thirty mirror for which I DAPPING
gladly did the pictures. Tim really MARGIN
is a smashing bloke and it was the SPOTS
perfect welcome. Buzzing with
excitement I bade him farewell, TOP RIGHT:
donned the polaroids and set off TIGHT LINES
on my travels, intent on exploring AND MOODY
all of the vast site on my very first SKIES
day. Tim seemed surprised, after
all there was a giant common re- BOTTTOM
siding in the lake I was stood by, RIGHT:
but the sniff of adventure was all HUNTING…
too much for me.
After he sidled off, I waded out fore seeing the first one but it
There are perhaps eight lakes to where he had shown interest was worthwhile because it was
on the site; the biggest is some- and poured a whole bottle of neat an absolute brick outhouse of a
where around 40-acres I’d guess, Krill liquid into the stones, be- carp! It came into the swim and
and there are also several oth- fore dotting it with a few broken immediately upended over the
ers that are smaller but very bits of boilie. After that I hit the spot I’d previously poured the
interesting. When you bear in road and soaked up the punish- liquid. I strained to identify it but
mind that the only lake that re- ment of the return three hour could only conclude it was a gi-
ally gets fished is the one with the journey down a hellish M1. ant common, of which there are
known big fish in it, the poten- several living in the lake.
tial for something unknown was W E E K L A T E R I was
very real. I don’t know how far back and the first Carefully I retreated and made
I walked that day or how many my way back up the track to get
trees I climbed but despite per- A place I decided to the van. A while later I was in situ,
fect spotting weather, I returned soaking up warm, late May sun-
to the main lake that evening have a look at was shine and forming a plan. Natu-
with zero carp sightings! I’d even the little margin rally I needed to get a rod onto
managed to find a pod of giant spot from the previous trip. It the spot but it was impossible
bream on the big lake, travel- was early afternoon and a light, to cast to. Half an hour later, I’d
ling deep along a weedy shelf. I warm breeze ruffled the surface tried to wade (which had resulted
strained to see from the top of of the zone. I waited a while be-
the tree, very high up, and at first
thought they were carp. For all
my considerable efforts that was
the highlight!

I spent the following 48hrs
looking around the main lake
that was home to the known big
fish and cast a few boilies about
but to no avail. Before I’d even
had a chance to get properly ac-
quainted, the trip was over and
had ended in a blank. I’d seen
a few good ones and one which
looked so massive it must surely
have been the King himself. The
great whale was mooching along
a bit of margin and I watched
quietly from atop a leafy willow.

058
2021

in an unplanned swim) but ulti- “I TRIED TO GATHER ’D FOUND THE FISH
mately managed to get a rig and
a couple of baits onto the small, MYSELF AND PUT THE in a corner of
circular patch of fine stones.
LOSS BEHIND ME, BUT THE I the lake, mov-
I flicked another rod out close
to a small willow, and then set my EVENT CONTINUES TO ing around in the
camp up well back from the mar- calm water while
gins. I sat on the edge of the bed, HAUNT ME MONTHS LATER, the wind tore up the other end.
sipping Earl Grey and wondering There were several about, all in
when the first bite from the new FOR REASONS THAT WILL pairs or threes but I estimated
water would come. Would it be that perhaps a dozen could be in
this trip? Would it even be in the BECOME CLEAR AS THE residence, maybe more. I’d been
next month? I really didn’t know chasing them relentlessly since
what to expect but was prepared STORY UNFOLDS.” I’d arrived but nothing seemed to
for one thing: graft. fall in my favour. It was a warm
link and ridiculously sharp hook day and I decided to persevere
As I sifted through my thoughts had failed me. I stood there, shak- with the floaters. Eventually I
and expectations under the late ing, head full of ‘what ifs’. got a small group of big fish half
spring sun rays, suddenly the interested and in the space of a
hand-placed rod was picked up. It was the worst possible start few minutes had several slurping
It was a take of extreme violence; to my campaign - not only a lost down with confidence. And that
the super slack line pulling cheese fish but in all probability a mon- was exactly the moment that my
wire tight as the tiny bobbin ster too. Would it be a portent hate affair with the Grendon gulls
smashed into the blank and the of things to come? Was it a sign began. In moments, my swim was
top half of the rod lurched round. from the Carp Gods that failure a feathered blur and the carp dis-
At the same moment I picked up and disappointment would be appeared leaving big boils where
the rod, the fish somehow vapor- emotions I’d have to get used they’d been comfortably sat.
ised and I was left with nothing to at my new hunting ground? I’ve had to deal with gulls a lot
but a limp line and a shattered I tried to gather myself and put down the years and they don’t
nerve. It turned out my adversary the loss behind me but the event faze me at all. Whenever they
had shaken off the big, heavy lead continues to haunt me months appear I simply up the feed, give
with one or two furious lunges later, for reasons that will be- them what they want and wait
and for some reason the short come clear as the story unfolds. until they depart which is usu-
ally about half an hour or so. I’ve

FEBRUARY 059
2021

done that all over the place and fished no fewer than three swims LEFT: THE The alarm came right on first
with patience and plenty of cheap that day and felt more than a bit DEADLOCK light. At first I couldn’t work out
biscuits, I have never been unable frazzled. The carp melted away HAD BEEN what was occurring - the sounder
to feed them off and get on with of course and it was a few sweaty BROKEN! box going off like a rape alarm by
my surface fishing. These gulls hours before I found them again. my head only served to enhance
were different though - seem- By that time the evening was de- RIGHT: THE my total discombobulation. Rip-
ingly the product of some sort of scending quickly and the mozzies FISH WAS ping open the bag, I ran to the rod
glitch in the matrix. It was sim- came in savage hordes. In fact, AN OLD ONE and found myself (to my grateful
ply physiologically impossible other than St Ives, I hadn’t dealt AND A TOUCH astonishment!) attached to my
for the birds to eat what they had with such an aggressive mass and OVER 35LB first Grendon carp. The battle
and to continue eating. I’d fed off they meant that most evenings you saw my adversary surge along
the swans and they were sleep- needed to get the shelter up and the surface, through the mist and
ily preening themselves in the then watch from behind a screen.
shade of a big tree. How could I Winter Carp Fishing Tutorial! Adam Penning
sate the appetites of two enor- I’d seen a couple of good fish explains everything you need to know | P A R T 1
mous swans, along with myriad patrolling close to a marginal
ducks and even a couple of geese, shelf and decided to set a trap Given the popularity of our ‘In The Mind Of Adam
but fail to make even the slight- there. A little under arm flicking Penning’ YouTube series, we felt we couldn’t just
est impression on fifty seagulls? I with a tiny bomb revealed a rock end it as a four-parter. In a new, two-part series,
wondered if there had been a ge- hard patch of fine shingle, per- Adam’s back in front of the camera to talk about
netic mutation somewhere along haps 5yds out. It was perfect for winter carp fishing in some depth. In the first part,
the line - I had never seen any- one rod and I set it with a ruthless he discusses the key elements of his cold-water
thing like it and couldn’t actually rig and a little scattering of bait. approach which give him an edge, and which
comprehend what was occurring. The other two rods were placed undoubtedly help him catch more carp! Just head
My sheer stubbornness took over nearby but further out and by the to YouTube/CARPologyTV and you’ll find it there.
and I stood there, feeding, feed- time my work was done, I set-
ing and feeding until the bucket tled into a peaceful and welcome Part 1 covers…
was empty. Still the same flock recline behind the mesh. It was 1 . How to stay comfortable in extreme conditions
of birds ate everything I put out. a restless night as most are with 2 . How to choose the right winter venue
me. I’m never actually uncom- 3 . Does wind play a part in winter?
Battered, I eventually made my fortable, I just can’t ever seem to 4 . Location
way back to my gear and tried to drop into that deep sleep that is 5 . Effort = reward
figure out the next best plan. I’d so desperately craved. 6 . Bite indication
7. Efficiency

060

2021 that had done the first fish, and It was early; I went through the TOP: SUBTLE
suddenly it looked as nailed on as energy giving ritual of porridge EDGE TRAPS
out into the lake with incredible it could possibly be. and coffee. I eyed the time and
power. It took a fair few minutes it was slipping away very quickly BOTTOMN:
before I had it relatively tamed After perhaps half an hour of - I had to be off mid-afternoon, GEORDIE…
and ready for the net but even- intense apprehension, the rod if I was to make the most of the THERE ARE
tually I found myself staring at finally took off and once again I last few hours, I had to get my NO WORDS
an incredible looking, long dark found myself running towards it arse in gear. I decided to drop
common. It looked a good one in a state of utter panic. This time the camp, pack the gear and get RIGHTN:
too and I tilted my head sky- the fish was considerably smaller round to the zone on the far side ALMOST
wards to thank the Carp Gods and proved to be one of the few of the lake in readiness for the DREAMLIKE
- the deadlock had been broken. stock mirrors that had gone in new wind, forecast to arrive in
the previous winter. It really was some two hours time. Little was
The fish was an old one, of that a lovely looking creature, per- I to know at that point but it was
there was no doubt. It weighed a haps mid double in size. to be a season-making decision…
little over 35lb and totally over-
flowing with joy, I settled back un- HAT NIGHT WAS As I unpacked my rods, half an
der a bush and took a few self-takes hour later and 250yds away from
of my prize. I can tell you, I was the final one of my where I’d spent the night, I glanced
properly made up with that carp! at the flat, glassy surface and won-
T trip. I stayed put dered if the weathermen would
The remainder of the day was shaft me. So often they did, that I
spent watching the fish that and felt that just rarely tried to preempt things and
stayed in the area - there weren’t maybe, something beyond that, I’d never move into
lots and they seemed to be travel- else could happen. I heard a cou- a zone just based on a whimsical
ling in very small numbers but ple close by in the night, but the weather report - almost always
there were certainly enough to rods remained silent. The fol- the carp will do the exact opposite.
keep me occupied. By late after- lowing morning, we were due to But on this occasion, I decided to
noon, clouds moved over and get a new wind - a cold north- follow my strong instinct that it
the wind picked up a little. With westerly that would be pushing was the right thing to do.
that the fish began to roll over into an area I’d been watching
and around the same margin spot them regularly on previous trips. There was a short length of bank
that didn’t have a swim and was
very difficult to cast to. I’d seen the
fish there a few times and spent an
afternoon trying unsuccessfully
to extract one. In fact, it was an
area high on carp activity but re-
markably low on carp captures. At
that point it hadn’t done a bite for
the whole year and previous year’s
form was lean to say the least. I
think this is down to several fac-
tors, not least of which being the
very heavy profusion of natural
food - the richest in the lake.

Another issue was unquestion-
ably line angles and in order to
combat this, I opted to place my
rods in the reeds where there isn’t
an actual swim, rather than choose
the standard, casting over method.

I placed two traps, both very
close in, and baited them lightly
with a couple of underarm daps
with a good old fashioned spod.
Tips were fished high and the
braided line left super slack. I rea-
soned that if I sat by the rods, oth-
er members walking round would
undoubtedly stop for a chat and
keen to avoid causing any distur-
bance to the area, I decided to sit

FEBRUARY 061
2021

062
2021

with my sounder box in the near- happened. The sounder box at my ABOVE: ance as the beast powered off
est little swim, some fifty yards side erupted in a furious scream AFTERMATH along the surface. It really was
to the left. I made my way down of high pitched bleeps and I was something to behold and all of
there and assembled a little day up and off, running down the us were hushed into silence as I
chair along with a stove and ket- bank. It was the right-hand rod, prayed the war would end in my
tle, and made myself comfortable. the tip savagely bent over like a favour. Eventually, I threw out
barbel bite on a match rod, the the net and thrust it forward as
By late morning, I was starting reel spinning and braid disap- I drew a monstrous, black com-
to curse the weather men; the wind pearing out into the swell. On mon over the drawcord; it was
was only the faintest of trickles connecting, the fish gave a cou- mine and what a prize it was!
and instead of being a nicely an- ple of hard thumps, feeling like a
gled northwesterly, was a straight small one and so when the others When I looked into the net the
northerly which I didn’t think arrived behind me, that was the first thing that struck me was the
would be adequate for funnelling assessment I gave them. As the width - it was a really big carp but
the carp towards the little corner fight slowly developed from those I had no idea which one it could
to my right. I sat there cursing initial disgruntled thumps into be. My head was totally gone and
and praying for a while and then, one of savage power and weight, so I let the lads take control while
whoever was listening, gave me a I began to realise that something I poached a smoke and tried to
response in the form of the wind quite serious was afoot. calm myself down. The words be-
swinging round a touch and start- ing spoken were ‘Geordie’ - argu-
ing to blow with a little more gus- The first time I saw it, a huge ably the most coveted in the lake,
to. Suddenly it looked absolutely blackened set of shoulders ap- the second biggest and in many
prime and I sat there, looking out peared and a shovel of a tail opinions the best looking in the
in renewed expectation. smashed down in furious defi- valley. It was a fish that had only
been caught once in the preceding
After perhaps half an hour, one Winter Carp Fishing Rigs and Tips! | P A R T 2 three years and at one point was
showed in the light swell, some presumed dead, but as it lay in the
sixty yards out, followed by an- In part two, Adam covers two of the most net, gills flaring in anger, I could
other a few minutes later. Several popular subjects in carp fishing: rigs and bait. see that rumours of its demise had
anglers were about and over the He also presents his first live promo of his been greatly exaggerated.
next hour the swim grew from famous ‘Depth Charge’ system. This unique
being a solo outpost to having PVA bag set-up allows the use of solid PVA The fish seemed incredibly
five anglers, sat together, quietly bags with all manner of rigs and can be heavy and in my mind I knew it
chatting away. It was a motley old tied in a matter of seconds. Follow Adam’s had to be over 45lb. The lads
crew, a collection of very long- advice, and you’re sure to see a rise in your helped me weigh it and the Reu-
in-the-tooth anglers who prob- catch rate this winter. Just head to YouTube/ bens settled on the huge figure of
ably had well over 150 years fish- CARPologyTV and you’ll find it there. 48lb 14oz. Something astrobibli-
ing experience between them. I cal had occurred; the Carp Gods
made tea and we watched in ex- Part 2 covers… really had gone and bequeathed
citement as another carp rolled, 1 . Baiting and liquids something momentous. We sorted
Cabbie eyeing it and quickly ask- 2 . Rigs a spot for the pics and when both I
ing when I would be packing up… 3 . Adam’s first live promo of the famous and fish were ready, we carefully
laid it out on the big, soft mat. As I
I forgot about the rods and was ‘Depth Charge System’ mentioned earlier, the group was
lost in a nice little impromptu 4 . Scaling down hugely experienced and collec-
social, as we laughed and remi- 5 . And the single biggest edge in his winter tively, we were all hushed in awe
nisced together when suddenly it by what lay before us. We were
carp fishing armoury! all fully aware of the magnitude
of the moment and every second
seemed almost dreamlike. When it
was time to send the creature back
to the depths, I waded out and held
her for a second more and then she
was gone, having left a quite indel-
ible mark on every single one of us.

Huge thanks to every one of
the chaps who helped share the
moment and make it even more
special, may you all get your own
moment soon.

ADAM PENNING

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RICH STEWART

MAIN TARGET FOR 2021… “To catch
the last big ‘un from a complex of lakes
that I’ve fished for bloody ages!”

DAVE MAGALHAES

MAIN TARGET FOR 2021… “Just to
try and be a bit more consistent with
my fishing time and hopefully cross a
few more carp off the list.”

TOPICS COVERED THIS MONTH:

1. Maximising time on overnighters
2. A Ronnie with a wafter
3. Tickets for the future
4. Naturals in winter
5. Changing venues

The Rotary Letter @RICHSTEWART80
@RICHSTEWART80
CYPOGRAPHY CARP FISHING

S DISHING OUT KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE THIS MONTH
ARE FILMMAKER EXTRAORDINAIRE AND CARP FISHING
ROTARIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA, RICH STEWART AND SHORT-SESSION,
1: BIG FISH ANGLER, DAVE MAGALHAES…
RICH
STEWART ettling my mind to perform even the most familiar acts, like
reading or writing, isn’t easy anymore. Day after day, I’ve trained my
brain to scroll and flit, become agitated by stillness, and relentlessly
spin the social-media hamster wheel, so I’m hoping that this rainy
afternoon spent tapping away, with the odd car ‘slooshing’ past, will
calm the neurons. I’ve just returned from a night fishing a famous
old pit that I have a winter ticket for, and despite my resolve to break
the lake’s hold over its fish on one night per week, it hasn’t happened
yet. Unless I’m lucky, my campaigns rarely ignite from the off and I’m
reminded of a quote from The Shawshank Redemption which sums up
overnighter campaigns:

“Geology is the study of pressure and time. That’s all it takes really…
pressure… and time. That, and a big Goddamn poster.”
Red, Shawshank Redemption

Left: Summer Forget the poster, fishing over-
was gruelling, nighters on tough waters is so often an exercise in
but fun! pressure and time. Now, I frequently get agitated by
Right: AUsing lack of progress, usually as I pack up - I’m sure we
my limited time can all relate? However, as soon as I close the gate
wisely helped and hit the road, that frustration evaporates and
with this capture the resolve to break the code returns. Occasionally,
a piece of the infinite jigsaw falls into place, but
065 most of the time any progress simply evaporates in
the time between leaving the lake and returning a
week later, leaving me to start all over again. Now,
before any of you break out the violins, please don’t
think that I’d have it any other way. In fact, this
is how I’d choose to fish, even if I had more time,
which leads me onto Shaun’s question:

WINNING AT OVERNIGHTERS Yes Shaun; in fact, I don’t believe
there’s a bigger challenge in
SHAUN HARRISON ASKED (ISSUE 205): carp fishing than attempting
to catch carp from hard
Does anyone else purposely give themselves a waters with 12hrs a week at
bigger challenge than necessary, like cooking your disposal. We all know
over twigs, using centre pin reels, limiting the that the most important part
test curve of their rods etc?) of successful carp fishing is
locating the carp, and yet

it’s this part of can bait a swim involves effort, But, I’ve got to my life, uncertain the bank. I don’t
the puzzle that and try to force and less sleep do my recon, of where the carp eat terribly well,
becomes the them to come to than you might then get rods are, in the hope but you know
hardest to solve us. The holy grail need! Inspired out and then try that one gives the what? I bloody
when you arrive scenario for the by spending to get enough game away. Often enjoy it. If you’re
late and leave overnighter is time filming sleep to function it seems that going to spend
early, often not not, as you might the relentless, the next day. the only way to time standing
returning for a expect, finding insomniac, Adam So, recently I’ve force a change of around, getting
week. So, how fish on your arrival Penning, I’ve been watching fortune is to work p*ssed on by the
do we solve the on a summer recently resolved and listening for harder; get to the rain, and barely
problem? Before evening. Often to walk the dark an hour or so on lake more often, seeing the lake
I throw this these fish are in banks until I hear arrival (inevitably swing by on the in the light, then
over to the next their day quarters, or see something it’s dark), then way home from you need some
Rotarian, I’ll add and will shortly on every using a mix of work or bait more comforts. For
my findings from vacate, so I don’t overnighter I do. guesswork and regularly. Time me, that’s a curry,
the last 15 years set-up on them Sounds heroic, reliance on and pressure… rice and naan,
of consistent unless they’re right? So far I’ve default baited heated up in the
overnighters. feeding, or I don’t heard and seen spots to help me SHAUN Ridgemonkey,
have anything nothing. choose my swim. with the radio
We can’t else to go on. The A couple of these HARRISON ASKED on, or a takeaway
increase the time, holy grail instead Clearly, the nights have been Chinese!
so we’ve got is to find where perfect situation unbelievably mild (ISSUE 205):
to ramp up the they’re feeding is that you spend too, so to not (QUESTION:
pressure. To my in the mornings the first night hear anything is a What do you
mind there are during the treading the quiet kick in the balls. In generally do food- Have you ever
two ways to do warmer months, paths, listening, effect, I’m trying wise on the bank? been restricted
this: we can try or at night in find the fish, then to pay for my Footnote: I can’t to overnighters
to locate fish on the autumn spend the next future success by leave overnighters on tough lakes,
our sessions, or in and winter. This two nights trying cashing in 12hrs of without replying and how did you
between, or we to catch them. in brief to one of break the code?
Shaun’s questions
about eating on

Left: The new Giving myself more options
set-up
Bottom Right: I JOE MORGAN ASKED (ISSUE 204): Do you prefer to focus solely on one target water,
did catch a forty or target fish at a time; or do you like to have more than one option?
first time out on
the Ronnie - the I’d like to jump back to issue 204,
amazing Nige’s
Top Right: A mid- because this ties in nicely with the over-
thirty from Birch nighters angle. In light of the time con-
that fell foul of straints that most of us work under,
the new set-up water choice is key. I can’t compete with
guys that have three nights per week,
066
FEB 2021

and it’d have to be a special water to carp (until the next time!). I had a
tempt me to try (occasionally they great summer, fishing with an awe-
come up). So, I like to have a few some bunch of mates, for precious-
waters in the locker that offer the few chances between us. I think
quiet fishing that I like, and if they’re that we fished a collective 120-odd
historic, or particularly beautiful or nights for 14 bites and ten fish on
interesting, then even better. the bank. The fishing was diaboli-
cally hard, which took us a bit by
Of course the carp are important, surprise. Most of the bites came
but we’re living through a real peri- within a short period in August
od of flux in the big-fish scene, with too, so it really was an attritional
more young, big carp around than campaign, but boy did we put some
we could have imagined. Whereas money into the local Chinese! I’m
once size equated with age and char- allowing myself a spring away from
acter, that now isn’t always true, so the lake in question (oddly it’s truly
big carp aren’t a necessity for me awful at that time of year), but then
when choosing a ticket. Potential it’ll be back to the grind until I can’t
has become a really important fac- take it anymore. So, this year Joe,
tor. What will they look like in ten I’ll be targeting one fish, but fishing
years? Is it a ticket I can sit on while two or three waters!
it ‘matures’? These are all questions
relevant to me, because I don’t want (Clumsy segue coming up…)
to be in a position where I’ve got to I did have a couple of trips away
fight for a swim when I’m fifty! from the main water this year, and
ended up proving that it was the
Although I’ve taken the long way lake, not me, that was the problem!
round to answering Joe’s question, I had thirties from two really his-
some context for my answer is im- toric lakes on my away trips, total-
portant. So, I have a bunch of tickets ling just three nights. Now, apart
that I hope to be able to fish over the from bolstering my flagging confi-
next 15 years and beyond (assuming dence, they also served to sow the
I don’t become an absolute termina- seeds of doubt in my mind, rig-wise,
tor along the way). That, of course, which really isn’t hard! I’ll often tie
means that these don’t hold just one up a new rig at home, after being
target fish. I fished campaigns for inspired by the results of anglers far
single carp for quite a few years, and more successful than me.
find it stressful! I’d like to be able to To spice up the first of my away
turn up, whether or not the big ‘un trips, to Birch Grove, I’d decided
has been out, and enjoy my fishing. to try Ronnies with wafters for the
first time. Like the rest of the world,
This is going to sound like a com- I’d flirted with the pop-up version
plete contradiction, given what I when it first hit the scene (I even
just said, but the last couple of years caught a forty-pounder on it), but
have seen me targeting what may
end up being my last-ever target

FEB 2021 067

Left: After catching from the Helipad, I moved to the Main
Boards and the tactics worked there too

Right: An away day to Birch provided some food for thought

front. You know what? I haven’t used
the rig a great deal since, apart from a
trip to the infamous Herts Club water,
which surrendered one of its oldest carp
in the midst of Storm Francis in late
August. Maybe I should use that wafter
and Ronnie combination a lot more?

(QUESTION: Do you think that the
Ronnie, when used with a bottom
bait, offers advantages over and
above rigs without the metalware?)

never tried it on the deck. I whipped up I really wasn’t expecting. Confidence
a few in the cabin at Birch, and despite brimming, I dispatched them into the
feeling slightly cheapened by the whole peaty depths of Birch from the famous
process, I soon had three mean-look- Helipad swim and scattered a load of
ing rigs ready to go. I’d tied them with Krill Active over the top with the stick.
an unbroken coated braid, and my fa-
vourite type of wide gape, beaked hook The fish turned up en masse the next
pattern in a size-four. With wafters morning and I had two almost-consec-
flossed and blobbed onto the hook utive runs just after first light. I won’t
ring swivels I had a play. Jesus, they dwell on the debacle that followed, but
whipped round and grabbed my palm the mid-twenty and mid-thirty that
as well as any rig I’d ever tried, which eventually made their way into the net
served as food for thought on the rig

NATURAL BAITS IN WINTER? year has been bait. casters or worms our hookbait. I’m
Rather than just will get a response keen to see what
seem to say that, using boilies or from fish that others think about
‘Winters ain’t what sweetcorn, I’ve aren’t really up the role of natural
they used to be!’ been trying natural for feeding. I’m food in winter
Who can forget baits in the mix sure that they’re fishing, so…
Martin Locke’s too (usually with easy for fish to (QUESTION: Do
capture of Chop crumbed Manilla, digest too, which you feel that
Dorsal from the Bloodworm is essential in cold natural baits are
very same water I Pellets and plenty water, especially winter essentials
was fishing when of liquid food). It if we need them and if so, how do
Francis struck, seems possible to to eat a bit of bait you fish them?)
25 years or so me that maggots, before they find
earlier? If my FEB 2021
Storm Francis does make me memory serves
seems a long time think that these me correctly, he
ago now, although lows aren’t as used to really rate
the weather we productive as that first week in
had in the early they would be December and I’d
part of the winter earlier in the be really surprised
wasn’t exactly year. Maybe the if it wasn’t an awful
Christmas-card carp need those lot colder and
stuff. In fact, pressure hikes frostier back then.
we had some and temperature
incredibly mild, drops to kick into One edge
wet periods, feeding mode in that I’ve tried to
which produced the early winter? leverage to get
far less than they Sounds mad, but a winter bite this
promised. It really all the veterans

068 Left: Winter: wet and mild so far
Right: A winter, maggot-caught mirror

STAY PUT OR ON THE MOVE?

I really like to have matter how cold, I know that it’s provides enough wisely. This year until the spring,
a winter campaign wet or miserable a finite period wonders to for example, I’m when a return to
water these it is, I’m breaking of discomfort, make catching fishing a really a favourite haunt
days, because I camp and getting and there’s a the largely weedy pit, which beckons, which
often find that back into the car great deal of uncooperative runs counter to leads nicely into
by November, in the morning, satisfaction in carp a bonus. For the lore written two of Shaun’s
I’m flagging on grabbing a big being the only one me, it’s essential in the textbooks. questions. Before
the water I’ve coffee and out there, doing that carp fishing I know that I’m I answer that
been on all year. heading back to it. Whether it’s has these layers working to conjure though, I want to
Having that new a warm house. the brittle, starry of interest, just one bite ask those
challenge really It’s a bit like the nights with cat-ice otherwise winter realistically. But, who follow:
serves to fire the great Roger Smith creeping along fishing is a brutal once I’ve had that
motivation, just once said (I’m the margins or pursuit. You have bite, a good angler (QUESTION: Do
when the lakes paraphrasing), the smouldering to enjoy being would turn it into you change water
are getting quiet. “You get wet, sunrises that there. two, or three, in the winter, and
I love winter then you get follow, and which Now, I don’t tend right? Anyway, if so, why?)
overnighters, dry again; that’s seem to last to choose my I’m not there yet,
because it doesn’t how it works”. an hour, winter winter waters and I’ll keep going

Pulling off and recaptures of my fishing being conducted in a febrile
environment, on a lake where everyone
SHAUN HARRISON ASKED (ISSUE 205): Have you ever pulled off a lake and is decoying each other to gain a slender
then returned, and if so, why? AND: What do others think about recaptures? edge is horrifying, so I’ll be keeping the
I have no issues these days, purposely going back to catch fish I’ve landed as quiet tickets thank you very much!
small doubles, now that they’ve grown on and into much more mature beasts;
I guess some will frown upon that one, though.) Like most people, I’m always looking
for opportunities to get good tickets,
ell, as I just men- seeing the carp reach new heights, doing but they have to fit with my life. I don’t
the work parties and sharing in other’s see me paying the sort of money that
W tioned, I’m going achievements both on the lake and dur- now changes hands for the elite tickets.
back to a favourite ing years when you’re away are far more I fish for myself, try not to preach to
lake in the spring. fulfilling to me than rocking up, knock- others and I’ll happily take quiet fish-
ing the big ‘un out and moving on (the ing for smaller carp!
So, yes, I’ll be go- chance would be a fine thing). The idea
(QUESTION: With more big… no… huge
ing back, Shaun. carp around than ever before, how do
you choose which tickets to pursue?)
I’d better mention
Below: One door finally closed, and next I_m _bivvied_
on a scrap of land on one of the best lakes in my world

that I didn’t ‘pull off’ as such, which

would suggest I’d caught them all! Far

from it. As I said earlier I like to keep a

few tickets and, should it even be pos-

sible, I’d actively avoid kicking the arse

out of them because they’re so special.

Given that statement, I suppose I’d bet-

ter clarify that I really don’t want any

recaptures, on any water.

Luckily, the few tickets that I’ll keep as

long as I can all have lots of carp in, and

no single target. I’m not a bounty hunter

( just as well really!); I like to have a re-

lationship with a lake, its carp, its sur-

roundings and the lads that fish there.

Being involved in the growth of a lake,

FEB 2021 072

The Rotary Letter: Part 2 Bottom Left: Fishing quieter
corners of the lake, just so
I can watch them, when
I know I could’ve caught
much more out in the pond
Top Right: It doesn’t matter
how many fish I’m catching,
once the fishing becomes
stale and repetitive, I’m out

@DAVEMAGCARP

W ell, I’m not going to lie, I’ve read the last five contributions to the Rotary Letter, made
myself two cups of coffee and a cup of tea, re-read Rich’s piece twice more and… I’m still sat
ROTARIAN staring out of the window wondering where to begin! In between, I’ve had a quick search
2: and it looks like I haven’t actually written anything for the best part of two years. TWO
DAVE YEARS!? Where has that time gone? It’s quite scary to think that over the previous twelve
MAGALHAES years or so, I’d barely gone a month without writing something somewhere, but here we
are. Thankfully, the ability to actually tap away on the keyboard hasn’t left me and now that
I’ve got going, it feels as though I’d never stopped.

So, the Rotary Letter. I always feel a little uneasy contributing to these. I’m an opinion-
ated, stubborn sod at the best of times and I always feel like I’m the one that doesn’t agree
on the same things as everyone else (don’t even get me started on pulling a rig across the
palm of your hand to gauge how efficient a rig is. Even as I tap away, now, I’m shaking my
head at that methodology). I’d like to think that it’s because I’m not a difficult so and so, but
maybe I am *chuckles to self*. Right, let’s get going…

MAKING IT HARDER ON YOURSELF

SHAUN HARRISON ASKED (ISSUE 205): Does anyone
else purposely give themselves a bigger challenge than
necessary, like cooking over twigs, using centre pin reels,
limiting the test curve of their rods etc?)

I sat and racked I say bored, I don’t work things out. of fish in my album Before I move the lake and as
my brains about mean from lack of What the fish get or even certain on, I just have to we passed one
this one, genuinely action, I’d just got up to; the best fish. Yes, it’s recount this story corner, we were
trying to think if I bored with how ways to catch always nice if they and I hope Nick told quite clearly
had done anything the fishing was on them; the best come along, but (Helleur) doesn’t not to waste our
to deliberately those particular areas during the once the fishing mind. Around time with the swim
make things a little lakes. I’d fish in period I’m fishing becomes stale and 2011, Aqua had as nothing ever
more challenging a quiet corner the lake etc, etc. repetitive, that’s booked a lake got caught from
and the only where I could just Once I feel I’ve me out. Time is a out for us to do a it. Me, being me,
occasions I could watch them from done that and very, very precious little bit of fishing opted for that
remember where I up a tree, even I start catching thing for me and and get some swim. For as long
had, had stemmed though I may only consistently, I get to churn out night photos for their as I can remember,
from boredom. I’d get one bite, as bored. The buzz after night has new catalogue. I’ve always had
grown bored of opposed to fishing goes. Quite often, always just felt like We’d been given issues with being
the lake(s) I’d been out in the pond I’ll pull off a lake punishment. a quick tour of told what I can
fishing and I’d and maybe getting even if I haven’t
deliberately done a handful, that sort caught a particular
things, just to try of thing. fish I’m after, as in
and get some my mind, the lake
enjoyment from For me, the is ticked off. I don’t
my angling. When ‘buzz’ comes need ‘X’ amount
from trying to

070 FEB 2021

and can’t do (and have caught one and rolls a smoke, first is away. We you, but by the time on their sides,
yes, I spent most each and I’m casually scanning go round to lend time everyone had but you’ve rocked
of school life walking around the water. Once a hand and to take left the following up and made it
in detention or with a slight finished, he gets some photos. As day, Nick had look easy. I mean,
suspended or on swagger, thinking his fishing gear out we’re doing so my caught more in you didn’t even
report… you get something along and walks round alarm screams out one night than all walk round the
the idea. How the lines of, ‘Don’t to an empty swim for attention, so I of us combined lake or anything.
I ever made it bloody tell me in one corner. He have to run back had in three You just scanned
to university is where I shouldn’t swings a rig out, to sort that out. and I was a bit the water from the
beyond me!). be fishing!’, when short, and puts By the time my miffed about the lodge and knew
Nick Helleur turns the rod on the fish is sorted and whole situation where the fish
So, two days in up. He says his rest. Before he returned, Nick as I hadn’t even were. Considering
and I’ve caught hellos, then sits can get his second catches another bothered looking you’ve never
four fish, two outside the lodge rod sorted, the one. I won’t bore round the lake and seen the place,
other anglers just went into the that’s skills!”
swim that I was
told I wouldn’t He casually takes
catch from. a few puffs on his
smoke, silently,
As we sat before a wry smile
talking, I swallowed appears on his
my pride and face and he says,
waffle something “Yeaaa, my mate
along the lines of, fishes here all the
“Fair play, Nick. time. Apparently
I’ve fished with the fish love that
loads of so-called corner and run
‘top’ anglers and up and down the
I’m always left bottom of the
scratching my shelf all day,” and
head thinking what the two of us burst
would they do if into laughter.
they didn’t have Good old Nick!

It’s the hard work in-between sessions

RICH STEWART ASKED: Have you ever been restricted to overnighters on tough lakes, and how did you break the code?

hen I first read this question, I

W chuckled to myself, as the vast major-
ity of my fishing over the last few years
has been very short overnighters. And I
mean, very short overnighters. Turning

up after 10 p.m. and quite often packing

up before first light to either go to work,

or to be off the lake as I shouldn’t be there. During late spring

and early summer, this can mean only 5 or 6hrs fishing, which

to most people is probably madness. When I thought about

the question more and more, though, I’m not quite sure I’d

have been even half as successful as I have been if all my ef-

forts were locked into those few hours fishing. I’m not one of

those people that will go fishing every week, relentlessly go-

ing through the motions, waiting for my time to come. Again,

because time is so precious, I try to get everything in my fa-

vour so that when I do get some time to actually fish, I know

that there is a very, very good chance that I’m going to catch.

FEB 2020 Above: A 3 a.m. bit of lamping whilst everyone 07 1
slept changed my view on things

Don’t get me wrong, when I’m really ‘on that big chunk of water would go weeks I’d then stop off on my way home and
it’, I may do two overnighters a week without doing a bite. A little bit of 3 a.m. check the spots again, before heading
for four or five weeks, but things would lamping whilst everyone was asleep one home to get my little boy from nursery.
have to really be right for me to do that. night and a chance spotting the follow- Both those visits wouldn’t be more than
ing morning made that lake really quite 30 minutes each, BUT when I came to
Rich touched on ramping up the easy. I know that if I hadn’t have seen actually fish, I was having at least one
pressure, either during his overnighter what I did over those few hours, things fish a night, which I was over the moon
or in between. There was a time, when would have been very different for me. with. In fact, on a couple of occasions
I’d get a 36hr trip and an overnight- I even got lucky during my quick visits
er most weeks through the summer I cannot for the life of me remember on my way home and had some very
months and I’d barely sleep. I’ve always who said this to me, but someone once quick bites whilst doing my quick laps.
been a bit of an insomniac anyway, but said, ‘We all see the same things, but it’s I definitely wouldn’t have had the same
when fishing a venue with lots of good how we react to them which sets us apart’. results had the effort not been made in
anglers, who have lots of time on their That rings true so often it’s uncanny. between nights. In fact, the more I think
hands, those five or six hours of sleep about it, the more I think how over the
really can be the difference between (QUESTION: Have you ever noticed last few years it’s the effort in between
keeping up with those anglers or not. something or spotted a little sign that which has totally made the difference.
has changed your fishing on a lake?)
I’ve never been the best of anglers Rich also had me mulling over what
and certainly don’t have any edges as I have fished lakes strictly on short warrants labelling a lake as ‘tough’?
such, but, for as long as I can remem- overnighters, but I was lucky that the One person’s tough or hard, is anoth-
ber, certain things that I react to quite fish used to show through the night, so er’s easy, no? Is it the angling pres-
often get missed or overlooked. Some- it was merely a case of getting a couple sure, the nature of the venue, or the
times they are the simplest or subtlest of rods ready, having everything loaded fish themselves? I’m probably not the
of things, too. It sounds ridiculous, onto a barrow and just waiting for them best person for this particular subject
but I’m talking three bubbles out in to show somewhere. Easier said than as I (deliberately) have fished very few
the pond, or fishing in shallower spots done on 50-acres with a strong wind, venues that I guess would be classed
than everyone else, even though it’s but more often than not it paid off. as ‘tough’. I’ve fished lots of lakes that
the same swims and areas. have been tricky for one reason or an-
As I mentioned previously, rod hours other, but normally once the pieces
I can remember fishing one lake that these days are much, much shorter, so of the puzzle have clicked into place,
was seen as reasonably tricky, where it’s the in between where I put maxi- many of those venues have ended up
the fish would put on displays every mum effort in. Again, silly little things not being so tricky and it’s more a case
morning without fail. There would be that pay off massively in the long run. of timing. That’s a point actually. A
huge patches of fizzing out in open wa- Only last year, I was getting up at 3 a.m. friend of mine once said to me that
ter, but the five or so swims covering most mornings, driving to the lake and the biggest factor to catching big carp
sitting at one end where I could see the is timing. Part of me agrees, but then
most water. I’d put the kettle on and do another part of me doesn’t, so…
a quick lap of the lake to check spots
etc. Then I’d make my brew and watch (QUESTION: Is there a key factor in big carp
the water for fifteen minutes or so, be- fishing or is there a multitude of factors?
fore heading off to London for work.

Top: Overnighters are the bulk of my fishing
these days, but it’s the hard work in-between
that makes a difference
Bottom: 3 a.m. wake-ups to walk the lake in
the mornings before work definitely paid off

FEB 2020

FLITTING AROUND

JOE MORGAN ASKED (ISSUE 204): Do you
prefer to focus solely on one target water, or target fish
at a time; or do you like to have more than one option?

The last part leads me out. I envy the mental HM65R
nicely onto Joe’s question. strength of some anglers
I definitely always have and recently I’ve been UNMATCHED CHOICE FOR
more than one option. It listening to podcasts whilst FISHING, HUNTING AND
comes down to nothing working, and the guys
other than boredom. Even who talk about repeatedly LAW ENFORCEMENT
when I have a specific going into a swim, casting
target in mind, I can only to the same spots, fishing OUTPUT 50-1200LM WHITE |5-150LM RED
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about it, the one carp that thing the following week, • USB-C FITTING WITH RECHARGEABLE/REMOVABLE
I dearly wanted to catch then the following week
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fished the lake to finally way and consistency is key
getting it in my net. Now, and all that, but some of SUPERIOR NIGHT USE
don’t get me wrong, the these guys rack up more
second year I had a ticket, time in one month, in the • SUPER LOW 5 LUMEN RED LIGHT SETTING FOR MINIMUM
I must have racked up same swim, than I’ll do
25+ days (it was a days in a whole year in all my VISION IMPACT
only venue) through the fishing put together. But
summer months. After then that’s probably why • ULTRA LIGHT MAGNESIUM IMPACT RESISTANT CASING
that, though, I just came I’m no big fish angler. I’ve
and went. Sometimes never been serious enough Trade enquiries welcomed
I’d go two or three years about my fishing to go
without buying a ticket. down that route and that is
Other years I’d buy a no doubt what sets those
ticket, fish it once or twice mega successful guys
and it would get caught, apart from the rest of us.
so I wouldn’t go back.
Other years, I’d give it a (QUESTION: At what
good go for a few weeks, point do you draw the
catch a load of fish, then line and call time on a
leave it. Again, boredom lake? Do you just keep
would kick in and catching going until you’ve caught
the same fish over and the one you’re after,
over again just grated on however long it takes?
me. I had one of them
nine times. NINE! Above: Trying my hardest to be
happy with every capture on a
You get what I’m saying. lake that isn’t the easiest to get a
Once my angling gets bite on, but nine times I had this
stale and repetitive, I’m one over the years!

FEB 2020 073

‘No size 10s here!’

RICH STEWART ASKED: Do you feel that natural baits
are winter essentials and if so, how do you fish them?

b s o l u t e ly… on picture the lake’s big common drop- rything into a solid PVA bag, with no
ping down on those worms and my other freebies around it. I do like to
A the right venue! heart in my mouth as I watched eve- crumb some boilies and add a sprin-
I’ve been an ad- rything unfold in the shallow water kling of pellets into it too. I’m not sure
vocator of baits beneath the trees. However, once I’d if it makes any difference, but in my
such as maggots watched big fish feeding on maggots mind, it adds a little attraction.
in the edge, it changed a lot about my
and corn for years views on them. Undoubtedly, the trig- A few years ago, I was fishing a venue
ger stemmed from Rob Maylin’s writ- and the fish were using this bay for
and the beauty of ings in his magazine, but once I’d seen a couple of hours each day. It was
the reaction with my own eyes, there crazy fishing, really, for those couple
them is that you only need to use them was no looking back. of hours, especially as a lot of the fish
were 30lbers. One afternoon, I’d just
in small quantities. Unfortunately, I guess the real difference with put a fish on the mat to unhook it,
how I fish maggots and worms to when my other rod rattled off. Luckily,
many people think that more is better most is the size of the hooks I use. I the head bailiff came walking into my
thread them directly onto the hook swim (who was a friend), so I asked
when it comes to natural baits, espe- and think nothing of using a size 2 him to unhook the fish for me and
or 4. Personally, I don’t think using weigh it quickly whilst I dealt with the
cially so with maggots and often it can smaller hooks has any benefit and if one on the end of the rod. Ten years
the carp drop down, it doesn’t matter on and I can still picture him swearing
kill the fishing if you’re using anything what size hook you have on, trust me, behind me as he popped the hook out,
the whole lot is going in! then holding the rig up in the air to
else. It’s a shame really as maggots are look at the hook in disbelief. I’ve had
If I’m using maggots, I’ll use a very it a couple of times since when people
so high in protein, amino acids, fatty short rig with a heavy lead and put eve- have seen my rigs. No size 10s here!

acids and energy content, as well as With the worms, I’ve only ever
used them in the warmer months
other vitamins, that the carp definitely where I can watch what’s happen-
ing, so they’ve generally just been
benefit from them. It’s funny, as until side-hooked and lowered in, with a
few whole and chopped ones thrown
my early twenties, I thought worms around the rig or lowered in with a
bait dropper if I want things nice and
were a deadly bait and my PB for a tight. Corn I’ll generally Hair rig and
would treat them almost like boilies.
long time was a fish that I’d caught on When it gets really cold, I like to blend
corn, some boilies and bread together
a lobworm over a lightly baited area of and I’ll fish small PVA bags of ‘mix’
with corn on the Hair.
whole and chopped lobworms. Even
I should just touch here on Rich’s
now, over twenty years on, I can still question about Ronnie Rigs as bot-
tom baits. Mate, I’d love to give you a
074 Above: I always use big hooks with worms and maggots response, but I haven’t tried them. I’m
and it certainly hasn’t affected my catch-rate really not the riggiest of people at the
best of times and I know what I use
works and works really well, so I just
stick with it. Years ago, I would defi-
nitely have tied some up and dropped
them in the edge to see how the carp
deal with them, but so confident am I
in what I use that I don’t feel the need
to entertain it.

FEB 2020

FUTURE PLANNING Left: There I’m certainly not time I don’t know That’s probably
has to be a planner like where I’m fishing something I
RICH STEWART ASKED: With something Rich, looking from one month should get better
more big… no… huge carp around than about years down the to the next, let at, really!
ever before, how do you choose which the carp line. Most of the alone years ahead.
tickets to pursue? themselves DAVE MAGALHAES
or the
I almost didn’t (I’m a miserable venue that
answer this one, sod aren’t I?!), intrigues me
as my word count but there has to RIght: So
is a bit high, but be something long as the
I’ll just touch on about the carp lakes are
it quickly. It’s a themselves or quiet of
funny one for me the venue that anglers, then
to answer as it’s intrigues me and I’m happy
no secret that I try makes it special
to avoid anywhere in my eyes, if that Fused Lead
busy. Once upon makes sense. It
a time, I had more doesn’t bother me Clip System
tickets than I what anyone else
knew what to do thinks, whether Featuring a build in swivel and an eye
with, but barring it has any merit incorporated a groove for your mainline or
an RK Leisure or anything like leader to sit comfortable and snug in,
ticket a few that, it just has when bedding down your knot.
years ago, I can’t to tick my boxes These perfect for dropping the lead in
remember the last at the time. One snaggy or weedy situations.
time I seriously minute, it could
fished anywhere be a forgotten www.bmgtackle.com
that I had to buy park lake, the next
a ticket for. I can’t it could be a busy
even explain what golf course lake
it is that I look or a forgotten
for. Obviously, syndicate that’s
somewhere quiet been raped and
ideally, away from pillaged, but for
other people a few survivors.

FEB 2020





HOW-TO // PRO ADVICE //

WINTER TRICKS

Mainline: Pro Tactics

Your monthly dose of the finest advice from the finest anglers out
there. This time we kick off with advice from Amy Maunder, along
with more know-how from Loz East and Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones.

LEFT: An early season common after
prebaiting the area

TOP RIGHT: Essential IB Balanced
Wafters - one of my absolute favs!

MIDDLE RIGHT: Watching the water and
trying to gauge the activity levels
of the carp is vital to using the right
amount of bait

BOTTOM RIGHT: A simple stringer may
be all the bait I’ll use in my sessions,
but I’ll certainly be looking to
introduce a little in between!

A t this time of the year, I like to make a start on my Over time, session after session, I
spring plans. I like to think a productive start to will always make sure my spots are
the year will only lead to bigger and better things topped up consistently. I will hap-
for the remainder of the year. Firstly, choosing pily apply bait for a couple of weeks
the venue I want to focus most of my angling on is before I even start fishing in that
area. After the initial baiting phase
is complete, I always keep them
topped up during each session. As
the year warms up, the amount of
bait I use increases and decreases
as it cools again. Hopefully with
some success in between!

the first port of call. Areas and spots come second
and then the most important of all would be my baiting strategy.

THERE ISN’T A BETTER TIME to really amount of choice when it comes to
put some thought into what you hookbaits. I usually like to fish a Bal-
would and wouldn’t want to use on anced Wafter or Pop-Up. Two com-
your chosen venue. For me, I like pletely different types of hookbaits
to settle on a good food source bait but both offering the result I want.
in the form of boilies. This for me I know a carp has a better sense of
is a no-brainer due to the types of smell than eyesight but for my own
venues I like to fish. However, with confidence I want to know they can
the huge amount of choice within flipping well see it. I’m always look-
the Mainline Baits range settling ing for that ‘oooooo what’s that’ ef-
on one isn’t always easy. Although fect. I trust the Balanced Wafters
I don’t strictly stick to one flavour, to keep great buoyancy and pres-
I do have my favourites like we all entation when in the water for long
do, but as the year goes on I like to periods of time. The pop-ups are
switch things up. The reason I like just brilliant when your spots aren’t
to come up with my own mixes is as clean as you like and they help to
because it leaves me with a huge keep nuisance fish at bay!

078 TEXT Amy Maunder

HOW-TO // CONQUER ZIGS // because on any given day, one par-
ticular colour can out fish the rest.
LAWRENCE EAST In this instance the Mainline Supa
Sweet Ziggers come into their own,
Zig Rigs For Winter Success with black as the base colour for
each of them you have red, yellow
URING THE WINTER you ting comfortably, can often be too and white which usually I’ll start
much for them to resist.  with one of each on all three rods. 
D can endure long peri-
ods of inactivity, sat be- My preferred way of Zig fishing This can be a very active ap-
hind motionless rods, is firstly to find the fish; however, proach which not only keeps you
especially when the carp’s metab- this isn’t always possible so the warm on a cold day but by constant-
olism slows right down and they next best thing is either go from ly changing the depths and colours
don’t feel the need to feed as much.  previous experience or usually the of your Zigs you will eventually find
One method I always have up middle zone of the lake is a good out what they want and where they
my sleeve at this time of year is Zig bet. Next, I like to use a marker are sat. Usually, when I get a bite I’ll
Rigs; I’ve literally lost count of how float and line clip to find out ex- change all three rods to the same
many occasions these have saved actly what depth of water I have in depth, colour and area to maximise
me from a blank over the years. front of me to work with, the line my chances of getting more. 
Personally, I’ve found Zigs to be clip just ensures I can clip my fish-
more effective when targeting ing rods up to exactly the same dis- A little edge I like to give my Zig-
slightly deeper venues, however, tance. In this instance there have gers is to boost the attraction of
they can still be a good tactic on been a number of times in the past them by soaking them in the Supa
shallower lakes. The reason Zigs when I’ve felt the lead down during Sweet Zig Liquid. This gives the
are such a prolific tactic is once the winter, and especially on deep hookbaits an extra added attrac-
the water temperature cools down venues you’ll know if you’re in the tion which will flood the water
in every layer of the lake, the carp right place as you’ll feel your lead column with a really sweet aroma,
will naturally want to sit at what- hit fish on the way down as it falls which sometimes, can be the dif-
ever level has the warmest layer of through them shoaled up.  ference between an ordinary day
water, which is often well off the and a red letter one. 
bottom. Therefore, by suspend- Once I’ve found my depth, I then
ing a bait in the area they are sit- need to work out which colours
I’m going to use, this can be vital

TEXT Lawrence East 079

HOW-TO // ZIG RIG EDGES //

JON ‘SHOES’ JONES

Add Some Cloud To The Water

T’S AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, bait tips you too will bank a few reason I ask is carp behave dif-
extra Zigged fish this year. ferently on highly stocked waters
I when the carp start to than in ultra-low stocked ones. On
wake up and on many Hookbait choices are entirely up the highly stocked waters the carp
lakes around the coun- to you, but most tend to use foam. are more aggressive and will attack
try, they will spend many hours ly- As good as unflavoured foam can a hookbait quicker and before its
ing in the warmer levels in the wa- be, you can’t ignore giving it some mate gets it, so you need to work
ter. Presenting baits on the deck in extra pulling power with a liquid out how to get the carp feeding ag-
the traditional manner can often dip, but if you want the best of both gressively in your swim. Again, the
be very unproductive, as the carp worlds then a Supa Sweet Zigger best attraction is a cloudy ground-
won’t be there. So, presenting a would be my first choice Zig bait. bait and one I’ve had great success
bait where you think the carp are is These ultra-buoyant hookbaits on is the Souper Zig Mix, which has
your next step. This is when a Zig are perfectly made to target active been designed to create a suspend-
Rig comes into play. Zigs during carp within any level of the water ed cloud of attraction in the upper
the spring make up the majority of column. If you want to add an ex- layers and throughout the water
captures when fished correctly so tra boost, this can also work won- column ideally suited for Zigging.
I am sure if you follow my simple ders. I like to use the Supa Sweet Mixing it sloppy and Spombing it
Zig Liquid, sweet flavours seem to over your Zig hookbaits can bring
TOP LEFT: A lovely Churn Pool common work the best for some reason so a big hits on highly stocked waters.
after switching to Zigs bottle of this is paramount.
I hope this has pointed you in
TOP RIGHT: Available in three colours, The only other thing you have the right direction when thinking
each combined with black; the Supa to consider is what type of venue about Zig baits. Just give them ago
Sweet Ziggers are must have hookbait are you going to fish? Is it highly this spring you’ll never look back.
stocked or ultra-low stocked? The
BOTTOM RIGHT: Mixed to a ‘sloppy’
consistency, the Souper Zig Mix can add
a cloud of attraction around your Zigs!

080 TEXT Jon ‘Shoes’ Jones



WHO’S CAUGHT WHAT?

‘What’s Occurring?!’

Charlie Davis was just cleaning out his spod bucket and staring down a Italian carper, Nicholas Holzer has managed to get onto the banks of
blank at the end of his session, when to his disbelief one of his alarms Parco del Brenta recently, catching some of the huge carp the lake
signalled an unexpected take! This stunning 38lb 5oz mirror was the holds. Cell and The Link bottom baits topped with white plastic corn
result! Falling to a Milky Toffee pop-up fished over Cell boilies. matching a Cell and The Link boilie bait feed the winning approach.

Carp fishing is all about big smiles and enjoying the outdoors and Matt Whalley was absolutely blown away to catch The Big Lin from
these young anglers, Evelyn Walter and brother Oliver demonstrate intimate Cornish water, Spooky Pool, the mirror weighing in at 39lb
perfectly, catching this lovely winter carp to a handful of chopped 10oz. A trimmed down 15mm Salty Squid Balanced Wafter fished
Cell boilies fed close to lily pads lining a nearby island feature. over a scattering of The Link boilies doing the business for Matt.

After a quiet couple of nights Mitchell Miller knew he was in the It hasn’t taken long for Matt Eaton to get amongst the fish of a new
wrong area and a move was needed - a move that paid off when 49lb club water, recently banking this lovely old, and sort after mirror
Frimley Pit 3 record mirror set a new PB for Mitchell! A small handful known as ‘Lumpy’. White Cell pop-ups boosted with Cell Activator
of Cell boilies mixed with a prototype bait inducing the take. and fished over a light scattering of Cell boilies working for Matt.

Visit: mainline-baits.com Contact: [email protected]

HOW-TO // CATCH REPORTS

Another month, another round-up of success stories. Caught on Mainline?
Then visit their website, submit your catch report and join the elite - just like these anglers!

MAINLINE-BAITS.COM - UPLOAD YOUR CATCH REPORT

A swim left alone for a while came up trumps for Kristian Horlock Mark ‘Boots’ Johnson is certainly in sync with the tricky Meadows/
recently when it produced a power take and flat-rodding run that Fjords body of water on the St Ives complex, Cambridgeshire. His
eventually resulted with this huge 59lb 8oz mirror falling to a mix of super-reliable Cell boilie approach coming up trumps yet again, land-
Cell and Essential Cell boilies coated in Cell Smart Liquid. ing another stunning carp recently in the shape of this 36lb 1oz mirror.

Taking a walk around the Abbey Lakes complex with a change to more In what has certainly been a strange year, James Jones accomplished
favourable weather conditions on the cards due, paid off big time the goal he’d set himself of catching a fish in every weight bracket from
for Sean Kelly recently. Getting himself onto increased carp activity 10lb to 90lb when he slipped the net under this 78lb 4oz Gigantica
on Fox Lake resulted in 15 fish and this 69lb 10oz Cell-eating beast. carp recently! The huge mirror falling to a Pineapple Juice pop-up.

Consistent Monk Pit angler, Lee Goddard topped a trio of winter Greg Ellis enjoyed a winter stay at Johnsland Fishery in Devon, where
carp with this 30lb 8oz mirror recently. Targeting a bloodworm bed alongside girlfriend, Becky, the couple landed several carp to 34lb!
at 70yds with solid PVA bags holding a 12mm Milky Toffee pop-up, 12mm Hi Visual pop-ups fished with PVA bags of crushed Cell and
the bags were fished over crushed Cell boilies and maggots. Mainline Match Cell Activated Pellets bringing on the bites.

Like , T weet, Su bscr ibe and F ol l o w M a i n l i n e B a i t s

On-site Fishery Contact: 07885 327708 Web: www.linear-fisheries.co.uk

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WATERS IN THE UK HOME OF THE BYCAC

Web: www.linear-fisheries.co.uk On-site Tackle Shop Contact: 01865 548199

086

PART THREE

IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW…

It’s an emotional time for Ian Chillcott as he’s finally discharged from hospital,
and with a little help from his friends, gets out on the bank again

_BY IAN CHILLCOTT
_PHOTOGRAPHS BY IAN CHILLCOTT AND FRIENDS

Later in the day, I became aware of the

nurses again, and the insistent ques-

T tions they asked me every fifteen min- who likes to sit around doing noth-
utes. They were for good reasons of ing… oh no! I wanted to get out of bed.
course, indicating the level of brain ac- I wanted to investigate things, and it
tivity, and if there were any problems was all they could do to keep me in-
caused by the mammoth 14hr opera-

tion. I was totally unaware of exactly active, and not repeatedly asking im-

what had happened, and the wickedly possible questions. At the time, I had

thin and slippery ledge Mr. Stapleton absolutely no idea just how debilitated

and his incredible team had had to ma- I had become, and it was this feeling

Through, what seemed to me at least, noeuvre along. These were details I of not being able to help myself which

a strange and misty haze, I gazed would learn about at a later date. For became so worrying for me. I was go-

at something blue and white. I had now, though, I had to remember just ing to be moved to another ward for

no idea what it

was, and to be

honest, I didn’t

really care. A “Hello handsome!” she said in her beautifully quiet way. I thought my heart would explode from my chest
voice was ring-

ing in my ear, a

voice which ob-

viously wanted a response. Whether three simple things: my name, where my protected recovery, so I could only

I replied or not, I can’t remember, but I was, and the first name of our queen? imagine how relieved the ICU nurses

what happened next will stick in my It took me a few days to get there, but were when they signed me over to the

memory forever. Where I lay, I was I was pretty cool with the first and last orderlies who had come to collect me

obviously being cared for by nurs- questions. The second one, however, a couple of days later. In my rather

es, two of them in fact; ladies who gave them a little concern, if not a bit confused state, I evidently thanked

looked after me so closely during of a giggle. I quite categorically and the nurses profusely as I was wheeled

my precarious time in the intensive very stubbornly, so I was told, stated away. At the very least, they knew they

care unit. However, subconsciously, that I was in bed! Apparently, all they had done their job very well indeed!

I was driven to find someone else. wanted was for me to tell them what At first, I had to be on my own with

I slowly moved my head from right hospital I was in. Somewhere, through several pairs of eyes and hands nearby

to left and there, shrouded by the the mist, I remembered: St George’s to lend assistance, if necessary. I can

same mist, was Lindie. She had been Hospital in Tooting! honestly say, I still had no idea why

gripping my hand for hours, waiting As the fog began to clear, I can I was there at all, but it was obvious

for this very moment. “Hello hand- vaguely remember my fifth day in the the people around me did, and they

some!” she said in her beautifully ICU beginning. I had, at long last, re- worked tirelessly. After two days in

quiet way. I thought my heart would membered who I was, what hospital I that particular area of the hospital, I

explode from my chest! I may have was in and that Queen Elizabeth still was finally moved to the unit I would

been completely unaware of my sur- reigned. However, as they were about stay on until I left for the final part of

roundings, or even why I was there, to find out, I am not the type of man my hospital treatment. I could never

but I could sense her being present. have imagined what I was about to face

With nothing else to think about, as the life I once had, came to a stand-

and as confused as I had become, I still. But most of all, the second-most

drifted back into unconsciousness @ian_chillcott_carp_angler emotional experience of my life af-
with her beautiful image firmly in- Fox International Carp Fishing ter seeing Lindie by my side, was how
grained in my mind. Ian Chillcott Carp Angler much people cared about me… how

087

and gazing at the end of my bed. There
stood our good friends, Drew and Lau-
ra, with their daughters, Ria and Indie-
Ana. Seeing them there gave me such a
wonderful rush of happiness, and that
feeling of elation was about to last for
months on end. They were there most
days, and when I thought about what
they were doing, I shook my head in
disbelief. They run their own stables at
Arborfield, and to say it took up most of
their lives would be a gross understate-
ment! Looking after 30 horses (on a
good day!) and the people who owned
them, was something of a miracle.

Another couple, Luke and Charlotte,
who also worked within the horse fra-
ternity, sacrificed so much to help us,
Luke especially, as he was responsible
for smuggling in doughnuts from the
café, something which I was quite cat-
egorically told not to eat! Also, Andy
Braddnock amazed me with the way
he cared for Lindie and me, ensuring
she got the shopping and admin done
to get her through this madness. He is
a very influential vet, as well as a bril-
liant carp angler, and he too was lim-
ited for time. It took my breath away
when I thought about them all, but I
had another shock coming. However, I
had to learn a couple of harsh lessons
before this was brought to my rather
shaky attention.

I

Top: With our friends, friends would rescue every problem I had been on the unit for seven days;
Drew and Laura, I shook and difficulty Lindie and I faced, and
my head in disbelief just as importantly, how the world at visits from the neurology team and
Bottom: From then on, I large would lift me from the depths of even Mr. Stapleton himself, had begun
promised to take all the hell, to a place I never thought I would to make me realise I could possibly
pills they told me to! ever reach again. get through this without too many
problems. However, there appeared to
088 All I could think of was seeing Lindie be just one thing distracting me from
every day, but as I became more fa- anything which was said or done… and
miliar with my surroundings, I also that was making my own cup of tea!
noticed the people she was with. I re-
member well, holding Lindie’s hand, Whatever I asked for whilst laying on

“The next thing I remember was being ously crossed my mind. Knowing there
supported by about five nurses, and people was every possibility that I would never
hold a fishing rod again, just made my
screaming for other things to be done.” desire to do so stronger than ever. First
of all, though, I had to understand the
my bed, gazing at the sky from the win- the husk behind, something we could limitations I would have to live under,
dow, I got. That wasn’t good enough for deal with at a later date. It was a totally and the thing which made that seem
me, but when I asked if I could get to unexpected outcome! almost impossible was the fact that I
the brew-making machine in the hall- was now totally blind in my left eye. As
way, I was told that due to the drugs I I talked, in a rather muddled and worrying as this may be to anyone, you
was taking and the fact I couldn’t actu- muffled way, to Lindie about my phone, can never really imagine how hard it is
ally walk, I would have to wait a week constantly wondering what the world to function normally.
or so. A week without a decent brew! was getting up to and if I had missed
Well, it just wasn’t good enough for me, any calls. It was at the end of my second
so the next time they brought a cart full week on the main ward, that she turned
of pills and potions, I told them it was it on. No one could ever have guessed
the last time I would take them, and the way it would react, and in the end it
at six the following morning I turned took over an hour to stop making noises
down the offer of more pills. of various kinds. Indeed, the poor old
iPhone was so knackered that she had
Once they had argued the case and to recharge the damn thing before I
made some notes, they moved on to could look at it. As suspected, I couldn’t
the next ward shaking their collective even read the thousands of messages,
heads at my behaviour. Rather smugly, and the similar number of voicemails
and with some effort, I swung my legs were beyond me. However, Lindie did
out of the bed. I have to
admit, I felt unstable, Top: A touching visit from Marsh
and even with my re- Pratley. RIP my friend
duced sense of sensibili-
ty, suspected it was prob- Bottom: It made me more determined
ably a ‘bridge too far’. than ever to wet a line again
However, by lurching
from one piece of furni- take a couple of shots of my head, just
ture to the next, I made my way to the for our sakes really, but I could never
door, eventually falling onto my target: have had any idea of the response there
the sacred brew machine a couple of would be once I showed Mr. Stapleton’s
yards up the corridor! The next thing handiwork off to the world. I did try to
I remember was being supported by answer the odd text, however, and what
about five nurses, and people scream- a complete disaster that turned out to
ing for other things to be done. It felt as be! No one, and I mean no one, could
if my head was about to unscrew from understand anything I’d written. Ap-
my neck, at which point the lights went parently, it was total gibberish. Lindie
out, and it wasn’t until nine hours lat- sent a warning text to Lewis Porter at
er I opened my eyes again. It was the Fox HQ stating, “Oh my God, he’s found
one single lesson that taught me all I out how to work his phone!’ Lewy, hav-
would ever need to know! From there ing been made aware of what the ‘lovely
on in, whatever I was told to take or old bugger’ was trying to do, kept a close
do, they never had to worry again. Mr. eye, managing my Facebook and Insta-
Stapleton himself paid me an urgent gram pages. The best advice, as it always
visit too; he felt it was about time I has done, came from Lindie: “Just con-
knew about the operation itself, and centrate on getting better, husband.”
the ramifications thereof.
And that, as best I could, is what I
The whole procedure had taken did. It wasn’t a surprise that I remained
14hrs because of what had been in hospital for a further five weeks, and
achieved, me included. I had been so as much as I wanted to get home, I un-
stable during the second half of the derstood why it was taking so long. Of
operation, that he was able to remove course, with that amount of time to
the whole tumour from the area cover- think about things, carp fishing obvi-
ing my vital arteries. He had left only

089

Top Left: I stared at
my treasures with
tears in my eyes

Bottom Left: I
began to see things
in a completely
different light

Top Right: Lindie
and I went for some
wonderful walks…

Bottom Right: …we
even spotted the odd
carp along the way

Your powers of perception will have N everyday fishing tackle. I stared at the
disappeared, and your mind has to get scene with those tears still in my eyes,
used to the disability. Threading a line Nearly three months had gone by, and and with all things being equal, I reck-
through the rings of a rod, or a hooklink I seemed to readily accept the hospital oned I may just get to use it all again!
into the eye of a hook were almost im- side of the recovery. Coming home was
possible, and casting became a night- a different matter. It was very emotion- My time at home was a simple affair:
mare. This was a little way down the al, as I gazed around at things I thought get up in the morning around ten, after
road, but after a few days in Frimley I would never see again. Obviously a good twelve hours’ sleep; take some
Park Hospital, I headed home. It was Lindie was top of that list, but my eyes pills and eat something; watch a little
just before I arrived, and with a great filled with tears as I was carried up the TV, along with a snack; then take more
deal of assistance from Lindie, that I drive, past my monster Dodge truck. pills and potions and then go back to
posted the picture of the fifty stitches In my spare bedroom lives my beloved bed. All that was left to do was press
in my head. Again, I could have had no Harley Davidson, along with a lot of the repeat button the following day. It
idea how people would respond, but may sound somewhat boring, but I was
it was another moment in time which alive, and much against Lindie’s inten-
hardened my resolve to recover. The sions, I was trying to achieve one of
Facebook post reached nearly half a my ultimate goals: to go fishing! Help
million people, and the likes and com- was so readily at hand from all my lo-
ments took me weeks to read through. cal friends with regards shopping and
For a dinosaur who always believed supplies from the chemist. However,
this ‘intro net’ thingy didn’t matter, he the mission to a local lake was coming
finally came to his senses. That tidal
wave of encouragement and support
poured more determination onto me
than practically anything else.

090

“The post reached nearly half a million people,
and the likes and comments took me weeks to
read through. That tidal wave of encouragement
and support poured more determination onto

me than practically anything else.”

together very nicely indeed! times, and this alone was truly exciting.
Just round the corner from me was We even spotted the odd carp along the
way, but I could never have guessed how
my friend, Stuart Dawes. He and his this was going to turn out.
family had been so helpful. Stuart and
his brother Cameron were carp an- The other problem was that my eyes
glers, so the aforementioned objective were getting a little fed up with shed-
came together very quickly indeed! The ding more tears than they had done for
problem I had was that my recovery donkey’s years. I sat contemplating and
was incredibly slow, but it did leave us discussing my immediate angling fu-
time to laugh about my planned escape ture, whilst sipping a brew with some-
to a local lake some 750yds from my one, when there was a knock at the
home: Shawfields. In preparation for front door. As always, Lindie rushed
the marathon event, Lindie had me go- past me, very effectively stopping me
ing out for a few walks with her, length- from answering it. A few seconds later,
ening the distance a little at a time. she handed over a package. By its flat-

At the end of October we Bottom Left: Lindie’s company and encouragement were truly priceless
were ready to rock and roll, Top Right: Stuart and I were ready to rock and roll
and for the first time in for- Bottom Right: I had to tie up an awful lot of these!
ever, I found it difficult to
sleep. I had prepared a couple ness and size, I rightly assumed that it subconsciously written the comment,
of Horizon 3lb test curve X4s, was a picture of some kind, and I hap- a comment that will hang in my life
with FX9 reels loaded with pily tore the packaging away. That was forever. I sat and wept, and wept some
16lb fluorocarbon line. That until I saw what was written on the more when I discovered they had all
alone was enough, but getting some glass; glass which covered my favour- written personal messages on the back.
10 and 15mm Hybrid into the air-dry ite capture shot of me with Charlie’s It was an amazing moment, a moment
bags seemed to complete the picture. Mate from Frimley, circa 2007. In very which showed what I had meant to
Whether I caught one or not was irrel- tidy handwriting, all those at Fox had them over the past 18 years, and just as
evant; I was going fishing! I was allowed importantly, what they had all meant
only four hours, but just being there was to Lindie and me. Loyalty is something
all that mattered. On our daily walks, of such profound importance to me,
Lindie and I visited the lake a couple of and no financial reward that so many
mercenaries take ‘fishing around for
a better deal’, will ever beat the emo-
tional feeling I had that day. It made
me more determined than ever to wet
a line again… whatever it took.

Shawfields wasn’t a water renowned
for its big carp, but that, as always,
didn’t mean much. If I can enjoy the
fishing, then that’s what matters, isn’t
it? Stuart and I had giggled like a pair of
kids at Christmas the evening before,
and by the time I lay my head down
that night, I’d checked my bait and
rods a hundred times. It was as much
as Lindie could do to make me shut up,
letting sleep continue to make my re-
covery complete. Stu rang the doorbell

09 1

Top Left: Things were at 9:30 a.m., and I quickly bundled my that was to have a look around. We did,
just about to get very rods, seat and a small bag of bits and however, park the barrow in an area Stu-
emotional indeed pieces onto his barrow. It was hard for art fancied, and who was I to argue? Hav-
Bottom Left: A moment I it not to be an emotional moment, and ing walked around the lake, I crashed
find very hard to describe probably kissing Lindie goodbye, was onto the barrow for support. I asked if we
in words the hardest thing to do of all. However, could keep quiet about that for now, as I
Top Right: The most with my walking stick in hand, we head- stiffened up the sinews and got the rods
special carp I will ever land ed off on my first fishing trip, in what ready for action. After very slowly tying
felt to me the beginning of a new life. up six rigs with the PVA bags attached, I
092 thought it best to first find a spot with the
On arrival, I insisted we did something rod. Easier said than done! Several casts
I always do when I get to a water, and into a tree on an island, had me wonder-
ing whether Stuart was thinking that I’d
really lost the plot. With a red face and a
couple of rather sweaty, shaky hands, I
kept trying. My powers of perception, as
we talked about earlier, were more non-
existent than I could have imagined. It
took me a further ten casts just to get
the lead in the general area, and then
another ten to find what I was looking
for: a clear spot in the weed. This was
becoming very frustrating indeed, and
things got a whole lot worse when I tried
to position the hookbaits!

I had to tie up another dozen mesh
bags before I got it right, thinking they
were sort of okay. My only thought
was, if there had been fish in the area
before, they were probably now over
the other side of the lake with their
ear defenders firmly on! Of course, the
carp had other ideas…

I sat on my guest chair taking in the
surroundings and soaking up the joy
of actually going angling again. It may
sound a little strange, but my eyes filled
with tears once more as I watched a
heron prowl the opposite bank, and
a beautiful kingfisher quartering the
lake as she searched for food. They
were all moments I thought I would
never have the pleasure of sharing
my time with again, but here I was,
and things were just about to get very
emotional indeed! Stuart and I were
enjoying our first brew, and I smiled at
my cup for a very long time. However,
halfway through my first bankside
cuppa, one of the rods signalled a cou-
ple of bleeps. They almost appeared as
warning shots, just before the thing let
loose a massive salvo of the same. This
was probably the first run of my new

“She was quite simply the most special
carp I will ever land, and her capture meant

the start of a new life for me.”

life, and with incredibly shaky hands, I later - its capture had me shaking my
played the fish over-cautiously into my head in disbelief. However, after bang-
outstretched, quivering net. on four hours, our session ended, and
we set out for home. How I got there I
Stuart had filmed much of the fight, will never know, because the only thing
but I was glad he had put his phone down I remember was Lindie waking me at
as I tried to lift the fish onto the mat. ten the following morning. It had taken
My tears of joy flowed down my cheeks so much out of me, that my brain had
- it was a moment I find so hard to de- switched off completely, and although
scribe in words. When you thought this
would never happen Top Right: This little mirror had me shaking
again, or that you’d view my head in disbelief
such things whilst sit- Bottom Right: As shattering as the mission
ting on a cloud, strum- was, I couldn’t wait for the next one!
ming a harp, everything
seemed like a dream. I some of you may find this strange, all
even pinched myself, I could recall was the talk Stuart and
maybe as a joke, but I had had about doing a night on the
some of me just wanted to make sure I lake sometime soon! I may have gig-
had actually landed a carp. My fires had, gled about the thought at the time, but
against all the odds, been ignited again! as I saw Lindie’s smiling face looking
lovingly down at me, I couldn’t help
We didn’t weigh the stunning little planning when that would be…
common, but it was probably around
15lb. She was quite simply the most IAN CHILLCOTT
special carp I will ever land, and her
capture meant the start of a new life
for me. I caught a small mirror a little

093

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MR. BRIGHTSIDE So
We catch up with Joe Morgan following a year like no other, as he gives us his personal
take on 2020, and explains what 2021 has in store… what have you been up to since Carp-TV was sold?

AN INTERVIEW BY CARPOLOGY “When Elliott took over Carp-TV I lost my buzz for the
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE MORGAN AND FRIENDS game to be honest! I’d literally worked in the trade since
before leaving school, so for over 20 years, my life had
CAPTION revolved around fishing. Instead, I put more energy and
focus into the events I put on and got my head stuck
YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW SCARY IT WAS into my music, and I travelled more. I’ve been DJing
BEING TOWED AROUND THE BUOYS WITH since I was 22 and have always had a love for the under-
ground party scene. On my travels in Indonesia, I also
THIS ON THE END! discovered a more chilled style of electronic music that
suited the scenery so well: deep, melodic, atmospheric
stripped-down beats, with sounds and influences from
all over the globe. In fact, if anyone fancies checking
out my sets, search ‘Joe Morgan Beats Therapy’ on
Mixcloud; it’s perfect for background music by the lake.

“Anyway, on my travels I had a taste of levels of freedom
and happiness that I never imagined were even possible,
and to be honest, if money was no object, I’d be more
than happy spending my life living that way. Sadly, I could
continue living the life of Riley for only so long, and even-
tually, not only did I run out of money, but I also found
myself in a fair bit of debt! Returning from my last trip
away two years ago was actually far harder than I thought
it would be. Every year I’d been away previously, I had
always returned to work, money, a place to live etc., but on
this occasion I was coming back to none of those (and mi-
nus funds), so to say it took me a while to get back on my
feet would be an understatement. To be perfectly honest,
I still haven’t, financially or mentally… ha ha, true story.”

Did you miss making the show?

“To be honest, no, not to start with, as for the last six to
ten months that Carp-TV was running, it felt like the
passion had gone and we were both just churning out
a show for a wage… I knew the only way it could carry
on, was for me to work with another enthusiastic an-
gler whom I could bounce off and for it to have a fresh
revamp. Unfortunately, Elliott had his own plans and
wasn’t keen on teaming up to buy it. I considered doing
my own thing at the time, but I knew deep down that the
fire of desire had burnt out, and you can’t be on camera
unless you are loving what you are doing. Passion and
enthusiasm are the highest priorities of any presenter
and faking it never works. If you’re not enjoying doing it,
no one is going to enjoy watching it… simples!”

096