Very sad to hear of the tragic death of 16 year old Dave Moss on one of my local fisheries Moreton, my thoughts are with the family at the moment,fished there not  long ago and it rained the whole session,remember  my first fishing match at 16 on the river Severn on a truly frightening slippy steep peg and flooded river that was some 36 years ago,this follows a similar tragic drowning at Goldendale pool of 18 year old Damien Brian in 2009,nothing I know can bring them back but it brings home the dangers we all need to be aware of in our chosen sport.

If you do fall in don't feel for the bottom with your feet steer towards a clear bank with your hands as you're less likely to snag yourself in weed or debris,wear non slip shoes,wear lightweight garments in layers,easy to remove, woollen jumpers become heavy and difficult to remove if you fall in water,go fishing with someone else ideally 2 others and carry a charged mobile,invest in a lightweight gas life jacket or vest, unobtrusive and essential on boats or if you can't swim.If you fall in without a flotation device remove any restrictive clothing and it is possible to use your trousers as a flotation device by tying the legs and plunging them into the water trapping air.

Ultimate Carpers

Thanks to all who view and contribute to this blog,the title "The Ultimate Carper" may be a bit boastful,I for one only aspire to being one.The blog is dedicated to the carping fraternity and any of the latest developments.I apologise for not answering comments(just found a load in the spam folder,oops).I'm also either at work or fishing ,blogging is more for reference and hopefully a reference or brainstorm for other carpers.
I'm carping at some new venues this year and will provide feedback on this.

Carry on Carping,tight lines.
Shaun Pickerill

Mr Crabtree TV Comeback!

According to Angling Times Mr Crabtree is to make a TV comeback.Angling writer John Bailey is to appear as the legendary Mr Crabtree in a new channel 4 series.I look forward to this series with great anticipation thumbing through Bernard Venables cartoon strips was a great inspiration to me as a child,there may be some poetic license as the fishing is perhaps a little behind the times but if it can capture the charm of the books it can't fail.Angling Times will reveal details of when the show is due to go out.

Stop the spammers

I know its a pain but I'm now in the position of having to review comments,also you have to enter a word/be a registered user to leave a comment.This is because my personal email is being spammed to death by anonymous people abusing the noreply-comment@blogger.com to comments on my blog posts,don't know how or why they do this.This is a carping website I don't need sex aids/drugs or links to unrelated sites,you get the picture.

Carp Fishing Technology Extremes

It seems like every week a new product comes out helping you to catch bigger and easier.Many of the old school refuse to use these,let's give fish finders/Bait boats as an example.I understand the frustration when times limited.When does this technology go too far though or it's just plain common sense to use it.Most have watched the Korda Underwater series,"How great is that!" to genuinely see how the rig is lying if there are fish in the swim/etc.I read a somewhat over the top rant in pub talk(Angler's Mail) which outlined some future extremes.We know how expensive some of these big carp are and how some of them end up in near-by rival waters.In an effort to control some have been chipped similar to chipping pets.Take this to the extreme and add tracking transmitters and geekology you're now sitting in a bivvy that looks like the bat cave with a bleeping monitor giving you the exact GPS position of the water's resident monster carp,click on another window it gives you feeding info,it's typical patrol routes,when and where it was last caught(you get the picture).Why stop there virtual on-line carping directing someone else to cast some rods out and catch the carp for you! Where will it end?

Get on the Wind Carpers

I won't go into minute detail why big carp follow the wind but basically this boils down to food,oxygen,comfortable temperatures and cover,for more detail check this out
http://www.carp-fishing-tactics.com/why-follow-wind.html.You can save time by mapping out your lake N,S,E,W points.If you're having problems with compass points check this link http://www.compassdude.com/compass-reading.shtml.You can now get wind forecasts and current wind direction via the internet directly to your mobile here for GB http://www.xcweather.co.uk/GB/forecast.With a few clicks you can know or roughly estimate the windward end of your venue and go straight to it,might be all the edge you need.Get on the wind.

Tackle Reviews

The most expensive items in your carping armour can be a let down sometimes when you discover a budget item that's engineered to the point it's superior. Most carpers swear by their Delkims/solar pods and Shimano Reels,as regards alarms I think a lot are beginning to catch Delkim up now,I've always rated fox alarms and the new one by Ace is just that.Korda has pretty much nailed the market on some superior end tackle.Trakker do they make the best bivvies?.I'd like to hear your comments and what you feel is the Ultimate carping kit.I'll start the ball rolling with the Maver Reality Aluminium Pod £49.99 extremely lightweight, aluminium rod pod complete with three rod buzz bars. All four legs are adjustable, as is the pod’s length. The goalpost set-up aids stability and the buzz bars feature quick release attachments. Ok I admit I've got a Solar Stainless Steel Pod which will probably last forever but it's so heavy even with the barrow and the Maver one is just over 2kg.It's not going to last forever but if looked after should last a long long time.
I know it's been a while since my last post,I've gone self employed and will be working on a new retail website carpio.co.uk amongst other projects,I know there's not a lot on it at the moment,I'm currently cataloging and researching products in between fishing trips but the fishing trips are winning out at the moment but feel free to check it out and contact me.
Carry on Carping
Shaun

Free CARPOLOGY iMAG

Free CARPOLOGY iMAG with access to archive of imagazines --Brilliant
CLICK ON THE iMAG IMAGE

Free Carp Fishing Ring Tones

If your looking for a Cool Carp Fishing Ringtone for your mobile phone then you will find seven of the most popular carp fishing alarm ringtones(Delkim/Fox etc) at Carper.co.uk

And of course, they're FREE to download.

Listen to them here:
http://www.carper.co.uk/#/carp-alarm-ringtones/4536829069

New World Record Dream Carp from Martin Locke in France

January 2010

Congratulations to Martin Locke the Kent based Solar Tackle boss

The world record carp has been broken by Martin Locke, who last week smashed the world carp record with this huge mirror weighing 94lb.

The monster mirror (Briggs' Fish), beats the previous record by 3lb and was taken on a week-long trip to Rainbow Lake in France.

His bait had been sitting over mixed seeds, hemp and crushed boilies for four days until the take in the early hours of the morning saw him battle with the same fish that set his previous personal best of 84lb back in September 2008. Martin took the fish from swim 12 on the 110-acre venue.

Martin used an ultra-tough rig comprising an 85lb Kryston Ton-Up hooklength, a 12oz lead and a size 1 Solar hook sporting a long hair carrying three Solar Club Mix boilies.

The capture means that Rainbow Lake, situated close to Bordeaux, has wrestled back the world record venue crown from fellow French water Les Graviers, which produced the former record carp caught by Andre Komornicki in 2008 at 91lb.

One man who knows first-hand the challenge presented by fishing at Rainbow Lake is Rob Hales, the UK fishery boss who himself caught (Briggs' Fish) at 90lb 4oz last May.

"Many people have no idea of just how challenging the place is. You can go weeks without a bite and trying to locate where the fish will feed in a huge lake that has a bottom like an underwater jungle is the ultimate test for any angler."

For many of the UK Carpers such a trip to the Rainbow Lake or Les Graviers is a dream Carping expedition which more often than not results in a blank,well done Martin.

New world Record Common Carp 86lb 6oz

German common carp is new world record 86lb 6oz

Well this certainly makes my personal best common of 25lb look a bit sorry to say the least.The venue of the stillwater is secret(wouldn't we all like to know that one!).I've heard also it's not taking any new members and is notoriously a difficult water as a lot of these big carp waters (innevitably pressured) are,by that I mean you can wait months for just a bite.Imagine the patience and dedication involved here,not to mention the blanking and toll on your available free time.Hats of to German angler Nermin Caro who had all of the fore-mentioned to bank the new world record common carp at the weight of 86lb 6oz.

The 33-year-old caught the massive fish, (Mary), from a secret lake in his homeland after taking a few tips from his brother, Emir, who banked the specimen himself in 2007.

“Straight away, I knew it was a huge fish. It shot straight out into the middle of the lake, but with solid pressure I managed to turn it slowly. After about 20 minutes, I got my first glimpse of the fish – it was the venue’s biggest resident, Mary! My knees started to shake and I just kept mumbling ‘please, please go into my landing net’, which she did at the third time of asking – I couldn’t believe it, she was mine!” he said.

Nermin took the giant fish on a snowman hookbait made from a 26mm Dynamite Baits Red Fish boilie, with a matching 15mm pop-up. He presented this on a 35lb Kryston Quicksilver Gold hooklink, a size 4 Korda Wide Gape X hook, and an 113g Fox inline lead.

Nerim’s catch beat the existing world record common by Dieter Markus Stein in February 2009, by 13oz.

Gawsworth Hall Fishery

Went Gawsworth hall fishery for a brief night/day session last week caught 5 carp and 1 large bream,weren't feeding on top as usual even though it was millpond calm so had to take the pot luck of the alarms,no monsters biggest was 12lb,a very difficult session with fish falling mainly to tutti fruiti boilies and one to strawberry,mixed commons and mirrors,well at least I didn't blank.It's getting close to the time of year when I caught the 25lb common and there was a bit of a feeding frenzy going on then with some definitely bigger fish about,the trick is getting the timing right as they feed up for the winter but no signs of this as yet.

Moreton Fisheries Astbury Congleton

Thought I'd post a quick comment on Moreton Fisheries (ticket day/night),old misery guts Mal(you know who I'm talking about) has retired,the people running it are a lot friendlier,now even has a toilet and butty/burger van open all day and things are being tidied up (work is being done!).I know people who've avoided it like the plague for the reason of the grump so I thought I'd pass it on.To those of you who got on well with him and he never cussed,you can only of visited once.
Shaun

Facebook Carp Fishing Group

Set up a Carp Fishing UK Network group on the increasingly popular Facebook,feel free to join and add yourself as a friend(costs nothing)and could be great for Carp Fishing networking and news if I can get enough members.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49603846305

Environment Agency and Post Office Ltd. Mess Up Our Rod Licenses

Still waiting for your Rod License,nearly a month ago when I applied for mine,have to fish with an email with an  order receipt number on it.Don't know how they can check this if the systems messed up,got this from the EA Website,seems like an oppurtunity for bogus receipts to me:

We are aware that some customers who have bought their licence online or over the telephone in the last couple of weeks have not yet received their licence. We are very sorry for this delay. We are working with Post Office Ltd, who operate the online application system and call centre on our behalf, to fix this problem.

You can begin to fish immediately after buying your rod licence by taking the receipt reference number with you. You do not need to wait for your licence to arrive. If you have paid for your rod licence you are covered to go fishing and we will get your licence to you as quickly as possible.

We are sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused. 

Not very impressive is it.

Ultimate Carp Venues Luke Moffatt's The Graviers Dijon

No Carping Venue review would be complete without including the current World Record Dream Carp Venue Luke Moffatt's First Class Fishery The Graviers.Andre Kormoniki from London is the current record holder landing the world record carp(pictured below). Andre used a Greys Platinum 12.5ft 3lb Carp Rod to land the 91lb Mirror(Scar) at Luke Moffatt's Le Graviers water in Dijon France. Known as the scarred fish or the fish of two halves as it has a scar running round its body, amongst other less flattering names. The scar was apparently caused by a rope which was tied around the fishes body to retain it, this was done many years ago before people were more concerned about carp care.The Scar also follows the fate of Carp like Two-Tone as being one of the most saught after of captures being the current world record from various other record weights . The bait Andre used was the Baitcraft T1 a bait with a track record for the bigger specimens. Andre used a blowback rig tied with a Kryston Super Mantis hooklink and a Korda Longshank X Hook to catch the carp of a lifetime. Not content on catching the world record Andre also caught ten more fish including carp of 63lb, 56lb, two at 50lb, 40lb, 37lb, 33lb, 32lb, 29lb and 27lb. Apparently the next available season to book is 2011(2009/10 are now fully booked) although you maybe luck enough to get a cancellation ,contact Luke via his website linked to the title(best of luck with that).You may want to make a note that February 1st 2010 is the next available date for reservations and some notable DVD's featuring the Venue include(5 Days in France 2003,Tactical Carping 2004 and Back on The Rods 2007.

Frank Warwick Ultimate Carping Legend

Frank Warwick Age 40 lives in Wimslow, Cheshire and works as an Angling writer/consultant.Current UK Pb: 43lb 14oz from a Shropshire water European Pb: 57lb 11oz from the Graviers Dijon Favourite Bait: Spicy Shrimp & Prawn and favourite Rig: Long shank blow-back. All-Time Favourite Venue: Raduta in Romania Proudest Moment: Catching two 50lb-plus carp for the TV cameras Achievements: "Pioneering the Fluro bait phenomenon and my input into new rig designs" What’s The Next Step?: Catching a European 60lb carp.

I've sometimes followed Frank on to waters where he has cleaned up and I've tried to find out what he was doing that I wasn't.An impressive long distance caster check out the DVD An Interactive guide to Carp fishing with Pete Castle and Matt Hayes.Frank's knowledge of Carp Fishing is unsurpassed.

Paul Young Ultimate Fishing Legend

Paul Young (born 3 July 1944 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) is a Scottish television actor.Son of the actor John Young.
Credits include The Tales of Para Handy, No Job for a Lady, Coronation Street and Still Game.
Paul has gone on to find more fame among the fishing community, fronting a series of fishing TV shows, which began with "Hooked On Scotland" on the BBC in 1991. The show enjoyed great success, winning a BAFTA for the first series. After two series, the show switched to ITV (Scottish TV), the name changing to Hooked on Scottish and Paul's brief widening to include trips to fishing around the world.
In 1999, Paul was hooked by Scottish, and the show - with much the same format of Paul catching fish in lots of interesting places, each episode showcasing a different type of fish - was taken on by the Discovery Channel with the name changing to "Hooked on Fishing". This ran successfully for 6 series up to 2004.I remember Paul losing his rod to a fierce take in one of the US episodes and taking chase in the boat.
Paul's latest venture in 2006 is Fishing Road Trip USA a 5,000 mile journey sampling the delights of fishing in the USA.You can't deny Paul has in particular popularised fly fishing with some impressive game fish from all over the world.

Terry Hearn Ultimate Carping Legend

Terry Hearn Age 33 of Boxhill, Surrey has to be the Carp Angler people most want to be and came top in a poll of Carp Anglers on this blog, he works as an Angling writer although for a writer the website(click above title) is a little disappointing(just an ad for a book really) well he's got to be out chasing another 50 and all that!. Single UK Pb: 55lb 13oz (Mary from Wraysbury) Favourite Bait: The Source,Favourite Rig: Hinge stiff-link/Chod rig. All-Time Favourite Venue: No particular favourite but Toll Pits and Causeway Lake.Proudest Moment: "Catching the British record carp and when I caught my first 40lb carp", which was Basil from Yately North Lake. Terry has been Angling Times Carp Angler of The Year and two times Cobra Carp Cup winner.'In pursuit of the Largest' is an unmissable read and here is a link exclusive to a chapter of his new book 'Still Searching'.

http://www.dynamitebaits.com/index.php?id=648

Matt Hayes Ultimate Fishing Legend

Matthew 'Matt' Hayes (born 24/11/1961) in Smethwick near Birmingham, UK ) is a British angler who has been making television angling programmes for the last 10 years featured mainly on the digital TV channel, Discovery Real Time(Shed). Due to his television work and the numerous fishing articles he has written, Hayes is one of the UK's most famous and recognisable anglers. He is often seen on TV alongside his fishing companion and fellow programme contributor Mick Brown. A lesser known fact Matt has a Law degree from Wolverhampton University and also won specimen fishing’s top prize, the Drennan Cup in ‘98 he then dropped out of serious big fish angling to rediscover pleasure fishing. I still like to catch big fish but for me, what really counts is experiencing fishing in all of its forms. I came to realize that measuring success in pounds and ounces is a road to nowhere" (A quote I can personally identify with),Matt currently lives in Shropshire and
has written a weekly column in the Angling Times for almost ten years.Matt pictured with a whacking common "Don't they ang on!".

John Wilson Ultimate Fishing Legend

John Wilson (born 1943) the jolly fisherman who has put more fun into fishing than Rex Hunt and probably kissed more fish, is a legendary British angler who has been making television angling programmes for the last 20 years featuring on channel 4 Television and more recently on the digital TV channel, Discovery Real Time(Shed). Wilson was voted 'The Greatest Angler of all Time' in a 2004 poll by readers of the Angling Times Newspaper a testament to his popularity.
Wilson was born in Enfield, London where he fished on the River Lee. He had careers in hairdressing, the Merchant Navy and printing before opening his own fishing tackle shop based in Norwich in 1971. John now lives at Great Witchingham, Norfolk,where he fishes on his local River Wensum and owns his own lake complex.If ever a knighthood was merited for services to fishing this man would have merited one decades ago.Check out Sixty Years A Fisherman the long awaited and updated new edition of much-loved angler John Wilson's memoirs, an icon of the angling world! John reveals the real life story behind the camera lens of a man who was once a cruiseship hairstylist and who later became one of the most recognised TV personalities to have come into the world of angling. Packed full of fishing anecdotes and stories of his travels around the world, Sixty Years A Fisherman is beautifully illustrated with John's own photography. http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/id/Sixty_Years_A_Fisherman_The_Autobiography_of_Fishing_Legend_John/9781905828395

New Discovery Channel Shed

I just thought that you might be interested in a new channel which is being launched by Discovery this Friday – Discovery Shed. To mark the launch four times world angling champion Bob Nudd is going to be fishing at Victoria Park, London on Friday (20th March) from 8am. If you’d like to come and join Bob for some morning fishing and to get some tips to help improve your own technique, just turn up at the pond, which is near the park’s Pavillion Café (enter at Crown Gate West) at 8am on Friday.Discovery Shed will be the place for men who like good old practical activities to escape to. Watch Matt Hayes' Greatest Catches on the channel from Friday 20th March at 9pm and 9.30pm, Bob Nudd's Right Angles follows at 10pm and 10.30pm.

Moon Cycles and Fishing

Freshwater anglers fortunately don't deal with tides like saltwater anglers, but the phases of the moon are equally important to them as well. What the angler wants to focus on are the new moon and full moon periods on the calendar. The two or three days following these two occurrences will result in more fish activity. It's that simple.
The moon phases are a very real factor in the feeding patterns of fish. The perfect weather situation combined with a full or new moon. When this happens, theoretically you will have a great day fishing.here is a link to a moon phase calendar for 2009.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/

Barometric Pressure and Fishing

The barometer can be an effective tool for measuring the feeding behavior of fish. The barometer is an instrument used to measure ambient atmospheric pressure. The measure of barometric atmospheric pressure can then be used to help predict the weather and the feeding behavior of fish. Haven't we all wondered why fish were so easy to catch yesterday, but today you can't even get a bite?
You see when a low pressure front is building, the barometer is low and dropping and a storm is either present or on its way. When the barometer is high or rising, the weather is fair and dry. If you’re watching the weather on the TV, that's what the large capital L or H means on the weather map. The L stands for a low pressure system and the H stands for a high pressure system.
So what does this mean to a fisherman?. The barometer will unlock many of the "mysteries" of fishing. When the atmospheric pressure fluctuates, it affects the air bladders in fish. A fishes' air bladder is what it uses to stabilize itself at different depths of water. When a fishes' air bladder isn't feeling right it won't want to eat. When the barometer is low or falling, fish will spend most of their time equalizing their air bladder, and the last thing they're thinking about is feeding. When this happens you'll have a difficult time fooling a fish into eating. On the other hand, when the opposite is true, and the barometer is rising, your chances of catching a fish, is far greater, because they feel more like eating.Here a link to the met office pressure charts.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_pressure.html

Conningbrook Lake Ultimate Carping Venues

The anglers lucky enough to fish this difficult water on a regular basis know that the next run could be the new British record.
The lake has produced the British Record Mirror(Two Tone) of 61lb 2oz which sustains an average growth rate of 3lb per year. Be prepared for 'a few' blank sessions though.
Information: Dug in the early eighties the original fish were stocked form the Mill Pool in Faversham and the rest is history.
The lake also holds some very nice pike too.Main Lake:Approx. 35 acres: Carp 64lb 15oz, Pike 30lb and Roach. http://www.midkentfisheries.co.uk/Conningbrook.htm

Donald Leney unsung Carping Heroes

Ever wondered where the Carp came from that inspired the boom in Carp Angling. Many of the most famous carp fisheries and plenty of the most notable carp in the country are a direct result of one mans passion for carp. A non-angling fish farmer working for the Surrey Trout Farm from 1923, Donald Leney almost single handedly sowed the seeds of some of the most magnificent carp and carp waters that have been seen in this country. Donald travelled to Holland where he hand picked fast growing Galician strain of carp to bring back to England. They were indeed stunning fish, characterised by a long torpedo like body shape, heavy scaling and deep colours. These Galician strain carp, now referred to as Lene carp, have played a key role in the making of our carp heritage. Donald Leney's carp went everywhere from Billling Aquadrome in Northamptonshire to Frensham Small Pond in Surrey to the mighty Savay in the Colne Valley. But Redmire Pool, the most famous of all our carp waters benefited from Donald,s love of Galician carp like no other. In 1934, some 50 5 to 8 inch carp were introduced to the three-acre pond in Heretfordshire to try and control the weed. In 1951 Bob Richards landed a 31lb 4oz mirror from the pool, the first of three consecutive British records from Redmire. Then on September 13 1952 Dick Walker, the father of modern specimen fishing landed one of the few commons from the 1934 stocking - a 44 pounder he called Ravioli (later Clarissa). The giant claimed the British record untill the opening day of the 1980 season when another Leney giant - a 51lb 8oz linear- was caught by Chris Yates. Three consecutive record breakers came from 50 small carp, not all of which would have made it to adulthood - a remarkable statistic. Another legacy of Donald's carp is their longevity. Until its sad death during the 2003/4 season another Redmire mirror carp first caught in 1961 - was thought to be the oldest documented carp caught in the U k , aged over 70 years and also suspected to have been part of the 1934 introduction. It is suspected that Redmire pool still holds the crown for the oldest living carp in this country, another of of Donald Leney's amazing babies. A linear mirror, the last survivor from the original stocking from 1934 and probably spawned in 1932 is now if still alive as I write an amazing 73 years old. Although not banked for a decade, untill last year was known to be still swiming around this historical venue and is thought to be around 40lb. Over a 25 year period up until 1956 there were hundereds of thousands of Galician carp imported and stocked throughout the U K, most delivered by rail. Many were stocked into unsuitable venues and fell by the wayside. Through his beloved Galician's that prospered, Donald Leney perhaps contributed more to modern carp angling than any other. This artical was originally written by Colin Davidson for Anglers Mail.
Look out for The King Carp Waters is written by carp historian, Chris Ball, this tells the story of the Donald Leney stockings of Galician strain carp into a number of (now) famous waters in the 1930`s and 50`s. The book looks at 6 venues in detail: Redmire (of course!), Frensham, Billing Aquadome, Savay, The Army Lake and, the odd one out, The Electricity Cut on the River Nene at Peterborough.

Redmire Pool Utimate Carping Venues

Redmire Pool is a farm pond just under 3 acres in size in Herefordshire.The venue has always captured the imagination of Carp Anglers worldwide. Donald Leney was instructed to stock the pool in march 1934 with 50 small Carp (5.5"-8") in an effort to combat the extensive weed in the pool. Hence the 'Leneys' came along with the Redmire stockings and stockings he carried out elsewhere around mainly Southern England producing most of the known big Carp in England today.Unbelievably these fish lay untouched until 1951 when a local angler by the name of Bob Richards got permission to fish the pool.I can't help thinking it must have been a little easier to catch these unpressured monsters. On the 3rd October Bob was to re-write the record books by capturing a magnificient Mirror Carp of 31.4lbs.The next year saw the famous Richard (Dick) Walker on Redmire, and on September 13th he caught the famous 'Clarissa'(chistened Ravioli by Walker but the zoo didn't like the name)at a new record weight of 44lbs. 'Clarissa' spent the rest of her days residing in London Zoo.I wondered why, but apparently record fish were routinely killed to establish their provenance and Walker hated the idea of killing such a magnificent fish so he persuaded the aquarium's curator at the zoo to take it .Dick's record stayed intact until Chris Yates captured a massive 51.5lb Mirror(the Bishop).Redmire has been fished by all the famous names in Carp Fishing over the years.In those days Redmire was private and secretive, now thanks to the present owners the magic and mystery of Redmire is available to all(but book early!).

Chris Yates Ultimate Fishing Legend

Chris Yates is a true gentleman of the fishing fraternity and it's most visible in the TV series A Passion for Angling perhaps the best fishing series ever made.Often looking like an extra from Sherlock Holmes he has a penchant for classic centre pin reels and split cane rods.The once controversial record holder of the 51lb 8oz carp(the bishop) from Legendary Redmire is also a prolific writer and former co-editor of Waterlog Magazine as well as finding time to be a photographer.Worth looking out for Catching the Impossible and Caught in Time,here also is an ever expanding wikipedia link http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Yates_(fisherman)

SP

Carp Innovations

Over the years there have been more products and innovations appearing for Carp Fishing than the average wallet can cope with.Some are labour saving,better quality e.g Basia Reels,new lines and rigs,new baits,better bivvies/bait boats/night vision.Some are so simple you wonder why you didn't think of them yourself.I'd like people to comment on their personal favourites or maybe you have your own gadgets and bag of tricks you couldn't live without.Mine are pva/radio bite alarms/coated braid/pram style bivvies/muddy bite indicators/quick links.Your comments please.

25LB Common

Well it's been some time since I picked up a big carp,and I've blanked at a lot of big fish venues,in fact this is the first time I've caught at Gawsworth Fishery although only the second visit,I'd more or less got the woodland specimen lake to myself which explains the rather dissappointing self timer photo.I'm supporting the fishes considerable gut on my knee and also managed to cut the carp's tale off .I've got a short video of this on you tube,the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX5zchqO8jQ it was caught on tesco's premium mixer(floated out) on a small bubble float and it was pretty explosive stuff nearly ripping the rod out of my hands.I was getting nowhere with bottom baits/pop ups etc despite laying out a bed of bait.This makes up for the 2 small stockies picked up at Holden in about 10 visits and the blanks at Westport/leg of mutton and Bath Pool(dreaded swans).I'd like to also thank National Veterinary Services who suspended me for alledgedly smoking in the toilets who made the visit possible,Cheers!
Shaun

The Swan Lady of Bath Pool

Ok I apologise I know it's been a long time since the last post and I have done a lot of patient carping in pursuit of my personal best but nothing major so far,and it gets frustrating sometimes blanking or getting a stocky from a water where you know there's some big fish.So here's a tale for all you fellow hunter gatherers out there the much maligned patient carper.
The scene is 5am dragging my self out of a warm bed to Bath Pool,spending the last of my money on diesel and bait,walking with a stripped down carp kit,the long walk to the spot I'm fishing from the car park, I've been told not to leave my car here at night because of the kidsgrove hoodies,using up the last official day of my summer's holidays.So I'm there Friday morning,I'm set up with two rods,a tiger on one and pineapple pop up on the other.I'm there alone or so I think,there are signs of carp and one of my bobbins is twitching,possible liners or shy early bites.Seems like a good time to introduce some bait.Now as much as I appreciate our feathered friends a pair of swans lurking in the background have spotted me throwing in bait cruise up to the spot by the island I've been baiting up obviously fairly shallow as both of them are up ended eating the lot scaring of any carp in a half mile radius.Is this why I got up so early used a day's holiday from a much loved warehouse job spent good money on equipment licenses and bait, well maybe not.It's now crept around to 7.15am the bites have stopped all fish have fled from the long white necks grabbing my bait,yes and if I don't do something soon I'll end up reeling in one of the swans.Now I'm standing up waving my arms making myself tall but they're not bothered maybe some of my bait is still leaft they've missed.It's not going to do my fishing any good to throw bricks so I'm throwing stiff balls of paste at them to try to shoo them away from picking up one of my hooks,good it's working, maybe a few more to send them well away.Enter the only other person daft enough to walk this far round the lake at 7 in the morning,an old woman in a red coat with a dog,"The Swan lady of Bath Pool" I haven't spotted her "Don't throw at the swans,it's illegal,don't throw at the swans!"she crows in a posher than council house voice, Well I thought about explaining I wasn't throwing bricks just balls of paste trieing to shoo them away from swallowing a barbless hook or two,but why bother probably get a lecture on how cruel fishing is.Well it didn't stop there she stood around the other side of the lake telling any fellow dog sh**ters,he's throwing at the swans,one of them came up with the idea I was fishing and trieing to maybe shoo them away(very perceptive).Well no! I thought I'd get up at 5 o'clock in the morning and throw at some swans,what fun for a grown man of 48, why didn't I think of it earlier.I'm thinking she's now on the phone to the council or the police,after all anglers have been lead poisoning swans for years,even though lead has been banned in fishing for twenty years and you haven't been able to buy it for as long,yes we still get the blame.Still the swan lady of Bath pool's life now has purpose,she has met the swan nutter of bath pool and is now lobbying politicians to ban angling,they dont need money from fishing or the environmental authority. People who walk there dogs for a sh*t around the lake are going to buy special charity poop bags which are going to pay for conservation of the lake yes they'd all use them of cause."Bravo I say"Well the swan is regally protected and from the medieval times it was farmed and upwards of fifty or more at a time were consumed at banquets,indeed it was this farming and regal protection which insured it's survival.I'm told it tastes better than turkey.If there was a food shortage I wonder how long it would take before people remembered this.
So a big thank you to the Swan lady of bath pool who made me realise that patience,perseverance and skill were all that was needed to wait for my feathered friends to get there fill,they would be smart enough not to eat my hook baits, then the carp would then return from the other side of the pool in only four hours or so.After all the licenses I'd bought went towards conservation of the area including the swans.Thanks to all these liberal minded people the world is a much better place.Smokers/Immigrants and asylum seekers stand on the corner together by closed pubs and working mens clubs discussing the credit crunch and global warming. Well done swan lady hope they don't close your local post office but with all that healthy walking miles around a lake in the early hours I'm sure you won't mind walking the extra five miles to the city center to pick up your pension.
Good Day Shaun.

Long Distance Casting

Ever wanted to improve on your distance casting,I came across this ten minute video which covers the subject fairly well including rigs and equipment.I found this a lot more useful than just using a fast taper rod and good reel,well worth a watch.Quest baits has some very good video tips and worthy of a bookmark check out the video vault.Join British record casting champion Mark Hutchinson here...
http://www.questbaits.com/docs/videovault/casting/index.html

Moreton Fisheries Review

Spent a recent Day Session at Moreton Fisheries Astbury Congleton.First impressions were the guy at the lodge Mal I believe his name was,had to be one of the grouchiest guys to run a fishery ever,gave the impression that coming to the front door to get the money for the session was a major pain.£7 I paid, for two rods might have been more but I was reluctant to ask as he cursed f&&&in hell when I gave him a tenner and he had to get change.With those jollities out of the way I decided to walk around the lake for a closer inspection,there was a pond across the road called peck's pool which has some sort of float fishing only rule,for a largely bottom feeding fish seemed more trouble than it was worth,and there had to be some bigger monsters in the main lake didn't there?,also there was a cottage pool but this was a bit too close to the grouch for comfort.I wasted the first couple of hours trieing some pop ups recommended to me from Pickerings before I tried my trusty home made boilies,bang into a carp about five minutes after it was in the water,after that I picked up fish roughly every 2o minutes ranging from about 8 to 15 pounds on simple bolt rigs,about 1.00 pm when I was musing if there was anything bigger a couple of lads set up on the corner of the island opposite and cast across my main lines,fair due I was fishing some 100 yards out,but I had to reel them in before we snagged each other.They picked up a few fish mainly off my baited area, try as I might couldn't locate any carp closer in,so effective end of session,something was regularly crashing to my left,this would have meant a move which I contemplated wasn't justified for the time leaft.I've included a few pics of the fish I caught,I've seen carp in better condition,but they fought well and gave cracking runs.In conclusion if you can get over the inital shock of the grouch at the lodge and the drone off traffic on the A34 behind you it's a nice enough place to fish with herons and ducks(a pain as usual!),some of the pegs could use a little refurbishment,wellies are in order as maybe to recent downpours/flooding you can't walk all the way around the lake.marks 3/10 with new guy at lodge 7/10. the lodge ogre was the the only monster I came up against that day.

Westport Lake

Good luck to the lads bivvied down at Westport Lake,who attended a work party last weekend so they could fish 4 weeks early,true dedicated carpers.This water now being handled by Middleport Angling Club,also day tickets available (from Pickerings).When I was first taken fishing here by my next door neighbour Mr Crane ,(some cough 35 years ago)we had some great fishing and better than I remember of late,but there's still an unknown quantity of thirties ,check the pic on the ice cream van,or some of Chiles fish, Stapely central stand,you might need some field binoculars to track them,but the rewards are there.The Landscape has changed from when I was a lad and a new energy efficient visitor centre is currently being constructed on what was a grassy slope decades ago.Although not as scenic as Trentham,Rudyard or Knypersely it has it's own charm and maybe a whacker for those that persevere.check this satellite link http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=westport+lake+stoke+map&ie=UTF8&ll=53.048889,-2.217093&spn=0.004295,0.009656&t=k&z=16

Shaun Pickerill

Revealed What Carp Really Love

What follows is a summary of the findings of extensive research undertaken at Sparshot College-the country's leading fisheries institution.It follows a series of laboratory experiments on the flavour preferences of young carp.It was found that flavours such as molasses and worms,which both contain very high levels of betaine and amino acids respectively,were extremely attractive to a fish's sense of smell,at the same time,those baits were quite likely to be rejected because the fish didn't like their taste.Meanwhile,flavours such as halibut pellets and tuna were less attractive initially,but far more likely to be eaten because the fish linked them to the fatty acids found in their natural,rich protein-based foods that are essential for health and growth.


It pays to remember that most stock fish have been reared and weaned on a diet of fish-meal based pellets..The results of these tests highlight the relationship between smell and taste.The results also demonstrate that over flavouring a bait like a bright pop-up may make them instantly attractive,but that's not necessarily something you'd want to do to a long term food source.A single bait such as flavoured plastic corn,that looks and smells good will always get you a bite,but an effective bait is one that smells and tastes good.Fishmeal in summer,year round bait has to be sweetcorn.It's colour,sweetness,saltiness and amino acid content make it a superb choice for use as both a hookbait and feed.

Flavour Preferences

• Molasses 95.2%
• Worm 88.6%
• Tuna 86.3%
• Clove 84.8%
• Strawberry 84.6%
• Halibut Pellet 83.3%

Flavour rejection

• Molasses 55%
• Clove 48.7%
• Worm 35.5%
• Strawberry 33.3%
• Tuna 13.6%
• Halibut 3.3%

Angling Times

Mr Crabtree Bernard Venables

Bernard Venables
Was the Author of Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing, the angling cartoon book that sold millions of copies in the 1940s
BERNARD VENABLES, who died aged 94 in 2001, authored one of the most successful books ever written about sport, Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing; presented in the form of a cartoon strip, it sold more than two million copies in the 1940s and 1950s, but since Venables was employed as the angling correspondent of the Daily Mirror he received not a penny! in royalties, all of which went to the newspaper.
Venables had trained as an artist, and in the years after the Second World War started to draw a series on gardening for the Mirror in which the pipe-loving Crabtree dispensed seasonal horticultural tips,yes that's right Crabtree was a gardener. Come winter, however, there was less for Crabtree to do, and Venables, a keen fisherman, accordingly suggested to the newspaper's editor that the character shift his attention to the riverbank.
Crabtree was provided with a son eager to learn the habits of tench and rudd, and along with the readers, young Peter was soon initiated into the piscatorial arts. Venables laid out and drew all the pictures himself, but the key to the Mr Crabtree's appeal was the skill with which he explained a largely intuitive sport to others. The Mirror was quick to see its success, and in 1949 a compilation of the strips, together with some new stories and watercolours, was issued in book form. Priced at five shillings, it proved to be a best seller.
Fifty years on, the characters possess a quaint but alluring charm: Peter Crabtree wears shorts in all weathers, while his father never sheds his tie. But the advice on fishing remains just as sound and pragmatic as it ever was, while the note of concern for the value of the countryside has become still more topical. For his part, although he saw no financial return from his success, Venables took great pleasure, and no little pride, in having introduced so many people to an idyllic and compelling pastime.
Bernard Percival Venables was born on February 14 1907, the son of a clerk. As a boy of five, growing up near Romney Marsh, he became fascinated by a local pond, imagining the fish swimming below its surface. He soon taught himself to fish with a piece of string and a bent pin. In later years he scorned anglers who relied on technology to make their catch; for him, fishing had to be a contest of skill and wits alone,a true carper.
The family later moved to south London, but his father died when Bernard was 15 and he left school young. He then had a series of menial jobs before entering art school (his grandfather had been a painter). Venables joined the Daily Express as a cartoonist and illustrator in the 1920s, later moving to the Mirror. When war came, and many of the journalists were called up, he was encouraged to turn his hand to reporting and discovered for the first time his ability to write clear and attractive prose.
Following the success of Mr Crabtree, Venables began to devote himself to writing about fishing full-time. In 1953, he co-founded the weekly Angling Times. He then became editor of Creel, a magazine aimed at the top end of the market, including those anglers who, with the growth of air travel, were starting to take fishing holidays in more exotic locations.
The magazine folded, however, when it failed to attract sufficient advertising revenue, and Venables then worked principally for the airlines BEA and BOAC, investigating opportunities for fishing tourism, particularly in Africa. His interest in angling of every kind took Venables all over the world in these years. In 1968, he published Baleia!, an account of the two seasons he spent with the Fayal islanders of the Azores, hunting whales in small open boats with hand-held harpoons.
Venables also travelled to Gibraltar to fish for shark, and hooked a 24-footer which he managed to bring on deck. The creature, he later recalled, then became very active. "The back end hit one of my friends on the leg, so that he had to go to hospital. The front end gave me a wallop on the head and knocked my pipe out of my mouth." When Venables retrieved his briar, he found that he had also lost a front tooth.
Another of his books, Coming Down the Zambezi (1975), grew from Venables's fascination with the newly independent Africa, and also from his interest in David Livingstone's explorations of the continent. Venables, by now almost in his seventies, travelled more than 1,200 miles down the river from its source in the forests of the Congo to the point where it enters Mozambique.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Venables gave much of his energy to the Anglers' Co-operative Association, which helped to clean up some of Britain's more polluted waterways. He was a dedicated conservationist, and came to see fishing as a sort of mystical act, a participation in a natural order of things greater than man.
"I make a very close link between our belonging here and the will to fish," he said. "There is no natural medium in which the sense of life on earth is more evident than in water . . . Most of the things which are least pleasant about life now are the things which are most antithetical to fishing."
He was the author of 18 books, including Fishing (1953), The Angler's Companion (1958), A Rise to the Fly (1999) and The Illustrated Memoirs of a Fisherman (1993). Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing was republished by Map Marketing last year. Venables had a lively, inquiring, analytical mind, but he also enjoyed the more reflective aspects of fishing, particularly the birdsong and the play of light on water.
He himself lived near the Wiltshire Avon, and even in his nineties worked seven days a week. Away from fishing, he enjoyed sculpting and especially painting, which he thought his true vocation. He married, in 1958, Eileen Willmore. They had two sons and a daughter.

Pleasure or Match Fishing

Pleasure or Match Fishing?,no doubt some people do get pleasure from poling in silver fish the size of gudgeons every 20 seconds,but as a seasoned carper I have to admit it holds little appeal for me.I remember winning one river match on the Severn with about half a pound of Dace as no one else caught,and I thought I'd had a miserable session,never fished another match after that,I was almost to embarrassed to receive the cup.It's nice to take in the scenery even stroll around if someone's caught a whacker and you just can't do these things in the heat of competition.You can certainly take advantage of some of the groundbaiting after some of the matchmen have vacated to relate their stories of being half an ounce from victory.When the line screams from the reel clutch along with the steady tone of the alarm! you know that's no 8 oz roach on the end and battle commences.If you're a professional match angler who makes a good living from it fair due,personally I'd be bored out of my skull,so let's here your views or vote in the poll.
Shaun

Carp Fishing in Staffordshire and Cheshire

Researching Carp Fishing in Staffordshire and Cheshire is a full time job. Trentham(deep pockets around £190),Knypersley,Westport lake(monster common pic, central stand at Stapeley Angling Centre). S-O-T Angling has some of the best if difficult waters, Capesthorne,Bolesworth Castle ,etc .Cudmore Fisheries,Avoca where I caught my first 20.Heronbrook fisheries,Moreton fisheries .Gawsworth Hall ,see my 25 and that wasn't the biggest spotted, Lawton Hall around £300(deep pockets!) only 20 decent size carp to my knowledge!,worth investigating:Holden Lane,Goldendale(free fishing)Baden Hall,Brereton Pool,Winterley Pool,Lakemore Fisheries,Walnut Tree Farm,Home Farm Fishery,(Alsager),add your comments waters and opinions here.
Shaun

Welcome Carpers

Welcome to what I hope to make one of the best carping blogs on the web,if not the best!.It's beginning to take shape now,I have video from Youtube and feeds from some of the best carping and fishing sites,so I'm hoping you will bookmark and contribute to this blog.Around about this time of year I'm generally deciding where I am going to concentrate my carping efforts,so it's a review of clubs and waters along with checking tackle is up to date.Thanks for reading good luck to you all, get out there and catch a Whacker!
Shaun

Stapeley Gardens Angling Centre

Definitely the widest range of fishing/carping equipment in Cheshire,or local to Staffordshire makes Pickerings look like a paper shop,Where else could you take some of the best known carp rods off the rack like the Infinity Magnum Taper and see how they really feel or compare to cheaper rods,some surprisingly good rods here too at just £29.99 and £39.99 that I would be more than happy to use.The bait available here is one of the widest available, although some of it looks a little overpriced,in fact you name it in carping gear they've got it,also some great sales items notably some of the bivvies and rods near the entrance,well worth a visit but take loadsamoney.

Budget Carping

Here's a few tips on carping on a budget in no particular order,the internet is a great source for cheap equipment,ebay etc,but you can save money on other things too,making your own boilies for example,just get the basemix right and experiment with your own flavours,microwaving can turn a bottom bait into a pop up for example,soya flour and semolina can form the most basic basemix.Vitalin can be a great carpy groundbait/spod bait along with boiled hemp you can pick up 10kg sacks of this for around 10-15 pounds and take my word for it carp love it.Add some cheap long life milk/any milk to create extra cloudiness,plumrose luncheon meat has landed me a few carp when nothing else works get it from the supermarket not the tackle shop.Onto tackle now,in my opinion daiwa sensor line is a great budget line,you can't argue with a line that has landed so many specimen/record fish.Hook links,snake bite,korda IQ/hybrid/supersoft/stiff ,Kryston super nova and supersilk,infact anything! by Kryston,all great hooklink materials,Fox illusion also worth a mention.A good budget bait runner would be the Daiwa Regal 4500/5000 Bri for those of us who can't afford the Basia,rods is a little tougher but go for something with a fast taper and light tip similar to the daiwa infinity/longbow rods you need a rod that will cast distance/bully and play the carp,the new slimpower looks nice too! but take my word for it you can get similar.Bivvies well whats wrong with a cheap green dome tent,some tents are better made than fishing bivvies anyhow,but you need something that doesn't take a month of sundays to erect,you can't beat the trakker bivvies in that respect.More items soon feel free to add comments on your own tips.

Record Carp

Here are some links to the Carp we should be aspiring to;
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gofishing.co.uk/upload/4119/images/Darrel-Peck---Two-Tone-65lb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gofishing.co.uk/news/News-Search-Results/Fish-Catches/October-2007/Two-Tone-caught-at-65lb-4oz/%3F%26R%3DEPI-3153&h=400&w=600&sz=83&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=yGJNkH00Lw7WyM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcurrent%2Bbritish%2Bcarp%2Brecord%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

http://catsncarp.blogspot.com/2007/10/world-record-mirror-carp-paul-meridith.html

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/images/emir8412.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article.asp%3FUAN%3D4817%26v%3D1&h=450&w=400&sz=44&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=feaC1ejwrzW59M:&tbnh=127&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3D2008%2Bworld%2Bcarp%2Brecord%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/07_02/bigcarpBN1707_600x396.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html%3Fin_article_id%3D469003%26in_page_id%3D1811&h=396&w=600&sz=77&hl=en&start=10&um=1&tbnid=hEBydPQfuDW7HM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3D2008%2Bworld%2Bcarp%2Brecord%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Introduction to the Ultimate Carper

Carping has been an obsession for me,no other form of fishing for me encapsulates the search and trips out for these wily beasts.I have many fisherman's tales and hope to get them down on this blog while my memory is intact.Where would we be without some of the innovations in modern Carping equipment/Baits/Reports on Fisheries,even today's cheap gear is better than some of the kit I parted my hard earned cash for in the past.
So here it is the introduction to the Ultimate Carper,if you haven't got the budget yet to get off to France as much as you'd like,don't worry this is mainly a good old Blighty blog from me although I'm interested in any information exchange on Carping Trips worldwide,spring is rapidly approaching,and although I have done some Winter Carping,notably recent trips to Cuttle Mill,it doesn't compare in terms of fish on the mat.We all benefit from an exchange of information and my aim is to make this the reference blog for the Serious Carper.
Shaun Pickerill