CarpFeed Digital Sampler

ISSUE 002
MAY 2017
YOUR INSIDER GUIDE TO CATCHING MORE CARP
JAKE WILDBORE’S
HOOKBAIT
SECRETS
Why it pays to
experiment...
ALL-NEW
MONTHLY
MAG
CARPHACKS
PVA TRICKS &
MAKE A WEED
RAKE FOR A QUID
PLUS
TOP 50 FISH OF THE
MONTH
CARPFEED Q&A
IAN RUSSELL’S
RIG BOX
KEV HEWITT
FOOLPROOF GUIDE
TO USING SOLID BAGS
WHERE TO FISH
MAPS, HOTSPOTS
& VENUE ADVICE
HOW TO...
AMBUSH BIG CARP
DOWN THE EDGE
TACKLE
NEW GEAR - BUYERS GUIDE TO SHELTERS - LONG TERM

THE INSIDER
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS
CONTACT US
Write to us at:
Carpfeed Editor,
Media House, Lynchwood
Peterborough PE2 6EA.
editor@carpfeed.com
Advertise with us:
Key accounts: Ben Harrison
01733 366358
Classified: Lucy Curtis 01733 366385
Angela Humphrey 01733 366314
6 CARP
HACKS
Make the perfect PVA
mesh bags that leave no
residue & a pair of weed
rakes for a quid!
12
WHERE
TO FISH
Exclusive tactics map of
Kingfisher Lake PLUS
Mat Woods’ Day Ticket
Diary and more...
20
TIPS &
TACTICS
Learn Jake Wildbore’s
hookbait secrets, tie the
Supple Hinge Rig, PLUS
#AskCarpfeed Q&A
42
TOP 50
CARP
Your best carp catches
from the past month -
WIN great Sticky bait
prizes for your fish!
49 NEW
GEAR
Daiwa’s awesome new DF
X45 Basia rod, New Gear,
Long-term Test, PLUS
Buyers Guide to Shelters
58 CARP
LIFE
Ritchie McDonald’s
capture of Bazil in 1984,
PLUS we go in-session
with Lewis Read.
Editors: Stephen Stones & Thom Airs
Group Tackle editor: Mark Sawyer
Tackle editor: Marc Coulson
Art director: Hakan Simsek
Art editor: Fiona Cifaldi
Production editor: Nick Fletcher
Head of Production: Andrew Elsom
Photographer: Lloyd Rogers
Studio photography: Jacques Portal
Editor-in-Chief: Steve Fitzpatrick
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
ON PAGE 6
LOS ANGELES
INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT (LAX)
9.8 MILES
CARP
IN THE
’HOOD
HOLLYWOOD
3.5 MILES
A 50lb common is banked from a
public park lake in the middle of
downtown Los Angeles...
DOD
STA
2 M

.com
/yourcarpfeed @Carpfeed @yourcarpfeed
FREE
INSIDE
EVERY MONTH
Next issue June 6
CATCH HUGE CARP SAT
ON YOUR SOFA... OR BEDCHAIR!
DODGERS
STADIUM
2 MILES
B
IG carp
can turn
up in the
most
unlikely of places….
including a notorious
concrete park lake in
the middle of
downtown Los
Angeles!
Enrique Salmeron
stunned the global
carping community
when he banked a
pristine 50lb common
from MacArthur Park,
squeezed into LA’s
urban sprawl.
The California
Ghetto
Carping
Club
member
made
the catch
using a
Mainline
Pineapple
pop-up, presented
alongside an inline
Method feeder.
Enrique, a machine
operator from nearby
Compton, told
Carpfeed from across
the Atlantic about how
the huge common is
far from alone, with
the lake also holding
good numbers of fish
“A few of you
need to fish
together, to
have each
other’s backs”
ENRIQUE SALMERON
weighing over 30lb.
So how are huge
carp thriving in this
cauldron of activity?
“The answer is
simple,” said Enrique.
“It’s in the busiest area
in LA and you have
your daily local citizens
walking around feeding
the ducks, and crazy
people who like to
throw stuff into the
water. From cabbages
to steaks, hot dogs,
burgers and anything
else! When I say
crazy people, I’m not
kidding! A few
of you need
to fish
together
just to
cover
each
other’s
backs!
Some people
sell drugs outside
their tents, which
shouldn’t be there,
and there are syringes
everywhere in the
grass. All of this in the
day! One could only
imagine what it’s like
at night, and that’s why
we have a saying – once
the sun goes down, we
get out!”
CARP anglers who
also like a spot of
gaming should pick
up a copy of ‘Euro Fishing’, which has
just been relased on PlayStation by
Dovetail Games.
There are five venues to choose from,
SOME anglers get lucky enough to have
two runs at once every now and again,
but not from a brace of carp weighing
over 160lb!
That’s exactly what
happened to UK angler
Tim Swain on a recent
visit to French venue
The Graviers. He was
busy holding up a
superb 70-pounder
for the camera when
one of his other rods
tore off, forcing his
brother Andy to step
in. The result was the
world-famous
Scarred Fish, which
pulled the dials
round to over 90lb!
Tim said: “Andy
lifted into it while I
gave my fish a
goodbye kiss and
watched Andy play
the fish in.
“It surfaced for a
split second in
front of us and
you could have
heard a pin drop
as Andy played
her towards me
and the net.”
and among the biggest target fish are
the ‘Big Plated’ and the ‘Box Common’.
You can even compete aginst friends in
the addictive ‘Tournament Fishing’
mode! We’ve had a play in the office and
think it’s the most realistic fishing game
ever created. Simply amazing stuff!
THERE ARE DOUBLE TAKES, AND
THEN THERE ARE DOUBLE TAKES...
Tim cradles
the ‘70’, a fish
that has been
renamed ‘The
Swain Thing’.
Andy strikes Tim’s
other rod – it turns
out to be the ‘Scarred
Fish’ at 91lb 8oz!

LEARN MORE
BRILLIANT
CARPHACKS
ONLINE AT
CARPFEED.
COM
SEAL YOUR BAGS...
Use our crafty little hack to create perfect bags of loosefeed with
6 | May 2017 | carpfeed.com

BELOW: On
melting, the
knotless bag
(left) leaves no
residue, unlike
the traditional
bag (right).
HOW TO MAKE OUR
PERFECT PVA BAGS
1
T
HERE can’t be a
carp angler in
the land who
doesn’t have a
tube of PVA mesh in their
tackle bag.
Each week, thousands of
little bags of loosefeed are
attached to rigs and hurled
into carp lakes across the
country.
But as brilliant a catching
aid as they are, the knots
used to tie up PVA mesh
bags take a long time to
dissolve, and when they
do, can leave blobs of
residue right next to the
hookbait or the hook.
In the minds of some, this
is enough to deter the carp
“In the time it
takes to boil
the kettle, you
can knock up a
dozen bags”
from taking the bait.
This month we show you
a brilliant little hack for
making up PVA bags with
no knots, and no residue.
All you need is a pair of
long-nosed pliers, available
from most ‘pound shops’,
and in the time it takes
to boil the kettle, you can
knock up a dozen bags.
As well as producing
perfect bags every time,
this hack will save you
up to a metre of PVA for
every five used… no waste,
no residue, very little fuss!
Time to get hacking!
Start by heating the pliers. Twist
the PVA and then seal the end
with a quick pinch of the pliers.
2
Add your chosen mix of loosefeed
to the tube. Assorted pellets or
crushed boilies work well.
3
Tamp down the contents to a tight
ball. This will help the contents to
disperse once the bag melts
4
IN SECONDS!
no knots and no residue… and save money!
Next, twist the PVA stocking
above the bag, and hold it under
tension with your fingers.
5
RIGHT: To save on gas,
it’s best to make the PVA
bags when the kettle is
on for a brew.
To seal the bag, simply snip the
twisted stocking with the heated
pliers. The result? The perfect bag!
carpfeed.com | May 2017 | 7

WHERE TO FISH
MAPS
HOTSPOTS
INSIDER ADVICE
KINGFISHER LAKE,
BLUEBELL LAKES
Lock Bank
With dozens of ‘thirties’ and both mirrors and
commons to well over 40lb, Kingfisher is a
venue where dreams really can come true....
O
NCE home to
Benson, the
famous common
which exceeded
60lb, Kingfisher is still one
of the best day-ticket
waters around.
The average size of the
resident carp is impressive,
with dozens of thirties and
plenty of forties present.
The venue can be busy,
and some years the weed
growth can be prolific, but
there are very few dayticket
waters that can offer
the type of red-letter days
that Kingfisher can, when it
all drops right. What’s more,
the vast majority of the
stock are stunning fish too!
Venue regular Gary
Denniss has experienced
some sensational hits of fish
from Kingfisher down the
years, and he had these tips
to offer any Carpfeed
readers thinking of giving
the venue a try.
“Don’t use anything other
than boilies. It’s amazing
that Swan (the
adjoining lake)
and Kingfisher
are so close to
each other but
are so different, and on
Kingfisher you don’t want to
be using particles.
“Try to find the clay spots.
They’re quite easy to locate
as they’re smooth and firm,
BELOW: Bluebell Lakes
is a mature and really
well-managed fishery.
“Try to find the clay
spots. They’re quite
easy to locate.”
and you will spot bits of clay
if you inspect your lead.
There are clay spots about
70 yards out from the two
Point swims and again in
front of the two central
pegs on the River Bank.
“If you see
an area where
there’s a lot of
fish showing,
don’t be
afraid to set up on them – it
doesn’t seem to bother
them one bit.
“Around most of the lake
the margins look like they
should do fish, but they
Deepest margins
don’t. However, there are
deep margins on the Lock
Bank beneath the
overhanging trees which will
produce bites.
“Depth doesn’t bother me
- it’s about finding the clay
spots. And if you can’t, then
fish over silt, as long as it’s
not the rotten or stale stuff.
“Any quality boilie will
produce fish. I’ve done
really well using faded
yellow hookbaits over
brown free offerings, and
snowman rigs work really
well with yellow or pink
toppers.”
Average
depth 14ft
River Bank
VENUE
INFO
Bluebell Lakes,
Tansor, Oundle,
Peterborough,
Northants,
PE8 5HP
Tel: 01832 226042
Web: www.
bluebell-lakes.
co.uk
12 May 2017 | carpfeed.com

Kingfisher’s
‘Most Wanted’
FOR MORE MAPS, HOTSPOTS & EXPERT ADVICE GO TO:
WWW.CARPFEED.COM AND FOLLOW:
FACEBOOK.COM/YOURCARPFEED
TWITTER.COM/CARPFEED
INSTAGRAM.COM/YOUR CARPFEED
1
‘Patch’. A common with a
distinctive bald patch by the wrist
of its tail. Averages 42lb-44lb.
Second Point
First Point
ABOVE: Venue regular
Gary Denniss prepares
to slip his net under
another Kingfisher
heavyweight!
2
70 YDS
HOTSPOT
70 YDS
Big Scaly. Not caught since 2014
but seen by members in 2016.
Last caught at 42lb.
3
LOOK FOR CLAY
AREAS
FIND MORE
IN-DEPTH GUIDES
TO THE BEST CARP
VENUES IN YOUR
AREA AT
CARPFEED.COM
The Mirror Common. Is it a heavily
scaled mirror or a threadbare
common? Averages 38lb-42lb.
4
HOTSPOT
KEY
Hotspot
The Lucas Common. A wellproportioned
common that has
scaled 46lb 2oz in the past.
5
Prices: 24-hour tickets: £35 for 4 rods, £30 for 3 rods; £27.50 for 2 rods. Day-only
tickets: £18, £12 & £10. Facilities: Large on-site tackle shop, local takeaways deliver,
toilets, showers. Rules: Barbless hooks only; no braided mainline, minimum 12lb
mainline to be used, no nuts, chickpeas or trout pellets.
A fish without an official name,
but usually called the ‘big mirror’,
this chunk has reached 46lb.
carpfeed.com | May 2017 | 13

TACTICS
THE SUPPLE
HINGE RIG
Try this highly
effective pop-up rig
that nails big carp
every time and is
child’s play to tie!
Light lead
Don’t use too big a lead with
this set-up. This rig works
best with one in the 1oz to
2oz range.
Helicopter set-up
Although it can be used with
a lead-clip set-up, it works
far better with a helicopter
rig arrangement.
Alan Stagg used the
supple hinge rig to
land this cracker of
a common from
Frimley.
HE thought of tying
T
up a stiff-hinge rig,
as popularised by
Terry Hearn and
Lewis Read, fills many anglers
with fear.
Creating the rig to the
specifications of its ‘founding
fathers’ involves the use of a stiff
boom, complete with carefullyformed
loops at either end, to which
a well-crafted chod rig section is tied.
However, in recent years a
fuss-free, easy-to-tie version has
emerged. It requires nothing more
complicated than tying a couple of
knots to attach the rig to the leader.
32 | May 2017 | carpfeed.com

THE BITS
YOU NEED
• 25lb coated braid
• Leadcore, or lead-free substitute
• A lead • Ring swivels
• Ready-tied chod rigs
• Pop-up boilies
• Baiting needle
• Splicing needle
1
HOW TO TIE IT
Start off by tying a 12ins section
of coated braid to a ring swivel
using a five-turn grinner knot.
2
Ultra-buoyant
If you’re planning to leave
the rig out for more than
24 hours, you’ll need to use
an ultra-buoyant pop-up.
Add a rig boom over the knot.
This will help to kick the hooklink
away from the leader on the cast.
The main boom
This rig works far better with
25lb coated braid than 15lb.
We’ve used Gardner Ultra
Skin, in silt colour.
Anchor point
Mould a blob of rig putty
around the knot below the
ring swivel to balance the
hookbait so that it just sinks.
3
Tie the other end of the coated
braid to the large ring on the chod
rig, and add putty to the knot.
4
Take a length of fluorocarbon and
double it up through the rig ring
on the back of the chod rig.
This has been made possible by the
emergence of a raft of new products,
the most important of which are
coated braid hooklength materials
and ready-tied chod rigs.
On this page we show you how to
tie this great pop-up rig in a couple
of minutes. We also show you a neat
trick for attaching a bait to the rig
...and if you can’t be
bothered to tie the rig, you
can buy them readymade!
“This brilliant rig will sit pretty
on almost any type of lakebed!”
using a short length of fluorocarbon
and no bait stop. This is ideal if you
are only planning to leave the rig out
for a relatively short amount of time
– say 12-18 hours. If you need to leave
it out longer, then we advise tying the
bait on (rather than piercing it) using
bait floss.
The supple hinge rig can be used
with a number of terminal lead
set-ups, but it tends to work best
with a helicopter set-up, which will
ensure it’s sitting pretty on almost
any lakebed, save for heavy weed. In
short, it’s a brilliant year-round rig!
5
Use a gated baiting needle to
grab the doubled-up length and
pull it through the boilie.
6
Using a lighter, light the tag ends
of fluorocarbon and blob them
with your finger to secure the bait.

TACKLE
NEW GEAR
WITH
MARC COULSON
Carpfeed Tackle Editor
Sticky Signature
Squid Pop-ups
£6.50
www.stickybaits.com
I must start this with a warning… do
not open these in confined spaces or
near your other half! They absolutely
stink, as all good hookbaits should, but
their pulling power has to be seen to
be believed. Already having accounted
for hundreds of carp during testing, the
pungent squid hookbaits are now on
sale in their finished form. Don’t leave
home without at least a tub of these,
in either of the three available sizes,
12mm, 14mm and 16mm.
Avid Carp
Rucksack
£34.99
www.avidcarp.com
FULLY compatible with Avid’s
impressive ‘Tuned’ range of
luggage, this new rucksack
offers extreme versatility. It
has multiple external pockets
and enough room inside for all
your angling kit. Twin loops on
the exterior allow for a roving
unhooking mat to be attached,
making the
rucksack ideal
for the mobile
angler.
Nash Key Cray boilies
Ridgemonkey
VRH3000 Headtorch
£49.99
www.ridgemonkey.co.uk
UNLIKE any other headtorch ever
offered to the angling market, the
VRH3000 is packed with features,
including twin white and green light
options, a water resistant body,
rubberised outer, dual orientation
and a unique USB charging facility.
This makes it the only headtorch
you’ll ever need and, for me, it’s
worth every penny!
From £6.99
www.nashtackle.com
IT SEEMS carp-bait launches are getting ever bigger these
days, and the Key Cray has proved no exception.... after
months of build up it’s finally here! The Key has already
proved hugely popular and this new version is made with
actual crayfish meal which, I understand, Nash even had to
get a licence to use. It’s packed with carpy attractors and
offers something genuinely different to the norm.
Look out for plenty more Nash bait reviews in these pages
as well as on www.carpfeed.com, soon.
Prologic Spectrum HDC
£29.99 (1,000m)
www.prologicfishing.com
With very little stretch and near
invisiblity in water, Spectrum HDC
retains a little more suppleness
compared to some other fluorocarbon
main lines. This makes it much better
for casting compared to stiffer fluoros.
Knot strength is also pretty decent and
with a whopping 1,000m on each spool,
it’s great value too!
Solar Tackle
Titanium Indicators
£29.99
www.solartackle.co.uk
THESE highly-versatile indicators
can be used for every style of fishing
and at all ranges. The stiff-yetflexible
arms can sit loose, or be
used as springer arms for fishing
tight lines at range. A quick-release
end section fits into the hockey
stick and the whole lot is superbly
engineered from aero-grade metals
and titanium.
50 | May 2017 | carpfeed.com

Dynamite Baits
Complex-T Liquids
£4.99
www.dynamite-baits.com
DESIGNED to complement the awesome new
Complex-T boilies, this thick hookbait liquid oozes
attraction. It contains a mix of blended aminos, spices
and other carpy goodies, and can be used to boost just
about any hookbait. You can even tip a little of the PVAfriendly
liquid into a mesh or solid bag, or on to a PVA
stick for something a little different.
Chub Vantage 5
Season Bag
£94.99
www.chubfishing.co.uk
IN TERMS of features, sleeping bags
don’t get much better than this. As well
as all-year-round use, plenty of room
and soft-touch materials, Chub has
incorporated a few extras which carp
anglers will definitely appreciate.
Shimano Aerlex
10000T-B Spod Reel
£89.99
www.shimano-eu.com
THIS reel is designed with hard work
in mind. Although lightweight, the
robust 10000XT-B has an impressive
rate of retrieval and makes light work
of heavy-duty spodding.
A whopping three line clips allow for
baiting multiple spots and with most
shops selling for nearer the 70-quid
mark, it’s exceptional value.
Internal hand-warmer pockets allow
you to wrap the bag snugly around
you without taking your hands out
of the bag itself. A clever, hoot-foot
drawstring negates cooling spaces
around your feet and the unique
Konnect-3 attachment system makes
using it on any bedchair really easy.
FOX Ltd Edition Camo
Hoody & Joggers
£39.99 and £49.99
www.foxint.com
AVAILABLE in sizes small
through to XXXL, these
matching garments are
finished in Fox’s unique
Camo Lite pattern and are
made with comfort in mind.
With soft lining, brushed
fabric and that carpy
pattern, these should be on
your clothing wishlists.
Gardner Tackle
Ronnie Rigs
£4.99 (3 rigs per pack)
www.gardnertackle.co.uk
DUE to huge demand, Gardner has
launched ready-tied versions of this
popular rig, using its famous Mugga
hooks. Just add your chosen hooklink
material and cast out! They come in
sizes 4 and 6, barbed and barbless.
Bait-Tech Nutty Spod
Mix
£6.99 (2.5litres)
www.bait-tech.com
I’M A big fan of Bait-Tech’s particle
jars as they are cooked fresh, retain
all the natural oils and juices and are
not packed with preservatives. This
brilliant new mix contains crushed
tiger nuts, peanuts and tiger-nut meal,
forming an attractive mix that carp
will, excuse the pun, go nuts for!
carpfeed.com | May 2017 | 51

CARPLIFE
HERITAGE
INSIGHT
& INTERVIEWS
TACKLE USED
Rods: Spiralite 12ft and 13ft
carbon
Reels: Abu 55
Line: Maxima
Hooks: Au Lion D’Or size 6
spade end
Bite indication: Optonics,
with Catchum Monkey
Climbers
Bait: Catchum Protein Mix
boilies, flavoured with Pukka
Salmon
THE CATCH THAT
INSPIRED A GENERATION
Ritchie McDonald’s capture of the carp that would later become known as
Bazil proved it was possible to set out your stall for one fish, and succeed...
58 | May 2017 | carpfeed.com
LEFT: The
original line
drawing
from AT,
showing the
path of the
carp, once
hooked.
HIS month we
T
take a look back
to October 1984,
when Ritchie
McDonald caught a
45lb 12oz carp from
Yateley North Lake, Hants.
It was the second-largest carp ever
landed, playing
second fiddle only to
Chris Yates’ 51lb 6oz
fish from Redmire
Pool in June 1980 – and just as Richard
Walker’s 44lb British record of 1952
had inspired a whole generation of
carp anglers, so Ritchie’s capture of the
North Lake Mirror did likewise.
The story behind the catch can be
traced back to a conversation Ritchie
had with close friend and fellow
big-carp pioneer, Rod Hutchinson.
Speaking to Angling Times shortly
“After seeing the
photo Rod had, I knew
I’d have to go for it”
after the capture, Ritchie (30) said:
“The fish had been caught several times
before and I wasn’t impressed with the
pictures I’d seen of it. Then, in a café
one afternoon, Rod suggested I take
another look. After seeing the photo, I
knew I’d have to go for it.”
Some weeks later Ritchie began
his prebaiting
campaign,
using 9lb of Rod
Hutchinson’s
Catchum Protein Mix, flavoured with
Pukka Salmon and coloured orange.
Two friends, John North and Mark
Cox, baited up for Ritchie two days a
week for a fortnight before he began
his two-month campaign to catch the
fish, which would later become known
as ‘Bazil’.
After catching three fish to 28lb over
his first three sessions, on October
S
H
O
W

12 Ritchie set up for the session that
would make history, fishing alongside
his mate Richard Everson.
“I had a feeling and said to Richard,
‘We’re going to have that fish this time’.
He knew it too,” said Ritchie.
A couple of days into the session,
Ritchie cast his rig 50 yards to the back
of a gravel bar, and was sat drinking tea
at 5pm when his bite alarm sounded.
“I picked the rod up and straight away
knew it was the big fish. It came in quite
easily, as do most big carp. The fish was
in superb condition, and the pictures
I’d seen in the past really didn’t do it
justice.”
The fight from the North Lake Mirror
might have been unspectacular, but the
impact the catch
made was anything
but. Above all,
perhaps, it showed
that it was possible
for anglers to set out their stall to catch
a particular fish through a dedicated
campaign. For that reason alone, it
remains one of the most influential
carp catches of all time.
RIGHT: The diagram of
Ritchie’s successful rig,
from Angling Times 33
years ago.
“I said to Richard,
‘We’re going to have
that fish this time’.
He knew it too.”
SUMMER,WINTER,
HOURS OR DAYS…
ONE RESULT.
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POINTS:
l A super effective all year-round
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l Includes an active feed stimulant
l Nutritionally balanced food
source bait
l Unique Triple-Nut blend
WWW.BAIT-TECH.COM
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SAMPLES AVAILABLE IN ALL
GOOD RETAIL OUTLETS
carpfeed.com | April 2017 | 59

CARPLIFE
‘‘
THE DAY YOU STOP LEARNING AS
AN ANGLER IS THE DAY TO SELL
YOUR RODS AND TAKE UP GOLF!
Q How did you get started in the tackle
industry?
A I just kept applying to Gardner
Tackle! In the end, I think that Richard
and Michele took pity on me and
offered me a job. At the time, I was
on holiday with my wife and young
daughter Sophie and I was elated when
I heard the news. At last a job to enjoy…
Before that I worked at DEFRA for a
long time – mainly in a fascinating post
related to BSE (Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy) and Scrapie.
My role at Gardner is extremely
busy and the team of employees and
consultants have really brought the
brand on leaps and bounds. I think the
Few men have as rich a carp angling history as
Lewis Read. This month he talks to Carpfeed about
his inspirations, aspirations and career highlights…
consumer perception of our products
has lifted too.
Q You’ve caught some famous big carp
… the Royal Forty, Jumbo, Heather the
Leather. Which is the most memorable?
A I don’t tend to overly romanticise
any as being significantly ‘better’ than
another. I become fixated with every
water I fish, and consequently feel the
same level of pure elation associated
with all my ‘target fish’ captures.
At the moment I’m head over heels
into Welly (Wellington Country
Park), and really want to snare
a few of the monumental fish
that I have yet to catch. The Turtle
ABOVE: Catching
Heather the Leather,
at over 48lb, was a
special moment in
Lewis’ career.
BELOW: Terry Hearn
remains ‘a cut
above’ most
anglers.
‘‘
is number one, followed closely by the
awesome Big Sutton and the exquisite
Chestnut Common. I can but dream….
Q Who was your biggest inspiration in your
formative carp fishing years?
A In terms of writers, it was probably
Rod Hutchinson, who managed to
convey a wonderful balance between
the full-on nature of the ultra-cult carp
angling scene, and having a bit of fun
(smelling the roses) along the way.
However, in terms of
my peers it would be
Terry Hearn, and the
group of anglers that
cut their teeth on the
60 | May 2017 | carpfeed.com

QUICKFIRE
QUESTIONS
Age: 46
Lives: Yateley – the hub of the known
universe!
Occupation: Marketing and Product
Development Manager at Gardner Tackle
UK PBs: Mirror 54lb 4oz, Common 54lb,
Leather 48lb, Ghostie 53lb
Hobbies outside fishing? Nah!... unless
you count training LushKev (my Chocolate
Labrador puppy)
Music to accompany your perfect session?
Drum & Bass, or old school Hip
Hop anthems
Pot Noodle or Toastie?
Toastie
‘Diana Pond’ in Bushey Park.
That said, there are loads of anglers
that I look up to in terms of their
attitude and aptitude. Some of the guys
on Welly are truly gifted ‘machines’
and it’s enthralling to watch how they
go about their trade. The day you
stop learning as an angler is the day
you sell your rods and take up golf, or
something equally as heinous!
Q What is your favourite venue, in all the
years you’ve been carp fishing?
A I have genuinely loved all the waters
I’ve fished, but some are spectacularly
special. The Hertfordshire Club Lake is
a magical place, and I doubt I will ever
drop the ticket. The Copse Lake and
The Lily (Pads) Lake at Yateley were
tremendous, and I loved every second
on each of those. CWA Roach Pit was
lovely and Simon’s Dinton Lakes were
great fun, and run by a top bloke!
Q Do you ever fish for other species, or is it
carp all the way?
A My first love is carp, and I can’t see
that changing, but I love all sorts of
fishing. Most winters I do a fair bit of
‘casual’ chubbing and fishing for big
perch. I love trotting with bread too –
it’s like therapy, and is absorbing and
challenging.
Q Aside from boilies, if you had to use just
one bait to target carp, what would it be?
A Tigers soaked and cooked in
Thaumatin-B. That would do as a very
good substitute if I wasn’t allowed to
use a boilie!
Q What’s your idea of the perfect session?
A There are times of the year when
it’s simply a joy to be on the bank –
like now, in
the spring, for
instance. I still love seeing carp
show, whether it’s a full launch and
resounding crash or a cheeky poke of
the nose or a tail slap. Getting liners is
stupefyingly exciting too, or watching
little clusters of bubbles popping up on
the surface.
Q What’s your opinion on the modern
trend for carp to be grown on before being
stocked at huge weights?
A The whole fishing experience tends
to be very different for each of us
oddball carp angler
types. You can
either be an angler
that seeks solitude,
or a socialite with
a disco ball and a
sound system in your bivvy. The most
important thing is to show respect for
the lake and its inhabitants.
My view on the stocking of fish that
have been fed to a big weight in a
heated pond is that it’s abhorrent! But
if other anglers want to fish for them,
then I don’t expect my opinion to carry
much weight. ‘Each to their own’ and
enjoy whatever you do – as long as you
look after the fish you catch!
Q Have you ever fished abroad for big carp?
A I have only fished abroad a handful
of times, visiting venues in Belgium
and France, and I thoroughly enjoyed
it. A week at Rainbow with Steve Broad
was a level 9.4 experience! A week of
total relaxed silliness and carp fishing
on an awe-inspiring venue with an
exceptionally lovely man who has
more knowledge of the venue than
almost any other UK angler.
Q Who is the best carp angler you’ve ever
fished with?
A It has be my old mate Terry Hearn.
Ever since I have known him he
has been a cut above in terms of
raw watercraft, observation skills,
relentless effort, adaptability and
knowledge. It’s been a long time since
I have had the opportunity to fish with
Tel as our angling paths have split over
the years. I bet he’s even better now!
Q What about the best bit of angling
you’ve ever seen?
A One that stands out is Steve
ABOVE: Tiger nuts
soaked and cooked
in Thaumatin-B are
a top boilie
substitute, reckons
Lewis.
“Enjoy whatever you
do – as long as you
look after the fish
you catch!”
BELOW: Still doing
it! Lewis with
Wellington Country
Park’s highly-prized
Big Common...
weighing 54lb!
Pagulatos’ capture of Arfur off the top
from the Car Park Lake. The sheer
spectacle was brilliant. I was up a tree
nearby watching the whole thing, from
the floaters being put out, to the bite
and the subsequent boat battle. It was
amazing as Big O and another big fish
swept through the tunnels in the forest
of weed to get to the boat he used just
to deposit the floaters out, and the
reaction I saw when no bait fluttered
down was amazing. They looked
confused by the fact that nothing
dropped through the water column. It
was amazing to behold.
Q Do you have any ambitions left in fishing?
A Looking beyond my current fixation
with the Turtle and his cohorts, my
future ambitions will be linked with
opportunities to fish waters that suit
my aspirations. I fancy somewhere
as yet unidentified with a big sky and
containing a monster carp or two!
Q Finally, you must have seen some proper
‘strokes’ pulled down the years… any you’d
care to divulge?
A Most anglers I know are focused on
fish safety and don’t do anything that
would risk the fish’s welfare. However,
getting an edge over other anglers
is a different matter, and I have seen
all sorts of high jinks, ranging from
just reducing a mate’s wraps by a few
inches, to gratuitously wiping out
neighbours’ lines ( just to ‘open up’
a bit of space), through to shouting
‘Interceptor’ – in a slightly camp
Ringwood accent – while casting into a
neighbouring angler’s water. As long as
you shout ‘Interceptor’, it’s just fine!
There was one time, an angling friend
suspected another was nicking water
out of his water butt each day, so he
urinated in it… that was a good one!

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