M_ATSPCUST_0001

IN ASSOCIATION WITH 

FISHING 

SECRETS 

GUIDE 

Your ultimate fishing manual 

FULL OF 

EXPERT ADVICE 

From top anglers including: 

Chris Cameron, Rob Wootton 

Lee Thornton & more... 

Lo-Viz 

hook link 

Method Quick 

Feeder Bead 

KM-2 hook 

HOW TO PICK THE 

RIGHT TACKLE & BAITS 

THE RIGS YOU NEED 

TO KNOW 

CHOOSING 

YOUR FIRST POLE 

FLOAT PATTERNS 

EXPLAINED

CONTENT 

21: Which 

pole elastic? 

– Different 

versions 

explained 

2 

WELCOME TO YOUR 

FREE FISHING 

SECRETS GUIDE 

T 

HERE can be few 

activities more 

diverse than 

fishing, with its many 

different styles and 

disciplines, not to mention 

the dozens of fish species 

to try and catch, all of which 

can be little overwhelming. 

That’s why, in this guide, 

you’ll find everything you 

need to know about the 

tackle, baits and tactics for 

doing battle on commercial 

carp fisheries, arguably our 

most popular UK venues. 

So, whether you’re a fan 

of the feeder, want to get 

into pole fishing or simply 

prefer to sit back and watch 

a float, there’s something 

here that’s sure to tick a few 

boxes and help your fishing 

in 2021 and beyond. Enjoy! 

3: Starting out – Common 

methods to master 

4-5: Shotgun feeder – Master this 

deadly tactic 

6-7: Pellet waggler – Try a 

stealthy shallow attack 

8-9: Latest gear – Red-hot tackle 

to look out for 

10: Hook 

choices 

– Brilliant 

patterns for 

pole or rod 

11: Hair-rigging – Pinpoint bait 

presentation every time! 

12-13: The 5m line – Take on carp 

at short range 

14-15: Margin mauling – Bag 

monsters under your feet! 

16-17: Going long – Reach out for 

more feeder bites 

18: Try the Jigga – A new take on 

fishing shallow 

19: Load your feeder – Chris 

Cameron shows you how 

20: Essential floats – Stick, 

waggler and pole patterns 

22: A rod for every job – How to 

pick the right one 

23: Poles & whips – Anglers, 

choose your weapon! 

24-25: Surface slapping – 

Make some noise for action 

26: Quick tips – Advice to catch 

you more fish 

27: Fish in comfort – Create the 

ultimate fishing station 

28: Venue 

guide – The 

waters to 

head for this 

weekend

FISHING SECRETS 

Just starting fishing? 

T 

HIS Fishing Secrets 

supplement is designed 

to help you progress in 

our wonderful sport with lots of 

tips, tricks and advice to cover a 

range of methods and venues. 

The more experienced angler 

will already have much of the 

tackle needed, but if you’re just 

starting out in fishing, it can be 

a little bit overwhelming when 

deciding what to buy. 

The truth is that basic kit is 

perfectly adequate to see you 

catching plenty of fish. Over time, 

you can then move on to bigger 

and better things both in terms 

of tackle and your results. 

To begin with, let’s look at the 

methods to use. By far the most 

popular and easiest are feeder 

and pole fishing. Both will catch a 

range of species and can be used 

on most venues around the UK 

throughout the year with good 

results. It also means getting 

kitted out won’t break the bank 

by any means! Check out the 

shopping lists below to arm 

yourself with all you’ll need in the 

coming months… 

Feeder fishing 

There are many different types of feeder 

to use, but for a mixed bag on commercial 

fisheries, little can beat the Method feeder. It 

puts your hookbait right in among the feed 

and there’s no trouble spotting a bite! 

The Method can be fished at relatively close 

range, so there’s no need to worry about big 

casts. A simple 20-yard chuck will suffce 

on most fisheries. So long as your rod and 

terminal tackle (hooks and hooklengths) are 

strong enough, you’ll be on to a winner. 

Even bait is sorted for you with ready-to-go 

pellets to put around the feeder and hookbaits 

that you can use straight from the tub. 

FEEDER FISHING BASICS SHOPPING LIST 

● 10ft feeder rod 

● Reel 

● Mainline 

● Method feeder 

& mould 

● Hooks to nylon 

● Landing net 

& handle 

● Mix & Go pellets 

● Hookbaits 

Pole fishing 

For delicacy and presentation of the 

hookbait, nothing rivals the pole – and 

the good news with this approach is 

that on most commercial fisheries you 

can catch close in, which does away 

with the need for long, expensive 

poles. 

Target 4m out or, better still, in the 

margins at your feet and you’ll be 

surprised at just what you can catch. 

A strong, robust 4m or 5m carp-style 

ready-elasticated whip or pole will be 

just the job. 

This comes already elasticated, and 

in some packages with a pole 

rig. If not, you can pick from 

many pre-tied rigs to get the 

right type of float, strength of 

line and size 

of hook. 

Then 

just add 

hookbaits 

and bag 

of feed 

pellets! 

POLE FISHING BASICS SHOPPING LIST 

● 4m or 5m 

pole/whip 

package 

● Ready pole rig 

● Landing net 

& handle 

● Hookbaits 

● Feed pellets 

3


The feeder with a maggot 

trick! Give yourself an edge… 

With a Shotgun 

Feeder, fish will 

soon be in your 

angling sights. 

SUMMER BAGGIN’ 

The large 40g version will 

send your feed a long way 

and provide plenty of food. 

Andrew Quarmby 

W 

E ALL know how 

effective the Method 

feeder can be in 

summer – but do you ever get 

the feeling that the fish have 

seen it all before? 

You know how it pans out... 

a few bites come fairly quickly 

at the start of the day, but then 

sport tails off. The carp are still 

there, but they’re not taking the 

bait with confidence. 

You could keep on plugging 

away in the hope that things 

A traditional 

Method feeder 

with mould. 

4

How the Shotgun Feeder works 

Lo-Viz 

hook link 

Method Quick 

Feeder Bead 

M-Tech 

main 8lb 

KM-2 hook 

IDEAL FOR 

WINTER USE 

The small 30g 

feeder is ideal 

for more delicate 

winter F1 tactics. 

might improve, or you could 

instead tear up the rulebook 

and reach for a method that’s 

completely different to anything 

the fish will have come across 

before. Your answer lies in the 

Shotgun Feeder. 

Totally unique, the Shotgun 

is a type of pellet feeder, but 

that’s where the similarities end. 

Allowing you to load the main 

body with maggots and then cap 

things off with dampened micro 

pellets, once the feeder hits 

bottom, the shotgun effect kicks 

in, ejecting both maggots and 

those few pellets out right on top 

A strong, reliable feeder mainline is a 

must with the Shotgun Feeder. 

A 5G Method 

Feeder rod is 

the perfect tool. 

of your hookbait. 

Why maggots, though? Well, 

we all know that every fish loves 

them, and although pellets form 

a big part of the diet of a carp, 

they can get a little bit tired of 

them in summer. 

Maggots, however, will always 

be hoovered up throughout the 

year and a combination of a short 

4ins hooklength and three red 

maggots on the hook is a meal 

few fish can resist. 

Like the Method feeder, though, 

once you begin catching on the 

Shotgun Feeder it’s going to be 

tough on your kit, so gear up 

accordingly. A tough as old boots 

mainline such as 8lb M-Tech 

will take the strain alongside a 

hooklength of 0.18mm Lo-Viz. 

Hooks, though, need thinking 

about as maggots are the main 

bait. The lighter KM-2 is the one 

to go for here in a size 16 or 14, 

matched to a soft-actioned rod 

like the 10ft 5G Method Feeder. 

In fact, so prolific is the Shotgun 

Feeder that your ordinary 

Method feeders may end up not 

seeing the light of day for many 

months to come! 

The Shotgun Feeder, in the 

smaller sizes, is also a winner for 

F1s in winter when maggots take 

over as pellets start to lose their 

effectiveness in the cold. 

SHOTGUN FEEDER 

SHOPPING LIST 

● M-Tech 8lb mainline 

● 0.18mm Lo-Viz hooklength 

● Sawn Off Shotgun feeder 

● 2mm pellets or Method Mix 

groundbait 

● Size 16 KM-1 or KM-2 hook 

● Two pints of red maggots 

5


How to succeed when fishing 

shallow on commercial fisheries 

Pellet waggler 

fishing is fun 

and exciting. 

T 

HERE can be little 

doubt about the 

effectiveness of the 

pellet waggler for catching carp 

shallow when the sun is beating 

down. But in recent years 

there’s been a definite new 

trend associated with this 

method – stealth. 

From the days of launching 

big floats that hit the water like 

a cannonball, the modern take 

on the ‘pellet wag’ is to go in 

the opposite direction and make 

as little noise as possible with 

delicate, light floats that go in 

with the merest ‘plop’. 

This is because the fish on 

some fisheries have wised up. 

Like any method, over time carp 

and F1s have come to associate 

the standard approach (big 

floats) with danger. Switch to a 

lighter attack, however, and their 

guard is dropped. 

So, what are we looking at in a 

stealthy pellet waggler? Size is 

obviously the first thing, the float 

being much, much shorter than 

normal, almost a stubby shape. 

This is why the new Stubbee 

floats bear that name. Just a 

few inches long and made from 

light balsa wood, Stubbees still 

cast well but make minimal 

impact on the surface, allowing 

you to flick the rig in front of a 

cruising fish without raising the 

alarm. 

Packing a ball-shaped loading 

in the base, the need for any 

locking shot around the float 

is done away with and these 

weights are interchangeable too, 

allowing you to get just the right 

amount of weight for the casting 

distance needed and the amount 

You’ll need a decent catty. 

6

Mark Sawyer 

of splash you want to make. 

Being short, Stubbees also sit 

up immediately once the cast is 

completed. This has two benefits. 

First, they won’t dive too deep in 

among feeding fish and second, 

you’re ready and watching for 

a bite within seconds, as many 

takes on the pellet waggler are 

almost instant! 

At the business end of the rig, 

pick up a packet of pre-tied Band 

‘Em Pellet hooklengths, which 

already have a latex pellet band 

on a hair rig. Use the barbless 

KM-2 hook to relatively light 

Lo-Viz line and delicacy to match 

that of the float is assured. Cast 

regularly, fire half-a-dozen 6mm 

or 8mm pellets around the float 

each cast, and the action won’t 

be long in coming! 

Original Popper-style float 

How far out you catch on 

the pellet waggler can change 

throughout the day as the fish 

move. From getting bites at 

20m, you may then need to add 

several metres to the cast to keep 

on catching, so a longer rod will 

help. Look at using a 12ft model 

to not only make casting easier 

but to also pick up the line on the 

strike that much faster. 

As good as light wagglers are, 

there’s still a place for heavy 

Popper-style models that make 

a big splash as they hit the water. 

If you’re getting bites quickly, 

almost as soon as the loosefeed 

lands, this suggests that making 

Pellet Stubbee 

wagglers land 

with finesse. 

the same noise with a float will 

get results! 

Although the pellet waggler 

can be a very positive way of 

fishing, it’s one that lends itself 

to fishing as light as you can 

get away with when it comes 

to tackle. A 0.20mm Lo-Viz 

mainline to a hooklength of 

0.18mm will keep bites coming, 

but won’t leave you undergunned 

once a carp is hooked. 

You’ll get bites faster if you 

can keep your loosefed pellets 

landing in a tight group. You 

can guaranteed that by using 

the right type of catapult that’s 

powerful enough to launch 

the feed, but which also has 

an enclosed pouch to stop the 

pellets from spreading through 

the air. 

A longer rod will enable you to 

follow fish out. The Arco-Tech 

allows you to fish at 11ft or 12ft! 

STUBBEE SET-UP 

KM-2 

hook 

Double 

overhand 

loop 

Pellet 

Stubbee 

0.20/8lb 

Lo-Viz 

12” (30cm) 

0.18/6lb 

Banded 

pellet 

PELLET WAGGLER 

SHOPPING LIST 

● 12ft carp/pellet waggler rod 

● Stubbee pellet wagglers 

● 0.20mm mainline 

● Band ‘Em Pellet hooks 

to nylon 

● 6mm pellets 

● Catty 

7


The latest gear to give you an edge to success! 

L 

OOKING to upgrade 

your gear or just started 

fishing and not sure 

what to invest your cash in? 

Every few months there seems 

to be more and more new tackle 

on the market, from poles and 

rods to the smaller bits and bobs 

like hooks and feeders – the 

choice is staggering! 

So to help narrow the search 

down, pop your feet up and have 

a browse through the latest top 

tackle over the next few pages… 

QUARTIX ZOOMER FEEDERS 

Long casts need a special type 

of feeder to hit the mark, namely 

weight forwards or ‘rocket’ style 

tools such as the Zoomer. 

Available in 30g, 45g and 

60g weights, its tough metal 

cage body has the aerodynamic 

loading off-set to increase 

casting potential, topped off with 

a super-strong crimped loop 

attachment. 

TOP TIP FOR 

LONG CASTS 

QUARTIX ZERO LIMITS FEEDER RODS 

Long-range feeder fishing has been one of angling’s success 

stories in recent years, becoming incredibly popular and resulting 

in new ranges of tackle dedicated to long casts for bream and 

carp. 

The Quartix range of feeder rods (out in June) are made using 

never seen before hollow spliced quivertip technology. This 

revolutionary development means you can cast more accurately 

without twist or wobble. They’re not cheap but are set to be the 

Ferrari of feeder rods! 

8

MEGABYTE GROUNDBAITS 

High in pellet and fishmeal 

content, these groundbaits 

are ideal for commercial 

fisheries all year, owing to 

the double grinding process 

that leaves the finished mix 

super-fine in texture and 

low in feed value. 

Equally effective for 

feeder or pole work at 

depths to 6ft, there are four 

flavours and colours to pick 

from – Scopex Yellow, F1 

Noir, Betaine Green and Red 

Krill – and each one comes 

with a free bottle of Method 

Reacta Boost to pep the 

mix up even further! 

XTREME G-PULSE POLES 

An updated version of the 

famed Xtreme poles, these 

MkII models have an improved 

action with even more stiffness 

and better balance, as well 

as several new features and a 

slightly lower overall weight. 

All this adds up to great poles 

to do battle with commercial 

fishery carp! 

Rated to a massive No30 

elastic, those new features 

include EVA domed protection 

on the fourth section to avoid 

damage when breaking the 

pole down to land a fish; 

aligner arrows on each section; 

and white Power top-2 kits 

(called Shadow Zero) that are 

designed to be anti-spook to 

fish when held over the water. 

Each kit comes with a puller 

slot to make the perfect pulla/ 

strippa set-up. 

Choose from the M2 at 10m 

long or the M3 that’s available 

in 11.5m and 13m packages. 

You get a FREE bottle of Reacta 

Boost worth £1.99 in every 

1.4kg bag. 

X-FLEX CATAPULTS 

Fishing is so varied that it 

pays to carry a few cattys 

around with you. The X-Flex 

Pellet Catapult is designed 

to fire half-a-dozen hard 

pellets into a tight area, 

while the Mini Baits gives a 

wider spread. There’s also a 

mesh pouch version of the 

Pellet for quick and easy 

loading and firing of bait. 

SUPRA DRY SPOON 

LANDING NET HEADS 

Designed for match fishing 

where speed is essential, this 

landing net head range is also 

great for pleasure anglers too, 

cutting through water with 

ease to follow hard-fighting fish 

making a last bid for freedom. 

They are also very light, but all 

with a strong frame for dealing 

with big fish. Match the net size 

to your preferred type of fishing 

– the 22ins diameter model is 

brilliant for carp or river chub 

and bream and the 20ins for outand-out 

commercial carp, while 

the 18ins version will tackle F1s or 

small silverfish on natural venues. 

9


The best hooks for success! 

HOOKS are perhaps the most 

important part of your tackle – 

they’re the direct link to a fish 

– which means that you never 

want one to let you down! 

However, a hook for fishing the 

feeder in high summer needs 

to be very different to one for 

picking off shy-biting F1s and 

silverfish in the cold of winter. 

So, what should you tie on to 

those pole or feeder rigs? Here 

are five patterns that’ll cover 

every base… 

KM-1 

Summer fishing on commercials 

is about catching shallow, picking 

off carp swimming just a few feet 

under the surface. The KM-1 has 

the perfect blend of strength and 

lightness to get the job done. 

KM-2 

Every angler should have a good 

all-round hook, and the KM-2 is 

exactly that – a pattern that’ll 

work brilliantly for hair-rigging 

baits shallow, or for when you 

switch to the bottom. 

AND FOR 

SOMETHING 

WITH A TWIST… 

Q Curve QC-1 

Method Wafter 

With the rise in popularity 

of wafter hookbaits, a 

curved hook is a must to 

substantially increase the 

quality of hook hold. Slip a 

Q-Curve on to your rig and 

it’s highly unlikely that a fish 

will end up anywhere other 

than in your net! Made from 

110 carbon steel with an 

anti-glint finish, Q-Curves 

are Teflon impregnated to 

give a super-sharp, long 

lasting point. 

EYED 

SUPER 

SHARP 

KM-3 

The real powerhouse of the KM 

series, the barbless KM-3 is a 

brilliant hook for hit-and-hold 

fishing. The eyed pattern is ideal 

for hair-rigging corn and large 

pellet when you’re after big carp. 

KM-4 

For fishing with more traditional 

baits like maggots and worms, 

a spade end pattern is best, and 

the KM-4 is the one to use when 

a touch of finesse is needed 

without sacrificing strength. 

TEFLON 

IMPREGNATED 

DULL 

FINISH 

UNIQUE 

STAY-HOLD 

BEND 

10


Hair makes a difference 

– it’s how it hangs! 

Y 

EARS ago, hair rigs on 

hooks were only for the 

specimen hunting set. 

How things have changed, and 

what a difference hair-rigging 

has made to our fishing! 

The rise of commercial carp 

fisheries and baits such as pellets, 

wafters and mini boilies now 

makes a hair rig an essential part 

of an angler’s kit, and to save on 

time, you can now buy reliable 

ready rigs off the shelf that are 

good to go. 

It’s not, however, just a case 

of using a hook with a band 

tied on the end of the hair. 

Advancements in tackle and our 

understanding of how fish feed 

have paved the way for dozens 

of different types of hair rig 

ready rigs. 

A twisted hair on Band ‘Em 

style hooklengths makes the hair 

a bit stiffer and helps the bait 

to hang in-line better, while the 

versatile Las-soo means you can 

mount and fish with any bait you 

wish. And if you want something 

with a twist, give the Meat Carp 

hooks a go, using the corkscrew 

style attachment. 

Here are five of the best to get you bagging this summer… 

POLE PELLET 

BAND ‘EMS – A 

GREAT HELP ON 

THE POLE! 

THESE banded 

hooks are 

designed for 

pellets, corn 

and meat on 

the bottom or 

up in the water. 

Band size is 

matched to hook 

size for perfect 

presentation, 

using KM-1 hooks 

to a 6ins Lo-Viz 

hooklength. Unlike 

many pre-tied 

banded hooks, the 

hair is twisted so 

the bait hangs in 

line every time. 

MEAT CARP 

This pattern uses a 

clever spiral spike 

on the hair to firmly 

anchor the bait. Great 

for commercial carp or 

river chub and barbel, 

the super strong KM-3 

hook is matched to 10ins 

of hooklength, ideal for 

feeder or pole work. 

LAS-SOO CARP 

These pre-tied hooks 

can manage all sizes of 

bait due to the unique 

Las-soo noose. A built-in 

gripper stop slides along 

the loop to hold the bait 

in place. Made up of a 

KM-1 barbless hook to 

12ins of line, it’s perfect 

for fishing pellets. 

BAND ‘EM METHOD 

There’s no need for a 

long hooklength when 

fishing the Method, and 

the 4ins links on these 

hooks are just the job. 

Matched to a KM-2 

hook, the latex pellet 

band is slightly offset to 

keep the bait inline amid 

a pile of micro pellets. 

Q-CURVE QC-1 

METHOD WAFTER 

For wafters a special 

type of hook is needed. 

The Q-Curve is super 

sharp and strong, and 

band size is matched 

to the hook, twisted 

4ins hairs making the 

bait behave naturally to 

feeding fish. 

Top Tip – make your hookbaits really stand out 

BE sure to get the hook size to line strength ratio right – a 

size 18 to 12lb line is no good! Make the hookbait as visible 

as possible. Try adding White Adrenaline Nano Boost to 

your hook pellets to make them stand out to the fish! 

11


Summer Baggin’ 

– with a new line of attack! 

Russell Shipton 

12 

I 

N THE summer, carp will 

move in close to the 

bank to feed, and a 

great area to target them is 

what’s known as the 5m line. 

This is roughly the point 

where the marginal slope of 

a lake meets the main depth, 

somewhere that fish will patrol 

knowing that food naturally 

gathers here. It’s a spot you’ve 

just got to fish! 

This may be at 5m or it could 

be as much as 8m out. At 

whatever distance you end up 

fishing, you have to ensure that 

your tackle is up to the job, as 

double-figure fish will more than 

likely be encountered. 

It all starts with the pole you 

use. This allows for pinpoint bait 

placement and presentation, 

and you don’t need an expensive 

16m pole to get the job done. A 

robust 8m pole built to handle 

big fish will do you proud. Check 

out the Thriller V3, an 8.5m 

margin pole that comes already 

elasticated and good to go. 

Set to just the right tension to 

prevent lost fish in mid-battle, 

you can elasticate the pole 

yourself. Hollow elastics are very 

popular and the blue Hi-Viz 18-22 

grade will put you firmly in the 

driving seat. For total control, 

look at the 5m Bomb Proof pole, 

fitted with a side puller slot to let

you strip elastic out while playing 

a big carp to make landing them 

a lot easier. 

The next thing to look at are 

rigs. Again, big fish should be in 

mind, so lines and hooks must be 

powerful stuff. Certainly, lines of 

no less than 0.20mm diameter 

as main and 0.18mm for the 

hooklength to a size 14 KM-4 

hook are needed, plus a strong 

float from the Xtreme series. 

If tying rigs isn’t your thing, 

have no fear! The Xtreme Baggin’ 

pole rig series has a ready-made 

rig for most situations, including 

emptying the 5m line of big carp. 

Tied to sensible lines, and with 

the right hook for the job, they 

mean that with that elasticated 

pole you can be ready to fish in 

just seconds. 

Shotting on this rig can be 

moved about to any pattern 

you like, but in general, a strung 

bulk of Slot Shot will allow 

the hookbait to fall slowly and 

naturally through the water 

where fish will see it, follow it 

and pick it up. Take a look at the 

rig diagram on the right to help 

A Snack Attak hookbait on a 

size 14 hook is the perfect 

combo for a bagging session. 

you on your way. 

That, then, leaves what to put 

on the hook. Old classics like 

corn, meat and pellet are great, 

but for something completely 

different, pick up a jar of 

Adrenaline Snack Attak. These 

can be hooked directly and are 

a soft hookbait that ooze flavour 

and aroma into the water. Highly 

buoyant, Snack Attaks need to be 

fished on a large size 14 hook to 

allow them to sink slowly. Once 

the colour and flavour has leaked 

out, simply re-dip them in the pot 

to power them back up again. 

With a choice of White Vanilla, 

Scopex Yellow, Red Krill or 

chocolate orange, there are lots 

of options to play about with. 

Lo-Viz 

line 

Xtreme 

pole float 

For total control, look at the 5m Bomb 

Proof Pole, fitted with a side puller slot to 

let you slip elastic out while playing a carp. 

Slot-Shot 

equally 

spaced 

SHOPPING LIST 

● Strong pre-elasticated 

8m pole 

● Robust ready pole rig 

● Jar of Snack Attak 

Snack 

Attak 

6ins (15cm) 

hooklength 

KM4 hook 

13


Margins: Set the trap – but you have to be 

systematic in your approach! 

The rewards are 

there if you get 

it right. 

You now need a 

refined approach 

for the margins. 

A No20 elastic is perfect 

for fishing down the edge. 

Dale Calvert 

A 

T FIRST glance, fishing 

the margins for carp 

seems simple – you just 

fill the swim in with lots of bait, 

fish over the top of it and bag 

up. At times, this is indeed true, 

but those red-letter days when 

everything goes to plan are 

actually few and far between. 

The problem is that fish have 

got used to this approach and 

will often back away from large 

amounts of groundbait, corn 

and pellets being shovelled into 

shallow water. Instead, setting a 

trap and fishing almost for one 

carp at a time is the best plan. 

Gone are the massive pole cups 

dumping in bait on top of the 

fish, replaced by a much smaller 

pot on the end of the pole to 

drop in a mere dollop of feed 

each time. This is just enough 

14 

“Setting a trap and fishing 

almost for one carp at a 

time is the best plan” 

to encourage a carp to feed and 

then find your hookbait. Done 

correctly, every drop in will result 

in a fish in the net. 

Whopper pots are the order of the 

day for fishing in the margins. 

Try setting up with a Whopper 

pot, which allow you feed over 

the top of your float with a tasty 

mouthful and to set that trap. It’s 

big enough to take a sprinkling 

of corn or a nugget of groundbait 

and makes things very accurate

compared to a pole cup that’ll 

spread the feed. 

Done this way, you’ll not only 

keep the fish hunting, but will 

also pull fewer fish into the swim 

at one time. This means line bites 

are minimal so that when the 

float does go under, it’ll be from 

a fish picking the bait up. 

Given the size of fish that the 

margins hold, your tackle has to 

be up to the job. Ready-to-go 

margin rigs are fine, but if you 

want to tie your own set-up, 

look at using a strong, short pole 

float such as the MW Mugger to 

0.20mm line and a size 14 KM-3 

hook and Reactacore elastic in 

the No20 grade. This sounds too 

strong, but when you see a big 

margin carp tear off into the lake, 

you’ll understand why you need 

to fish proper kit! 

On the hook, big is best, so an 

8mm pellet, two pieces of corn 

or a whole worm will keep small 

fish away and make sure that 

whatever takes the bait is going 

to be big. For feed, using what’s 

on the hook is a good idea, 

namely corn and pellets, with a 

little groundbait in summer. 

MW Mugger 

float 

The ultimate 

margin pole. 

Important: The margin tackle you need 

0.20mm 

Lo-Viz 

POWERFUL MARGIN POLE 

Without a doubt, margin tackle 

needs to be strong because 

a 15lb carp isn’t out of the 

question and they go off like 

a rocket when hooked! A 

standard carp pole will be fine, 

but if you really want to take 

margin fishing seriously, take 

a look at a dedicated margin 

pole such as the Reactacore 

XQ-1. Incredibly strong and 

able to take the most powerful 

of elastics, it’s a pole built with 

one thing in mind. 

BULK SHOTS 

Fishing in just 12ins of water 

means there’s no need for a 

fancy shotting pattern on your 

rig. In fact, simple is best and 

that means a straight bulk 

of shot pushed together just 

above the hooklength. Slot- 

Shot weights make sure the 

line hangs neatly and are also 

strong enough to not move 

or ‘ping’ off the line under 

pressure when playing a big 

carp. 

WHITE TOP KITS 

Margin swims are normally 

shallow, which can lead to fish 

feeding there becoming very 

spooky and easy to scare out 

of the peg. Waving the pole-tip 

over their heads is a common 

cause for this, something 

that can be solved by using 

Phantom-style white top kits 

on your pole. These create less 

of a shadow on the water. 

SHOPPING LIST 

● Strong XQ-1 Margin Pole 

● Reactacore elastic 

● Whopper pots 

● MW Mugger float 

● KM-3 hook 

● Slot Shot 

6ins 

hooklength 

Slot-Shot 

bulk 

KM-3 hook 

Corn or 

soft pellet 

15


Go the full distance 

Lee Thornton 

L 

ONG-range feeder 

fishing has become 

incredibly popular in 

recent years, reaching out to 

catch big carp, bream and F1s 

– and it’s not as diffcult as it 

seems at first glance. 

Casts of well over 80 yards are 

now easy to master provided you 

use the right tackle to get the 

job done, and there’s one main 

benefit to being able to throw a 

feeder to the horizon when the 

need arises. 

How many times have you 

stopped catching on the feeder? 

Quite a few, no doubt, and the 

reason is not that the fish have 

vanished, more that they’ve 

backed off further out into the 

lake. Being able to follow them 

by adding several yards to the 

next cast soon puts you back in 

touch and catching again. 

For long casts you’ll need 

a rod that’s capable of 

performing, so we’re talking 

12ft and longer, matched to a 

mainline and shockleader setup. 

A shockleader is a length 

of stronger line joining your 

mainline to a hooklength, which 

will take the strain on each cast. 

For a 6lb mainline, a 10lb leader 

is about right, using around three 

rodlengths (36ft) of leader. 

Feeders also need not only 

the weight, but also the right 

shape to cast a long way. The 

most popular are bullet-shaped 

‘weight forward’ cage feeders 

such as the Quartix Zoomer in 

Give the feeder 

the beans to get 

the distance. 

the 45g weight. This will cut 

through any crosswind and make 

sure you’re deadly accurate. 

On the business end, you don’t 

want to lose what you hook, 

so 12ins of 0.20mm Lo-Viz as a 

hooklength to a size 12 Q-Curve 

hook fished with a hair rig is the 

name of the game here. Slipping 

a piece of silicone tube on to the 

A hooked carp is 

played with the 

rod held low. 

16

hook at the bend helps turn the 

hookpoint inwards when you get 

a bite, which adds up to more 

fish being hooked. 

There’s little to beat a wafter 

hookbait, popping a small Slot 

Shot just beneath the hair to help 

the wafter stand proud on the 

bottom. Feed is a simple choice 

between pellets and groundbait. 

Micro pellets can be a little 

selective on their own, so a mix 

of the two is a safer bet. 

Check List 

USE TOUGH LINE! 

Casting a long way puts a lot of 

strain on tackle – and a rugged 

mainline is a must. M-Tech in 6lb 

breaking strain, matched to a 

shockleader of the same line at 

10lb, will allow you to cast well 

over the 60m mark with ease. 

ROCK SOLID SET UP 

There’s nothing worse than 

having the rod bounce all over 

the place after casting. A superstable 

feeder arm is essential, 

as is a solid rod rest head. The 

Trigger rest is just the job, with 

an upright at one end to stop the 

rod being dragged in. 

GROUNDBAIT OR PELLETS? 

Both feeds are good, but if you’re 

unsure, go for a 50/50 mix of 

both, adding dampened micros 

to Megabyte F1 Noir groundbait 

in clear water. On coloured lakes 

use Betaine Green. 

BE ACCURATE – EVERY TIME 

Having the right rod is important, 

not only to get your feeder to 

the distance you need, but also 

to make sure it lands in the same 

place each time! Packed with 

technology, the Quartix range 

are built for just this purpose, 

ensuring accuracy and distance. 

Trigger rod rest 

heads are solid 

and reliable. 

Megabyte F1 

Noir mix and a 

Zoomer feeder. 

For bream, hitting the same 

spot and building the swim up 

is the plan of attack, but for big 

carp, it’s a little different. 

It’s rare to have a run of carp 

here, instead using long casts to 

pick off the odd fish. Therefore, 

make only one cast to a spot and 

whether you catch or not, put the 

next chuck somewhere different, 

but on the same line. This is 

usually a more effective ploy. 

LONG-RANGE FEEDER 

SHOPPING LIST 

● Quartix Feeder rod 

● Quartix Zoomer Feeder 

● M-Tech mainline 

● M-Tech shockleader line 

● Lo-Viz hooklength line 

● Q-Curve hooks 

● Megabyte F1 Noir 

groundbait 

● Trigger rod rest head 

17


Jigging… what on Earth is it? 

JIGGA FLOAT SET-UP 

The Jigga can 

be deadly for 

wily F1 hybrids. 

A banded 

pellet, the ideal 

Jigga hookbait. 

18 

S 

EEN by some as ‘not 

quite cricket’, the Jigga 

allows you to freeline a 

hookbait up in the water, 

offering no resistance to a fish 

taking the bait and allowing the 

bait be lifted and dropped 

through the upper layers of the 

swim without moving the float. 

A hole through the body 

and stem lets the mainline run 

through, stopped above the 

float by a rubber float stop and 

beneath by a small bulk of No8 

Slot Shot. Under the shot go the 

hooklength and hook - 6ins of 

0.14mm Lo-Viz to a size 16 KM-1 

barbless - with a banded hard 

4mm or 6mm pellet as hookbait. 

One final thing to get right 

is the length of line that can 

be lifted and dropped through 

the float body, or, in effect, the 

depths you can fish at. This is all 

down to where the fish are, so it 

could mean only having 12ins of 

line to lift and drop, or as much 

as 3ft. Generally, however, the 

Jigga is about catching very 

shallow, so short is best. 

Ship out, lower the rig in and 

let the line pull through the float 

until it hits the float stop. Now 

lift slowly and the float will stay 

still but the line will lift until it hits 

the bulk of shot, taking the pellet 

with it. It’s now a case of working 

the rig constantly until a fish 

takes the bait and hooks itself.


Loading your feeder 

Chris Cameron 

T 

HE METHOD feeder has 

transformed fishing and 

with the introduction of 

specialised moulds. It couldn’t 

be easier to get set up! 

But many anglers don’t realise 

how important it is to know when 

to bury the bait and when to put 

it on top of the ball of feed. Both 

can work well – it depends on the 

reaction of the fish. 

Micro pellets are the go-to for 

many anglers, but these need to 

be soaked to make them softer 

and sticky before going on to 

a Method 

feeder. It’s 

much easier 

to use 

groundbait 

instead. 

A mix 

specifically designed for 

the Method feeder will help, 

something sticky enough to 

stay around the feeder on the 

cast and as it sinks, but which 

will then break up quickly once 

things have settled and begin to 

pump out attraction to pull fish 

into the area. Adrenaline Mega 

Byte Carp Method Mix is the type 

of groundbait you’re looking 

for combined with a wafter 

hookbait. 

Making the Method ball up 

couldn’t be easier with the arrival 

of purpose-made moulds. It now 

takes seconds to get a compact, 

evenly-shaped ball, a far cry from 

the days of squeezing groundbait 

on to the feeder by hand! 

Another great tip is to choose 

a Method feeder that’ll hold 

bottom if you’re fishing on 

the marginal slope of a far 

bank or around an island (your 

quivertip should never move 

once the feeder has landed!). 

On a slope the feeder can slide 

back into deeper water, so a 

Gripper Flat Bed Method with 

gripped grooves on the base is 

unbeatable to hold position. 

TOP TIP 

Get a feeder with a 

grooved base to hold on 

to the slope. 

HOOKBAIT PLACEMENT 

WHERE do you put the 

hookbait inside the feed – 

top or bottom? 

A bait sat at the bottom 

of the pellets or groundbait 

means that a fish will have 

to wait until the ball has 

broken down before it can 

pick it up. This approach is 

best when more of a sit and 

wait attack is needed. 

On the flip side, for 

sessions when bites are 

coming quickly and the fish 

are almost tearing the ball 

of feed apart, try popping 

the hookbait on top by 

placing it in the mould first 

and then adding pellets or 

groundbait. 

Top tip to keep bait fresh 

GET yourself an EVA case with a 

zipped lid to help keep prepared 

pellets or groundbait fresh 

throughout the day. There’s 

nothing worse than having 

your feed dry up! Tucked away 

in a case, it’ll stay moist and in 

perfect condition. 

Hookbait first into the mould... 

...will end up on top of the ball. 

19


Essential floats 

What you need and when to use them… 

Rod and reel floats 

T 

HERE are dozens of different 

floats to pick from in tackle 

shops, but how can you be sure 

that what you pick up is actually right for 

the job in hand? 

Never fear, make the correct choice 

every time with this guide to both pole 

and rod and reel floats... 

Canals 

Slim and super 

sensitive, this 

unloaded balsa 

float is perfect 

for delicate 

presentation 

when you’re after 

silverfish like roach 

on canals or F1s on 

lakes. Pick from 3 x 

No4, 4 x No 4, 2BB 

and 3BB sizes. 

Running water 

For running 

water you need 

a stick float like 

the famous Pete 

Warren model, 

4x No4 and 5x 

No4 are the most 

popular sizes. On 

very fast rivers 

step up to an Avon 

style with a bulked 

shotting pattern. 

Peacock Pellet 

Waggler 

A jack of all trades, 

this float is equally 

at home running 

maggots down a 

river swim as it is 

fished shallow as 

a pellet waggler. 

Extremely buoyant 

and in big sizes 

to help you cast a 

long way. 

Loaded clear wag 

This is a great allrounder. 

They’re 

especially good 

when used with 

pellets fished just 

off the bottom 

on commercials. 

These Fat Boy 

models are used 

by international 

match angler Rob 

Wootton. 

Up-in-the water 

You’ll need some 

floats for fishing 

for carp in the 

upper layers in 

summer. Choose 

Baggin Machine 

smaller models for 

puddles or Splash- 

Em style for longer 

casts. The dome 

stops them diving 

too deeply. 

Pole and whip floats 

TOP TIP 

A float adaptor won’t 

damage your line as 

shot can, and makes 

changing waggler 

floats quick and easy. 

F1s 

You need a slim 

body and fine 

tip for F1s. This 

signature model 

designed by Lee 

Thornton is ideal. 

Open water 

Choose a 

diamond shape 

for stability. The 

Middy MW has a 

whipped side eye 

for extra strength. 

Margins 

These short 

stubby floats 

have a thick tip to 

allow you to tell 

bites from liners 

with ease. 

All-rounder 

An elongated pear 

is ideal for many 

circumstances 

and this White 

Knuckle pattern is 

also super tough. 

20


Elastic choice is vital! 

Hybrid elastics are 

becoming more 

and more popular. 

W 

HEN YOU really think 

about it, it’s amazing 

how far pole elastic 

technology has moved on! 

From the days of having just 

two strengths to pick from, we’ve 

now got dozens to suit every 

situation. We also have different 

types of elastic too. 

Where once you could only fish 

with a solid elastic, there are now 

latex, hollow and more recently 

hybrid versions. Far from being 

a mere gimmick, each has its 

place. In elastic terms, and the 

proverbial ‘one size fits all’ 

definitely does not apply. 

Elastics must also be balanced 

to the rig you’re using, and the 

size of fish expected, so here’s a 

quick guide… 

SOLID 

Traditional solid 

elastics are 

nowadays used 

mainly in the 

lower grades to 

give anglers a 

super-soft action 

for tackling F1s or small silverfish. 

It’s thought that a solid elastic 

offers less stretch, ideal for 

swinging fish to hand. 

HYBRID 

The most recent arrival on the 

pole elastic scene is the hybrid 

which, as the name suggests, 

sits between a solid and a hollow 

in terms of performance. You’ll 

find a little less stretch in this 

Top tip 

WITH the new S-SLIDE system, 

launched this summer, you 

simply drill your top kit to a 

6mm width, click 

the bush into 

place and you’re 

good to go. A 

game-changer! 

elastic, allowing more control 

over hooked fish with less need 

for stripping elastic out of the top 

kit. A good all-round choice. 

HOLLOW 

A stand-out 

feature of hollow 

elastic was 

the unrivalled 

stretch it 

offered, resulting 

in far fewer lost 

fish when shipping back or hookpulls 

at the net. However, due to 

that stretch, a side puller system 

is needed to keep things under 

control. It’s often used for when 

bigger fish are expected. 

DACRON CONNECTORS 

Stonfo-style connectors have 

been around for years, but many 

anglers have moved on to using a 

Dacron connector and have never 

looked back! Dacrons create 

a stiffer link between you and 

Top tip 

KEEPING pole elastics 

lubricated is a wise move, 

helping to cut down on lost 

or bumped fish and allowing 

the elastic to work properly. 

Half-a-dozen squirts down 

your top kit just before 

starting to fish will be 

enough, allowing lubricant 

to flow fully through the 

sections to coat the elastic. 

the pole rig, allowing for more 

control and fewer tangles. 

PULL IT SIDE PULLER SET-UP 

Gone are the days of using 

traditional bungs in the bottom 

of top kits, even when fishing 

rivers and canals. Side puller 

systems have taken over, giving 

you an easy way to strip elastic 

out of the kit when playing fish to 

ensure total control or to adjust 

the tension in seconds. 

21


Rods explained 

What you need to get the job done! 

10FT METHOD FEEDER 

For commercials, a rod like this is 

essential. Get something with a 

50g casting weight and a soft 

style action. The latest 5G rods 

are perfect. 

PELLET WAGGLER 11FT 

Want to bag up in the summer? 

You’ll need a dedicated rod for 

up-in-the-water work. Again, the 

latest 5G technology rods are a 

great choice. 

RUNNING WATER LONG 14FT WAGGLER 

For running water fans out there, this flagship rod in the 

Reactacore XZ range is just the job! A crisp, fast response on the 

strike makes it brilliant for floatfishing, while the incredibly light 

weight and balance make holding the rod for hours a pleasure. 

Once a fish is hooked, the through action kicks in to give you 

enough power to avoid snags, alongside just the right amount of 

softness to keep a good hookhold in powerful water. 

DISTANCE FEEDER 13FT 

For distance work on big pits you 

need a 13ft brute of a rod to get 

the job done. 

The latest Quartix models, 

which include new spliced 

hollow-tip technology, are great 

examples, but they’re not cheap! 

They allow for superbly 

accurate long-distance casts 

while retaining bite sensitivity. 

Getting your feeder out to hit 

the spot every time at up to 100 

yards is now a doddle. 

BARBEL ROD 

If you’re planning river 

sessions for barbel you’ll 

need something capable 

of casting up to 6oz 

(160g) weights. 

The Power Phase model 

shown here comes with 

two tips rated to 80g and 

160g. It will allow you 

to cast 5oz feeders with 

ease. It has large K-Style 

guides to assist the cast 

and it is very, very strong 

in order to bully fish out 

of your swim. 

22


Poles and whips explained 

N 

OBODY could argue the 

impact that poles have 

had since they became 

available in the 1980s. 

If you look around any fishery 

now, you’ll see most anglers 

fishing a pole. Its benefits 

include precise feeding and bait 

placement, presentation, rig 

control and speed of hitting bites. 

But there are lots of poles on 

the market, all with specific jobs 

to do. Silverfish, whips, margin 

– what’s the difference, and how 

much do you need to spend? 

MARGIN POLES 

For doing battle with big carp at 

close range you need strength 

and power. Ranging from 6m to 

10m, each section is significantly 

stronger than what you’ll find 

Whips suit 

speed fishing 

for smaller fish. 

The Arco-Tech 

Speed Whip is 

well named! 

on a standard pole. The readyelasticated 

White Knuckle 6m 

pole is possibly the best-selling 

margin tool on the market. 

SILVERFISH POLES AND WHIPS 

Small-fish work needs finesse. 

That makes a silverfish pole 

lighter to hold and more 

balanced to hit quick bites. 

For catching quickly it’s worth 

trying a whip. These slender, light 

poles are designed to be fished 

to hand. The Muscle-Tech 6m is a 

strong pole for bigger carp, but 

can be used for silvers, while the 

Arco-Tech 8m was designed for 

silverfish speed fishing. 

LONG AND F1 POLES 

The domain of match anglers, 

long poles can cost anything up 

to £3,000 or more and reach 

Long poles are 

take-apart and 

versatile. 

to 16m, yet there are plenty of 

shorter models that’ll serve you 

well for a fifth of that price. 

Look for a brand of pole that 

has interchangeable sections. 

That way, if you decide to step 

up to a better model, all sections 

and top kits can be used. These 

are well-balanced and amazingly 

light poles that can do the lot. 

MINI BUTTS 

When you need a little 

more reach, a Mini 

Butt comes in handy. 

These are strong, 

short sections that 

fit on to the pole’s 

butt section to add 

extra length without 

affecting the pole’s 

balance. Some poles 

now have these to 

fit into the No5 or 

No6 sections too. 

23


Make some noise and bag up shallow! 

Rob Wootton 

O 

N HEAVILY fished 

commercial carp 

waters, the fish 

associate noise with food – any 

splash on the surface will soon 

be investigated – which is what 

makes tactics like the pellet 

waggler and the loosefed pellets 

raining into the water around it 

so good during summer. 

Change to the pole, though, 

and it’s a lot harder to make that 

noise. Anglers used to rely on 

loosefeed to pull fish into the 

swim, but in recent years we’ve 

begun to use the rig itself to do 

the job, something that match 

anglers call ‘slapping’. 

This is simply the act of 

propelling the rig – float, bait and 

all – through the air and on to 

the surface several times before 

waiting for a bite. The rapid 

succession of splashes from the 

rig simulates pellets hitting the 

water and gets carp curious. It’s 

so good that, at times, you don’t 

even need to feed anything at all! 

Using a light float set a couple 

of feet deep and a hard pellet in 

a bait band. The routine is to ship 

the pole out (fishing typically 

from 11m and further) and then 

quickly whip the rig in a circular 

motion around and over the 

pole tip, letting it splash on the 

surface. Do this three times and 

then let the rig settle – a bite 

White Phantom top 

kits stop fish 

spooking from the 

pole over their heads. 

24

shouldn’t take long in coming. If 

it doesn’t, this is the time to feed. 

Fire in just half-a-dozen 6mm 

pellets, and follow it up with 

three more slaps of the rig. 

No two days are the same and, 

on one session, you may find that 

feeding is needed to keep bites 

coming while the following week, 

the noise of the slap is enough. 

Slapping is also deadly for 

catching carp that you can see 

swimming just under the surface. 

Very often you can actually watch 

“Slapping your rig is so 

good that, at times, you 

don’t even need to feed 

anything at all!” 

Low visibility lines 

are important when 

fishing shallow. 

A light float set a 

couple of feet 

deep is effective. 

The splash of the 

rig and baits pulls 

in inquisitive fish. 

a fish hear the noise, change the 

direction it is swimming in and 

head straight for your rig! 

Although a heavy float will 

make a noise when it hits the 

surface, this is about the only 

advantage it had and, if anything, 

as light a float as you can get 

away with will be better. 

The 4x10 MW Mugger is 

designed for this style of fishing, 

with all of the shot grouped 

under the float to help make a 

good splash. 

Banded pellets are THE bait for 

slapping, so that calls for an eyed 

hook to let you fish a hair rig. 

Take a look at the KM-3 in a size 

16, slipping a small Nano latex 

pellet band on to the hair to grip 

the pellet firmly. 

Even in coloured water, carp 

can react to a shadow over their 

heads caused by the pole-tip. 

White Phantom top kits solve 

this, greatly reducing any 

silhouette and allowing the fish 

to feed in confidence. 

The carp you catch shallow 

tend to be of a good average 

size, so pole elastics need to be 

up to the job. Hollow 14-18 grade 

Reactacore has the softness 

and stretch to let a carp roar off 

when hooked, but without any 

danger of a hook-pull. A Dacron 

connector is also a good idea, as 

this will minimise tangles around 

the pole-tip. 

Slapping is an active way of 

fishing and, as a result, the pole 

you use needs to be light and 

easy to manoeuvre. The XZ-65 

is top of the tree, although the 

XP35 model is perfect too, being 

well balanced and crisp on the 

strike. It will hit bites but is not 

in the least unmanageable when 

repeatedly propelling the rig up 

and over the tip. 

SLAPPING 

SHOPPING LIST 

● 4x10 MW Mugger float 

● Reactacore 14-18 elastic 

● Size 16 KM-3 hooks 

● 0.18mm and 0.16mm Lo-Viz 

lines 

● Band ‘Em Nano latex pellet 

bands 

● Hard 6mm pellets 

25


Quick tips 

E 

VERY angler has an 

arsenal of tips that they 

rely on to keep 

catching. These range from 

baits, tactics and even location 

to picking the right peg before 

they even start fishing! 

Here are seven of the best tips 

for you to try when the going 

gets a little bit tough… 

Try banding red maggots when 

1 you stop getting bites. This change 

in presentation can be just what’s 

needed to get the fish feeding again! 

Add a blast of powdered 

2 spice to your paste mix, then 

cover it in 2mm feeder pellets to 

create a totally unique hookbait. 

In winter, scaled-down mini 

3 feeders with red maggots on 

the hook let you regulate how 

much bait goes into the swim. 

Try cupping in a mini PVA 

4 bag of pellets with your rig 

put in straight over the top to 

achieve a tight grouping of feed. 

A little Adrenaline Plasma on 

5 your Method feeder forms 

a haze in the water and releases 

lots of aroma. 

26 

Create a cage feeder 

6 ‘sandwich’ by packing in 

dampened pellets trapped with a 

smear of groundbait at each end. 

7 

A radical change can trick 

fish into feeding. Match star 

Steve Gregory finds couscous is 

a great feed for carp and F1s!


Want to take it easy? 

Get a chair station! 

O 

NE of the attractions of 

fishing is the chance to 

get out in the fresh air 

and relax, forgetting about the 

stresses and strains of modern 

life – and what better way to do 

that than with a comfortable 

fishing chair that’s been 

designed not only to let you kick 

back, but also to catch a good 

few fish into the bargain? 

That’s what the MX-100 

Recliner chair system will do, a 

ready-to-go package that allows 

you to fish float, feeder or even 

the pole. Revolutionary in design, 

the basic chair folds down 

quickly and easily for storage and 

transporting to the bank, but it’s 

more than just functional. 

A high padded head rest, 

adjustable back rest and fulllength 

seat with lumbar support 

will let you fish in total comfort. 

The full package arrives with 

a unique side bar that can take 

either a front and back rest for 

fishing waggler and feeder or 

up-and-over rests to let you fish 

a pole up to 10m easily. Four 

Thread Stikks attach to the other 

side of the chair’s frame to take 

accessories alongside a side tray. 

Finished with adjustable legs 

and swivel mudfeet, there’s also 

a special cutaway groove on the 

back for easy pole shipping. 

Head and back 

rests provide 

maximum comfort. 

ROD-STYLE 

POLE-STYLE 

Set up, it puts 

everything 

close to hand. 

A side tray 

keeps tackle 

close to hand. 

FLOAT OR FEEDER 

The special special side bar can 

be configured to hold either a 

waggler or feeder rod. 

YOU CAN GO LONG 

Special up-and-over rests are 

designed to hold poles up to 10m 

long in place easily. 

27

Where do you want to go fishing? 

W 

ITH your tackle, bait 

and tactics sorted and a 

head full of tips to catch 

you more, it’s time to decide 

where to actually go fishing! 

The UK is blessed with many 

varied and wonderful fishing 

environments, but the three most 

common are rivers, lakes and 

canals. Each is very different in 

terms of the fish it holds and also 

in the way it needs to be tackled, 

so you may wish to focus on one 

specific type of fishery until you 

have mastered what’s required. 

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES 

Man-made and heavily stocked, bites are almost 

guaranteed. The dominant species is usually carp, 

although a good mix of other fish will also be 

present. Short-range pole fishing or the feeder 

are the best tactics with pellets, corn and meat 

– but never leave home without maggots, just in 

case. Typically, a day ticket ranges from £5 to £10. 

NATURAL LAKES 

These can range from small farm ponds to huge 

reservoirs. Fish stocks will be lower, and depths 

can vary greatly, making the feeder a great 

approach. Small fish such as roach and perch 

offer fun fishing on the float or pole in summer. 

A club yearbook is good value for money, or your 

local lake might even be completely free to fish. 

RIVERS 

Running water is subject to the weather, so rivers 

are seen as the ultimate challenge. Roach, dace 

and bleak will get you lots of bites, while for 

the longer game bream, chub and barbel are 

the targets. Float, feeder, pole or whip will all 

work. Clubs offer day or year tickets, but many 

stretches are free, so do your homework. 

CANALS 

Thousands of miles of canal criss-cross the UK, 

and they hold surprisingly big fish. A typical 

canal is quite narrow and shallow, lending itself 

to pole fishing or a light waggler, but on wider 

and deeper shipping canals the feeder will catch 

bream and chub. Many stretches are free to fish, 

or a day ticket can cost as little as £3. 

Special 28-page fishing supplement courtesy of Angling Times 

Information correct at time of going to press, diagrams and pictures are covered by copyright 2021

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