Since my last blog my attentions have turned away from zander fishing and my pike gear has come out to play. I've had the urge to go pike fishing since the beginning of the autumn but I try to hold back until the weather cools off for the sake of the pike’s well being. I believe fishing for them in the warmer weather does them no good whatsoever. Plus, I have plenty of other species to keep me occupied while it’s still mild.

I’d been looking forward to this winter as I had been lucky enough to secure a few days fishing on the mighty Chew Valley Reservoir. To me, travelling down to Bristol to fish Chew is what I describe as lottery pike fishing; it doesn't matter what previous pike fishing experience you may have, if you have a few tickets in the Chew lottery you stand as much chance as anyone of a big pike. Generally the people who catch the most big pike in Chew are the people with the most tickets.

I wouldn't describe the fishing as easy; it’s better described as simple. The pike in Chew love sea deadbaits, which is unusual for trout waters which normally involve lots of hard work using lures and fishing underwater features. At Chew, big pike get caught all over the lake from both the bank and from the boats. I tend to prefer the bank fishing at Chew as, for me, it’s social fishing with a mate with the chance of a whopper. Plus, if the weather turns rough you can still fish from the bank without the worry of a 250 mile journey from East Anglia only to be disappointed by boat cancelations.

I could now waffle on about me being a fantastic pike angler and what wonder methods I used to catch a few Chew pike, but the truth is that I keep things very simple. My gear is strong and reliable: 58lb braided mainline, 28lb wire, and either size six or four semi-barbless trebles depending on my bait size. Due to the size of the reservoir, 1200 acres, deadbaits are ledgered and fished on drop off alarms. I've personally found the marginal drop off a good place for a bite or two. Depending on what area of the lake your fishing it can vary in distance, but normally I'm fishing in excess of 80 yards.

I have found using a small sonar unit attached to a bait boat a huge edge for finding a spot I feel happy with to place my baits. Although plenty of big fish will and do get caught each winter by people closing their eyes and casting, if I can give myself an edge (or at least feel as if I'm giving myself an edge) I will. One other thing worth a mention before talking about my results on this year’s Chew lottery is the importance of good quality bait. I like to make sure I’m prepared with some super fresh deadbaits: turbo smelt (if I can source any), fresh herring and fresh mackerel. In fact the mackerel I took were caught myself earlier in the summer and frozen the day they left they sea.

My first two days on the bank were with regular fishing buddy Jason. Lots of big pike had been caught in the opening weeks, many of which from the Stratford Bay area. Whenever I fish Chew, I prefer to try to keep away from the crowds and make news rather than follow old news. We both agreed on trying a fairly under fished area close to the entrance of Stratford, the theory being that the angling pressure may push fish out of the bay. It was a nightmare to access and involved a long walk through knee high grass and reeds – not to mention the mud.

We needed to take our baits out approximately 100 yards to find about 10 feet of water, where it began to drop off. As always, we bingoed the rods, mixing them up so we shared the swim fairly. It wasn't long before a drop off fell and the alarm was screaming and, lucky for me, it was one of my rods. A short tussle saw a small pike of less than 10lbs unhooked safely in the margins. Over the next couple of hours the drop offs fell several more times but nearly every take was on one of Jason’s rods. His best two fish were a mid double and a more than welcome 25lb-er. That was the excitement over and during the next day and a half I had the only other chance I had was another jack.

The following week saw me returning, this time with my friend Jed. I don't think Jed will mind me saying that he is a newcomer to pike fishing and his aim was his first 20lb plus fish – well, his aim was a few bites first, if we are honest. We had a plan on where we fancied but unless you’re willing to sleep in your van behind the gates that access the lake you sometimes have to settle for wherever you end up – although, to be honest, big pike have been caught all around the lake and there are lots of swims I feel confident in.

We ended up fishing an area that has a very shallow gradient that required us boating baits out over 100 yards to find 8 feet of water, but I still felt confident of a bite. The first couple hours pasted without any action. Typically, as soon as the sausages were on the go my drop off fell. I wound down to feel that lovely solid resistance and thumping of a good fish. Steadily it kited as I pumped it towards me. As I entered to shallower margins it would find the odd clump of weed to hide in. I kept the pressure on and tried to keep it moving towards me. The fish went solid in some weed but I kept the pressure on as I waded out to net my prize. My heart was pumping as there are enormous pike to be caught in Chew. I saw a large clump of weed wrapped around my line and began to tear it away to reveal what was underneath. Under the weed was a smelt! The fish had escaped during the fight and I hadn't realised. I was gutted.

I placed the rod back on the spot and we continued to cook breakfast with tales of what I could have just lost. Before I even had a chance to finish cooking the same rod was away again. I wound down and pulled hard to set the hooks and saw a nice sized pike erupt on the surface at long range. The fight was great, flat rodding me for the first 10 seconds. I was so nervous after loosing the first fish. Slowly I got the upper hand and a 20lb plus pike went safely into the net while Jed took charge of the sausages. The pike was a stunner and was weighed at 22lb 8oz. That was our lot that trip, while we saw a few nice fish caught by boat anglers through our binoculars we never had another bite.

A couple of weeks later saw me and Jed heading back for one last roll of the dice. I felt a lot more confident this trip as the boats had finished, which meant a lot less angling pressure. Day one was busy and I lost count of the bites – although unfortunately the majority were from (big) trout. Although some of the takes were dropped by trout that swam off at 100mph with our deadbait, we actually connected with three all over 10lb. I caught a 13lb 12oz brown trout and Jed wasn't far behind with one of 12lb. Amongst the trout we also caught three pike; Jed was off the mark with his first Chew pike of 7-8lb and I had a similar sized pike as well as a low double.

The next morning we were keen to get back in the same swim and we arrived at the gate at 5.50am to see three other cars queued up. I opened the gate, as it was nearly 6am (the official time we are allowed on the site) but once we entered the car park a van was already parked up. It had been there evening before and it didn't look like it had moved from the previous night. We decided it was far too busy for us and someone had already claimed out previous swim. We drove to the other end of the reservoir to our second choice, only to find that it was also taken. Third time lucky, we settled into a slightly quieter area, hopefully fate had directed us there?

Once the rods were out it seemed a really nice area. We had between 14 and 16 feet of water at about 80 yards and I could see lots of grebes working, which gave me confidence we were near some bait fish.

Jed was off the mark first with a tiny pike not much bigger than his bait. Then again he was off this time a fish of around 7lb. When his drop off fell a third time I stared to feel left out! His rod took a much better curve this time and the fish pulled back hard taking line from the clutch. I waded out with net in hand and scooped up what was Jed’s biggest pike at 20lb 8oz. I was so pleased for him, as last time we were there he never had a bite, and I could see he was over the moon with his arms full of big pike. At last mid morning my drop off fell and the fact that braid was flying from the reel so quick I was convinced it was a pike. A very aggressive fight saw me wrestling another big brown trout in the margins.

I didn't have to wait long before the other rod was away. I pulled down to feel a couple of trout-like thumps then it let go straight away. I wasn't worried as I was sure it was another blooming trout. We took the rod back out using the bait boat and while I was putting my braid into the clip on the drop off it was pulled from my fingers. I pulled into a heavier fish and for a moment I thought I may have been the second 20lb-er of the morning, but fell slightly short at 17lb 15oz.

Another smaller pike came to one of my rods early in the afternoon but generally it was much quieter. I had put both my eggs in the same basket with a whole herring on both rods. So many big pike have been caught by bank anglers on the last few moments as it gets dark and I was hoping for one more chance as the light began to fade. Just as the light started to go I saw Jed’s rod tip pull around but his drop off arm was set too tight so I jumped from my chair and pulled the line free from the clip. It was a nice slow steady take, I passed the rod to Jed and the rod doubled as he pulled into it... but almost instantly sprang back as the fish bumped off! I felt that he had possibly pulled out of something special, but we will never know.

With the final minutes looming I had began to clear up my kit. Nearly everything was packed away other than the rods and I was dragging in out to the last possible minute, as I felt if it would just drop off one more time it may be a big’un. I was packing my last few bits into my rucksack when I heard a BEEEEEEEEEEEEP! I clicked my head torch on and ran to my rod to see braid slowly flowing from the spool. Please, I thought, after all the miles of driving and effort be a better fish! I wound down and pulled into the fish and the rod locked up mid strike and I could feel a solid heavy thumping on the end. Jed was on hand by now and I declared that if this fish would just please stay on I thought it would be what we were waiting for. It surfaced in my torch light about 20 yards out and looked big! With my waders on I waded out to meet it and as I scooped it up it looked like possible 30lb-er.

Passing the net to Jed to hold the fish safely in the margins I unpacked my unhooking mat and weighing gear. Big pike are stunning creatures and definitely hold a wow factor for me. And although Chew will hold pike 10lb bigger than the one I was staring down at, I was incredibly happy with a 29lb-er.

It was an occasion when that one last cast came good and we both drove back from Bristol with big smiles!!

Phil

Embryo Angling Habitats is a non-for-profit organisation which provides vital support to under-funded and community owned angling venues up and down the country, with a particular focus on protecting lakes from the increasing threat of predation. Founded in 2014 by Korda’s Danny Fairbrass, the organisation often runs at a loss in order to provide fencing solutions to the growing issue of otters eating and attacking prize specimen carp.

£7 from each sale of the Embryo 2017 Calendar goes directly towards otter fencing. Each calendar translates into 1m of fencing and Embryo also provides additional funding to those who can’t afford their own fencing. If you’re an angler yourself and you’re as passionate as we are about the protection of the nation’s carp, this is a great way to make a one-off donation and do your bit for preventing predation. This calendar also makes an excellent stocking filler for the angler in your life. If you’re someone who likes to keep organised on and off the bank, or you know someone who does, this is a perfect Christmas gift.

Poor water quality due to human chemical pollution caused otter populations to plummet across the UK, with the number hitting record lows during the 1970s. In order to protect these beautiful species from extinction, the UK government put in a number of measures to ensure that water quality improved and otter habitats were protected. These measures are still in place today and, as a result, otter species are thriving across the country. The rescuing of otters from the brink of extinction is widely regarded as one of the biggest conversation successes of recent history, however, it has come at a cost to the carp fishing community. Otters will target carp for food, often attacking the largest specimen fish. For a large fishery with lots of huge carp this is an issue but for the smaller fisheries, with only one or two prize catches, this can be utterly devastating. Restricted by otter-protection laws, fisheries are limited in their response to this growing problem. However, there is one way that fisheries can protect both their waters and otters – otter-proof fencing.

Any fishery owner will understand how expensive fencing their lakes can be, with costs easily escalating into the tens-of-thousands. Embryo aims to provide cut-price fencing solutions – only ever covering their costs and never turning a profit. However, just because the costs are cut-price it doesn’t mean that the service is. Stuart and Rob are Embryo’s expert fencers and have decades of experience between them – enabling them to put up a fence in a matter of weeks rather than the months it would take independent fisheries to do on their own. The pair pride themselves on the high quality of their work and they offer a number of different fencing solutions which will protect even the most awkward of venues.

As well as proving low-cost fencing and monetary aid to smaller fisheries, Embryo also purchases venues, transforming them into stunning syndicate waters in order to provide incredible fishing opportunities for the passionate carp angler.

As with every non-for-profit, Embryo relies on donations in order to operate – Danny himself has pumped £800,000 into the project in the last two years. However, he can’t sustain this project alone and he is calling on you – the avid carp anglers of the UK – to help him out.

This Embryo 2017 Calendar is a mere £7.99 – with a full £7 going directly towards otter fencing. To put this into context, just 1,000 calendars will provide the funds to fence a 10 acre lake. In return you get a high quality calendar, containing 12 stunning images taken by members of the Korda team. Each month also features a lunar calendar, as well as highlighting ‘hot days’ when you really want to think about getting out to the bank. What’s more, every month also features fascinating insights from ‘part-man, part-carp’ Simon Scott, so you can enjoy bite sized tips from one of the country’s top carp experts.

Everyone involved with the calendar has donated their efforts for free, including the Korda team members responsible for the stunning photography and Simon Scott, and Alpha Print – the printing press who brought these calendars to life – have run at a loss in order to cut printing costs. Similarly, Angling Direct will not be taking a single penny from the sale of these calendars.

From us, here at Angling Direct, as well as from Danny Fairbrass and the Embryo team, we thank you in advance for your contribution.

For more information about the work Embryo Angling Habitats does, or to find out how else you can contribute, you can visit the Embryo website: http://www.embryoangling.org/

Buy The Embryo Angling Habitats 2017 Calendar

For this next blog I'm staying local to me in Norfolk and visiting Catch 22 – a water normally associated with carp – for some pleasure fishing for coarse fish. It was a last minute decision as a 24 hour window arose on the Friday night, so a plan was hatched to arrive after work and to fish till the Saturday afternoon. As I had loads of groundbait and pellets in the van the only thing to sort out was some maggots and casters, as the maggot feeder approach for roach and bream was going to be my main tactic.

Friday night came around and, as the nights are drawing in, I didn't have much time to find a swim and get set up. On arrival, I had a walk down the closest bank to the car park to have a quick look about and I found a few free swims, of which one had more open water. I thought this would probably be the one to go for, as my good friend Darryn was coming down a little later for a social. As I stood in the swim I saw a couple of carp roll at around 60 yards so that was enough for me, as normally where there's carp the coarse fish won't be far behind.

As I got into the swim I got a message from Darryn saying he wasn't going to get there till after dark, so I got the marker sticks out and the spod rod to make a big baited area we could both fish to. After sorting out all the bait for the session, which consisted of hemp, Sonu Scopex Corn, maggots, casters, and Sonu Bream Feed Groundbait, I began laying a bed of it out over the swim. I like to start spodding at the marked range first, for half of the amount, then peel off half a rod length of braid, then put the rest out. Next was to sort new rigs out for the session. I was going to start off with one on the method feeder and the other one on a maggot feeder on a Korum Heli kit, just to see which one produced first. Hooklinks were Korda Supernatural in 18lb in conjunction with their size 12 Mixa Hooks and for bait it was going to be Enterprise fake maggots on the maggot feeder rig and a small 6 mm pineapple boilie on the method feeder rig. The first cast was made about an hour before dark and, while I waited to see if anything would happen, I got the brolly in order and a bit of bait ready to put out after dark if needs be. Within the first few minutes I had a liner which was promising and after another 10 minutes or so the maggot feeder rod was away. "Fish on” and after a short fight a small bream was landed.

It was starting to get dark now and I was still getting liners when Darryn arrived. I helped to get him sorted out, as there was some rain forecast, and just as we had finished getting him cast out I had another bite, which again ended up in being a small bream around the 3lb mark. As the darkness set in we had a cuppa and talked fishing till it was bed time – as it was raining we retreated back to the brollies. It was a quieter night than I was expecting but I still managed another couple of bream, to the method rig this time. As dawn broke I stood watching the lake for any activity and from the moment I stood up I could see fish rolling over the baited area. After a recast, as I thought I should have had a bite, the maggot rod sprung into life almost instantly. From that minute to the end of the session I had fish after fish on that rig, with the occasional one on the boilie. I didn't change over to both on the maggot feeder because I felt that if any bigger fish were to make an appearance it might be more suitable for them.

Mixed in with all the bream I did manage the species I was mainly after – roach – and with a couple going 1lb8oz and 1lb10oz I was well chuffed!

It did seem like the more bait I spombed out the quicker the bites were coming. I lost count of the amount of times I had double pick ups. In the end I managed 35+ bream to 5lb8oz, those lovely roach, and a bonus tench of 6lb. All in all it was a cracking session and a great social.

The maggot feeder rig was the one which did most of the damage on that day but I'm sure the method rig will work well on another day as well. I will be back to Catch 22 this winter to target roach again, as they do grow to 2lb+ there, but for now it's back on the rivers for a spot of chub fishing. Until the next time, tight lines.

Dabbling with dabs

Whilst we all wait for the cod to arrive another species has turned up in abundance, that is the humble dab.

These sweet tasty little flatfish are giving our anglers great sport on light tackle and are close in which gives our anglers security of a day out and longer fishing times.

Best rigs are a two or three hook flowing trace with a small size 1 hook, best baits are fish strips, squid and worm, best tides are neap tides fishing over the slack water as they don’t like too much tide run.

There are still plenty of whiting with lots of fish getting on for nearly a 1lb; best baits are squid, worm and mackerel.

A lot of the thornbacks have moved offshore but quite often come back inshore in the new year depending on water temperature, we are still catching a few but numbers are down.

There are odd cod around with more reports of fish turning up on the Suffolk coast but it is still quiet in the Thames Estuary with only odd smaller fish showing.

Offshore has been quiet with a few Thornbacks, whiting and dogfish, we did have a bass this week but that was very much an odd fish as most have moved south by now.

Prospects very much depend on when the cod show up as things can change quickly in the winter so keep checking the reports and forums.

Reviewed by Carpology Magazine…

Beat The Chill... If you’re planning on seeing it “through to Christmas”, then your summer bag isn’t going to cut it. Luckily Advanta have just launched the CX5: a true 5-season bag without the normal true 5-season bag price tag.

Stitching a sleeping bag has traditionally been an exercise in compromise. Triple-layered models with their heavy fills offer extreme warmth and flexibility, but they’re weighty and bulky. Lightweight and compact bags are wafer thin inside your bedchair, but they’re not true 5-season bags. And those mountaineering models force you to remortgage the house. Advanta’s CX5 model eliminates these trade-offs, fusing comfort with warmth and compactness along with a healthy bank balance.

Where does this bag sit then?
Smack bang in the middle. It’s a 5-season sleeping bag but without the bulk of triple, sometimes four layers in the latest models. It weighs just 3.5kg – that’s 1.25kg lighter than its nearest competitor and a full 2.5kg on the heaviest. And because it’s not hugely bulky and thick, it’ll fit inside your bedchair.

How the hell is it so warm then?
It’s thanks to a combination of material and features. Damp is wicked away courtesy of the luxurious peachskin cotton fabric outer shell. Warmth and comfort is provided thanks to the over-generous hollofil insulation with fleece baffles.

But that all sounds pretty standard?
Er, yes. A bit. But it’s the combination of the fleece baffles and 7” draft-excluder skirts which reduce cold air penetration that means this bag offers such high levels of warmth. Plus, should you want extreme warmth, just couple it with their CX5 Combi Peackskin Quilt. It’s less than forty-five-quid, simply snap-locks onto the CX5 Sleeping Bag and you’ve got yourself another layer.

What’s the inner material like? It’s not fleece is it? That’s horrible and all clingy…
Advanta totally agrees with you. Whilst fleece is soft, warm and generally lovely, as you rightly say, it’s also clingy, so the design team has only fleece-lined the top section, with the body section being made from a nylon quilt. This means you have unparalleled comfort with freedom of movement.

So I can roll around freely then?
Yep, and it’s pretty spacious too, measuring 200 x 90cm. You don’t have to worry about it falling off the bedchair either: elasticated anti-twist head and foot fixings with nylon wellie wipe section and double fixing bedchair straps equals zero twist and combined with the full anti-snag zips, it means quick exits are guaranteed.

Sounds nice, but isn’t all of this going to be a bit pricey?
Absolutely not. Advanta is a workhorse with showpony looks brand. It doesn’t rely on fancy ad campaigns and big consultancy fees. Instead it focuses its time on producing hardwearing, functional and affordable products, and the CX5 Sleeping Bag is a bloody great example of that. Normally £99.99, but currently on offer at £89.99. It’s a genuinely cracking bag – and we don’t use that term lightly.

Key Features
1. Double fixing bedchair straps equals zero twist
2. The anti-snag zips with locking clips means quick exits are guaranteed
3. There’s also a zipped mobile phone pocket
4. The nylon wellie wipe section is a nice touch

How They Measure Up
ADVANTA CX5 (£89.99) 200 X 90CM
FOX VEN-TEC VRS (£179.99) 210 X 88CM
NASH FROSTBITE + SUB 20 (£186.99) 210 X 88CM
SNUGPAK/FORTIS (£229.95) 210 x 95CM
TRAKKER PEACHSKIN (£179.99) 215 X 90CM

Buy The Advanta Discovery CX5 5 Season Sleeping Bag

Our 2016 King of the Catch was the hardest fought edition of the competition to date – with more entries than ever before. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner in each category but that didn’t stop our second place anglers from giving them an incredible run for their money. In more cases than one, this battle took the competition right down to the last day of voting! Here are our 2016 King of the Catch Runners-Up Catch Reports – in their own words…

Pascal Beevor – Carp Fishing Runner-Up

I caught my winning carp on a two-night session – my first in over a decade and a half! I used to be an avid angler but, as I’m sure most can relate to, the hobby had to be dropped as life got in the way. I’ve wanted to get back into angling for many years but the main reason I chose now? To get away from the Mrs and our teething baby! At 15lb 6oz, I’ll be the first to admit that this isn’t the biggest carp in the world, but I was over the moon as it was my first catch after a 15-year break from the sport! What’s more, it was also my first two nights of good sleep that I’d had since the baby had been born. It was caught using my good old DAM Andy Little Rod and my Shimano Baitrunner reel – both purchased with my pocket money all those years ago and still going strong today. I topped off this setup with some new tackle I had purchased for the occasion, including the best and most important item – an Advanta Endurance Six Leg Session Bedchair. It’s the business!

Ashton Carrick – Junior Fishing Runner-Up
(words by his father, Jonny)

On the 17th of August, I decided it was time for my four-year-old Ashton to make a little jump from silvers to small carp. The venue chosen for this step-up was Reepham fisheries. I wanted somewhere that I knew he stood a good chance of catching to keep him interested. Our armoury was to be a small and very old Abu stalking rod with an equally old, small Shimano reel. We used a very simple waggler going down to a size 10 barbless super specialist hook, loaded with a chunk of tuna cat meat, and we fished it so the hook just lay on the bed.

He dropped it into the water right in the margin, only about a foot from the edge. After only a few seconds it started to twitch. "Get ready," I said "here it goes!" and it did. It disappeared under the surface in the direction of the middle of the lake. He struck, but nothing connected. These fish were obviously hungry but weren't silly.

The hook was baited again and he dropped it back on the spot. It didn't take long before the float was twitching again. After a couple of slightly longer bobs, it was off, heading for the middle like before.

‘Strike!’ I blurted. He whipped it up and bang he was in. This was it, his first experience of playing an angry carp. It was putting a reasonable bend in the rod and even took a little line off the spool; Ashton was loving it. After about a minute its head was up and I scooped it up with the landing net. He was thrilled.

‘Hello, Mr Carp!’ he said.

‘You did it matey, high five,’ It was a stunning little mirror. We zeroed the scales and hooked the net on. They swung to 2lb exactly. ‘Brilliant work mate!’

He went on to catch a few more, some that were a bit bigger, but this little 2lb mirror had to be the fish for the competition as his first ever carp he caught – hopefully the first of many!

Gary Johnson – Coarse Fishing Runner-Up

It was opening day of the river season, as well as my 50th birthday, and, like every start of the new season, I went fishing. I had fished a couple of swims on the Nene with no joy so I took a wander up a backwater and noticed one of the busy swims hadn't been fished. I put a bit of bait in the swim, left my gear there, and let it rest for a couple of hours. Once back at the swim I carefully lower my rig in, which consisted of size seven SSP hook, 15lb Cortex hook length at 18 inches and a 3oz lead. The river was up and had a good pace on it. Onto the lead I attached a PVA bag filled with broken boilies, then attached the hook length to it as the swim is tight and I didn’t want it to go in the tree branches. I fed a steady stream of broken boilies into the water and the bite came a few hours later. At first I thought I'd snagged on the bottom – until the bottom started to move upstream! It took a few attempts to guide her in the net. The rod I used was Kodex Barbel twin tip, the line 12lb and a Daiwa reel.

Andy Loble – Sea Fishing Runner-Up

The skate was caught on a recce trip to the Shetlands, where we had planned to primarily target cod. We had seven days to fit in as much fishing as possible but only managed two due to the extreme and ever-changing weather conditions up there. I was fishing from 2.7m RIB with a 4hp engine, along with my mate who was on his kayak for some of the time. We were fishing approximately 2 miles off shore into 300ft of water, dealing with 3-4m swells, changing wind directions and strong tides.

My set up included Sonik 20-30lb S4 Boat Rods and 2000 size Charter Special Multipliers loaded with 37lb braid. I caught most of the cod on a mixture of large Hookais, and 12oz perk barks with Cox and Rawle Meat Hooks loaded with 6" orange curly tail grub from Lure Factors. Weights varied from 12oz to 16oz, to hold bottom. The bites were pretty incredible with well over 50 cod banked over the two days, averaging 15lb.

I managed to pick up a few huge mackerel on the Hookais so decided to rig up and see what fancied half a mackerel.  Fishing a 16oz ball lead with a short but strong leader and large C&R Meat hook I lowered the bait down.  My first fish to this method was my PB Cod of 22.13oz.  The next drop was my first ever skate of about 30-40lb. This was on day one.

On day two we struggled with wind direction against the tide but eventually worked out a reasonable drift. I went all out to get some more mackerel and have a go for another skate. After a few cod I eventually saw the rod tip arch over. My first response was ‘I’m snagged!’ and my mate replied with ‘what, over sand?’

I got ready and lifted. It took 20 minutes to even get the fish to move with the light-ish tackle. Once I got it to move it began stripping line and then slowly towed us further out to sea! A 30-minute battle ensued and eventually the fish surfaced. I couldn’t quite believe my eyes. We have averaged the fish at 70lb+ but didn’t take any measurements.

I have now stepped things up with the Sonik 30-50lb S4s and much stronger braided mainline and shall be heading to Oban in the near future!

Leo Millar – Predator Fishing Runner-Up

My dad and I had decided to go pike fishing at Todber Manor Fisheries on a cold winter day, just to chuck around some lures on one of the lakes (Wadmill). We had a very successful day with roughly eight pike each, the biggest being about 7lb/8lb. We were using Delta Spear jig heads with Herakles Vobbler Shad Swimbait Jelly Bodies. After around four hours of walking around the lake, I spotted a pike along the margin by some weed. I cast my lure about 5 yards behind the fish and reeled in with a steady retrieve... BOOM! She had it! I'd hooked in to the pike for two seconds before... PING! She was gone, the hook pulled and I saw her dart into the weed again.

I began to reel in as fast as I could and then cast straight back into the same spot. The fish was back for another go and this time I wasn't letting her come off! As she darted towards the reeds, taking line, I locked down my drag on my Sonik FS6000 reel and bullied the fish away – I struggled a little at this point as I only have one hand.

I shouted at the top of my voice "Dad! Dad! Get the net!"

My dad sprinted over waiting for the pike to surface and once it did we only just managed to get it in the net! I mean the fish isn't the biggest of pike out there but it's my biggest pike and that's all that matters! After weighing the fish at 14lb we took the photos and let her go back to get bigger and fight harder another day!

All our runners-up have received their £1,000 Angling Direct gift card, as well as a host of other goodies, and we know they’ve been enjoying making the most of their prize. All that’s left for us to do is to wish them all one final congratulations, for a competition well fought!

The conventional brolly just got better. With a huge majority of anglers slimming down their tackle wishing to fish short, fast effective sessions the Lo Pro was born. With a ridiculously minuscule weight of a mere 3.3kg, excluding pegs and bag, this is an ultra-light design that will fit in most rod quivers with ease and with a length of six feet.

The special design means the shelter is freestanding without the need for storm poles in most situations, but screw points are included should you be a hard-core angler who want to push the boundaries when out on the bank.

The tough yet minimal fibreglass frame boasts 8mm ribs that aid in one of the fastest brollies we have seen when it comes to setting up and packing down. An internal space-saving mechanism provides the user with more valuable headroom, perfect for sitting up looking for fish, tying rigs, cooking and more. A compact, snug 52in footprint provides the user with ample room inside for their kit while ensuring that he or she remains sheltered from the elements come rain or shine. By effortlessly moving the extended rigs inwards or outwards, the height alters and make for a perfect shelter regardless of awkward terrain and if the weather takes a change for the worse you can actually increase coverage to suit.

The material used is 210D PU-backed nylon, which is waterproof, durable and allows the user to roll the brolly up for super thin ease of transportation. This is a real intriguing product from the prestigious team at ESP and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on one and really put it through its paces.

Key Features
- Ultra-Light - just 3.3kg excluding bag and pegs
- Freestanding - does not require storm poles in most situations
- Quick set-up and take-down
- Compact footprint while still being roomy and providing excellent coverage
- Space saver mechanism maximises internal headroom
- Tough but light fibreglass frame utilising 8mm ribs
- 210d PU backed nylon cover is rugged yet lightweight
- Allows the brolly to be rolled up thin
- Fits the ESP 3 rod quiver comfortably
- Aimed at the short session / overnighter angler
- Designed for those who wish to travel light and stay mobile
- Dimensions: Width 2.3m, depth front to back 1.7m, height variable up to 1.15m

Buy The ESP LoPro Brolly

Our annual King of the Catch competition came to a close in September – and what a year it was! Not only were there more entries than ever before but it also had some of the closest fought voting we had ever seen. We announced our five winners at the end of October and now it is high time that we gave them a proper introduction. We invited all the winners to tell us about the day they caught their winning catch – so here they are, in their own words, the 2016 King of the Catch Winner’s Reports!

Ben Creaser – Sea Fishing Winner

I live on the Isle of Wight and I'm out boat fishing at every opportunity - have done so for the last 30 years! I fish regularly with my buddy, David Cheal, as we both own our own boats based at Sandown. On the 3rd of July, we planned to have a few drifts for bass at the edge of a 200ft hole on the last couple of hours of the ebb tide (a mark we know well), before anchoring up for some bottom fishing elsewhere on the flood.

The day started the same as any other, quieter if anything. The bass weren't giving themselves up, with just a couple of missed takes in the first hour. We persevered and eventually found a bass… the only one and a very special one, too. Just as we neared the end of a drift in the shallowest part where the fish usually wait in ambush, I hooked up to what I thought was the bottom (snags are very frequent with this style of fishing), until the bottom came to life and started to buck and kick. This fish had some serious weight to it and I knew it was a decent one. I took my time and fought the fish gingerly before it eventually surfaced behind the boat... that's when the panic set in - this looked huge and I just wanted to see it safely in the net!

Dave was like a coiled spring with the net and as it neared the boat she slipped in… I gave a massive sigh of relief and my legs were shaking like jelly – it was an epic moment and one I'll never forget. The fish weighed 13lbs 12oz and beats my previous best of 11lb 1oz by nearly 4lbs! Definitely a once in a lifetime fish!

Smile and photos ensued before she went back unharmed.

I was fishing with an Abu Suveran Pro Uptide Rod, Avet SX 5.3 Lever Drag Reel, 30lb Power Pro Braid and a 9ft 20lb Clear Amnesia Snood - the lure that fooled the fish was a Blue White Regill Evo.

Rick Hurley – Coarse Fishing Winner

I arrived at my syndicate around 3pm, full of confidence as I had been fishing the previous two afternoons in a small bay that doesn't get much attention from other anglers and had baited it quite heavy on leaving on both occasions. On walking up to the small pad lined bay I could see the swim was free and, on climbing the usual tree, I could see there were fish all over one of the spots I had baited – some big ones, too. I primarily fish the lake for carp and, whilst up the tree, I noticed that there were some real big'uns. I was keeping my eye on these when I noticed two big tench among them, feeding happily alongside the carp. I slowly climbed down the tree and, as stealthy as I could, positioned both rods. I also introduced a small amount of crumbed boilies.

I went back up the tree to watch them and it wasn't long before the carp drifted back in, to gingerly start to feed along with the two tench. After a short while, the carp drifted off but the two tench stayed and were feeding quite confidently. I recognised the smaller of the two fish due to a small notch on its tail, I'd caught it the previous year at just under 11lb, but the other one was visibly bigger. As I watched them I noticed they seemed to be by-passing my rig and feeding around it; this was due to it being quite scaled up as I was fishing for 50lb+ carp. I decided to reel in one of the rods and scale it right down to see if I could induce hopefully the bigger tench to pick up my hookbait. I scaled down to a size 8 Korda Kaptor Wide Gape, 10lb GR60 line, a 1.5oz Rodger and Kerry dung coated lead attached to a Korda Hybrid Green lead clip and fished with two 10mm ABS Chocomino bottom baits. After casting back onto the spot I had a bite within five minutes and, after a good fight on my Wychwood 10ft Extrictor and Riot 65 reel I landed what I could see was the bigger tench, on weighing her I was stunned that she went 12lb 3oz. She was truly an amazing fish and my biggest tench in over 30yrs fishing. I also had two commons at 36lb and 34lb a few hours later and it will be a session I will always remember.

Arezue Omid – Predator Fishing Winner

This catch followed on from a recent red letter day on an undisclosed Cheshire mere where I took no less than 17 carp in 36 hours, topped by my first twenty and now new PB carp, but however lost something truly monstrous – suspected to be a huge catfish! I returned the next week with my fiancé and fellow Carp Couture team member to the same undisclosed water with the intent of capturing the one that got away. Knowing the water to hold a number of large wels catfish I baited heavily with 3kgs of halibut pellets, soaked in fish oils, and Sticky Baits Krill Boilies close to a dense set of lily pads at 30yrds. Over this I presented a Sticky Baits Buchu Berry Wafter on both rods. The first day was unproductive but, as night fell, fish began to move and a bite looked imminent. At 3am I was woken from my sleep as my pink Delkim erupted and shattered the silence with a screaming run as a hooked fish took flight! I ran from the bivvy in the darkness and, as I made contact with the fish, my 10ft Warrior S Rod bent double and line pulled from a tightened clutch – set tight to prevent the fish finding sanctuary in the dense lily beds.

Despite this, the fish took off like a steam train and was truly super strong! As the fish burrowed hard left then right it was clear that I'd hooked into something special. It felt like it was stuck to the bottom and I was trying to pull the plug out of the lake itself! Twenty minutes later and I was making steady progress but still hadn't seen the fish. Then, as I applied steady pressure, a huge tail broke surface! It was a catfish –could this have been the beast that evaded me before? I wasn't going to let him get away this time. Ever determined, with my back and arms breaking, I fought on in the darkness. As the fish neared the margin it broke the surface for a second time, creating a huge boil and sending out waves across the lake. My heart was pounding and my hands were sweating but I was determined I wasn't about to loose him! By this time I had summoned my fiancé from his slumber to assist with the net. The battle seemed to go on forever and as quickly as I gained line it was lost as the fish powered away once more. At last I was winning and, in the light of my head torch, the leviathan rolled from the deep.

‘It's a monster!’ Dave shouted and I gathered all my remaining strength and walked backwards as I guided the fish into an awaiting net – but so big was he that his whole body wouldn't fit in the net. Eventually, head first, we got him in! As the net engulfed his huge frame I literally dropped the rod and shouted out in celebration!

Taking a few moments later to gather myself, in light of the breaking dawn, we heaved the catfish into an awaiting sling and onto the mat. Only then were his true proportions revealed! This fish was a titan! I'm only 152 cm tall and I'm sure that if this fish could have stood on his tail he would have towered over me and swallowed me whole, if the need had arisen. What a creature! On the scales he went 38lb 2oz and it was not only my ‘first catfish’ but now my biggest fish ever – having only started fishing seriously 7 months ago. I managed to heave him up for the camera, despite what may have looked like a wrestling match between woman and beast at one point. Shots done and well recovered I gently slipped him back into the waters from which he came. Thank you, Mr Catfish, for a truly epic battle and a fight I'll remember for a long time to come! I'm still aching now…

Ray Rutter – Carp Fishing Winner

I am a very keen angler and I spend approximately 10 weeks a year on the bank, with an average of six of these spent abroad. However, despite this, I’m not one for all this malarkey about bait, equipment, and all the other waffle that seems to go hand-in-hand with carp angling these days! I can’t reveal too much about the day that I caught my winning catch, as I was fishing an untouched water which is best kept secret, but I can say that I was out on the bank doing what I love with one of my good friends. I had packed away my Free Spirit rod for the session in favour of a lucky Chub rod, which I borrow from my friend every time I’m away doing a long trip. I was also using a Daiwa QD reel, which actually ended up in the bin after it failed battling a different fish on that same trip. Bait-wise I was using my leftover lunch, too! This particular catch was a special one for me and it tipped the scales at just over 56lbs.

Jodie Sloane – Junior Fishing Winner
(words by her father, Wesley)

Ever since I had gotten back from France fishing, Jodie had been mithering to get out fishing, so we decided to go to Tara at Cubmore Fisheries for a few nights. When we arrived I baited up four spots (two each) and then we began setting up. Three of our rods were Daiwa Black Widow Rods, with brand new Shimano XT 10,000 Reels, Delkim alarms, Korda Touchdown line, Korda Safe Zone leader. We used a simple hair rig made from Korda Dark Matter coated braid with a size eight Korda Krank hooks.  The fourth rod was set up for float fishing. After talking to people around the lake and the bailiffs, I was told it was fishing hard and nothing decent had come out. Jodie chose double 18mm Nash 4g Squid on one rod and maggot on the float rod. I went for 20mm Nash Citrus on one and meat on the other.

Not a thing came out in the first 24 hours. We managed to get the small fish going on the maggots which Jodie loves – me, not so much. With half the day gone we reeled in for another cast. My two were at the island in front of us and Jodie’s rod was on the right-hand side on a corner under a tree. I cast my two. Before Jodie cast hers I got my big bait bag of mixed boilies and pellets out and we baited her swim up with a total mix up of different flavours and sizes. Jodie’s cast was slightly off and I was going to move it but decided against it. Jodie was just about to cast her float road in and when her rod went screaming off. She dropped it and ran for her rod and hit it. She was very excited because she could feel how much it was pulling. She had only ever had 5/6lb-ers before so I had to keep reminding her to take her time, but she handled it like a pro. I moved my two rods out the way and got the net ready.  She kept saying it was strong and felt like it could pull her in. After a 10/15 minute battle we finally got it in the net. The look on her face was priceless (as you can tell from her photo). After the photos and weighing we gave the fish some time to recover and then released it back into the lake. After bringing the net in we realised it had left us a scale in the net; a nice little memento of Jodie’s biggest fish to date. Nothing else was caught in that session but that one fish made the trip worthwhile.

All of our winners will be joining us in the new year for their official coronation. The team here at Angling Direct are all looking forward to shaking their hands and saying one final ‘congratulations’ before sending them off for the holiday of a lifetime!

For this latest episode we headed to Reepham Fisheries to try a bit of cold water pellet waggler fishing.

Now the pellet waggler is generally associated with the summer months and a method that is only used when the waters at it's warmest, however this doesn't always have to be the case.

Now throughout the cooler months it’s not necessarily the ‘go-to’ method but It can still be an effective tool to have in our armoury.

So in this episode we offer few tips and tweaks on how to fish it and of course try to bank a few fish along the way.

To find out exactly how we got on watch this latest instalment, from the waters edge.

The Tackle Box
Daiwa TDR Reel (Alternative)
Daiwa TD Commercial Match Rods (Alternative)
Guru N-Gauge Mono
Matrix Loaded Pellet Waggler
Drennan Float Stops
Guru Bait Band Rigs
Drennan Match Catapults
Greys Klip-lok Bait Boxes

The Bait Box
Dynamite Baits XL Carp Pellets
Korda Goo
Sonu Baits Flavour Shaker

Reviewed by Carpology Magazine…

Top Hat - Ever since the first Tempest rolled off the Trakker production line we’ve all been asking if they’ll ever be a front peaked version. Well, now there is, and it’s available on all five Tempest models. 

The Tempest family checks almost all the boxes: super strong and sturdy; versatile and comfy. But all five siblings have always missed one key attribute: a pecked version to offer even more protection from the rain whilst enabling us to keep the bivvy door open and an eye on the water.

Fast-forward to right now and you’ll find part of the Autumn/Winter collection is called Skull Caps. The four sizes cover all five models of Tempest, and not only do they offer that additional protection from the weather, they also add a second skin to the top of the Tempest which helps combat condensation and retain heat. And best of all, unlike an overwrap, the Skull Cap can be left in place when the bivvy is packed down.

Key Features
- Reduces condensation, increases shade
- Can be left in place during set-up and pack-down
- Clips are easy to fit and can be left in place
- Dual rod straps
- Rain gutter
- Draw cord carry bag
- Material: 210D polyester

Buy The Trakker Tempest Skull Caps

No, we haven't got the price wrong, you can purchase this two man bivvy for well under £200 in fact, Angling Direct has even had it cheaper than the £174.99 we have listed here! The overwrap has also been listed cheaper, so keep your eyes peeled and check the website regularly for a real bargain.

If you fancy more room to take your loved one, house your dog comfortably or just want space and room to dry off when needs be, then look no further. This is a fully functional, feature-packed bivvy that won't break the bank but will perform on the bank.

Constructed utilising a lightweight two-pole structure, the whole boy weighs in at a minimal 9kg. With a full zipped, removable front panel and detachable lightweight Velcro-fitted groundsheet, this is a versatile piece of kit thats ideal for the angler wanting to keep his or hers options open but require a little more space than normal. Features include a front and rear mossy vent allowing you to stay in control of the internal temperature, while keeping condensation at bay.

The outside boasts two front Velcro rod support straps, inline tension bars, adjustable tension straps and reinforced pegging points with tensioning cords for superb stability. The material is 210D nylon to ensure you stay dry and comfortable. All of this is supplied in a zipped carry case and comes complete with heavy-duty T pegs.

For the angler wanting more or who perhaps likes to fish in the most savage of conditions, a fully encompassing overwrap can be purchased, ensuring no matter what the weather throws at you, you and your gear remain dry, a must for the dedicated winter anglers amongst you.

Key Features
- Lightweight two pole structure
- Fully zipped removable front panel
- Front and rear mozzie vents for full ventilation
- Two front Velcro rod support straps
- Fitted with quality heavy duty zips
- 5000 Hydrostatic head 210D nylon cover
- Supplied with in-line tension bars
- Heavy duty adjustable tension straps
- Heavy-duty reinforced pegging points with tensioning cords
- Supplied with detachable lightweight Velcro groundsheet
- Supplied with zipped carry case and heavy duty T-pegs
- Dims: 150cm H x 313cm W x 277cm D
- Weight: 9kgs

Advanta Protector Two Man Bivvy

With a heavy schedule managing the new Angling Direct Reading store lately, the invite of a day fishing on the river Itchen with friends was certainly welcomed! I'm not a die hard river enthusiast, preferring to spend the majority of my recent years chasing carp on lakes rather than river species. With this in mind I felt it necessary to purchase some new tackle ready for such an experience. I'd been informed that the stretch we were going to had lots of long trotting runs, ideal for centrepin work. I decided to take advantage of our extremely reasonably priced Advanta Ikon Centrepin, opting to spool up with 4lb Maxima.

The day started pleasantly; exceptionally warm for the time of year and cloudy. As the morning ambient light increased, we drove down the track past the weir pool. A huge wave of nostalgia swept over me as that beautiful smell of the churning water triggered great memories of growing up fishing the rivers for anything that would take a maggot. I soon had two of them nicked on a size 16 hook ready for action and flicked upstream. I couldn't believe just how smooth the centrepin was and how easy it is to trot with one. Within a few minutes of feeding up the peg the bites started coming and soon my first ever grayling was in the net. Nothing huge but what a stunning fish! The colours were awesome. I had been made aware that they look amazing in the flesh and this one was a great example.

As the morning went on the more water we covered, choosing to travel light with just a rod, net and bait pouch. I continued to catch more grayling and they got slightly larger the further downstream we went into the deeper parts of the stretch. At around 11am I had been persisting with a nice little section of river just before a bend. The float eventually shot under and at first I thought I had hooked the bottom. The rod instantly hooped over followed by a monstrous thud... then another. I had hooked something much larger! Pulling the weight against the current I soon had sight of the decent sized chub attached to the other end of my line in the crystal clear water. Finally after a hectic battle I had it in the net. The colours of this fish were also superb! At 4lb+ I felt it was a healthy sized chub and it put a huge smile on my face.

The day wore on and so did the bites. By the end of the day I had caught such a wide variety of different fish, even a few minnows! I will most definitely be back for more at some point next year but for now I feel that my need for a fishing fix has been well and truly answered.

The weather always has a huge effect on our fishing; it’s often too hot, too cold, too bright, too wet, and we use the weather more than anything as an excuse why we haven't had a good catch. Truth is, we have to adapt more to the conditions, as it’s a sure thing that we can’t change the weather ourselves.

With continued cold conditions lakes often freeze and can be un-fishable for weeks. The good thing is, it has to be much colder and for longer before our rivers freeze over. Whilst some species will be much more difficult to catch there are a few that can be caught even in deepest winter. Two of my favourites are chub and roach. Both species will oblige even on the coldest of days, providing we adopt a suitable method to catch them.

A method I like to use this time of year when the rivers are low, clear and cold, which will account for both chub and roach is, bread punch – but with a twist. I fish it in conjunction with a small feeder and prepare the bread in the kitchen before I fish. For me, one of the problems of using bread is the uncertainty if it’s still on the hook or not. The way I prepare the bread will give you much more confidence that your bait is still in place.

To prepare for a session you will need a couple of medium sliced loaves, basic cheap sliced bread will be fine. You need to liquidise 75% of the bread – simply blitz it in the food processor until you’re left with crumbs. The other 25% needs to be prepared for the hook. To do this, firstly cut off the crusts. Then place one slice in a plastic sandwich bag, fold the top and cook in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. The bag will hold in the moisture and make the bread slightly sticky – adjust the cooking time until you get a slice that feels warm, damp and sticky. Next stage is to remove it from the bag and roll the bread with a heavy rolling pin. A little bit of trial and error with cooking time and rolling pressure will result in the perfect hook bait. Try a few different combinations and see how it goes, but what you want is a thin slice that’s slightly spongy.

Once prepared, keep the bread in sandwich bags, a few slices in each bag. Keep these airtight and only take out one at a time, as it will dry out quickly if not. To use the hook bait you will need a series of punches to cut various sized discs of bread for the hook. These are commercially available but can also be home made from plastic tubes and things like apple corers.

The way I prefer to fish the bait is with a small open end feeder and a simple running rig. The hook needs to be a round bend, not too fine in the wire with the size to suit the bread disc (which could be anything from 6mm – 25mm, so a hook from size 10 to 20 would be suitable). Don't worry if the hook looks a little big, once the bread disc has been in the water a few seconds it will start to swell and rapidly fill the hook.

The liquidised bread needs no further preparation for the feeder. The only thing I like to do is add a little hemp; a few grains added as the feeder is filled works well. Take care how much free offerings are fed through the feeder. Bread will quickly overfeed, so only use a very small feeder and, if no bites are forthcoming, then switch to a straight lead for a few casts.

Once you have fished with this method a few times your confidence will grow. The bread will stay on the hook well; it’s even possible to cast several times with the same piece if you wanted. A nice soft quiver tip will register even the finest bites but if the fish move in bites will be confident and result in plenty of well hooked fish. This method is also working well on a lot of commercial carp waters this winter, instead of straight hooking the bread a lot of anglers are hair rigging 2 or 3 discs of bread with some good catches of fish the result.

So, if you favourite river is running low and clear or you fancy a different approach on your favourite commercial, give my method a try. I am 100% sure it will work for you and produce a few fish even on the hardest of days.

It's that time of year where many of the top companies are launching new products for this season and next, one of which is Fox. I've taken a closer look at a few standouts items from its most recent launch.

EOS 12000 And 12000FS Reels
In response to public demand for a larger version of the popular EOS 10000 reels, Fox has introduced this larger 12000 version in two models. Considering the price tag, each is a pretty smooth operator and I hope Fox has ordered plenty in advance because they're surely going to be big sellers.

The list of features is impressive, especially with that price tag in mind. I keep referring to the price tag but with good reason;  this is a heck of a lot of reel for that sort of money. It also looks the part, in keeping with modern trends for all things black. The only difference between the two models if that the FS features a free-spool facility, and each has three sizes of spare spool available separately. I'm really impressed with these and can't help thinking that even if you have your fishing reels already, they would make excellent good value spod and marker options.

Key Features
- Matt black styling with understated graphics
- Hardwearing graphite body
- Suited to general fishing and also use as a spod reel
- Quick Front Clutch with grit guard
- Pro Cast Lip on spool
- Twist Free Roller
- Mesh-Tec gearing system
- Anti-Backlash system
- Rotor line guards
- Sprung line clip
- CNS system
- 7 stainless ball bearings + 1 roller bearing
- Spare spool options available separately
- Gear ration 4.5:1
- Weight 744g

Buy The Fox EOS 12000 and 12000FS Reels

Fox Chunk Aquos Rain Suit
With a whopping 10,000 Hydrostatic Head, this is about as waterproof as clothing from fishing companies gets, yet it's both lightweight and extremely easy to pack away. Sealed zips feature throughout, which is essential in suit of this nature, and these include half zips on the leg of the trousers to make them a doddle to get on and off without taking off your boots.

It would be wrong not to mention the price here because this is a lot of money for a decent quality 'stash suit' of this nature, but lets face it, they'll probably actually sell for a little less than this as well.

Key Features
- 10,000mm Hydrostatic Head
- 3,000g/m2 breathable
- Lightweight 3-layer construction
- Packs away into pocket for compact storage
- Roll away adjustable hood
- Waterproof zips on the jacket
- Half elasticated Velcro adjustable cuffs
- Double exit hem draw cord
- Outer layer is 100% polyester
- Mid-layer 100% TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane)
- Inner mesh layer is 100% polyester
- Zipped pockets on the trousers
- Half leg water proof zips on the trousers

Buy The Fox Aquos Rain Suit

Fox Chunk Sherpa Jacket
I love this three-quarter-length jacket because it's not only waterproof but features a Sherpa-Tec fleece lining for that extra bit of insulation and warmth. It's not going to get you through a Polar expedition, but thats not it's intended design, but it is ideal for the late autumn and into winter. If conditions get really baltic then a bit of layering underneath makes it more than capable of seeing you through. Proper YKK zips feature, which is a must for me because this is the main area where clothing of this nature can fail, so well done to Fox for that. As well as all of this performance, it also looks pretty good too!

Key Features
- Fox Chunk Sherpa-Tec Jacket
- Uses a laminated polyester fabric
- Lined with a Thermo performance Sherpa fleece lining
- Outer fabric is 100% polyester
- Laminated with TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane)
- This has a Hydrostatic Head of 5,000mm
- 3,000g/m2 breathable
- Chunky, waterproof YKK front zip with internal anti-snag baffle
- Heavy-duty YKK zips throughout
- Removable hood with fully adjustable wired peak
- Double exit hem and waist draw cord
- Velcro adjustable outer cuffs
- 2 internal and 2 external zipped pockets

Buy The Fox Chunk Sherpa Jacket

Reviewed by Carpology Magazine…

ALFRESCO DINING - Thanks to Chub’s 2017 cookware range, you’ll be turning out Pret quality paninis and brewing Starbucks Macchiatos in no time.

1. Coffee Maker
We regret to inform you that you are abusing your coffee. From the jar just won’t cut it, but thanks to Chub’s new Coffee Maker you can now make with ease beautifully rich filter coffee.

Key Features
- Fashioned design
- Authentic fragrance
- Lightweight
- Good thermal conductivity
- Scratch and corrosion resistance
- Easy to clean
- Sensitive relief valves to ensure the safety
- Dimensions: 12cm L x 17cm W x 12cm H

2. Sandwich Maker
A sandwich maker is as essential as a kettle these days and delivers numerous meal options, from toasties to roast dinners.

3. NRG Jumbo Kettle
The new NRG Jumbo Kettle is the ultimate device for the most worldly experienced tea/coffee drinker. Not only will it boil a litre of water, it’ll do it using 50% less energy thanks to the new Exhaust Hole Design.

Key Features
- Made of lightweight aluminium
- 1.0L Content
- Energy gathering loop to improve heat efficiency
- Exhaust hole design
- Dimensions: 11cm L x 14.5cm W x 14.5cm H
- Weight: 200g

4. All In One Cook Set
Also new for 2017 is Chub’s first complete All In One Cook Set which contains all the equipment needed to dine well whilst on the bank. The set contains 1.2 and 2.2l pots, a 7.5” frying pan and a kettle, all of which is painted thick with a non-stick coating.

Key Features
- Set contains 2,2L & 1,2L pot, 7,5" fry pan, 0,9L kettle, towel
- Made of aluminium and silicone
- High quality and anti-scratch
- Non-stick coating
- Very compact and easy carrying
- All in one packaging

5. Foldable Silicone Kettle
The Foldable is the less beefier, more compact brother to the NRG Kettle and destined for all Terry Hearn wannabe’s food bags. A totally foldable body means zero footprint.

Key Features
- Silicone body and lid
- Nylon handle
- Stainless steel bottom
- Suitable on every stove
- Same use as classic kettles
- Very small transport size
- Totally foldable
- High quality and durable
- Dimensions: 20cm L x 7.5cm W x 20cm H
- Weight: 340g

Buy The New Chub Cookware Range

X-TRA PROTECTION - 2017 also sees Chub launch a brand-new collection of carp care equipment, including a retainer sling with an oxygen pump fitted…

1. X-Tra Protection Oxygen Floatation Sling
One of the best inventions in carp care in recent years, the floatation sling, now sees another genuine step forward in even more care with this offering from Chub. It’s the first retainer sling with an integrated oxygen pump.

Key Features
- Retain fish in warm and/ or weedy waters
- Oxygen in the sling by use of waterproof pump
- Pump operates on 1,5 V batteries
- Light and strong nylon material
- Full length floats for perfect buoyancy
- Reflective material on the corners
- Four carry handles and strong webbing weigh strip with ring
- Bottom made of mesh for perfect water drainage
- Supplied with a waterproof bag
- Dimensions: 15cm L x 50cm W x 65cm H

2. X-Tra Protection Uplifter Cradle
Cradles, beanies, duos. Chub’s new carp care collection has a mat to cover every angler’s requirement, but our favourite from the new range is the Uplifter Cradle. Designed to give greater protection by keeping the carp clear of the ground, it not only offers maximum padding and protection but it’s a very compact version of this style of mat.

Key Features
- Foldable 2-legged frame for compact transport
- Adjustable leg system
- Full padded fish friendly material
- 3 way closing system
- Integrated knee pad in the cover
- Wide mesh bottom for perfect water drainage
- Supplied with water proof bag
- Dimensions: 113cm L x 72cm W x 32cm H

Buy The New Chub Carp Care Range

For this latest episode we took the camera’s down to Kessingland on the Suffolk coast, to try and catch a few fish from the beach.

Now it’s no secret that the winter fishing around our coastline has been very poor so far this season, the codling have been virtually non-existent and anglers have been relying on the whiting to provide a bit of sport.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the Whiting, but I like to try and catch something that grows a little bigger and at least pulls back.

Fishing for these smaller species isn’t much fun on heavy beach tackle, in the same way that catching small roach and dace on carp rods wouldn’t be…

BUT, it got me thinking, catching small roach and dace on light tackle is pretty fun…

SO if we wanted to have a bit of fun catching Whiting, could we step down our tackle?

In-fact, exactly how light could we go?! Carp rods, avon rods, quiver tip rods?!

To find out exactly how we got on watch this latest instalment, from the waters edge.

The Tackle Box
Set up number one...
Greys GRX-s Beach Rod (Alternative)
Penn 525 Mag2 Multiplier

Set up number two...
Advanta CX Carp Rod 12ft 3lb
Shimano Baitrunner ST RB Reel

Set up number three...
Greys Prodigy TXL Specialist Twin Tip Rod
Shimano Baitrunner DL FB

Set up number four...
Shimano Exage RC Reel
Fox Barbel Quivertip Rod

Other tackle...
Sundridge John Holden Beach Buddy
Ian Golds Match Tripod
Shakespeare Beta Seat Box
Shakespeare Beta Seat Box Side Trays
Daiwa Sensor Surf Mono 15lb
Drennan Greased Weasel 60lb Shockleader
Breakaway 5oz Impact Leads
Korda Big Grippa Swivel Lead
Sunset Amnesia 15lb
Sakuma Manta Hooks 1
Vass Chest Waders

Reviewed by Carpology Magazine…

In an ideal world, that lightweight one-man shelter you own would be perfect for all times. In reality it isn’t. Sometimes you require more space (trips abroad, longer sessions, etc.) but now, thanks to Trakker’s new Utility Fronts, your trusty one-maner can be all of those things…

Trakker’s newest bankside living creation turns two of the company’s signature Tempest shelters into two-men luxurious spacious houses. Going abroad or indulging on a slightly long session? Taking the missus or kids on your next overnighter? Fortunately for users of the brand’s Tempest Brolly or Tempest Composite Bivvy, that extra space requirement can now be fulfilled without having to purchase an entirely new shelter. The Utility Front can simply be clipped-on and pegged out, giving a huge amount of additional space at the front of your bivvy. This space can be utilised in a variety of ways, and even offers enough room for two standard-sized bedchairs to be used lengthways inside the shelter.

The ‘Front’ features two-way zipped doors which can be used letter-box style, and for those wishing to cover the floor of their recently acquired additional space can do so with a dedicated Utility Front Groundsheet.

Utility Front Q+A
Q. What are the internal dimensions of the Tempest Brolly and Tempest Composite once the Utility Front has been added?
A. It adds approximately 1m of additional covered space to the front of both shelters, creating an internal floor space of approximately 255(W) x 310cm (L) for the Brolly and 265(W) x 340cm (L) for the Composite.
Q. Is either Utility Front compatible with either shelter?
A. No. Each model has to be used with the correct front.
Q. Can I use my Tempest Brolly/Composite Utility Front in conjunction with a Tempest Brolly Skull Cap or Wrap?
A. No. These products are not designed to be used together.

Buy The Trakker Tempest Utility Shelter

For me at the minute, my chub-fishing-head is firmly screwed on. I've got four stretches which I'm concentrating on at this time of year and they could all do me a 7lb chub, which is my winter target, and I've got four stretches just to get a picture of which one or two to put the efforts into at the end of the season. It's not possible to fish all the stretches effectively over the winter, so the choice of stretch is dependent on river conditions and whether it's an evening session after work or a weekend trip. The other thing to bear in mind is if I'm catching from a certain stretch regularly then that will always keep me coming back to those areas. With the weather still being milder than normal on the run up to Christmas, the rivers were still holding onto a lot of their weed so a couple of the stretches were left alone at first till they had cleared more with a couple of floods and a few frosts. The fish were playing ball on most sessions too and to put a 6lb-er in the net early on was all the sweeter.

My tactics were the same as I normally adopt for my winter fishing; keep it simple. I used a four turn water knot rig with a couple of swan shot (depending on river state) and a size 6 Kamasan hook. Bait was kept simple too, with cheese paste for the after dark sessions and bread flake for the daytime fishing. I've been trying to get at least two evening sessions in over the week and hopefully a day session in at the weekend, but as of yet it's been a Sunday afternoon or evening and one trip after work in the week. Most of the last few weeks have been a little harder as we are now getting normal winter temperatures, a scattering of frosts, and the day time temperatures have been much lower. The fish have still been coming ever week with a scattering of 5lb+ chub being landed.

I'm going to be really focused on my chub fishing for the next few weeks until I go on my annual sea fishing trip to Gambia with my good friends Shaun Womack and Darryn Stolworthy, so watch this space and keep an eye on the Angling Direct Facebook page to see if I'm lucky enough to catch some more big chub. I will touch on the Gambia trip a little closer to the time but, for now, Happy New Year and I hope you catch the fish of your dreams in 2017.

Tight lines

Boots 101 - We compare three pairs of winter boots to put you in the know for the coming season.

There’s nothing worse in this world than being out on the bank with wet, cold feet. Okay there is, losing big fish and fishing in the swim next to a 24-hour-a-day, relentless spodding merchant for example, but having to sit there with soggy feet that slowly turn your limbs to ice is not what you want, especially through the depths of winter. The answer? Investment in a pair of boots that will not only keep the temperature of your toes where you need it to be, but will also ensure they remain dry at all times. To that end then, here we have three pairs of boots to suit your budget and look after your tootsies.

Boot Accessories...

Waterproof socks
Your outer layer’s just one thing to think about; helping you keep your feet happy also comes down to sock choice. You could go for a swanky pair of merino wool hiking socks that’ll keep you warm and feel super-snug round your big size 10s, but if you want to crank things up to king ofƒ the swim level, we’d go for a pair of Sealskinz – waterproof, breathable and proper swanky.

Waterproofing
You can only expect your boots to work so hard before they start to let water in, so looking after them is key to maximising their lives. One way of doing this – other than making sure you clean off all the muck, dog eggs and dropped munga you can after every session – is to keep them waterproofed by applying a waterproofing spray. This will boost your outer layer and help the material they’re made from work harder for longer.

Boot Bag
Boot transportation can be an issue. The last thing you want is half the bankside mud stuck to your boots becoming infused into your car’s plush, shag pile carpet. You could go down the plastic bag route, but Aldi chic simply doesn’t cut it nowadays. Before you go planning a big shop at Waitrose for some high-class plastic luggage though, have a think about what a lovely, specifically designed, easy to clean boot bag could offer… it’s how the other half live you know.

Test Bed
We all know that the key to keeping your feet warm when it comes to boots is combining them with the right socks. As long as your boots are of a decent standard you should be okay – that’s if you’re not sticking them out of the bivvy to get snowed on in minus 6ºC conditions, obviously.
The critical feature of good winter boots then is that they can keep out moisture – a leaking boot will give you cold toes quicker than you can say trench foot. What we concentrated on for this feature then was each pair of boots’ ability to keep out water.

The consistencies
To check out the capabilities of the boots, our editor donned one of each and immersed his foot in a tank of water. Each boot was kept there for a full 10 minutes to give them a proper run through, with the inside of the boot and the editor’s sock checked post dunk for any signs of leakage.

Wychwood Water’s Edge Boots
Good, solid boots is the best way to describe the Water’s Edge from carp tackle firm Wychwood. Their no-frills design sees a waterproof leather and oxford (a tight weave material) upper on top of a very sturdy TPR (thermoplastic rubber) mid and outsole.

A water-resistant membrane means your feet should stay nice and dry, and with a tough eyelet lacing system that goes all the way up the ankle, you get plenty of support when walking across rugged terrain. The sole design also offers a lot of grip, again to keep you well in touch with the ground, whatever the landscape.

We’d put the Water’s Edge boots into the budget category of footwear at £53.99. For that money you get a good pair of boots that should last a season or two of abuse if you look after them well.

Pros: They represent good value for money and look the part.

Cons: The insole doesn’t feel the comfiest and could lead to rubbing if you’re doing a lot of walking.

Test Result: Having been in the tank for 10 minutes there was no sign of leakage anywhere.

Weight: 610g each

Buy The Wychwood Waters Edge Boots

Prologic Max5 Polar Zone +
When it comes to fishing boots, these are the Land Rovers of footwear. For a start, they’re full-height field boots so you get the best ankle support possible. They’re manufactured to a high standard, with solid stitching throughout, and feel very well put together.

The main material in the boots’ construction is full-grain Nubuck leather that delivers a hard-wearing, water-resistant covering. This is backed up with an abrasion-resistant, polyester 900D waterproof fabric in camou print, along with a breathable but fully waterproof HydroGuard membrane.

What we like is the solidity of these boots. They feel like tanks on your feet, bolstered by a really supportive inner sole and cushioning produced using Thinsulate material for extra warmth. The high design also makes you feel more planted on rough terrain – alongside the support of the rugged grips on the hard-wearing sole.

A downside of the design is obviously that they take longer to put on and take off, but the quick lacing system helps with that. The other downside is the price – they retail for £120. However, as always, you get what you pay for, and for boots like this, it’s worth parting with the cash.

Pros: Super tough, supper comfy, super protective.

Cons: That camou…

Test Result: After a 10-minute dunking the boots, the ed’s sock and everything else that needed to be dry was.

Weight: 840g each

Buy The ProLogic Max5 Polar Zone+ Boots

Skee-Tex Boots
We’ve thrown an odd ball in here, but with good reason. The Skee-Tex boots have been around for years and garnered a reputation as ‘the’ Wellington-style boots for fishing if you want to keep your feet warm.

They offer all the waterproof advantages of a welly with a completely sealed rubber construction, but with added extras. The soles have a very chunky construction that offers loads of grip right from the front to all around the heel.

Although wellies are waterproof, they are not know for keeping your feet warm – but the Skee-Tex ones are different. Thanks to the technology in these boots they can regulate the temperature inside them right down to minus 50ºC. These have even been worn during Arctic expeditions, with world famous adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes saying: “These are the only waterproof boots I have worn in 18 years of expedition work that have kept my feet warm to minus 50ºC.” Praise indeed.

The boots come with an internal thermal liner that can be taken out to be washed. These can also be bought separately if you want to fit a new pair in there.

Pros: 100 per cent waterproof and extremely warm.

Cons: They’re not the nicest looking things to put on your feet.

Test Result: As you’d expect from a welly, there was no leakage of any kind.

Weight: 1,380g each

Buy The Skee-Tex Thermal Boots

Reviewed by Carpology Magazine…

A NEW TITAN FAMILY! The Nash Tackle trade show is always one of the most eagerly awaited of the year, and 2017’s offerings didn’t disappoint…

The last time Nash offered a completely new line-up of Titan houses was almost seven years ago. That long drought ends with the iconic brand’s launch of four new models in 2017. From the completely stripped out, super compact TC and TC Pro models for the mobile and overnight carper to the space and comfort demanded by both UK and continental session carpers who will crave the T1 and T2 models.

All New Titan Features...
- Upgraded block design for reduced weight
- New frame design increases useable space
- Front ribs extend to form a peak
- All models feature zip-off front panels

Nash Titan TC
The first super light Titan, all designed for the mobile angler who wants ‘Titan’ strength and protection even when on the move. Breaking down to just 47-inches and tipping the scales at an amazing 9.5kg, it’s little wonder that the TC model will co-exist with the Scope range.

Key Features
- Upgraded glass filled nylon block design for reduced weight
- Enhanced rigidity and super slick set up
- New frame design achieves a flat back to improve usable space
- Front ribs extend to form a peak, maximising coverage for protection
- All models feature zip off front in-fill panels for flexibility
- Legs fitted to the cover achieve a free standing rigid design
- Rain gutter to aid water run off
- Front rib moulded retainers slide up and locate the cover effortlessly
- Low profile storm pole attachment directly through cover eyelets
- Internal light hanging hook beneath the central block
- Twin Velcro rod retaining straps
- Internal mesh door with letterbox storm panel
- Maintain air flow while being protected by the peak
- Door can be supported on storm poles to create a porch extension
- Elasticated groundsheet attachment to pegging points
- Designed for accurate bivvy position and shape
- Supplied with T pegs and carry bag
- Please Note: Other products shown are for illustration purposes only
- Weight: 9.5kg
- Complete (Groundsheet and Front) 9.5kg
- Complete + Capsule 12kg
- Without Groundsheet 7kg
- Without Groundsheet and front 6.5kg
- Dimensions: 280cm (W) x 132cm (H) x 174cm (D)

Buy The Nash Titan TC

Nash Titan Pro
Taking all the great design from the TC but with upgraded Aqua Sense Hydra 5000mm hydrostatic head waterproof and breathable outer fabric. Compact to carry, fast to set-up. It also has an optional mesh capsule available, eliminating condensation drip and
offering sealed protection.

Key Features
- Upgraded glass filled nylon block design for reduced weight
- Enhanced rigidity and super slick set up
- New frame design achieves a flat back to improve usable space
- Front ribs extend to form a peak, maximising coverage for protection
- All models feature zip off front in-fill panels for flexibility
- Legs fitted to the cover achieve a free standing rigid design
- Rain gutter to aid water run off
- Front rib moulded retainers slide up and locate the cover effortlessly
- Low profile storm pole attachment directly through cover eyelets
- Internal light hanging hook beneath the central block
- Twin Velcro rod retaining straps
- Internal mesh door with letterbox storm panel
- Maintain air flow while being protected by the peak
- Door can be supported on storm poles to create a porch extension
- Elasticated groundsheet attachment to pegging points
- Deigned for accurate bivvy position and shape
- Supplied with T pegs and carry bag
- Dimensions: 280cm (W) x 132cm (H) x 174cm (D)

Buy The Nash Titan Pro

Nash Titan T1 and T2
Just like the brand’s Indulgence Sleep System Bedchairs, the new Titan T1 and T2 offers the ultimate when it comes to bankside living comfort. Satisfying the biggest demand wishlist in Titan timeline history, from an inner mesh capsule and the heavy-
duty armoured Titan skin to a huge range of door options.

Key Features
- Upgraded glass filled nylon block design
- Reduced weight, enhanced rigidity and super slick set up
- New frame design achieves a flat back
- Tuck bedchairs away and improve usable space
- Front ribs extend to form a peak, maximising coverage for storm protection
- All models feature zip off front in-fill panels for flexibility
- Legs fitted to the cover achieve a free standing rigid design
- Rain gutter to aid water run off
- Front rib moulded retainers slide up and locate the cover effortlessly
- Low profile storm pole attachment directly through cover eyelets
- Internal light hanging hook beneath the central block
- Twin Velcro rod retaining straps
- Internal mesh door with letterbox storm panel
- Maintain air flow while being protected by the peak
- Door can be supported on storm poles to create a porch extension
- Elasticated groundsheet attachment to pegging points
- Accurate bivvy position and shape
- Supplied with T pegs and carry bag

Buy The Nash Titan TC