Other than your carp fishing rods, reels, buzzers and bivvy, there are several items of tackle that despite their relative insignificance I’d be hard pressed to fish without when I venture abroad on my carp fishing holiday in France. Some items it is worth stocking up on to avoid running out and others literally make […]
Paul Cooper passes on his knowledge of different leads to use when carp fishing and what he believes are the best situations to use them for. What is the importance of using the right lead and size of lead in certain angling situations? In my opinion, selecting the right lead can mean success or failure […]
Targeting monster catfish? Make sure you have the right tools for the job… Last year, I was fortunate to attend Catmaster Tackle’s annual social at Oakwood Park Lakes, in Norfolk. As an out-and-out carp angler, I figured – like many before and since – that, with a few tweaks here and there, my existing kit […]
Why smarter carpers are trading solid PVA bags for messy method balls this winter… Whilst Fox’s excellent Rapide system has propelled solid PVA bags back into fashion – along the way, earning a place in many a carp angler’s armoury – method feeder fishing remains largely overlooked by a majority of big carp hunters. Which […]
Since running a fishery and being involved with Angling Lines Carp Fishing Holidays, I see a large number of UK carpers during any given year. One aspect of current UK fishing seems to be the use of small hooks. Now by small I mean N° 8’s and below. Now I’ve always been a fan of […]
If you want a simple short-cut to carp fishing success you’ve come to the right place. This advice applies to any form of fishing because it is so vitally important. Here is a list of simple details that I wish I’d discovered when I began carp fishing when information was in much shorter supply. Over […]
Ever thought about making your own leads? In the long term it could save you quite a bit of cash. One of our field testers, Jim Kelly, shows you how in the following two videos… Part 1 – What you’ll need and how to mould your leads… Part 2 – How to coat the leads… […]
So, you have finally got yourself onto a water containing fish that will easily beat your personal best, be it in France England or wherever. The last thing you want once you hook a potential P.B.is to risk losing that fish. The most common cause of lost carp is down to hook pulls and if […]
I have been looking for the ideal bivvy/tent to take on my trips to France for years now and I think I may have found it at last! I have owned and tried many different bivvy’s but whilst they have had their good points, they have all been missing something that would make my trips […]
Having read a blog that Shaun first published on the blog last year, I made my own enquiries to purchase some McNett Gruntlines. Now, any additional fishing paraphernalia has to earn a place in my tightly packed tackle bag and my Gruntlines certainly have earned that place since I purchased them. Gruntlines have many uses […]
Unfortunately for us, the angler, the line we buy is loaded in different ways and what works with one make of line doesn’t necessarily work with another make of line. The only fool proof way of loading line without twist that I have found is the method I use myself and works with every type […]
I have to smile to myself, I have just read a message on facebook which has prompted this Blog. Someone was saying how good it looked for a fish at the moment but they haven’t got a day off for another week. Well, do you really need a day off? I love short 2 to […]
Over the years I have had more than my fair share of hook pulls and some with very large fish on the end. At one time I would be messing around with different hook patterns all the time, which in hindsight wasn’t a great thing to be doing as I never really got to understand […]
Having developed and engineered the iconic Bow-Loc landing net, which to this day remains one of the most sought-after landing nets available, the unveiling of a new net from Solar Tackle has been hotly anticipated, ever since news of the Bow-Lite surfaced some months back. Designed as the ‘little brother’ to the Bow-Loc, which will […]
Paul Cooper expresses his thoughts around yet another controversial issue. Leadcore, impregnated leaders and tubing. How do we define leadcore – For years now leadcore has been readily available, complete as a fully spliced leader, or on spools where you have to splice your own. Leadcore is normally made up of a length of braided type […]
What line should I use? Fluorocarbon, Fluorescent, Monofilament or Camouflage. Paul Cooper runs through yet again more controversial issues, this time surrounding different types of fishing line. Are we kidding ourselves over this fad of slack line fishing, disguising our line or hoping to make it invisible to the carp? I have fallen into this trap! They […]
I haven’t really done that much carp fishing in the last two or three years, having concentrated on barbel, but when I have been or have had a walk around a lake one of the things that has really struck me is the vast amount of gear that a lot of carp anglers seem to […]
How much is the average carp angler willing to spend on tackle? It’s an interesting question considering the massive consumerism that goes with carping. The reasons for me writing this blog comes from having what was almost a very heated conversation/debate with a guy the other week over the prices of bait and tackle items. […]
…and learning from past mistakes. With the frosts forming with more regularity and the longer dark nights dragging on, there really isn’t a better time to start thinking about organising yourself for your next trip to distant waters. Next years fishing holiday may seem such a long time away but whilst the natural instinct of […]
Need an insight into what tackle is used by some successful anglers abroad? We asked some of our experienced and highly respected anglers to give an insight into their own tackle choices. Unbiased, as they are not ‘sponsored anglers’, we simply asked what they use and why they use it. This week we look at […]
