Angling Times sample pages

DAI SCOOPS
DRENNAN CUP
...but champ takes it by just two points
1
Dai Gribble
£2,000
BEN MILES
News editor
T
HE world’s biggest
specimen fishing
competition has
crowned Dai Gribble champion.
In the closest-ever finish in the
31-year history of the Drennan Cup
the Staffs-based specialist became
the envy of the big-fish world
when votes cast by angling’s elite
put him just two points ahead of
Yorkshire’s Tony Smith.
He sent shockwaves through the
angling world when he began his
campaign and made an incredible
string of tench hauls that many
believe will never be rivalled.
The Korum-backed angler’s
incredible journey began last May
when he targeted Medway Valley
Fisheries and banked a huge 13lb
3oz fish that was backed up by no
fewer than seven other doublefigure
specimens.
Just a few weeks later he
switched to another venue and
made tench fishing history
when he banked the biggestever
specimen caught by design
weighing in at a colossal 14lb12oz.
The specimen later graced his net
for a second time an ounce heavier
at 14lb 13oz.
Not only did he land 16 doublefigure
tench during his campaign,
but his summer was completed
when he struck gold again, this
time with another species – a
20lb 10oz bream, along with six
other ‘doubles’ that secured his
third and final Drennan Weekly
Award of the season.
“By the end of June I’d
made five catches that were
all once-in-a-lifetime achievements
in their own right, and anglers that
I hold in the highest regard were
saying ‘Dai you’ve got the Drennan
in the bag’. I didn’t even dare to
dream that this could be the case,”
2
Tony Smith
£1,000
Second-placed Yorkshireman, 71-yearold,
Tony Smith, earned four Drennan
Weekly Awards. The man who ‘fishes
purely for the love of the sport’ ticked off
four of his main targets with a 13lb 13oz
tench, an 18lb bream, a 5lb 6oz eel and a
16lb 9oz barbel.
he told Angling Times.
“I never set out to win the
Drennan Cup as I just have a
passion for catching big fish.
“To have my name etched on to
this trophy along with names such
as Terry Lampard and Tony Gibson
is just incredible.
4 APRIL 26, 2016

“Congratulations to
Dai Gribble on a
well-deserved win. Dai
had an exceptional season
landing some truly
impressive fish.”
– Steve Fitzpatrick
ENTER YOUR
BIG-FISH CATCH
IF YOU’VE caught a specimen
fish contact Ben Miles at
ben.miles@bauermedia.co.uk
or call 01733 395102.
HOW IT WORKS
CAPTURES are submitted to
Angling Times, then forwarded
to Drennan to be considered
for an £80 weekly award.
Anglers who break a British
record get a one-off award of
£300. After 12 months a list
of winners is published and
voting cards are sent out to all
previous Drennan Cup weekly
award winners. They list their
top four anglers, four points
going to their top pick, down
to one point for their fourth
pick. The result is revealed in
late April, when the angler with
the highest total number of
votes wins the trophy.
YOU COULD WIN
DUE to the rolling nature of
the competition, entries are
already being accepted for
weekly awards in the 2016-17
Drennan Cup campaign.
Entries will cease being taken
at the end of March 2017.
If you catch a specimen fish
other than a carp by design
in the next 12 months, take
good quality photos, weigh the
fish carefully and, if possible,
have a witness on hand. Post
or email
the pics
and details
of the capture to
Angling Times.
All big fish are
put forward for
consideration
by Drennan
and featured in
Angling Times.
FUTURE FISHING OPENS
One of the biggest tackle shops
ever built in the UK has opened
its doors for business.
Located in Farndon on the
outskirts of Newark, Notts, Future
Fishing Ltd features more than
12,000 square feet of branded
tackle for carp, match, coarse and
predator anglers.
The two-storey shop includes
a lure demo tank, a help and
advice area, a bivvy village, a 17m
pole alley and a huge aquarium
modelled on the River Trent.
Shop owner Tony Porter said:
“We want to provide the help and
advice of a small high street tackle
shop with the stock and products
of a superstore. We think anglers
will appreciate and deserve a
decent shopping experience.”
The shop caters for
coarse, carp, match
and sea anglers.
The store is holding an open
day on June 4 where guests can
meet some of the sport’s biggest
names including Shimano-backed
matchman Nick Speed and carper
Ian Macmillan.
Situated just off the A46, the
shop is open every day til 6pm and
from 10am-4pm on Sundays. Visit:
Facebook, www.futurefishing.
co.uk or call 01636 612654.
HUGE CANAL PERCH
Danny Esox and his
mint-conditioned
perch from a canal.
“The Drennan Cup is special as the overall winner.
because the winner is voted for “But a run of giant tench and
by other specimen anglers. There most of all a truly massive 20lb plus
couldn’t be a bigger honour in bigfish
angling.”
discerning voters in favour of Dai.
bream drew a tiny majority of the
Peter Drennan said: “In any
“What a fantastic season both
other season Tony Smith with of these dedicated specimen
four awards across four different hunters have enjoyed, so serious
species would have walked away congratulations to them.”
Mike Lyddon
3 £500
Carl Garratt
4
£250
Third spot was filled by Gardner Tackle’s
Mike Lyddon with a string of huge tench,
pike and perch.
Somerset’s Carl Garratt landed this 41lb
pike, his second forty, from his local Chew
Valley Lake to take fourth place.
PREDATOR fishing fanatic
Danny Esox became the envy of
specimen anglers across the UK
when he hit the jackpot with this
huge canal perch.
At this time of the year many
anglers target stillwaters for
the species, but the 39-year-old
businessman from Yorkshire
continued to show the potential of
canals when he used the popular
drop shotting tactic at
a venue in the South.
He fooled the
mint-conditioned predator
with a Savage Gear 3D Bleak, a
6lb braided mainline and a 4lb
fluorocarbon leader.
“Me and my mate Ant Glascoe
Jnr don’t weigh the perch we
catch,” said Danny. “But this was
a certainly a huge fish.”
APRIL 26, 2016
5

WHERE TO FISH
NORTH
SPOTLIGHT
ON PROLIFIC
LINDHOLME,
LAKES
P14
MIDLANDS
WHERE TO
CATCH CARP
ON YOUR
LOCAL CANAL
P18
16 PAGES OF THE MOST IN-FORM STILLWATERS AND CANALS
FISHERY
OF THE WEEK
MOIRA CANAL,
SWADLINCOTE,
LEICS
WELCOME
TO THE UK’S
LONGEST
SNAKE-LAKE
...where 40lb is possible right now
W
EAVING through a quiet
Leicestershire village
is one of angling’s best
kept secrets... the
Moira Canal.
In the early
1800s this historic
waterway was a
Mixed nets are on
the cards from the
current form pegs.
working passage for the nearby
Moira Iron Furnace but it is now
more commonly known as the
longest snake lake in the UK.
Boasting nearly two miles of
locked-in water, the canal boasts
dozens of features including a
deep track-line, numerous
basins and an array of reed beds
and underwater vegetation that
provide a superb habitat for the
resident fish.
And what fish they are – with
stunning roach, bream, tench and
carp – most of which have never
seen a hook before.
Right now 40lb nets of these are
being caught, but how can you
catch them? Well, the first key lies
in the location.
FIRST, FIND YOUR FISH
This being a canal cut off at both
ends the fish stocks have limited
space to roam, so finding a few
bites isn’t necessarily diffcult.
On the other hand there are
certain areas of the canal that are
flyers. The water is monitored
by a bailiff and his knowledge is
paramount and should be sought
before you set up. Typically the
bream and roach can be found in
most areas but prefer the middle
reaches. On the other hand the
tench and carp love the open
water found in the basins, and
these should be targeted if you
want to catch the largest of the
fish in here.
PLAN OF ATTACK
As on most canals most of the fish
can be found along the deep track
line or in the far-bank margins –
and the same can be said here.
Start by feeding two balls of
groundbait at 10m but make
sure some of your hookbaits are
included in your groundbait as
well. Corn, maggots, breadpunch,
caster and chopped worm work
superbly on the hook here so it
pays to lace your groundbait with
these additives.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE...
THE Moira Furnace Museum is just
a few feet from the canal and is
well worth a visit if you’re into your
history. Here you’ll discover the
importance of the canal and local
tramways and railways during the
Industrial Revolution. You’ll learn
12 APRIL 26, 2016

SOUTH
WHERE TO
FIND THE
BIGGEST
TENCH
P22
WHERE TO FISH EXTRA
THIS WEEK
YOUR PEG-BY-PEG GUIDE
TO SPECIMEN-PACKED OLD
BURY HILL LAKE, SURREY
P26
TO HEAD FOR THIS WEEK!
Darren Massey on
his way to a classic
Moira Canal catch.
After feeding, leave the swim
for 10mins before fishing over it,
and start with small hookbaits
such as punch, or single caster and
maggot, then switch to chopped
worm or corn if you start to catch a
bigger stamp.
You’ll find the roach and perch
will show first but the skimmers,
bream and tench will eventually
move in.
It also pays to use a Cad pot and
drip in loose offerings after each
fish. The bream and skimmers can
get through an awful lot of bait
quickly, so it’s important to always
keep the swim topped up. In some
VENUE INSIDER
Darren Massey,
Shakespeare-backed angler
“A RED-letter day can be had on
the Moira Canal if you can get
your feeding and tactics right.”
Tackle: “You can catch fish from
2oz to 15lb in here so a soft yet
sturdy elastic is required – a solid
No6 or a doubled-up No4.”
Baits: “On this session I fished
breadpunch over liquidised
bread and caster, maggot and
worm over groundbait.”
Tactics: “The Moira Canal has
a deep track line. Set up lines
at 10 o’clock, 12 o’clock and two
o’clock and if one line goes dead,
pot in a ball of groundbait over
the top of it and then move to
another line. By working all your
lines and keeping them well fed
the fish will stay in your swim
for longer.”
pegs you’ll find reed beds on the
far bank which will hold tench and
carp as the weather gets warmer.
Step up to a heavier elastic to
tackle these features and fish
corn over groundbait for a chance
of a proper bonus fish. Get your
location and feeding right and a
red-letter day is on the cards.
PRICES: £5 on the bank, £4.50
concessions, season tickets available
from the museum offce
CONTACT: 01283 224667 or 07976
637858
LOCATION: Moira Canal, Moira Furnace,
Furnace Lane, Moira, Swadlincote,
Leicestershire, DE12 6AT
FREE
HOW TO TAKE PART – Cut out the special voucher below, take it to one of the
participating fisheries listed in our 2-for-1 scheme and you’ll receive two day tickets for
the price of one. Enjoy!
BIG FISH AT
CHEQUERED
LAKE, SHROPS
PAGE 21
HEAD TO
SHIPLATE FOR
SKIMMERS
PAGE 25
TOP VENUE
BREAM AND ROACH SPORT
IS IN TOP FORM AT THE
POPULAR FLEETS DAM
IN BARNSLEY - TRY THE
FEEDER NOW!
PAGE 16
2
9 4
16
20
3 5
6
THIS WEEK’S WATERS
1 Barlings Country Holiday Park, N Lincs
2 Broom Fisheries, Scotland
3 Fleets Dam Fishery, S Yorks
4 Home Farm Fishery, Cheshire
5 Hunters Lodge Fishery, E Yorks
6 Lindholme Lakes, S Yorks
7 Oham lakes, N Lincs
8 Buttonhole Lake, Cambs
9 Chequered Lake, Shropshire
10 Curborough Fishery, Staffs
11 Lake View Fishery, Leics
12 Lakeside Leisure Fishery, Lincs
13 Makins Fishery, Warks
14 Packington Somers, Birmingham
15 Alderwood Ponds, Sussx
16 Bitterwell Fishery, Glos
17 Holme Grange Fishery, Berks
18 How End Fisheries, Beds
19 Lake John, Essex
20 Shiplate Fishery, Somerset
7
10
13
11
18
1
17
12
15
8
19
CARP, TENCH
AND BIG
CATS TOO
PAGE 21
60lb BAGS
OF BREAM
AND CARP
PAGE 25
The fascinating Moira Furnace Museum.
how the furnace was built to make
iron, why it was a failure and why it
still survives. An on-site café supplies
hot and cold food and drinks
available to eat in or take away.
Visit www.moirafurnace.org.uk for
more details.
Barlings Country Holiday Park • Broom Fisheries • Fleets Dam Fishery •
Home Farm Fishery • Hunters Lodge Fishery • Lindholme Lakes • Oham
lakes • Buttonhole Lake • Chequered Lake • Curborough Fishery • Lake
View Fishery • Lakeside Leisure Fishery • Makins Fishery • Packington
Somers • Alderwood Ponds • Bitterwell Fishery • Holme Grange Fishery •
How End Fisheries • Lake John • Shiplate Fishery
Valid from Tuesday, April 26 to Friday, April 29 and Monday, May 2
APRIL 26, 2016
13

STEVE RINGER
SPRING INTO
ACTION WITH
HARD PELLETS
FOR BIGGER
CARP CATCHES
P34
QUICK FIXES
SIMPLE BAIT
AND RIG TRICKS
TO HELP YOU
ON THE BANK
THIS WEEK
P37
22 PAGES OF ADVICE TO HELP YOU CATCH MORE FISH
TACTIC
OF THE WEEK
GROUNDBAIT FEEDER
FOR TENCH AND
BREAM
HOOKLENGTH
Attach the hooklength via
the loop-to-loop method
to the end twist of the
boom. It’s light 0.117mm
Supplex for Alan, a length
of around 18-20ins in
coloured water, so it’s near
the feeder.
STIFF BOOM
The last 6ins or so of
main line is doubled back
on itself and twisted
up, then tied in one big
overhand loop. This acts
as a stiff boom to kick the
hooklength away from the
feeder.
MY ULTIMATE
FEEDER RIG
Alan Scotthorne reveals
his open end set-up to
try this weekend
D
EEP natural style
stillwaters, reservoirs
and country parks
are waking up, making this
the perfect time to get on the
groundbait feeder.
Bream and tench are primarily
bottom feeders so this is the
perfect way to catch them,
especially given the cold, wet
spring we’ve had. At the time of
writing the fish haven’t started
spawning yet, which is when they
start to come closer to the bank on
the pole and float lines. So with
the fish still feeding in the middle
of lakes, a feeder with a bit of a tail
is the perfect way to target them.
FREE RUNNING
My favourite rig is now the
free-running paternoster set-up
pictured. Years and years ago
everybody used fixed paternosters
but I think we’re much more
conscious of fish welfare now.
This rig has all the advantages
of a paternoster in that a shy bite
will pull on the tip but not move
the feeder, but it’s completely safe
as the feeder is free to run up the
line. So if you get snagged or crack
off on the cast, a fish isn’t trailing a
feeder around.
I also believe you’re less likely to
get broken if you hook a big fish
on a free-running open end rig,
as the feeder has more leeway to
move around on the line.
I’ve become a massive fan of
braided mainline for this style of
fishing, even at fairly close range.
Because there’s no stretch in it it’s
possibly to cast very accurately
to the same spot every time, and
it magnifies shy bites. You’ll need
to use a shockleader with it to
take the pressure and prevent
fish loss, and at close range 5lb
monofilament is fine for this. If
you want to fish at long range go
for a 6lb or even an 8lb ‘shocker’.
CASTING ADVICE
For bream and tench, which like a
Always punch the
rig out hard enough
to hit the line clip.
bit of a carpet to feed over, I start
by clipping a large feeder on to
the line and making, say, 10 casts
to start off with. This is usually
enough to get a few fish settled
in the peg. If bites dry up don’t be
afraid to clip the big feeder back
on and make three or four more
quick casts, striking the bait out.
32 APRIL 26, 2016

DR PAUL GARNER BIG FISH SECRETS
MARTIN BOWLER
GREAT ADVICE
OUR EXPERTS’
ESSENTIAL
GUIDE TO HOW
MUCH TO FEED
RIGHT NOW
PXX
NEW DRENNAN CUP CHAMP
DAI GRIBBLE REVEALS THE
BIG FISH TRICKS AND TACTICS
WHICH WON HIM THE FAMOUS
TROPHY
P40
FOLLOW
MARTIN AS
HE GOES IN
SEARCH OF A
GIANT CARP
P44
OUR EXPERTS SHOW YOU
HOW TO
FISH BREAD ON
CANALS, TIE A BRILLIANT
WAGGLER RIG, AND MAKE
THE PERFECT
METHOD MIX
P48 - 53
FLOAT STOP
This is threaded on the line
after the link and moved
up. With the boom tied
below, the stop can be
slid down to the overhand
knot to buffer and stop the
paternoster link.
HOW TO FISH IT...
The five-times World Champ gives
you his top bait and tackle tricks
PATERNOSTER LINK
Alan makes his own links
from 0.30mm mono, a
tiny bead and 0.75mm
Drennan rig crimps, but
you can buy feeder links
from tackle shops too. A
snap link below connects
the feeder.
BRAID TRICK
Try spraying the spool of your
braid with pole elastic lubricant
before the start. This helps the
braid sink and minimises the risk
of wind knots developing.
FLUORO BAITS
Maggots work well on the hook
and if the water is coloured fish
find three grubs better, especially
with a fluoro colour in there.
Cocktails with worm also work.
It’s only the same
as topping up a pole line
with a cupful of bait!
Rod choice depends on the
distance you want to fish at.
For a short cast I’ll go for an 11ft
Drennan Acolyte Ultra, or the
Plus version to punch it slightly
further. Step up to the 12ft rod for
distance work.
A GAME OF PATIENCE
My final piece of advice is simply
to remain patient. You’ll likely
have to leave the feeder in 10-15
minutes at a time. Casting every
few minutes probably won’t
get you any more bites and may
overfeed the peg. Clip your line up
on the right spot and always make
sure that you cast hard enough
to comfortably hit the clip to
straighten the rig out properly!
Early-season bream and tench for Alan.
GRIPMESH FEEDERS
I used to like wire cages but now I
favour Drennan Gripmesh models
which rise off the bottom much
better when reeling in. In deep
water use one with smaller holes.
HOOK CHOICE
Wide gape hooks such as the
Kamasan B560 are perfect. The
B911 F1 is a barbless alternative
with a finer diameter wire.
GROUNDBAIT MIX
On some venues fishmeal
groundbait is king but on others
it doesn’t work. A safe sweet mix
is Sensas Lake and Magic, plus
brown crumb as an additive.
MINCED WORMS
Worms play a big part in feeder
fishing. Chop up dendrobaenas
fine to match small worm sections
and redworms on the hook.
APRIL 26, 2016
33

KNOW
YOUR
STUFF
All your fishing questions
answered by our experts
How to use
your FREE
waggler
They’re the perfect floats
for some early season action
IF you’re itching to use the free wagglers on the front of this week’s
Angling Times, check out the rig below for a few pointers as to how to
get the best out of this most versatile float in the angler’s armoury.
Capable of catching fish from rivers, canals, commercial carp waters
and massive natural lakes, unlike the pole the waggler is easy to use and
cheap to kit yourself out with. Where bites are the name of the game
it’s perfect for a relaxing day, and you could catch
anything from a 1oz perch to a 15lb carp!
You can alter the range and depth that you’re
fishing at as a session changes through the day, so
with the one rig you can fish for bream on the
bottom then change to presenting a bait just
a few feet deep to catch roach and rudd
that feed just under the surface.
The rig (right) is a simple-to-make
set-up for tackling a typical lake
swim up to 8ft deep. Aimed at
silverfish, it will also land any
carp you hook, provided you
HOOKBAITS
Classic silverfish baits are
red maggots, casters or
small pieces of worm but a
big bold bait can also score
– a grain of corn, a 6mm
expander pellet or even a
piece of breadflake are all
worth experimenting with.
use the clutch on your reel
sensibly and take your time!
FINE WIRE HOOKS
For roach, bream, crucians
and perch there’s no need
for hefty carp hooks. Modern
barbless silverfish hooks are
designed for mixed fisheries
than contain carp, and sizes
18 and 16 will be fine in most
instances.
FLOAT SIZE
Float size depends on the swim you’re fishing. If you’re going to
need a decent cast to find the fish something close to 3AAA is usually
ideal. However, if you plan on catching fish on the drop at close
range, a big float isn’t needed. Prepared anglers will carry a range
of float sizes to cover all eventualities, but if you were limited to
just using one size, a 3BB float (the same as the one on the front of
Angling Times this week) will deal with most situations.
FEEDING
Use maggots, hemp and
casters for fishing off bottom
or on the drop, changing to a
groundbait attack for catching
on the bottom. A dozen or so
loosefed maggots or casters
fed every few minutes will
catch off bottom. If you go
down the groundbait route,
two or three balls of a sweet
fishmeal with casters, hemp
and a few micro pellets added
will get the swim going.
SPACE THE SHOT
The waggler should be fixed
with large BB locking shot.
Closer to the hook should
be No8 or No10 shot to dot
the tip down. Five or six shot
down the line can be pushed
together as a large bulk just
above the hooklength for
fishing on the bottom. Spaced
between hook and float they
give the bait a natural fall.
LINE SPRAY
Wind can be a waggler
angler’s worst nightmare so
to help keep the line sunk
under the water
invest in some line
spray and give
the spool of your
reel a good blast.
Floating line
spray can also be
used to achieve
the opposite
effect on calm
days when
fishing shallow,
allowing you
to pick line up
faster on the
strike.
DOT IT DOWN
Make sure that the float is
shotted so that only around
a centimetre of tip is left
showing on the surface. This
means that a feeding fish will
only need to touch the bait to
register on the float and give
you something to strike at.
50 APRIL 26, 2016

GOT A QUESTION?
Email newsdesk@anglingtimes.co.uk
How much meat
should I feed on
commercials?
I’M always confused about
how much meat to
feed on commercials.
Can you give me some
guidelines?
Matt Halford, Wymondham
FED alone, meat is never that
effective unless you plan on
fishing shallow, so you’ll always
need to use it in combination with
another feed. Pellets and corn are
popular, but the best of the lot
are either casters or hemp. These
crunchy baits offer a contrast to
the softness of the meat when a
carp moves over the feed.
Getting the ratio of meat to
other feeds right is important,
as you only want the meat to act
as a taster which will make a fish
home in on the meat hookbait
far quicker. Kick off with around
70 per cent hemp or casters to
IS a paternoster or a running rig
better for bream on the feeder?
Eddie Lightfoot, West Ewell
BOTH have their day! A paternoster
is the classic rig to use for bream but
it is prone to tangling on the cast and
retrieve. For that reason more and
more match anglers after bream on
big lakes use a running rig, or one
fixed inside a running loop.
Bream bites today are so much
more positive than the trembling
knocks on a quivertip that we used
to get when fishing small hooks
and baits. Braided mainline helps to
exaggerate the bite, and fishing with
30 per cent of cubed meat in
4mm or 6mm sizes. As the fishing
improves, you can slowly increase
the amount of meat going in to a
maximum of around 50:50.
To begin a session fishing in
open water on the pole, pot in
around half a large pole cup of
meat and hemp or caster but then
revert to either a small pot on the
pole or feed by hand if fishing
short enough, introducing five or
six pieces of meat every drop in.
Using the big pot again should
only be done if the fish show signs
of coming off bottom or if the peg
dies off and you’ve got nothing
to lose!
Paternoster or running rig best
for bream on feeder tactics?
bigger hooks and larger hookbaits
corn, banded pellets or whole
worms will give you a more positive
indication. These baits produce a
decent stamp of fish and will avoid
smaller skimmers.
With the feeder running on the
mainline, the bite is transferred
directly to the rod tip without the fish
feeling much resistance compared to
a paternoster, where there’s a risk of
the feeder being moved. A running
rig is tangle-free and also safer if
you suffer a mainline breakage when
playing a fish as the feeder pulls free
of the line.
Be the
best!
Dai Gribble’s successful tackle components that helped him land both
‘Speci Angler of the Year’ and ‘Catch of the Year 2015’
– it’s this easy!
combi feeder
specialist
adjustable
heli rig
xpert Specimen
hooks
xpert power
mono
Running rigs are
popular with today’s
bream anglers.
Dai
Gribble
Dai Gribble
‘Speci Angler of the Year’ &
‘Catch of the Year 2015’
Fishing Made Easy
korum.co.uk

NEW GEAR
SHIMANO’S
LORD OF
THE REELS
The Ultegra 1400 XTD
is magic to behold
I HAD one of these Shimano reels of
great beauty in the offce for a couple
of days a week or so ago. Those who
like their carp fishing slowly turned
its handle, fiddled around with its fast
drag front spool and gazed mesmerised
at its super-slow oscillation. Then they
refused to hand it ‘My Precious’ back.
This was a shame, because for around
the price of Gollum’s loincloth they could
own an Ultegra 1400 XDT of their own.
For £149 you can walk one straight out of
your local tackle shop.
Is it as good as it looks? You bet. The
oscillation creeps up and down the spool
at a snail’s pace, laying line with clinical
precision. The reel’s Aero Wrap system
produces 50 lays of line per handle crank,
reducing tension when retrieving your
lead, which ultimately leads to greater
casting distance and accuracy.
A new,
sleeker spool
design and line
guard ensures
the reel has an ideal
profile, and its full matt
black cosmetics with hints
of silver trim make it a real
looker. And it doesn’t stop there…
its parallel body lines up at the perfect
angle with a carp rod’s butt guide, which
not only helps with casting distance but
also reduces line-slap on the
blank during the cast.
In terms of winding power the Ultegra’s
X-Ship feature is really gutsy, turning in a
faultless performance when fishing close
to snags or in heavily weeded waters.
Every hande turn retrieves an impressive
103cm of line.
The reel’s super-quick drag system
enables you to fish in freespool mode,
and less than one quick turn of the
knob is required to go from
loose to locked up.
The Ultegra comes
with a spare spool
and four line reducers
– together these give you
the option of fishing different
lines with spool loadings of
your choice.
Price: £149.99
ESSENTIAL KIT OUT THIS WEEK
MAINLINE
ESSENTIAL
CELL RANGE
MAINLINE’S Cell flavoured products
have been given a zingy new twist with
the release of Essential Cell, which is
a similar all-seasons bait with a far
more pronounced yellow colour and a
stronger fruity aroma than the original
Cell formula.
The new flavour (Original is still
available) comes as 10mm, 12mm, and
15mm freezer Boilies, and as a Base Mix
for those who prefer to ‘roll their own’,
APRIL 26, 2016
as a Stick and Bag Mix, and as 5mm feed
pellets. A variety of hookbaits is also
available including Pop-Ups, Fluoro
Pop-Ups, Dumbells and Balanced
Wafters, all with strong colours and
flavours. In liquid form for adding to
spod mixes or glugging hookbaits,
Essential Cell comes as Stick Mix Liquid,
or as more viscous Bait Enhancement
liquid, ideal for pepping-up hookbaits.
Price: From £5.99
WYCHWOOD T BAR
DUAL SCREEN SCALES
BESIDES accurately weighing your
prized fish, a dual screen readout
puts an end to any tall tales.
They also reduce the possibility
of ‘weighing-in mistakes’,
goinging up to 60lb in
one-ounce increments.
Price: £39.99
PRESTON
HOLLO 7 ELASTIC
THIS light blue Hollo 7 elastic is
the lightest in Preston’s range,
ideal for commercials with mixed
silverfish stocks or winter F1s
when used with small hooks and
light hooklengths. It should last
you a good few seasons.
Price: £9.99
56
APRIL 26, 2016

NEW GEAR BY
MARK SAWYER
Roll out the Barrels
FRONT DRAG
From loose to locked up in
less than one quick turn.
TECH SPEC
Bearings: 4+1
Weight: 645g
Ratio: 4.3:1
Line retrieve: 103cm
Line capacity: 550m 0.35mm,
400m 0.4mm, 300m 0.45mm
FEATURES
l X-Ship l Super slow oscillation
l Aero Wrap II l High-speed drag
l AR-C spool l Line reducers
(2 x 10.000 + 2 x 3.500)
l Parallel body
LINE ROLLER
The line is automatically
guided into this roller.
Barrel Bobbin
kits are infinitely
versatile indicators.
HANDLE
Lightweight, eyecatching
modern design.
PRESTON PLUG IT
FEEDERS
WITH the bait carrying capacity
of a traditional open-ender
and the quick release properties
of a cage feeder, loosefeed is
stored inside the mid-section for
easy loading and plugging. From
20g to 60g in three sizes.
Price: From £1.50
FOX ROYALE TRI SLEEVE HOLDALLS
THESE new Fox Royale holdalls come in two sizes to store three
12ft or 13ft ready-made carp rods, including those with 50mm butt
guides. You get stiffened EVA grab handles, a capacious external
storage pocket and reversible, padded shoulder straps.
Price: £64.99 (to fit 12ft or 13ft rods)
BIG carp brand E-S-P’s Barrel
Bobbin kits include everything
required for top bite indication.
Each kit comprises a Barrel
Bobbin with interchangeable
ball and grip clips, 3ins and 7ins
stainless reversible ball chains, a
3g stainless add-on weight and
stainless hockey stick.
The PTFE or acrylic bodies
(depending on weight capacity)
come in white, red, blue, purple,
orange, green or yellow. All
components apart from the ball
chain are machined in the UK at
E-S-P’s own factory.
The bobbins have a pleasing
barrel shape, a refreshing
departure from standard
cylinders. The two stainless ball
chains have a unique plastic
connector at one end and a
3g stainless connector at the
other. This allows the chain to be
reversed to add extra
The addition of the 3g stainless
add-on weight to the hockey
allows the PTFE bobbin to be
used at 5g, 8g or 11g and the
acrylic bobbins at 3g, 6g or 9g.
This makes for a highly versatile
set-up, suitable for everything
from slack line work (light
bobbin) to tight line fishing at
range (maximum bobbin weight).
For long-range specialists there
is also a 15g stainless Metal Head
Bobbin available separately. With
the stainless chain connector and
add-on weight incorporated it can
be increased to a weighty 21g for
improved bite indication at range
on a tight line, and is especially
good in windy conditions.
The interchangeable line clips
allow the bobbin to be fished
running on the line with the ball
clips, or used to grip the line
‘Elstow style’ with the grip clips
fitted. The 3ins ball chain is best
suited to this set-up, with the
bobbin fished on a short drop
near to the bite alarm.
Also available are super-bright
isotopes that fit perfectly into
the slot in the bobbin. These are
sleeved in a clear PVC tube that
protects the glass isotope and
provides a snug interference fit in
the slot without the need for glue
or sealant.
Price: Barrel Bobbin Kits £10.95
Metal Head bobbin: £5.95
Isotope: £9.95
APRIL 26, 2016
57

The Far Bank
SMALL REWARDS
The secret to happiness in angling can be to think small,
as Dom Garnett demonstrates with his six-inch sidekick...
E
VER get the feeling
anglers are rather too
obsessed by size?
There’s absolutely nothing
wrong with dreaming about your
catch of a lifetime, or even
plotting to make it a possibility.
But when your daily Facebook
feed is wall-to-wall specimen fish
and spectacular catches it’s
maybe time to lighten up a little.
Ask any angler when they were
happiest and many will look back
to their childhood. When the
world felt new, that solitary perch
or greedy pack of minnows gave
you infinitely more joy than many
of the far bigger fish you catch
today. So what has changed?
Less than you might think.
While I cannot press rewind and
take us all back to 1984, the
smaller fish you once loved to
catch, from ruffe to dace, are still
there and just as much fun as you
remember. It’s just that
the mantra of ‘catch small’
is so out of step with
current fishing, it can be
hard to remind anglers of
the joy of small things.
Unless you get help from a very
different type of specimen
hunter.
Fishing with The General began
as a daft joke but has steadily
snowballed into a mini crusade to
celebrate Britain’s forgotten
tiddlers. At just six inches tall, he
makes gudgeon look like barbel
and bleak resemble tarpon. But
beyond the gag, the fish
themselves take on a whole new
Stalking, General-style – a well-mown lawn suddenly becomes an impenetrable jungle.
beauty on this scale. Take a look
at the speckled platinum and gold
scales of a gudgeon, or the
shimmering pearly scales of a
bleak and tell me I’m wrong.
Aiming small can lead to a
different level of obsession,
however. The usual challenge of
“Fishing with The General began
as a daft joke but has snowballed
into a mini crusade...”
catching the biggest is neatly
turned on its head, as you just
can’t seem to catch something
small enough! And if you ever
thought you looked odd to the
public perched on the bank, try
doing it with a toy soldier.
What I like best about The
General is the way the viewer’s
perspective is changed. In truth,
everything in fishing is relative.
Why else would a 1lb dace be
With The General,
dace suddenly
seem like tarpon!
Take all your line
home – The General
never forgets...
considered huge and a 10lb carp
average-to-small? Perhaps the key
to contentment is not to try to
change the size of the fish we
catch, but to change our
perspective.
Don’t get me wrong, next week’s
Angling Times is unlikely to lead
with the story: Britain’s
Smallest Fish Landed!
After all, the giants add
spice to the sport, and the
beauty of fishing is that
anyone with a bait in the
water has the chance of a big
surprise. But in the meantime
let’s also celebrate the smaller
things, because they too can
bring us joy if we’re prepared to
lighten up and simply look.
FOLLOW THE GENERAL
FOR more epic small-scale catches,
see Fishing with The General on
Facebook, or check out Dom’s site
www.dgfishing.co.uk
CONTACT US
Media House, Lynch
Wood, Peterborough,
Cambs, PE2 6EA
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief
Steve Fitzpatrick – 01733 395097
steve.fitzpatrick@bauermedia.co.uk
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kevin.wilmot@bauermedia.co.uk
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86 APRIL 26, 2016