stinger
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bob nudd pole tipsBob Nudd is an extreemly good pole angler, and has many world titles to his name. Normally anglers with his experience keep their secrets to themselves, but good old Bob lets us in on his know how , and after putting his methods into practice I have improved my catch rate, and so can you.
Location
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His location of choice is Barford Lakes, Barford, Norwich, an ordinary commercial fishery and he intends to fish in the same spot 3 different ways.
The lessons on the dvd include the following;
Pre-Bait
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Using a pole cup 3/4 of a litre of bait, comprising of pellets and corn, is introduced into the swim. This is to draw large fish into the area. The bait will be left undisturbed for quite a while to allow the fish time to build up their confidence. However Bob intends on fishing over the top of this groundbait, at a depth of 3ft.
Surface Rig (3ft)
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No. 6 elastic
0.12 mainline (Hi-tech)
0.09 hooklength, (10inch, Hi-tech)
0.4g Drennan pinkie float
7 No.10 shot (Bulk)
1 No.11 shot (Dropper)
Size 20 hook (Tubertini 808)
Maggot hookbait
The mainline and hooklength are joined using a four turn water knot. Directly above the knot a single No11 shot is placed onto the line, this will act as an indicator. About halfway between this shot and the float the seven No10 shot are placed. These will sink the bait to their depth rather quickly then the baits rate of descent will slow making it look more natural.
The total length between the top of the float and the hook should be about 3ft.
With a maggot lightly hooked you should now ship out to the area where all your bait was introduced. Now loose feed some casters around your float, this will draw the smaller silverfish into your swim. If you do this corectly you will be rewarded with a bumper catch of roach, rudd, bream and even the ocasional carp or tench.
To keep the fish in your swim you should loose feed on a regular basis, enery couple of mins about 20 or 30 casters should be catapulted out, this will then get the fish competing for the food without filling them up.
After a while you may want to explore the bottom and find out what has moved into your swim, but a different set-up is required, so lets see the bottom rig.
Bottom Rig (10ft)
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No 10 elastic
0.15 Mainline (Hi-tech)
0.14 Hooklength (10in Hi-tech)
0.7g olivette
1 No.9 shot (Dropper)
Drennan-Carp No.5 float (3/4g)
Size 16 hook (Tubertini 808)
Sweetcorn or Pellet hookbait
This rig is set up similar to that of the surface rig but the major difference is the distance between the float tip and the hook. This should be set to the corect depth so that the bait will rest on the bottom of the lake. The olivette is used instead of several shot, but is placed in a similar place....about half way between the float and the hook. The single dropper shot is to be put just above the four turn water knot for indication purposes. Now using either sweetcorn or pellet (the same as what was introduced in the begining) a great time will be had. The bites using this method are very positive, with the float either popping up on the surface or diving straight down as a greedy fish takes your bait.
To keep the fish there don't forget to feed them. By using a pole-cup more bait should be introduced into your swim, but not as much as in the beginning, a half filled cup every now and then will do the trick.
You should expect to catch carp, tench and bream using this method since they tend to feed on the bottom, but you may catch other species too.
Now that the bottom has been explored, and fish caught, It's time to fish mid-water, this is yet another different set-up so lets take a look at it.
Midwater Rig (6ft)
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No 12 elastic
0.16 mainline (Hi-tech)
0.15 hooklength (10in Hi-tech)
Drennan-Carp No.5 float
1 No.10 shot (Bottom Dropper)
1 No. 8 shot (Dropper)
5 No. 8 shot (Bulk)
Size 16 hook
Flavoured pellet hookbait
Set this rig up the same as the previous two, with the bulk of the weight in the middle of the length of line, then place the bottom dropper just above the four turn water-knot. Now place the No.8 half way between the bulk shot and the bottom dropper. To make it less likely to tangle the No.8 should be slightly nearer the bottom dropper than the bulk shot.
When fishing mid-water don't forget to loose feed some of your hookbait into the swim on a regular basis, this will keep them feeding and keep them interested in your bait.
How to feed and hold your pole
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Any newcomer to pole fishing will find it difficult to hold their pole and feed at the same time. This is easily overcome with a little practice. Whilst in the seated position the first thing that you should do is to trap the pole between your right forearm and right thigh. This then frees up both hands so you can use a catapult to introduce your feed into the swim. The catapult pouch should then be held with your right hand, then loose feed gathered with your left hand should be placed into the pouch. Now with your left hand you should grasp the catapult handle and push it forward before releasing the pouch in your right hand. If a fish were to take your bait during any of this you can simply strike into it by raising your right knee.... how simple is that.
Pellet Pump
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This is a very useful tool as it makes floating pellets sink......in just a few seconds. The end cap of the pump should be removed, into this open end you should put enough pellets to fill it half way. Now any flavourings (Scopex, Green Lipped Mussel etc. etc.) should be poured in, then all of this should be topped with water before the cap is replaced. The pump itself should be drawn up a couple of times (Just like a bike pump) to remove any air trapped inside the pellets and fill them with the flavoured water. The pellets should then be poured out, with the remainding liquid, into a container. After five mins this hookbait will be absolutely perfect, and everyone will sink like a stone.
This piece of equipment is a simply must have to any angler, and one that I find indispensable.
Overall this is a great dvd, full of facts, rigs and action. I would highly recomend it to any pole angler that knows how to elasticate a pole, I've only marked it down a little but this is due to the lack of extras---there are none!! But the lack of extras aside It's really worth the money, just to see the master in action. During his session Bob managed to catch over 50lb of carp and over 20lb of silver fish, not bad for a mornings fishing.
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stinger
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top fishingOne of the most popular methods of fishing for carp in England is with surface baits. The saying goes that "one off the top is worth ten off the bottom!" Now catching a carp up on the surface is very exciting as you get to see the fish take the bait. What you need to do first is to get the fish feeding up on top on free offerings. The idea is to get the fish to compete for the bait. Then it's just a matter of presenting a hook bait that floats, hopefully fooling the fish. The best areas for getting carp to feed on the surface are in the shallows, this is because the carp are not going to be too far from the surface in the first place! Other good bets are places where people already feed ducks, or even the carp, with bread.
There are a few choices when it comes to bait, the big two are bread crust and dog biscuits. These are fairly instant baits so I would suggest trying them first. Next on the list would be floating trout pellets followed by pop-up boiles, marshmallows and corn pops cereal. Bread is nice because it is highly visible and will shed small flakes as it softens up in the water adding to its attraction. Dog biscuits will disperse their oily scent in the water pulling the carp from the depths. The kinds of dog biscuits to use are the small ones that they mix with meat.
There are many terminal rigs for surface work. As a rule of thumb the less you have on the line the batter off you are, but there are times when some weight is needed to help you get your bait to the fish. Surface rigs with floating weight are generally similar to sinker set ups with the exception that the sinker now floats. The float/casting weight is called a Controller and there are many variations that are meant to fool the fish by blending in with the surroundings. Others can even hold the leader off of the surface with just the hook touching so the fish can't see the leader! One of my favorite surface controllers is widely available in the States already, the humble bubble float. These are clear plastic floats that can be filled with water to give them weight for casting. The best bubble floats are pear shaped making them easier to strike the fish.
A fairly long leader is normal to keep the bait as far away as possible from the controller as you don't want the fish to see the float. The leader may also be greased with fly leader floatant to help keep the bait up on top.
Hooks need to be light but strong and sharp (check out he Kamasan B982 X Strongs), sizes depends on the bait. For bread crust I like to use a size 2 or 4 which is pushed through the dark crust into the white middle, the whiter part is then squeezed onto the hook to help keep the bread on while casting and when in the water. Pellets and biscuits should be fished tied tight to the back of the shank of the hook, dental floss works well. Alternatively the dog biscuits can be soaked in water or flavoring for a couple of hours to soften them just enough to get them on the hook. If you can get away with it then no weight except for the bait approach will pay off, as it is less likely to spook fish.
Another very good way to present surface bait is right at the edge of the water next to the shore. In this case all you do is poke your rod through a gap in the bushes, place the rod on rests letting the line hang straight down with the bait held just on the surface. This is the ultimate presentation as there is no line in the water for the fish to be wary of! When doing it this way it is best for you to keep low, sit back a little way from the shoreline and rod. The best time to try the under the tip method will be early morning and at night, just make sure that you have a good baitrunner or the line clipped up!
Slip sinkers can be used with surface baits. All you do is tie your leader to a swivel, then comes a shock bead then a slip sinker. Once the rig is cast in the line is payed out until the buoyant bait pops up on the surface.
In an actual fishing situation the first thing to do is put out some free baits with the aid of a slingshot. Then the free offerings should be observed, bluegills will usually show up straight away picking away at the bait. The you may notice a large swirl, sometimes you may even hear the slurp as the bait disappears. Once you have seen a few of the freebies disappear then you need to cast out to these feeding fish, accuracy is imperative. It is best to over-cast, then draw your bait slowly back to where the fish are feeding. For my surface fishing I like to use my North Western Kevlite float rod with a fairly light line, its action is perfect for getting the bait smackon.
Once the hook bait is in position get ready for heart stopping action! Quite often the fish will home in on the bait only to nudge it, then disappear without taking. Your heart sinks, then all of a sudden you see the broad back of this big fish coming right back toward the bait again. Your pulse is now racing, then you see a huge swirl and the bait disappears. You strike, the surface explodes with the fish causing a bow wave as it leaves the scene of the crime, line flying off the spool!
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stinger
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boilie recipes2 egg mix
This recipe is simple and had a good bite response on it’s very first outing including a 22 pounder from the Chicago River. I use the small 13 ounce coffee can and the measurements don’t have to be exact.
- 1/2 coffee can of cooked feed corn that has been ground in a food processor*
- 1/2 coffee can of Frosted Oat Cereal that has been powdered in a food processor
- 1/6 coffee can of semolina flour
- 2 eggs
- enough water or milk to make paste (1 or 2 tablespoons)
- 4 tablespoons of canola oil
Mix all ingredients together to make a thick paste, but solid enough to handle. Let the dough ball rest for around 10 to 15 minutes. Add a little more moisture if you need it. If dough is too wet add the flour - cornmeal mixture to stiffen it up. Roll into sausages and then into balls and boil for around 4 minutes. Spray over with flavor and dry over night or prepare flavor bath (small amount of flavor, sweetener, and color with enough water to cover the baits) and soak over night.
* Be careful with the food processor, already burned up one.
Tommy Riley, CCC Editor
Birdseed Boilie Mix
This has also caught on the river. I tipped the boilie with corn and popped it up. It actually is like a particle boilie and it had a lot action even on the first outing.
- 1/2 coffee can* of cooked feed corn ground in a food processor
- 1/2 coffee can of Frosted Oat Puffs ground in a food processor
- 1/4 coffee can of birdseed Ground to a flour
- 1/2 cup of powdered milk
- 1/6 coffee can of semolina flour
- 2 eggs
- enough water or milk to make a paste (1 or 2 tablespoons)
- 4 tablespoons of canola oil
Mix all ingredients together to make a thick paste, but solid enough to handle. Let the dough ball rest for around 10 to 15 minutes. Add a little more moisture if you need it. If dough is too wet add the flour to stiffen it up. Roll into sausages and with a boilie roller, roll into balls and boil for around 4 minutes. They may not float when done. Air dry on a screen rack. Spray over with flavor or prepare flavor bath (small amount of flavor, sweetener and color) and soak over night. My favorite flavor bath for this one is: Richworth's aniseed, Hutchinson's intense sweet and yellow food color with enough water to cover the baits. *I use the small, 13 ounce coffee can and my measurements are never exact.
Tommy Riley, CCC Editor
River Boilie Mix
This simple basic recipe works well in rivers or lakes and is simple and easy to make. It is easy to add more or less flavor. I like strawberry or almost any fruti flavor, the flavors can be Koolaide, cake flavors or even specailly made European style carp bait flavors.
Equal parts corn meal, semolina and soy flour
Enough eggs to make it into a dough
Any bait flavor including Koolaide, cake flavors or carp bait flavors, just enough to be able to smell it in the dough
A little artificial sweetner like Equal
A few drops of food coloring
1/4 tablespoon of vegetable oil for each egg
Mix eggs, flavor, sweetner and food coloring. Add premixed flour to make a stiff dough. Let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Roll into sausages and roll into balls or flatten to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into cubes. Boil for about 1 - 2 minutes depending on how big the balls are, about 2 minutes for 20mm boilies, less for smaller ones. Remember to write down everything in your recipe!! If you catch a BFC you will want to be able to recreate your bait again!!
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stinger
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easy knot for kidsThe Perfect Knot!
There are many different kinds of knots available for fishing; however, the Improved Clinch knot is probably the easiest and best for young anglers to learn.
1) Run the end of the line through the eye of the hook, then twist that end of the line approximately four to five times around the main line.
2) Put the end of the line through the new small loop formed just above the eye of the hook; push the end of the line through the bigger, new loop you have just formed.
3) Pull line tight, down to the eye of the hook. Snip off the excess line from the knot. . .
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