http://www.kingcarpin.com/ en_EN Copyright © 2009 info@kingcarpin.com Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:20:45 -0800 20 Subdreamer RSS Syndicator Spodding Some anglers say that spodding is a difficult technique to learn and only professionals can do it.  Actually spodding is not that difficult and complicated, the trick is just in the mix. This technique involves finding the chosen feature by using the feature finding float and rod and then marking the spot with a marker float.  In my first cast, I fill the spod with some stones or water, launching it to the desired spot and clipping the line onto the reel clip.  By doing this the distance and target will be set on the reel.  After, reel in and put your mix in the spod.  It\'s quite useful to protect the line and clip by using a small piece of pole elastic under the clip first as a buffer or feathering the line to lessen the pressure on the line.  Once the spod hits the water it will flip over and disperse the mix into that area.  It is easier to retrieve the spod high and quick and repeating the process to build up your swim.   Spodding is a great way to get lots of bait far out into a lake where it is not possible to bait by hand or using a spoon, also the sound that the spod makes upon contact with water in my opinion does not scare the fish away and it may even attracts fish and this also makes it a great method for bait delivery.  I myself make my own spod mixes but there are many pre-mixed spod mixes available on the market.  My usual mix contains hemp, sweetcorn, maize, half a kilo of boilies (1/4 chopped, ¼ whole), CSL and Halibut pellet and molasses to bind it all until it becomes sticky to avoid contents flying out of the spod.  The amount you use depends on the waters you’re going to fish.  You could start by using 6 to 8 spodfuls every 3 to 4 hours if on a long session to build up the swim while changing the regularly in accordance to the fish’s response.   I recommend using a big pit reel and a purpose made spod rod to make life much easier or you will get tyred very quickly.  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=38&p2_articleid=20 Ryan Facer Spodding Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:30:38 -0800 Pre-baiting Pre-baiting a water can certainly helps in putting more fish on the bank and getting more bites.  There are numerous ways to do this like feeding a certain swim with bait to persuade the fish to return to the same spot over and over again. I have categorized my pre-baiting techniques into two:  Short-Term baiting and Long-Term baiting.  Short-Term Pre-baiting Short-term pre-baiting is classified as pre-baiting from two weeks before to just a few hours before I commence fishing.  Most of my pre-baiting has been done for carp, but I applied this principle to other coarse fish and had some success.  The same thing applies in fishing for tench.  Selecting a swim and baiting it the day before fishing draws fish in and I will regularly find that fish have cleared up all the bait but stayed in the area looking for more. This short-term pre-baiting can work well on some waters ( comecial waters and highly stocked waters ) but I have found that long-term pre-baiting works better on others. I recommend that you use 50% hemp to pre-bait ( short or long term ) as  it effectively draws in most types of coarse fish and is cheap costing as little as £10 for 15kg.     Long-Term Pre-baiting I like to start when the water is only lightly fished, in January, Introducing bait into several spots. At the begining only baiting once per week but then increacing it to every day once the spring arrives, this will make the fishes accustomed to finding your bait in the spots you placed them.  I like to bait known fish holding areas and areas that are quiet and unfished where I can bait more discretely without upsetting other anglers. When long-term pre-baiting be very carful not to let any other fishermen see what you are doing because you do not want them taking advantage of you hard work and money. If you’re limited to only a small amount of money/bait, concentrate only on a small part of water so that the fish would get used to visiting that specific area and feeding on your chosen bait.  According to Julian Cundiff’s book ‘Practical Carp Fishing’, to attract 50 carp, use 4 pounds of bait three times a week; for 100 carp, use 6 pounds of bait and 10 pounds for 200 carp ( this is a guide ) If nobody else is introducing large amounts of bait, you should be able to take the water.  It is necessary that you choose the right bait.  It is the food source for the fish and initial attraction by means of giving them high flavor level is unnecessary.  Use the well-proven mixes with low-level flavors such as Nash S-Mix, Nutrabaits Big Fish Mix or one of the highly successful Mainline baits and you’ll be surprised of the results.  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=37&p2_articleid=19 Ryan Facer Pre-baiting Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:42:10 -0800 End Tackle Camouflage ( Powder Coating ) In my local area there is a mature gravel pit which has a few large carp that are difficult to catch.  So, I have been experimenting on different ways to conceal my end tackle to match the lake bed and have come to using a lead clip, lead and the rig tubing that are all custom camouflaged to the lake.  Just get yourself a blow torch and some powdered coating ( that will match you chosen lake bed ) and follow these steps to conceal your tackle. Lead : Choose a lead of your choice,heat the lead until its worm and then sprinkle with the powder of your choice, after flash with the blow torch to smooth the lead of.Lead clip:  I recommend that you use Rigmarole Freefall clips, they made of tin, easier to heat and coat.  Heat it up with a blow torch; coat it with the powder then quickly flashing it again with the blow torch to smooth it of.Rubber:  This can be tricky and may require a few goes befor you get it. Insert a long screw into the rubber until it comes out the other side.  Heat it with the torch, cover with powder and flash again until it becomes smooth.Tubing:  Use freefall micro tubing which has a stainless steel coil running through the center of it.  Cut it to your desired length, heat it up, coat with the powder and flash over again until it becomes shiny making the tube smooth and flexible. All the powders etc can be found at : http://www.fishingweightmolds.com/ Play around with different colors / mix of colors and after a few attempts you will get is spot on.  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=36&p2_articleid=18 Mick Smith End Tackle Camouflage Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:31:09 -0800 River Carp Fishing River Carp fishing can be exciting and challenging. Fishing in swims from 1 to12 feet deep,  You may have to deal with strong current, under water features/obstructs and snags, but fishing in these swims can be quite rewarding.River Carp fishing has its place all year round but really comes into its own in the winter due to the fact rivers very rare/if at all freezes and current keeps the fish moving and feeding all year round. To be successful in river Carp fishing, you must be resourceful, patient and skilled. Try to get to know the river you’re fishing on.  Find sections of the river where fish might go like a nice gravel deposit build ups or at the head of a island or behind some streamer weed and under boats ( under house boats are a great spot in the winter because the water is slightly warmer under there ) One good thing is also to pre-bait your swim for at least a few days in advance, this can really pay of when river carp fishing.  The best thing about river Carp fishing is you never know how big your next catch will be. My local river produced a 37lb mirror Carp last year.Know all the basics and you will surely succeed.Here are a few tips to help you along the way.1. Spend some time walking the rivers looking for signs of Carp, there is no point fishing a section of the river where their are little or no carp.2. Pre bait. This can really make the difference between blanking and catching.3. Find the features. This is very important in all carp fishing, carp love features.  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=32&p2_articleid=17 John Gates River Carp fishing Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:39:20 -0800 In the past I have been asked which online bait companies I use, Well here is a list of what I think are Top Carp Fishing Online Bait Companies, Hope it helps. HindersEverything any angler might need with the convenience of purchasing online 24 hours a day. http://www.hinders.co.uk/index.php Bait & Feed CompanyThe Bait & Feed Company has been supplying carp bait to the retail market since 1999.http://www.baitfeedonline.co.uk/ Tails Up Bait Ltd Tails Up Bait Ltd has long been established as one of the country’s top supplier of quality Carp baits.http://www.tailsup.co.uk/ Carp Baits OnlineCarp Baits Online are independent bait suppliers who aim to be the one place for all carp anglers to source all their bait. http://www.carpbaitsonline.co.uk/ AA baitsAA baits are a respected supplier of top quality fishing bait.  http://www.aabaits.co.uk/ C.C. Moore & Co Ltd C.C. Moore & Co Ltd is a long-established family company based around an old watermill on the banks of the River Stour in Dorset, with over 150 years of trading in the animal feed and milling industry. http://www.ccmoore.com/ Quest BaitsSome great offers on quality bait. http://www.questbaits.com/ carpfishingpellets.co.ukHuge viriaty of bait at a great price. http://www.carpfishingpellets.co.uk/BOSSBAITBOSSBAIT Provides anglers with some of the best fishing bait around.http://www.bossbait.co.uk/ Baits DirectBaits Direct is a company dedicated to supplying baits, fishing tackle and clothing direct to the angler via various means including the Internet, Phone and Fax. http://www.baitsdirect.com/ Carp on baitsOne of the keys to their success is the freshness of their products, they do not stock pile large quantities of ingredients or finished baits. http://www.carponbaits.co.uk/ Bevos baitThey are a three generation family business established back in the mid eighty’s all be it under a different name.http://www.bevosbait.com/ DT BaitDT Bait was first established in 1988 by Co founders Dave Thorpe and Chris Nicolaov with a vision of creating the highest quality Carp baits available on the commercial market.http://www.dtbait.co.uk BM BAITSBM BAITS are a new bait company to the UK carp fishing scene with a precise and complete range of the highest quality, extensively tried and tested boilies and hook baits. http://www.bmbaits.com/ SBS baitsSelling only the best Carp Fishing Baits. http://www.sbsbaits.com/ SmartbaitAt Smartbait we listen to the needs of the angler but always make sure that we care for the nutritional well being of the fish that you catch. http://www.smartbait.co.uk/  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=30&p2_articleid=14 Ryan Facer Top 10 Carp Fishing Online Bait Companies Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:41:14 -0800 BelachanBelachan is highly digestible, full of amino acids and has a very strong shellfish aroma. It is said to be one of the best-kept secrets of Carp Fishing. Made from fermented shrimp which is sun dried, Belachan is cut into rectangular blocks and is primarily used in Asian cooking. Though there are no clear origins of Belachan, one possibility is that this dying method is used by Asian fishermen to preserve their catch. This fermented shrimp now comes in different forms such as paste, which is its original form, and a liquid or a dry powder for use in boilies etc.    For quite a long time, I have been using Belachan in my boilies, and have come up with overwhelming results. I have also tried using it in my stick mixes and method mix which also came up with great results. For many years, belachan has been used by top carp anglers who also seen devastating results and have avoided others finding out, but it seems this method is no longer a secret, with a growing number of bait companies making Belachan products every day and selling them to the masses. Solars liquid Balachan was recently tested by CARPology in their tank test experiment and it scored 5 out of 5. I suggest that you go and give it a try yourself and make your own decision before it is too late and everyone including his dog has used it to death and it becomes a danger food to fish.  Belachan can be purchased in its original past form from your local Asian food store cheaper than what you can buy from local tackle shop. Try visiting this link,www.aabaits.co.uk, for all your Belachan needs. I recommend this site since they offer belachan products with competitive prices and stock them in all its form.  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=27&p2_articleid=11 Ryan Facer Belachan Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:22:26 -0800 Winter carp fishing Winter carp fishing can be the hardest time of the year to fish. The problem being carp are a cold blooded animal and the colder the water the slower their metabolism is which means less consumption of food and less movement.When Carp fishing in the winter I tend to fish with just boilies, Particle baits such as peanuts , tiger nuts and maples tend to lose their effectiveness possibly due the viscosity of the attractive oils these nuts contain and as the temperature decreases they thicken considerably ( this also applies to high oil pellets ) The type of boilie I would use would be a fruit or spice flavor  in a bright color. When carp fishing in the winter it is best to use little or no free offerings. The only time I would use lots of free offering would be when fishing with maggots. Maggots are a great winter bait on the right water ( with no or very little number of silver fish ) and I would fish over one or two spods of maggots topping up every few hours or after every fish. Black foam fished on a Zig rig has been very successful in recent years over the winter, the reason for this is not quite clear, one reason being that it is just different and Carp being inquisitive they just have to have a look. When winter carp fishing it is very important to locate the fish, more so than any other time of the year as they are not moving as much so you cant just cast out and hope a cursing fish will pass by and take a fancy to your bait as you can sometimes get away with in the warmer months.Here are a few tips for locating fish in the winter:1: Always watch the water for jumping or rolling fish. If you see any movement fish in that area.2: We are told Carp follow the wind but in the winter you should fish on the back of the wind  especially a Northern or Eastern wind as they can be bitterly cold and in situations like this look for sheltered areas of the lake.3: On a sunny day try fishing in the part of the lake that gets the sun for most of the day especially shallow areas that get  the sun, theses areas can warm the quickest but also cool the quickest so it is important to get the timing right.4: Try keeping one rod as an exploratory rod, casting somewhere different every 30 mins. Keep the rod tip high and don’t use a backlead, this will increase the amount of line bites you get and should give you some idea of where the fish are.    One of the most important things to do while winter carp fishing is to keep warm. If you are not warm you will not perform as well as you could.Here is a list of essential items you will need to keep warm:1: Take at least two sets of clothes for every 24hrs on the bank.2: Get yourself a good 4 seasons sleeping bag. 3: A bed-chair is a must, sleeping on the floor in the winter is not very pleasant as the ground will stay at a constant temperature all night.4: A good shelter that can be transformed into a sealed domeLast but not least plenty of Tea, nothing can worm you like a good cup of tea.Many people don’t even try in the winter and this give you the opportunity to have the water all to yourself. Winter fishing can produce some great results especially at the end of winter when you will get some days when it seems all the fish want to do is feed, The last week in February and the first weeks of March have seen some big fish and many carp angler have had their PB at this time of year.So to bring this to a conclusion the most important things you can do to catch more winter Carp are:1: Keep warm2: Locate the fish3: Dont over bait.Tight Lines  http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=25&p2_articleid=10 Ryan Facer Winter Carp fishing Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:52:00 -0800 Braid or Mono mainline Some of you new comers to the sport will not be sure about the differences between Braid or Mono mainline so I have put together a quick guide to help clear things up.   Braid:   Braid has zero stretch so makes an ideal line for use on a marker rod allowing you to interpret what type of lakebed you are fishing on. It also has a lot thinner diameter than mono giving you added casting distance and reduced visibility. A braid like the \'Nash Bullet Braid\' is also weighted giving great sinking properties ensuring that the business end of you line is well pinned down and hidden. Due to its low diameter and zero stretch it is a great help when fishing weedy venues as it will cut through the weed reducing snags and ultimately will help you to land more fish. When fishing on braid you do have to more gentle during a fight with a carp as with the zero stretch it puts more pressure on the hook with could cause it to pull.       Mono:   Mono does have some stretch to it reducing hook pulls as the fish has a bit more play. It can also come in a variety of shades from clear to a dirty brown allowing it to be more invisible in clear or murkier waters. Breaking strains tend to be a lot lower with mono allowing you to break if you do get severely snagged whereas with braid you can end up having to cut it. Don’t get put off by 15lb mono this doesn\'t mean it can only take a 15lb fish, played right you can easily land a 40lber on 15lb line. One downside with mono is that it can tend to be quite wirey and coil up. Two monos I can highly recommend are \'Diawa Sensor\' and \'Nash Bullet Mono\'.       You can now also get a compromise of the two which is a fluorocarbon line. This is a mono line but with very little stretch and near zero visibility when submerged in water. I have personally found these to be rather stiff and again quite wirey. At the end of the day it is all down to what you are comfortable with, if you find a line that works well for you and you have confidence in it you are on the right track!     http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=24&p2_articleid=9 Martin Paragreen Braid Or Mono Mainline Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:16:32 -0800   I really enjoy catching carp and I think more can be done by looking after what we catch. Whether I\'m carping for 30lb + or just pleasure fishing I always look after what I catch by using the correct product for the job like Nash Medicarp Ultra. Carp anglers should carry some form of antiseptic or a carp care kit such as Nash Medicarp Ultra. At the end of the day, we all love to go carp fishing and catch a carp or two. Carp protection should be our main priority when we are spending time on the bank and catching carp. We`re taking these awsome fish from their watery homes to smile for the camera and we all should protect and respect the carp we catch. They\'re only out of the water for a short duration of time when they\'re on our un-hooking mat and it only takes a few moments to apply the Nash Medicarp Ultra to the carp\'s mouth. The Medicarp Ultra antiseptic gel is specially designed and formulated for fish treatment. Once applied to the carp\'s mouth or ulcer, it forms a gel when it comes into contact with water which protects and promotes the healing rate. For more information about Medicarp please visit www.nashtackle.co.uk      http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=23&p2_articleid=8 Ryan Facer Looking after what we catch Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:03:17 -0800  Fluorocarbon and the knotless knot Fluorocarbon has been a great help to me in my Carp fishing over the past few years due to its near invisible properties and stiffness, but when I first started using it I came across a big problem. What I found was at least 50% of all the fish I hooked broke the Fluorocarbon Hook-Link at the eye which as you can guess soon made me switch back to braided hook-links even in situations where I should have used a Fluorocarbon hook-link. While searching for a answer I found that I was not the only person having theses problems and the cause seemed to be down to type of hook. The problem only occurs when using a hook with an in-turned eye, the in-turned angle of the eye creates a pressure point on the hook-link when the line is under tension and the Fluorocarbon just gives in and breaks.   So if this is happening to you here are a few things that you can do to stop it.   1: Choose a hook with an out-turned or straight eye.2: Dont use the knotless knot. 3: Check it regularly for abrasions and kinks as these will cause a weak point! 4: One hook-link per Carp ( It is always good practice to change the hook after every fish anyway ) 5: Look at which way you whip the knotless knot. Most hooks have a seam where the eye is and this can sometimes be sharp and its possible this can weaken the fluorocarbon. Try whipping it the other way.  Below ( A perfect way to use the knotless knot with fluorocarbon )    http://www.kingcarpin.com/index.php?categoryid=35&p2_articleid=7 Ryan Facer Fluorocarbon and the knotless knot Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:36:17 -0800