New Year Special!!!
Winter Ramblings Part 4

By
LEIGH HEMSLEY

Welcome to my first ramblings of the New Year, with the festive season behind us and all this freak warm weather the carp are still in search of food, and basking in the shallows warming themselves in the afternoon sun. So before the weather breaks and the cold snap gets here I’ve put a list together for you to hopefully help you put that first carp of the New Year on the bank. In my (tips of the trade) I’ve put together some idea’s for you to try, some of my closely guarded secret edges and tips to hopefully help you have a successful season or bank that new PB or special fish.
These are some of my most successful tips that I use in my own fishing, that have helped me bank some very large sort after fish. You will find some big fish tips, edges to help you bag up on runs waters and little idea’s that I’ve used to catch some very crafty elusive fish. I’ve also tried to list them in some sort of order with tips for you to use and try from now during the cold weather though the spring and on into the summer, along with a small bunch of tackle hints and bait tips, finishing with my main suggestion for you at number 47.

So have a read, try some, I did and caught that’s why I’m sharing them with you, so good luck!

Leigh’s season changing tip list!!

1. Make the most of your time while the lakes are frozen over to sort out your gear.  Give it a clean, change your line, batteries etc.
2. Try to attend one of the big carp shows or one of the Nash fishery road shows.  You’ll pick up lots of bargains and tips and all the big names will be there.  They will be happy to have a chat and answer any questions you may have.
3. While the cold weather is here try Nash classic readymade boilies as these have a higher attractor level.  For a simple stick just crumble some of the boilies down to a powder.
4. Classic Orange Scopex - If bites become hard to come by try a single orange Scopex with a tiny bag of crumb.  These seem to pick up a bite when all else fails.
5. If you’re scaling down this winter using small baits and small hooks try using 8 or 10 lb maxima nylon for your hook links, it’s soft, supple and very strong.
6. Liquidised Bread – This really comes in to its own in the cold weather.  I blitz mine down with some Nash powdered green lipped mussel and use as a PVA stick.
7. Try meat especially in the winter, just have a look in the local supermarket, we all know about Pepperami  but there are dozens of different types out there.  Have a look and give them a go.
8. Make yourself a target - your first 20, 30, or twenty 20’s in a season for example.  This will keep you going through the hard times of the season when it’s easy to say “I’ll go tomorrow”.
9. Learn about your quarry - if your lake for next year has a close season and you can look round use this time to watch them.  See where they spend most of their time, do they feed there, if not, where do they feed.  Try and work out how they enter these places and you’ll soon find the best place to put your hook bait.
10. Fish a new  water at least once or twice next year, this will keep you on your toes and stop you getting in a rut and help your learning curve.
11. Get on the new Monster Squid if you haven’t already. Nash Fieldtesters have been emptying lakes with this new bait.  Be the first to get on it on your water and reap the benefits. If you have tried it and found out how good it is, nows the time to give the Monster Black ago its even BETTER
12. Use matching boilie paste around your boilie.  This not only helps with attraction but you can also push all other types of bit baits into the paste to help boost bait attraction.
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. If you’re thinking of getting some new alarms have a look at the new Nash Siren RS1 alarms.  You will be very impressed and they won’t let you down.
14. Slack lines, tight lines, have a walk round your lake and look what others are doing and do the opposite.
15. Try running leads - most anglers use lead clips so something different might just fool that carp your after especially if you’re getting odd bleeps or twitches.
16. When using running Leads try using as heavier lead as possible, at the moment I’m using 5oz Nash tractor leads and the bite indication is incredible especially when using these heavy leads.
17. Attractor Leads - I find the new Nash leads are really good for this as they have a semi rough coating.  I store mine in a pot of pure shrimp paste which I buy from the local Chinese supermarket, very cheap and very affective.
18. Try storing your leads in your boilie dip pots.  This helps mask the lead and puts more attraction in your swim near your hook bait.
19. Pure Crustacean Extract - I use this product a lot in my fishing and always carry a bottle in my bait bag but there are a couple of edges I do swear by.  I keep a small pot of 10 mm and 15 mm brown mutant boilies soaking is this extract and try some mixers soaked in this as hook baits when floater fishing, they really do home in on this.
20. Also I use Nash crustacean extract as a boilie dip, it works brilliantly when using singles and I’ve found it works just aswell with sweet, fruit, fish or spice baits.
21. Get the floater rod out, don’t sit behind those static rods, go out and find them.  You can have some fantastic sport off the top and it gets the heart pumping.
22. If you like floater fishing try dry flies.  I’ve had some fantastic fish on flies and they do take them quite readily.
23. Dry Flies - Just have a look at the selection next time you’re in your tackle shop.  There are hundreds to choose from but I find the larger ones to be best.
24. Try zig rigs.  Carp do spend a lot of time in the middle layers of the lake.  Use a small piece of rig foam or pop up
25. For those cute, wise and tricky carp in your lake try using Nash chop shaped boilies as these are hard for the carp to ejected, especially if you fish them as a T shape on the hair with the top bait being a pop up.
26. Triggerlink - An absolutely fantastic product that is very under used.  The carp just don’t know how to deal with it.  Buy some, learn how to tie it and give it a go, you’ll be very surprised.
27. Have a go at float fishing for carp, it is so up close and personal, you’ll get a real rush.  For the best bait try worms, paste or the new Nash squidgees.
28. Total Mass Putty - If you’re fishing a small water this year try this little trick.  Take some Total Mass Putty and warm it in some hot water to get it pliable, then take out between 25 and 50 yards of your main line, wrap the putty around the line, hold between your fingers and then reel it back in.  You’ll be amazed how much this makes your main line sink.
29. Get the jump on other anglers and set your alarm and get up just before first light, have a brew and watch for fish activity.
30. Be more mobile even if it’s just in the summer.  Fish under the stars or just a brolly you will get out what you put in.
31. Try rivers, big, small, dykes or canals - carp can be found in all of these and at any size.  They are fantastic fish to catch and great places to fish and you probably not see another carp angler.
32. If you use sweetcorn in 2012 try adding some Nash sweetcorn extract, I guarantee it will make a difference.
33. Nash Mutant Corn - It has a real soft feel to it and has been made semi-porous so it takes on flavour.  Try soaking some in equal amounts of sweetcorn extract and liquid betaine.
34. If you’re not too sure about using your marker rod try practicing in your back garden, try pulling it across your lawn, gravel drive, patio or bark chippings if you have any.  This will give you an idea of what different things feel like through your rod tip.
35. If you try single hook baits, try using a small liquidised bread stick and try mixing some powdered additives to it like Nash GLM ,robin red, or squid powder.
36. Double Baits - If you use double hook baits try baiting up with doubles and get the carp use to them.  Just take two bottom baits and a small piece of spaghetti, place a bait at each end of the pasta and push together.  These will then stay together when introduced to the lake.
37. If you want to be different in the bait department try going big instead of small I’ve been using 24 mm and 26 mm bottom baits and had some outstanding results.
38. Try new Soluballs from Nash - this bait creation is a new concept in bait application and puts untold attraction into your swim without putting food items there and filling the fish up, plus the attraction keeps the carp coming back again and again looking for food.
    
    
    
    
    
    
39. Cous Cous - You can buy this from any supermarket.  It is made from a special flour and is like  tiny pieces of pasta so is high in carbohydrates and so gives the carp plenty of energy.  It just needs soaking in boiling water and left for about 20 minutes.  You can add any attractors to the water, I use the boilie water from making my own hook baits.
40. Big PVA Bags - This seems to work really well on small waters and in the margins.  Instead of putting your hook baits out and scattering some bait around try putting all your boilies in one PVA bag.  I’ve had some good catches on this method using from 50 baits up to what you can lift with your rod.
41. Crushed Black and Red Pepper - This is another product that carp love.  We’ve all know about black pepper oil but if you make your own boilies, paste or stick mixes, we put salt in these, so next time try pepper as well.  We do on our food!
42. Hot Groundbait - Groundbait and spod mix is something we all use now and again but a small twist for you to try, especially when the water starts to get cold, is to mix your spod or groundbait with hot water.  This helps the attractors disperse in the cold water and makes an abnormal spot in the lake which the carp will investigate.
43. Silk Worm Pupae - Carp go absolutely nuts over these, they look like dried out cockroaches when you buy them and they stink but god do they work.  I buy mine from the local pet shop, they will order them for you or just go online.  I crush mine up and mix them with my boilie paste, the more the better.
44. Pure Liver Extract - This is another product that carp love.  If you’re using amber strawberry this winter and want an edge try soaking your hook baits in neat extract whether its pop ups or bottom baits.
45. Scopex Squid Liver Plus - What can I say about this bait that has not been said before.  This bait has stood the test of time and will catch fish from anywhere but to slightly change mine I always have a bag in the freezer that has been soaked in Blue Dragon coconut milk extract.  Its caught me that extra fish when the lake is fishing slow.
46. Almonds and Brazil Nuts - Here are a couple of baits that are normally over looked.  Most of us have used peanuts and tigers at some time but not many of us will have used these.  I use them mainly for stalking or overnight hook baits if the nuisance fish are a problem.  I like these two especially in the winter because of their buoyancy and creamy flavour plus you’ll probably be the only one using them.
47. Squidgees and Jelly Pellets - These are part of the new Nash Fish Frenzy range and big carp love them.  I use them for little, one bite, PVA bags.
48. The last thing to do in 2012 is ENJOY IT.  It’s only a hobby and if you don’t enjoy yourself what’s the point in doing it in the first place, plus if you’re just going through the motions you won’t fish effectively anyway.
    

Well  there you go that lot should keep you busy, I’m sure there’s at least one  tip or edge in there for everyone I hope you enjoyed reading them and please pick one or two and give them ago, I’ve tried and tested all of these and they’ve helped me have some great seasons!

So till next time HOOK A HIPPO

Leigh (cakey bun) Hemsley