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Welcome to Tackle Evolution 2013
We’ve got a great DVD together for you this year
you’ve even got me back in it
I couldn’t be in it last year because I was doing Final Account
I’m fishing a lot so is Alan Blair and I hope we can entertain you and maybe give you a few tips
But the real star of the DVD of course is the tackle
it’s been a blinding year for Nash
Some real truly innovative blockbusters on there
So sit back and enjoy Tackle Evolution 2013
For my fishing obviously I quite often fish for the larger fish and fish mature weedy waters gravel pits normally
Quite often they are sizeable waters so I need a rod that can cast
Because of the nature of those waters with the weed and other obstacles I need to be using quite a strong line
Quite often the diameter of the line I am using is 0.40mm so I need to be able to cast that a fair distance as well
I need a rod that is over 3lb test curve usually 3.5lb with not too many guides and eyes of a decent size
because of the thick line I am using
so that is what I am looking for in a rod anyway
The rods that I am using today are the new Nash NRXD
They are the 12ft 3.5lb version I have got there they perfectly suit my purpose at the moment
The action I am looking for is tip action it needs to be a little bit forgiving in the tip
but as it progresses down the blank it need to start beefing up as you get into the butt section
The reason why I like that is that obviously you need to feel the lead down so I want the tip to be fairly responsive but to have the power in the butt
to deal with when a big fish gets weeded
You need to be able to move that weed and help break the weed strands
The way I tend to play a fish through weed I need that tip to be in touch with the fish
I don't want it to be too brutal but I need it to be quite powerful
Sometimes when a fish starts moving its head when it hasn't moved for a while
I want to feel that head move and that is my chance to try and tease it out of the weed
so that is really what I am looking for in the action of a rod
The water that I have been fishing for most of the winter has been Sandhurst
Its more of a question of getting bites than hunting a specific big fish out
The lake is dominated with maggot fishing and PVA bags I could use a bait boat but from what I have seen over the years
I know that bait boats tend to scare the fish off so you need to be able to cast a decent sized bag of maggots amongst fish
Some of the casts on here are between 80 and 90 yards
I need a rod that is capable of handling 3oz of lead and a few ounces of maggots so the casting weight of the bags is five or six ounces and I'm trying to get 90 yards with them
With any rod its all about balancing your tackle
They are a powerful rod at 3.5lb test curve so you are not going to be using size 12 or 14 hooks with them
You have to up your hook size and alter your presentation a little so everything is balanced
SPECIFICATIONS: 12ft 3lb tc, 12ft 3.5lb tc, 13ft 3.5lb tc
ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT CARBON RAILS
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MINIMAL
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DELIVERANCE
Here we are today on a lake a club lake in deepest Essex
Its about three acres the kind of water that a lot of you fish
and thats the reason that we are here really
I have a lot of people write to me trying to get their heads round how to approach a new water
and it is difficult its not going to be any easier for us today probably because we don't know this water
We've had a good look round and all we can do really is use our experience and think about it plus use what you read I guess
Normally I'd love a Westerly and fish in the teeth of it and I was thinking this is where I'd want to be where we are standing now
but when we went down the other end it was distinctly warmer
Totally different wasn't it
It felt right and we saw a carp so you'd immediately think that's the place to go
But then I checked the weather and its always important to check the weather
and we note that if they get it right its going to get distinctly warmer
A lot warmer in fact its about 12 degrees now and its going to go up to 20
So I'm kind of thinking I still want to be on this Westerly wind I don't know what Alan thinks what do you think Alan?
I'm probably going to go a bit further up Kev I'm still going to be in the wind but I quite like this dam wall it looks like a dam anyway
I presume its probably the deeper end and I'm going to look at the margins I think
I do agree with you thats where we saw that carp in that quieter water so if you're down there we are both covering different areas
Anyway you're the one that needs to catch I just need to experiment
I always want to catch yeah I'm here to catch. What's your plan then?
My plan as usual is that I'm the guinea pig I've done all winter testing gear like sleeping bags and bedchairs
and I have to say I'm getting so into the zig thing
I'm absolutely fascinated by that whole form of fishing and I think we are on the eve
of a revolution if you like there is so much exciting stuff to learn I fancy the zigs up in the water certainly during the daylight
and either by this evening I'll be craving wanting to catch one because Alan's emptying the lake or I'm also very interested in zig fishing at night
so I may stick it out and try and prove a point If I get one in this session I'll be happy
Shall we go and get some gear?
Yeah lets go and get set up
The tackles set up and the zig rods are out I've been fishing a couple of hours actually
I haven't had anything and I'm a little bit worried about the wind and how cold it is
but we'll think about that as I'm giving you a few of my thoughts on zig rigs
For those of you that are not sure its a method of suspending a bait off the bottom
but below the surface and that on its own is unusual or is a relatively new concept
Yes in the 1980's we messed around with pieces of floater cake anchored off the bottom
Actual baits something that we would have made up ourselves
I'm sure a lot of you will have caught fish on pop-ups popped well off the bottom
but then things kind of changed and people started using foam and then the foam got smaller until it was tiny little bits of foam
because they found that was most effective and that's when I really started thinking
What's going on here? The clue to me rightly or wrongly was that anglers had to use
tiny pieces of foam on size 10 hooks
It was kind of saying to me that at that size a carp couldn't distinguish whether it was an insect or an artificial bit of food or foam with a hook in it
and its when you start thinking insects and actually hunting for carp in an area of the lake
that they've never really been fished for before and trying to mimic creatures that they've naturally eaten and never been caught on before
thats when I start to get really excited
For a couple of years now I've been messing around with loads of different fly patterns
bugs and all that trying to narrow down ones that are more effective
We went off in two directions one kind of based on colour so we launched a range of Attractor Beetles where the bottoms are black or white
So at night they are looking up and see the black but during the day they are attracted to the white
Then we coloured the tops different colours and eventually identified three good working colour combinations
and the other way we've gone which is equally if not more exciting to me
is the more natural route trying to mimic natural insects that would be in those midwater areas
We brought out several patterns of insect to mimic those
That's the first phase but what of the future?
We are also looking at night zigging again a fascinating subject luminous patterns and we are definitely having some success on them
Its very encouraging presenting flies that actually do glow in the dark and then there is I think the term is luminescence
Picking materials that reflect the light in various colours like for example a peacocks feather
The way it changes colour when the light hits it
That's another route that we are looking at as well so there is lots of exciting stuff
to be worked at and hopefully one day we will be bring out some new patterns for you to enjoy success on
I have also been experimenting with liquid attractors
Yes the Zig Bugs are well proven to work without attractors
but on their day and certainly there are days where boosting with an attractor does work
But I've found something also very interesting and a great little fishing edge I've had those occurrences a quick bleep a double bleep
you don't know whether it is something happening out there
whether something has hit the line or whether something has actually had a go at the bug
Well last winter I was flavouring my Zig Bugs with Zig Juice as I call our prototype attractors
I had a double bleep and I looked out and it was quite a windy day and the surface flattened straight away
So the carp had attacked the Zig Bug knocked some of the attractor out of it and the oil floated to the top letting me know that I had a missed take
I brought the zig in and I dropped it 3 inches within half an hour I had one on the bank
My amazing Riser Pellet primarily designed for floater fishing can be a fantastic boom when you are zig rig fishing
I've had great success drifting out the Riser Pellet
with the bits of Riser Pellet floating down through the water bringing the carp up looking
but they just won't go to the surface if you put a zig a foot down you will nail them
Conversely I thought of the opposite logic and I've started messing around with ground baits
The logic being instead of the Riser Pellet drifting down we make a ground bait that you ball up throw it out and as it starts breaking down
pieces of Riser Pellet float up
That way it is attracting the carp to follow the Riser Pellet up into the area where your zig is or start hunting more in midwater
If you want to master zig fishing then I think what I am going to say next is really important
and that is that you have to commit yourself fully
and its important that you commit yourself fully with all rods and I'll explain why
The key thing in zig fishing is the depth the zone that they are swimming in 6 inches either way and its quite likely that you won't get a bite
Get in that zone and it might only be a 6 inch wide area of water and you could have it off
You have got to commit all three rods to it or four however many you use
and how I do it is I'll set one at X depth now that is my benchmark depth
Lets say its 12 foot of water I'll set it at 7 feet on this day
Then I'll put one at 6 feet 6 inches and one at 7 feet 6 inches
If I haven't had any action for a while and I'm convinced that there are fish around
I'll move the 7 feet 6 inch one up to 8 and the 6 feet 6 inch one down to 6 feet Just basically seeking out that zone until I find it
Anyway I'll end on a few words about the two rigs that most people use the fixed zig rig firstly
A couple of things I've learned there is that sometimes I've had missed takes
and I've watched fish come up to it and they look like they are trying to suck it in but can't
I was talking to Jack Brown about this and he'd spotted fish from a tree doing exactly the same just missing his rigs
and he showed me a nifty little rig he tied pole elastic to his rig down by the lead just so when the fish comes down
there is that little bit of movement to make sure it can suck it in easily and Alan Blair has come up with a cracker
Using about 4 inches of tungsten tube with a tail rubber on the end
you put that on your swivel at the other end of your zig rig link and that lays on the bottom
So when the carp comes down it sucks in the bug and the boom lifts up just giving it that bit of movement
It really does work so I'd recommend trying that
With the adjustable zig I think a lot of people are frightened that the float spooks the carp
and certainly I believe it would if you had it too near the bug we've attacked that both ways
We've brought out our own zig rig float a transparent job so it doesn't show up in the water
but also I try and get the float as far away from the Zig Bug as I can
So say for example you expect to fish from 6 feet up to say 9 feet moving it around to try and find the zone
I'll tie the float in at 6 feet so when I've pulled it right down the float is on the bottom
so I've got 5 feet of link between the float and the bug the maximum distance away
That's how I do it and it seems to work for me
So there you are my thoughts on zig rigs I guess I'd better go and catch one now its alright talking about it isn't it?
Its one thing doing that its another thing catching them and on that note
I said its a new water we don't know anything about it so just like anyone who goes to a new water you've got to try and work it out
This morning we arrived and there was a strong Westerly into this corner but this wind has got a real bitter bite to it
If I was a carp I'd want the sun on my back in the spring I think sun is so important to carp and where they live in a lake especially in Spring
so I'm going to move
I've been here a couple of hours and not caught anything on zigs in this swim so I'm going to try another swim
I mentioned in my intro I was experimenting with ground baits for zig fishing and this is it
I'm really getting excited about this stuff its wicked!
I've been on it for two or three months driving Gary at Nash Bait mad to try and get it right
because it is a tricky one but its really getting there now I call it my Gyro Bug Mix
(Available March 2013) One because there are all sorts of bugs and everything in it and its mad
when you see it rising up to the surface some of the bugs in it and even the Riser Pellet
kind of spin like a beetle
Its go all that movement in there and I'm sure its going to be a massive catcher for a lot of people
Certainly I think I've had three fish on it now on the experimental one so its early days yet but I think its going to be a winner
Also out of it has come another product that we call the Ball Maker because I wanted to get tight balls out at range we came up with this natty gadget
All you do is fill up the big section with your ground bait and when I say ground bait it will be great for pleasure anglers as well
Give it a good compression press the bottom button and out comes a perfect compressed ball you can put out at range with a catapult
That's awesome isn't it? I love it
I've moved round to the other side and I've been fishing two hours when I move into a new swim I will try to disturb it minimally
Not put any bait out markers or anything just try it first because there might be fish there that you could spook
Anyway nothing has happened yet so now is the time to try my secret weapon of the Gyro bug mix
and what I'm going to do is catapult 3 or 4 balls in a line in front of my rods
and concentrate on one area because this is a no-lose bait
It hits the water and as it goes down there are loads of little bits falling when it sits on the bottom it starts breaking up and bits float up
bits of the Riser Pellet spinning in the water like gyrating beetles and then theres a residue left on the bottom so you've got a chance of getting them
with the bottom bait rigs as well and thats what I'll probably do tonight
I'll start feeding this in regularly and then put a bottom rig out there as well so I'm covering both options midwater and on the bottom
Wicked
Well me and Kev were just sitting talking about how sunburnt we are and how enjoyable the day has been
So I thought I'd chuck 3 zigs out just while I was setting up the bottom bait rods
and away its gone on a little bug on one of the louse
I'm fishing I'd say less than a foot under the surface so I'm literally under the surface
Well done Al
Cheers mate
There you have it folks a cracking little mirror on one of the Natural Zig Bugs just fished under the surface and for the last half hour to 45 minutes
I've been throwing in balls of the Riser ground bait and the result is this
and I don't think this is going to be the last one
See that its why these fish get so big its absolutely heaving with naturals
Get on the bugs
Well its a really dark night with no moon I was going to reel two rods in and put them on bottom baits
but as Alan has had one on a zig I've got to just stick at it I can't let him be the only one to get a carp out of here on a zig
've just wound one in and I'm going to try one of my prototype Glow Bugs
so if Winston the famous cameraman will turn the light out you might be able to see it glowing in the dark
There you go people look at that isn't that awesome?
A glow in the dark Zig Bug there are two ways you can charge them up
You can charge them up with a torch or a UV light but I'll give you a little tip the flash from your camera really zaps them and makes them bright
so lets chuck it out and see what happens
Well I've got a fish on here that is really slow
You start shaking when you get one on that is slow and plodding as it is often a really good fish
I'm jammed up now with weed
Might be a 'walk back' job Kev
Go on that's it
Ok?
Yeah
Well what a mess
You need a floating mono here not NXT it's too damn good it gets in the weed
It's a common its a big common
No..
Yeah yeah yeah
Well lets let it play out a bit more then it still wants to go now I am nervous why did you tell me that?
You're doing fine just fine
Meanwhile Alan up the other end can tell his story later but he's got a couple in the net
I will also say the cameramen were only 3 metres away from his bed while he was having all this action
This is the first time it has actually come up
YES
Are you sure its the big girl?
Its the big one mate yeah
It shows what you are up against on this lake with all this horrible dead slimy weed
This is where a big tip ring comes in handy but I have to say this mono has impressed me
It must have sunk so far into the weed its more like lead core
Horrible stuff to get off you'll be here all day filming this Win you may as well do something else
Can I have a cup of tea please mate?
That is one hell of a beautiful carp
There you can see perfectly hooked on a Glow Bug of all things
Mad
I woke up just as it was getting light and I nearly wound my Glow Bug in but I thought I don't know low light
I had one a few weeks ago on a Glow Bug just after dawn I think there may be something in it
these are the conditions that you wouldn't expect a zig to work we have got so much to learn still
Maybe its the colours of that bug even though its not dark there is still something
the way it hits the light but it certainly worked for this girl
She's a well-known 40 although she has been out this year at under 40 I suspect that she's a bit under but who cares?
What a result
Chuffed or what
What have we got boys?
38lb 8oz
Yeah 38lb 8oz
Yeah
From a watercraft angle as you know I was over the other side yesterday so I came down here and sure enough there was the odd fish showing
In particular I saw one a couple of times over the far bank about two thirds of the way out
I had a black Zig Bug on it during the day but nothing
So last night we put the Glow Bug out and that's the rod that went off this morning
Okay it wasn't dark but thats the second fish on a Glow Bug just after dawn in poor light you wouldn't expect it to be good zig weather so I'd like to point out
there could be something in it
I'm just so loving the development its such a buzz when you are working on development
and it all comes right
The biggest fish in the lake and I've only been here 22 hours Do I feel lucky? Sometimes you need a bit of luck
This is a ghosty
It's got some beautiful big scales down here and a lovely run of linear scales across its top flank
There it is a mid to upper double ghosty
Another Zig Bug another one on the louse I really like this pattern
How near was that zig to the surface because the Riser Pellet has been drifting over it
Right under it
I've got three rods fanned out in an arc and that arc is on the line where you have been drifting the pellet for the last hour and a half
This is what I was talking about yesterday you can use the Riser Pellet to get them up
They won't maybe come up that last foot to take it but they are right up in the zone just below
so fishing a zig a foot below the surface can be really effective as Alan has just proven
Win can you see that?
This is my left hand rod and can you see the slick running diagonally across the lake
that is the Riser Pellet
I'll add by the way that I've got to go back to work us workers aren't full-timers we are lucky to get a day and a night in me and Alan
So just as he's caught this and the sun is coming out after me feeding for an hour with the Riser
and hopefully getting them up I've got to go to work but hey am I feeling greedy?
You've had a chunk mate
I've had a chunk
There it is another beautiful club lake mirror and you can see I don't know if you can get in on that Win
There it is a little louse from the naturals range it's definitely been my favourite pattern all of last year but with all the new bugs out
there is so much more variety to try it really opens up so many options for zig fishing
I'm going to get this unhooked another good hook hold
He was drifting the Riser Pellet over the lake and I just couldn't resist flicking a couple of Zig Bugs over the top it really is an awesome method
That is 22lb 6oz
Brilliant
Nice one
Well we've come to the end of our short session and we've had a bit of a result both of us have had our rods in the water for about 24 hours each
Nashy has obviously had the big one and I've had five bites
I've thoroughly enjoyed myself but for now I'm going to get the rest of the gear packed up
and have a couple more laps with a bucket of floaters just in case I can get a few taking off the top
See you soon
I've got some exciting new bed chair innovations to show you
and I don't think any are exciting as the one I'm sitting on at the moment the new Indulgence Tallboy
It's called the Tallboy because of how tall it is look I'm swinging my legs here and I can't touch the ground
Again its thanks to you guys and girls who have contacted us and kindly given us your ideas and thoughts
and one thing that has constantly come out is that you want a much higher bedchair
In the same way that we brought the Daddy Longlegs Chair out I guess
so this is actually about the height of a Daddy Longlegs chair
and that's before you start extending it
Now you will see the logic as to why we brought out the Titan Brolly 2 so you have got the extra height if you want to use a Tallboy like this
We are only going to do it in Sleep System form we are not going to do it in bed chair form
To my mind the future is Sleep Systems with the duvet attached to it
So what's a Zed Bed about?
Mainly it hasn't got a hand wheel that's the key it just has a hinge so it's perfectly flat
There is no great lump of hand wheel sticking up and less weight
We have also looked at making this Sleep System as keen as we can in price so its an exercise in making a realistically-priced bed
It's single thickness as opposed to the double thickness of the Indulgence Sleep System
I would guess that is three to three and a half season
For those of you that want to try one throughout winter I would suggest that you get a Shroud
How do you fold it up because it hasn't got a hand wheel?
That is the other reason for using hand wheels because they hold it locked together
With this it is simple you have a webbing strap and you just pull it down tight
Now look I can't get that any tighter you couldn't do that with a hand wheel because of the configuration of the teeth
so I think its a much better and more compact way of storing a bed chair
We have also got a bed chair version which goes against everything I have just said
but we have to recognise a lot of anglers still prefer a bed chair it is immense value for money its actually a bit longer and its Wideboy width
I think its a great new concept and worth considering
Finally we wanted to make the Sleep System principle available to all so this is the H-gun Sleep System
A cracking little product for the entry level or starter carper its amazing value so now every carp angler can enjoy a Sleep System
and last but not least I have some improvements and innovations to our Frostbite Sleeping Bags to tell you about
Firstly the outer material this material has just become available as soon as I felt it I thought it was gorgeous
It's so soft really light and super waterproof so that had to go on the Frostbites
We have changed the filling and it now has the world-acclaimed Holofil one of the best materials for insulation
That is in both the Sub-Zero and the Sub-20
I've got the Sub-20 here that is the one for those of you that are new to Nash with the two layers
So in summer and warmer weather you completely undo and take off the top layer and just sleep with the under layer
In winter or cold weather you just zip it on so its a twin layer bag
Much easier than liners that fit inside or messing about with Velcro I did that for 15 years before I came up with this idea
and could have kicked myself it was so simple
This also has another simple idea that I don't know why I didn't come up with before
I'll explain the thinking
Good sleeping bag design is about making the sleeping bag as close to your body as possible
In fact some of the mountain bags have elastics to cling to your body then you are not trying to heat up air cavities
Whereas anglers want loads of room so thats why we have to have so much insulation to try and heat up all that air space
I had this idea last winter and then went fishing all winter to test it of putting these curtains of insulation down the length and at the bottom
so when I'm in the bag they lay down the side of me you can see the distance between the curtain and the edge of the bag
so that area multiplied by two is now air that I haven't got to warm up you'd be amazed at how quick these bags warm up and it
maximises the insulation of the bag
A little silly thing but a great idea
The Frostbite Sub-Zero has not got the curtains by the way so the difference between the Frostbite Sub-Zero and the Sub-20
it is a single-layer 4 season bag and it hasn't got the curtains but it has all the other features I have just spoken about
Sitting comfortably?
Ultra Strong Frame
Independently adjustable legs with swivel mud feet
Seriously comfortable
Sub-Lo
Low profile design
Padded arm rests
Double padded seat
Sub-Lo Wide Boy
Nomad Ultra-Lite
Super lightweight design
Integral carry strap
Removeable seat pad
Low-Line
Lower profile design
Hand wheel adjustment
Neoprene arm rest covers
Daddy Longlegs
Extra tall design
Extra comfortable
Big Daddy (Daddy Longlegs - Wide Boy size)
Recliner
Extra comfort seat pad
Easy recline action
Hi Back
High back with luxurious padded head rest
Padded arms for total comfort
Sitting comfortably
This is my third cup of tea this morning
I have been up since before dawn watching the sun rise its magical I am on a water anonymously known as The Pit and I love it
Proper pioneer carp fishing its wild its raw and its untapped
It is my sort of fishing like I have done all my life really
I'm never happier than being on a water like this and this one is really interesting
2.9 miles round its a big water I first heard about it about a year ago
A shop told me one of their customers was fishing it
It was a little bit unusual because we didn't know the setup here
It was being sold and the guy who was buying it had someone on here looking after it and that guy let us on which was very lucky
Alan and I moved on here in April
As you all know we have had a terrible spring and it just rained the whole time we were here
The first session was five days I think and we never even saw a carp the whole time but we learnt a lot about the water
What we were doing because we didn't know where to start
We were figuring out places to pitch up where we could get a good view of the lake and then one of us was watching the swim
while the other was walking and looking for them
On big waters especially if there is a low population of carp the key word is location location location
You can't just pick a swim and just hope they will come along you have got to be moving all the time and looking for them
it really is mobile stuff
It has been interesting to note that Alan has been taking less gear every time stripping it down
I've brought an old rod idea I had a few years ago and actually we have developed it the Scope rods pack down to nothing so most importantly you can really
travel light and unencumbered by them
I've just got my little Metro barrow and thats only to put my bedchair umbrella and a bit of bait on
Otherwise it is rucksack on my back rods on my shoulder and it is so easy to move
We can walk for miles that way I love it
For four sessions we never saw a thing I think is was the fifth session before we saw our first carp
We had put in a total of twenty days to get to that point it was really exciting actually just seeing one
On the sixth session I caught my first one a common I can't remember what its weight was now it seems so long ago 12 or 14 pounds
I have to say I was over the moon at catching that fish its not about size its about the achievement
To actually catch one out of this Godforsaken place was awesome
The bottom of this pit is just mind blowing you might be in two inches of water you might be in 6 or 7 feet it's up and down like a yo-yo
For me its difficult to get my head round
Across here there are channels bars and islands all over the place so its a question of finding out which ones the carp are using to get through
You can fish a drop-off and think wow its great but can the carp get to it you might be fishing in a room with locked doors
Its been a right headbanger trying to plumb it and and get round it we've been doing a lot of short range work
as often the deepest water is just a few meters out along the reeds before it really shallows up
so a lot of short range work actually wading the baits out and using prodding sticks wading out along the bars and just dropping them on the spot
Why not if you can do it there is no more accurate way
I've never known a lake with so much natural food there are constant hatches coming up
and the water itself is saline you can feel it it feels soapy and it tastes really salty
hence the shrimp population here is amazing
You put a landing net in the margin with some bait in it and half an hour later you have almost a kilo of shrimp
Just incredible and the are big enough to eat in a Chow Mein
I've fished waters like this over forty years and especially when they are very rich and have never been fished much
after location bait recognition is the issue
I have a way that I go about it and sweetcorn as far as I am concerned is the most instant carp bait there is
I've used it all round the world and I don't know a bait that carp will latch on to without ever seeing it before like corn
The key is to use the sweetcorn to get them looking for and recognising bait and then bait with something that they will eat at the same time
so I'm mixing up sweetcorn with my Monster Crab and Crayfish boilies that I have had specially produced by Gary Bayes
They are fluoro orange so they really will stand out and I'm also using a lot of pellet primarily to attract the shrimp
They seem to love the pellet so the thinking is that you attract the shrimp which is a food source for the carp then you attract the carp as well
Rig wise well you can fish a lake like this for a long time and not get a take
so when you do get a take you don't want to lose it because your tackle is not up to the job
Strong reliable tackle is key you don't need fancy rigs these fish have never been hooked before
Like I said with bars up and down like a yo-yo you can easily get your lead jammed in one
and because of the bars I'm using the Diffusion Camo leaders because of the abrasion resistance
Simple rigs as well
Strong hooks and simple blowback rigs
Then we did another session and Alan had his first one
and then it all came right for us on the seventh session
We had seven takes didn't actually do so well on landing them I hooked a big fish that just ploughed through the reeds
I had it on for about a minute and lost it
I hooked another one that grounded me on a bar
I tried slackening off but I just couldn't move it in the end the hook link parted
The Alan got one a small common
I can't quite remember the series of events but what I do remember is that late afternoon he got a take and waded out to hit it
I just knew it was a big fish I saw it boil off
Anyway to cut a long story short I was blown away when this fish came over the landing net a stunning mirror that was really heavily plated
One of the most amazing fish I had ever seen I'm my life and that really made it for us
The next morning I had a 20 pound common and that was the end of the session
A magical session
Finally we were cracking it we were beginning to understand the fish
everything was coming together and the plan was working so we came down for the eighth session
We were actually wading round the lake taking out some snags and the owner came round and asked us what we were doing
I said well we have permission to fish here from Mr 'X' and he replied no you haven't he hasn't got permission to fish it
so we had been lead along a bit and we got chucked off
Amazing really we were just beginning to get to the bottom of this place and we were asked to leave shall I say
We should apologise I suppose for being on the lake when we weren't allowed but we believed that we had permission
I suppose that is life and that is carp fishing
Now I need a new plan
A NEW INNOVATION
FOR THE MOBILE ANGLER
SCOPE: The most compact kit ever designed for carp fishing
Kevin Nash has developed the most block busting concept in carp rod design for decades
Scope
Scope rods are available in two lengths, a radical 9ft version and the more traditional 10ft the preferred length of legendary carp angler Richard Walker
The Scope features an innovative retractable butt section resulting in a pack down size of 44” for the 9ft Scope
and 50” for the 10ft version allowing them to be stored in the boot of a car
Scope rods are easier to use in confined swims they cast accurately and the through action makes playing fish a dream
Distance specialist Terry Edmonds has cast in excess of 170 yards with a 9ft Scope Rod
To compliment the rods Kevin has also designed the awesome Scope landing net
featuring a telescopic lockable pole that extends from 44 inches to a very useful 6ft 10 inches
The Scope concept is the the most compact kit ever designed for carp fishing
the ultimate in mobility for the active focussed carp angler
Scope: for the future
Nash Tackle have been making luggage for over 30 years and we pride ourselves on innovation and quality
Last year we brought you the Barrowlogix Cube and its been exceptionally popular
It made obvious sense for us to look at this concept and this year we are bring you the Barrowlogix Compact Cube
The Compact Cube is exactly the same as the Barrowlogix Cube well I say exactly the same there is one major difference
and that is its size it is obviously a lot smaller
Lets open it up and I'll show you inside
As I said its almost identical to the original with regards to the way it is laid out
You have got a large main compartment here more than capable of taking tackle boxes
I have got my two rod buzz bar pouch in there tackle box PVA marker floats
There is another longer smaller compartment I 've got my Stiff Rig Box Uni Rig Bin in here
On the left hand side if I unzip this one I've got all my bait this is actually an insulated compartment so I have got a couple of bags
of freezer bait in there pop-ups catapults and dips
Moving over to this one this is where I keep all my little bits like compass head torches binoculars and polaroids
and underneath all that I have my waterproof trousers
Flipping over to the other side if I unzip this I have got all my stove bits gas kettle everything I need to make a brew
and finally we have got another insulated compartment where I have got my milk and some cold drinks for the day
So as you can see it is a lot smaller but there is still enough space to fit the vast majority of an angler's gear inside
If I zip these both back up the product can be completely detached so that means the shoulder strap can come off
If you undo these buckles here on the side there is a zip that breaks this section off
I can actually clip the shoulder strap on to here leaving the rest of the bag in my swim and I can go for a wander
Go off do some fishing
A really versatile bag
As mentioned they break apart into sections and this makes storing them so easy in the bivvy
If I just quickly do the other side flip it over buckles one zip
There you have it this bit slides perfectly underneath the middle section of my bed chair and then if I want I can put one at one end and one down at the other end
It really is a great bit of kit it allows you to be so well organised
It fits well on the barrow and to be honest with this sort of size you can just carry it on your shoulder and walk to your swim
Check it out guys its the Barrowlogix Compact Cube
This is the Big Boy and its certainly big
I'm going to quickly run through the main features of it and what I've got inside
First on the top here we have two clips and webbing straps if I undo these it gives me the perfect place to store waterproofs
If I open this main zip to expose the main carcass of the bag that I would put at 110 litres you have a drawstring and toggle
and the first thing I'm going to get out is the bucket which just goes to show you how much too is inside here
Inside the bucket itself it is also worth pointing out these little Boxlogic D Pouches really handy little pouches that fir neatly inside a bucket
I've got two in there in which I keep all my pop-ups sprays and dips underneath that I have got my actual bait for the session
Further down inside the bag I have got a ZT All-in one here just to wrap up on those colder evenings or if I am up early in the morning watching the water
I have got my stove bag with my Coleman stove inside and then at the bottom I have got a sleeping bag
On the outside of the bag there are lots of different compartments you have a nice long compartment here that I use to keep my banksticks in
Sadly its empty at the moment because although I am working I have managed to flick my rods out so usually I would keep my banksticks and alarms in here
On this side I have my tea kit bits fuel cup kettle and at the front of the bag here I have got my tackle
You can easily fit one of our Medium Tackle Boxes in there and you can also fit a larger one if you wish
So as you can see there is plenty of back support there This will wick up any moisture
We have got two decent shoulder straps and we also have a wrap round waistband all of this will help support the weight on your back
and make carrying it to the swim easier
I'm going to stick it on and then I'm going to head back down to my swim so I'll get this slung on my shoulders and set all the straps
so its nice and comfortable
First I'm going to pull these main straps down and set it on my back so its nice and tight
and we've actually got these lovely little mouldings here to make it easy so I've just put my thumbs in these and I'm just pulling them down
I want the base of that to sit just here its nice and comfortable there lovely and tight
Next up I've got a chest strap just to pull those in and keep them taught around my chest
Again a nice little buckle and clip that is that bit sorted
and finally my waist area to pull it in nice and tight
That's me ready
I'll just mention these little pockets here you might want to keep your phone or keys in here
Well thats me this is the Big Boy
As you can see it is a Big Boy but once I have got my rods and my bed chair under my arm I can go off into the distance fishing
Hi I'm Terry Edmonds and I'm here at Marsworth Reservoir to fish at range
I've got that on camera
That's a take
Bit of a scrapper in close considering it was caught at 150 yards
Ooh a little bit lively
Right and here she is I haven't weighed her mid double I suppose maybe a little bit bigger
but there she is a nice old common
I'm fishing out there at about 150 yards to a reed line
The Marsworth fish are all like this they are all dark old ones like the fish in the canal that runs near to here
Lovely time for a bit more bait I think
For this session I have been using this new Entity Spod Rod
I'm fishing the reeds over there at between 140 and 150 yards and its making that really easy work
It's a really nice actioned spod rod
Its got 50mm ringing which I love for all my distance work
The handle length is really important on spod rods
I've got average sized arms and how I like to have it is the handle the length of my outstretched arm
Its really important for the leverage when you're casting if its too short its hard to use
The action of the rod is an all through action so it can be used for short or long range no problem at all
Let me show you the rig that I am using
The first thing that I have got is the Missing Link Silt in 25lb and I just take about ten inches off the spool
I'm going to tie a little loop in the end
and then what I'm going to do after that is put a little knot in the hair around there
This stops the snowman from slipping backwards and forwards on the cast
These are the new Snowman Pots that we are going to produce this is the Purple Monster Squid
They have got bottom baits in the bottom which I am going to put on first
just put that on the hair like that
and then you have some pop-ups in this other packet here that makes the snowman rig
Just pierce that through the middle and pull it on like that
and pull it on like that
We are going to put this hair stop right through the end of the loop just there
and that just makes our little snowman here like that
I'm not going to strip back any of this coating at all because I want the whole rig to be stiff
The hooks that I am using are the Fang X in size 8
Now you just put the line through the back of the eye and set the hair to the length that you want
I'm going to go round one two three four five six seven and that takes you to about level with the point of the hook
then I'm going to wrap back up three times
Then I get a bit of Cling-on Putty and put it halfway down the hook link
only a little bit just to make sure it sinks
and that is the rig there
What I attach these rigs to are either these Helicoper Diffusion Camo leaders fished helicopter style
and I can just tie the rig straight on to this swivel
I'm going to just pull this tight
Now the leads that I am using are the 4 ounce Long Rangers I like to fish my lines really tight so a heavy lead is needed
So I hook on a 4 ounce and that's it we're all ready to go
I also use leadcore ones as well and thats one that I have cut off one of my rods
Its exactly the same as you can see except that I am using the leadcore
and that's how I always fish at range
Right I'm just about to put my rig out to the reed line that I'm fishing over there at about 150 yards
but there are a couple of safety aspects that I would like to go through quickly
I'm using a shock leader this is 50lb braid that is very important
What I have got is four turns on the spool straight up the rod and down to the butt eye
That is the length of the shock leader
and something else that I would say before you cast these distances every single time just make sure the clutch is done up tight
because if that starts to slip during the cast you are going to hurt your finger
Right what I am going to do now is just run through a cast
I know that you have seen it before on other DVDs but I will just remind you of the basics
Before you cast you want to get your arms up high remember that you are using the rod as a lever
so you are pulling down with the left hand if you are right handed
Line yourself up everything nice and steady and then you cast
That's it 150 yards on the reed line
The rods I am using today and have been for the last year are the 13 foot 3.5lb NR's and I'm really happy with them
They are fishing rods they are not overly stiff and they can be used from long range through to short range
They are just top quality blanks
Well done mate
It's got to be a 20
Give us a thumbs up
About an inch back that wasn't coming out in a hurry
The Fang X on a helicopter rig like I was explaining earlier
This is one of the old mirrors in here they don't come out often so I have been told
So I'm really happy with this one
and I'm going to give this one a weigh
25lb dead it's looking like
Just so you can see it
I'm a bit shaky
That will do
Really happy with that one
One of the old mirrors out of here they don't get caught very often so I might put that down to my long range fishing
They think they are safe out there but I'm after them
So let's have a look at it
Here he is
Really happy with this one to be honest
I'm just going to turn it round
There she goes and I am well happy
A lot of you guys and girls visit my Facebook page with a lot of different questions and one that keeps on coming up all the time is mainlines
The big question that I hear so much is Braid or Mono?
So lets start with that Braid
Of course we do the famous Bullet Braid in Tacklebox sales it is the biggest seller and we never advertise it
I think its the biggest selling braid because its so heavy and that is a massive advantage of it
You don't need back leads in fact when you lift it up you can feel it pluck out of the bottom
So a massive advantage of Bullet Braid is that your line is not off the bottom its completely hidden
The other reason that people like braid is because there is no stretch so when for example you are casting and pulling back to a feature
you can feel everything represented through the tip so its great for finding your spot
and of course bite indication is so positive because there is no stretch
The downside of braid is the fact that it has got no stretch so it can be really scary playing fish you feel every lunge through the rod
but personally I won't use it now if I ever believe that I've got to hold on to a carp
I've had a few mishaps in the past trying to stop carp going round islands and the like and my hook link has been destroyed
It would be my first choice if I was in open water and never had to clamp down
Then I would use braid all of the time but unfortunately in my fishing there are times when I have to hook and hold them
So for that reason I use Mono for most of my fishing
Now we do three Monos and I'll start with the D-Cam it's the Mono that I use and the reason that I use it is because
it is very strong and very reliable
The number one thing for me is abrasion resistance it is to me the big one
Most waters now have weed in them and weed is abrasive you get snails and grit in it and it can really damage your line
and thats without other things like snags so I want a line that if it touches a snag that is not going to just part
because it has got no abrasion resistance
Other advantages of D-Cam over other lines are as suggested by the name NXT D-Cam it has our unique camouflage that basically disappears on the bottom
Knot strength and diameter are up there with the best it's also very heavy for a mono as well so it is approaching a braid
But for me number one is abrasion resistance
then we do two others
We brought out this new line in the spring called Zig Flo primarily designed for floater fishing or zig fishing
The first question you might ask is why don't I use the NXT D-Cam?
The reason is because we designed the D-Cam to be as heavy as we could
So it is the complete opposite with a zig line or a floater line of course you want it as light or as buoyant as possible to float up to the surface
with a Zig Bug or lay on the surface
That is the reason we have got Zig Flo so if you want a line for zig or floater work I would recommend the Zig Flo
The we have the soon to be launched Hardcore its a belts and braces mono basically
but we recognise that a number of people just haven't got the money to buy a premium mono
So we have brought out a good basic mono that is great value for money
That's all I can say
Apparently someone or some companies have been recommending that when you spool up to soak your spool in water first for 24 hours
But by soaking the spool of course you are expanding the mono and the spool can blow up on you so I would never recommend it
I'll go through the process of spooling up for you
Firstly I use a bucket of water
Stick your finger through the label as this stops the spool from tipping up
I don't believe in putting the spool on the ground and having the line coming off the lip because it might be coming of in the completely
opposite way to which it was wound on and that is one cause of line twist
Its logical if you're pulling the line off the spool the spool is spun to load it so it must go on the right way
So you put the spool in there
Now on my reel you'll note that I've taped the line to the reel I haven't knotted it
That's because I once had a bad accident in France I'd rowed a bait out and was going back to shore
and I saw what I thought was a carp bow-waving out but it was actually my rod it had spooled me in the time I was out in the lake
and my rod was being towed across the lake it was a right nightmare to get it back
Why spool in water?
Well you can keep the spool upright if you have the water too deep the spool might tip over
so I only have it shallow but that means that the line is being lubricated as you wind it on
Your fingers don't get burnt and you can put a bit of tension on it thats why I do it and its as simple as that
So wind it on keeping an eye on the line lay its all going on great and look its not burning my fingers
The spool is spinning away nicely so I know it is all going on the right way
It's tipped over if it does tip over then stop
I was going too fast
It's important to keep the spool going that way so you don't get line twist
That's about it
So there you go a perfectly filled spool and I could cast that all day long and play a dozen carp and the line won't drop
down on the lip because I put it on under a bit of tension as I had the line wet
and no line twist
As you can see that line is not at all twisted
Limp and beautiful
Okay all you needed to know about line I hope its been helpful
Hi I'm Alfie Russell
I got down to my local park lake this morning Hampstead Heath I've just bagged this stunning Koi
I'm going to slip her back and then I'm going to hopefully show you around and catch a fish or two
This is the mixed swimming pond there are a few carp in here but not many
I really fancy my chances on the Number 2 pond today and I've already seen some fish so I'm going to get round there
and see if I can catch some
I'm on the Number 2 pond now I'm going to trickle some bait in under this snag
I know the carp love it here and I'm going to place some rigs under there
and see if I can nick a bite or two
Right I've put my rig in a solid PVA bag now inside it its got loads of pellet and crushed Monster Squid
I'm going to flick it out and see if I can catch a carp
Because its close in fishing today I'm freelining
and just to help my line float that little bit better I'm rubbing some vaseline on it
Looks like I've got a nice carp
Do you need a hand man?
Yeah
Looks like he's stuck in some weed
There's a lot of weed but there's a carp in there
Its been a hard day fishing today but finally I've nicked this little mirror
I think I'm going to get him back and head off home
Perfect
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and Nashbait Snowpots - Monster Squid
Lets talk brollies and bivvys and more specifically Titans
starting with this years top selling Titan the Titan Brolly All Season
I've got it up today to tell you about one addition we've made
We've put vents in the back as you can see either side of the centre panel which means we can seal it properly from bad weather conditions
It allows air through the back and that is done because of customer demand
Why are the Titan Brollys so fantastic?
Lightweight aluminium frame that is super strong and a lightweight cover
You can unzip the waterproof front and put on a mozzie front or you can take them both off
and just fish it open its so versatile its incredible
To save confusion from the old Titan Brolly All Season and this new version we are going to call this the Pro with the vents in the back
So if its the Titan Brolly All Season thats the old model without the vents if its got the vents in the back its the Titan Brolly All Season Pro
One of the questions I am most asked is how big is a Titan Brolly All Season can I get a Wideboy bed chair in it? so a few words on that
this is a Wideboy in here yes its tight but it goes in I've put it at an angle so I've got all the space at one side
There is ample space there for your rucksack cooking gear telly whatever there is a little bit of space there for a bag and you have got about a foot across the back
or if you have a standard width Indulgence you can put it in square you'll see that there is plenty of room
Its compact but its very liveable
Ok but now I've got two bigger Titans to show you that are new
So this is a Titan Brolly 1 Man
Its quite a lot bigger than the Titan Brolly All Season and I suspect that this will be the most popular
Its a good roomy one man what I would call a one and a half man equivalent in size for those that know the models The Groundhog or the 1 Man Titan
again preempting the questions that I am going to get asked how big is it? Can I get a Wideboy in it?
Well this has got our new Zed Bed Wideboy in it which is as wide as any bed chair but its a bit longer so thats a harsh test if you like
and there is still plenty of room in there
There is a massive area in this corner because I have set it up at the same angle as the Titan Brolly All Season so you can get a comparison
Other than that the only difference between the Titan Brolly All Season is size it has two fronts both waterproof and mosquito and vents in the back
everything else is the same
Right now on to the Titan Brolly 2 Man
Here is the big boy the Titan Brolly 2 Man I don't know if you have noticed scaled against me how tall it is
Again listening to our customers who have expressed an interest in our old Titan Hi Top
people saying why don't you bring that back so a lot of people are looking for higher bivvys
Certainly some of it is to do with people suffering from bad backs it will take two bed chairs but I'll be honest with two Wideboys it will be very tight
That is two standard width bedchairs in there but as you can see its got plenty of space
and like the other two it enjoys all the features and spec
The new family of Titan Brollys I think there is something there that will suit everybody
The new family of Titan Brollys excites me but also this extra piece of innovation
we have added to the Hogs and Groundhogs is a winner too I believe
Basically it is a space saving frame as normally with an umbrella you would have the hub somewhere down here restricting the space
This has been cut back as far as possible and its virtually like it isn't there now
We have also added this pole that will come with each Hog and Ground Hog you just screw it into there press the button and it easily comes down
and when you set it up you just slide that up and when it is locked you can unscrew it
It just makes the setting up and the breakdown a lot easier
So thats a great new idea on the Hogs and Groundhogs
Following on from the amazing success of the Monster Squid boilie, never one to rest on his laurels Gary Bayes at Nashbait set about concocting a special hi viz version of this proven bait
It was codenamed Purple Patch
We had huge success testing the new bait in the UK last year this year we sent it out to our European consultants and the results were incredible
In Austria big-carp hunter Christoph Eckhart showed that big Austrian carp were partial to the Purple Monster Squid and banked a superb chunky common carp of 26.4 kilos from a large working gravel pit
Austrian Team Leader Arno Bergler took the Purple Monster Squid on a short fishing trip to Croatia and showed what great carp fishing the Slavic countries have to offer
bagging himself this pristine 19.5kg common
Purple Patch did it again
19.50kg great common on this gravel pit
Perfect day perfect night
The fish was taken on a snowman setup comprising of a 20mm Purple Monster Squid bait topped with a 10mm Monster Squid pop-up and fished in 14 meters of water
Yes
Great
In Italy the Purple Monster Squid soon proved to be a winner banking some enormous commons
The two Robertos got amongst the better fish Roberto Bussolari banking this distinctive 20.5 kg common
and the consistent Roberto Di Lorenzo appears again on this year's DVD year after capturing this Italian giant of 26kg from a central Italian lake
Ok
Over in the Benelux the Purple Monster Squid proved to be an instant success
Willem Verspoor had a bite within minutes of casting out on a Dutch canal to land this incredible plated mirror of 38lb plus and another fish during his short session
Purple Patch on test
A new boilie from Nash
He had baited the night before and as you can see the fish had certainly been eating the bait
Over the border Belgian ace Mark Pansar also got in on the action banking this very special mirror from a tricky Belgian venue
Magic
Yeah
German Team member Daniel Konopatzki took the Purple Monster Squid on his travels starting off banking this cracker from the mighty Rhone
He then headed over the border to France where within just five minutes of casting out his purple hook bait was the downfall of a mirror of 17 kilos
followed shortly by another one of 20.5kg.
He finished off 2012 in style by catching this beautiful cold water German carp using 10mm Purple Monster Squid
made even more special by the snowy conditions
and now over to France where Jean Pierre Becker used the Purple Squid to great effect
He started off in great style in the spring banking this lovely fish of 23.7 kilos
before moving on to a massive 550 hectare venue for the summer
He caught himself some lovely fish up to 20 kilos from this challenging lake using Purple Monster Squid snowman rigs
Finally staying in France in November 2012 some of the guys from Nash HQ including Kevin visited Les Teilliats for a well-earned week away
Despite freezing weather the Purple Monster Squid proved its worth and there were plenty of fish caught to a top weight of 67lb
Even the boss got in on the action
Nashbait Monster Squid Purple available March 2013
Three years ago we lifted the bar and if you like pushed our luck bringing out the Carp Cradles
because we didn't know whether anglers would accept them or get it
The fact is that you all have and the Carp Cradle is recognised as the number one way of keeping carp simply because the carp is suspended off the ground
Its a great forward thinking product
I've had a couple of niggles I have had
One was the hassle of setting it up and breaking it down
and the other thing was how it's a big bulky thing and how it sits on your barrow
and it's been doing my head in but finally I've think I've cracked it
So we have a new range of Carp Cradles plus this one which we are calling the Elevator
Its the same principle but it hasn't got the features of the Carp Cradle
Its really done on price with the view make one as cheap as possible and hopefully everyone will get on Carp Cradles
Whats different?
The difference is that it has foldable legs now you don't have to set them all up
But the main thing is you just do that fold it up and you can carry it around
Is that easy or what?
and another point for barrow users is it's completely flat so its easy to store on your barrow
Pukka eh?
Now I'll take you through the new Carp Cradles in essence the features are the same as the existing Cradles
You have got the telescopic legs
You have a pocket here which could be on this side depending on which way you turn it round for your Medicarp
It's got a kneeling mat again that can be either side and by the way the kneeling mat is detachable so you can put it in your cradle
and its not flapping around when you carry it
It still has the flaps to cover up and keep the fish in the dark if you need to sort your life out
There are three different sizes this is the standard Carp Cradle and is the same size as the last one
Then we've got the Monster Carp Cradle and then we have brought in one which may look huge and well it is huge
Its actually been measured to fit a Teilliats carp
Big John has been wanting to buy the Carp Cradles for his venue but they were just not big enough for his huge 80 pound commons
September: Following the loss of some of the countries finest carp from Church Pool, Kevin and Alan fish a two day session to check on the condition of the remaining fish
He's got one
I'm not saying a lot because I'm nervous
A. Because it is one of the few times that I have fished my own lake The Church so I want to get this one out
and B. Because I think its a good fish
and C. No don't do that, because I am obviously concerned with the condition of it after the tragedy of the deaths up here
Did you say fully scaled?
Heavily scaled yeah
Well done Alan
Well done you
She's very lively look at that dorsal right up
I want to get her back quickly
She's in good nick but they have been through a lot recently
She's a bit pale I think that's because the weed has died and the water is coloured
But all in all no leeches so she hasn't been laying up I think I can feel confident
She fought like hell as well so she's made a good recovery and I trust the rest of the Church fish have done as well
Right I'm going to get her back I'm not going to weight her I don't need to know that much
Well she swam away strongly
A new era on The Church eh
Nashy's thoughts on rig selection
There are three key areas I will look at and from that I will figure out the rig I want to use
Firstly I look at all the other anglers on the lake generally they will follow each other if you observe them
One is catching on X rig and they follow to have the same success as him and so it goes on so they all end up un the same type of rig or with very little variation
Another factor is that once an angler finds a rig that he has success on they don't experiment very much
So I'll be looking round the lake to see what kind of rigs people are using and then going in the opposite direction
With fishing for carp they are learning from the anglers that are fishing for them so I want to go the opposite way to an area that they haven't learn't basically
Now the next factor is strength in a rig and lack of complication I try and keep my rigs as simple as possible
The more complicated the more there is to go wrong and the more to tangle and on the strength element well I want to land them
so I don't want any that are too delicate so they might break and let me down at the most important point so strength to me is key
What I am saying there is I would sacrifice the finesse of a rig in order to land the carp there is no point for example going down to a low breaking strain line
and not being able to land them
It's worth hooking four and landing them all rather than hooking ten and landing none if you see what I mean
Hook Link
My current rigs and there are two that I am using are really focussing around the hook link that's where I am making the difference and the changes
In recent years there has been a big swing towards plastic coated hook links I've never actually got on the bandwagon
Those of you that have read my articles will know I have regularly said that I use Armourbraid which is a very strong and abrasion-resistant braid
and it is supple so that is where I was going a different way and getting an edge
For the last couple of years we have been developing a new version of it called Armourlink
I love the stuff its really smooth and so easy to work with but its so heavy as well that's what we wanted to do to achieve the heaviest hook link on the market
and I think we have done that with the Armourlink so I'll show you my current rig that I am tying with this
First I have got this loop on the end instead of a link clip or quick-change swivel and I just loop it through a swivel job done
I do like snowman setups I like it when the carp can easily suck it up into its mouth
I don't like the rig wafting around round its mouth and head so if you like I am making a super-weighted hook link with the little blobs of Cling-on putty
I take a lot of pride in tying a nice neat rig I suppose it is the engineer in me and it pleases me when they look
really neat and these little kickers I use help that
That is one of our products called the Hooklink Sleeve Slim I just cut them in half and look how neatly that fits over the eye
and then we come to the hook which is the Twister the only hook in the world to use in my opinion
Another little difference I make back here this is my Blowback Rig it slides back as you can see
Now the tube that I use is 0.75mm anti-tangle tube and its a lovely fit and it last for ages it'll outlast the rig
I'll talk about Blowback Rigs while I am here
The key to the Blowback rig is that when the carp blows the pivot point goes back and it can never return
If it can return then it is very easy for the carp to suck on the bait and the hook point to be dislodged and it will come out
If the tube is blown back and can't return then when the carp sucks the hook is tipped up so the hook pivots and it can't get a straight line
to pull the point of the hook out
That is the essence of the Blowback Rig its a simple rig and it still works
I've been using it for twenty years now and I'm still catching loads of carp so I know it is very efficient
Until I see it failing to work then I don't see any point in changing
Every time I tie a rig I do my palm test all I do is just drag the rig across my palm
I'm looking for two things I'm looking for as soon as I straighten up the hook link for the hook to turn and dig in
If it doesn't do it I will mess around with the rig until I get it right it might just be where the base of the tube is
and the other thing that I am looking for is that as soon as it digs into my hand that the hook is sharp enough to hold there
You instinctively know that as soon as the hook turns and you feel it catch thats when you stop pulling and you hold your hand up like that and the hook should be hanging off
If it falls off I'll take out my diamond file and just give it the most subtle of polishes and that brings it back to super sharp again
Triggalink
My other current rig that I'm going to show you is actually a rig that I think I first showed six years ago
Triggalink is a major rig edge and its a major rig edge for one reason and that is everyone hasn't piled into it
So what is Triggalink about for those of you that don't know
Basically it is a hook link that has PVA woven into it as well as elastic if you have elastic in your rig it can be so difficult to tie accurately and to length
The PVA locks the hook link so it doesn't stretch so you can accurately tie the hook link to the rig you want and the length you want
Then as soon as you immerse it in water the PVA melts and now you have a stretchy hook link
The stretchiness does so many things
You may notice that you start to get a lot of twitchy takes with the bobbin bouncing up and down rather than just screamers
and that is because they have been hooked up and this by the way is a fish that doesn't normally scream off it is the one that you would never have known was even on your rig
It takes in the bait and gets pricked and though it is caught up thinks it knows how to get off but it can't because it is in effect hanging form a bit of knicker elastic
The other advantage is that it is a great boom for stopping hooks being pulled out when you are floater fishing or in deep weed
I'm not going to go into that as its a complex subject but trust me if you are fishing a weedy lake and getting a lot of hook pulls
try a Triggalink hook link
But mainly for me it is for use on the ultra rig wary carp waters it's a massive edge
So how do I tie it
I have a length of Triggalink of about eight inches
Its a little bit longer than my normal rigs the standard length that is before I start messing around but I think you need a little bit more Triggalink so you have enough stretch in it
and then I combo it to a bit of the Armourlink on the front tt's just a personal thing I just want that finer bit at the end with plenty of movement
I've got my little kicker the Twister and the Snowman rig
The Triggalink is a bit bright and a bit thick we can't deal with the thick side because it has PVA and elastic in it
but if you get a bit of clay and rub that down it then you can really dull it down to the bottom
If its a silty bottom just mix the clay up with some black silt and it disappears
So there you go the two rigs I'm on at the moment and I'm happy with them and catching loads of carp
Saw a couple of fish moving out of this bay so I've moved round and I'm into a rather plodding Church Lake carp
There you go
Thirty-three pounds twelve ounces
Big smile for me
Now please stay calm for a minute darling and you can go back
Go on girl
Well what a beautiful fish this is Basil from Church Lake in Essex and at 30lbs 8oz I'm seriously made up
I had two or three bleeps on my Siren and I ran straight over
With a lot of indicator systems on the market you would ignore that small number of bleeps thinking it was wind, undertow or weed on the line
With the Sirens I know that when I get a bleep its because something is genuinely happening out there
I'm going to get this slipped back and just have a quick chat to you about the Sirens
What a beautiful fish
Lovely
The Sirens have been out for the last couple of years now I've been lucky enough to use them for the last four years so I've been there
right from the early days of testing and development
Don't get me wrong we've had our teething problems along the way you have those with all products but they really are an exceptional product
We have and lots of letters of praise and a number of guys phoning in or writing to tell us that they have made a vast difference to their angling
Why? Its down to the sensitivity system that we use inside
Now with a lot of other bite alarms on the market if the conditions start to deteriorate with wind rain and increased undertow
and you are getting false indications you have to desensitise your alarm
By that I mean more line has to be pulled before you actually get a beep
Now in the instance of a fish picking up the rig and sucking and blowing on the spot there is a chance that it can get rid of the lead
without you even knowing you've had a bite using other indicator systems because you have had to desensitise them so much
not with the Sirens I can always fish at maximum sensitivity
That means that whenever that lead moves or as soon as the fish picks up the rig I know about it and I don't have to listen to all those annoying beeps in between my takes
If you haven't looked at them already check out the Sirens guys they really are a great bit of kit
Well I've got a nice fish on here
Its a really beautiful carp
It doesn't want to come up now does it
38lb 4oz
What a fish 38lb 4oz such an impressive carp
I certainly can't claim that the reason that I caught this is because I'm so organised but I can be sure it has helped
I'm going to get this one slipped back and as I said I'm going to go and sit by the bivvy and run through some of my favourite bits in the Boxlogic range
Storing our tackle and other bits is something as anglers we have all got to deal with and the Boxlogic system really helps with that
Its a large range that really caters for any angling requirement
I'm going to kick off with the TT Rig Station its our blockbuster product within the Boxlogic range
Its a large dedicated tackle box with legs that doubles up as a bivvy table there are bolt-ons that can be attached to the side
A needle box and a critical balancing tank so you can test your rigs
Internally you have so many various compartments to store all your bits
At the front of the box there is a draw that can be pulled out to store your rigs
The next box down from that size-wise is the Tackle Station similar in design but a little bit smaller
You have two draws underneath that can be used to store bits
There is a large area in the tackle box itself that is broken up into various compartments that you can configure to your own design
and you can also use it as a bivvy table as it has got folding legs
and the final large box within the Boxlogic range is the Bivvy Box Table
Its been specifically designed round the Medium Tackle Box
Again it doubles up as a bivvy table the tackle box can be stored inside and there is a drawer to keep other accessories
They are the larger boxes but as well as that we do two standard boxes one medium box and one large box
Bog standard tackle boxes but built to a high standard and they will last
As well as that there are also various smaller boxes and accessories that can be fitted inside any of the larger boxes just described
We also do a couple of Bivvy tables
The first one The Bivvy Table is just that
It is a great little table to fit inside your bivvy but it is a little bit more than that just like the TT Rig Station you can also build bits onto the side of this
One being the Critical Balancing tank and the other being a Needle Box
On the front of the Bivvy Table there are also rig retaining loops where you can keep ready-tied rigs
in a nice easy accessible place for when you want to change your rig maybe after catching a fish
As well as the standard sized bivvy table we have also got the Bank Table
You could get a TV on it you could eat off it I do a lot of general fishing and it is great for putting bait boxes on it
With all that said I really should talk about what I like to use and I like the Softbox XL and I'm going to show you just why now
So this is it the Softbox XL we also do a smaller version the standard Softbox
But for the amount of tackle I take I've had to use this larger one
If we open up this first compartment you can see I've got everything nicely organised inside
I've got my PVA I've got my needle box with all my needles and hair stops inside
Lots of other baiting tools in here hook sharpeners scissors forceps
'Leathermans' Multi Tool
On this side here I've got all my hooks they fit nice and neatly in there some PVA and PVA tape
and then over here I have got various small compartment boxes some slim some shallow
And here I have got the Chod Box which you have probably seen before a great little box for keeping your chods neat and nicely curved inside
Some of the other smaller boxes have different compartments and its really about you configuring it to how you want
This is a three compartment Slim Box for example and I have got all my shrink tube and silicone tube in that
Here we have one with beads in this is a Shallow 6
Another slim one here this is a Slim 8 that has all my swivels and metalware it just allows you to be so organised and efficient
Whether that is efficient in getting another rig back out on the spot quickly because the fish are feeding
or efficient as in just knowing where everything is when you want to tie a rig
If I flip over to the other side and unzip this compartment firstly you have a rig board
I can keep any rigs I wish to neatly and stretched out on this
And here we have a number of wallets
Now I use these as a dumping ground when I am changing my rig for instance at the start of a new session
and I dump all my old and used rigs in here
when I get a spare moment I will strip them down and salvage the components which I can use for future fishing
Then in the final compartment I have got a Medium Tackle Box
If we open this up I'll flip it round so you can see
I've got various hook links and tubing and other rig bits in there with some leadcore down the side
So as you can see one Softbox XL and I have got absolutely every bit of terminal tackle I need inside it
Not little pouches for this and that
Well I say that there is one more pouch I want to show you and that is my dedicated lead pouch
This is the Lead Box Deluxe and I keep all my leads inside it just so they are not rattling about and smashing things up inside with the rest of my terminal tackle
If I flip it open you have a compartment at the top where I keep all my back leads
and then some smaller pouches that allow you to separate you leads
For example in one I will have inlines in another I will have Long Rangers or flat pears and again it allows me to be organised
I don't have to rummage through loads of leads to find what I'm after I can just take out one pouch and grab the lead I need
and just finally guys there is one more product I want to point out to you and that is the Uni Rig Bin
It is a dedicated product specifically designed for zig rigs but you can store any supple hook link rigs on it
It allows you to wrap any length of zig rig round it put it under a bit of tension and then pin it in place
Great for zig rigs great for long floater hook links
Sometimes I wrap a wire trace round it if I am fishing a water with the chance of a big pike
So all in all a versatile product
As I said at the start of this piece with that beautiful carp being organised is important in your angling
and for sure if you can get yourself organised so you understand and know where everything is
It will help you put a few extra fish on the bank
By Kevin Nash
Memoirs Of A Carp Fisher - The Demon Eye
"Consumed by carp? This book is for you"
"You can't help buy be informed, amused and shocked by what Kevin reveals"
"Plenty of rigs, baits and tactics to keep anyone happy!
"This book drops bomb shells that will have many huffing and puffing"
I was buzzing and my head was filled with the potential of my discovery
Get out of here and get your gear off my lake
He warned me to be careful and wind in my third rod when other club members turned up. Now that's what I call a bailiff!
A lucky escape from the Gardes de Pêche, but a carp captured!
Nothing was going to stop me and with torn clothes and flesh ripped to shreds I was soon over it and sorting my rod out
I've never met an angler who dedicated his life to chasing big bream, but I would like the opportunity to see the psychiatric report
Khan, my doberman was in his element, scaring the s**t out of the most bizarre looking little man
Our nutter friend murdered his mum
Apparently the Colne Valley goddess fancied me
This carp is a bit bigger than you think, my son
Memoirs Of A Carp Fisher - The Demon Eye by Kevin Nash
"A carp man's carp book"
Order now from: www.tunarollpublications.co.uk
Looking back its been a great year
Hard work but I've really enjoyed working and fishing with Alan especially
That started in the winter and we fished a club lake right through the deepest darkest nights of winter
There were two reasons for that we wanted to do the final testing on the Purple Monster Squid
Give us a smile
He wanted to get back probably after some more 'Purple Patch'
The other reason fishing through the coldest months was I wanted to test technology like the curtains I showed you earlier on the sleeping bag
and the only way to do those sorts of tests is to go out there and do it properly so I learnt a lot from my winter's fishing
Have you got a carp?
I think mine is bigger than yours
I hope it isn't as they are your rods
Of course it is...and a pretty one
Yeah
Well done Alan
Look at this beautiful linear
and a nice little stockie
As far as I'm concerned any carp in Winter is a goodun
Cold Winter's carp
Other side?
Tilt his tail up
Got water on your face?
I'm getting showered
Awesome Winter brace look at that two beauties with water running down my nose oh well
"WE DIDN'T BLANK"
But I was looking forward to spring and I was so happy when the sun came out for a little while anyway
The Zig Bug testing and fishing was very interesting the proof was that big common in less than 22 hours fishing
Then I was onto the Big Pit my kind of fishing
Uncaught fish not knowing where to start it was really challenging
and I absolutely loved it
It came to kind of an abrupt end but I am pleased to say our misunderstandings have been sorted and we are back on there
Its been such a busy summer finishing off my book
I so enjoyed writing the book it taught me a lot about myself to be honest
Tackle-wise what are the big moments for me the blockbusters again I think Nash have pulled it out of the bag in terms of innovation
The biggest has got to be the Scope and Dwarf rods
I really think Scope rods are the future along with any rod where you can minimise the pack length
Zed Beds are the start of things to come I think with the doing away of hand wheels
Titan Brollys the Titan One and Two I especially like the Two because of the height and I think that will appeal to a lot of anglers
and talking of height the new Tallboy bedchair
Also I have to mention the Cybershot throwing stick the idea came from a dear old friend of mine Kerry Barringer
who has been on the scene for years a Savay member who really knows his stuff so thanks to Kerry for giving us that one
Its a wicked stick and nothing can go as far and so accurately and it won't kill your arm
I've got a take
Well I was just about to go home I've had enough of this filming and then I go and get a take
What a lovely way to end my first session on the Church for two years
What a great way to end this years DVD
We have just been looking at this fish and we don't recognise her she's a bit lively too
She has got a damaged dorsal an old wound and as I said none of us know this fish so that would be great if it is a new fish from the Church
Anyway I'm happy with that
We'll slip her back but before I do I'd just like to say thanks to everyone for watching this and thanks for being customers of Nash and supporting us
See you all next year