This blog post comes courtesy of Chris Currie from Nash Tackle, sharing his 'go to' method for landing big carp during the winter months.

ONE ‘go to’ method that dominates carp sport throughout the winter months on many venues is maggot fishing.

I devote the harshest winter months to higher stocked lakes with my son and many a cold day has the rod hooped over multiple times whilst many around me sit without any action on boilie tactics.

Be in no doubt, maggots beat boilies hands down.

I’ve had some surprising results whilst targeting perch with maggots that has led me to rethink my approach for winter carp. They are my first choice winter carp bait rather than a get out of jail card.

I’ve found red maggots are better than whites after a few side by side trials although I feel the stimulatory properties of them being alive is far more important than colour.

Juicing up maggots for carp

Maggots can be easily improved with additives, and I’ve found you can add a surprising amount of liquid.

I use between 25ml and 75ml of liquid soaks to a couple of pints depending on the strength of the liquid.

I soak in three stages firstly the night before say 25ml which gives the maggots a chance to draw in the liquid.

Then another 25ml is added in the morning before I leave for the lake or river.

Depending on the length of the session maybe another 25ml is added when they look to have soaked up the liquid in the bucket.

Keeping them well dosed keeps the maggots in tip top condition as well and when they pop they smell of the liquid.

4G squid powder dusted maggots

If you’re using a certain flavour boilie on the venue try using the matching glug from that boilie as at least it will give the fish a taste of the same flavour.

My favourites are TG Active liquid bait soak, Tandoori Shrimp or the Instant Action Boosters especially Crab and Krill. These have all produced some nice carp on the coldest of days.

Powdering your maggots is something that many matchmen do but carpers seem to keep away from.  Believe me it gives them a real edge. Strong olfactory stimulants like garlic powder or 4G Squid Extract are proven winners and have produced steady action for me on some surprisingly awful winter days.

Applying maggots for carp

The practical problem with maggots is they can quickly crawl away under the sediment layer on the bottom of the lake, although colder water temperatures tend to stun them and slow them up slightly.

I’ve found that killing them can keep them in a tight grouping and especially important if you are fishing a tight little spot.

The ideal tactic is to cover the maggots with cold water to just above the main bulk and slowly but surely add boiling water to the cold water raising the temperature until they are dead.

Don’t be tempted to add boiling water straight to them as they go all mushy and pasty looking rendering them unusable.

If fishing close in, a scoop on the end of a pole can be handy for feeding. These ones have been dusted in garlic powder!

Dead maggots I will Spomb or spoon out to the spot getting the bulk of them out there and then using a PVA bag of live maggots nicked on the hook before casting.

Don’t be tempted in cold weather to glug the bag in liquid before casting as this prolongs the breakdown time of the PVA considerably.

On higher stocked lakes feeding dead maggots on a little and often basis keeps a swim alive and helps eventually draw the fish into the spot, the constant activity really helps stir fish up.

A neat PVA bag of maggots.

An edge that has produced well for me is to combine the maggots with groats, this not only helps spread the cost of constantly feeding lots of maggots throughout a session.

The groats also take on flavour really well so if you combine the maggots with the groats and add your chosen liquid food this will soak in as well and the whitish colouration and size matches the maggots well.

Maggots might be the best winter carp bait of all but that doesn’t mean they can’t be improved, or you can’t fish them better than the other guys on your fishery – a little bit of effort and thought makes them even more deadly.

Winter carping with my son – and a 16lb carp.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – and be sure to read the new Carp Crew section in Angler’s Mail magazine for exclusive carp features every week!

ANGLER'S MAIL guru Colin Davidson, part of the magazine's talked-about new Carp Crew section, looks closely at carp fishing hair rigs...

THE hair rig remains the biggest advancement carp angling has ever seen, and although other tactical developments such as maggot fishing, understanding zigs and even choddies have made their mark on the sport – there will never be a repeat of the circumstances again that allow a new rig idea to have the impact that the hair did in the 1980s.

For all that, we are more capable today than ever at catching carp in all conditions and through all the seasons, I still wonder how we arrived at rigs that actually seem to be a long way removed from the principle of the hair.

Carp rigs today are mostly short, aggressive and aiming for instant hooking. Where the hair rig came from was in the opposite direction – you don’t know I’m any different from every free offering you’ve picked up.

I’ve learned from once whipping on dental floss hairs in the late 80s to the knotless knots and fast turning rigs of today…

The hair got its name from Kevin Maddocks and Lenny Middleton using strands of human hair to attach baits to, so carp were unable to differentiate them from the free offerings because the ‘hair’ was so fine and so supple.

Very light mono quickly became the material of choice with one to two inches of hair between bait and hook. It was deadly and many carpers suddenly caught more carp in one session than the entire previous season. The bait wasn’t attached to thick wiry line and the hook didn’t have to be struck through a skinned bait any more.

The secret got out widely in the early 80s, this diagram appearing in Andy Little’s Guide to Big Carp Fishing a few seasons later.

Compare that with where we have arrived at today. This rig, or something very similar is to be found on more rods at any one time being cast into carp fisheries than any other. Where has the ‘hair’ gone?

We are using bare hook rigs, but not using the original principle of the hair rig. Any hair on a modern rig tends to be a convenient way of mounting a bait rather than an attempt to dissociate the bait from the hook.

Most modern rigs are designed to see a hook turn and instantly catch in a carp’s mouth as soon as the bait is taken into the mouth.

I’ll revisit this topic again soon!

ANGLER’S MAIL MAGAZINE now has a bumper Carp Crew section. Be sure to read it each week for cutting-edge advice and insight into the carp scene.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email pictures to anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the weekly magazine!

WONDERING what tactics you should use to catch quickly in the colder months?
Catch carp in double quick time with these 8 winter carp tips from Angler's Mail columnist Colin Davidson - and read the mag's new Carp Crew section for top weekly coverage.

On to a winner

Most carpers accept that because winter is a difficult time to catch carp, there is a strong argument for seeking out more generously stocked venues to enjoy a bit of sport, rather than sitting it out for months on venues where you might realistically blank for four months.

Catching carp is why we go carp fishing, so check out the Angler’s Mail magazine Where to Fish guide and put yourself on a venue where carp are being caught regularly. The fish might be smaller than on your usual venues but if you are catching you should be enjoying, and also learning. What’s not to like?

Fast action with pop-ups

Pop-ups come into their own in colder weather, standing out more to nearby carp than baits on the bottom. They also offer presentation advantages.

Where autumn winds have left areas of the lake bed covered with leaves and fallen twigs or weed is dying back a bottom bait rig is often hopeless. A good pop-up rig can be cast almost anywhere and stands a good chance of presenting a hook bait effectively. Pop-ups tend to get a fast response – carp often taking them quickly if they land nearby.

The ultimate winter bait

If numbers of nuisance fish allow, maggots are the ultimate winter carp bait. No matter how foul the weather, carp continue to eat maggots with enthusiasm, and on the right venue they can give you the sport of your life even when a pop-up or boilie might produce little or no interest.

Learn to fish the Mag-Aligner, with a thumping great PVA bag of maggots and two grubs nicked direct on a very small hook. If you can find waters where you aren’t pestered by roach and perch, your winter carp fishing will never be the same again.

Be prepared to move

The difference between going home with a carp or two under your belt and sitting getting cold and fed up is often just being prepared to move swims.

On fisheries containing good numbers of carp, if your indicators have shown no signs of life and you have seen no signs of carp, there’s a good chance you’re not in a swim containing any fish. Always be prepared to move swims, especially if active carp can be seen elsewhere.

This is one my my key winter carp tips. You can catch a carp in minutes in the right spot, but waste days and days in the wrong swim.

Night-time highs

Are you a weather watcher? It’s never set in stone how carp will react to conditions. Sometimes the most awful cold winds from the east and north can see carp go on the feed. But generally, the milder or more settled the weather the better your chances, so picking your times to fish is common sense.

The golden rule isn’t to check daytime temperatures it’s to study the night-time lows. If you have a milder night or two it’s odds on the carp will respond and be much more catchable without the crippling temperature drops.

Watch out for line bites

Your indicators are a vital tool in tracking down where you might catch winter carp. Even when carp aren’t active and showing, they have to be sat somewhere. Your main line becomes a brilliant location tool, because it stretches through large areas of the lake, and if it settles amongst a number of carp you will get line bites. Fish your indicators slack, and always watch very carefully where the line enters the water after you sink the line following a recast. If there is any pulling tight and dropping slack your line is running through an area carp are sitting in numbers. Sandwich the area either side with your other rods!

Look and listen

You might not be catching but what else goes on around you can be a big help tracking down and catching winter carp. Have you seen anyone else catching carp? Have you heard about any captures recently? A fishery boss, bailiff or fellow carper on the bank can give you quite a lot of information that might help you pick a peg with a bit more winter form, rather than playing the guesswork game by yourself. Some areas of lakes do produce in cold weather, others are much less reliable. Look, listen and find out which is which.

Fab fluoros

Heavily used they may be, but it’s impossible to ignore the ability of bright, fluoro baits to catch carp. They work all year but when the temperatures are low, bright, highly flavoured pop-ups can be enough to bring some interest from fish that ignore other offerings.

The killer colours are white and bright pink – neither tend to wash out or lose their colour in water, meaning they are still nice and bright to attract an interested carp even if you leave them out all night.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email pictures and details to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the weekly Angler’s Mail magazine.

GET MORE CARP TIPS EVERY WEEK IN ANGLER’S MAIL MAGAZINE!

ANGLER'S MAIL provides brilliant advice and tips. Here Colin Davidson, part of the magazine's new Carp Crew, looks closely at carp fishing hair rigs. The hair rig remains the biggest advancement carp angling has ever seen, but we’ve changed how we use it...

1. When you’re floater fishing, the refusals or near misses you get tend to be split firmly into two categories – the first being carp shying away from the hook bait when they are still anything from a couple of feet to a few inches away, where they have either seen the hook or don’t like the way it is behaving or sitting. But you also regularly see carp mouth a bait and absolutely instantly spit it. A carp can’t see the bait when it takes it, so their sense of taste and touch are telling them the hook is there. They are either tasting or feeling it or both. Keep that firmly in mind.

2. Separating the hook from the bait has to be a good thing, and on bottom bait rigs my hairs are up to two inches between hook and base of bait. It’s a principle, by taking the dangerous object away from the bait a carp has nothing to feel or taste when it picks up the hook bait and is much more likely to take it back into the mouth confidently like all the free boilies it has picked up. It’s a confidence trick, the only important bit of the rig is the fact that the hook is separated from the bait. The lead, trace material, hook – they almost become irrelevant because the carp is committed to eating the bait because it treats it is safe.

3. So why are presentations like the chod rig with no hair so effective? With a pop-up the hook is held up above the lake bed and is in a position to take hold in a carp’s mouth as soon as it commits to taking the bait into the mouth. Rigs like the chod where the curve of the stiff link material behind the hook combined with rings and even micro swivels allows the hook to spin very freely underneath the bait. Where the hair was designed as a confidence trick, rigs like this are mugging rigs with the bait and the hook made effectively the same thing, you can’t have one without the other.

4. I prefer a supple hair to give maximum separation between any bait fished on the bottom and the hook. I’m not convinced you need to use light mono or dedicated fine hair materials to construct a hair rig, and suspect it is the absence of the hook rather than detecting the material itself that makes the difference. I also find lighter hairs are more troublesome snapping and damaging hook baits. The fine smooth core of many coated braids works fine for me as a hair. Only when you start getting to the really heavy 25-35 lb link materials do I worry that the hair is a bit thick and obvious.

5. I’ve known people who have caught stacks of carp on stiff hairs and even very long, stiff hairs whipped from fluorocarbon and heavy mono – which again suggests it is distancing the hook from the bait that is the winning formula. I can’t fish stiff hairs like fluorocarbon confidently because there’s a strong possibility the hook can be sitting awkwardly when the rig lands and could be turned point up, suspended off bottom and all sorts. I know it works for some but I can’t see why I’d want to risk that.

6. Hair exit points continue to cause debate, although the carp world has almost universally settled on the hair leaving the hook at the top of the point so the hook is encouraged to turn fast as the link is tightened. But the KD rig with the hair exiting just above the eye catches bundles as well. I still can’t say I’ve noticed any massive difference in results one way or the other, and catch plenty on KD style rigs when bag fishing, and plenty on boilie presentations with the hair leaving close to the point trapped by some rig tube.

7. One significant problem is the potential for longer hairs to tangle. I love long hairs for catching carp, I don’t like the fact they take a bit more attention to ensure they don’t twist back around behind the hook and leave you with a duff presentation. A KD rig will always be pulled back into a PVA bag or have the hair trapped to the hook shank with a dissolving nugget of foam. A presentation with the hair trapped above the point is extremely tangle proof even without a bag or stick, and therefore easier to use.

8. One of the more recent developments and really useful to have in your box are the extenda style hair stops. They are available from numbers of manufacturers, and allow you to lengthen your hair instantly by using a longer hair stop pulled down into the hook bait. Even just for the flexibility of changing size and shape of your hook bait without needing a different rig with a slightly longer hair they are invaluable. You can go from presenting one bottom bait to a snowman by adding a medium or large extenda stop and retain the same hair length.

9. Another neat little hair related rig bit is the Fox Anti Bore Bait Inserts. Based around the same principle as a pole tip bush, they are trimmed to suit your hook bait and pushed inside the bait to stop the hair material coming out the base of a boilie on the retrieve. I’ve not used them but they are a clever idea. A dedicated drill to produce the hole required to slide them into a bait would be a welcome addition I’m sure.

ANGLER’S MAIL MAGAZINE now has a bumper Carp Crew section. Be sure to read it each week for cutting-edge advice and insight into the carp scene.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email pictures to anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the weekly magazine!

PROLOGIC are a carp tackle brand on a mission to make an impression in the UK this year - and they've made a big move by taking on Adam Penning.

Adam has presented various fishing programs for the likes of Sky Sports and appearing regularly in many  publications including Angler’s Mail.

With 20 years spent working in the trade, Adam brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the Prologic team.

He will be heavily involved throughout future product development; notably, the expansion of Prologic’s new Last Meter range of terminal tackle.

Adam said: “The carp fishing scene has expanded so far beyond the seeds sown in the UK that it is now a global pursuit. When the opportunity arose to work closely with a big, pan European company that has a solid, long term and reliable reputation, it was a logical and progressive step to take.

“Prologic continues to build a firm following by offering products that form practical solutions to the vast majority of carp angling situations.

“My own role is not simply to be ‘frontline’ but also behind the scenes, heavily involved in product design and testing. This aspect greatly appealed as most ‘consultancy’ roles are nothing of the sort!

“I am looking forward to helping the brand develop in the UK while also expanding my own angling across some of the mighty European venues – there are certainly some exciting times ahead and I am delighted to be aboard!”

Prologic Product and Brand Manager, Enrico Parmeggiani said: “This is a huge leap forward for Prologic and one that I feel extremely positive about.

“Product and brand development is something that I’ve undertaken solely over the past 5-years, so to have such an experienced consultant on board in Adam Penning, the research, development and testing process of all future products will receive a major boost.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with Adam on some exciting new projects we have scheduled for the near future.”

Be sure to read Angler’s Mail magazine every week for top carp fishing coverage including the brilliant new Carp Crew section, packed with expert advice.

STRUGGLING to catch a few now we’re into single-figure and sometimes sub-zero temperatures?

Location becomes more and more important as carp shoal up more tightly and spend less time active and moving around a venue.

Here’s a few helpers from Angler's Mail ace Colin Davidson to try and get your baits in front of a fish.

Surface signs

Keep your eyes peeled at all times for signs of carp showing. On most waters with a reasonable head of carp there will still be odd shows in all but the most vile conditions.

There’s only so many ways and so many times you can make the point that the carpers who look for signs of carp will see them and those who sit inside a bivvy with the radio on or make round after round of tea and socialise are more likely to miss those clues.

First light often sees odd carp rolling or head and shouldering, and late in the day and after dark is a consistent period for carp to give away their whereabouts. Wherever carp show themselves you need to be fishing.

Just one carp showing can put you on to an area that contains dozens or on some venues hundreds of carp. Recast baits where carp are showing or move swims!

Calm carpy water

Wind direction tends to play much less a part in dictating where carp want to be through the colder months, other than as a rule they will be sat off the back of cold winds where the water is chilled less.

Avoid fishing with the wind in your face as you would often choose to through the summer. Big winds and milder weather do move carp around more, but I’ve found over the years it simply tends to make carp more catchable and responsive where they are already sat rather than encourage them to be right down in the teeth of it.

Middle diddle

Many times we have no clues where to start on venues, so if there are no signs of carp showing and nothing else to go on, try and pick a swim that offers as big a panorama as possible to view the water all over the lake. You will be much more likely to see carp when they do give themselves away.

Being tucked in a tiny corner swim is fine if you know there are carp about, but they also mean carp can be showing where you can’t see them. Swims that offer good visibility also tend to access more water giving

Safely snaggy

Carp behave differently on all waters but on smaller venues where there is any amount of cover the best starting point is to look around snaggy areas.

They are a magnet to winter carp, and even smaller fallen trees or areas of tree line and inaccessible overhang can harbour dozens of fish.

Look for the biggest areas of woodwork in the water and try baits tucked tight up against them. Carp will happily spend much of their time in the winter in and around snag trees even when the water around them is shallow.

If there are numbers of snaggy areas and margin bushes and overhangs, try baiting all of them and dropping rods in each spot in rotation, covering a lot of water quickly and often resulting in very quick captures.

Last out

If you aren’t catching, keep an eye on where carp have been caught from recently. Often carp will be localised in one or two areas and plugging away in favourite swims is daft if the only fish being caught are from specific places.

You don’t have to jump in a swim every time you hear someone has caught a fish from it, but mentally noting where fish are still being caught can help you narrow down the best areas.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in top weekly, Angler’s Mail magazine.

Angler’s Mail news editor Thomas Petch (pictured) reveals some of the key tips for winter carp fishing. Share the blog with friends on Facebook and Twitter by clicking icons above, or simply by telling people!

CARP  fishing can by tricky in the winter but there’s still plenty of action to had, especially on well stocked water.

But “runs waters” can still be brilliant for catching carp in the colder months and you can still get good hits of double-figure fish… and bigger.

Here’s 10 top tips for catching carp on well stocked waters this winter:

• Boilies, especially well dipped or proven winter catchers like frozen Richworth Tutti Frutti boilies, can be deadly.
• Both fishmeals and fruity boilies can work – experiment to see what they’re on at your water.
• Single hookbaits are deadly, anmd yes some angler go down in bait size (like the Tutti minis below)… but don’t be afraid to feed the odd bait or two, especially when packing up so the fish are feeding on them when you’re not there.
• Carp will still go into shallower swims when mild and in strong sunshine, but deeper swims are normally the best bet.

• Carp have been caught all year so do try a different hookbait to what they have been offered all season. I’ve often had good winter success offering two 15 mm boilies baits on the hook, as standard or as a snowmen with one bottom bait and one pop-up.
• If you are NOT fishing snaggy swims, refine your terminal tackle and go for 8-10 lb long nylon traces, and match your bait to the hook size, always keeping it as fine as practical. A size 8 wide gape hook is normally fine for double 15 mm hookbaits, but go down to size 10 and 12s for smaller offerings.
• Discard big heavy semi-fixed bolt rigs and try 1-2 oz running leads depending on your distance fished.
• Give your hookbait a boost by adding PVA bags of boilies and break them up. Don’t add pellets as you don’t want the carp starting to favour those.
• Bottom debris can start to be a pain with dead weed and washed in leaves so pop-up boilies can start coming into their own too.
• I’ve found carp on well stocked waters often leave the margins as it gets colder unless they are deep, but you can find the odd bigger fish later on in the day or at night close in.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email pictures and details to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could appear in the weekly magazine. Also be sure to read the magazine for top tips, including a new Carp Crew section.

PAUL WYATT tempted the second biggest carp of the year with this tremendous 53 lb 12 oz mirror from Berkshire’s whacker water Wellington Country Park.

The Basingstoke, Hampshire rod used Urban Baits Nutcracker boilies with a snowman presentation at 90 yards.

At the time he caught it, Paul’s catch was only bettered in Britain during 2016 by the British record breaking 68 lb 1 oz carp from the Wasing Estate, also in Berkshire.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

FRYERNING FISHERIES Main Lake in Essex has been on fire in 2016 and latest to catch a lump is James Ellis who had this jumbo mirror carp.

The 36-year-old roofer, from Edgware, North West London,  landed the giant, called Gurm, at 53 lb 8 oz plus another of 43 lb 7 oz.

He used Nash Key boilies in a small mesh bag of broken baits plus 50 freebies of varying size at 60 yards in silt.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

GAVIN NEAL set a new venue record on St. John’s Pool with this superb 48 lb 4 oz fish called The Box Common. It's the biggest common caught so far at the Linear Fisheries' water in Oxfordshire.

Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire-based Gavin used a Blakes Baits strawberry boilie over a Spombed 5 Kg area at 80 yards.

St. Johns, an 18 acre former gravel pit, is one of the most famous day ticket waters in the country. And it’s one of the very best if you like big fish.

A majority of its carp are in excess of 20 lb with at least 40  in excess of 30lb. Many of these bigger fish have been caught at over 36 lb and at the right time of the year at least seven of them have been recorded in excess of 40 lb.

Linear say: “St. Johns, along with Manor Farm Lake for their sizes, could possibly be amongst the most prolific twenties and thirties day ticket waters in the country and with the carp in both lakes continuing to grow, Linear expect the waters to produce even bigger fish in the future.

“Linear is continuing a stocking policy on St. John’s that has seen 300 good size carp introduced over the last three years – the continuing plan is to introduce at least another 20 selected fish from their stock waters this year. ”

Catfish also feature at St. Johns, pike to over 20 lb have been caught recently, tench run to over 12 lb and bream of over 15 lb have been recorded.

Linear Fisheries’ day only fishing – (applying when gates are open: 8am-9pm March-Sept and 8am-6pm Oct-Feb) apply to all day tickets waters except Hunts Corner Lake and Pond. They are: 1 rod  £7; 2 rods £15; 3 rods £18. 24-hour tickets are 1 rod £9 (from April 1st 2016 £10; 2 rods £22 (from April 1st 2016 £22.50); 3 rods £28 (from April 1st 2016 £28.50).

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

THE 2016 Nash DVD was launched to the instant acclaim of anglers in Britain and across Europe. To watch it right now, at your leisure, Angler's Mail is pleased to share it with you online - so click below, and enjoy!

The men behind the epic FOUR-HOUR 2016 Nash DVD said: “With more action, more venues, more countries, more tips, and most importantly more beautiful carp than ever before, Nash 2016 is simply our best yet.

“Presented as a series of short films, discover new bedchairs, the slick Scope Black-Ops range, great value Dwarf and H-Gun, high performance NR Toro rods and more.”

“Full length chapters come from Simon Crow recounting a year to remember on The Key®, Carl and Alex in the thick of the action as usual, Alan Blair fulfilling a dream as he visits the iconic Redmire Pool for floater adventures, and Jordan Dicks making winter fishing look easy.

“And last but not least we present the eagerly awaited feature-length EuroBanx 2. Join Alan Blair and Oli Davies reunited on an epic eight day road trip across Europe crossing seven countries and covering 3000 miles. Strap in and enjoy the ride!”

Angler’s Mail magazine has a special feature with Oli Davies – to help your carp fishing – in the magazine issue on sale Tuesday, March 15. Don’t miss it! And be sure to read our new Carp Crew section every week.

Nash also move into carp fisheries

On-screen carp angling entertainment is not the only big news from the Nash empire this spring, as Angler’s Mail magazine readers will already know. The company boss recently revealed fishery moves.

Copse and Church Lakes in Essex have been painstakingly and personally developed by Kevin Nash over 16 years and now hold probably the highest concentration of 40 and 50 lb carp of any fishery in the UK, topped by a pedigree UK 60-pounder.

Kevin Nash’s lakes in Essex open to the public this spring, as he proves the brand is not just about tackle and bait.

With access previously limited to personal invitation only and friends of Nash Tackle, the venues have been responsible for possibly more personal bests of high profile carpers than any other in the last decade.

“I’ve always considered the lakes as my place to study and research carp growth in fisheries which is one of my passions and I think we’ve made the point down there,” said Kevin who took a record brace of 50s with a 52 lb 2 oz common and a 51 lb 2 oz mirror on Riser Pellet within ten minutes of each on the Copse Lake in 2011. “There are more 50s in The Copse today than there are in most counties.

Portfolio of quality carp waters planned

“What has changed is my recognition that quality carp fisheries are not being developed in significant numbers and a lot of the ones out there are poorly run with no ability to create the right environment for carp or carp anglers – so we have started a Nash Fisheries portfolio,” Kevin explained.

“In terms of desirability The Copse has got to be the next Redmire…”

“The first step is opening a first class fishery at the new site in Royston, Cambridgeshire, and between this and digging and developing a new lake in Essex we have invested over £400,000,” he explained.

“To help continue to procure and develop fisheries The Church and Copse will be a revenue stream towards future acquisitions.”

Fishing on both venues will be on a limited numbers basis, with weekly bookings for five day Monday to Friday sessions run like carp holidays to France. The venues have 24 hour bailiffing, toilet facilities and an on site lodge with a kitchen, freezer and shower. Tackle and anglers will be carried via quad bike and trailer, both when arriving and if wishing to move swims.

Fishing is limited to April, then closing May and June for spawning, both venues opening again July to November. April sessions are being auctioned.

Read Angler’s Mail magazine every week for the best carp and coarse fishing coverage.

This helpful blog for the Angler's Mail website comes from super keen carp angler Chris Currie. He shares why he favours pellets at this time of year and reveals his top tips on how to get the best out of pellet baits.

PROPER springtime is fast approaching and many anglers will be dusting off their tackle from hibernation and venturing out. With the water still being cold it’s not a time to make mistakes with bait.

Pellets are incredibly versatile and can be bought in many different guises, micro, small, mega, flavoured, high oil, fast breakdown – lots of options.

The key is to recognise pellets are all different and use the ones appropriate to the conditions and venue.

In my work as a fish farmer, I deal with varying types of pellets to grow fish and see the fundamental make-up of each and their different application and I follow exactly the same pattern to catch fish on pellets as I do to grow fish using pellets each day.

High oil or low oil?

Trout pellets and halibut pellets are the most popular feed and bait and are extremely effective in the warmer months partly due to their high oil content (typically 15 percent or more), which the fish find extremely attractive, and offers them a readily available energy source.

A carp’s digestive system is governed like all of their bodily functions by water temperature and carp find high oil baits hard to digest in cold water.

The oil in trout and halibut pellets also tends to congeal in cold water, trapping many of the subtle food signals that the pellets would be giving out in warmer water.

If you’ve ever left a bottle of fish or vegetable oil in the garage over the winter and seen what it looks like when it congeals, that’s a very powerful image to keep inside your head.

Do you want to be fishing with a bait in the spring whose oil content can behave like this in the cold?

A pellet lower in oil say (6% oil/fat) like Hemp Pellet, Corn Steep Liquor Pellet (CSL), high attract and flavoured pellet will release food signals much more effectively at this time of year than halibuts and trouts.

Matching the pellet

Most bait companies also sell pellets to match their successful boilie recipes, typically containing the same liquid and powdered additives.

These are a big edge when the water is cold and they are invariably lower oil coarse type pellet formulas, partly for cost and also for manufacturing volume reasons.

If you’ve been regularly using a boilie on a venue that you know the carp like and you’ve caught well on then using these matching fast breakdown pellets with the same attractors is a great tactic.

They tend to be high attract, packed with nutrients and amino acids and also help with your confidence when you use boilies that smell the same.

I’ve been using The Key and the spicy TG Active pellets and on venues where they love those boilies they also love the matching pellet – easy!

A glug and a dust 

To further boost the attractive properties of my pellet mixes, I like to add a good glug of bait soak and coat the outer layer of the pellet using two differing applications of additives 12 hours apart so the pellet can really draw in the attractive liquid.

At the second stage I like to add a little powdered attractor that will literally cling to the outer sticky edge of the pellet something like 4G Squid Salt Dust or garlic powder.

Action is often much quicker than when using pellet straight out the bag. Carp respond to the improved taste and smell and it’s just too much trouble for most people to bother ‘preparing’ their pellets prior to a trip.

Mixing it up

They might be a great bait in their own right but one type of pellet straight out the bag doesn’t help you get the best out of these feeds.

Consider a mixture of sizes and colours, they have different breakdowns, tastes and smells and it all helps provide more attraction.

Mixing different pellets together does however mean buying several bags at a time, so the alternative is to buy dedicated mixes that have been pre-blended for you.

I use the Nash Micro, Small and Mega Mixes which are really convenient, just pick a bag up rather than have to shake different pellets together in a bucket in the garage!

Fryerning Fisheries in Essex is turning into one of the best waters in Britain for a 40 or 50-pounder.

Mark Shildrake tackled Freyning’s  Main Lake for The Boss, and it’s one of at least three 50s in the water.

The 53-year-old insurance broker from Chelmsford legered a boilie for the 51 lb giant.

This is a short version of the story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

CARP veteran Bill Phillips came close to beating his own canal carp record when he landed this beautiful 45 lb 4 oz fully-scaled mirror from the Kennet and Avon.

The retired 67-year-old British Carp Study Group member, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, explained: “I returned from a six-week holiday in Thailand and was keen to get down to the canal and try to catch some late winter fish, so I started to put some bait in three times a week and intended to fish one night a week.

“The first night I did produced a 19 lb common that I was well pleased with as it was my first UK fish of 2016. When I arrived for my second night it was dark, raining and blowing a gale, so I quickly chucked the rods out along with around 50 free offerings.

“The wind and rain kept me awake all night but I had no action until 5.30am when a fidgety bream-like bite got me up, and pulling into it I cussed thinking it was a big old bream as it felt heavy but wasn’t doing much. I then thought it might even be a polythene bag or other debris attached to the line, as can often be the case on this canal.

“As it came close I realised there must be a carp on the end as well as it took a bit of line, then I heaved it up and was shocked to see no debris, just a big flank which I recognised. After that I took it easy as she plodded around for a few minutes until she rolled into the net,” he said.

Giant that has reached 47 lb 2 oz before

Bill is no stranger to canal carp, and his giant as the same fish he had at 47 lb 2 oz back in June 2014. It’s is believed no bigger carp has ever been caught from the British canal.

“Thoughts of her being 50 lb raced through my head, but in no way was I disappointed with the weight and I called Rob Hughes (England carp team manager) down to take some photos as I knew he wanted to see her. Whilst he was on his way I had another take and a 22 lb 8 oz carp,” he added.

Rob was hugely impressed, and told the Mail: “It’s a stunning creature and one that I’m sure almost everyone in the country would love to catch. Seeing it in the flesh was amazing. It truly is a stunner.”

This is just a short version of the story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

WANT to catch more carp this springtime? read on for some useful advice in the form of 5 simple tips!

1. Keep your eyes peeled!

Carp on many venues are starting to show a lot now, so be sure to keep you’re eyes peeled and locate them before deciding on a swim.

Without doubt your best bet will be watching the water at either dawn or dusk.

2. Give fish some grub!

The likelihood is that when you find the fish they will be pretty hungry! If you really want to gain the fish’s confidents or aim to bag multiple fish, laying a good bed of bait really can be beneficial.

Bulk baiting can work out quite expensive, but there are cheaper alternatives, like these chops.

3. Consider using a zig

The carp are also likely to be spending a lot of time somewhere between the bottom and the surface at this time of year, so it makes sense to employ a zig-rigged bait of some kind on at least one of your rods.

Due to the tight lines associated with zig fishing, it makes sense to keep this rod as far away from any bottom bait rigs as possible. Washed Out Pop-Ups in 10mm are perfect for zigging.

4.  Smaller baits can score

At this time of year you may still be able to get away with smaller baits such as 10mm boilies. Many smaller species are still waking and won’t be interesting in too bigger mouth full.

Carp can often be a lot more confident when it comes to picking up smaller offerings, so 10mm baits are a great starting point if you can get away with them.

5. Surface layers soon

With the sun beating down soon on many waters, it is highly likely that the fish will be making their way to the surface layers.

Even though it may still seem a little chilly outside, don’t think that the carp won’t be interested in floaters as they will.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email pictures and details to: anglersmail@timeinc.com and you could get into Angler’s Mail magazine, now with a great Carp Crew section.

CARP ace Nigel Sharp has been trying to break his mirror carp personal best for nearly 20 years, and finally he succeeded with this 50 lb 8 oz chunk – on his first trip to the venue!

The former Angler’s Mail Carp Cup champion tackled a very difficult secret lake to tempt the big mirror known as Whiskers plus another called Baby Rudder at 34 lb, in quick succession.

Although it is his biggest mirror, Nigel’s carp PB stands at 52 lb 12 oz, when he ended a five-year quest for the famous Burghfield Common. He has caught numerous others over 40 lb from some of the toughest waters in the country.

Nigel, from Farnborough, Hampshire, revealed: “What makes this capture very special to me is the fact that the larger of the two fish beat my PB which had stood ever since I caught Bazil from the Yateley North Lake in April 1996 at 46 lb 10 oz!

“I’d seen showing on my arrival at the water and simply cast 70 yards towards where I’d seen them, and then over the course of the 72 hour session I introduced three kilos of boilies. I was using a throwing stick after dark to avoid disturbing the area too much, as during daylight the gulls were very problematic!” added Nigel.

Both of Nigel’s fish were landed on hinged rigs constructed from Gardner size 5 Chod hooks to Rigmarole Cam H2O hook links.

This is just a short version of the full story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

Carl Smith (below), one half of the Carl & Alex duo, works as part of the team at Nash. He's back here with a blog here for the Mail asking: how much time do you spend getting your rigs in exactly the right place rather than just ‘close enough’?

A PRIME example of the importance of accurate casting your rigs came in the sessions we did whilst trying to film for our chapter of the Nash 2016 DVD.

A number of sessions on local waters resulted in some scenic shots, plenty of carpy dialogue but completely lacked any action. It was late November and catching a carp to order was proving very tricky!

A friend of Alex’s recommended a ten acre gravel pit on the South Coast, at first glance we thought it would be a struggle but we grabbed the cameras and rods and gave it a go anyway.

We watched the water for 30 minutes or so from an area where we could see most of the lake, the wind was strong and there was a substantial ripple on the surface making fish spotting very tricky.

Just as we were beginning to think nothing would give away the carp’s location a fish stuck its head out tight to the far margin in a small snaggy bay.

That was all we needed to get set up in that swim and set to work casting our rigs tight to the far margin.

By casting short of the fish-holding feaure, paying off a little line and clipping up we edged our leads closer to the overhanging branches until we were casting exactly where the fish showed.

Once happy with our distance we wrapped the line round our Spot On Sticks and counted how many wraps so we could cast exactly the same distance again later in the day.

It’s such a simple technique but makes the world of difference to how effectively you can fish to carpy features.

Hook bait choices were TG Active bottom baits on simple braided hair rigs with 10mm Citruz pop ups on stiff hinges in case the fish were not up for feeding heavily.

We always find it can be worth fishing one of your rods on something bright because it can sometimes produce a quick bite when the carp are not really in the mood for more than a titbit.

To our surprise we had only been fishing an hour when the rod tore off, followed by another bite before the first fish had reached the net!

An immaculate common and an old mirror were held up for the camera before sending them on their way followed by a few Spombs of maggot, corn and pellet to try and keep the fish interested.

The bait really did the trick as shortly another rod was away resulting in a beautiful dark common.

The filming all went to plan and we ended the day with 11 bites and nine fish landed – a fantastic result considering it was our first session on the lake.

I returned a month later with Nash cameraman Oli Davies and fished similar tactics in a different swim.

This time I only managed two fish, but one was one of the rare mirrors and the other was a better than average common. Another great session on a rainy, windy and otherwise miserable day!

It just goes to show that landing those rigs absolutely on a sixpence can be the difference between an odd bite and lots of action or on a more difficult day the difference between getting a couple of fish or nothing at all.

Distance sticks – don’t leave home without them!

CARP In The Park, the summer festival-style carpy gathering, is back for a second year.

After a lot of rain last time, everyone will hope for better luck this time around – as the vibe generally was that Carp In The Park is a different event, and one that could grow and grow.

A giant screen will have slide shows by top carpers including Terry Hearn, Oz Holness, Dave Lane and Adam Penning. More big names will be announced soon.

Adam Penning (right) is amongst the stars lined up for Carp In The Park. Read all about his fishing in this week’s Angler’s Mail magazine.

There will q&a sessions, demos and big name tackle and bait brands galore at the vast venue – Billing Aquadrome, Northamptonshire, NN3 9DA on Saturday, July 2nd and Sunday, July 3rd.

Campers will be able to enjoy the unique festival atmosphere in and around the beer tent on the Saturday night with evening entertainment. More details at the website www.carpinthepark.co.uk

Be sure to read the new Carp Crew section in Angler’s Mail magazine every week for top carp coverage. We’ll have a look at this event too, nearer the time.

MONSTER carp specialist Warren Harrison smashed through the magic ton barrier with an amazing 101 lb 8 oz specimen on his latest trip to top Hungarian venue Euro-Aqua.

Warren, who had a brace of 90s on one of his previous visits, hooked this giant on the sixth day of his stay at the World record venue.

It’s not the same fish which last year took the World record carp title at 105 lb 13 oz – Euro-Aqua’s second leviathan to claim the ultimate heavyweight crown.

Warren explained: “I’ve now caught carp in every weight from 20 lb right through to a 100 in there and I think I’m the only person to catch three carp over 90 lb.

“I had baited the swim 120 yards out with two kilos of Mainline cell and hybrid boilies daily and left the fish to have a free feed before casting to the area. The first cast produced a take from the huge specimen.

“It gave a slow run then moved off steadily to the left, and then put up solid resistance for a full 30 minutes before slipping into the net. Incredibly I have never caught this particular fish before.”

Pest controller Warren, 54, from Manchester, used an Ashima Tackle Goliath size 6 barbless hook and a Mainline Cell and Hybrid combo as bait.

Halfway through his two-week stay he had already had over 30 fish including eight over 50 lb and two over 60 on top of the 100-pounder.

Amazing Euro-Aqua and its World record carp

The Euro-Aqua water is known for its huge specimens that are heavily fed by the owner on a daily basis throughout the year with up to four tonnes of maize going in a week.

Warren’s catch is the second biggest carp ever caught by a British angler, just behind a 104 lb 2 oz mirror to Portsmouth, Hampshire based Stephen Weir last year from the same venue.

The World record of 105 lb 13 oz fell to Czech angler Tomas Krist in May 2015 and now Warren thinks that fish, and his latest hulk, is not alone in having such potential.. he says quite a few carp could go above that figure from the amazing 28 acre venue.

Thomas Krist and the World record carp at 105 lb 13 oz.

Warren said: “I am coming back again this June to have another crack at the record. I believe there are probably six fish over 100 lb in the venue. I’m sure I am the only man in the world to have caught three carp over 90 lb!”

Find out more about Euro-Aqua, including how it shot to fame, here.

This is just a short version of the story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.

A CARP angler thought he was going to die after his bivvy was callously set alight while he was inside it.

The terrifying incident occurred at Sandhill Lake in Worksop, Nottinghamshire where Nicky Cliffe was fishing.

At around 11pm someone decided to pour petrol over his bivvy and set it on fire whilst he was inside.

Nicky was too upset to talk but an online crowdfunding was set-up by his local tackle shop JK Angling to help him get some kit together after he lost his bivvy, bredchair and terminal tackle.

Pal Damo Lee told Angler’s Mail: “The Police are involved and are trying to catch the culprit.

“When I received the phone call off him it had literally just happened and he was in a total mess and with me working nights I couldn’t do anything to help him.

“So this being one of the reasons I felt I needed to help get him back up and running by asking everyone for as much help as possible,” he added.

Luckily his son wasn’t in bivvy with him

And JK Tackle co-owner Graham Brooke said: “Luckily his son wasn’t fishing with him on this occasion but he often does and thankfully he managed to get away unharmed.

“Unfortunately the same cannot be said about his bivvy, bed, luggage, terminal tackle etc, etc as they were all destroyed by the fire,” he added.

A Nottinghamshire Police spokeswoman said: “The incident has been reported to us and we are investigating but there have been no arrests at present. Anyone with any information can contact us by ringing 101.”

This is just a short version of the full story that appeared in Angler’s Mail printed magazine. Get the magazine every week for top tips, big news, best products, and venues that are in form.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the magazine and win great prizes.