Gardner Tackle’s articles. Written by our team of highly experienced carp and specialist anglers.
One thing I must say was it was a right buzz playing a fish in from 80 yards with the sky full of fireworks. In fact, I was actually in awe of the moment and that might actually be why it found the marginal weed and fell off after hitting my other line...
The excitement was building, and frankly I was going crazy waiting to get started. Doing the same thing, I elected to turn up before first light, see where the other anglers were and then find the fish. Low and behold the fish were doing their usual, showing long out in the middle...
The carp looked massive and had not been out for a few months, and the weight was a massive shock to us, and I was absolutely over the moon. It felt great to catch one of my target fish from the venue...
Finally, I was attached to my quarry. Leon came over and helped me shuffle into my waders and help pass my rod under the other as the carp powered out of the bay. I soon lent into the carp, with the tip held low I slowly put the brakes on it...
St. Ive’s itself is a venue steeped in carp angling history, and is home to some stunning original big carp that have grown up to the 50lb+ bracket, a stock that also includes a few very elusive up and coming fish which have barely seen the bank. In fact, ever since I saw Dave Lane holding the awesome ‘Fat Lady’ I always dreamt about fishing St Ives Lagoon...
Summertime is the best time for fish spotting, as the river will be running clear most the time. Big chub often giving themselves away, so it is not usually too hard to find them. Early in the morning, during the evening or in the afternoon sun are all great times for fish spotting...
Losing fish on Chods? Not confident they will stay on the end? Don’t use Chods even though the situation demands it? Then cut your losses with Matt’s Chod extension. Everything you need. Step 1. First off cut a 14 inch length of leadcore and splice [...]
When I first started using this method my catch rate went through the roof as this also allows me to drop into a swim in the dark and with one cast land directly on the hot spot with very little disturbance. Twice now, I have dropped into a swim, and within 20 minutes I have hooked into 15lb+ Barbel...
Up on the scales she went 58lb 12oz, a new PB and to say I was elated would be an understatement. With the pictures done and the Ulcer Fish safely returned to her home, I sat back and tried to take it in. I did not have much time to do that though as a short while later Rob was playing his first Welly carp...
I don’t think she even know she was hooked, so I jumped up as quick as anything and then she bolted, and my reel went into melt down. Luckily, the fight was over quickly, as she didn’t know what had happened. I got her out and took photos and weighed her; 31lb exactly and I was over the moon. One target achieved...
So following on from my last piece, in which I showed you how to produce your own custom cork-ball pop-ups, I thought this time around I should show you how I produce your own custom cork-dust wafters...
The lake held around 35 to 40 carp with 9 of them going over 30lb, so a mega stock of old carp. In fact, all the Railway carp are very old historic fish and jet black in colour, so they are very special indeed and have been fished for by some great anglers over the years...
With the rod quickly repositioned it was not long before the middle was away and lady luck was on my side, when one of the original Horseshoe linear mirrors gracefully slid over the net cord. I wanted to take advantage of the dawn feeding spell...
Peering into the net, I could see it was another nice looking scaley banger! I called my mate Charlie over to help me out with the pictures (he had just arrived after his short journey from Bolton!). As we got her on the net Charlie recognised him much quicker than I did...
The stock is around 70 carp, with the biggest hitting 40lb at the right time of year and 2 others at around 35lb. All the fish in the pond have characters, and because of the variety of strains and the dark colour of the carp all make for an excellent photo...
Around this time last year, I managed to get a ticket on a very well-known water in Essex. The lake in question is only small in size, around 4 acres, but crammed with some very good looking and very big carp. Unfortunately, I only managed to get in around 25 nights but managed to catch a few...
Following the wind is often given out as blanket advice for locating carp but there are times when it applies and others when it does not. Early summer is, most certainly, one of those periods when it does...
I had had a pickup and whilst the hooked fish was trying to make the sanctuary of the snags to my left it must have picked the line up on that rod! What a palaver, and by now I was sh*"£ing myself at the thought of losing my third fish in a row...
Looking back on my captures in recent years, they largely fall into a few different categories. There are those where I have been plain lucky, those when I have gone with the crowd and caught, some that I have really had to work hard for, and then those from which I’ve learnt different things...
So why make your own pop ups and why use cork balls as opposed to a standard pop up mix? For me personally, there is nothing better than catching a fish on something you have lovingly hand rolled yourself. It also gives you the opportunity to take your hookbaits to the next level...
