| Do you feel you are taking too long in achieving | | | | available to everyone including all the big fish carp |
| your carp fishing goals? If so, how can you | | | | waters and all the tackle and baits now available |
| ensure you achieve all the success you dream of | | | | plus loads of magazines and websites on fishing. |
| for less effort and time and what do very many | | | | What really matters is how your mind sees all this |
| big name anglers do that makes it look so easy? | | | | stuff - because everyone is in a world of their |
| Shave years off and speed things up by reading | | | | own as each and every individuals perspective of |
| on! | | | | reality and the big picture of things is unique to |
| There is a vital pivotal point that is central to | | | | himself alone! Next time you go on a new lake |
| maximising your results in carp fishing that most | | | | and some of the locals or regular anglers say it is |
| anglers over-look in their rush for the most | | | | hard it is very often in their own minds. Beginners |
| fashionable new rod or reel or latest bait. I will | | | | get much more luck because they are often |
| reveal this secret in a moment because it seems | | | | employing different tactics, use of different |
| that far too many anglers on the bank | | | | swims, different baiting methods and tackle and |
| misunderstand this! But possibly the first point to | | | | rigs and a different mindset in general to those of |
| state is that everyone can catch the kind fish | | | | anglers already entrenched on a water. |
| they dream of catching. It may well be that not | | | | It is like Jim Shelley who went and fished |
| really believing this is the first barrier. When you | | | | Conningbrook for the British Record carp. The |
| truly believe you can - you will because you will | | | | regulars had told him that using lots of bait is a |
| find yourself doing the right things at the right | | | | bad idea. Lots of anglers these days just use PVA |
| time in the right places! The subconscious mind | | | | netting and pellets for instance. Maybe they know |
| works wonders when correctly programmed and | | | | Jim Shelley often uses loads of bait, far more |
| Kevin Maddocks was spot-on when he said a | | | | than average anglers might imagine. Either way, |
| positive mental attitude is of paramount | | | | he fished for just a few days, baited up heavily in |
| importance (in this case when referring winter | | | | right in the weed I believe, and he caught the |
| carp fishing in particular, but the principle applies all | | | | British record fish! You have to consider that here |
| year!) | | | | is a guy who is a pretty much full-time angler |
| Very many carp anglers see the high profile | | | | who is so in-tune and refined in his fishing he can |
| anglers catching big fish and feel intimidated, | | | | unravel very many variables in terms of fishing |
| feeling that these anglers are a cut above the | | | | pressure, fishing tactics to use and baiting levels |
| rest and somehow have a bubble of huge | | | | etc based on what he has heard and seen on |
| advantages at their disposal that an average carp | | | | such a water that has seen many very good |
| angler cannot match. It is certainly true that such | | | | anglers over the decades. |
| guys have competitive advantages but it is also | | | | Basically he knows how fish behave in response |
| true that many of them have paid the price for | | | | to anglers baits, lines, and tactics and he knows |
| these in advance by putting in far more effort | | | | that being different even in what seems like |
| and applied dedication to becoming much better in | | | | minor ways makes all the difference; the fish |
| their sport than the average occasional or | | | | themselves provide the clues. Many anglers hate |
| week-end carp angler! | | | | fishing directly into weed, but carp can clear weed |
| The anglers you meet who seem to catch all the | | | | fast when feeding hard by regular baiting. Jim has |
| fish will generally have one thing in common and it | | | | been a regular at so many heavily weeds big fish |
| is very simple. They are confident and they think | | | | water because in so many ways big fish and rich |
| confidently! This is their greatest competitive edge | | | | waters go inevitably together! |
| in many ways because unconsciously their minds | | | | Some of the biggest breakthroughs in carp baits |
| are therefore fully open to receiving all input of | | | | came anglers with open minds. And it is noticeable |
| every kind from every source that will lead | | | | that Einstein had a way of questioning that helped |
| inevitably towards further success. The fact that | | | | constantly question conventional thinking so |
| they might have more time, or money or bait or | | | | enabling further progress and advancements to |
| tackle or connections to get onto waters etc are | | | | be made. |
| meaningless if they do not think like a winner to | | | | How you noticed how you can go for long periods |
| begin with! | | | | of time thinking something was absolutely right |
| It is no secret that thousands of anglers every | | | | but finding this a limiting factor in your success? |
| week fish with lots of bait, the newest tackle and | | | | Then you might have thought to yourself, what if |
| on renowned big fish waters and yet really fail to | | | | I consider that thing to be wrong - would this |
| succeed in comparison to other anglers around | | | | remove the limit to my thinking so I can see the |
| them. The fact is that carp fishing is about | | | | light and find answers and solutions I never saw |
| thinking. Only those anglers with the most open | | | | before? Imagine if you will if the boilie or hair-rig |
| minds are flexible enough to be able to constantly | | | | or pop-up bait had not been invented and you still |
| change not only ho the think but the actions their | | | | had to think for yourself. (How would your mind |
| thoughts produce so in turn keeping them ahead | | | | reach the end result of the HNV or balanced |
| of the game in terms of the carp and their | | | | profile protein bait, or pop-up baits, flavour |
| competitors. | | | | over-dosed instant baits and so on?) |
| There are creative innovations that we take for | | | | So picture this: when you have located your fish |
| granted completely now but which have seriously | | | | feeding in front of you, and you have a sharp |
| boosted catches all around the world to the | | | | hook on, what is it that will catch those carp that |
| degree that carp fishing may well not have | | | | prevents a blank? The answer ultimately is it is |
| become the cult sport it is today without such | | | | the thing that delivers your hook into the mouth |
| ingenuity! | | | | of the carp. It does not matter if this happens |
| These creations include the following: the hair rig, | | | | even for a fraction of a second - just long |
| hard over-flavoured instant boilies used with bolt | | | | enough to enable the hook to penetrate and |
| rigs, long-term high nutrition boilies, polyvinyl | | | | result in a carp self-hooking itself so deeply it |
| acetate water soluble bait products, electric bite | | | | cannot get off the hook before all the added |
| indicators and adjustable swinger indicators, use of | | | | pressure of lines, leads, back leads, indicators, clips, |
| high line capacity big sea fishing reels teamed with | | | | reel clutches etc kick in. |
| long-range customised rods for large water | | | | I have over the last year been testing really |
| fishing, the application of sweetcorn, Robin Red, | | | | heavy rigs with eighteen pound monofilament line |
| L030 fish protein and Minamino to carp fishing | | | | hook links and big size 4 hooks to remove any |
| baits and so on. How many more can you think | | | | refinements. The tests were with paste on the |
| of? | | | | hooks directly. In doing this I was replicating how |
| Just think about it. Like-minded groups of | | | | most carp fishing was done prior to the hair rig in |
| disparate individuals as well as actual individuals and | | | | the immediately preceding years and this is a |
| friends have evolved these or brought them into | | | | set-up that often produces fewer fish actually |
| the carp fishing world. Each of these innovation | | | | hooked even though baits may be held between |
| applications were the result of belief in conquering | | | | the lips, pulled, and even mouthed. My tests were |
| a problem and were applied to over-coming them. | | | | based around experiments with various fish |
| But without the correct positive mind-set then | | | | feeding triggers and other things that enhance bait |
| many of these would simply be missed and never | | | | palatability and stimulate different aspects of the |
| have been spotted or tried in carp fishing. | | | | sensory systems of carp internally and externally. |
| Many of these have made house-hold names of | | | | Of course, when you have a really obviously |
| the originators or claimed originators of these | | | | heavy rig your bait has to work that much harder |
| things and applications. Sometimes there are | | | | in convincing carp to keep trying to mouth the |
| periods when some of these kinds of special | | | | bait because they want it so much that they by |
| advantages you might say, are evolved or | | | | repetition almost end up hooking themselves. The |
| developed by numerous people at the same time | | | | tests proved without a shadow of any doubt that |
| without them knowing anything about the other. | | | | the baits containing the most stimulating natural |
| This can be seen in various areas such as the | | | | feeding triggers resulted in the hooking of the |
| development of the hair rig, or the true inventors | | | | biggest fish most frequently after the fake baits |
| of our worlds electricity systems, the telephone, | | | | and instant over-flavoured baits had been |
| radio, TV and so on. | | | | associated with danger and produced very few |
| I was using a hook with line attached with a bait | | | | hooked fish by comparison. |
| on in the Seventies originally for bass fishing and | | | | Of course heavier leads were used with such |
| other anglers applied exactly the same thinking of | | | | pre-hair rig set-ups and often acted like bolt rigs, |
| improving hooking and bait presentation at the | | | | but problems still were apparent in terms of |
| same time and long before this time to develop | | | | hooking and converting enough fish compared to |
| hair rigs for carp and other fish independently of | | | | the number of bites experienced. This was a |
| any individual claimants of any particular rig | | | | problem the hair rig provided a solution to as the |
| origination. But carp fishing used to be a serious | | | | bait would enter the mouth will far less suspicion |
| world of secrets. Just a few decades ago carp | | | | as the weight of the hook would not be noticed |
| fishing secrets that are very well known now | | | | anywhere near so much as often the hair was 2 |
| were simply not discussed unless you happened | | | | inches or more long. |
| to be in the right clique or circle or group because | | | | Anglers came up with the length of hair on the |
| everyone knew just how much effort goes into | | | | original hair rig (off the hook bend) of 2 or 3 |
| these things and wished to exploit them to | | | | inches anglers. This distance is what they believed |
| maximum effect before the herd gets wind of | | | | to be the correct length from the lips to the |
| them. | | | | throat teeth that represented a safe distance of |
| Now the point here is that you too can create | | | | bait ingestion before a risk of bait and hook |
| your own innovative competitive edges and the | | | | bite-offs. (But this distance can be much is longer |
| problems that face in your fishing provide the | | | | than this.) Anyway, the long-hairs used that |
| very solutions you may be seeking. The trick is | | | | produced the effect of separating the bait from |
| not even to event something new but to use | | | | the hook (and so negating the weight and feel of |
| something that already exists in new ways. You | | | | the hook) was a huge step in getting more bites! |
| can do things just 10 percent differently and get | | | | Equally important was density of baits, and |
| a huge multiplication your success. For instance, | | | | floating baits applied on the bottom such as |
| being able to cast 5 yards further, being able to | | | | floating pastes became a huge advantage. Added |
| identify feeding spots just 10 percent better than | | | | to the development of great flavours designed |
| most anglers, being able to choose and apply baits | | | | purposely for carp the application of the pop-up |
| 10 percent better than other anglers. | | | | bait made a huge difference to numbers of carp |
| You might think about the different characteristics | | | | caught by individuals using them on so many |
| of individual high profile anglers that make them | | | | waters for the very first time! |
| that bit more successful. It might be excellent | | | | When you examine the details of why plastic |
| watercraft skill. It might be incredible casting | | | | sweetcorn or rubber hemp works as baits this |
| acuity and acumen. It might be the ability to adapt | | | | reveals a lot of priceless secrets about carp |
| rigs and tactics in response to changing carp | | | | senses and behaviours and how these work and |
| behaviours and habits. It might be the willingness | | | | can dynamically adapt and change over time. |
| to move focus upon identifying finding fish and | | | | When you examine why balanced or high |
| being totally willing to move swims at 3 or 4 in | | | | nutritional design boilies keep catching the same |
| the morning. Some anglers may have a | | | | big fish over the years, carp senses and |
| bottomless bait supply and through long practice | | | | conditioned behaviours are implicit in this success. |
| know exactly how and when to apply various | | | | Far too many angler miss great competitive |
| baits to maximum effect. | | | | edges even if they are just using ready-made |
| Some of these things may not seem like a big | | | | baits by not knowing about the carp themselves! |
| deal. But this is probably because some of these | | | | All kinds of known and yet to be discovered |
| at least are easily within everyones reach. The | | | | details of carp themselves are certainly many of |
| difference between many of the higher profile | | | | the greatest secrets to successful carp fishing |
| carp anglers and the casual carper is that many | | | | today they always have been and always will be! |
| casual carp anglers just do not seem to realise | | | | Carp themselves provide the greatest challenges |
| this sport and passion begins with the fish | | | | in carp fishing and but in studying them they |
| themselves and not with all the paraphernalia | | | | provide the solutions to better catches! |
| associated with it. In fact pretty much all the | | | | High nutrition boilies have caught more big carp |
| commercial oriented products do is exploit | | | | than any other form of bait over the decades. |
| everything about the fish without actually making | | | | But they can cost much more than many anglers |
| it very obvious that this is the key! | | | | can afford to pay today. Making your own |
| Success is a formula, a recipe of combining the | | | | economical and unique homemade baits (and |
| right refinements together at the right times, | | | | applying them in your own personal unique ways) |
| consistently. Because fishing for big carp is a skill | | | | is a leveller par excellence against anglers with |
| and an art that can be learned and developed this | | | | more skill, experience, time, money etc! |
| means all carp anglers with strong intention can | | | | The best starting point is not these but in |
| become the kind of angler who is consistently | | | | studying the carp first! The British Carp Study |
| successful and this really means always having an | | | | Group is a body that is a collection of highly |
| open mind! Remember when you were a | | | | experienced carp anglers who have proven in |
| beginner, when everything seemed magical and | | | | their own ways that they know something about |
| exciting and mysterious? | | | | carp and often then some, but most of all |
| All the possibilities in terms of where to fish, what | | | | appreciate the fish themselves. Again, the fish |
| tackle to use, what bait to use; all these things | | | | provide the solution when you are designing baits |
| with a positive mind set equal the fastest learning | | | | because ultimately you are trying to maximise |
| of all. Now I focus on the learning bit here | | | | and use their own natural senses, instincts and |
| because just a small bit of information can | | | | behaviours against them in your own favour. Most |
| transform your catches completely and this goes | | | | carp anglers appear to make the biggest mistake |
| on over and over again all the time for anglers | | | | of starting out with ingredients and flavours and |
| with an open mind! But all too often the average | | | | not what will actually best exploit fish senses in |
| carp angler gets caught up in a rut of thinking in | | | | ways that will give them more competitive edges |
| ways that are out of date! | | | | over competing baits! |
| This is the biggest danger of getting too attached | | | | It took me a long time to realise that when you |
| to what is new, what your mates are buying, | | | | think of each and every carp as a unique |
| what their opinions on what the best reel, or rod | | | | personality and a unique genetic creation you will |
| or bivvy or bite alarm or bait are. Do you see | | | | catch many more fish! Each fish has its own tiny |
| where this is leading? The starting point must | | | | or large differences in feeding behaviours, bait |
| always be the fish. They provide all the solutions | | | | flavour and taste preferences or mineral needs or |
| you need because you and your fellow carp | | | | may have an enhanced ability to avoid certain rigs |
| anglers are training them and conditioning them | | | | or areas of a lake or swim. Added to the fact |
| dynamically be everything you do and use while | | | | that carp waters vary enormously you need to |
| fishing and even your very presence on the bank | | | | be able to more fully understand carp themselves |
| trains them. | | | | in order to catch many more fish. |
| If you want most success and wish to achieve all | | | | It is not an understatement to suggest that the |
| your carp fishing dreams faster than your ever | | | | majority of carp anglers on the banks today |
| imagined, it all begins with studying your fish. As | | | | know more about the specifications of their rods, |
| the saying goes, know your enemy better than | | | | reels, bite alarms and bivvies than that of the fish |
| yourself! The top anglers are doing things all the | | | | sensory systems or baits meant to exploit them! |
| time that exploit weaknesses in carp defenses | | | | So how can you get to know most about carp in |
| that they have evolved and are constantly | | | | the fastest way possible and exploit or even |
| adapting in order to avoid getting hooked. This is | | | | create weaknesses in carp defenses that this |
| the right mind set in action and is best described | | | | knowledge reveals to you that you can exploit to |
| as thinking like a carp! | | | | seriously multiply your success? Read on for the |
| Many aspects of fishing for carp fishing are easily | | | | answer and my biography. |