The Help Files

Firstly, what exactly is ‘The Method’?   Basically, it’s a way to present the hookbait next to a tight area of feed without being too complicated. By using a ‘Method feeder’ and a short hooklink, anglers are able to guarantee that the hookbait is within inches of free offerings. In turn, this means that if a fish finds your attractive freebies, it is almost certain to pick up your hookbait!   ‘The Method’ will catch most species of fish, but is commonly used to target carp, bream, barbel or tench. To decide how to fish this ... [full story]

If you ever want to start a good debate amongst a group of carp anglers, ask them about the merits of pop-ups - then just sit back and then watch the sparks fly! Some anglers swear by them, others detest them. Odd that something as simple as a floating bait can evoke such passion, especially from a bunch of anglers! For me, like most methods and approaches for catching carp, a pop-up has a time and a place – but it’s not something I would always chuck out regardless of the situation I’m faced with - like many seem to do. For me a bait that sits ... [full story]

With all the hype surrounding carp baits and tackle, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the simple things - like leads! The irony is that choosing the wrong type of lead could see your bait sitting under a mound of silt, not hooking the carp effectively when it takes your bait, or in terms of casting, could mean the difference between hitting the mark or falling thirty yards short. Matching the right lead to your intended approach is critical, yet so often on the bank I see rigs built to do one thing being used with leads designed to do something completely different. So how do you make ... [full story]

If ever there was a ‘piece of string’ topic, then how to go about carp fishing in weed could well be it! The amount of contradictory advice I’ve been given over the years for tackling weedy waters beggars’ belief. The main problem is, how weedy is weedy? Are we talking about a water that has a few inches of silk weed on the bottom or a water ravaged from top to bottom with Canadian pond weed?Over the years I’ve fished all types of weedy waters; those that are choked with the stuff, others that just require a delicate presentation - along with a whole host of other waters that ... [full story]

Hi, Could you please tell me what is the correct way to set-up for surface fishing with a controller float? A diagram would be great. Many Thanks, Gary.Hi Gary, thanks for the email. Surface fishing is a great way of getting amongst carp when they are in the upper layers, and I must confess, I’ve become somewhat addicted to the pastime over the last year or so! I’d always known how to rig up and put the method into effect, but my results had been far from impressive, so last year I really got to grips and refined my approach, which has seen me bank more off the ... [full story]

Everybody raves about them, but what exactly are they, and why should you get some for your fishing? In this piece Julian Grattidge explains the benefits of polarized glasses. I’ll be honest, when I first started fishing I had no idea what all the fuss was about. I thought polarised glasses were just a posh name for sunglasses and were simply an excuse to double the price tag - if only I knew then what I know now. I really don’t think it would be exaggeration if I said I could ... [full story]

Are you looking for a braid rig to catch carp? Three words of advice; ‘keep it simple!’ Without doubt there are occasions where a complicated rig might be required to overcome a particular problem you are faced with, but by and large, simple is always best. When I first started carping with my long-term angling companion, Mart, he was well into rigs and set-ups whilst I tended to spend more time concentrating on my watercraft.  In the early years our catch rates were pretty comparable as we often fished together using the same methods and bait. However, after a ... [full story]

I often favour the use of critically balanced baits on waters where the fish are pretty clued up. Many anglers think that any carp they hook has literally just come across their baited patch, picked up the hookbait immediately and that’s it, job done. In reality, it can be very different! I’ve fished waters and watched in awe as clued-up carp carefully mop up all the freebies one by one; wafting them all about off the bottom of the lake to see how they react before even deciding to sample one. Often they will sample, reject, and sample again. ... [full story]

The bait rocket or ‘spod’ has become a familiar tool in the specimen anglers’ armoury, providing a great platform from which to apply beds of bait at distance. With so many types and sizes available, how do you choose the right one, and how do you use them? In this piece, Julian Grattidge gives an insight into successful spodding. I think I’m right in saying that a friend of a friend, Tony Baskeyfield, whom I’ve fished with on Birch Grove, is the person who first devised the bait rocket back in the early eighties, and since his initial designs ... [full story]

How to catch carp? It’s one of the most common questions asked by beginners. Sometimes the basic principles can get lost under the constant bombardment of new methods, baits and approaches. In this piece we’ve asked Julian Grattidge to highlight some of the easy mistakes made by beginners and to give some pointers for getting that all important first carp under your belt. First things first, it’s important to manage expectations. Catching big carp is not easy, but for many, that’s precisely the challenge. Carp can be quite clever creatures and it’s not always easy to outwit them. I’ve ... [full story]