Fishable we know that us carp anglers don’t just read any old cop, it needs to be from a legend of a carp angler, it needs to be a carp fishing book that inspires us and written by someone the inspires the nations carp fisherman.

So we have taken it upon ourselves to provide you a list of the best carp fishing books on the market, we have even given you the links that you can buy them from directly, how nice are we!

So anyway heres our list of the top carp fishing books available now, starting with what can only be described as carp fishing book royalty.

Our guide to carp fishing books

1.Terry Hearn: In Pursuit of the largest

Terry does not muck about, if your a carp angler you know Terry as the guy who catches the impossible, with his dodgy locks but highest possible attention to detail he continually hauls out the biggest carp in the country.
 

2.Nigel Sharp: Living the dream

Another inspiring book that will keep you hooked from cover to cover, be prepared to be trying out al the tips, rigs and tactics in this brilliant book.

3. Terry Hearn: Still searching

Terry the tench is back with this, the next book in the saga. Terry once again delivers an inspiring read that will make you want to get the rods out, the main reason why I could only read it on the bank!

4.Dave Lane: A flick of the tale

Dave is one of the top anglers in the country and has been for many years, he is constantly outwitting the most wary of carp across the country, this book really demonstrates just how Dave pulls it off and gives us normal people the tools to deliver like he does.

 5. Gareth Fareham: The forgotten chapters

We all know who Gaz is, he is constantly in all the carp fishing magazines for his immense skill, natural talent and ability to continue catching carp when most of us would give up. His attention to detail and overall skill is demonstrated in this book, his memoirs of his time on the bank hauling out magnificent carp, a must read.

So there you have it, our top 5 carp fishing books that you must read!

- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

We’re going to have a quick look at the Combi rig which the Korda guys have put together! I’ll list the components at the end and then you can have a try yourself! Also a video will be uploaded showing you how to complete this simple, effective rig!

So let’s start of explaining what the combi rig is and what each component does!

The IQ2 fluorocarbon section, known as the boom, blends in with the bottom due to its invisibility properties and also helps to kick the bait away from the lead on the cast. This helps in preventing tangles. Some putty can be added to the Combi Rig to ensure that it sits flush to the lake bed.

A two-inch section of Supernatural is then tied (Ensure that this is tied securely!) to the fluorocarbon using a very neat knot. The supple section allows movement, this then causes the bait to act more naturally on the lake bed.

The combi rig is usually used as a bottom bait/balanced rig, it can also work very well with imitation corn, popping the corn up on the short supple section. This is balanced with the correct sized split shot. Have a play around with it and see what combinations seem to work best! It’s all about trying things and then improving them, knowing what works and what doesn’t…

Designed to outwit riggy carp, the Korda rig is one of Danny F’s favourite presentations! Not only will this rig capture the cleverest of carp but can also be used with bottom bait’s or even pop-ups!

The main advantage of this rig is the fact that the hair rarely tangles and if the rig is ejected by the Carp the rig will reset it’s self with ease, this is due to the sliding rig ring that runs along the hook’s shank. This also allows easy movement and enables the rig to reset it’s self.

- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

Get your copy now

THE lively Angler’s Mail magazine’s new issue is out now – with a special cover and some very special content.

Only £1.80, this week’s issue includes…

 MR CRABTREE TV COMPETITION

The hunt for new stars to appear in an exciting new Crabtree TV series starts this week. Read all about a special competition involving Angler’s Mail and ace columnist John Bailey. 

BEST EVER WEEK FOR BIG PIKE

Predators have gone mental – reports and pictures, including two EXCLUSIVE 40-pounders.

ILLEGAL FISH TRAPS “CATCH OTTERS”

Angling Trust official reveals a shocking and gruesome find.

BEST BIG CARP GEAR

Find out what’s been selling at top shop Browns.

THE BIG NEWS

• Monster chub from fourth choice venue
• Trent star Jan Porter “could have died”
• New fishing show is a success
• Brilliant new barbel bait impresses

STAR ANGLERS

• Tom Mangnall –winter success at commercials, with this rising match ace.
• Gary Newman –  roving for chub on a small river
• Colin Davidson –a brilliant carping history book.
• Andy Black – favourite lures

INSTRUCTION

• Essential Knowledge – Andy Browne explains shotting in this great new series
• All The Answers – No.1 coarse Q&A, sponsored by Greys Prodigy
• Secret Lives –  winter pike explained

WHERE TO FISH THIS WEEKEND

Compiled by local experts. Including Steve Collett getting to grips with a Birmingham AA venue

Be sure to get the January 31 cover-dated issue of Angler’s Mail magazine.

JOIN ANGLER’S MAIL ON FACEBOOK >> 

VISIT THE WEBSITE >> 

- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

The cold has struck and it looks like staying with us until past the weekend, so me and Ace and going to stay mobile for this weeks fishing trip. Mixing it up is key to success, the chances of us getting in to the carp on our syndicate are slim at best so instead we are going to hit the pike and couple that with a scouting mission.

The Bed’s pit holds one of the UK’s top pike matches each year and is home to some right crocs, needless to say me and Ace are hardly pros at luring them but its always a good laugh to give it a go. We like to keep mobile, hitting the likely looking spots with some bouncing dead baits, free lined of course.

Scouting Mission

Anyway our pike filled weekend is not completely accordance with the piking manual, along with us will be some marking up gear, pencil and pad ready to plot down all the features we are looking for to stand us in good stead for the rest of the year. Our syndicate has several lakes, though one is by far the most popular and largest but thats not because it has the best fish, its because its the easiest! Not only in terms of getting runs but its easy to fish, plenty of room, no snags, flat banks etc etc, it lures the divvy up and wait type in mass.

We tend to stick to the outside lakes that passes the unadventurous anglers by, the ones that hold the least but the biggest and best fish on the complex. Two in particular have proved very productive over the years and we are now looking to repeat that success while targeting one particular fish that seems to evade everyone, many haven’t even seen or heard of it but me and Ace both have. It swims in tandem with another mirror which it dwarfs in size, the smaller mirror has been caught a couple of times to mid 30′s but we know of none to land the beast dubbed by us as ‘Rocky’.

For this reason alone we are looking to mark out every nice of the lake, there is two obvious channels and a few spots where we have seen Rocky browsing but the lake is small enough to catch it anywhere, it feeds onto another lake by two very small channels, combined the lakes probably total 6-7 acres.

Outside chance

There is always the outside chance of the tactics changing on the day with several other options being within a short drive, so carp stalking gear will come with, along with a kilo of Live System just in case!

Who else is out on the bank this weekend!?

- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

How to tie the Chod Rig in 6 Easy Steps

The chod rig has grown in popularity over the last two years, however, many anglers still tie it incorrectly. Whether this be due to poor material choice or the difficulties in actually tying the rig wrong I don’t know. All I know is, out of 100 chods tied,  on average 40 odd are tied incorrectly.

So first lets look at why the chod is so popular.

Many people use the chod due to its ability to present well over most lake beds , being that it is like a helicopter set up the rig doesn’t bury into weed or “chod” on descent onto the bottom .

Another reason many use the choddy is due to its aggressive angle and the anti eject properties it holds . By using either Korda mouth trap or ESP bristle filament , you can angle the line into a semi circle so it sits perfect on the lake bed .

Instead of piercing the pop up , you tie it on with floss , therefore , dramatically increasing the buoyancy of the bait for longer periods . This is achieved by not making a hole in the pop up for water to penetrate .

So what’s the wrong chod rig look like ?

What the chod looks like in action

Well , the biggest problem I see on most wrong chods is the line angle .

As I mentioned before , this could be down to inappropriate line being used.

The best materials I have found to use are Korda mouth trap in 20lb and ESP bristle filament also in 20lb . These lines are perfect for the chod rig as they are stiff , strong and mould to new angles extremely well .

Some fluorocarbon lines may also work but personally I would stick to the ones mentioned that were designed specifically for the chod rig .

The second common problem I see is people using the wrong size hook for the size of their boilie .

There’s no point using a size 6 hook with a 22mm pop up , the hook is far to small in ratio to that bait . I use 15mm pop ups with a size 5 choddy hook by Korda .

By correctly implementing the right size hook to bait ratio , you achieve better hooking properties .

So lets go through how to tie a correct chod rig …

Materials needed to tie the chod are:

• Choddy hooks (Korda choddy or ESP stiff rigger )
• Chod line (Korda mouth trap or ESP bristle filament
• Small / med rig rings
• Ring swivels ( I use Korda ring swivels but others work )
• Lighter
• Tungsten putty ( for after rig is made )

Tying the Choddy – 1^st step

 Take 8 inches of Korda’s trap wire in 20lb or ESP bristle both are very good for making chods. Take the filament and straighten out properly as it comes of the spool curled up. I do this by holding it gently over steam and putting slight tension into the line to straighten.

 Tying the Chod - 2^nd step

Next get your desired hook , ones with an out turned eye are better as they help create the curve form much smoother. As I mentioned , Korda choody or ESP stiff rigger work brilliant . There are a few different ways of tying the hook to the filament, the best knot is the Domhoff knot but is tricky to learn . The knotless knot will suffice. Take the bristle and tie your knotless knot onto the hook . Whip down the shank 7 turns , make sure your keeping the whips tight and tidy .

3^rd step

Once the knot is nicely bedded down , take the tag end coming off the hook end and double it back on itself . Slide the small or medium ring on and pass the tag end through the eye of hook . This has now created your D with small ring on. Take a lighter and simply burn the bristle and form a blob so the line cannot pass back through the hook eye , at this point I would hold the hook section between my thumb and forefinger as to not hurt the hook section part of bristle.

4^th step

Take your swivel , my preference is the Korda ring swivel and tie a 3 turn blood knot , starting 1″ away from the hook . and attach it to the ring of the swivel ,  trying hard to buff the knot together . Then blob the bristle end again with the lighter.

5^th step

Once you have connected the hook and swivel , use the steam from a kettle to create a perfect bend in the filament. I personally use a rig cone from solar tackle to create a perfect shaped bend . You can also use a drinks bottle to form the angle .

 6^th step

To tie on a pop up , using the floss , knot it onto the rig ring atleast twice for added secruity during casting . Take a pop of your choice , wet the boilie ( seriously do this guys it does help ) then tie the tag ends of floss from the ring around the boilie . I usually tie the boilie on with 2 / 3 knots to make sure it stays put . Now lightly run a flame over the tied boilie , this shrinks the floss for a better hold . The finished rig should look similar to this …

So there you have it guys … a simple 6 step guide to correctly tieing chod rigs … be the envy of your mate when you present a perfect chod to their out of shape version.

Here’s Terry Hearn’s take on the chod rig 

Tight lines

 Conor Beard

Here’s all the products you need to make your own Chod:

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- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

image from Quest Baits

This is a guest post from Connor Beard.

Swans … The white devils that can ruin a session in a blink of an eye .

They gorge on all that precisely placed bait that you layed to outwit those elusive carp . They also find it impossible to swim past your rods without having a massive flap about with your lines , the alarm screams , the boobin flys and the clutch clicks… all for a swan !!!

This article is all about how you as the angler can use swan activity to help you out on the banks . I know it may seem near on impossible but , there really is a way you can use their activities to put the odds slightly more in your favour against those carp …

Feeding of swans cause untold problems when they all rush from every corner of the lake to grab those small morsels of food the public bring for there benefit without noticing your lines . As I said above , the alarm goes , the bobbins jump and hey presto … another swan related set up required .

But what if I told you that this scene could be the most valuable your going to encounter on your session ? OK , so you would no doubt tell me where to go in words not suitable for this site right ? Well , let me explain the reasoning behind my bold statement …

Firstly , the most simple of all questions …

What do the public feed those swans ? BREAD … what do carp eat ? BREAD

Simple enough ? The public feed the wildlife bread , the bread that is not eaten descends down the lake until it reaches the bottom . The bread is then quite easily noticed by the carp due to its bright properties , the carp approach the bread and wham … its gone in an instant .

So say this event happens around 5 times when a family feed the swans . So that’s 5 times in one sitting . So what happens if 5 family’s come to the lake to feed the swans ( this is easily done in the summer ) . The same things happen on these occasions , some bread falls through the water to rest on the lake bed . Now were talking about 25 pieces of bread in the lake waiting to be eaten by the carp . So that’s around 25 pieces of bread a day , times that by say 5 days a week and your on 125 bits of bread … a lot considering that joe public feed the swans all year round .

But still , no one uses bread , whether it be fake or real . Why ? Because boilies rule in today’s world of carp fishing . OK , so even if you don’t want to use bread , why not use a white pop up ? Its white and buoyant , kinda like bread . Or maybe your hell bent on using boilies , then why not use mashed bread in a pva stick or bag ? Or maybe be that bit special and use real bread in some Fox ARMA MESH … food for thought , pardon the pun !!The image above shows a family feeding the swans on a wooded platform , this is an easy to access site so lends its self to regular visitors that feed the swans .

Now you will remember in the text above I mentioned the likely amount of bread being put in that the carp can feed on  . If there is a regular site that the public feed the swans then your in a really good position . So now we have regular bait going in on most days , all year round , all in the same area !!!

Pre-baiting at its best, and its free. Use the public to your advantage, there Prebaiting for you, all you have to do if you wish, is to add a few of your chosen hook baits to that area , and then reap the rewards .

It may also be worth noting the average time family’s feed the swans, this will give you a general idea of when the bait is going in.

I don’t know if anyone knows him but Dave Magalhaes from Gerry of Wimbledon once made a very bold statement , he basicly said that when wildlife suddenly spooks he reckons its due to fish under or near them doing the spooking . Now Dave is a man who knows what he is talking about, he has had some fantastic results on some very short session . I took what Dave said and decided to see how much truth was in the statement . I underwent a little research project , I set about laying a bed of ground bait to get some fish in the area . I then had the idea of putting some bread in to entice the wildlife to come along . Now it took around 3 weeks to get it all to happen , but happen it did . The ground bait was put in , then the bread . The swans came along and were happy feeding on bread , I then noticed a dark shadow in the water that was a carp around 15lb , as soon as the carp got near the swan the inevitable happened … the swan shot off in a massive hurry .

Now whether you choose to act on this information is up to you but , any time I see some ducks or swans shoot off , a rig is in that same area minutes later .

So guys , for all the faults of those little white devils , a little bit of thought could see you land that big PB from a bread baited area , a baited area that was free to bait … everything is better when its free !!!

- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

Spodding has become a familiar tool in most carp angler’s armoury; it provides a great platform from which you can apply bait at distance in a short time. With so many spods now available within the market you’re spoilt for choice. This is all well and good but how do you know what one would suite you and the situation you may face? In this article I’m going to give you an insight into choosing the right spod and how to apply it successfully to your fishing.

Korda Skyliner

My Choice

Personally i prefer the Korda mini Skyliner, you ask why? Well I mainly fish waters where I’m fishing at 100yrds or less so i don’t want to go for the Korda Skyliner because it doesn’t suite my situation, however if i was fishing over 100yrd then I would turn to the skyliner instead of the mini skyliner. Also when using the mini Skyliner you don’t need to use a spod rod you can just use your normal 2.75TC rods and they will cope with doing the job. But if you were to use the Skyliner then i would recommended that you have the appropriate kit for the job.

A Spod isn’t just for 100+ Yards it’s also for 10- Yards!

The spodding angler should not just think about distance with the spod as many people do in fact use a spod to bait up just off the margins. For example imagine a nice set of lily pads 15 feet away from your swim, a catapult would reach the desired spot but it would be a spread of bait and you don’t want this, you want to be fishing on top of your loose feed. This is where the spod comes in because you can get a nice tight patch of bait over your chosen hook bait without you bait scattering! (After all bait isn’t free for everyone!)  The point that I’m trying to get over to you is that spods are very versatile means off applying tight beds of bait in small or large quantities at close or distance ranges.

What will I need to Spod?

When I fish a venue that I know well and i know that I’m going to be fishing at long range i would take a spod-rod with me. You can get

Longbow DF – Spod & Marker Rod

purpose built spod-rods that are designed for spodding , There are only a few things that make it different from a normal Carp rod. A spod rod may have been tapered down so that they are shorter and they may have a longer handle, and also they will be able to take a load more appropriately than a normal rod which means you could step up to the Korda Skyliner instead of the Mini for example.

It’s important that you choice the right reel for the job, for example a big pit reel would make easy work of spodding as it would be able to cope with more casts unlike a small reel would leave you exhausted after a few kilos have been applied to your swim.  You can however buy again dedicated spod reels that are made for the job; most producers of reels also have a selection of Spod reels too.

How do i apply my bait accurately?

For me this is the most important aspect of Spodding; getting your bait in the right spot each time! Because like i said before your bait isn’t free and when you spodding you might keep missing where you are trying to hit and when you finally hit your desired spot the carp will most likely be in other areas where you had baited by accident which will the lead to no fish.

Korda Marker Float

To get maximum accuracy clip your rods up and use a marker float, this will determine what you are fishing on, how deep the water is and any features that may lurk beneath. If you don’t have a marker float don’t worry because you can just take the hook link off and just have your lead. Simply cast out tighten the line out before it hits the surface and you will feel what you are fishing on from the vibrations and movement of the rod and line. Slowly reel in, this will determine what is in your path where your fishing and then when you have found the perfect spot just clip it up and do the exact same with the spod.

Once you have done this your able to hit the exact same distance each time; assuming you are able to apply the same amount of pressure each time, i would put a little bit more effort into spodding so that i know that I’m defiantly going to hit the spot and remember to feather the cast which will ensure that you drop just short.  It is also easy to veer left or right from the intended so try to line up something on the other side of the bank for example a tree or feature.

Other tackle to help aid the Spod

When fishing at long distances i would recommend using a spod rod and reel accompanied with a shock leader, this will allow for greater pressure on the cast and will prevent you from cracking off. I would recommend also having a drop down to the spigot or a length that would allow for four or five turns on the reel.

For close range work you don’t need to use a shock leader, however if you want to be safe then there is no harm in still using one. I would say the key is to not just whack the cast, leave a drop and allow for a little backwards swing before the push and to keep it smooth. However if you are still a novice or intermediate angler then i would highly recommend to use a shock leader on either long or short distance.

DONT GO CRAZY!!

Be careful on the amount of bait you put out, it’s easy to get carried away. I’ve seen it so many times and it is likely to ruin your session when over feeding the swim with massive beds of bait. Saying this it can be effective on some waters but not all so unless you know don’t take the risk, the saying is “Little but often” and remember you can put the bait in but you cannot take it back out!

Don’t forget

Remember where your baiting up, I’ve seen this a few times where people have done everything fine and then when they have got everything perfect they reel the marker float in and take it off the clip! This then means they won’t be accurate on their next cast and might think they are hitting the spot but there in fact yards off!

Leave the marker and spod clipped up!

So that’s my basic guide to spodding, i just want to reiterate again don’t god mad on bait and the fish will be sure to follow you!

Get yourself kitted out for spodding

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- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

CCmoore Competition Entry #2 – Jozef ‘Ace’ Atkinson

If you want Jozef to win one of the prizes then you need to like, follow and share this page! The more traffic and likes he gets the more chance he has of winning the goodies!

If you want to take part in the competition and win a boilie bundle from CCMoore you can see how to enter below:

Enter Here

- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!

WIN £65 WORTH OF THE BEST BAIT ON THE MARKET – CCMOORE

Master-baiting comes natural to all us fisherman, its something that is passed down from father to son and perfected through many years of practising on the bank.  Hitting the spot with a throwing stick, balling out perfectly under that over-hanging tree and dropping that rig right on the spot every time are all perfected techniques of master-baiting.

We all know that master-baiting alone on the bank is frustrating, with no-one there to celebrate that extraordinary moment when you hit the spot you have been aiming for all day or that perfect rig placement on a 1ft clear patch in the weed destined for a run. All those times when no-one is there to give you a high five are over, show your mates, show us and show everyone else how good a master-baiter you are with your pictures or videos, even win yourself a prize along the way.

To celebrate master-baiting Fishable is having a competition, show us your amazing pictures or videos of you while baiting up, your funny moments including one bait or another or be creative and send us something out of the ordinary and you can win a £65 boilie bundle from CCmoore.

What you win

• 5kg of your chosen boilie – Live System, Ngage, Meteor or Odyssey XXX
• A kilo of matching pellet
• Matching bait dip
• Matching pop ups

Once you win, just tell us your details and choose your boilie range and we will do the rest!

thanks to ontariocarpfishing.com

The Rules

Though we are open to creative freedom there are limits, here’s some do’s and dont’s:

• Don’t send us pics/videos with illicit material, bad language or 18+ material, it won’t go live.

• Do use CCmoore products if you can, they are our sponsor so give them some love.
• Do send us pictures and videos of amazing fishing situations, back drops, fish, people anything that is related to bait in some way.

How to win

To win the CCmoore goodies all you need to do is send us your pictures and videos to competition@fishable.co.uk, we will review and put all valid entries live in the competition section of the website. Your challenge is only half done at this point, you need to promote your image or video, share it on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and with your friends.

Points will be awarded and distributed in the following fashion:

• 0-50 marks based on image/video quality, uniqueness and content
• 0-20 marks given based on total traffic that the entry receives
• 0-30 marks given based on the amount of likes, shares and tweets the image receives

One from my collection

The competition is live now, so get entering! Send your pictures and videos to competition@fishable.co.uk or if you cannot send an image or video file then email us the link, please give your emails the subject heading “CCmoore Picture & Video Competition”.

The competition will end 30 days after our 100th entry, you can still enter at any point but you will have to work hard to catch everyone else up!

The Prizes!!!

1st Prize – £65 worth of CCmoore bait

2nd Prize – Your rod license paid for a year

3rd Prize – Join our review team for a month and receive products to review and put your feedback on the website

Be creative and think about how you can get more people to like your image, people will follow things that are funny or controversial! Maybe you are going to invent the ‘planking’ trend for carp fishing, what does that look like? Think outside the bait box and show us all how good you are at master-baiting!

If you have any questions you can email at dc@fishable.co.uk or even better comment below and let everyone be involved in the conversation!

 Entries so far

• James Smithy Smith
• Jozef Ace Atkinson

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- If its Fish-able, its Fishable!