Winter carp fishing presents a unique challenge. As temperatures drop, carp become more lethargic, feeding less often and more selectively. Success in winter requires adapting your rigs to suit these conditions, focusing on subtlety and precision. In this blog, we’ll look at the best carp rigs for winter 2024 to help you stay ahead of the game.
The Chod Rig remains one of the most effective winter rigs, particularly for targeting wary carp in weedy or silty waters. This rig excels at presenting pop-up baits just above the bottom, keeping your bait visible and free from debris.
Why it works in winter:
Carp often hug the lake bed in winter, so keeping your bait just above it ensures maximum visibility.
The rig’s stiff hooklink ensures a near-flawless presentation, even on uneven terrain.
It’s particularly useful when paired with high-visibility pop-ups, which stand out in the low-light, murky conditions typical of winter.
Top Tip: Use smaller, high-flavor pop-ups to tempt finicky carp during colder months. Flavors like citrus, pineapple, or krill tend to work well in low temperatures.
The Ronnie Rig has become a go-to rig for many anglers, and its effectiveness doesn’t diminish in winter. With its aggressive hooking mechanics and sleek, low-profile presentation, the Ronnie Rig is perfect for presenting a pop-up just off the lake bed. The rig’s swiveling mechanics allow the hook to move freely, increasing the chances of secure hook-ups even when carp are cautiously feeding.
Why it works in winter:
Lethargic winter carp often nibble slowly, and the Ronnie Rig’s hooking efficiency ensures fewer missed bites.
Its versatility allows it to be fished over a range of substrates, from gravel to light weed.
Its low-slung presentation suits carp that tend to feed more subtly during cold months.
Top Tip: Use a smaller pop-up, around 10-12mm, to avoid spooking wary carp. Bright colors like white or pink can provide visual attraction even in murky water.
During winter, carp feed less often, so making the most of each bite is crucial. The PVA Bag Rig is a fantastic option for maximizing attraction around your hookbait. This rig involves placing your hookbait inside a small PVA mesh or solid bag filled with pellets, groundbait, or other attractants. As the PVA dissolves in water, it releases a tight parcel of food, drawing carp towards your hookbait.
Why it works in winter:
Carp feed more cautiously in winter, so presenting a small, concentrated area of food is more likely to encourage them to bite.
The PVA bag protects your rig from tangles, ensuring a clean and effective presentation every time.
It can be used with a variety of baits, from boilies to pellets, allowing for a flexible approach to changing conditions.
Top Tip: Use a slow-dissolving PVA bag when fishing in very cold water to ensure it doesn’t melt too quickly.
If the carp in your lake are showing a preference for bottom baits, the German Rig is a brilliant choice. It’s an efficient, semi-stiff rig that presents bottom baits with precision. The German Rig has a curved shrink tube that helps create a natural presentation, which works well with wafters or bottom baits.
Why it works in winter:
Carp are less likely to rise for pop-ups in extremely cold water, so bottom bait rigs like the German Rig offer a natural presentation.
The rig’s semi-stiff material ensures the hook stays positioned correctly on the lake bed, improving your hook-up rate.
Its simplicity and effectiveness make it ideal for finicky winter carp that demand subtle presentations.
Top Tip: Use small wafters or bottom baits, around 10-15mm, and pair them with liquid attractants to add an extra sensory appeal.
In certain conditions, especially during sunny winter days, carp might suspend higher in the water column. The Zig Rig allows you to present your bait at different depths, helping you target carp that are not feeding directly off the bottom. With adjustable lengths, you can explore different depths to find where the carp are holding.
Why it works in winter:
Carp sometimes feed at mid-water levels, particularly on mild winter days when they move up slightly in the water column.
The Zig Rig allows for experimentation, letting you tailor your presentation to carp behavior on the day.
Using highly visible or buoyant baits like foam can attract the attention of carp even in murky or low-light conditions.
Top Tip: On bright, clear winter days, use black or dark-colored foam to create a silhouette in the water that stands out against the lighter sky.
Key Considerations for Winter Carp Fishing
In addition to choosing the right rig, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:
Bait Choice: Winter carp prefer smaller, highly digestible baits with strong, soluble attractants. Boilies with fishmeal, krill, or citrus flavors are excellent choices.
Location: Carp tend to cluster in deeper, more sheltered areas in winter. Look for spots with consistent water temperature, such as near features or deeper water bodies.
Stealth: In cold water, carp become more cautious. Use subtle rigs and light leads to minimize disturbance when casting.
Winter carp fishing can be challenging, but by using the right rigs and adopting a patient, tactical approach, you can enjoy success even in the colder months of 2024. Try out these rigs, adjust them to suit your local waters, and enjoy the thrill of winter fishing!
We have a wide selection of hand tied carp rigs on our store so why not check out our whole range!
For carp anglers, having the right equipment is crucial not only for making big catches but also for ensuring proper fish care. Weigh slings are essential tools in this process, offering a safe and effective way to weigh and handle fish. As we step into 2024, several top brands have designed new slings to meet the demands of modern carp anglers, blending durability, fish safety, and convenience. Here’s a roundup of some of the best carp weigh slings to look out for this year.
Trakker has consistently been a leading name in carp fishing gear, and their Sanctuary Retention Sling V2 lives up to the hype. This sling is available in various sizes, including Standard, XL, and XXL, making it ideal for anglers targeting bigger carp. Its full mesh design ensures quick drainage for accurate weighing, while the reinforced carry handles make lifting easy. Additionally, the sling’s 5-meter retaining cord and dual-zipped openings secure the fish while being handled, minimizing stress.
Sonik’s SK-TEK Floating Weigh Sling is another excellent choice for 2024. It doubles as a short-term fish retainer, equipped with full-length floats to ensure buoyancy while you prepare to weigh your catch. The sling features reinforced handles for safe lifting, a quick-draining mesh design for convenience, and four reflective patches for nighttime visibility.
For those targeting larger carp, the Aqua Camo Buoyant Weigh Sling XL is a premium option. Its heavy-duty DPM camo Aquatexx material is both fish-friendly and durable. This sling is designed to keep the carp comfortable while being weighed, thanks to its in-built support bars and full-length floats. The removable retainer cord is another thoughtful addition, making it easier to manage your fish during the weighing process.
The JRC Defender Weigh Sling offers a great combination of affordability and function. It’s made from fish-friendly polyester, with reinforced bars and handles to ensure secure weighing. The quick-draining mesh allows for easy handling of fish, and its compact design makes it portable and ideal for anglers on the move.
For anglers looking for a more compact option without sacrificing quality, the Korda Basix Weigh Sling is a great choice. It features collapsible central bars for easy packing, making it ideal for mobile anglers. Despite its compact nature, the Basix Sling is constructed with high-quality fish-friendly materials to ensure the safety of your catch during weighing.
Selecting the right weigh sling is vital for the safety of your carp and the accuracy of your catch’s weight. Whether you’re after larger fish with the Aqua Camo Buoyant Sling or prefer the compact and lightweight Korda Basix Weigh Sling, there are plenty of great options in 2024 to suit your style of angling. Prioritize the sling’s size, material, and handling features to ensure the best possible care for the fish and convenience for you.
By investing in one of these top weigh slings, you’ll be better equipped to handle big carp safely and efficiently. Happy fishing in 2024!
Hello Carpers and welsome back to another installment of my blog, sorry it’s been a long time since my last post! Here at Cally’s Carpy Customs we have spent a lot of the winter preparing for our first full year with loads of exciting and innovative carp fishing products being tested! Stay tuned on our Facebook Page for more info!
Spring is finally on the horizon and with the water temperature increasing and becoming more stable the carp will begin to come out of their winter inactivity and start to transition in preparation for their annual spawn! Usually around April/May they spawn and in readiness they stock up on well needed nutrients and food to get them over the usual 2 week spawning period.
Below are my top 10 tips for bagging more carp in the Spring!
1, Simplify your Rigs!
One of the most asked questions (which is, in my opinion, unanswerable) is what is the best rig for carp fishing? Now with changes in trends and every company looking to bring out the next rig in fashion, talking about rigs can be a right minefield. However I have a simple answer! Stick with what you know…
A correctly tied simple rig with good hooking potential will catch you carp at any time of the year. I like to stick with the same rigs all year round and only use 3 different rigs in my fshing for different baits. My advice is to use a Standard Hair Rig or Blowback Rig for bottom baits, a Slip-D for wafters and a Ronnie Rig for Pop-Ups. I have caught thousands of carp on these methods and will continue to for years to come!
On arrival to a lake I would always recommend locating the fish and dedicating time to finding where they are holding up at certain times of the day. Although the temperatures are increasing and the carp are starting to move more, sometimes this is not always the case especially in early spring. With this habit of holding up over winter, carp sometimes hold up together in spring so finding one may mean you find more!
If you set up on the carp and after a period you realise they have moved on then don’t be frightened to move. Keep your eyes locked on the water and look for signs of feeding carp. A tip is to feed a couple of spots on arrival and then revisit after a period of time to see if carp have been feeding. Especially good in the margins…
3, Upper Layers in the Sun
Most anglers believe that surface fishing is just for the summer as the carp sit on the surface milling around whilst catching a sun tan… This is not always the case. Carp tend to seek the warmer water in spring which can often be the upper layers on a sunny day. I always carry some floaters in my kit in case the opportunity comes around to nab one off the top.
Alternatively, Zig fishing can be another great way to sneak a carp or two in the spring. As I said before carp tend to rise through the water column in search of warmer water so an adjustable zig can be a great way to locate which layer of water they are in!
KEY TIP: Know where the sun rises and where on the lake will get the sun first, often this is where the carp congregate early in the morning which can nab you an early bite!
4, Liquids & Glugs are KEY!
In spring I 100% use liquids and glugs in all of my bait. I glug my boilies and hookbaits, enhance my spod mix and even spice up my highly digestible micro pellet when fishing PVA Bags. Liquids can help draw carp into your swim and keep them there for longer. In spring the carp are looking to feed more proactively so increased levels of enhancement really help your chances of catching.
5, Bright Hookbaits
In my bait bag throughout the spring I always carry some tub of high visibility pop ups or wafters. I am a team member at CC Moore and honestly believe in the Northern special range. I carry Pink, Yellow and White Pop-Ups/Wafters in my bag at all times which have been enhanced with CC Moore’s NS1 liquid. Carp fishing is all about confidence so find a hookbait and colour you like and trust and you will increase your chances of catching!
6, Look in the Margins
As I said previously in this blog, carp in spring are searching for the warmer water. This an often be found in the shallower margins as the water here warms up quicker. My little tip is to try these areas in the late afternoon as this is when the margins will be at their warmest.
7, Follow the Wind
If you haven’t guessed already from all my other tips, the warmer water is the place to be in the summer. I like to work out which way the wind is blowing and follow the wind. Naturals are blown with the wind and tend to create a great feeding area alongside it being the warmer water which is a no brainer.
8, Smaller Hookbaits
From my experience I tend to get more bites in the spring, especially early on in spring, on 10/12mm boilies/pop ups or wafters. As they come out of their winter slumber a smaller high attractive bait can be a way to trip up a wary carp!
A great alternative hookbait in the spring is sweetcorn. Known as one of the most popular carp fishing baits, sweetcorn is highly digestible to the carp and offers that high visibility hookbait that I spoke about earlier.
9, PVA Mesh Bags
Throughout the spring I like to increase the amount of bait I introduce dependant on the water I am fishing. However in most of my fishing I use PVA Mesh Bags as a way of getting a small pocket of highly attractive baits around my hookbait. On my site we sell these in Crushed Boilie and Pellet which I always have in my bag to try and enhance my hookbait area.
10, Lake Knowledge
Knowing a lake can really help with catching you more carp. Over the winter and moving into spring I like to map out the lake using my deeper so I can start to find the shallower bars, deeper areas and general changes in depth where I think carp will move onto thoughout the year.
Alongside side this, information on catches can be found everywhere now with the use of the other members, internet and social media. Do some research and speak to other anglers about the lake and start to build yourself a picture of how it fishes.
SUMMARY
As the temperatures start to rise the carp will begin to feed more heavily and this offers a fantastic chance of landing several carp, use our simple but effective spring carp fishing tips for success on your next session.
If you want any other advice or have any questions then feel free to message me!
It’s that time of the week again, it’s Wednesday and its time for another blog! Sorry for there being no post last week, It was my birthday last Wednesday so me and my partner went away for the week in a fishing lodge where I managed to have over 40 carp to high doubles! It was a great week and I am now back refreshed and ready!
For the last couple of months I have been working hard to bring you the best handmade rigs on the market to cover all types of fishing at a reasonable price. Throughout working on the standard rigs, I have been asked several times for Solid PVA Bag Rigs. I am now pleased to announce I have released my own range of PVA Bag Rigs. There are seven rigs to choose from where you can select your colour, hook size and hook type! Read below for more information!
Thanks for taking the time and looking at my new products! Within the first few days of being live these have been flying off the shelf! Couldn’t have asked for a better start! All these rigs have been tried and tested by myself so I have the greatest confidence in their potential! If there are any other PVA bag rigs not mentioned or you would like to ask any questions then please send me an email, DM me on insta or facebook, give us a call or fill out the form below! I am happy to chat specials or anything else carp fishing!
Hope you enjoyed this weeks blog and tune in next week where I am going to tickle your taste buds!
Happy Wednesday Carpers! Hope you are having a fantastic week! In this weeks blog I am revisiting a topic I briefly covered in a blog a couple of months back when I reviewed CC Moore range as a whole and the different products they offer. This blog will go into more detail around what pellet they offer and how I use these products in my own fishing!
CC Moore are considered one of the most well known bait brands in the UK having worked with some top class anglers like Mark Pitchers and Harry Charrington to name just a couple! I have been using CC Moore now for well over 15 years, even when the Mainline Cell phase smashed all waters in the south east of England I continued to use their products! This is because, in my opinion, they are far superior to anything else on the market!
This week I am going to talk to you about their pellet range and then go into more detail around the 6 different products I use in my fishing!
As you can see above CC Moore have a vast range of pellets. There are different varieties in their range, from the pellets that compliment their boilie ranges to the Natural Bait pellets like Belachan, Squid, Krill and Bloodworm!
Highly attractive bloodworm pellets, rich in soluble attractants derived from powerful natural extracts – a superb year-round loose feed.
These dark red Bloodworm pellets are one of the best natural bait flavours that CC Moore produce. What is Bloodworm? I hear you ask! Bloodworm is the bright red aquatic larva of a small midge found around rivers and lakes, the blood of which contains haemoglobin allowing it to live in poorly oxygenated water where silt has built up! Alot of waters I fish are caked in deep silt, so this deep, savoury, natural bloodworm aroma pellet work really well in being IRRESISTABLE to carp! I use this as part of my spod mix, especially in the late winter/early spring!
A naturally attractive, soluble fish protein-based bait. Pacific Tuna combines highly nutritious and appetite stimulating ingredients to create a simply irresistable, year round big fish bait.
Have you ever smelt Pacific Tuna? No? Well your in for a treat! These highly pungent and attractive pellets contain the same powerful liquid attractors as the Pacific Tuna Boilies and Paste. These pellets are low in oil and highly digestible making them perfect for all year round use! Like the bloodworm I use these as part of my spod mix especially on waters I know fishmeal baits are primarily used. Coupled up with the Pacific Tuna Boilies these can be a lethal pairing!
This blend of 4, 6 and 8mm betaine-boosted halibut pellets is rich in digestible protein and high quality fish oils. It is ideal for all loose feeds and easily absorbs liquid foods.
This Betaine Ultramix is very new to my bait bag! Having fished some local private waters I was lucky enough to see the loose feed the owner used whilst there was periods of no fisherman; It looked incredibly similar! These pellets have medium to high oil content so in my opinion are best used in the summer when the carp are active. Little tip, I couple this up with the Live System 6mm Pellets as loose feed when fishing over a bed of pellets with a Live System wafter! PERFECT!
Outstanding ‘bag mix’ comprising our most successful mini pellets and fry crumb – bursting with powerful attractors such as soluble fish proteins, oils and amino acids.
The mini ultramix is crammed with different pellets and ‘expander’ pellets including Betaine, Halibut, Trout and Krill! Due to the different sizes of pellet they breakdown at different times leaving a constant trail of attraction in the water. For me I couple this up with the Oily Bag Mix to make the ultimate PVA bag mix!
This highly effective bag/stick mix has a rich ‘fishy’ profile derived from protein and oil-rich pellets, salmon fry crumb, krill meal and soluble fish proteins.
In my opinion this is the number 1 PVA bag mix on the market. Having introduced PVA bag fishing into my inventory within the last few years I was on the search for an attractive and effective pre mixed bag mix and looked no further than this Oily mix. Contained in this mix are Betaine, Halibut, Trout and Krill pellets with Salmon Micro Feed and Pure Krill Meal. What more could you ask for? Just jam packed attraction with different ingredients which break down at different times.
These incredibly effective, attraction packed pellets create a fast and strong feeding response on even the most pressured venue. Literally oozing soluble attractors and an irresistable, peppery squid aroma and taste, these pellets are ideal for use in PVA bags and are easily personalised with liquid foods.
Squid is a ‘cephalopod’ that is present in many of our seas and oceans which provides both human and animals sources of protein, amino acids, zinc, magnesium, selenium and vitamins. These 2mm Pellet I use in my PVA mesh bags as a little ball of high attraction. These have a deep, savoury, squid aroma combined with a peppery meaty taste provide a ultimate pile of attraction which can tempt in large pressured carp!
Summary Overview
CC Moore are by far in my opinion ahead of the game when it comes to not just pellet but their whole range! What I like about CC Moore is they have 3 different main flavours in Live System, Pacific Tuna and Odyssey XXX which cover the main basis of carp baits. Sweet and Fishmeal. To add to this they have the whole range from boilies, pellets, liquids etc all in the same flavours so you can really enhance your fishing using similar products in all different ways!
There pellet in particular covers all basis of carp fishing. Whether your looking for a bag mix, a good pellet/boilie combo or a natural bait; You will always find something you love at CC Moore. As I previously said I have used CC Moore for 15 years and have never questioned the quality or range.
If you have any questions about anything I have mentioned in this blog or about any other CC Moore products then please get in touch via the contact form below, DM me on Facebook or Instagram or send us an email!
Happy Wednesday Everyone and hope you are having a cracking week! Last week I did a review on Hastingford Fishery where I rated the owners, accomodation, fishing and the general location! If you are looking for a fishing holiday and haven’t read this yet then go check it out here!
It has been a MANIC week for me as I have been adding loads of new products to my online store including glugged boilies, stringers and crushed boilie PVA. In this blog I am going to be looking at one of my original products; The PVA Pellet Balls. When I first introduced these to my online store I had to decide on what Pellets I had all faith in selling. I am going to walk you through why I chose these 10 brands and why these can help improve your carp fishing but most importantly improve your catch rate!
At CC Moore, we have a passion for quality. With decades of experience and knowledge within animal nutrition and feed formulation, you can be assured that every single bait developed within the walls of CC Moore has been created with skill, experience and optimum attention to detail. With established products including Live System, Odyssey XXX and Northern Specials catching the huge number of carp now, decades on, you can be sure the products you are using are designed to deliver optimum attraction and performance time and time again. Every bait here at CCMoore is quality controlled. We have an extensive, knowledgeable testing team, from anglers to bait scientists who put every product through its paces.
Pellets In my Range: Live System 3mm, Pacific Tuna 2mm, Odyssey XXX 3mm, Squid 2mm, Belachan 2mm, Betaine HNV 4mm, Krill 2mm, Bloodworm 2mm, Mini Ultramix 1-3mm, Mini Halibut Mixed, Trout 3mm and 4mm.
CC Moore are one of the more well known brands in the carp fishing world. I have always used their boiles and pellet in all my fishing as each bait leaks attraction into the water column and are packed with lots of attraction. The pellets in particular break down fairly quickly and release a huge scent into the water. I always tend to find that a little PVA mesh of CC Moore pellets is often enough to create a mouthful of highly attractive food. Sometimes less is more!
The name Dynamite is instantly recognisable all around Europe for producing quality bait, in fact your success with our products is at the heart of everything we do – it’s that simple! Our fundamental concept ‘bait made by anglers for anglers’ has served us well for many years and stands true today even though our output and market have grown considerably since our arrival on the bait scene in the mid 90’s.
Pellets In my Range: Robin Red 2mm and 4mm, Marine Halibut 3mm and 4mm, Red Krill 2mm and 3mm, The Source 4mm, Carp Pellets 2mm and 4mm, Betaine Green 3mm and 4mm, Amino Original 2mm and 3mm, Tiger Nut 4mm and Complex-T 4mm.
Anyone that is into any sort of fishing will have heard of dynamite as they cover all sorts of fishing bait. In terms of carp fishing they have boilies, pellets, additives, particles, spod/bag mixes, accessories and merchandise. They have a huge range of pellets which have proven success hence why it was a no brainer to include in my range.
Hinders are a fourth generation family business that has been trading for over 90 years. We have been dedicated to Fishing Bait and Tackle for the last 15 of those building a reputation for producing quality bait that catches and gives you the angler total confidence. We now focus entirely on making and distributing the Hinders Brand of Baits through our own website and bait store located in Swindon as well as supplying an ever increasing number of retailers in the UK and beyond.
Pellets In my Range: Ultimate PVA Mixed, Pellet Combo Mixed and Elips 4mm.
Now this comapny were very new to me and I only found out about them through my local tackle shop. The owner is actually a hinders consultant so I decided to do a little digging. Having read some of his catch reports on various lakes it was plainly obvious that the pellet mixes were smashing hard waters with multipe large carp in a session!
Talk Carp Bait and before long the name Mainline Baits will be mentioned. This is because since Mainline Baits was founded it has been synonymous with the highest quality carp baits possible, and the capture of carp from all over the world. Mainline’s concept of offering the angler a fantastic bait whilst at the same time offering the carp a valuable food source ensures that all our baits stand the test of …time when used on any water, so much so in fact that repeat captures on the same bait are normal as the carp just can’t get enough; summer or winter makes little difference.
Pellets In my Range: Cell 5mm, Essential Cell 5mm, Activ-8 5mm, Hybrid 5mm, Fuzion 5mm, New Grange 5mm and The Link 5mm.
Mainline have played a huge part in my carp fishing over the years. Their Cell range has caught me bag fulls of 20lb carp and even my FIRST 30lb carp was caught on Cell! There pellets really compliment their frozen boilie range due to the matching flavours. Mainline are one of the leading brands in carp fishing and will continue to be into the future!
Proud manufacturers of the most unique bait ranges on the planet… With us, baits means two things; SUPERIOR QUALITY – If it’s not the best, it’s not going in! We purchase fresh, raw ingredients direct from suppliers around the world to guarantee our products remain unrivaled. UNIQUENESS – Use the same, get the same results. Every single product we supply is made from scratch, by us! Meaning you will never find another variation of our products under any other brand. Choosing us WILL make you stand out!
Pellets In my Range: Citrus Nut 4mm, Cream Seed 4mm, Bio Marine 6mm, Salmon Micro 2mm and Hydro Fish Mixed.
Telling the truth I knew nothing about Munch Baits when I first launched my website but it was suggested by a good friend of mine. I did some research on Munch Baits finding multiple reviews online of catch reports where carp were caught on waters that hadn’t produced fish in weeks! This is why I decided to give it a chance in my range of pre-tied pellet balls.
Established by carp fishing legend Kevin Nash, and dedicated to providing the very best in tackle and bait for modern carp anglers and specimen hunters. Nash Tackle has developed a market leading position based on their innovative cutting edge carp fishing tackle design.
Pellets In my Range: Citruz 2mm, Scopex Squid 2mm, Instant Action 2mm and the Key Feed 2mm.
Nash are one of the leading carp fishing brands out there! I mean who hasn’t read the story of Kevin Nash! Nash seem to have different ideas and release alot of innovative products. For example the Citruz range they have released is different to anything I have seen on the market!
Nutrabaits was established in 1986 with an ethos based on quality, where every ingredient used within the product range has been painstakingly researched and included solely for meaningful reasons. That ethos still exists today, the end result being a range of baits that continues to set the standard in both quality and effectiveness. It is no exaggeration to say that Nutrabaits was instrumental in changing the view of commercially available carp baits forever and we continue to be proud of our record of producing baits that anglers across the globe can fish with total confidence…
Pellets In my Range: Trigga 2mm and 4mm, CO-DE 2mm and 4mm, Trigga Ice 2mm and 4mm, BFM Krill & Cranberry 4mm and BFM Salmon Caviar & Black Pepper.
Nutrabaits is another brand that I didn’t know alot about although I had heard of them before. Reading up on their flavours I thought they were very innovative and didn’t follow the trend of the carp fishing world. They had created their own unique flavours which were very interesting and is the reason why I chose to put them in this range!
Established in 2010 by Ryan Heaton and Greg Myles, RGBaits initially started out as more of a hobby than a business, with plans to roll bait for a small group of angling friends only, a single machine set up in a parents garage is where it all began. With both partners in full time employment away from the angling industry back then, occasional evenings and weekends were spent stood behind the machine rolling the odd kilo here and there, a somewhat far cry from a major scale bait manufacturing outfit. With time, word spread about the services RG had to offer and after receiving numerous enquiries over the possible supply of bait, it was decided the sale of bait was to be made public.
Pellets In my Range: The Formula 6mm, Vita-Lac 3mm, Prime 3mm, Hot Shrimp & Liver Mixed and The Formula & Arctic Crab 3mm.
RG baits are one of the newer carp fishing bait brands having only opened its doors in 2011. Since then they are growing into quite a unique brand having created their own flavours which are smashing waters. On instagram I quite regularly see large carp landed on their baits!
Welcome to Sonubaits, the bait brand at the very forefront of modern bait design, delivering innovative ranges of baits with the help of a world class team of match, carp and specimen anglers. Our enviable line-up of consultants has the very highest demands from the bait they use and have all been involved in the ongoing development of our bait ranges. Our ingenious and irresistible baits continue to dominate venues around the World.
Pellets In my Range: Fin Perfect 2mm and 4mm, Bloodworm Fishmeal 2mm and 4mm, S-Pellet 2mm and 4mm, Pro Feed 2mm and 4mm, Halibut 3mm and 4mm plus Robin Red 2mm and 4mm.
Mainly known as a match carp fishing brand, sonubaits have also produced loads of UK’s bigger carp! Their standard pellets are the best around leaking loads of attraction into the water column!
Here at Sticky Baits our primary focus is, and always has been, to produce high quality products – so take a look around our new look site, the home to endless quality content, quality pictures and of course more importantly, quality bait that really speaks for itself.
Pellets In my Range: Bloodworm 2.3mm and 4mm, The Krill 2.3mm and 4mm and Manilla 2.3mm and 4mm.
I love Sticky baits because of the simplicity of their range. They have 3 main types in their range and they concentrate all their efforts into making these the best available. In particular, I like their boilies because they are 16mm and slightly larger than others on the market! The pellet flavours fully match any of their range!
All PVA Mesh Bags are available in quantities 10, 25 and 50. For alternative pellet or quantities please fill out the contact form on the product pages.
If you have any questions about my PVA mesh bags or any other products I offer then please feel free to contact me via email, facebook or Instagram. Alternatively you can use the form below and I will get back to you within 24 hours.
Welcome to the next installment of my Blog. Thank you to everyone that read the last blog on ‘Why I Use CC Moore‘, if you haven’t read it then you can here! This turned out to be my most successful blog to date! Since writing this blog, I have been speaking to CC Moore and I am now a CC MOORE TEAM MEMBER! I am very much looking forward to continue using this wonderful bait!
Anyway onto this weeks blog! A few weeks back I visited Hastingford Fishery in Sussex where me, my partner and parents spent a weekend in their lodges where I fished for 48 hours! In this blog I am going to review the owners, accomodation, fishing and surrounding areas to give anyone looking for a lodge fishing holiday in sussex an idea of what to expect!
Me, My Partner and Parents
Owners
The owners Geraldine and Mark were very helpful through the whole stay and prior to arriving when making the booking. When we arrived we were greeted by Mark who showed us to our lodges and explained how everything in the lodges worked! Mark himself built these lodges and manually put all the mod cons in which is absolutely amazing work. This used to be a working farm but since retiring he has built this complex, however he has kept some cattle and sheep. Even one of the cabin’s was insulated with his own sheeps coats!
Farmers SheepFarmers Cattle
They both were so helpful throughout our stay and as they live on the complex they were always willing to help to make our stay as comfortable as possible. Mark would reguraly come and check in whilst we were outside to see if everything was ok! You can see and feel the passion for making their guests welcome!
In summary I would rate the owners 5/5 having done everything for us to make our stay one of the nicest fishing holidays we have been on!
Accomodation
Entrance to Roach Lodge
Both my partner, parents and I stayed in these fishermans lodges right on the side of the lake. There are 4 huts on the complex named Roach, Carp, Tench and Perch. The Fisherman’s huts have a minimum 2 night booking (3 nights Jun, Jul and Aug), and has everything you need although with Carp and Roach huts there is a short walk to your private shower and toilet unit. (There is also a small ‘portaloo’ hut right outside those 2 huts for those ‘caught short’ moments). Perch and Tench huts (overlooking top lake) are slightly larger, have full kitchens and ensuite facilities. The lodges on the bottom lake are lake side and can be fished from right outside your lodge!
View over the complex
As stated above the lodges have all the mod cons you need including fridge, freezer, hob, table and chairs, bed, tv, log burner, wifi and plenty of space! Upon arrival we had a welcome basket which contained croissants, bread roles, fresh milk and orange juice, butter, tea and coffee! It was just what we needed to get started and feel comfortable.
Inside the Fishermens Hut – Roach
The lodges on the bottom lake have a balcony overlooking the lake where you can see the carp and goldfish cruising on the top! The balconys come with a external log burner, barbeque, table and chairs plus some stunning views!
In summary I would rate the accomodation a 4.5/5. It was all you needed for a wekend getaway, It was great to be in the outdoors! If you like a soft comfy bed then this is your place! The bed was very soft however for someone who likes a harder bed it felt slightly uncomfortable but you can’t moan at that can you!
Fishing
Bottom LakeTop LakeThird Lake
There are 4 lakes (all spring fed). One is the original fishing lake, with large common and mirror carp plus perch and grass carp, The second is their newly built (2018/19) large lake, which has more breeds of fish and has matured nicely. This is stocked with common and mirror carp, golden and blue orfe, perch, green and golden tench, chub, roach, rudd and gudgeon. Their 3rd lake is about a year old and has Carp and Orfe. Plus at the very top is a natural ‘wild swimming’ pool for those adventurous enough. Fabulous views to the South Downs from here.
Fishing is available by the day from 8am – 8pm/dusk and by night (hut residents only) – 8pm/dusk to 8am. Visiting anglers please see fees list. For day ticket anglers there is a unit with toilet/shower and kitchen facilities. All anglers must show a current fishing licence and abide by their rules.
View from my swim
As me and my partner were in roach I was lucky enough to be able to fish right outside our lodge. I started off with my tried and trusted Ronnie Rigs which I quickly found out was not the right choice if i wanted to get through to the larger carp. There are alot of carp between 1lb and 3lb in the lake which proved to be difficult to get past!
The first evening I started to think about how I could potentially get past the smaller carp. I tied some Snowman Rigs to hopefully fish more effectively with a larger hookbait. I used a Stick Baits Krill Boilie with a Nash Key Cray pop up and a bag of mixed pellet to attract the carp into the area. The reason I used these are the Sticky baits boilies are slightly larger than other bottom baits at 16mm which gave me a larger hookbait.
Snowman Rig w/ Sticky Baits Krill Boilie and Nash Key Cray Pop Up
This proved to be incredibly successful as I managed to get through to the larger carp and landed 2 mirrors which were in immaculate condition.
15lb 5oz Mirror10lb Mirror
In summary I would rate the fishing a 4/5. I don’t think the larger stock is huge in either lake but the fish were in immaculate condition and the lakes were kept in tip top shape.
If you would like to see my video about fishing at hastingford then please go check out my youtube channel!
Surrounding Areas
There is plenty to do out in the countryside here at Hastingford Fishery. There are four other accessible lakes for walking around and which are away from the rest. Perfect for a wander round with or without your dog, with places to sit and enjoy the space and tranquillity with lovely views as well.
Dogs are welcomed but must be kept on leads around the lakes and farm. There is always an empty field (shown on arrival) for excercising. In addition, and for ramblers and hikers, there are several public footpaths leading to Buxted, Rotherfield and beyond.
For outside refreshment, Hadlow Down has a very good ‘locals’ drinking type pub, and Buxted has 2 very good pub/restaurants, (The White Hart and The Buxted Inn) as does High Hurstwood (The Hurstwood). In 5 Ash Down there is The Pig and Butcher and in Blackboys The Blackboys Inn. In Crowborough the nearest is The Wheatsheaf in Mount Pleasant which does good food. For those wanting ‘posh’ or just to walk, there is Buxted Park, on the outskirts of Buxted, off the A272. The Kings Arms in Rotherfield is very good. In Crowborough you have The White Hart, The Blue Anchor and The Cross (Wetherspoons), plus The Bricklayers Arms. The Crow and Gate on the edge of Ashdown Forest is excellent for dog walkers.
Lewes is just a 20 min drive; Brighton 35 mins; Eastbourne 35-40 mins and Tunbridge Wells 20 mins. For local shopping Crowborough (10 mins drive) Uckfield (10 mins) and Heathfield (10 mins) are very good. London is around 1 hour by train from Crowborough or Buxted or 45 mins from Tunbridge Wells main line station.
Summary
Overall I would rate our experience of Hastingford Fishery a 4.5/5. We really enjoyed our weekend in this peaceful complex. It was everything we needed to kick back and relax! The accomodation had everything we needed, the owners were very helpful, the fishing was good and the views were AMAZING! We liked it that much that we have booked to go back for my birthday in June.
Welcome to this weeks installment in my blog. I hope you enjoyed last weeks blog on ‘My 5 Favourite Rigs‘. If you haven’t checked out last weeks blog then check it out here.
This week we are doing a product review on a few of my favourite CC Moore products. When it comes to Carp Fishing CC Moore are considered one of the leading brands in bait production. They create top quality and innovative products. I will be taking a look and reviewing their liquid additives, PVA bag mixes and their session packs.
Now, in my opinion CC Moore are the leading brand in liquid additives. These have made a huge impact in my own carp fishing! I will not leave the house without having these in my bait bag. These liquid additives not only enhance your bait but due to the salt content they also preserve your baits making this additive perfect for multiple uses. CC Moore currently have 30 different liquid additives to choose from! However I am going to talk about my 3 favourite, Hot Chorizo Compound, Amino Blend 365 and Marine Amino 365.
“This spicy smoky sausage liquid is a highly attractive, peppery liquid food that adds essential amino acids, vitamins and trace elements to the baits as well as a punchy, deep aroma and taste that triggers a strong feeding response from Carp, Barbel, Chub & other species”
Usage Tip: Use up to 30ml/kg in boilie, stick, PVA bag and spod mixes; also superb for adding into particles to give them a smoky, spicy profile that fish just love! Great in PVA bags, for dipping PVA sticks, boosting pellets and glugging hookbaits.
This product was the first I used from the CC Moore range. One of my many waters was doing very well one spring on pepperami and I began to look for a additive that I could use to enhance the taste of my boilies to suit how the water was fishing. I came across this compound and I can agree that it is VERY pungent! When you open the container you are hit with a strong smell just like it states in the description above!
As mentioned above I use this to enhance my boilies. However, I have now started to use this in my spring spod mix to give it an irresitable pungent smell and taste which any carp would be attracted too!
“This highly soluble compound containing amino acids has a sweet, creamy taste and aroma and emits a constant stream of powerful feeding triggers in all water temperatures”
Usage Tip: Use up to 30ml/kg in boilie, stick, bag and spod mixes; also superb as a boilie soak prior to dusting baits in CC Moore’s pure betaine or liver powder.
I use this product in one way only and that is to pre soak my boilies to give them that added attractant. This liquid attractant is amazing with the CC Moore Live System boilies as the 2 flavours match perfectly and will give you an edge on any water you fish! The sweet creamy taste and aroma of the liquid attractant compliment the smell and taste of the boilies which makes these an inseperable match.
The reason I like this so much on my boilies is that it gives off a milky white cloud of attraction! This draws in the carp and creates a strong feeding response. I have found in my own fishing that this method works all year round. Probably given away by the name ‘Amino Blend 365‘.
“This thick, savoury marine-based liquid compound is a highly effective year-round bait additive with exceptional fish attracting properties. It has a smooth, yeasty aroma and rich, developing salty taste which stimulates fish to feed time and time again in even the most unfavourable angling conditions. Extremely effective on hookbaits“
Usage Tip: Use up to 30ml/kg in boilie, spod and PVA bag mixes. Also use it to coat your boilies and hookbaits before drying them and repeating the process as many times as you wish. Each application may reduce your baits buoyancy.
This is the newest of the liquid additives that I have started to use in my own fishing. I particularly like using these as a boilie enhancement on the CC Moore Pacific Tuna boilies as these match perfectly. This marine savoury taste and smell of the liquid additive I believe matches the deep, salty marine taste of the Pacific Tuna Boilies making them irresistable to carp!
Like the Amino Blend 365 this can be used all year round as the name highlights making this liquid attractant one of the best in the game for fishmeal/marine baits.
PVA Bags are fast becoming one of the UK’s most used and effective methods of fishing. With PVA bags your hookbait, loose feed, rig and weight are all in one solid compacted bag. The bag is aerodynamic so you can cast a fair distance compared to other PVA mesh methods. Upon impact with the lakebed a PVA bag literally explodes shooting your loose feed upwards causing a larger area of bait in more of the water column compared to other methods like method feeding or PVA sticks.
CC Moore have a vast range of PVA Bag mixes but I am going to take a closer look into two of the more popular mixes and the reasons why you should look into using these.
“Outstanding bag mix comprising our most successful mini pellets and fry crumb – bursting with powerful attractors such as soluble fish proteins, oils and amino acids”
This mix contains a variety of pellets from 2mm-4mm including micro and mini betaine, krill, trout and halibut pellets. Due to the different sizes of pellet the breakdown time varies which gives this mix a constant flow of attraction. The 2mm pellets breakdown in between 1-3 hours in cold water and the 4mm pellets breakdown in 30 minutes to 4 hours in cold water. CC Moore recommened that it can be further boosted with their Feedstim XP and a dusting of Betaine or Belachan powder.
In my own fishing I use this in my solid PVA bags as my main mix. Due to the different sizes ranging from micro to 4mm, this mix really fills up the gaps in your bags making them very solid and castable at range! I like to be consistent on my lakes throughout the year and due to the soluble attractors in this mix they stimulate feeding in all temperatures as well as having a high protein content which is also a plus for use all year round!
“This highly effective bag/stick mix has a rich ‘fishy’ profile derived from protein and oil-rich pellets, salmon fry crumb, krill meal and soluble fish protein.
Usage Tip: Summer/Autumn: A blend of oil-based and soluble liquids added to Oily Bag mix will give you the best response in warm water. We recommend 30+ml/kg Liquid Crab Compound, Liquid Tuna Compound or Whole Krill Compound. Winter/Spring: Just a 20mm diameter PVA bag of Oily Bag Mix may be enough in cold water. Lace the mix with Feedstim XP liquid before using it. This gives it maximum solubility in even the most icy-cold water.
This mix contains 1-2mm meals/pellets including betaine, halibut, trout and krill pellets which is boosted by the addition of salmon micro feed and pure krill meal. This mix has powders which form a natural particle cloud around your bait which is a excellent attractant for pulling carp into your swim. Unlike the other mix this one has similar sizes of pellets which leads you to believe the breakdown time is pretty much the same, however due to the different ingredients they actually breakdown at different rates feeding a constant flow of attraction in your swim.
Once again I use this in my PVA bag mixes where I know I’m fishing over a harder lakebed. The small pellets get the carp grubbing around keeping them in your swim for longer meaning you have more opportunities to improve your catch rate. This mix is packed with ingredients including pellets, powders and crumb which gives it ultimate attraction when you are fishing on difficult waters! When I first used this mix I managed to catch on a hard club water which hadn’t produced in a week! Although it was only a low double, it was a welcome addition to the bank after a hard winter on this water!
These sessions packs from CC Moore are a serious game changer when it comes to getting all the bait together in one purchase. Each pack contains boilies, pellets, hookbaits and liquid bait booster which is all you need to get you fishing effectively on the bank. CC Moore also have a variety of quality and cost effective session and bundle packs which have a variety of options from PVA bag mixes to bulk buy boilie deals! These session packs are available in 15mm and 18mm.
“This great value pack contains all the products required to present fish with an irresistable bait package which can be used in many different angling situations”
Live System Air Ball Pop Ups: These pop ups are very buoyant and durable and are colour and smell matched to the well known CC Moore Live System range. These pop ups are tough so that you can get past those nuisance fish as they have a fish-proof skin. These can also be trimmed so that you can critically balance your rigs to achieve perfect performance in your rigs.
100ml Live System Bait Booster: This booster was made to enhance any of the live system products from CC Moore. It is rich and creamy and is a perfect combination with the Live System Boilies. This is also PVA friendly and adding this liquid to your baits will incredibly increase your chances of catching and boosts the flavours in them all year round!
2kg Live System Pellets: These pellets are a light beige/yellow collour that are highly attractive and designed to be used with the Live System boilies. They have been infused with Live System liquid which makes them have high leakage which quickly disperse in all temperatures.
Live System Shelf-Life Boilies: These boilies are highly attractive, sweet and creamy. They are a milk protein and bird food based boilie which makes these intensely attractive and ideal for use all year! Live System releases powerful, water-soluble feeding stimulants in all water temperatures!
“This great value pack contains all the products required to present fish with an irresistible Pacific Tuna bait package which can be used in many different angling situations”
Pacific Tuna Air Ball Pop Ups: These pop ups are very buoyant and durable and are colour and smell matched to the well known CC Moore Pacific Tuna range. These pop ups are tough so that you can get past those nuisance fish as they have a fish-proof skin. These can also be trimmed so that you can critically balance your rigs to achieve perfect performance in your rigs.
100ml Pacific Tuna Bait Booster: This booster was made to enhance any of the Pacific Tuna products from CC Moore. It is a pungent, fishy and slightly meaty liquid that contains many ingredients found in their highly successful Pacific Tuna boilies. This liquid is PVA friendly and the rich fishy boost is designed to enhance any Pacific Tuna products
2kg Pacific Tuna Pellets: These pellets are a deep red, high attract pellet designed for use with Pacific Tuna boilies. They are enhanced with Pacific Tuna liquid which makes these high leakage and packed with soluble attractors which quickly disperse in all water temperatures.
Pacific Tuna Shelf Life Boilies: These boilies are a rust red, intensely attractive boilie that combines soluble milk, vegetable and fish proteins with powerful natural stimulants. This makes these boilies a superb all year round bait! Pacific Tuna releases a salty fish taste and powerful shellfish aroma which makes this a great attractor package!
In summary these Session Packs contain a huge variety of products which are full of great ingredients that can improve your catch rate! They have all you need for a session and give you the best chance of achieving your goals! Not only do they offer these two amazing bundles which I use in my own carp fishing, they offer many more on their website!
If you want to see these in action, I will be using the Live System session pack this weekend so make sure you check out my YouTube for the video which will be released later this month!
Conclusion
CC Moore are a fantastic company selling premium carp fishing baits that really can improve your methods.
The liquid attractants are a must have in any bait bag as they can be used in so many different aspects of carp fishing from glugging baits to liquid food in spod mixes. The liquid attractants in my eyes are the best on the market at the moment. Make sure you have a look into the 30 different liquid attractants in their range.
The PVA mixes are great for building compact bags for ease of casting. The content in these mixes is packed with carpy goodness! This can really stimulate your swim and improve your catch rate. You can find many more varities and bundle deals of PVA mix on their website.
Lastly, the session packs are really taking the carp fishing scene by storm. In one cost effective purchase you can have all the items you need for a highly effective session. These are great for building a perfect swim by using the highly attractive baits to attract feeding carp into the area!
Make sure you go on over and check out CC Moore website where you can find out more information on the products above and many many more!
