I caught this amazing fish by prebaiting the swim for 2 days with 25kg boilies , 2 mixes flavours (squid Liver and Red Crust) in 4 sizes baits (12, 16, 20 and 24mm) The morning after I positioned the hookbait (1x16mm Squid & Liver and one 16mm Red crustacean normal boilies) on a ridge/plateau of hard bottom about 3m deep, I placed a few handful of chilli hemp and tigernuts on top of the rig. After 1 hour the alarm screamed out and the rod ripped off (I used the ...

I arrived home late Friday evening after my journey from Liverpool seemed to take a lifetime. My bait was waiting there for me, so as we all do; I got my nose straight into the Gulp! Squid & Liver boilies and initial impressions were that they’re spot on in terms of texture, colour and smell. It’s a bait I’m going to have great confidence in for sure. Next morning and I got down to the gravel pit at about 8am. I knew it wasn’t going to be quiet but I certainly wasn’t e...

After changing my baits to Halibut and Crab and continuing my baiting routine I decided to pop down for a cheeky early evening session at Silvermere. I had just taken delivery of my first batch of Red Crustacean so wanted to trickle a few of these in and thought why not chuck out a bait as well whilst I was there. I did not think the session would amount to much as there were only 2 hours of daylight remaining and it looked like the heavens were about to open! I set up on a ...

First Gulp! Outing on a Mid Sussex mill. First up let’s have an introduction to me: I’m Tim Fairchild, 32, married for a year, living in the heart of Sussex, member of a club with a lot of waters. I’ve been course fishing for only 4 years and a sea angler for about 12. My PB 16lbs 8oz and I’m on the hunt for the numerous 20’s in our waters, which so far remain elusive to me. You can follow me @carper80 on twitter where I try to tweet anything to do with my fishing and #berkl...

After a week or two off the bank I decided to hit Wintons Fishery for a 48hr session. I knew the weather was going to be terrible for the first 24 hours with heavy rain and gale force winds but well worth a go. As the fish I feel must start feeding up for the winter very soon. I was the only one on the lake when I arrived so had a choice of swims. I saw some activity at one end of the lake; the wind was blowing down there so set up in the closest swim. The first 24 hours...

It was ‘oh my god, o’clock’ and the Car was loaded ready for the long drive to Grafham water! I was meeting up with one of good friends, Colin who since I moved away from Norfolk I do not get to fish with any more. We had booked two consecutive days but due to work commitments I had to cancel the second day, Colin had managed to get a last minute substitute to cover for me so all the plans were laid! A quick breakfast and catch up with the other anglers saw us packing the bo...

Every season, Mark McGivern, director of “Angling First”, the well known angling charity in Northern Ireland, gives me a call to ask if I would take several volunteer workers, along with himself, on a salt-water angling adventure. This seems to have become a tradition each year! Its Mark’s way of giving the lads a treat for the hard work they put in through-out the year. It transpired that there would only be a crew of three on this adventure, including myself, which would w...

It strange how life throws up coincidences! As you’ve read in a previous blog, I’d recently been in the west of Ireland in Belmullet and caught a 35lb tope in awful weather conditions. I then travelled back to Wicklow on the east coast to fish with Kit Dunne aboard the “Lisin 1” out of Wicklow town. Loading my gear on to the boat I enquired what the target was. Kit fired back, “Tope!” The tope fishing in the southeast of Ireland can be exceptional, but it is still somewhat...

I have been carp fishing for just over a year and still after my first 20lb+ carp. I have just started using Berkley Gulp squid & liver boilies as my campaign bait to get that 20lb+ carp. I fished Broadlands in Romsey last Thursday. I had prepared a spod mix with Berkley Gulp chilli hemp, liquidised squid & liver boilies and giant blend seeds. I cast 6 spods on two different spots within a rod length of the island. I set up one rod with a cut-down 16mm squid & ...

Hi all and Happy Autumn! Well, one of my favourite times of year is here and the carp should be stocking up on food ready for winter so pre baiting if you can will be of benefit. It’s trade show time for those in the tackle industry so I’m not able to get on the bank for a few weeks but it is great to see the new products that are due to be released soon. I have managed a few sessions on a little gravel pit I’m on, nothing big but all very welcome and some nice looking fish...