preston innovations winning pegs 3 fishing magazine

TOMMY PICKERING win with thewaggler

DES SHIPPmethod

feedertricks

SCOTT GEENSriVer

tiPs

LEE KERRYmatch

PreParation

WINNING

PEGS

edge

DES SHIPPTOMMY PICKERINGLEE KERRYNEIL MCKINNONANDY FINDLAYEMMA PICKERINGADAM WAKELINANDY POWERMICHAEL buCHWALDER

WITH OuR STARS’ ADVICE

ISSuE 3

free

prestoninnovations.com

NEIL MCKINNON:SKIMMERS • EMMA PICKERING:FEEDER GUIDE • ADAM WAKELIN:FEEDER CHAMPS DIARY

AHEAD

FREE DVD

Hello and welcome to the 2014 edition of Winning Pegs from Preston Innovations.

A massive 84 pages packed with hints, tips and advice from the very best anglers in the country.

In this star studded edition Des Shipp gives us an in-depth insight in to the importance of bait buoyancy and how it can improve your catch rate, we uncover Adam Wakelin’s margin fishing secrets and the groundbait he has been using to devastating effect and we join angling legend Tommy Pickering for a waggler fishing masterclass.

With the popularity of feeder fishing on the rise we follow Preston Innovations Team England in their quest to become World Feeder Champions, whilst Emma Pickering guides us through her personal feeder choices and Andy Findlay gives us the lowdown on the method he invented - the Banjo Feeder!

We also have UK Champion Andy Power revealing his shallow fishing secrets, Neil McKinnon gives us the inside track on pole fishing for skimmers and we delve in to the mind of England International Lee Kerry as he explains how tackle preparation has helped him maintain his match winning ways.

In addition we have an Absolute Seatbox special and new product spotlights on our smart new casual clothing range, Pro Type Poles and the innovative Roller Pulla System and each angler’s article now has its own product feature showing the tackle that our stars use to maximise their catches. We also highlight our new PXR Pro Reels, Absolute Whips and much, much more.

This year sees the introduction of two new features. ‘Three of the Best’ – in which each of our consultants talks about the three items of tackle they wouldn’t go fishing without and ‘Hall of Fame’ - where we take a look at the past years achievements by Preston Innovations anglers and they describe in their own words how they fished their way to victory.

Talking of achievements, Preston Innovations has been growing at a fantastic rate in mainland Europe and beyond with sales quite literally going through the roof in Germany, Russia, France and the Ukraine as well as the more established strongholds of the Netherlands and Italy which also hosted the 2nd Preston Innovations Festival in Umbertide, a full review of this is featured inside.

Turn the page for all of the above plus a rundown of the successful second series of Absolute Match Fishing produced in association with Sky TV and a thrilling Knockout Cup Final which saw Michael Buchwalder and Lee Kerry go head to head in an explosive finale.

As you can see there is something for everyone and for the purists out there don’t forget to check out my top running water tips, aimed at putting more fish in your keepnet.

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FOR DETAILS ON THE FuLL PRESTON INNOVATIONS PRODuCT RANGE, NEWS AND VIDEOS VISIT


WELCOME2014WINNING

PEGS

The magazine that delivers tactics, tips and tackle direct to you from the Preston Innovations Team

Scott GEEnSPRESton InnoVatIonS

BRanD ManaGER

UK AddressUnit 1, Highbridge Court, Stafford Park 1, Telford,

Shropshire TF3 3BDTel: 01952 290520Fax: 01952 291974

[email protected]

European Distribution CentrePrimo Distribution B.V.,

Kelvin Ring 27B-29, 2952 BGAlblasserdam, Netherlands

Tel: 0031 78 6999593Fax: 0031 78 6999594

All Preston Innovations products are covered by intellectual property rights.

Specifications and prices are correct as of February 2014. All specifications are approximate and may vary

or be modified.

© 2014 Preston Innovations Limited

featuring

tommy Pickering

emma Pickering

andy Power

For the eighth instalment of Winning Pegs, we join our three experts at the famous Cudmore fishery home to the Fish ‘o’ Mania event.

We join 2013 finalists tommy Pickering, andy Power and Emma Pickering as they take us through the methods they used, Andy Power shows you the rigs he used with some interesting tricks and tactics which he feels help increase his catch rate. While Emma shows how staying confident in just two methods helped her to victory in the ladies event. Tommy gives some insight into how he uses the banjo feeder to best effect targeting the deepest area of the lake to keep bites coming throughout the match.

tOUTNOW!

1 Lid with handle 1 Lid with handle

absolute station absolute compactdes shipp’s tommy pickering’s

1

2

34

5

6

7 8

■ 100mm unitI utilise a 100mm deep base for transporting my catapults and reels in.

■ benefits of the absolute compactBy building my own box, I can tailor my set up perfectly to suit whichever venue I am heading to.

■handy storageThe deep base is perfect for storing all of my feeder and bulkier items.

■added spaceThe added space in the 40mm tray, coupled with large diameter 26mm winders are perfect for my Irish festival rigs.

toptip

1

2

3

4

5

6

78

9

q

6&7 26mm Shallow Units Des loads these with 18cm slider winders

5 Seat

4 100mm Unit 4 26mm Shallow Unit (with 18cm winders)

5 Seat

6 26mm Shallow Unit (with 18cm winders)

7 40mm Side Drawer Unit

8 40mm Concealed Front Drawer Unit

9 Absolute Compact Frame only

q Footplate only

2 26mm Shallow Unit (with 26cm Narrow winders)

3 40mm Deep Tray (with 26cm Wide winders)

3 40mm Unit



■match it upI can add the appropriate hooklength boxes to match the rigs in box, very handy!

■ extra storageThe concealed front drawer is easily accessable and perfect for all of my terminal tackle.

■winder traysDouble slider winders allow me to store two rigs on each winder, effectively doubling my storage space.

toptip

■winders13cm winders are perfect for all of my shallow and margin rigs for commercial fisheries.

NEW

NEW

12 WINNING

PEGS 2014 | Preston InnovationsWINNING

PEGS 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 13/prestoninnovationslimited@prestoninnov8

WINNING

PEGS absolute compacttommy pickering / a look inside

absolute stationdes shipp / a look inside

FEEDER FISHINGEmma Pickering gives her expert advice on feeders

SCORE WITH SKIMMERSneil McKinnon reveals his top tips for skimmer fishing

PxR PRO REELSNew feature packed range of reels

EDGING AHEADadam Wakelin on bagging up from the margins

DuRA HOLLO ELASTICThe next generation of Hollo Elastic

MATCH PREPLee Kerry takes a look at preparing for a match

TOP 10 RIVER FISHING TIPSScott Geens’ tips on how to master running water

PRO TYPE POLESThe brand new range of poles uncovered

bAIT buOYANCYDes Shipp reveals his method feeder tricks

ROLLER PuLLA buSHThe new innovation in Pulla Kit technology

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WIN WITH THE WAGGLERtommy Pickering shows how to win more matches with the waggler

SEE HOW THEY STACK ITTake a look at how tommy Pickering and Des Shipp stack their Absolute Seatboxes.

ON THE COVER

TIPS FROM THE uK’S bEST MATCH ANGLERSNEW AND ExCITING PRODuCTS

4 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS top angler featurespreston innovations / winning pegs

new product featurespreston innovations / winning pegs

The past couple of years have seen a shift in the tactics that anglers use to target commercial carp. Much like the introduction and widespread use of pellets, these carp soon become wise to certain tactics used by anglers. With some fisheries holding three or even four matches per week, the fish soon switch off; this is where a change can work to your advantage.

why Buoyancy?From speaking to friends that are very good carp anglers and having watched some of the many carp angling DVDs on offer, carp fishermen are completely bonkers about the buoyancy of their hookbaits. Carp anglers target very pressured fish, they see lots of the same baits, day in day out, and the anglers have had to adapt to try and trick these fish. This is becoming much the same on commercial fisheries.

Now, using a hookbait to balance out the weight of a size 16 PR C1 might sound absurd – it’s not! We all fish matches to win; it’s the main aim of the game. To do that you need to get the fish to pick up your hookbait and the hook to catch hold. In turn that will lead to more fish in the net, and more money in your back pocket. So surely making the hookbait the first thing to enter a carp’s mouth should be top priority!

size MattersBuoyancy can be related to all forms of bait when fishing, it’s not only your hookbaits,

but what you are feeding into the swim too. The tiny particles in groundbait are extremely light and fluffy. Drop a loaded Method feeder in a bucket of water and waft it with your fingers, you’ll soon see just how easily the particles cloud up. Pellets are much the same. Softened 2mm pellets become practically weightless underwater and can be sucked up particularly easily by a hungry carp. Even finicky feeding F1’s will make short work of pellets around a Method feeder. A mix of both can provide both scent and feed in the swim, and also differing levels of buoyancy.

With carp becoming bigger and wiser, match anglers are having to think of different ways to put more fish in the net. Des Shipp believes that hookbait buoyancy can play a huge part in winning more matches.

uNDERSTANDING

bAIT bOuYANCY

6 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS understanding Bait Buoyancydes shipp / targeting commercial carp

understanding Bait Buoyancydes shipp / targeting commercial carp

des slips the net under yet another method-caught carp

don’t be afraid to try different bait on your feeder

I like to have the option of all three, using small 3 litre EVA Groundbait Bowls I can have these close to hand for a quick change. Some days it’s clear that one will be exactly what the fish want.

Both pellets and groundbait are very light, they can waft around a fish-filled swim and with hungry mouths hectically sucking up any pellet they can find they’re usually eaten very easily and quickly. Eventually the heavier hookbait that you are using will get picked up and the tip will pull round. Meanwhile, you could have landed a fish and cast out another feeder load had the hookbait been right.

BottoM BaitsFrom what I’ve said about buoyancy already, you might think I’ve gone buoyant bait crazy but don’t get me wrong, I do believe that standard baits still play huge big part in commercial fishing. When fishing venues with lots of F1’s, Method feeder fishing can get very frustrating; a few short taps on the rod tip, with no bite forthcoming can often trick anglers. So, by using a very sticky groundbait such as Sonubaits 50:50 Method & Paste Natural you can almost weld the bait to the feeder, making it hard for the finicky F1’s to ruin your presentation. In this situation the sinking Band’um or other hookbaits such as a Semi-Buoyant Oozing Boilie or 6mm Pellet are much more effective; they stay in place whilst the F1’s are attacking the feed close to the feeder.

You don’t have to use them straight out of the tub either. Giving them a light covering of liquid flavour will give them an extra boost. You can leave them in the flavour for as long

as you wish essentially getting better as time goes on.

critically BalancedAfter a few lengthy chats with bait guru, Ian Day at Sonubaits, I managed to get some some small semi-buoyant hookbaits made to use on my next few trips. Eventually after a couple of small tweaks and great success we had a finished product - Semi-Buoyant Band’ums.

Similar in shape to the original sinking Band’ums, these little beauties are made from a different mix than bottom baits. Created using both pop-up mix and standard bottom bait mix this makes a hookbait that will only just float when dropped into the water, attach it to a hooklength however and you have a critically balanced hookbait.

By attaching the Semi-Buoyant Band’um to your hooklength it will sit just above a Method feeder, Banjo feeder, or Pellet feeder primed and perfectly placed. It’s the first thing that the carp will see, and because it is virtually weightless, will be the first item sucked into the unsuspecting carp’s mouth.

For most of my commercial fishery Method feeder fishing I use the same setup. My favourite rod for fishing the Method is a 10ft Carbonactive Mini Carp. I haven’t used anything that is as good as this rod for short to medium range feeder fishing for carp. Coupled with a PC-R 3000 and 6lb Power Max reel line it is the ultimate Method feeder setup.

Carp soon beCome wise

to Certain taCtiCs used by

anglers. with some fisheries holding three

or even four matChes per week. this is

where a Change Can work to

your advantageDes Shipp

THE uLTIMATE SET-uPFor most of his Method feeder fishing, Des teams up a 10ft Carbonactive Mini Carp rod with a PC-R 3000.

The PC-R Competition reel range has been designed to provide precision engineering and enhanced performance, combined with the feeling of power and durability.

Designed specifically for short range feeder fishing, the Mini Carp offers better casting accuracy over shorter distances than normal feeder rods.

NEW

Spot light

8 WINNING

PEGS 2014 | Preston Innovations @prestoninnov8

WINNING

PEGS understanding Bait Buoyancydes shipp / targeting commercial carp

understanding Bait Buoyancydes shipp / targeting commercial carp

THE ESSENTIALS NEEDED TO RECREATE DES’ SET-uP

HOOKED ONThe in-turned point on the

new PR C1 Circle Hooks, helps increase Des’ hooking

capabilities, while the out-turned eye ensures that

they hang straight on his line and reduces undue stress on

his hooklength.

Available in sizes 12, 14, 16 & 18

bAITGuIDE

MONSTER bOWLDes uses small 3 litre EVA Groundbait Bowls to keep all of his bait handy and accessible.

EVA Accessory Bowls are also available in 5 and 12 litre.

DES’ METHODDes uses a Large Quick Release

Method Mould and a Large In-Line Flat Method Feeder which quickly forms a perfect feeder full of pellets everytime. This

ensures more accurate casting due to the constant size of the

loaded feeder.

SEMI-buOYANT bAND’uMSMake the weight of your hook

counterbalance to make your bait rise up more easily into the fish’s mouth

Available in 5 flavours

50:50 METHOD & PASTE NATuRALWeld your bait to the feeder like Des using

this sticky groundbait

PRODuCTSpot light

this carp fell to a critically balanced

hookbait

The Absolute Compact hosts all of the features of the Station but is suited to the angler that prefers to travel a little lighter. The clever central mounted frame allows you to integrate all Absolute units whilst maintaining a more condensed overall size with independent height adjustment. Perfect for anglers who want uncompromising performance when tackling the steepest riverbanks or the narrowest canal towpaths. A range of Absolute add-on units, drawers and winder trays is also available to allow to the angler to adapt their box if so desired and for the perfectionist we now offer the Compact Frame Only as an option so the angler can build their own customised box from scratch to their own exact specification.

features• Integral spirit level

•Removable, covered footplate

•Anti-snag hand wheels

•Shuttle adaptors

•30mm Telescopic legs

• Under seat storage for 3 hooklength boxes (included)

•Adaptable modular storage

•Deep Frame Mounted Base

supplied with•1 x Deep Side Drawer (40mm deep)

• 1 x Shallow Unit (26mm complete with 18cm winders)

•1 x Seat Cover

•1 x Deep Storage Unit (Frame mounted)

The Absolute Station is the ultimate seatbox system and as the name suggests it is not just a box but a complete fishing station providing total stability, comfort and performance whilst on the bank. With many unique features and totally OffBox compatible the Absolute Station is equally at home on your local commercial and more than equipped to cope with the most demanding festival circuit. By tailoring the drawer configuration to suit your needs the perfect height can be achieved to provide maximum comfort for long sessions on the bank and by utilising the six fully adjustable, telescopic 30mm legs in conjunction with the integrated spirit level any terrain can be tackled effortlessly.

features•Low to the ground

• Integral spirit level

•Removable, covered footplate

•Anti-snag hand wheels

•Shuttle adaptors

•30mm legs

•Concealed front drawer

• Under seat storage for 3 hooklength boxes (included)

•Adaptable modular storage

supplied with•1 x Deep Side Drawer (40mm deep)

• 1 x Concealed Front Drawer with Magnetic Release Catch (40mm deep) fixed to the top of the frame

• 1 x Shallow Tray (26mm)

•1 x Shallow Unit (26mm)

•1 x Deep Storage Unit (100mm)

STATIONSTATIONABSOLUTEABSOLUTE

NEW

10 2014 | Preston Innovations 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 11@prestoninnov8 /prestoninnovationslimited

aBsolute choiceabsolute station / benefits

aBsolute choiceabsolute compact / benefits

1 Lid with handle 1 Lid with handle

AbSOLuTE STATION AbSOLuTE COMPACTDES SHIPP’S TOMMY PICKERING’S

1

2

34

5

6

7 8

■ 100mm unitI utilise a 100mm deep base for transporting my catapults and reels in.

■ benefits of the absolute compactBy building my own box, I can tailor my set up perfectly to suit whichever venue I am heading to.

■handy storageThe deep base is perfect for storing all of my feeders and bulkier items.

■added spaceThe added space in the 40mm tray, coupled with large diameter 26mm winders are perfect for my Irish festival rigs.

TOPTIP

1

2

3

4

5

6

78

9

q

6&7 26mm Shallow Drawer Units

5 Seat

4 100mm Unit 4 26mm Shallow Unit (with 18cm winders)

5 Seat


7 40mm Side Drawer Unit


9 Absolute Compact Frame only

q Footplate only


3 40mm Deep Tray (with 26cm Wide winders)

3 40mm Unit



■match it upI can add the appropriate hooklength boxes to match the rigs in my box, very handy!

■ extra storageThe concealed front drawer is easily accessable and perfect for all of my terminal tackle.

■winder traysDouble slider winders allow me to store two rigs on each winder, effectively doubling my storage space.

TOPTIP

■winders13cm winders are perfect for all of my shallow and margin rigs for commercial fisheries.

NEW

NEW

NEW

12 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS aBsolute coMpacttommy pickering / a look inside

aBsolute stationdes shipp / a look inside

EDGING AHEADCatching big fish down the edge

can be the difference between

framing and becoming just another

name on the weigh sheet. We’ve

recruited the help of margin

maestro, Adam Wakelin to show you

how to make margin fishing count!

CatChing some big fish down the side has won me

a lot of money over the past few years. with the

fish normally bigger, it’s a taCtiC that Can add a

huge amount to your final tally. sometimes, what

you CatCh in the last hour and a half Can often

double what you’d Caught in the first three and

a bit hours of the matCh. here are my top tips for

margin fishing. - adam wakelin

3. Be Prepared

Catching big fish can take

its toll on your rigs. Super

durable 0.17mm Reflo Power, Tyson

6 floats and big size 10 PR 478 hooks

are perfect for margin rigs. Most of

the time I’ll set up two identical edge

rigs just in case one breaks or the hook

point turns over. There are also a few

back-ups in my winder trays if I’m

really bagging.

4. Give ‘em some groundbait!

Groundbait is possibly the

best bait for feeding down

the edge. It creates a lot of smell in the

water, but there are not loads of big

food items to fill the fish up. There’s no

need to waste time making it into balls,

just fill up a big Kup Kit pot and get it

in. It’s not rare that I feed two kilos of

groundbait. Margin Carp groundbait is

great; it’s heavy so when the fish waft

the bait with their tails, the particles

will quickly settle back down onto the

bottom. You want to hold the fish in

your swim for as long as possible.

2. Essential Elastic

Lots of anglers automatically

presume that because they

are fishing for big fish down the edge

that they need to use super strong

elastic. I rarely use anything heavier

than size 12 Dura Hollo. I’ve lost a lot

less fish when using the lighter elastic,

and taking a couple more minutes

to land fish, rather than pulling the

hook out proves much more effective.

The Rolla Pulla Bush makes landing

big fish on light elastic a simple job.

Incorporating a PTFE bush with a free

flowing PTFE roller, the elastic pulls

out of the top kit with ease. They really

have taken side pullers to the next

level. Swap those heavy elastics for a

lighter balanced set-up and

you’ll immediately see an

increase in the amount of

fish you land.

1. Go tight

I’m always looking to fish

as close as possible to the

bank. If the water is a good depth,

fishing tight to the bank gives the fish

less chance of catching my rig with

their fins, resulting in less foul hooked

and inevitably lost fish. Look to fish as

tight as possible in a minimum of 12in

of water. The fish will only be able to

approach your hookbait from one way.

14 2014 | Preston Innovations 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 15/prestoninnovationslimited@prestoninnov8

edging aheadadam wakelin / top tips

my first ChoiCe of hookbait is a bunCh of dead maggots.Adam Wakelin

BAITGUIDE

7. Huge Hookbaits

Carp feeding down the edge

confidently aren’t shy and are

definitely not small! I like to use great

big hookbaits, to make sure it’s easily

spotted and eaten first. A big bunch of

dead maggots on a size 10 hook is a

great first choice. Worms, meat or corn

can also be good alternatives.

HOOKLENGTHTo create Adam’s hooklength, he uses a size 10 PR 478 hook. These hooks have a round bend and short shank, specifically designed for fishing any big baits close to snags or in the margins.

PR 478 hooks are also available in sizes 10, 12, 14, 16 & 18

Adam ties his hook using 0.17mm Reflo Power. Designed with built-in stretch, it is clear, strong and supple.

Reflo Power is available in 14 different diameters

5. Make some noise

Dropping your groundbait

from a height will create

more noise. Dropping cups full of loose

groundbait from a height creates a lot

of noise and clouds up the water. It’s

sure to pull fish into your spot. I like

to feed a few pellets by hand as soon

as I hook a fish, the loud rattle as the

pellets hit the water makes a lot of

difference to how quick the fish return

to your swim.

6. tell tails!

Don’t be too eager to go

onto your edge swim. I like

to wait until I can see the tail patterns

or even see the carp’s tail break the

surface before picking up my edge rigs.

I’d rather give the fish a few minutes to

gain confidence, than spook them by

hooking a fish as it is entering the swim

for the first time.

Adam’s choice of pole is the GiS Absolute XS, which offers the perfect balance of stiffness and power.

AbSOLuTE PERFECTION

ELASTICATIONAdam rarely uses anything heavier than a size 12 Dura Hollo Elastic to minise the amount of fish lost. “Swap those heavy elastics for a lighter balanced set-up and you’ll immediately see an increase in the amount of fish you land.”

Dura Hollo Elastic is available in sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 & 18

NEW

16 2014 | Preston Innovations @prestoninnov8

PRODuCTAdAm’s essentiAl kit for fishing down the edge

Spot light



LAND SAFELYAdam uses two different size Hair Nets.

An 18” for silver fish and F1s, and a 20” for carp and big fish.

DOWN THE EDGEWith plenty of small but heavy particles, Adam swears by

Sonubaits’ new Margin Carp groundbait.

FLOATSA shouldered dibber with a shallow, thick balsa tip, Adam uses the Tyson 6 as his float of choice.

Available in 0.1, 0.2 & 0.3g

NEW INHATS

■ showerproof capMade from lightweight showerproof material to protect you from unsuspected downpours

■ pi logo capsAdjustable fitting, perfect during the summer to keep the sun out of your eyes.

back print

■ ‘royal’ blue hoodieFeaturing our new contemporary print on a quality cotton rich medium weight hoodie, with contrasting hood inner, drawstrings and pockets.

■ ‘royal’ blue t-shirtContemporary design in 100% cotton with subtle embroidered detail.

■ ‘casual’ black hoodieMedium-weight cotton rich hoodie featuring minimalist design and embroidery. Contrasting hood inner and drawstrings with printed logo to right arm.

■ ‘casual’ black t-shirtSmart 100% cotton t-shirt with understated design and back print.

■ ‘top gun’ navy blue hoodieQuality hoodie featuring printed design and embroidered detail. Hood inner, drawstrings and pockets complement the colour perfectly for a classy look and feel.

■white t-shirt100% cotton, it features an embroidered patch logo on the sleeve and a printed logo on the front.

■ ‘top gun’ navy blue t-shirt100% cotton t-shirt, featuring a stylish printed design with embroidered detail to the sleeve.

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW CLOTHINGTO LOOK THE PART ON THE bANK

■ ‘1985’ polo shirtsA range of classy, 100% cotton polo shirts in three colours featuring three button fastening and smart embroidered detail.

embroidery detail

NEW

NEW18 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS new clothingspotlight / hoodies, tops & caps

new clothingspotlight / hoodies, tops & caps

WORLD FEEDERCHAMPIONSHIPSThis year the Preston Innovations England Feeder Team went on the trip of a lifetime to South Africa, the venue was the Bloemhof Dam which is four hours south of the capital Johannesburg. The dam was opened in the 1970’s and holds a phenomenal 1,269,000,000 cubic meters of water! The team consisting of captain Tommy Pickering, Adam Wakelin, Mick Vials, Phil Ringer, Steve Ringer and Grant Albutt would be targeting carp from 500 grams to 7 kilos, as well as yellow fish which appeared to be a cross between a barbel and a carp.

This year was very different to normal World Championships, logistically, as the team would be flying out, so a container was sent out to South Africa four months before the event with tackle for each angler. This left the lads to take their own personal terminal tackle, rods and of course clothes!

They were allowed two 23 kilo suitcases, 10 kilos of hand luggage and a Bazooka rod case to fit everything in! Anything overweight had to be paid extra for and most left clothes behind to ensure every item of tackle was accounted for.

The trip started with a ten hour overnight flight to Johannesburg, landing in the early hours of the morning to be met by Captain Tommy Pickering’s personal friend Adrian Van Der Heever with a VW van for the tackle and another to pick up the lads, both emblazoned with the Team England logo! After refuelling with food and loading the vans, the team made their way to Bloemhof driving on one straight road through shanty towns and seeing some sights that you would find hard to believe. Upon arriving and being met by the owners of the Riverside Lodge the lads settled in ready for a hard but tremendous two weeks of fishing.

In the first week, the lads quickly adapted to the venue regarding tackle, rigs and bait. It was looking like eight to twelve fish was a good average with fourteen to twenty winning the daily practise sessions.

When the official practice week started with a draw for practice sectors, the lads got a good rotation that saw them cover the whole of the match length. It was also a great chance to see the other teams in practice to give the team a good idea of who was doing what. During the week it was obvious that fish were coming to lots of particle baits and there were definitely little tricks that could be applied during the match to catch an extra fish or two.

Sprits were high and a plan had formed that would hopefully allow the team to take home the gold.

2013 reView

BloeMhof daM, south africa

THE CAPTAIN

Tommy Pickering“Simply, just amazing and a trip of a lifetime. I’m so glad I’ve been a part of the Feeder World Championships in South Africa which is a country I love.”

THE TEAM

Adam Wakelin“What a country in which to make my England debut, truly amazing and a style of fishing that is unique to South Africa. An amazing experience.”

Steve Ringer“The highlight for me was the vastness of the venue, I’ve always loved big waters and I don’t think we will ever fish one bigger and more challenging than the Bloemhof Dam.”

Phil Ringer“My highlight was praying for a bite first chuck on day one and then the tip went round after 40 seconds.”

Mick Vials“Visiting such a vast and contrasting country for this event was a superb experience, but the highlight for me was on day 1 when I drew next to the South African, Louis Steyn, We had a great battle with me on 25.323kg for 4th and Louis on 20.983kg for 9th, a match to remember.”

Grant Albutt“My first time away with the lads, I loved every minute of it and the bites were frightening.”

THE COACH

Glenn Lawrence“It was an honour to coach Preston Innovations Team England in South Africa and to win a medal was the icing on the cake!”

20 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS world feeder chaMpionshipsadam wakelin / 2013 review

world feeder chaMpionshipsadam wakelin / 2013 review

a tense moment as adam wakelin battles with a large carp

a typical bloemhof dam carp for captain

tommy pickering

mick vials with a netful of south african carp

The bait was prepared early and the team had a fair wait for coach Glenn Lawrence to come back from the draw with the pegs, we already knew the sections as they were drawn on the Friday afternoon. I was in A section which was where I had won the practice session on Friday, so in my head anywhere around there

would do! As the captain came to the team with the draw he handed me my bib and I was on the next peg to where I was twelve hours previously, as you can imagine, I was well chuffed!

Throughout the practice eight to twelve fish per day was good and the day before I had fourteen, so I was happy. I decided not to change anything and fished at 45m setting up tackle to cast further if needed. The kit used for the 45m swim were 12’8” Dutch Master rods with PC-R 6000 reels loaded with 8lb Reflo Power Max and a 10lb shock leader of same material. For the longer cast I used 13’8” Dutch Masters with PC-R 6000 reels and 6lb Power Max reel line with a 10lb shock leader of same material. All had a running swivel running down to a

large Quick Change Bead with a large Cage Feeder attached and hooklengths were all 50cm long 0.21mm Reflo Power to a size 14 PR 39 hook.

At the start of the pre-baiting period I put three feeders full in at 45m with mainly corn and hemp plugged with groundbait. At the all-in, I cast out with a single grain of corn and it was two minutes in that I had my first carp in the net of around 2 kilos. The next two casts produced two more fish and after the first hour there were six in the net, all of a similar size. The Spanish angler to my right had one and the Belgian to my left had three.

The second and third hours produced fish of 500 grams to 1 kilo in size that looked like ‘stockies’; these fish had not been

we had two 2nd’s and three 4th’s for 16 points... we were in the lead by a point

seen all practice and word came down the bank that they were around the whole of the match! I caught fifteen of them in two hours and then the 4th hour I put another nine in the net. The wind then dropped and everything went dead. I only caught one in the last hour giving me a total of thirty one fish and to be honest I didn’t have a clue what they would weigh as we hadn’t seen them before!

The scales eventually got to me and the South African was winning the section from A8 with 34 kilos, second place was 23 kilos. I had the call to take my fish up the bank and when I lifted them I thought there was more than twenty kilos there. I put them on the scales and after what felt like an hour they called my weight as 25 kilos 745 grams which was enough for second, I was made up! Word came down the bank that South Africa had done as well as England, we had two 2nd’s and three 4th’s for 16 points and they had three 1st’s, one 3rd and a 9th, so they had 15 points and we were in the lead by a point after day one.

Day two’s draw on paper seemed quite good in our eyes. I was in D section, peg 11 where the day before the Italian had 15 kilos and lost as many, so I was feeling confident. Same plan of attack as Saturday and to hype it up some more, I had the same South African angler in my section as on Saturday, he was on the next peg to me. On my right was the Czech angler who had done well in practice, so my main goal was to smash them both up. At the start of the pre-baiting, I decided to put four feeders full in with the same content as Saturday, all other countries put more in just as they did on Saturday. At the start of the match, I started in the same way hoping for one first chuck again. It took fifty minutes for a bite but he was in the net and I was off the mark. It was at this point that I thought that Sunday was going to be completely different.

The second hour I caught another five, giving me three average fish and three ‘stockies’, I caught two more in the third hour and was shaping up well until I had a bite-less last two hours. Gutted

doesn’t come close, all the little tricks that we had worked out to line up a bite were tried and nothing came good. The Czech angler caught steady all match and the South African had a total of nine fish.

At the weigh in, the early numbers of the section had caught. The South African had nine kilos, I had seven and a half kilos and the Czech had thirteen kilos. Both the South African and I couldn’t believe it, from 1st and 2nd on Saturday we had dropped to 11th and 12th. He knew the water like the back of his hand, so I can only presume that there weren’t enough fish there.

Our second day scores were 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 12th and the South Africans were 1st, 1st, 3rd, 8th and 11th giving them 39 points in total. We had tied with Hungary who had made a massive come back from Saturday with 48 points, and worked out that they had beaten us on weight by just under six kilos! So we ended up with bronze, not the result that any of us wanted but it was better than fourth.

Here Adam Wakelin takes up the story and

recalls the highs and lows of the match and

his England debut…

collectively Preston Innovations team England would like to say a massive thank you to adrian Van Der Heever for all his help over the two weeks and congratulations to South africa on a thoroughly deserved victory!

Join us next year as the World Feeder championships travels to Inniscarra, Ireland...

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PEGSworld feeder chaMpionshipsadam wakelin / 2013 review

world feeder chaMpionshipsadam wakelin / 2013 review

the team and their supporters proudly flying the flag for england

the anglers were exposed to intense heat for the duration of the matches

an important carp for adam wakelin on day one

FEEDERCORRECT

Ladies National and Fish ‘O’ Mania Champion Emma Pickering explains which feeders she favours and the

secrets to using them successfully.

choosing the

with eMMa pickering

Choosing the CorreCt feeder is vital and will help you get the most

from every peg you drawEmma Pickering

NEW

NEW

t

NEWSIZES

BESTSELLER

Method feederAllows you to present a concentrated amount of groundbait or pellets with the option to bury your hookbait so when the fish home in your bait is directly in the middle of the feed, which means quicker bites and more fish. Excellent in the summer months for carp when used in conjunction with a Quick Release Method Mould.

Available in small, large and XL as Inline and Elasticated

pellet feederSimilar to the Sticky Feeder but without the holes, so I use this predominately for deeper water. I fill the feeder 3/4 full then put hookbait in and cover with more bait and press in. You can also use different size pellets as required and this approach normally results in instant bits as the fish attack the feeder. Perfect for F1’s.

Available in micro, small, large and XL sizes as Inline and Elasticated

wire cage feederI use this set up for conventional feeder fishing on traditional venues. Large amounts of particles can be introduced and loose feed and groundbait releases quickly. The feeder is free running onto a Quick Change Bead in conjunction with hooklengths from 12” to 4ft and I normally target bream and roach with this approach.

Available in small, medium, large and XL

sticky feederYou can use pellets or maggots with these feeders and personally I use Sonubaits Stiki Pellet to enhance the performance with both baits. When the feeder is in the water it pushes through the holes and disperses the bait quicker which means it is equally effective on rivers for barbel or commercial venues for carp.

Available in small, large and XL as Inline and Elasticated

Banjo feederVery similar to the Method Feeder but easier to load and fish with. I call it the little dinner plate and it is particularly effective in the winter months as you can regulate the amount of bait that goes in. Again, ideal for use with the mould and can be devastating in deeper water for carp, skimmers and F1’s.

Available in small and large as Inline and Elasticated

distance cage feederMy first choice for long range bream fishing. The bottom mounted weight is aerodynamic and will cut through any cross wind and land directly where you aim. The groundbait and particles will then release quickly from the cage once in the water meaning you are instantly fishing when the feeder has landed.

Available in small, medium and large

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PEGS feeder fishingemma pickering / choosing the correct feeder

feeder fishingemma pickering / choosing the correct feeder

During the warmer months carp spend a lot of time feeding on, or just under, the surface. Shallow fishing is one of my strongest methods and targeting these fish is a no brainer. The idea is to make the fish compete for the trickle of pellets falling through the water column, making them confident and before long amassing a large weight of fish.

Depending on how big the fish are will depend on what tackle I choose. For F1’s I’ll always fish as light as possible, low diameter lines and small hooks are essential for these shy-biting fish. For big carp I’ll need strength and durability so thicker lines and bigger hooks are needed. Then there’s a long-line shallow rig, perfect for spooky fish or swinging to reach cruising carp. Whatever rig you choose to use the number one thing you need to remember is to keep working your rig. You are trying to make your hookbait look like one of your loose fed pellets. Leaving the rig sat still for five minutes at a time isn’t going to put more fish in your net, by simply lifting and dropping the rig, or slapping it onto the surface, you may kick some life into the hookbait.

The venue you choose should determine what size of fish you will be catching, therefore allowing you to make an easy decision on which rigs to put on your kits.

SHALLOWSECRETS

Shallow fishing master, Andy Power explains the ins and outs of how to catch more fish up in the waterCarp spend a lot of their time up in the water throughout the year, so why not catch them where they want to be! All anglers can catch a few fish shallow, but by following my tips you can significantly increase your catch rate!

MY THREE RIGS FOR SHALLOW FISHING AND WHY I uSE THEM:

f1 rigThese extremely quick and often shy-biting fish can make a mockery of you if you’re not careful. I like to fish as light as possible when fishing for F1’s. The lighter your line and smaller the hook will make your pellet act much more naturally when falling through the water. I like to use small compact floats when fishing for F1’s. Sometimes you’ll find that the fish will be confident feeding only 6 inches deep, so long stems and bristles are no use. The Tyson 7 Dibber is perfect for this. The tiny float is extremely robust and it’s size allows you to fish with extremely shallow rigs. I’ll fish this on 0.13mm Reflo Power with an 0.11mm Reflo Power hooklength. Hooks also need to be small and unobtrusive, a size 18 or 20 PR 36 is my first choice, with a bait band on the hair.

Above the float is around 2ft of line to the pole tip. Short enough to hit the fast bites, but not having the tip right over the float helps to keep the fish confident when fishing extremely shallow. The short float can easily be ‘slapped’ on the surface of the water two or three times in a row, which imitates the sound of loose fed pellets hitting the water’s surface, thus bringing the fish up-in-the water actively looking for food. When they do find a pellet, it will have a hook attached!

Light elastics are a must when doing any type of shallow fishing. For F1’s, size 10 Dura Hollo Elastic is perfect. As soon as the fish is hooked it will bolt off, away from the area you are fishing, reducing the chances of spooking the fish in your swim.

Big carp rigThis is a rig that I use when I know I’m going to be catching fish over the 3-8lb bracket. These fish require stronger rigs and beefier tackle. Most of the time these bigger fish won’t feed as shallow as the smaller F1’s, so I’ll swap the small float for a PB Carp 1. These compact floats have a short bristle and a short stem, giving greater stability when fishing deeper at 2-3ft, they are also very strong.

These are tied on 0.17mm Reflo Power down to a short 0.15mm hooklength. These rigs need to be much more durable as the bigger fish fight much harder, and the rigs will take more damage. 0.15mm Reflo Power is incredibly tough stuff and used as part of a balanced set up will last for a very long time. I opt for size 16 PR 36 hooks on a banded hooklength, the size 16 is perfect when using a 6mm pellet on the hook.

I’ll usually leave 12-18 inches between the pole tip and the float; I find this is a good distance when fishing just that little bit deeper, allowing the fish to stay confident. As with the F1 rigs the pellet needs to be worked, once you think the pellet has reached the end of its fall, lift it and drop it again, to keep imitating the loose fed pellets falling through the water.

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PEGS shallow secretsandy power / how to catch more fish up in the water

shallow secretsandy power / how to catch more fish up in the water

you can soon build a big weight with fish like this

andy uses the roller pulla kit to its full effect

long line rigThis is a rig that has played an important part in a lot of my matches in the warmer months. Often the fish are happier to sit on the surface of the water, some will feed and others seem to spend most of their time frustrating the angler by cruising around and not following the feed on your normal shallow line. This is where the long line rig comes in. The great thing about this rig is that I can fish anywhere from 9 inches to 3 foot deep, and reach those cruising fish that before I might not have been able to reach. It can also be used when the fish are being a bit spooky, and by changing the hooklength I can even use it for F1’s.

My favourite float for this is the PB Carp 1, it is compact and has great stability. A 4x12 float is the perfect size, tied on 0.17mm Reflo Power. Underneath the float is a 0.3g Inline Olivette, sliding on the line. This is stopped by a Preston Micro Float Stop, giving me the ability to move the olivette up and down the line, depending on how deep I’m fishing and also not damaging the line. Underneath the float stop is a small no.10 dropper shot. If I’m fishing for F1’s, this can be placed just above the hooklength. It makes three different splashes on the surface, imitating more pellets falling through the water. The hooklength is made from 0.13mm Reflo Power and a size 16 PR 36 hook.

I leave a long 3ft length of line between my pole tip and float, allowing me to swing the rig out to cruising fish in the hope that some of these generally bigger fish will add extra weight into my net.

that’s my three top shallow rigs explained. Fishing shallow is a great way of catching fish, especially carp and F1’s.

ANDY’S F1 RIGAndy uses a Tyson 7 Dibber, the perfect tiny float for shallow fishing in 6in of water.

if it’s not your strongest method, get out there and praCtiCe, feed little and often, keep working your rig and before long you should be bagging!Andy Power

NEW

PRODuCTSpot light

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PEGS

BAITGUIDE



ALL THE GEAR YOu WILL NEED TO CREATE ANDY’S THREE RIGS FOR CATCHING MORE FISH IN THE SHALLOWS

KEEPING DRYAndy keeps dry on the bank by wearing the DF20 Bib & Brace, our highest ever waterproof spec suit, which gives maximum protection while still allowing easy movement.

ANDY’S LONG LINE RIG

Andy uses Inline Olivettes underneath his float as they are streamlined with a soft

tube insert that protects his line from damage. Andy’s favourite float on

his hooklenth is a PB Carp 1 4x12. Short and robust with a fibreglass stem. Perfect for shallow fishing with big baits.

Andy uses 0.13mm Reflo Power with a 0.11mm Reflo

Power hooklength and teams this with a size

18 or 20 PR 36 hook.

Light elastics are a must for shallow fishing, Andy uses size 10 Dura Hollo Elastic.

Dura Hollo Elastic is available in 6 sizes

PERFECT PELLETSTo finish off his rigs, Andy uses Sonubaits’ 6mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellets.

part of a huge catch of carp caught while

fishing shallow

just one of andy’s shallow fishing secrets

FEEDER HOOKLENGTH SYSTEMDesigned in conjunction with the Preston Innovations England Feeder Team to provide the ultimate feeder fishing hooklength storage system and will accommodate all your feeder hooklengths up to 1 metre in length.

The robust hinged construction provides strength and protection for your hooks and its magnetised release system means there are no catches to rust or fail.

It features 20 location points which will accommodate up to 200 hooks and the unique curved pegs will minimise line kinking. The built in measure allows for accurate tying of 50cm, 60cm, 75cm and 100cm hooklengths.

HOOKLENGTH SPOOL SYSTEMOffering a compact solution to storing various trace

lengths, the Hooklength Spool System provides the angler with unlimited permutations. Purpose

designed removable spools allow different length hooklengths to be stored with minimal fuss.

Designed to fit the deep compartmented drawer of our seatbox range.

Using line friendly sliding loop clips, the Hooklength Spool System can

accomodate any type of hooklength. The label on each individual spool

allows you to store hooklengths of a diferent diameter or hook size in the

same protective case.

With 8 spools in each box you’ll be able to store a huge amount of

hooklengths per box.

HOOKEDTOTALLYFollowing the success of our original PXR and PXR Power reels we have launched the PXR PRO, a comprehensive new range of reels featuring all black aluminium and graphite construction with striking red graphics and many of the features associated with reels twice as expensive.

available in: 3000, 4000, 5000 & 6000

FEATuRES:• Lightweight aluminium body with sealed

construction

• Quick release anodised aluminium push button spool

• 6 stainless steel ball bearings

• Stainless steel hollow bail arm

• Machined aluminium handle

• Soft touch handle knob

• Precision front drag

• Water sealed one way anti reverse system

• Graphite rotor

• Hard chrome plated line roller

• Spare anodised aluminium spoolNEW

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WINNING

PEGS 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 31/prestoninnovationslimited30 2014 | Preston Innovations @prestoninnov8

new product spotlightpxr pro / comprehensive range of new reels

new product spotlightnew hooklength systems / designed bY members of the england feeder team

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MONSTEREVA LuGGAGE SIzE 8

SIzE 10

SIzE 12

SIzE 14

SIzE 16

SIzE 18

DuRA HOLLO ELASTICThe next generation of Hollo Elastic boasts exceptional strength and durability and is manufactured to exacting standards using an

upgraded core material. Dura Hollo Elastic offers increased wear resistance which is

ideal for warmer conditions and provides super smooth performance to suit a wide variety of fishing situations.

Dura Hollo Elastic is available in sizes 8-18 and comes in 3m lengths

MINI MONSTER EVA DROP buCKETWhen mixing groundbait have you ever struggled to collect water if the bank is too steep or slippery? The Drop Bucket solves this problem. Comes with a robust cord and EVA construction.

MINI MONSTER EVA ACCESSORY CASESA range of EVA Accessory Cases with clear lids for easy tackle identification. Perfect for organising and storing CAD pots, catapults, OffBox Accessories and various other items of tackle.

Available in small, medium & large

MONSTER EVA bAIT AND TACKLE bAGThe ideal storage solution for all your tackle and bait. Also perfect for storing your waterproof clothing and boots

NEW

MONSTER EVA METHOD bOWL SETPurpose designed for all method and feeder requirements. Features a unique zipped EVA bowl, integral plastic mixing bowl and medium sized riddle.

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PEGS new product spotlightdura hollo elastic / increased wear resistance

new product spotlightnew eva luggage / keep Your tackle safe and organised

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power upNEW

SPACE MAKER FLAT bACK bROLLYWith new short spoke configuration it gives the angler an impressive 20% more coverage ensuring that you and your tackle stay dry.

When used with the positive Angle Tilt this also reduces the amount of unused space at the rear of the brolly.

Sporting dynamic new graphics the Space Maker also boasts all of the features of our existing umbrella range.

•Lightweight fibreglass arms

•Waterproof taped seams

•Pegging points

•Angle tilt

•Pegs supplied

•Storage sleeve

•UV50+ Ultra Violet Protection

standard brolly

NEW

AbSOLuTE WHIPSA dedicated range of five lightweight telescopic whips with solid carbon flick tips, ideal for catching big numbers of small fish. Featuring a fast action tip coupled with stiffer lower sections which allows you to quickly extract small fish from the feeding shoal with minimum fuss. Classy graphics and a quality finish as you would expect from any product bearing the Absolute name.

Available in: 2m, 2.5m, 3m, 3.5m & 4m

bag up on silvers with these lightweight

whipsDes Shipp

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PEGS new product spotlightabsolute whips / ideal for big numbers of small fish

new product spotlightspace maker brolly / 20% more coverage

UV 50+ULTRA VIOLETPROTECTION

SCOTT GEENS’TOP10 TIPS FOR

The range of skills required to become a successful river angler can be wide and varied, here Scott Geens lifts the lid on some of his secrets to catch you more fish on flowing water.

1. FLoat aWaY I always use Reflo Power Max clear for all of my

float fishing on rivers and will not hesitate to treat it with floating line spray to further enhance its floating capabilities. This enables quick line pick up from the water’s surface which will allow you to hit more bites and aid mending the line. This presentation is crucial for all running water float fishing, but particularly effective when stick float or bolognaise fishing.

2. StoP tHE tWISt Line twist is an age old problem for running line anglers, using a micro swivel to attach your

hooklength will eliminate this. I use Preston Innovations Mini Match Swivels in sizes 10, 12 and 14 which roughly equates to size 8, 9 and 10 shot. Used in conjunction with a 40cm hooklength this will prevent line spin on the retrieve, particularly when using double hook baits. If I require my last dropper shot nearer the hook I will upsize the swivel and place the final dropper shot on my hooklength.

3. SMootH oPERatoR Fill your reel to the very lip of the spool, this will allow line to peel off more

smoothly which will aid presentation and avoid dragging your float off course. It will also allow you to pay off line with your forefinger and thumb to control the rate at which your float travels down the swim, an important skill well worth mastering and one that is crucial to achieving optimum presentation which is paramount to fool fickle feeders such as big roach.

4. SLoW It DoWn On fast flowing water do not be afraid to drag some line and shot on the

bottom when fishing either the waggler or the stick float. This will slow the rig down and alter your presentation which can fool bigger and warier fish. Also make sure you have enough shot down the line, I use multiples of no8 Super Soft Shot instead of No6’s or No4’s as this gives you more variation in your presentation.

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PEGS riVer fishingscott geens / top tips

riVer fishingscott geens / top tips

10. caP oFF FEEDER A deadly method for hard fished rivers is to

fish a small Quickload Feeder with the cap off. This produces a hybrid type of feeder which will allow you to introduce small amounts of loose feed plugged with a tiny bit of groundbait. A deadly combination when fished in conjunction with a long hooklength and maggots or chopped worm.

6. BoW WItH tHE FLoW When feeder fishing in fast flowing water try to use a feeder

that just holds bottom, to achieve this when the feeder has landed pay out line from your reel until the tip settles as it tightens up to the bow with the rod facing downstream. If the feeder dislodges, pay out more line. Trial and error will dictate how heavy your feeder needs to be in relation to the size of the bow as every day will be different. When you have found the perfect combination, bites will normally be signalled by positive drop backs. Using a heavier feeder may be easier but will result in missed bites as the fish feel the weight of the feeder.

7. LonG taIL Feeder fishing on low, clear or hard fished rivers can be very

difficult and the best way to combat this is to increase the length of your hook-length. Up to 6ft or even longer can be deadly as the fish back off the feeder and it provides a natural fall for the hook bait. Bites often come as the hook bait settles in amongst the loose offerings being washed from the feeder. It also pays to vary the length of your trace during the session to fool the wariest of fish. Combined with a light but strong hook such as a PR 344 will definitely result in more bites.

8. UnDERStanD YoUR PEG Take time to plumb your peg carefully and build a

mental picture of its contours. It is vital to understand if the depth increases or decreases throughout the length of your peg. Initially cast around your peg with a heavy plummet feeling for any shelves or sudden depth changes. Then run your float through with a bare hook to see if there are any underwater obstacles such as weed beds that need to be avoided. It is better to lose a hook before the match than put all your bait where you can’t fish.

9. FEED, FEED, FEED Feeding is crucial on any river session, without loose feeding

you cannot attract fish into your peg or make resident fish in the peg respond. It is crucial to ensure that bait is constantly being introduced either by hand or catapult, how much to feed depends on the number of fish you feel are present and what your target weight is if you are fishing a match. A favourite tactic of mine is to feed a combination of bronze maggots and Sonubaits tinned Hemp as these two baits will catch any fish that swims. Another trick is to up the feed rate significantly in the last hour of the match, particularly if I feel the peg is already exhausted. This will sometimes provoke a

rogue big fish in to feeding and turn a possible framing peg into a match winner. Quite literally ‘lashing it in’ is particularly effective for chub.

5. SEaRcH YoUR PEG A common misconception when feeder fishing on rivers is that you must always cast into the

same spot. This is far from the truth, I try to visualise the trail of bait you would have if you were loose feeding whilst float fishing and try to emulate this by casting onto the same line but progressively further down the peg as far as I feel is correct. I then can catch fish from all along the feed trail as I have not limited myself to one spot. This is particularly effective for barbel and chub.

TOPTACTIC

t

a double-figure bag of silvers caught using running line tactics

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PEGS riVer fishingscott geens / top tips

riVer fishingscott geens / top tips

this image reproduced with kind permission from ‘improve your coarse fishing’ magazine

■ pro type power 9.5m and 11mSuitable for a variety of styles the Pro Type Power is immensely strong, making it the ideal choice for margin fishing and long line to hand fishing, its lightweight construction and quality finish make it easy to handle and the slim profile belies its strength.

■ pro type 460 16mAt a full 16m the Pro Type 460 offers many advantages normally seen on poles costing much more. Super stiff and with an exceptional spares package containing 4 power kits which have a reinforced area to allow the fitting of a side Pulla or Roller Pulla system (not supplied), one additional match kit, Kup Kit with Kups, half butt and a dedicated pole holdall. This pole is a complete all-rounder and ideal for someone looking to upgrade to a top class pole without breaking the bank.

■ pro type 260 13mSupplied at 13m the Pro Type 260 is stiff and strong, ideally suited to both commercial and silver fish applications. Supplied complete with three power kits which have a reinforced area to allow the fitting of a side Pulla or Roller Pulla system (not supplied), a re-enforced half butt and a Kup Kit with Kups it is the ideal choice for someone progressing into serious pole fishing. A complete pole package offering performance and outstanding value for money.

Each of these fantastic poles feature reinforced butt sections to protect from elbow damage when fished at long lengths, section alignment arrows for optimum performance, reinforced joints to minimise carbon fatigue and an Easy Ship finish. The 260, 360 & 460 are compatible with the new Roller Pulla Kit 1.

■ pro type 360 14.5mAt 14.5m the Pro Type 360 offers the length required to reach many far bank features on canals and commercial fisheries. Its stiff action and Easy Ship finish make it ideal for all types of angler and by aligning the arrows the very best action can be achieved. Supplied with four power top 2 kits which have a reinforced area to allow the fitting of a side Pulla or Roller Pulla System (not supplied), a Kup Kit with Kups and a half butt. The perfect choice if you are looking at upgrading your current pole.

this is a fantastiC pole range

that will Cater for the majority of matCh and pleasure anglers

Matt Godfrey, Pole Fishing Magazine

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40 2014 | Preston Innovations 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 41@prestoninnov8 /prestoninnovationslimited

pro type polesfantastic new pole range / optimum performance

pro type polesfantastic new pole range / optimum performance

stored in my monster holdall. The river is up to 12ft in depth, so I have gathered spare 4 and 5 sections to ensure I can set up the amount of top kits I require.

elasticationMy pole wouldn’t be complete without the elasticated top kits and this is the area that requires the most attention.

First of all what elastics will I require?

Fish are likely to be roach and perch both up to 1lb, so a range of 5, 6 and 8 original Slip Elastics are my choice. Interestingly I cut my pole tips back a long way to ensure the elastic runs smoothly. How far is a ‘long way’, well I have fitted

the 3.5mm XLarge Internal Slip Bush, then neatly inserted the 2.0mm Internal Yellow Bush inside. This keeps the lighter elastics central to the top kit, however should I ever wish to change the elastic to something stronger in the future I can remove the 2.0mm yellow bush and use a stronger elastic. This method of double bushing has

given me elastics that work perfectly every time and the flexibility to use my top kits for a range of elastics.

All my elastics are stored on Stora Bungs, which help me adjust the tension of the elastic, or remove then replace the top 10cm to help give my elastics an extended life.

LEE KERRY’STOP TIPS FOR

Even though I have fished well over 1,000 matches, I still get that buzz when match day comes as the anticipation of what could come next takes over. being ready for a match is arguably as important as the match itself, and it is fair to say I spend as much time getting ready for matches as I do fishing them.

MATCH PREPARATIONwhere to startIt is important to understand the range of tackle I might need for a particular match. For example, getting ready for a match on my favourite River Yare in Norfolk. This venue is a long journey, so being well prepared is the least I can do to ensure I have a chance of doing well. The river offers a variety of fishing, so where to begin...

BaitsYou can’t catch any fish without bait so along with maggots, casters and worms collected from the local tackle shop, I look to Sonubaits for ready prepared Hemp and Corn. This takes any extra bait preparation away and the regular sized tins allow me to only use the bait I need for the match without excessive waste.

tackleOnce my bait is organised it is time to start thinking about tackle requirements. Feeder and pole could play a part in my approach, so taking the time to ensure each area is well prepared is crucial.

Starting with the pole, the first job is to make sure my absolute XS pole is cleaned, and safely

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PEGS top tips for Match preparationlee kerry / being prepared

top tips for Match preparationlee kerry / being prepared

douBle checkingI finish my preparation with a basic checklist which ensures I have all tackle ready for match day.

It is important to remember this is just my basic checklist to ensure I don’t forget any essential areas of tackle. You will need to adapt yours to suit your choice of tackle.

There is a lot more to match fishing than just good preparation, but having prepared well it ensures you have given yourself the best chance of performing well in a match. Next job is to draw a good peg, I wish someone could write an article on that!

NEW

feedersTo make the most of feeder fishing, it is important to take a range of feeders to cover various situations. A powerful river like the River Yare requires open ended feeders, so I use the Mini Monster EVa Small accessory case to take the range of sizes and weights I require. For this match I will take small, medium and large feeders with weights from 1oz to 3oz. Preparation for another match will require a different range of feeders, but I do not want to take all the feeders I own to every match, mainly because it would take me a lot longer to get to my peg!

in suMMaryThe more matches you fish, the easier preparation becomes. Many of these things don’t need checking every week, but it is important that they are included as part of your overall match preparation.

hooklengthsAll my rigs do not have any hook lengths on. This is because I feel it is important to choose the correct hooklength on the day of the match. If you have a hooklength already on your rig, then you may settle for something that is not quite right. I take a range of prepared hooklengths in the large Hooklength Retaining System. For this match I have chosen to prepare PR 333 hooks in sizes 20 to 14. These have been tied on 0.09mm, 0.10mm and 0.12mm Reflo Precision Power Line. This should cover all scenarios I am likely to face on the pole.

rodsWith the pole ready it is time to prepare the necessary rods. Being ready at the start of the match can be difficult when there are both rods and poles to prepare. However, this is where good preparation can help your match once again as I always ensure my rods are prepared well in advance at home.

For a river match I am likely to need two different types of feeder rod, the first will be for casting distances up to 35m, then a second for casting up to 60m. Strong flows and heavy feeders mean I need rods that are up to the task, so the 11ft 8in and 12ft 8in Dutch Master Feeder Rods are my weapons of choice. Experience of the venue has told me a 2oz quiver tip should be the correct choice, however I always take a selection of spare tips in various sizes should I need to replace it at any time throughout the match.

reel choicePowerful rods need powerful reels, so on both I have prepared the PXR PRo 5000. These are robust reels that offer me a strong winding power, which will be necessary for when feeder fishing on big rivers. The spools have been freshly loaded with 6lb Reflo Power Max, a line I can trust in the challenging conditions.

rodspre-made

polescleaned and checked

elasticschecked

rigs and hooklengthspremade as necessary

keepnets, landing nets & handles spares packed

boxare all draws ready with shot, line, disgorgers and any other accessories required

carryallonbox accessories such as brolley arms, rod rests, pole socks, and accessory bar are regularly checked

offboxrollers, side trays, rig roosts and platforms as required

4 wheel shuttleall wheels and handles included, as well as bungie straps

clothingdf20 bib and brace and jacket

baitall baits ready and stored to suit

LEE’SCHECKLIST

rigsThe pole itself is prepared, so it is then time to think about rigs. Although I have a wide selection of rigs at home, I have always been aware that I cannot take all of them on to the bank, so organising rigs efficiently to ensure I have all situations covers is important. A river as powerful as the Yare requires floats from 1g to 5g, so many anglers will take many trays of big winders, just to keep the rigs on. I simply take 2 winder trays with the 26cm purple double winders. Because I can store two rigs on a winder, these two trays will have 60+ rigs, which is more than enough to cover any situation. I have a range of rigs prepared at home, but for any particular match I like to fine tune my selection as necessary.

For my trip to the River Yare I have prepared PB Silver 4 in sizes from 1g to 2.5g. These will be used in areas where the flow is a little steadier. I prepare my rigs on robust line, so with hooklengths likely to be 0.09mm to 0.11mm, the floats are prepared on 0.13mm Reflo Power. Shotting patterns for premade rigs is often a question I get asked about as well, and the main thing to consider is

keep it simple. All my rigs are prepared the same. A loop with a single shot against the knot, then a dropper at 20cm, then the Inline olivette a further 30cm away. This can then be adjusted to suit the way the fish are responding during the match, but by keeping this consistency it means I have a recognised starting point. The size of the dropper is matched to the float, so the 1g and 1.5g will have No 9s and the 2g and 2.5g will have No 8s. Once I get above 2.5g, I look to use No 6s, or No 8s paired together. This difference in dropper shot changes the way the rig behaves as it goes through the swim, and I will set up at least three different rigs on match day to vary the presentation.

Along with the PB Silver 4s, I have prepared Pt Series 2 in 3, 4 and 5g. Once again 0.13mm Reflo Power is used, with the same Inline Olivette and two droppers complete the rigs.

Finally a selection of flat floats are prepared, in case the presentation required cannot be achieved by conventional shaped floats. There is a minimum of two of each rig prepared and this range of rigs will be stored in two winder trays, taking minimum space.

rod prepI prepare each rod the same, first I put on two Korum Braid Stops, then a Feeder Bead, then I tie a 12cm twizzled loop. This forms the base of my feeder rig, so I can simply clip the swivel from the Feeder Bead onto a ring on the rod, then wrap the rod with rod tip protectors and store them in my Monster 180cm Double Rod Bag.

hooklength systeMsWith a range of feeders prepared I also require pre-tied feeder hooklengths, in the same way as the pole. Using the Feeder Hooklength System I can easily prepare and store 1m hooklengths in PR 344 and PR 355 hooks. Sizes 12 to 16 on lines from 0.11mm to 0.15mm Reflo Power, are readied, once again to cover a range of circumstances.

Pole and Feeder preparation is now complete. I cannot over emphasise the importance of a range of hooklengths, rigs and feeders. The preparation explained above really does mean I can adapt to a wide variety of different angling situations.

With the finer details prepared it is then time to finalise my bigger items of tackle. I don’t want to be taking any excessive equipment, but also I don’t want to be short on any essentials. For example, I always take two landing nets and landing nets handles with me to a match. If I was to break or lose one then I cannot continue, so I ensure I have a spare at all times.

44 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS top tips for Match preparationlee kerry / being prepared

top tips for Match preparationlee kerry / being prepared

these new hooklength systems will keep your hooklengths organised and protected

lee ties all of his rigs on his rig tying bench

£1300prize money** Combined total over the 3 days

3 days ofprofessional coaching

Junior Match aid & Partridge Lake Fisheries announce the

Junior 3 day

Fishing FestivaL

5-7th august 2014

uk’s First

Des ShippEngland International

Lee KerryFormer Parkdean Champion

Emma PickeringLadies World Champion

Tommy PickeringFormer World Champion

Andy FindlayCommercial Master

partridge lake fisheries

Find out more go to matchaid.org.uk

In association with

FISH CAMP2013 saw the inaugural Fish Camp events take place all over the country. Run in conjunction with Improve Your Coarse Fishing Magazine, Fish Camp gave anglers the chance to learn from the best.

Top Preston Innovations and Korum consultants gave their personal hints and tips to a wide variety of anglers at all standards. From Method feeder fishing, to simple waggler fishing, every angler went home with a smile on their face and a head full of new things to try.

Fish Camp is open to anyone and is sure to help you enjoy your fishing more. Make sure you look out for information on future Fish Camp events in upcoming issues of Improve Your Coarse Fishing Magazine.

2014 | prestoninnovations.com 47/prestoninnovationslimited

NEW

WIN WITH THE

WAGGLERThe waggler can be a devastating method when used correctly. We’ve recruited the help of Tommy Pickering to show you how…7. Place the line under the line clip

on your reel

4. Slide your feeder over the top of one of the Measuring Sticks

1. This is what you’ll need to mark your line accurately

8. Turn each Measuring Stick to face inwards

5. Wrap your line around the sticks as many times as needed

2. Clip the 5m cord onto each of the Measuring Sticks

9. Keeping the line tight, reel the line off the sticks. You are now ready to fish!

6. Move the toggles on the cord to the exact point where you are fishing

3. Push the sticks into the ground pointing outwards, ensuring the cord is tight

TOPTACTIC

t

Scott GEEnS’ HoW to:

use Measuring sticksFoR accURatE caStInG - EVERY tIME

turn over to find out more about this forgotten method >>

48 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS win with the wagglertommy pickering / an overlooked art

Measuring sticksscott geens / how to

I love fishing the waggler, it’s a method that often gets overlooked by anglers, most opting for the pole or bomb, but on the right day, the waggler will outscore any other method. In the early years of my international fishing, the waggler was a key tactic, leading to many match wins, including the tactic I used to win an individual Gold medal at the World Championships.

There are a few things, however, that when set up incorrectly will ruin your day’s fishing. With a little bit of advice, and some practice, knowing how to effectively fish the waggler might just get you out of a mess some days.

what wagglers? There’s a huge amount of different waggler floats available on the market, in all shapes and sizes, but there’s two patterns that I use for my fishing, both from the Preston Dura Waggler range.

With a huge range of sizes and loading choices, coupled with the ability to easily change the colour of the insert tip depending on the light conditions, makes them a must have in my opinion. I use them in 3, 4 or 5g depending on how far I need to cast. They’re also as tough as old boots – shattered or crushed clear brittle floats are a thing of the past!

For fishing on the bottom, as you would conventionally, the adjustable Insert Waggler is my first choice. Its robust translucent body and sensitive, interchangeable tip is perfect for showing up the most delicate of bites even on the drop. I’ll fish with these at dead depth most of the time.

The second float I use is for a slightly different purpose. When the fish are up in the water and you are catching fish quickly, the adjustable Straight Waggler is my float of choice.

One thing I do add is a small ‘splash disk’ the ones that come attached to the Preston Dura Pellet Wagglers. It’s incredible how much of a difference these can be, making the float cock and not dive upon impact with the water, that allows you to be fishing much quicker and also reduce the chances of spooking fish by diving a waggler through the water where they are feeding. With positive bites the order of the day, the insert tip is not needed, and the wider tip is much easier to spot. The little splash disks have a minimal effect on the casting distance, but are a big help when the rig hits the water. These can be fished as shallow as 8in on the right day as they are incredibly unobtrusive.

tackle choiceSo when you know what waggler to use, you’ll need to know the rest of the bits to go with it! For fishing with Dura Wagglers, the 12ft 2-piece carbonactive Mini F1 rod is what I find myself using time after time. It’s the perfect tool for the job when fishing like this on commercials. Coupled with a nice and compact Pc-R 3000 reel and 4lb Power Max reel line makes this super easy to use.

You don’t need heavy line or long rods for most commercial waggler fishing; the 12ft rod is a faultless compromise between length and ease of use.

My dropper shot consists of two No.8 and a No.10 Super Soft Shot. The last shot is placed on next to the loop joining the hooklength and the other two are spaced equally above. It’s important to remember that all of your shot needs to be placed in the bottom half of the rig to stop tangles when casting.

sitting coMfortaBly? After you’ve got all of your tackle and rig sorted there’s only one final thing to do. Waggler fishing can be an extremely active style of fishing, but sometimes you’ll be waiting for only a few bites - that could be the difference between a blank or winning the match. If the fishing is very active, or I’m fishing shallow and will be constantly reeling in, I like to hold the rod in my hand. When the fishing is hard and I might only get a few bites per match, I’ll use an XS Feeder arm to hold the rod, making sure that the rod is in comfortable range to hold my hand on the reel seat. This takes out the strain of holding a rod for 5 hours, but still allows me to hit lightning fast bites.

Attaching the wagglers to the line could not be easier. It’s also something that many people get completely wrong, especially when using loaded wagglers. Split shot don’t need to feature anywhere near the float’s base. I use Preston Method Feeder Stops to secure my wagglers. These are a longer version of the more traditional shaped float stop. Two Method Feeder stops each side of a link swivel will hold your float in position without slipping, and also eliminate the chances of split shot damaging the line when you adjust the depth.

At the business end of the rig, a 10in hooklength of 0.11m Reflo Power and a size 18 PR 36 is attached. Whether I’m using a bait band, Rapid Stop or even hooking the bait directly, when using corn or maggot hookbaits I use the same hook, just by trimming off the hair.

proper pluMBingOne thing that many anglers can get wrong is accurate plumbing up with a waggler. The first and most important part when using loaded wagglers is to leave off any shot down the line. The float will then sit with lots of bristle showing out of the water and allow you to read the depth properly. When I’m only fishing short, up to around 30m, I’ll use a standard plummet attached to the hook. After casting out to where I’ll be fishing I wait for 20 seconds for the float to reappear. If the float doesn’t appear, add another 6in on to the depth and repeat the same process. Once I think I’ve got the float set at dead depth, the plummet comes off and is swapped for a AAA shot pinched onto the hook. Sometimes the heavy plummet can sink by an inch or two into the silt, so the AA shot just double checks that the depth is correct. Only after I have the depth correct will I attach the dropper shot to the rig.

on the right day, the waggler will outsCore any other methodTommy Pickering

from top to bottom: tommy’s choice of rod and reel; keep warm in the cold weather by wearing the drifish celsius suit; bait choice could not be any easier; another one slides over the net on a difficult day

tommy uses the insert tip when fishing on the bottom, and a straight tip when

fishing shallow

two method feeder stops either side of the float will prevent it from slipping

toMMy says

Next time you go fishing; just think how the waggler could give you an advantage. There’s a whole host of different situations where it could be used, and by following these few hints and tips, you’ll be able to catch plenty of fish!

50 WINNING



WINNING

PEGSwin with the wagglertommy pickering / an overlooked art

win with the wagglertommy pickering / an overlooked art

ROLLER PuLLA

revolutionA side entry PTFE bush which also features an integrated PTFE roller for ultra-smooth flow of elastic through your kit when playing fish. We have three products in the range to cover all eventualities which makes choosing the right option simple. The Roller Wheel situated on the inside of the pole is made from PTFE, the same super smooth, easy flowing material that your pole tip bushes are made from. This material, coupled with the roller system allows your elastic to be pulled effortlessly out of the pole, cutting down the friction on your elastic and reducing the amount of wear. This means your elastic will be kept in better condition for longer!

It allows the elastic to be held away from the walls of your top kits, by centralising the elastic in the kit, you have less worry about it rubbing against the pole and not working smoothly. This is vital, especially with lighter elastics, to ensure that every fish you hook reaches the net.

roller pulla kit oneKit one is the larger diameter of the two. This kit is compatible with the Pro Type pole range, but also features a long reinforced section to enable you to cut the pole down to fit other poles on the market. The internal diameter of Kit One is 22mm.

roller pulla kit twoKit Two, the smaller diameter, is designed to fit the GXR and GiS pole ranges. The internal diameter of the kit is 18mm and this too offers the longer reinforced section to enable it to be cut to fit other poles on the market.

Despite the popularity of Pulla Kits and Pulla bungs we’re always

looking for improvements, hence the Roller Pulla System.

1. The Roller Pulla Bush is simple to fit. We recommend the use of a 10mm grinding bit to achieve a perfect location hole. If in doubt, fitting may be available at your local tackle shop or pole repairer.

2. Mark the desired location on the reinforced area of your top kit and carefully drill a pilot hole, around 4mm is ideal. Take care not to drill though the opposite side of your kit!

3. Alternatively you can use the existing hole from an original Pulla Kit. Simply remove the PTFE bush and follow the steps on the opposite page.

4. Using a 10mm grinding bit, open out the hole and sand any rough edges lightly with emery cloth or fine sandpaper.

5. Remove the PTFE bush from the Roller Pulla Bush and rotate slowly in to the hole so when located the roller is facing towards the tip of your top kit.

6. Locate the PTFE bush into the housing to ‘lock’ the assembly in to place. Now elasticate as usual securing the elastic against the Roller Pulla Bush with the bead provided.

HoW to:

fit the roller pulla BushPLEaSE notE: MUSt BE FIttED to a SUItaBLY REInFoRcED aREa oF YoUR toP KIt

TOPTACTIC

t

roller pulla BushThe third option in the Rolla Pulla range is the Rolla Pulla Bush. If you already have existing Kits for your pole and would like to convert them to the Rolla Pulla System, these separate bushes are for you. We recommend that you seek professional fitting available from most tackle shops or pole repairers.

scan Meto view Adam

Wakelin’s tutorial for how

to fit a Roller Pulla Kit in less than 2 minutes

PULLA

KITONE

KITTWO

the roller pulla bush - neat and compact

EacH KIt IS REInFoRcED anD can BE cUt BacK to FIt a WIDE RanGE oF PoLES. coMPatIBLE WItH MaVER, DaIWa, MaP, SEnSaS anD ManY MoRE.


roller pulla reVolutionroller pulla kits / roller pulla bush

roller pulla reVolutionroller pulla kits / roller pulla bush

NEW

NEW

The most important thing when fishing any type of feeder is that the bait it’s loaded with must reach the bottom intact. With the banjo it becomes far easier to land the pellets on the deck in one ball – the sides of the feeder hold in the bait and so you always know your presentation is spot-on. The hookbait will always be sat in the middle of a small ball of micro pellets – it’s the perfect presentation and makes such a difference to your catch rate.

If easy loading of bait and keeping it intact until it hits the deck is the key advantage of the Banjo; then its ability to be cast with pinpoint accuracy runs a close second. The banjo cuts through the air like a dart, it goes exactly where you want it, time after time. It always lands baited side up, too.

One thing that often goes unnoticed about the Banjo Feeder is its versatility. You can give them plenty of bait, aided by the Banjo Feeder Mould, or you can use a tiny amount of pellets, lightly pressed into the feeder. When the fish want just small portions of bait this is exactly what you need.

Depending on how far I need to cast will depend on the setup and size of feeder that I use. Today I’m using an 11ft C-Tech Feeder, the lovely through action of this rod will absorb any late lunges for the fish, cutting down on the amount of lost fish. My 6lb Power Max reel line goes down to a small 30g Elasticated Banjo Feeder. With the sun shining and the weather warm, I’m sure the fish will want a bit of bait, so I’m going to use the Banjo Feeder Mould to put plenty of bait on the feeder.

By simply filling the Banjo Mould full of pellets, pressing down to compact the bait onto the feeder I can create a heaped mound of dampened pellets on the feeder, much more than you can put on with your hand. I have my hookbait on the top of the bait when using the Banjo, making sure that it is the first thing that the fish pick up.

Hookbaits can range from a grain of corn, to a 6mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellet or even a brightly coloured Band’um, all of which are attached via a Bait Band or Rapid Stop on a hair. The hooklength is a short 4in length of 0.17mm Reflo Power and size 16 PR 36 hook.

Turning hard pellets into soft and sticky baits to go in the Banjo is something anglers struggle with. Anglers trying to soften their bait often end up with pellets that are too wet and soggy – resembling a lump of paste rather than individual baits.

Who better to show how good the banjo Feeder is than the man that invented it? Read on to see why Andy Findlay rates it so highly.

The Banjo is an evolution of the flat Method feeder. Whereas the flat feeder sports a flat weighted base sprouting a few narrow ribs to stick groundbait or pellets on to, the Banjo has a similar base with a round bowl built on top of it.

With a vertical sidewall running around the disc of metal forming the base of the feeder, packing it with bait is easy as the bowl effectively retains the feed and protects it from the force of the cast and the impact of the water allowing all of your bait to hit the bottom.

tHREE WaYS to:

load a Banjo feeder

1. A tiny amount of bait is perfect in the cooler months. Pressed in by your thumb.

2. The right amount for all but the most difficult days. Use your palm to achieve this.

3. When the fish really want some bait, use the Mould to feed plenty.

it’s the perfeCt presentation and makes suCh a differenCe to your CatCh rateAndy Findlay

bAG uPON

THEbANjO

WINNING

PEGS 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 55/prestoninnovationslimited54 2014 | Preston Innovations @prestoninnov8

Bag up on the Banjoandy findlay / banjo effectiveness


TOPTACTIC

t

PRODuCTALL THE GEAR YOu’LL NEED TO PLAY THE bANjO LIKE FIN

NETTINGAndy uses a Hair Net II to safely bag his catches. The fine nylon mesh makes it suited to hair rigging as it won’t pass through the mesh.

Available in 18 & 20”

bAITGuIDE

Spot lightPreparing pellets doesn’t have to be a guess, or a hard task, it’s almost easier than using a Method Mould! Just pour a bag of 2mm Fin Feed Pellets into a 2 pint bait tub, cover them with water, leave for 2 minutes, drain off the excess water and they’re done! Just give them a shake around in the tub to loosen them off and you’ll have perfect pellets for the Banjo.

By casting tight to the far bank, using a feeder loaded with bait I’ve managed to put fish after fish into the net. There’s carp queuing up to feed on the bait as soon as the feeder lands.

If there are too many fish at your peg, simply cut down on the feed by pressing the bait on with your palm. It halves the amount of bait going into the swim and proper bites should resume.

PERFECT PELLETSAndy uses Sonubaits’ 2mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellets mixed with Stiki Pellet to make the perfect loaded Banjo Feeder.

DINNER ON A PLATEAndy masterminded the

Banjo Feeder which forces the pellets to erupt out, covering the feeder and

leaving the hookbait dead centre. The perfect presentation every time.

Feeders available in six sizes in Inline and Elasticated

Quick Release Moulds available in small and large

ROD CHOICEAndy’s preferred choice of rod is the 11ft C-Tech Feeder which has a non-lock through action,

banishing hook pulls at the net.

Available in 3 lengths

STOP PRESSFin uses new Rapid Stops to attach his hookbait. Quick and easy to use.

TOP bOxAndy’s choice of seatbox is the X3SD

complete with 4 telescopic front legs.

KEEP ‘EM SAFEAndy uses 2 Blue Carp

Keepnets to separate his fish, they are made from

ultra soft material and conform to commercial

fishery requirements.

a huge bag of carp caught

with the help of a banjo feeder

HoW to:

attach a rapid stop

1. Mount the Stop on to the needle 2. Insert the needle,

stop first, into the bait 3. Push the needle all the way through 4. Allow the Stop to rest

against the bait and withdraw the needle

fin says

This huge net of fish just

shows how effective the Banjo

feeder can be. Don’t dismiss it

from your armoury, get out

there and try it!

56 WINNING


WINNING

PEGS Bag up on the Banjoandy findlay / banjo effectiveness


BESTSELLER

TOPTACTIC

t

To represent your country at anything in life is something to be proud of. For me, receiving the phone call from the management asking me to represent England in the European Championships was the result of constant dedication and belief that I could achieve what many thought was impossible.

The England team is the best in the world, nobody can argue that over the last 15 years, this team has had more medals and more gold medals than any other. Getting ready for an event like this is a daunting task, fortunately I have been sponsored by Preston Innovations for a long time, and along with the help of my colleagues I was able to pull together a collection of terminal tackle that I had total faith in for use on the biggest stage.

Major flooding in Europe meant that the huge relief channel staging the competition was 5m above expected summer levels. The level was dropping by up to 30cm every day, so it was

very difficult to form any sort of plan in practice as the contours of the channel changed daily. On the day of the match I was sat where my float had been at the start of the week!

I was fortunate enough to have a good practice week, it is all about achieving team success on these trips, but of course it was an honour to be setting my tackle up on day one of the European Championships. The plan for the match was to target bleak to start with and depending on how this was progressing we would then look to target fish on the long pole.

My match really was a case of two halves, for an hour my bleak fishing did not go to plans so a quick chat with bank runner Mark Addy meant a switch was made to the long pole. I needed to fish the match of my life to ensure I didn’t let the team down.

The next three hours were fantastic, by concentrating on when to feed, and changing rigs and hookbaits to suit, I kept a steady stream of catfish, carassio and skimmers coming to the net and a weight of over 5kg. This was enough for 2nd in my 25 peg section, narrowly beaten by 140g.

My debut had gone well, but unfortunately we had drawn poorly in both D and E section, but we kept our belief, and it made me realise the strength of this team as the talk that evening

was how can we win this!

Inspired, I set up the next day only one peg away from day one, after 30 minutes bleak fishing, my trusted Absolute XS was shipped out and my PT Series 8 float made its way perfectly over my bait. Bites were a lot less frequent than the day before, but good quality fish made up for that. I was feeding as the previous day but as the match went on it seemed the top end of my section became worse and worse, the last hour only producing two small fish.

I was leading after 2.5 hours, but slipped back to 8th from 25. I always want to score maximum points for the team, but I felt I had done well from the early pegs and it might just help us move up the rankings. Indeed the team had done a lot better, in fact a 2nd position on the day moved us into 5th from 25 teams for the championships. 5th is not a position the England team want to be in, but a much improved 2nd day showed that this team will continue to achieve great things.This was proved in Poland during the World Championships later in the year, when the team lifted another gold medal, with the most convincing win of a generation.

I am proud to say I have been part of this squad in 2013, and will do my best to ensure I can perform at this level for a long time to come.

round 1 larfordI drew peg 56 in the middle of match lake and caught skimmers and F1s at the bottom of the shelf at 7m on 4mm pellets. I fed a shallow pole line at 13m with 6mm pellet the whole time and a switch on to this in the middle of the match saw me catch F1s steadily. 18” deep was best with a 4x12 PB Carp 1 with size 11 Hollo Elastic. I ended up with 30 F1’s shallow and two carp down the edge on meat to weigh 38k for 2nd in section.

round 2 lindholMeI drew peg 58 and the far bank was reed lined which meant I could not reach any shallow water or mud banks that most people seemed to have, so I decided to set up a new Micro Pellet Feeder on a 9’ Mini F1 rod for the end of the reeds 18m away where it was shallower in case the pole line was too deep.

I started on the pole line with meat across which was very slow, so a change to the Pellet Feeder with a Salted Nut Crush Band’um improved my catch rate dramatically, catching F1’s most casts. I had also been feeding a 7m shallow caster line which I started feeding more aggressively now I was catching on the tip and after an hour I noticed a couple of swirls for the caster, I switched to the shallow line and caught nearly a fish a chuck for the

remaining 4 hours. I caught 8-10” deep, with a 4x10 Preston Pink float with size 9 Hollo Elastic with either a hair-rigged worm head or 6mm pellet on the hook. I ended up with 65k and a section win.

round 3 ViaductI drew peg 98 on Cary which I was fairly happy with as it’s usually a good area of the lake though tightly pegged, the fish there average 8-10lb. I started the match on the pole shallow hoping for a few quick fish while feeding a bomb/waggler line at 30m with 8mm pellet and caught one carp on the pole before switching to the bomb with 11mm pellet. Mid match when nothing was happening I decided to do a 40 minute stint for skimmers which gave me 23lb in my silver net. After the rest I went back on the bomb and ended up with 29 carp.

I weighed 279lb 5oz, easily winning my section but agonisingly 1 ounce short of a match win and Adam Wakelin’s new UK Champs weight record.

round 4 BarstonI drew peg 31 which is just before the island on the river bank, I decided on two feeder lines, one fished at 50m on a gravel bar and a 30m line where I could loose feed 8mm pellets and a 14m pole line loose fed with 6mm pellets.

The match started very slowly; by swapping between the two feeder lines I could only manage the very occasional F1 or skimmer, mainly on a Pineapple Band’um.

The wind had dropped in the last hour and it was flat calm and I couldn’t see my feeder line coming to life as it doesn’t usually produce in these conditions.

My only chance of a few more points rested on the pole line I had been priming and in a dramatic last 40 minutes I caught 4 bream, 3 F1’s and lots of small skimmers on hard 6mm pellets and more than doubled my weight. I ended up with 27lb, which put me 4th in the section but was enough for overall victory!

lee kerry

england call uplee’s delight at the honour of being selected to represent his country

andy power

uk champion 2013south west star reveals how he took the coveted title

58 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS hall of faMelee kerry / england call up

hall of faMeandy power / uk champion 2013

Autumn festivals at White Acres are one of my favourite times of the year and back in 2012 I managed to win the Maver and the Preston Innovations festivals in consecutive weeks! In the autumn just gone it was nearly repeated as I won the Maver festival with 36 points dropping a 2nd and was runner up in the Preston with 35 points dropping a 4th.

Winning festivals means that you need to perform over 5 days and one of my little tricks is incorporating silvers in to my catches. Normally put together with some carp or F1s, this can give me a winning section catch and possibly a match winning catch!

I am going to run you through my lakes, pegs, weights and section points from my latest festival win at White Acres:

MaVer festiVal 2013

day 1Bolingey - peg 33, I weighed 160lb made up of all carp caught on hard

6mm pellets on the long pole for the first three hours then a switch to meat at 5m for the last two hours. I won the section and was 2nd on the lake.

day 2Pollawyn - peg 41, one of the worst pegs on the lake! I weighed 53lb made

up of three carp across to the island on meat for around 15lb and the 38lb of silver fish caught at top 5 and in the margins, which included some massive perch, I won the section but my weight wasn’t good enough for a lake frame.

day 3trewaters - peg 23, with a weight of 103lb made up of mainly F1s from the

margins on casters, I thought that it would be enough to win the section but unfortunately I was beaten by a peg opposite on the feeder putting me in 2nd place in the section and a lake 2nd.

day 4trelawney - peg 18, I weighed an average 63lb of carp and F1s on worms

and pellets caught long on the pole and caught a 5lb carp last put-in from the margins that won me the section by 2lb! No main lake money though.

day 5Porth - peg 73, my favourite lake and after a slow start on the feeder with

probably 3lb in the net, a switch to the long pole produced a great run of skimmers up to 10oz on dead maggots and bumped my weight up to 14lb for a section win and a lake win.

So my week ended with a maximum four wins and dropping a second which is 36 points and a total weight of 392lb and a festival win!

2013 turned out to be a great year for me; it started in June with the Individual Ladies National at Coleman’s Cottage in Essex, a venue I had never fished before so leading up to the match I did my homework regarding what approach to take.

On the day I drew just off the area where I was told I needed to be but all the same I was happy. My approach was to fish with pellets. I had 2mm and 4mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellets

and 4mm Fin Perfect Expanders, I used a 0.3 PB 2 float, Reflo Power 0.15mm mainline to a size 18 PR 478 hook tied to a 0.11mm hooklength used in conjunction with a Pulla Kit fitted with 9 Hollo Elastic. I used a light set up as I knew there were a variety of fish in the lake including roach and F1’s up to 2lb. I used a small Cad Pot feeding 2mm pellets and caught straight away but got the feeling the fish were coming off the bottom and giving me false bites.

I thought 2mm pellets were not right so changed to 4mm to reduce the particles going through the peg and this worked as the fish settled over the feed. The depth was the same all across the peg and I started at 4 metres but finished the match at 9 metres, as the fished pushed out I followed them. My weight was 32k and enough to take the title of Ladies National Champion.

Fish ‘O’ Mania was a completely different approach. The Arena Lake is renowned for barbel but in practice this year we caught a lot of carp. My key tactic was to fish the method feeder across and fire 8mm pellets tight to the bank to attract fish into the area. I opted to use a 10ft F1 Mini rod because there were

skimmers and smaller fish to be caught and this rod was perfect for a smaller fish but also had the backbone for the bigger carp. Reel line used was 6lb Power Max to a 30g small Inline Method feeder and to 0.13mm Reflo Power hooklength and size 18 PR 36 hook. I believe the lighter set up and taking your time playing fish enables you to convert every bite and leads to overall better catches.

Firing the 8mm pellets across definitely went in my favour as I caught straight away as the weather was very hot so I knew it would be a hard day. I sat and waited patiently and stuck to the plan but halfway through I felt I needed to rest that line and had a short period fishing shallow at 14.5 metres. There were a lot of fish cruising shallow and I caught one on this method loose feeding a few pellets to attract the fish. I used size 13 Hollo to 0.15mm Reflo Power and a size 16 PR 36 with a banded pellet to a 0.13mm Reflo Power hooklength. All the time I was still firing out the pellets on the method line and in the last hour I went back on the method and caught 2 carp straight away which secured my win. I believe had I not rested the line and given a few fish confidence to come and settle on the line I wouldn’t have caught these few extra fish and may not have won.

des shipp

white acres winnermr consistant notches up yet another festival victory

emma pickering

the first ladyemma does the double winning fish ‘o’ mania and the ladies national

60 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS hall of faMedes shipp / white acres winner

hall of faMeemma pickering / the first ladY

As I positioned my box into place in what was the biggest match of my life, I looked out across the lake and all that could be seen was bubbles from feeding fish. Like most of the anglers, I had a rough plan in my head as to how I was going to attack my peg. This would consist of long and short pole lines, an edge line and a method feeder rod as I had the island to cast to.

I set up my One XS pole and top kits loaded with elastics from size 11 Hollo Elastic for my 14m line and up to size 15 for edge fishing. I decided to fish 5m, 14m and to the weeds on both sides of my edge lines where I would look for 18” of water. My rigs for 5m and 14m are very similar and are made up of 0.11 power line to 4x12 and 4x14 PB Carp 5s with 0.11 hook lengths with hair rigged micro bands on size 18 hooks. I also set up 3 shallow rigs to fish from 6in-2ft deep. My edge rigs consisted of 0.17 and 0.19 power line with Preston PB 4 carp floats with size 14 PR 456 hooks.

My bait for the day would be 6mm fisheries pellets, 6 and 8mm cut meat and 4k of Sonubaits Dark Method Mix, which I will feed loose after 2 or 3 hours depending on how my match planned out.

The horn sounded and the first 15 minutes produced only one lost fish to the method and the next 15 minutes produced only one skimmer on the short pole line, it was time to go long on the pole. After a further half an hour I started to put a run of fish together and had around 10lb in the net. For the next hour and a half I switched between fishing shallow and on the bottom with banded 6mm pellets. It is now half way through and I have around 40lb in the net with other anglers leading with 50-55lb, it was time to feed 8 large pots of the loose groundbait down the edge to try and force my way back into the running.

After 20 minutes and only 1 more fish it was time to go down the edge, I hooked an 8mm bit of meat filled my pot and shipped my rig out. As it settled it shot under and a 5lb carp was soon netted. For the last 2 hours I caught fish in waves of 2 or 3 feeding 3 or 4 pots of loose groundbait when bites dried up. As the all-out was called I knew it was going to be very, very close. The rest is history but it was a truly great day out and of course I was £50k better off!

I set-up an 11ft Carbonactive Mini Float rod for fishing the pellet waggler and a 10ft Carbonactive Mini for the Method feeder. The reels I used were PC-R 3000 for the wag and PC-R 4000 for the feeder, these were both loaded with 6lb Reflo Power Max. I used a 6g Dura Waggler set at 2ft deep and a 0.17 Reflo Power hooklength. For the feeder I used a 30g Preston Method, Korum Quick Change Bead, and 0.17 hooklength with a Quickstop. I didn’t catch a fish on either of these setups as I spent nearly all my match focusing on shallow fishing at 13m.

I set up 5 rigs, 1 heavy shallow rig with size 15 Hollo, 0.17 to 0.15 with a PB Carp 2 float, I used 2 no.9 shots to create a third splash when I slap the rig. The hook was a size 18 PR 36 with a hair rigged bait band. The light shallow rig was more or less the same, except I used size 13 elastic and my lines were 0.15 to 0.13. These two rigs were the main ones I was focusing on, I decided before the match that I was going to try focus on one tactic - pole shallow at 13m. However, I decided to set-up back up lines just in case. These were a margin line, short line and also on the deck line for where I was looking to catch shallow. Pole wise I used my GXR 2600.

My side tray consisted of a tin of corn, 1 pint of 6mm meat, 2 pints of soaked 2mm Fin Perfect Pellets mixed with a couple of handfuls of Crushed Expander groundbait as an extra attraction. I fed this heavily down the edge and also used it to mould the feeder. My main bait, was 6mm Fin Perfect Pellets straight out of the bag; these were for feeding and also banding for my hookbait. I went through 2 pints through the catapult on the day, constant feeding and slapping the rig was the reason for my success shallow. I also had a handful of 8mm pellets to create a louder splash when I slapped the rig; this helped me snare one carp early on.

I caught 10 carp throughout the 4 hours; every fish was caught 13m shallow. I worked out after the first hour that the carp were cruising, and that I needed to feed heavily and keep slapping the rig to annoy the carp into taking our hookbait. I ended up catching most of my fish 8-12in deep. I spent my last 20 minutes of the match fishing down the edge, looking for a big fish, but unfortunately I only had 1 bite which I missed. It was a strange match, I didn’t catch a fish in the first hour, but I had 5 in the 2nd and 4 in the 3rd. The last hour was slow, I only had 1 carp but wasted a lot of time feeding/fishing down the edge.

I spent 3 and a half hours of my match working the shallow line, constantly slapping the rig then feeding. I had 10 minutes on the method at the end of the first hour, and this was a very important move. I felt that the fish were getting wary of the pressure of heavy slapping and the pole over their heads, so I decided to fish the method for ten minutes whilst priming up the shallow line and letting the fish get confident and competing for bait. As soon as I went back shallow, I caught steadily until the start of the 3rd hour. My last 45 minutes was worrying, as I tried to catch down the edge which didn’t work, I feel this is because it was a 4 hour match, usually the carp move in right at the end of the 5 hour matches at Cudmore. Luckily my quiet spell at the end didn’t matter; I finished with just over 20kg and beat 2nd place by 6kg. It was a fantastic match and I really enjoyed it.

zac brown

£50k mega match this final winner 2013

preston innovations delcac team man on how he won the big one

dan blackwell

Junior fish ‘o’ mania champion 2013young star describes how he secured the title

62 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS hall of faMedan blackwell / junior fish ‘o’ mania champion 2013

hall of faMeZac brown / £50k mega match this final

SCOREWITH

We joined Neil McKinnon at Arrow Valley Lake to pick his brains on bagging huge weights of skimmers and bream. Read on to find out his secrets...

To fully gain the confidence of the skimmers I start by fishing two lines, my main line at 13m and another at 11.5m. This lets me rest one until I feel that the fish will have settled over the bait, it also allows me to top up and give the fish time to settle again. You’ll often find that if you top up the feed and fish for them straight away that the fish can back off, and your catch rate will take a dramatic fall.

gearing upChoosing the right gear for skimmers is imperative, but simple. A 13m pole line is my main target. As long as there is a good depth, 5-8ft, I see no need to go longer. Size 8 Dura Hollo Elastic is spot-on for these skimmers, it is forgiving enough to prevent bumping off smaller fish, while still having enough power to land bigger bonus fish should they turn up. This elastic has made a big difference to my skimmer fishing and even small carp and F1’s in winter.

Two rigs are assembled consisting of 0.4 and 0.6 PB Inter 3 pole floats with a bulk of no.8 Stotz and two No.10’s as a dropper shot. Both rigs are constructed using 0.13mm Reflo Power with a 0.10mm Reflo Precision Power hook length, finished off with a size 18 PR 490 hook. These are as simple as it gets, a bulk and two droppers gets the bait into the bite zone quickly, and the droppers give the hookbait a more natural fall through the last 12 inches of water. The PB Inter 3 is a great float for this

type of skimmer fishing. Its wire stem helps to keep it stable in choppy conditions, and the nylon bristle is sensitive enough to show up delicate bites from skimmers.

Bait choice My bait tray consists of four baits; Sonubaits F1 Green Groundbait, 4mm Fin Feed Pellets, 4mm Super Expander Pellets and a few dead maggots. At the start of the match I will feed the pole line by cupping in 4 balls of Sonubaits F1 Groundbait onto my 13m line. The fish really seem to respond to the sweet groundbait, and for any skimmer or bream fishing I don’t go without it. I’ve added a few dead maggots and some 4mm pellets to the groundbait too.

The 11.5m line is fed with only two balls of F1 Green and only dead maggots. This is the line I will start fishing. I opt for the lighter rig and a double red maggot hookbait. I’ll usually give it 45 minutes before I look on my 13m swim. By this time the skimmers should have had time to settle over the bait and build some confidence.

I’ll fish the main line until I feel that it needs a top up. Usually this is after every 10 fish. A small ball of groundbait and 25 4mm Fin Feed Pellets is dropped into a large Uni caD Pot; just enough to keep the fish interested and in the peg.

After I top up I will fish my shorter line. By regularly feeding 4mm pellets onto the 11.5m line, I should be able to catch fish while I give the main 13m pole line 5 minutes to rest.

SKIMMERS

the bigger bream Can be Caught on the pole under good ConditionsNeil McKinnon

catching big weights of skimmers is one of my favourite ways of fishing. at times they can be a difficult fish to catch quickly and build a big weight with, but with some careful thinking it won’t be long before they are virtually climbing up your pole!

one of many skimmers slides into the waiting landing net

WINNING

PEGS 2014 | prestoninnovations.com 6564 2014 | Preston Innovations @prestoninnov8

score with skiMMersneil mckinnon / bagging skimmers and bream


WINNING

PEGS

the sessionFishing as described and it has taken about an hour and a half for the fish to really get going in the swim; to the point whereby it is now solid, with a fish every put in. These include skimmers around 8oz each and a large proportion of 2lb fish and the odd 3lb bream. A Super Expander Pellet is the best bait; these skimmers seem to find them irresistible and I’m getting bites extremely quickly, sometimes it goes under just as the float is cocking.

Given the conditions have been very calm; with the wind blowing off my shoulder the results have been no less than great. I’ve caught about 75lb of skimmers and a few bigger bream. At the end of the session I introduced the remainder of my groundbait by balling in about 6 orange size balls to see what would happen. All went quiet for about 15 minutes, then once they returned there were too many fish in the peg! I’d over done it and started to foul hook fish.

neil says

The bigger bream can be caught on

the pole under good conditions. As

with all fishing, the fish can be fickle at

times, however this type of fishing

certainly whets your appetite!

NEIL’S RIG SET-uP FLOATS Neil starts by choosing 0.4 and 0.6 PB Inter 3 pole floats. These floats slim rounded bodies are ideal for deeper water, windy conditions and slow moving rivers.

HOOKED ONNeil uses the 5mm Kup Kit to hold his balled up groundbait.

Sold in a pack of 2, containing one 4mm and one 5mm

HOOK LENGTHNeil constructs both rigs using

0.13mm Reflo Power with a 0.10mm Precision Power hook length, finished off with a size

18 PR 490 hook.

STOTzNeil uses a bulk of No.8 Stotz

and two No.10s as dropper shots. The wide groove on

them makes placing them on the line quick and easy.

ELASTICATIONSize 8 Dura Hollo Elastic is spot-on for Neil’s requirements. The increased wear resistance elastic has made a big difference to his skimmer fishing and is even great for small carp and F1’s in winter.

Dura Hollo Elastic is available in 6 sizes

PERFECT PELLETSNeil uses 25 4mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellets and new Super Expander Pellets alongside a small groundbait ball to keep the fish interested.

GOING GREENNeil uses 2 balls of new F1 Green and dead maggots on his starting line.

PRODuCTSpot light

BESTSELLER

well over 60lb of skimmers and bream in only four hours of fishing

66 2014 | Preston Innovations @prestoninnov8

BAITGUIDE


THE ESSENTIAL KIT TO bAG SOME SKIMMERS AND bREAM


WINNING

PEGS

NEW

day 1The first day, over 100 children from a local school in Umbertide got the chance to have a go at fishing. After a brief introduction

to fishing from top Italian consultant, Angelo De Pascalis, the children headed off for a lesson on different baits, what they do and how to prepare them.

It was then on to the fishing. Separating off into small groups, the children got to fish with Tommy, Des, Lee, Angelo and his brother Max, a key member of the Italian feeder team, Dutch international Arnout Van Der Stadt and two of Preston’s Belgian consultants.

There were plenty of fish caught all through the day. Every single child managed to catch at least one fish with their coach before the day had ended.

day 2

The second day saw the consultants from all over Europe lining up to fish against each other. Fishing in pairs, the

anglers from England, Belgium, Italy, Holland, Germany and even an Italian-English team,

made up of Preston’s Lee Kerry and top young Italian feeder angler, Gregorio Giovannoni.

A chilly, misty morning didn’t affect the fishing, with angler’s catching right from the start. The venue, Laghi di Faldo, is an Italian commercial fishery, full of fish, and a great venue to test out the skill of the consultants.

Tommy and Des chose to fish extremely simply setting up only two rods, one a 10ft Mini Carp with a PC-R 4000 reel to fish a small 30g Sticky Feeder. The other exactly the same to fish with a large Sticky Feeder. 0.15mm Reflo Power hooklengths and size 16 PR 36 hooks finished off the rigs.

As the rules stated, the cast had to be overhead, so a gentle lob between 13m and 16m saw the action coming thick and fast. The pulls on the tip indicating that the fish were attacking the feeder as it fell through the water. Small carp and carrassio were the target of the day, using 2mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellets in the feeder and a banded 6mm Fin Perfect Feed Pellet or Krill Feed Pellet as a hookbait.

SPREAD OVER FOuR DAYS, THE FESTIVAL HAD SOMETHING FOR MOST ANGLERS; A DAY COACHING A LOCAL SCHOOL, INTRODuCING OVER 100 CHILDREN INTO THE SPORT OF ANGLING, A MATCH FOR PRESTON INNOVATIONS

CONSuLTANTS FROM ALL OVER EuROPE, SEPARATE POLE AND FEEDER MATCHES HELD ON A COMMERCIAL LAKE AND THE FINAL DAY, A POLE AND FEEDER MATCH ON THE RIVER TEVERE.PRESTON

ON TOPIN ITALY

opposite: preston consultants in action

over 100 happy faces from the school children of umbertide

brothers angelo and max with a netful of carp

The 2nd Preston Innovations Italian festival was a huge success for both

anglers and shops all over Italy

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WINNING

PEGS preston on top in italyintroducing 100 children to fishing / preston consultants matches

preston on top in italyintroducing 100 children to fishing / preston consultants matches

Lee and Greg opted for a different approach, using Banjo Feeders with a mixture of 1mm and 4mm Fin Feed Pellets and a red Strawberry Band’um on the hook. This produced bigger fish for the Anglo-Italian pair!

After 4 hours of hectic fishing for each pair, it was close for the top spot. Lee and Greg had caught less fish, but the average size was higher than the rest of the competitors, meanwhile Des and Tommy had caught higher numbers of smaller carp and carrassio. After weighing both Lee and Greg’s fish, the total reached a staggering 128kg 600g. Further up the bank, Tommy and Des lifted over 50kg each onto the scales; their total weight added up to 111kg 200g, not enough to take top spot on this day. The English and Italian duo had taken top spot, with Des and Tommy in 2nd.

day 3

The match on day three of the Italian Festival would be held at Faldo Lakes. The match was spilt into two sections, Pole or Feeder

only. This was the final match in a series, similar to an Italian version of Fish ‘O’ Mania or Match This, with the anglers having qualified from matches all over Italy to compete.

Tommy Pickering took the knowledge learnt from Lee and Greg on the previous day, to employ Banjo Feeder tactics, with a mixture of 4mm and 2mm Fin Perfect Pellets in the feeder. The hookbait was a banded 6mm pellet on a 4in 0.17mm Reflo Power hooklength.

Meanwhile over on the Pole fishing section Des had set up three different lines, one short at 6m, a second at 13m in the deep water and the third a shallow rig.

It was clear only 20 minutes after the all-in that those fishing up in the water would be

very successful, with fish swirling on the surface as Des’ loose fed pellets hit the surface of the water.

A quick succession of small carp had put Des high up in contention, while leaving the fish to gain confidence up in the water.

Tommy had also got off to a good start, with fish coming thick and fast on the feeder line; the Banjo showing just how effective it can be. Regular casting was needed to keep the bait going into the swim, and keep the ravenous fish competing.

After an hour Des switched to his shallow rig, the results were instant with a string of carrasio coming to the shallow fished soft pellet. Due to the rules a banded pellet was not allowed and the baits had to be hooked, unfortunately, as is the case this meant a few missed bites and time wasted shipping back to re-bait. A switch to a worm head ensured that every time Des shipped back there was a fish on the end! If Des’ catch rate could stay high, the Preston backed ace would definitely win the match.

After only three

hours Tommy had reached the 80 fish target that he set himself before the match started; a good sign that he was on for a big net full of fish. The 6mm pellet was the best hookbait to use.

With some larger carp coming to the shallow line Des was ahead of the rest of the field. At the all-out the other angler’s seemed sure that Des had won. His weight pulled the scales around to 44kg 200g a very big weight of carrasio and small carp and over 17kg clear of 2nd place.

A 4x12 PB Carp 1 was Des’ choice of float, tied on 0.13mm Reflo Power, with a hooklength of 0.11mm Reflo Power and size 16 PR 434 hook.

Tommy’s catch of almost 100 fish weighed 40.3kg, over 13kg more than second placed Massimiliano De Pascalis.

day 4

A change of scenery for the final day saw the anglers fishing on the river Tevere. The match would be split into two, with

some anglers fishing feeder only and others pole only. Des Shipp and Lee Kerry would both be fishing in the pole match, while further downstream Tommy Pickering would be fishing the feeder. The draw took place

outside the local tackle shop in Umbertide, with over 150 anglers all squeezed into the small town square.

Once the pegs had been drawn the anglers made their way to the relevant

sections to prepare. The main target on the pole fishing section would

be chub. Whereas the feeder would be carp caught across on the far bank and chub in the middle of the river.

Tommy’s attack would be to fish with a large

40g Sticky Feeder full of sticky maggots and a 4in hooklength made from 0.15mm Reflo Power and a size 18 PR 39 hook. The

carp line would be fished differently. An 11ft C-Tech

Feeder Rod coupled with a PC-R 4000 would be used to

cast a Flat Method Feeder to the far bank loaded with Sonubaits 50:50 Method:Paste.

clockwise from top left: arnout makes another accurate cast; a winning net of chub for des; catapulting bait was essential; the presentation after day two in the town hall; another fish falls to tommy’s pellet feeder approach

tommy’s winning catch from day three

The hooklink was made from 0.17mm Reflo Power with a size 16 PR 39 hook and a banded pellet hookbait.

Lee and Des both fished at 13m using a 0.8g or 1g PB Silver 4 float tied on 0.11mm Reflo Power and a 0.09mm Precision Power hooklength. The hook was a size 20 or 18 PR 311, ideal for presenting the maggot or work hookbaits. This was the main rig for catching the chub and running the rig through at the pace of the river proved to be the most effective way of catching them.

Both Lee and Des fed balls of stickymag and also a mixture of 50:50 Method:Paste and Hemp and Hali Crush.

The feeder and pole section fished well, with mainly chub and carrasio caught, the odd big carp putting in an appearance. Pegged next to Tommy was Italian Feeder Team member and Preston Innovations consultant, Angelo De Pascalis, with one large carp and a few chub, Angelo’s catch would be hard to beat in this section. Des’ 15 pole-caught chub catch weighed 9kg, enough to win his section and take 1st place in the match. Lee’s 7 chub catch was unfortunately not enough to win the section; his fish were caught fishing over groundbait using maggot hookbaits.

Over on the feeder section, Tommy’s catch of chub and carrasio was trumped by Angelo’s large carp and chub catch. Angelo managed to win the section by a good margin.

In the evening, all of the Preston Innovations consultants from around Europe and Preston Innovations MD Sarah Phoenix met at the Umbertide Town Hall to meet Mayor Locchi and to present the trophies. Mayor Locchi commented, “This is a very significant event both in sports and tourism and this is thanks to the work and commitment of many people. We are happy to have you here and to be able to accommodate so many champions of sport fishing.” The impressive trophies were then presented to the anglers. After the presentation was finished Sarah Phoenix commented, “I am very proud to see so many nations united for a single event. I thank all the people who have made this possible and Umbertide for welcoming us all back.”

a big thank you must go to angelo De Pascalis and Bettisport, for organising this brilliant event pulling anglers from all over Italy to fish in the Preston Innovations festival and also introducing children into the sport.

70 WINNING



WINNING

PEGSpreston on top in italyintroducing 100 children to fishing / preston consultants matches

preston on top in italyintroducing 100 children to fishing / preston consultants matches

lee and greg with a beautiful italian carp

2 Stotz

I prefer Stotz to normal shot as they can be used on any diameter line and they do not mark or damage the line. They come into their element on bigger diameter lines when a normal shot is harder to attach and there is no chance Stotz will ping off the line under tension.

3 Roller Pulla Kit

The Roller Pulla Kit has completely changed the way I fish. I can just use size 9 and size 11 Hollo Elastic for all my fishing now and land everything that I hook having full control of the fish with just the kit in my hand.

1 Paste Pots

As well as carrying paste, the height of the paste pot allows me to introduce loose offerings into the swim, meaning my hookbait is directly over the feed! I also use it for feeding hard pellets. Normal pots are very shallow and when shipping out hard pellets they tend to rattle out of the pot but with a paste pot this doesn’t happen.

eMMa pickering

NEW

3000

PULLA

1 Absolute 15ft Super Float Rod

I believe this is the best all round float fishing rod available with enough finesse for shy biting roach and dace and enough power to subdue large chub and barbel. The crisp tip action is perfect for picking up line at distance and makes it perfect for all my stick float and light bolognaise work.

2 GiS Absolute XS Pole

A true all round pole that will cope with all aspects of my fishing from canals to commercial carping. Particularly responsive when river fishing with long lines and strong enough to cope with big floats and large fish. A real pleasure to fish with.

3 Mega Pro V Roller

The most stable V roller I have ever used, it is almost impossible to blow over even in the strongest of winds. The height adjustment also means it is versatile enough to clear the highest of bankside obstacles. Complete with Roller Stops for ultimate performance.

1 Four Wheeled Shuttle

Using the Four Wheeled Shuttle is an absolute dream, I can load as much tackle as I need on to it and push it with ease which makes getting around on the bank a pleasure.

3 Carbonactive F1 10ft Mini Rod

This rod is the key to my success, a lot of my fishing

is done chucking a little Method or Banjo Feeder

at short distances for F1’s and this is the only choice

of rod! The main key is the balance in the rod.

It has enough power to cast short range, its fine

enough to detect F1 bites and soft enough to avoid hook pulls when playing

the fish.

2 Absolute Rig Trays

When going away on the World Championships with the England ladies team I need to make sure that I carry a vast amount of different rigs to suit all styles and occasions of fishing. To help me do this the Absolute winder trays come in many sizes for different size floats and I know they’ll be safe in this system.

1 Rapid In-Stops

A personal favourite of mine for hair rigging. The stop is invisible as you are ‘stabbing’ the stop into the bait and

this year I’ve had loads of success with meat and worm heads especially. The presentation of the bait that this stop gives you makes a massive difference as the bait acts and looks more natural! They also allow you to catch multiple fish on one hook bait!

2 Method Mould

This outstanding invention is number one in my kit because I can regulate how much bait I am introducing into my peg each cast and because of the consistent shape the mould gives to my feeder I can cast the method more accurately.

3 Pole Support

Quite simply I use this for fishing long, especially in winter when bites are few and far between. The pole support allows me to hold

the pole in the same position every time and lining my float up with a far bank marker makes me ultra-accurate which is essential

when bites are rare.

1 Loop Tyer

This is my favourite little invention for tying loops in hook lengths and pole rigs when I’m at home preparing to go fishing. Personally I like to have the same size loops when connecting a hook length to a pole rig so my last drop shot is always the same distance away from the hook.

2 PB Inter 2 Pole Float

This is my favourite pole float for fishing any bait on the bottom. Whether its fishing for skimmers or carp on pellets, meat or corn this float is my number 1. The float has a strong carbon stem, a rugby ball shaped body and a mega high visibility antenna that I can shot accordingly to suit the bait I’m using.

3 Absolute Station

With all the different disciplines of fishing that I do I need a versatile seatbox. The

Absolute Station is ultra-sturdy with its 30mm diameter legs so when I have to set the box up for natural venues when the luxury of a platform isn’t there

I know I am safe and nothing’s going to give way. The other main point I love is that I can change rig trays over to suit what venue

I’m fishing daily, this is vital on festivals when more than one type of venue

is fished.

toMMypickering

des shipp NEW

72 2014 | Preston Innovations /prestoninnovationslimited@prestoninnov8

3 of the Besttop angler’s / must haves


andy findlay

bEST

3OF THE

scott geens

Michael Buchwalder

1 Bristle Grease

Essential to fine tune all my rigs, great for small shy biting fish.

2 Loop Tyer

I would never tie a rig or a hooklength without one as it’s paramount in my opinion that every loop is the same size, this ensures that every time I change a hooklength the rig isn’t affected.

3 Hooklength Retaining System

This is the perfect way to store all my hooks, I have 15 boxes all full to the brim, the

different pegs within the box give me the freedom to cover every possible scenario.

NEW

3 Reflo Power Line

I have used this line since it was launched and it has never let me down. It is very hardwearing and supple, shot can be easily applied without fear of damaging the line and I know that unused rigs in my box will be good to go even when stored for over a year (out of direct sunlight).

1 Precision Power Line

I rate this as the ultimate hooklength line in the lower diameters for fishing for silvers and F1s. The line is soft, supple and the diameters are spot on which is essential fishing for these species. The knot strength and stretch are brilliant, I couldn’t ask for anymore in a line!

2 Slip Elastics

Numbers 4, 5 and 6 are my three favourites whether I’m fishing a commercial for silvers

or on a natural venue, one of these Slip Elastics is perfect.

I like to fish with them all using Pulla Bungs

and like to set them up through a top three

match kit. Because of the amount of elastic

going through the sections, I can set the

elastics quite tight which allows me to

swing a lot of fish.

3 Dacron Connectors

The small sizes of slip elastic accompanied with

a micro red Dacron is awesome, quick and easy to attach and I especially

like them when fishing shallow for roach as

the Dacron booms out the rig line and causes less tangles when putting

together a good weight.

3 Dura Hollo Elastic

The Dura Hollo comes in a variety of sizes but for me the size 8 is absolutely awesome for all occasions whether catching roach on a river, bream on still water or F1’s and carp on commercials. This elastic allows me to fish finer terminal tackle which results in more bites and more fish in the net. This is best used with a Roller Pulla Bush.

1 Number 13 Stotz

This is the first shot I put on every rig before I shot it up, it goes directly underneath the float as my dead depth marker and is squeezed on very tight. This ensures that there is no way my float can move down during fishing and if it moves up I can see it has with ease which is especially vital when fishing for F1’s.

1 PR 36 Eyed Hook

Perfect for all hair rigging situations, with the out-turned eye it allows your bait to be presented with a knotless knot. I can also use lines diameters between 0.11-0.19 even with a size 18! The wire is a perfect thickness for not just carp and F1’s but skimmers too.

2 Roller Pulla System

This allows the elastic to be free flowing when striping the elastic whilst playing big or small fish. It also reduces any sticking as

it centralises the elastic inside the pole, I use them with all sizes of Hollo Elastic for carp

fishing and solid light elastics for silvers. 3 Spot on Kup Kit

The Kup Kit allows me to position my pot in the exact place to suit whatever kits I’m using, whether they are power or match kits it allows

accurate feeding every time.

3 All-Round Hooklength Retaining System

I will not go fishing without being prepared with a good selection of hooklengths. Due to

its size I can carry a larger selection in one place, in 3, 4, 6 or 8 inches, without the need

to carry lots of smaller boxes. I have a number of these boxes depending on the

venue I’m fishing.

1 Dura Wagglers

No matter what type of venue or time of year, I will always carry a selection of Dura Wagglers. They cast really well and also cock quickly making them very versatile. The waggler will give you the option of casting further than the pole and usually greater presentation than fishing the tip.

2 Bristle Grease

A tiny amount applied to the tips of my pole floats means I can dot them right down to a pimple,

or if I need more bristle showing I can add more grease to them without taking shot off. Using

grease will ensure they sit right every time.

2 Absolute Station

The best box ever produced by PI. Being a modular system it can be tailored to suit every individual anglers requirement

by use of the many types of rig tray and drawer options.

The box itself is incredibly stable even with the legs fully extended and with all OffBox

accessories available it offers endless options.

1 Chianti Pole Floats

Probably the most versatile float available from PI. These floats can do it all from canal to commercial and are especially good when finesse is required on difficult days in summer and hard days of winter. They are very sensitive with a cane tip, allowing them to be shotted precisely to show every indication.

2 PR 434 Hook

The hook is the contact point

between an angler and their catch, so it has to be something

100% reliable. This is my favourite pattern

for nearly all my commercial work.

A hook I completely trust.

1 Pulla Kit

Having confidence and control over a hooked fish is really important to achieving a match winning bag. The Pulla Kit is the neatest and lightest way to achieve that. The new Roller Pulla has added durability to this already effective system.

3 Absolute Station

I would simply be lost without this bit of kit. For me an angler’s box is the base of which any session is formed. Comfortable, practical and perfect for all my accessories, I wouldn’t be without my Absolute Station.

neilMckinnon

andy power

edwarren

steVesanders

2 Chianti Pole Floats

No matter what species I am fishing for on commercials whether it be carp, roach or F1’s the Chianti is my number one choice of float, it can be shotted to suit any bait and depth, has a stable carbon stem and a super buoyant cane tip.

adaM wakelin




lee kerry

NEW

NEW

With Preston Innovations’ European sales going from strength to strength, we talked to Dutch International and Primo Distributions main man Arnout van de Stadt about why the brand is so successful

Countries like Holland, Belgium and Germany are well-known for their big rivers, lakes and canals and it’s no surprise that anglers need adapted tackle. Preston Innovations main distributor in Europe is Primo Distributions. The company is run by the great match angler, Arnout van de Stadt, the man behind the development of the Dutch Master range. His personal highlight was becoming World Feeder Champion with the Dutch Team in Belgium 2012.

We spoke to Arnout about his recent highlights and what exciting new products are going to make a great 2014.

arnout, tell us about some of your recent successes. This year I fished the winter league run by the Amsterdam Angling Club. It consists of 6 pair-matches and you may drop one result. My mate Willem Multem and I managed first place with only 10 points and a total weight of 37kg. The match is fished the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, one of the biggest canals in Holland with lots of boat traffic. You need to fish light and accurately to catch skimmers and maybe a bonus bream.

My other big success was catching a 14lb barbel during a 4-day festival on the river IJssel this autumn. I caught the monster on my 14.2 ft Dutch Master rod with a Pc-R 6000 reel filled with 5lb Power Max reel line. My hooklength was 0.15mm Reflo Power finished off with a size 14 PR 355 hook.

Which new products do you think are well worth taking a closer look at? I think the new Europe only Masterclass and Powermax pole ranges will be very popular, they offer great value for money. The Masterclass X1, X3 and X5 come in packs for all-round fishing and the new Masterclass tyson is an extra strong pole designed for commercial carp fishing. These poles are shorter in length to fit the European rules where there are often limits.

We designed the Powermax 55, 66 and 77 for catching roach and perch to hand in the cooler months.

When it comes to feeder fishing, I think the absolute 11’6” and 12ft feeder will be a great complement to the existing range of rods. For commercial-style feeder fishing the Mini carp and c-tech rods are still great. The new PXR PRo reels are also worth mentioning because they offer great value for money.

There some smaller improved items for 2014, such as the Deluxe Dutch Feeder Rest which includes a Fixed angle Lock. The rippled foam ends make sure your rod will not be blown off when fishing in strong winds.

To make the feeder rest range complete we designed the Dutch Master Feeder Bankstick. This feeder rest is just perfect when fishing on canals with steep banks. The rest allows you to place the feeder rod over the water to create the perfect angle.

New for 2014 are Distance cage Feeders, a hybrid of a standard open end cage feeder and a Bullet Feeder. They are easy to fill with lots of bait like worms or casters and their bottom-mounted weight will improve casting abilities in windy conditions.

Which piece of tackle is your ‘must-have’? I think the new Sticky Feeder can become a very important piece of my tackle. The Sticky Feeder offers new possibilities to feeder fishing; you can fill the feeder with chopped worms or casters and then lock it in place with some groundbait but still have the advantages of a Method feeder, the short hooklength and the self-hooking system. On our natural waters we often fish for bream where it is better to feed more particles. For fishing deep waters this feeder is also very useful because it will hold your feed longer. A Method feeder might lose some of its load on the way down to the bottom when fishing deep venues.

So, what are your plans for 2014 when it comes to match fishing? That’s obvious; we want to regain our reputation after a disappointing 7th place in the 2013 World Feeder Championships in South Africa, a lack of knowledge in carp fishing was the main reason for a disappointing result. I am glad I have been picked for the Dutch National Team again and look forward to fishing in Ireland. I think we have a good team and we aim to end on the podium. Sorry Tommy, but maybe we could scoop the title back that we lost this year!

DuTCHaRnoUt’S

top tackle for 2014

INCLuDESFIxED ANGLE

LOCK

distance cage feedersSpecifically designed for distance casting, the lead is bottom mounted improving accuracy in crosswinds.

masterclass and powermax polesSpecifically designed with european fishing in mind, all these new poles offer great value for money.

deluxe dutch feeder rests

Featuring rippled foam for perfect rod placement. available in two sizes.

going

76 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS going dutcharnout van de stadt / primo distributions

going dutcharnout van de stadt / primo distributions

a match winning 14lb barbel for the dutch international

arnout landed this huge catfish using a sticky feeder

To view Series 1 in full and keep up-to-date with Series 2, visit

absolutematchfishing.com

in association with


A return to Docklow Pools brings our star anglers together as they fight it out to be crowned Absolute Match Fishing champion. Tommy runs his eye over the methods used and with the help of the anglers explains the decisions they have taken to get the most from their pegs. Ultimately only one angler can win the coveted Absolute Match Fishing trophy.

The penultimate programme in the series sees Tommy join former Fishomania Champion Neil McKinnon and England International Des Shipp as they fish the commercial Mecca that is West Midland’s venue Woodlands view. We join them as they settle into their pegs with Neil fishing a combination of pole and pellet feeder whilst Des opts for a twin pronged pole and waggler attack. It is down to each angler to decide which method they use in a hard fought final ‘fish off’ where every second counts and every fish is vital.

Tommy travels to his native Yorkshire to an exposed Southfield reservoir, a venue where bream are the target species for our anglers, England Feeder Team member Adam Wakelin and natural venue expert Scott Geens. Adam decides to fish at long range hoping this choice will help him catch some of the venues bigger bream, he guides you through several tips and tricks which will help you with your casting accuracy whilst Scott selects a much closer line hoping that by doing so he can be more accurate and build his swim to better effect. We can see which the better method is when they go head to head in a fish off.

aBsolute Match fishingsky sports / uk’s best known match anglers

aBsolute Match fishingsky sports / uk’s best known match anglers

The opening episode sees presenter Tommy Pickering take on current England international Des Shipp at Docklow Pools in Herefordshire, where their choice of method is influenced by the species they feel they need to catch. Tommy’s initial waggler approach sees him quickly into fish of all sizes whilst Des fishes method feeder and singles out mainly carp. Will the two stars choose to stick with these methods when they go up against each other in the head-to-head?

toMMy pickering & des shipp

EPISODE 1

EPISODE 4 EPISODE 5

EPISODE 6

EPISODE 2 EPISODE 3

adaM wakelin & scott geens neil Mckinnon & des shipp

lee kerry & lee edwards

eMMa pickering & saMantha siM

MATCH FISHINGMATCH FISHINGABSOLUTE

ABSOLUTESERIES 2

Following on from the success of the first

series of Absolute Match Fishing we are pleased to announce the launch

of Series 2 in association with Sky Sports.

The programmes will take you on the bank with a collection of some of the UK’s best known match anglers – such as Des Shipp, Lee Kerry, Scott Geens, and adam Wakelin. With England Feeder team manager tommy Pickering presenting the action.

Tommy goes to prolific Shropshire venue Boldings Pools to join England international Lee Kerry and Welsh international Lee Edwards for an insight into their methods as they battle not just each other but also some pretty atrocious weather conditions. Both choose to fish pole, so it’s down to which baits each angler chooses and any tactics they can apply to make sure they come out on top. a real top class head to head, but who will be victorious?

Episode three sees Tommy travel to West Midland’s venue Packington Somers where he joins his daughter Emma Pickering and her England Ladies team mate Samantha Sim. The girls prove their competitive spirit as they both set out to be the best. Sam choosing to fish the pole for all species of fish whilst Emma sets her stall out to catch the venues bigger fish by fishing the feeder. Will Emma’s more selective feeder approach beat Sam’s pole approach?

MATCH FISHINGMATCH FISHINGABSOLUTE

ABSOLUTE

the final was once again held at the fabulous Docklow Pools. this venue has given the event a real history. It is considered ‘home’ to the Knockout cup having held the Final for the past few years.

Far from being your typical commercial fishery, Docklow’s mature lakes are well stocked with a wide variety of species. carp rarely dominate catches and it is usually the angler who can amass a mixed net who will take the spoils.

day oneThe draw saw Lee on peg 8 while Michael was on the corner on peg 10. Both anglers seemed pleased and the conditions looked fantastic, a light ripple and overcast conditions would surely see plenty of fish caught. There was also a considerable amount of scum on the lake and the wind was definitely pushing it towards Michael’s peg.

We caught up with Lee to see how he rated his chances. “I have been down to Docklow several times to try and get to grips with the fishing. Today’s peg will need me to cover my options. Firstly, I have prepared Pellet and Method feeders for the island, along with a pellet waggler. In practice the waggler worked very well for me so hopefully I can get off to a good start. The long pole is my main line and I expect to catch well off this swim. I will fish pellets here and feed it regularly with the catapult, just pinging four or five pellets all day.

My final line will be in the margins to my left, I will feed positively with 2mm pellets and fish either a big worm or a big pellet over the top. It isn’t going to be easy, though; Michael is a fantastic angler and really is focused on winning this event.”

With Lee’s approach sorted we asked Michael about his tactics. “This peg looks great and I reckon the margin could make or break the match. I have a long edge to my right, which will give me plenty of water to draw fish from. I don’t really want to get involved with the island as it is a tricky cast and in practice I felt the pole was a better option. I’ll fire a few 8mm pellets towards the overhanging willow, though, just in case the fishing is hard.

The long pole in open water will be my opening gambit. I am going to feed lightly with 4mm pellets and fish a banded 4mm. I will also feed corn at five metres as this was good for some real lumps in practice. Finally, the margin is where I really fancy. I am going to fish at 14.5 metres into a gap in the reeds. I am feeding worms that have been chopped just once or twice, along with corn and casters via a big pot.”

At the all-in Lee was straight out on the waggler while Michael started on the long pole. Michael had a slow start, as the scum had settled right in front of him and it was making any sort of presentation difficult. He caught a few F1s but was certainly not making any real inroads.

Lee, on the other hand, was having a much smoother match. He was catching both on the deck and shallow and by switching things around with feeding and rigs he was keeping F1s and the occasional carp coming to the net. After an hour and a half he was well in front. The scum seemed to be affecting Michael badly while Lee was having a nice steady match.

The second hour saw more of the same as Lee just kept the fish coming. Michael had started to catch, though, and a switch to a shallow rig saw him hook and land his first lump of the day and it was noticeable that his peg seemed devoid of F1s. He was still well behind and certainly needed the margin to come alive.

After six hard-fought rounds it was time for the colossal two-day final between Michael buchwalder and Lee Kerry! Who would end up as the champion?

KNOCKOuT CuP 2013THE FINAL

in praCtiCe the waggler worked very

well for me so hopefully i Can

get off to a good start

Lee Kerry

the long pole played an important part for lee kerry

80 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS knockout cup 2013the final / buchwalder vs kerrY

knockout cup 2013the final / buchwalder vs kerrY

lee’s day two catch

At the halfway point he decided to take a look, which was much earlier than he really wanted. Lee was still catching on the long pole but things were about to change as Michael hooked a carp down the edge – you could see in Lee’s face that he was worried. The carp in the match lake are rarely small and for Michael to be catching them at the halfway point could spell trouble. The margin was solid and the next hour saw him catch one on virtually every cast!

He was feeding a big pot of bait after every fish to keep them happy and it seemed that the scum that had caused so much grief was now his biggest ally as the carp looked to have followed it into the corner. With 90 minutes to go Lee could only look on as Michael was making no mistakes and had soon overtaken him.

The long-pole line was still steady but Lee was never going to catch a massive weight there, so he decided to gamble and concentrate his efforts solely down the edge. Michael was now understandably enjoying his match and catching a decent carp every five minutes or so. During the last hour it was clear that Lee had no reply to Michael’s storming match. He’d caught a few carp in the margins but they were few and far between.

At the all-out it was clear who had won the day, Michael’s dominant performance saw him weigh 141lb 1oz to comfortably take the match. Lee’s two weighs went to 75lb 14oz giving him a small mountain to climb.

day two“Yesterday went like a dream for me and I have drawn the peg I wanted today in peg 8,” Michael told us. “It puts me in a great position to do the damage as I can get my head down on the silvers.”

He was certainly in a strong position and was rightly confident. Lee was left with the island peg that he wanted, though, and commented: “I need a big weight to stand any chance of a comeback and out of the two this peg gives me the best chance of that.”

In previous finals the second day has seen the two pegs fish totally differently. Michael’s peg traditionally throws up great nets of silvers while carp are the target on Lee’s peg, but what would happen this time?

We were interested to see how Michael would fish, given his lead. “I don’t want to take any chances. I really fancy catching plenty of roach shallow on casters but I also expect to catch chub on the long pole to my left where a large shoal of chub lives. I have also set up a margin rig and a couple of waggler rods. Hopefully by covering my options I can stay in front.”

Lee’s approach was far more single-minded: “I have to fish positively today. There is a small hump in the peg at 11 metres and when I drew the peg two years ago I foul hooked a lot of fish while fishing on it. However, in practice I found that pinging pellets was the way to prevent the foul-hookers. I have also readied a margin swim to my right, under the big willow tree.

Lastly, I have got the island to

target. It is festooned with brambles and other detritus so getting right next to the bank is an impossibility. However, I think that by feeding with 8mm pellets I can catch a few carp from the island but I believe the hump and the margin will be more important.”

As the match got underway the two styles were clear to see. Michael had settled into a nice rhythm, catching roach shallow while Lee was concentrating on the hump. It took him a while to get going but after 45 minutes he was catching carp well - could he produce the impossible?

The roach in Michael’s swim were certainly not giving themselves up easily and despite dozens of fish swirling for his casters they were proving difficult to catch. Fortunately for him his chub line was extremely strong and by rotating around his lines he was keeping plenty of quality chub coming before switching back to the roach. It was certainly a well-executed plan and he was doing more than enough to keep Lee at bay.

Lee’s hump swim had dried up, though, and even when he was hooking fish they were proving difficult to draw away from the snags. Lots of lost fish ensued as Lee battled them hard and at the halfway point it looked unlikely that he could pull back the deficit unless something spectacular happened either across to the island or in the margins.

Going into the last hour and the writing was on the wall. Michael was ahead on day two and was flying towards the title and Lee could only look on as Michael netted fish after fish in yet another dominating display.

At the all-out we all knew the result before the nets were weighed.

Lee was the first to weigh and his 49lb 3oz gave him a combined total of 125-1-0. Michael’s net was particularly impressive – with just four small carp in his net his 78-9-0 was made up almost entirely of roach and chub giving him a

grand total of 219-10-0 and the 2013 Knockout Cup. What an event it had been this year and we could not have wished for a better winner!

winner’s Verdict“What an experience! I cannot explain how much this event means to me and to finally win it after a number of years trying is a dream come true. With everything that has happened this year and my late entry, I guess it was kind of meant to be!

Day one was really where I had to make the most of the opportunity I was faced with. The first two hours were incredibly frustrating as there were fish there but I couldn’t fish for them properly as the scum was so bad. Luckily the carp turned up in numbers down the edge and I had effectively won the title after the first five hours.

The pressure was off on day two but I still had an important job to do. Lee is such a good angler that I couldn’t underestimate what he could do on the island peg. I decided to fish several lines and just keep the fish coming all day. It worked a treat and nearly 80lb of mainly silvers is a great day in anyone’s book!

It really is an honour to win this title and get my name etched in this now-famous trophy, and to win it for my dad makes it just that bit more special. I must thank everyone who has helped me along the way as I couldn’t have done it without all of them! Roll on next year!” it really is an

honour to win this title and get my name

etChed in this now-famous

trophyMichael Buchwalder

one of many chub nears the net on bud’s

route to victory

82 WINNING



WINNING

PEGS knockout cup 2013the final / buchwalder vs kerrY

knockout cup 2013the final / buchwalder vs kerrY

for a reason Number 1


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