38 November 15, 2013 WEEKENDWEEKEND

www.sundaysport.com

Want mytop tip? Get back to basics

explain. Take the two elasticated tip sections of a pole, then add two more sections and nine times out of ten, the tip will be directly over the bottom of the near shelf.

Obviously you need to use a plummet to make exactly sure but check out match results in the next few weeks and see just how many match winners tactics involve two plus two.

Where you needed carp to bulk out a winning weight in warmer months it’s vital you catch anything that swims in the cold because winning weights will be so much lower.

BonusWhere it was recently carp or

bust you can win, or at least frame, with a net of ide, bream – even roach.

But it’s so important that any bonus carp you hook into is landed – you have to make the most of every bite and land every fish you hook, especially the bonus ones.

Of course most anglers will have spent the past six months using pellets as both feed and on the hook, or supermarket baits like luncheon meat and sweetcorn – three baits that dominate during summer to which you can add floating baits on the waters that allow them.

Quite honestly, you can put them all away now because you will do far better to concentrate on natural baits like maggots, casters and chopped worms.

Chopped up worms are particularly effective in cold water and normally fed along with casters or dead maggots using a pole pot for accuracy.

If you chop up the feed into a near mush and present a one inch section of worm on the hook it will stand out and increase your chances of it being taken quickly.

Don’t rule out the potential for making big catches of roach in cold water.

As carp drop down the shelf, roach replace them in the margins on waters where they are prolific. Thirty pounds of roach is a realistic target on a lot of commercial waters these days.

That’s a waste of time in summer – but when you’ve had to dig out the thermals it’s a potential winning target.

bottom so much and as a result the water clears.

A carp in shallow, clear water is a sitting duck for predators. Fortunately they are not completely stupid and retreat to deeper water. Initially this will likely be at the foot of the near or far shelves that predominate on every commercial fishery.

It’s quite easy to locate the exact point where the shelf ends and the lake bed flattens out by using a plummet.

In waters where there are no overhanging trees or weed

beds, as in most c o m m e r c i a l fisheries, the only physical feature that attracts fish is the shelves and it is vital you recognise this.

Because the majority of c o m m e r c i a l fisheries are m a n - m a d e , their construc-tion tends to be very similar. Look at any

river bank where the drainage engineers supposedly reduced the risk of flooding by what is tantamount to ecological vandalism and you’ll spot the identically graded slopes, each one a mirror image of the next river or drain.

ClaculateThis angle of repose is pretty

much replicated beneath the surface of each commercial fishery and as most of them have a maximum depth of six to eight feet you can practically calculate in your head exactly where the foot of the shelf will be.

Match anglers know this perfectly well. They call it two plus two.

Puzzled? Then let me

MANY anglers I meet on my travels are keen to hear my views on a particular brand of bait or hope to gain an insight to a devastating new rig. Sadly they’re barking up the wrong tree.

Successful angling always starts with fish location combined with the correct application of feed. Basically it’s summed up in one word – watercraft. First find the fish and then gain their confidence by getting them to eat your free offerings.

Of course you must apply a degree of stealth, cunning and dexterity to the mix – but do that and you’re on your way to becoming a successful angler.

At least you are during the warmer months. Twice in the past week I’ve thrown back the curtains to reveal a decidedly wintery landscape. This is Yorkshire and I’ve no doubt hoar frosts have not been evident everywhere but we’re rapidly skating towards December so we may as well accept that the season is on the change.

Take commercial fisheries, for example. These heavily stocked waters where carp predominate tend to be heavily coloured from late spring through to round about now.

Big carp can be caught in water that barely covers their backs. Indeed it’s common to see tails and dorsal fins waving above the surface as carp root around in the margins.

Well, the days of easy pickings are over. Weights in excess of a hundred pounds, even 200 - 300lbs will shortly be a distant memory.

Anglers must revise target weights and cut back on the amount they feed because carp in particular will be less active.

It takes longer for fish to digest food in cold water so hammering bait into a swim is a recipe for killing that spot for a day or two, sometimes longer. Time to show caution.

As carp get less active they no longer root around in the

THE UK’S TOP ANGLING COLUMN

READ BOB EVERY WEEK ONLY INWEEKENDWEEKEND

FISHERY FOCUSRAYNE LODGE, BRAINTREE, ESSEXThree similarly stocked lakes where carp dominate. Individualspecimens run to twenty pounds backed by a good number of doubles. Catches regularly top 150lb. Silver fish are prolific and provide excellent sport. Surface fishing and pellet waggler styles dominate through the summer but it’s a case of legered baits at this time of year.

Adult day tickets are £8 for one rod, £10 for two, plus concessions. Chat to owner Tony Pearson on 01376 345719.

November 15, 2013 38 November 15, 2013 38 November 15, 2013 38 November 15, 2013 November 15, 2013

CROSSWORD

SPORTDUKO

CROSSWORD

ACROSS1. Elicit; 7. After all; 8. Gong; 10. Abacus; 11. Camera; 14. Gun; 16. Gamin; 17. Mass; 19. Robot; 21. Siren; 22. Nomad; 23. Wren; 26. Denim; 28. Baa; 29. Isobar; 30. Ladies; 31. Open; 32. Aperitif; 33. Tissue.

DOWN1. Embalm; 2. Crocus; 3. Tags; 4. Decagon; 5. Harem; 6. Clean; 8. Gags; 9. Nun; 12. Mat;

13. Rinse; 15. Koran; 18. Aides; 19. Rim; 20. Bed; 21. Somalia; 22. Nib; 23. Waders; 24. Rain; 25. Nestle; 26. Dinar; 27. Novel; 28. Bap; 30. Loft.

ANSWERS

1 John Terry. 2 Kate Moss. 3 Helen Flanagan. 4 Not wearing a poppy. 5 Miley Cyrus.6 Kelly Brook. 7 Chris Evans. 8 Roy Keane.9 X Factor USA. 10 John McCririck.

ACROSS 1. Evoke (6) 7. In spite of everything (5,3)8. Medal, informally (4) 10. Counting frame (6) 11. Photographic device (6) 14. Weapon (3)16. Street urchin (5) 17. Done on a large scale (4) 19. Automaton (5) 21. Warning device (5) 22. Wanderer (5) 23. Songbird (4) 26. Jeans fabric (5) 28. Bleat (3)29. Line on a weather map (6)30. Women’s public lavatory (6) 31. Unlock (4) 32. Alcoholic appetiser (8) 33. Paper handkerchief (6)

DOWN 1. Preserve after death (6)2. Saffron (6) 3. Labels (4)4. Ten-sided figure (7) 5. Seraglio (5)6. Not dirty (5) 8. Jokes, informally (4) 9. Religious sister (3) 12. Floor covering (3) 13. Wash out (5)15. Islamic book (5) 18. Assistants (5) 19. Raised edge (3) 20. Place to sleep (3) 21. African republic (7) 22. Pen part (3) 23. Angler’s boots (6) 24. Wet weather (4) 25. Snuggle (6) 26. Iraqi currency (5) 27. Original (5) 28. Large soft bread roll (3) 30. Attic (4)

PUZZLES

ANSWERS

1. WHO is former Man City boss Roberto Mancini (above) trying to lure to his new club, Turkishside Galatasary?

2. WHICH supermodel has marked herupcoming 40th birthday by doing a sexy photo shoot for Playboy mag?

3. WHICH former soap star pin-up is expected to be going BACK for aone-off appearance in the I’m A Celebrity… jungle this year?

4. WHY did ITV news presenter Charlene White suffer a barrage

of online abuse onArmistice Day?

5. WHICH controversial pop star will be singing live on X Factor results show this weekend?

6. ENTOURAGE actor Jeremy Piven isreportedly dating which busty Brit after the pair were spotted together in LA?

7. WHICH BBC Radio 2 presenter appeared to have gone overboard with the auburn hair dye at a Children in Need launch event earlier this week?

8. WHICH fiery former Manchester United midfielder turnedinternational assistant manager compared himself to MotherTeresa this week?

9. WHICH “foreign” TV show – based on the same format as its UK original – has suffered an alarming slump in viewing figures, down to just3.6 million?

10. WHICH former horse racing TVpundit lost his agediscrimination case against Channel 4?

FISHINGWITHWITHBOB

ROBERTS

TASTY: Bob reaps the rewards of

watercraft