Category: Bait & Tackle

Products How to: Kiana Carp Goo – Scopex and Buttercorn

by BCN

December 5, 2023

BAITING INSIGHT: Kiana Carp Goo

The timeless Scopex Kiana Carp Goo, once championed by the angling legend Rod Hutchinson, has now been given a captivating twist by Kiana Carp. In their latest innovation, two exceptional Goos have been crafted, enhancing the already remarkable fish-catching capabilities of this classic attractor.

Super Scopex Supreme – Kiana Carp Goo

The Super Scopex Supreme stands out with its lively hues, presenting a subtle orange tint in the bottle. This vibrant Goo is ideal for drizzling onto hookbaits, allowing it to permeate to the core. It proves equally effective when coated onto stick mixes, providing a slow-releasing, enticing scent. PVA friendly, it can be added to the outside of PVA bags for unmatched attraction, or incorporated into Solidz bags for a halo of irresistible scent and color surrounding your bait.

“Try blitzing up some Mainline Cell boilies in the food blender, then just adding either the scopex Supreme or Buttercorn into the mix. Then use a little Funnelweb bag of this, hooked onto a wafter hookbait or popup which has also been soaked heavily in it, and you have a brilliant set-up that very few fish would ever swim past without investigating.”

Scopex Cream Smoke –

Maintaining the irresistible Scopex flavor, the Scopex Cream Smoke offers a different viscosity and Goo makeup. With a signature green haze, it’s perfect for enhancing Method feeders, zig foam, and hookbaits before casting. Its durability during casting and slow release over an extended period make it an excellent choice for short sessions.

Neil Spooner showcased the Scopex Cream Smoke’s versatility in Korda Masterclass 8: Carp Fishing, achieving success with a ready-tied zig rig and landing a 34lb mirror from St Johns on the Linear Complex.

*Pro Tip:* For an extended leak-off time, roll hookbaits soaked in the Supreme version in the Smoke variant and expose them to sunlight or dry heat.

Buttercorn Goo – Kiana Carp Goo

Considered one of Kiana Carp’s finest blends, the Buttercorn Goo has proven extraordinary in field tests, delivering excellent results globally. This sweet and potent fish attractor is versatile, excelling as a hookbait soak and enhancing stick, Method, and bag mixes. It complements white hookbaits, providing a mild haze and signaling a sweet orbit around your bait.

Notably featured in Danny Fairbrass’ top 5 flavors, the Buttercorn Goo has played a crucial role in major Masterclass and Thinking Tackle films. Its smooth, rounded smell and strong penetration make it ideal for a washed-out look when paired with a white hookbait, especially effective when fished over the Cell.

“Buttercorn Supreme – A very smooth, rounded smell yet a really strong and penetrating one. I prefer to use this with a white hookbait, ideal for a washed out look to your bait, and one that works really well fished over the Cell. With the Buttercorn Goo, you can achieve this washed out look, yet still have a bait oozing with attraction.”

*Expert Tip:* Combine Buttercorn Goo with Tiger Nut Goo in a 50/50 mix for an irresistible concoction. The resulting aroma will speak for itself!

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Kaizen Platinum Rods Review

by BCN

December 1, 2023

Korda Kaizen Platinum Rods – The Kaizen Platinum range has been under development for more than four years, and came about as Korda felt that they could develop something even better than what was already on the market – despite this being the first foray into rods – using the extensive knowledge and experience of the Team Korda anglers, plus the product development staff at Korda HQ.

Kaizen Platinum Rods

Danny Fairbrass himself has a long association with rods bearing his name, and which he was involved in developing, and so it was a natural progression that we should develop a range ourselves, which had all the attributes that he, and our other anglers, would be looking for from the ultimate carp fishing rods.

The aim was to design a range of high end rods that would cover pretty much any carp angling situation at home or abroad, allowing you to not only accurately reach the fish if they were out at range, but which would also feel nice to play them on.

All of the rods in the range are built on a fast-tapered profile mandrel – meaning that the taper of the rod consistently goes all the way from the butt to the tip, and this produces rods with a very ‘tippy’ action, with pretty much all of the flex being towards the tip end, although of course when under extreme pressure such as casting, the rod will still bend all the way through to some extent.

This type of action allows for better power transfer and the generation of very fast tip speeds, which in turn allows you to cast further than you would be able to with a rod that didn’t have this action. That action also allows much faster line pick-up as well, and whilst most of the bend is in the tip, the power is transferred progressively enough that the rod will absorb the lunges of a big fish at close range without fear of it causing hookpulls, and ensures that it is still a pleasure to play fish on any of the Kaizen rods.

“It’s been designed to be really easy to use for the average angler. I’m not the biggest caster in the world, but with the right length handle and a really lightweight rod, that is really powerful, like this one, it goes absolutely miles with no effort whatsoever”
-Danny Fairbrass, talking about the 12ft spod rod

The taper of the rod isn’t the only factor in determining the action and attributes that it displays, and just as important is the type of carbon that has been used in the manufacturing process – for the Kaizen range the only real choice was the best super tensile, high-grade Japanese carbon that we could get our hands on!

Japanese Carbon Wrap Dissection

This ZERO90 carbon is used in just two layers and with very little resin content, and the result of that is lighter, stiffer blanks – often that stiffness is achieved by using cheaper carbon in multiple layers, which then adds weight to the blank and reduces performance, and is something we wanted to avoid, hence choosing ZERO90 – which further enhance the attributes that the taper we’ve chosen to use on the mandrel already provides.

Not only will this allow more power to be transferred into the cast and with less effort than you’d find with a cheaper grade of carbon, but it also aids enhanced accuracy as well as it reduces the ability of the blank to twist and cause your lead to go off-target during the cast – over a long distance even tiny improvements in accuracy make a big difference to your rig landing exactly where you aimed.

There would of course be little point in producing the ultimate rod in terms of its performance, if the cosmetics didn’t also match that, and these rods have been given a custom-made look, with the type of high grade components that you would expect to find on a rod of this price.

“There is no point in developing a rod that is incredibly light compared to its power, and then adding heavy components to it.”

All of the Kaizen Platinum range is fitted with lightweight Sea-Guide TDG rings, with a 50mm butt and 16mm tip – allowing the line to ‘cone’ off of a big pit spool in a way that minimises resistance as it passes through the butt ring, and providing a tip ring that is big enough to allow leader knots to smoothly pass through it.

Tip Ring Ceramic

The reel is attached via a top quality Fuji DPS seat and the handle is finished fully in Japanese shrink grip – the use of which is more than just cosmetic, and allows for a good grip even when your hands or the rod are wet – and with stainless steel trim and an etched butt cap made by JAG completing the custom look.

In terms of the models in the range, currently there are seven, with 12ft 3lb, 3.5lb and 4lb fishing rods, plus a 12ft spod rod; a 12ft 6in 4lb version for those who really want an extreme range rod but find a 13ft model just a bit too long; plus 13ft 3.5lb and 4lb models.

This will cover pretty much any angling situation, whether you are fishing at 1 yard or 180 yards.

I wouldn’t consider myself a long range caster, but if you are going to fish at extreme range then you need to have kit that won’t hold you back and will gain you extra yards. I’ve been using the 13ft 4lb model for all my long range fishing for two years now and have honestly seen a massive improvement in my distance.
-Tom Dove, talking about the 13ft 4lb Kaizen Platinum

“I always struggled with compressing the ‘heavy’ distance rods on the market as they felt too stiff and cumbersome, but these are the complete opposite – light to hold and east to compress, meaning that fishing at 35 wraps (140 yards) feels like casting 80 yards with my normal rods. My maximum fishing range is about 170 yards now, something which I never thought I’d have in my locker.” Tom added

The 4lb models which are specialist long range tools and have the ability to put a lead and rig incredible distances when in the right hands – as demonstrated by the likes of Terry Edmonds and Darrell Peck, where measured casts in excess of 200 yards have been achieved and which featured in our Long Range Masterclass chapter, filmed at Iles3 in France.

Darrell Peck: “When it came to deciding which rod I would use from the Kaizen Platinum range it was a bit of a no-brainer. I prefer a 12ft rod for my general fishing, whether that be short, medium or even medium to long range, a rod that I’m going to use for 90 per cent of the fishing situations that I find myself in. So for that reason I picked the 12ft 4lb, as I like a stiff rod that’s capable of casting 4 or 4.5oz leads over 140 yards, and it’s only when I turn to extreme range fishing that I’ll look to be using a 13ft rod, as they can be a bit unwieldy for general purpose fishing.”

The Complete Kaizen Platinum Range

12ft 3lb
12ft 3.5lb
2ft 4lb
12ft Spod
12ft 6in 4lb
13ft 3.5lb
13ft 4lb

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Darrell Peck – Embracing the Hinged Stiff Rig

by BCN

November 22, 2023

Darrell Peck – Embracing the Hinged Stiff Rig: For those entering the realm of rig setups, the stiff-hinge rig stands out as a proven winner, having likely landed more substantial carp than any other rig. Darrell Peck, a seasoned angler, swears by this rig, especially when presenting a pop-up.

The hinged stiff rig has withstood the test of time and remains a go-to choice for pop-up presentations. Its enduring popularity is attributed to two key factors: its guaranteed presentation and exceptional hooking efficiency.

This rig is primarily favored for larger fish, as it can be a bit too robust for smaller carp in the single and low double weight range.

Various constructions of the rig exist, but I’ll elaborate on how and why I tie it in the manner I do. Keeping things simple is my mantra for rig creation. The essentials for me are tangle-free operation, effective presentation on the lakebed, efficient hooking, and the strength to land every hooked carp.

The hinge rig comprises two sections: the hook section and the boom section. Let’s start with the hook section.

When using a hinge, a pop-up hookbait is essential, attached via Bait Floss to either a rig ring or a micro ring swivel. This is connected to a ‘D’ section on the back of the hook, crafted from 20lb MouthTrap. A six-turn knotless knot, with the tag end pushed back down through the hook’s eye, forms the ‘D.’

My preferred hook for this rig is a size 6 or size 8 Wide Gape, known for its reliable hook holds. I’ve found it to outperform a Choddy hook, and the smaller size aids in securing hookholds.

Attention to the hookpoint is crucial, and given that the hook sits proud from the lakebed, a sharp point, such as a Kamakura or hand-sharpened hook, works well.

The 20lb Mouthtrap is my preferred material for its excellent memory, crucial for the hook section to maintain its shape. It’s essential to have the flexibility to create a curved ‘D’ at the rear of the hook.

While some anglers use alternative materials for hinges, such as supple fluorocarbons or braid, I advise against it. Stick to products designed specifically for this task.

The length of the MouthTrap varies based on the situation, but as a rule, I prefer hinges to sit around 2.5 inches off the lakebed. Very short sections of 1 inch can lead to hookpulls.

To complete this section, I tie the MouthTrap to a size 11 Ring Swivel via a 2-turn blood knot. When tying the blood knot, leave a smaller gap between the hook and the swivel than you think; the knot will gain an extra inch when tightened.

Once tied, give the MouthTrap a gentle curve to help turn the hook into the bottom lip, regardless of the carp’s approach direction. This curve is a potent weapon, and steaming the rig after pinning it into a chod bin helps set the MouthTrap into the desired shape.

For the boom section, Hybrid Stiff remains my top choice, ranging from 5 to 12 inches. Krimping it into position is a neat and easy way to set it up.

The lead arrangement can be a Lead Clip or Heli Safe, depending on personal preference and lake bed conditions.

The hinged stiff rig excels in various situations, with its peak performance as a single hookbait tactic or over a spread of boilies. It has likely accounted for more big fish than any other rig and remains my go-to for pop-up work.

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Goo Tips by Jamie Londers

by BCN

November 14, 2023

Baiting Carp for Beginners: Goo Tips by Jamie Londers

Meet Jamie Londers and get ready for some Goo Tips!

Definition: Goo

“Originating from South Africa, this secret mixture of additives was used to devastating effect by their national team in carp competitions. It is manufactured by Kiana and all different colours and flavours are available, as well as two different versions – a thinner one to soak hookbaits in; and a thicker one that can be used in PVA bags, groundbait, or even smeared onto the outside of baits before casting out.”

1. Combine Flavors

Don’t limit yourself to one flavor – mix it up for maximum food signals in the water. Experiment by combining different Goo flavors to create your own custom blend for a personal edge. Each Goo variant offers distinct acidity or alkalinity levels, scientifically proven to alter the water’s pH and trigger positive feeding responses in carp. In simpler terms, fish find it nearly impossible to resist. The dense viscosity of the Smokes sinks through the water column, while the lighter Supremes rise, creating a powerful attraction that draws fish down to your hook-bait. It’s pulling power at its finest.

2. Bake It On

Let your Goo’d pop-ups dry in the sun. Use the thicker Smokes to coat your hook baits, then leave them in the sun to bake and form a crust. Once in the water, this layer of attraction breaks down slowly, creating a long-lasting cloud of unrivaled attraction around your bait’s orbit. This tactic, favored by successful zig anglers, ensures the Goo withstands the force of a cast and disperses gradually once in position.

3. Use PVA to Create the ULTIMATE Attractor Package

Take advantage of the PVA-friendly nature of Goo by applying it directly to your sticks. This opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to make a bag or stick mix with high levels of liquid attraction – a fantastic way to apply taste and smell. The Goo’s solubility, combined with its PVA-friendly composition, lets you get creative. Apply a stripe of neat Goo directly to your bags or hook-baits before casting out to further boost attraction.

4. Use the Nozzle to Inject

For a quick and easy way to create an irresistible parcel of flavor and attraction, use the nozzle to inject Goo into your solid bags. Time is precious, and with just a squeeze, you’ll have a concentrated burst of goodness surrounding your hook-bait. This forms a cloud of high-level attraction, providing both a visual element with the colored halo and an unmatched concentration of some of the finest tastes and smells in the bait scene. A proven and winning tactic that keeps it simple.

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Match Fishing: Bream and Skimmers on the Feeder Tips

by BCN

November 9, 2023

Let’s catch up with Andy at the popular Midlands location, Meadowlands Fishery. He’s here to share his insights and techniques for fishing with an open-ended feeder to target skimmers, roach, and bream. Andy will walk you through his groundbait mixture and the setup he uses. He’ll also provide valuable advice on casting, his feeding strategy, and the step-by-step process for assembling a winning haul of silvers during a match.

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Unleash Your Inner Bait Whisperer: The Golden Grains

by BCN

November 8, 2023

Sweetcorn – it’s more than just a classic; it’s a timeless legend in the world of carp fishing.

“No matter the season, those golden grains are an irresistible temptation for our finned friends. When Simon Scott boldly declares it as the “best carp bait of all time,” you can’t help but sit up and take notice.”

Unleash Your Inner Bait Whisperer: The Golden Grains: Sweetcorn’s versatility stretches beyond the obvious, and over the years, its applications have multiplied. Let’s dive into the uncharted waters of corn, exploring some innovative uses you might not have considered.

Tip 1: Dress Up Your Hookbaits

This tactic has taken Europe by storm, with many big carp catches attributed to it. When you’re baiting heavily, the challenge is getting a quick bite. By adding a colored plastic corn grain to your hookbait, you’re boosting its allure. When carp arrive for their feast, that pop of color often prompts a swift pickup. This tip also works wonders with single hookbaits, offering a flavorful and eye-catching alternative to a dull bait.

Tip 2: Outsmart the Crayfish

Crayfish are increasingly causing headaches in our fishing spots, nibbling away at baits until there’s nothing left. Particle baits slow down their destructive feast, and when paired with a hookbait of two grains of Fake Corn, you’ve got a crayfish-resistant setup.

Tip 3: Make It PVA-Friendly

Sweetcorn can be easily transformed into a PVA-friendly bait, as can other particles. Normally, bait submerged in water during storage can cause problems when using PVA bags. But fear not, drain most of the liquid from your tin of corn, add a generous amount of salt, and let it rest for a few minutes. The salt transforms the remaining water into a PVA-friendly solution, making your job a breeze.

Tip 4: Achieve Bait Balance

Plastic sweetcorn can counterbalance a sinking hookbait’s weight. For instance, when using tiger nuts, topping your nut with a buoyant corn grain will initially make it sink quickly. But by carefully trimming the nut, you can achieve a slow, tantalizing sink. The result? An attention-grabbing, critically balanced hookbait that carp will find hard to resist. This technique is a favorite of the experienced angler Tom Stokes.

Tip 5: Dive into the Goo

The GOO is your gateway to enhancing the allure of any bait, whether it’s for free offerings or hookbaits. The GOO adds layers of attraction – color, smell, and taste – to anything it touches. Experiment with flavors like White Squid combined with White Banoffee Corn for winning results.

Tip 6: Blend It Right

Liquidized corn is a versatile hookbait that fits various scenarios. Blending it into a slop creates a potent mix for spoding over zigs, pairing it with a trimmed yellow pop-up or foam as your hookbait. Alternatively, simply adding liquidized corn to your mix creates an enticing cloud in the water column, maximizing attraction without filling up the carp. It’s an underutilized approach that anglers like Jonny Old swear by.

Tip 7: Add a Dash of Naturals

Tom Dove champions corn, particularly as a stand-alone bait in weedy conditions. Its lightweight allows it to flutter down onto the weed. By pairing it with a small yellow pop-up on a chod rig, you ensure presentation in the weed, creating an effective trap. In one of his great achievements, Dovey introduced chopped worm to his corn, elevating the attraction and pulling power of his setup.

Unleash Your Inner Bait Whisperer: The Golden Grains

Sweetcorn isn’t just the greatest carp bait; it’s also budget-friendly. You can grab kilos from the supermarket’s frozen section for a few bucks. Given its high attractiveness, you don’t need a ton to get bites.

So, as you venture into the world of carp fishing, remember that the humble sweetcorn, with its golden allure, has countless tricks up its sleeve. It’s a true angler’s ally, offering not just nostalgia but innovative techniques that keep the carp coming back for more.

Tom Dove is a huge advocate of using corn

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Spotlight: Wide Gape Hooks

by BCN

November 6, 2023

Spotlight: Wide Gape Hooks – The Wide Gape hooks have a storied history spanning over two decades, assisting anglers in landing numerous large fish. It’s a pattern that has stood the test of time and will likely remain a perennial favorite.

This hook was one of Damian Clarke’s early ventures in product development and was among the first hooks introduced by Korda, along with the Longshank. Later, enhanced versions in the form of the X and XX were added for added strength.

The Wide Gape hook was born from a fusion of different hook designs used by Damian and Danny Fairbrass. The primary inspiration came from the Maruta Kinryu, a Japanese hook with a wide gape and an Iseama-shaped bend, similar to other popular Japanese carp hooks like the Owner spade ends.

Initial drawings were hand-drawn by Damien and Danny on paper before being professionally rendered and sent to a hook manufacturer for sampling. The received samples closely matched their vision, leading to the launch of the Wide Gape pattern. While the original design remained largely unaltered, the range expanded to include barbless models, heavier-duty variations, and sharpened Kamakura versions. There’s even a Basix range version with a slightly different eye.

Despite its long history, the Wide Gape hook remains the top choice for many anglers in various fishing scenarios. Carp angler Darrell Peck, for instance, has used this hook in its various forms to land significant catches both domestically and abroad.

For anglers like Darrell Peck, landing the fish they hook is crucial, making the Wide Gape hook their preferred choice. Damian Clarke, despite trying various Korda patterns over the years, still favors the Wide Gape, particularly the upgraded Wide Gape X version, suited to the waters and carp size he targets.

Spotlight: Wide Gape Hooks:

The original Wide Gape hooks feature a slightly in-turned eye, a short shank, a heavily forged bend, and a razor-sharp beaked point. It was Korda’s first hook, introduced with a Teflon coating, a novelty in the UK at the time, which still protects against rusting.

This versatile hook is suitable for various bottom bait and pop-up presentations, including the spinner rig, and comes in barbed or barbless versions in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

Wide Gape X:

The Wide Gape X is identical to the original version but boasts a heavier wire gauge, suitable for challenging UK situations such as snaggy or weedy waters, and overseas angling. It maintains the sharp beaked point, heavily forged bend, short shank, and slightly in-turned eye. Available in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, it’s only offered in barbed.

Wide Gape XX:

For extreme fishing conditions abroad or targeting larger carp species like Siamese in Thailand, the Wide Gape XX with thicker gauge wire is the right choice. It retains the original’s sharp beaked point, heavily forged bend, short shank, and in-turned eye.

Kamakura Wide Gape:

While the original Wide Gape was sharp for its time, some anglers desire even sharper hooks. The Kamakura-sharpened version is available in barbed and barbless versions in sizes 4, 6, and 8. These hooks are incredibly sharp but have a thin point, best suited for situations without crayfish or nuisance fish.

Kamakura Wide Gape X:

Following the success of Kamakura Wide Gape hooks, a sharpened version of the ‘X’ model was introduced. It offers an incredibly sharp point and extra strength, available in barbed or barbless versions in sizes 4, 6, and 8.

Spotlight: Wide Gape Hooks – Basix Wide Gape:

The Basix Wide Gape is a versatile hook designed to eliminate the need for additional components. It features an aggressively in-turned eye, allowing it to flip naturally. Made from ‘X’ gauge wire, it’s suitable for use in the UK and abroad. The black nickel finish and a longer-lasting point make it perfect for multiple fish without frequent changes. Available in barbed or barbless versions in sizes 2, 4, 6, and 8. These hooks are cost-effective and a great choice for beginners or anglers on a budget.

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Summit Tackle Distance Sticks!

by Zach Testa

September 19, 2023

Being accurate is a crucial part of any seasoned angler’s fishing technique.

Our distance sticks have grooves that means your line hugs the sticks to prevent tangles and birds nests, simply measure out your wraps, clip up and hit your chosen spot effectively again and again.

Available in black and stainless steel each with 3 matching small markers and green carry case.

Available at https://bit.ly/3RuLIsy

Worms For Carp

by Evan Cartabiano

February 26, 2023

How to add worms to a hair rig (of any sort) and some tips for using them in a solid PVA bag.

Munch Baits review

by BCN

August 5, 2021

Common that fell victim to a 14mm Cream Seed pop up on a recent trip to Michigan

Munch Baits review – I was brought on to the Munch Baits US team back in April of this year, I’ve now been exclusively using the products since then.

I wanted to allow some time to try out a range of the products before I wrote a review of my experiences so far. I don’t believe in magic bait, I personally believe in variety and quality products that allow you to change your approach during a session a long with selecting the right location.

Pop up and Wafter range

US venues will always be unique in that we don’t truly know what’s in them, Munch has a large array of particles, boilies, pop ups, wafters, stick mixes and liquids in a variety of flavors which will have you covered in any and all situations that are presented to you. Large amounts of us fish with packbait, I’ve now used all of the syrups in my packbait with great results. Sweet stim, Pink fruit and citrus blend have all yielded fish beyond my expectations. I’ve also used all of the stick mixes mixed in to packbait along with using it in PVA as these are typically the preferred methods state side.

Bait Boat with pink fruit stick mixed with panko, oats and corn

I have to admit I’ve started to lean more favorably to the cream seed range and use the 14mm washed out pop ups most of the time. But, an effective bait which I always keep in my arsenal on US waters are tiger nuts, Munch offers these in a 3kg tub, I sort through and pick out the larger ones for hook baits and keep those to one side. They have landed me two personal bests this year in the shape of a 37.6 common and 42.1 Grass carp.

37.6 Dale Hollow Common

42.1 Grass Carp on the Syrup tigers

If you’re looking for a product range here in the states that has you covered in every situation, look no further than the Munch Baits range, which can be found here at Big Carp Tackle. You can also find Munch baits USA on Facebook and Instagram, feel free to share any catch reports using the range to be featured.

14mm cream seed pop up on a ronnie rig

For the full range available at Big Carp Tackle please follow the below link.

Munch Baits Range

Thanks,

Chris.