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Hip, hip, hooray for Hepper!!

Posted in Catch Reports on 05th June 2013

Proper old school anglers are very few and far between these days, but here's a genuine one! Jim Hepper from Kent who some may remember from his early day exploits at Cassein with Rod Hutchinson is still getting amongst the big fish and has been targeting a notoriously difficult Surrey venue in recent years. Secret squirrel Jim has managed to bank the lake's big 40+ common twice on the B5 and lose it at the net on another occasion!

However, Jim's real target has been the elusive big mirror and after losing it last year he was finally rewarded with the magnificent specimen at an impressive 49lb. This fish rarely sees the bank but just like all of Jim's other big fish, it was only a matter of time before she succumbed to our B5 freezer boilies. This just has to be one of the catches of the season. Well done Jim from everyone at Essential - you can now go back underground!!!

The benefits of Pellets

Team Essential member Lee Carpenter with one of his many big fish. Underwater attraction and stimulation plays a big role in Lee's success and pellets are one of the best ways to achieve this.

The use of pellets as a carp fishing bait has been well documented over the years, but their success isn’t surprising when you begin to consider just how many young carp have been fed on them during their early years. Most carp will instantly recognise pellets as a viable food source, and the fact that they break down quicker than boilies means that they release their food signals more efficiently. This will usually encourage smaller fish into the area first, but will often trigger a feeding response from the carp shortly afterwards.

Pellets are also an extremely versatile bait, that can be introduced in a variety of different ways. One of the best methods is to use them inside mini PVA bags with a few crushed boilies. The full package is no bigger than a tea bag, but leaves a nice little pile of food perfectly presented and difficult for the carp to ignore!

Larger beds of pellets can also be very effective, particularly on heavier stocked venues when trying to create competition for food. On lower stocked venues however, a few pouch loads of pellets sparsely scattered around your baited rig will undoubtedly increase attraction and keep the carp searching for food. This method will always keep a food trace in the area and increase the chances of pulling fish into the baited zone.