LATEST ADDITIONS

Question: When fishing near to snags, how much drop should you have on the bobbin? Charlie McConville, via www. totalcarpmagazine. com Marc Coulson says: First things first, Charlie. If you are fishing close to snags then be absolutely sure that you are fishing as safely as possible.

Question: A few waters near me have boilie and nut bans, so I am curious as to what baits you would use on these venues? Jason Ellis, via www. totalcarpmagazine. com Marc Coulson says: Bait bans are a bugbear of mine because they usually stem from the fishery owner being misinformed at some stage and, subsequently, making a knee-jerk reaction to the detriment of his anglers and even the fish in the lake. Boilies are the most nutritious carp bait used on a regular basis and such a ban will often stunt the fish’s growth potential.

Question: Does anybody use par-boiled potatoes these days? If not, why not? If so, what’s the best way to present them? Albert Maclaren, via www. totalcarpmagazine. com Marc Coulson says: Erm, the simple answer there is no, I do not know of anybody who uses potatoes. To be fair, the main reason for this is that there are far more effective baits available these days.

Popular tackle shop denies rumors spread about its closure. A Cheshire tackle shop plagued by rumors of its imminent closure has taken moves to quash the unfounded gossip. Contacting Total Carp to put the stories to bed, Stapeley Angling and Outdoor Centre has revealed that, despite rumors to the contrary, it is NOT closing down and is in fact looking to the future with new stock and more online activity. “The angling centre is half of the business here, the other part being a garden centre that had to be closed late last year, which is where we believe the rumors started,” tackle shop manager Neil Stockton told us.