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Excludes base mix ingredients

The Target

As anglers we tend to set ourselves targets each year. Some set targets for specimen size fish, some set targets of numbers, some set target species and some of us just go out for all the above! As an angler who predominantly fishes the UK river systems for the “unknown” the closed season can be a bit of an odd time. Do you hang up the gear for three months or do you turn your attentions elsewhere?

As a passionate angler, and you can ask my wife, the first option was never really an option! So, it is a case of watching the weather from week to week and look to other species. Some will turn to tench or crucians during the warmer months, and some will turn to carp fishing through the closed season. So, when my neighbour started to talk about starting his catfish campaign for this season I thought why not.

It has been many years since I last fished for this species and even though you never really forget how hard they fight, you do forget exactly how hard they actually fight and how they tend never to give up, even when they are on the mat trying to give you a good slap with that giant tail!

For me the target was never size on this one. As someone out of touch with this species, the target was to learn as quick as possible and just hopefully bank a few, especially as the lake in question we targeted was a water I have not fished before. So, you can imagine how happy I was with a handful of 20’s, a good few 30’s and a couple of 40’s gracing my net in my first couple of sessions.

The Bait

Getting the bait right when targeting any species is the key factor. So, with the catfish I knew I had to opt for something meaty, fishy, oily and strong scented for them to home in on. I am fishing a water where live baits and dead baits are not allowed, which is a go to bait for many catfish anglers I have talked to, so it was a case of reviewing my stock of baits and playing a game of trial and error and build on them as I go.

The first thing I went to was a Meat Meal and Smokey Jack stick mix. This was made up using our Meat Meal, Smokey Jack stick mix and pellets, in various sizes, and binding together using various liquids from the bait dips and bait soaks ranges. I then opted for the larger 20mm Smokey Jack boilies, which I wrapped in matching paste.

Whilst trialling this on one of the other lakes, whilst waiting for my ticket to fish the main lake, it became clear that using this method I would be having a battle getting past the good head of carp in the lakes, so it was back to the drawings board.

It was this point I got the message from Neal, at HQ, to say there was a new product for 2022 coming across to me to try out. A day or two later the new 22mm Big Fish Wafters landed on my doorstep and what I bait it would turn out to be and perfect for my target species. Rich with salmon and tuna and a nice dark reddish colour.

I decided to give them a bit of an extra kick by glugging them in Liquid Tuna a few days before my first session on the man lake. I also decided to change my method/approach, after ordering a fair few bags of our Fish Bits and a couple of bottles of salmon oil. But I felt I was finally on to a bait option that made sense and that I felt would give me every chance of snaring one of these monsters. So, it was set in my mind this would be the way I would go, 22mm Big Fish Wafters paired with Fish Bits and Salmon Oil.

The Method

On arriving at the lake, or any venue for that matter, I will tend to walk around watch and talk to other anglers. Sometimes you do have to take what other anglers are saying with a pinch of salt due to obvious nonsense or people wanting to keep everything secret squirrel. But you can get a good sense of how the water is fishing just by observing what kit someone has out and whether items such as mats are wet, and nets are drying out.

After picking our swims it was the super fun job of barrowing kit around the lake to set up home for the session. As a roaming river angler, you really don’t realise just how much kit is needed when it comes to long sessions camped out on a lake bank.

When it comes to talking about the rigs and setups I use, there is not much to tell! I have never been a fan of all these rigs used in today’s fishing. To me it is just another factor where you can either over complicate your fishing or end up playing mind games with yourself. So, for me, it was stick to what I know and how I approach rivers. A simple free running rig and standard hair rig at the business end. As I was opting for use PVA bags I decided on free running inline lads with extended sleeves to wrap the bag around.

Rod one went out with two 22mm Big Fish Wafters on the hair, which I coated in the Krill Active Gel. This was then fished inside a PVA bag full of Fish bits soaking in salmon oil. The method to my madness was that when the bag broke down an instant slick of salmon oil would erupt out, leave a pile of dry and soaked Fish Bits on the lakebed, with my hook baits sitting nicely amongst the fishy package.

Well, this method became my confidence method when my first rod screamed off on a one toner whilst I was setting up my second rod. The bait had been in no more than two and a half minutes, and I was into my first catfish. So, I stuck out this method across my sessions and it has really resulted in some fantastic fish, even when a lot of other anglers seemed to be struggling at time.

The fights from these fish, as said before, are just spectacular. They will drag you round the back of islands, into snags, strip line off your reel even with the drag shut tight and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. All you can do is hold on for the ride! Now I have had a taste for it I have started to think about even more sessions, even with the rivers opening again soon. But it has been a great time filler for a period that can sometimes be a bit of a head scratcher for the humble river angler.

I would highly recommend anyone who hasn’t done it before, to get themselves kitted up and get out there and have a go. You won’t be disappointed just maybe a little bit tired and warn out!