Every month FISHINGmagic will nip down to the local newsagent and buy the latest coarse fishing magazines. Then we’ll flip through the pages, stopping here and there, and tell you what you can look forward to.
December 2000 issues
THE ANGLING STAR
Personality
The North’s very own monthly angling magazine, newspaper style with a glossy outer and newspaper inner, covering South Yorkshire, North Notts, and parts of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. This is one from the old school.
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If you liked Angling Times as it was in Dick Walker’s day then this is the monthly read for you. A good mix of national and local angling writers, the magazine has news, views and features and is particularly strong on opinion and comment columns. It covers all aspects of sea, game and coarse fishing.
Feature Finder
Our pick of the main features this month are Carp Fishing in Winter. Simon Crow says a winter-caught carp is the most rewarding trophy of all. Ron Clay has The Last Word and tells us about the problems with carp. And in the Yorkshire’s Specialist Angler’s series Catching Giant Barbel in Yorkshire David Mason tells it as it is.
Tackle Box
The Pole Feeder Editor Jim Baxter talks to the inventor of this curious method where the swimfeeder is fished with the pole.
Bait Box
Alan Barnes writes about Bread of Heaven he says ‘when the chips are down it’s the bait you can depend on.’ Steve Gowers says he ‘Knows his Muckheap Like the Back of his Hand.’
Select Reviews
Preston Durafloats,Team Milo Pole Catty and the Penrose Baitwaiter are the main items.
Competitions
None.
The Things They Say
‘All he can be accused of is flying in the face of this strangely ambiguous and convenient moral code within which we coarse anglers operate.’ Jim Macdonald, writing about Alec Watson killing those two ‘rudd’.
The Things We Say
It may be strangely ambiguous but it’s that same convenient moral code that brought about the demise of gaffs and the introduction of unhooking mats and safer keepnets, to name just a few.
Cost: 65p, out of area anglers can subscribe by phoning 0114 2894539.
WATERLOG
Personality
A glossy, quality, perfect bound bi-monthly that is steeped in the old traditions of a bygone age. The writings and the photographs are top class, but whether those writings and photographs will hold any interest for you is another question. If you have a penchant for old tackle, particularly split cane rods and creels, then this could be just up your street – cobbled of course.
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The magazine says it is ‘The Magazine for the Absolute Angler.’ It has a few authors with names that just can’t be real and covers coarse, game and sea fishing.
Feature Finder
Our pick of the main features this month are Johnny Foreigner, Vodka & Kola in which Tom Fort discovers a treasurehouse of perfect salmon fishing. In Inspecteur Crabtree’s Last Case Dexter Petley tells us about some dastardly deeds in the French countryside. And in Of Carp and Cupid’s Arrow Gainsborough Leach recalls a fish in the life of his uncle Cordwallis.
Tackle Box
Champagne Cork Float How to make a float from a champagne cork and a porcupine quill. Keepnets (No author stated). A reply to an earlier article on the same subject. Chris Sandford writes about renovating old tackle and shows an example of three reels that were renovated properly.
Bait Box
Ginifer’s Ramblings describes fly tying with lasting ties from the Dick Walker school.
Select Reviews
The Magic Creel with a selection of books and other small items. The Tower Inn. A pub in the ‘Watering Holes’ section. And four books in the Books section.
Competitions
None.
The Things They Say
‘At least there won’t be any more riverside housing developments’. Editorial. Writing about the recent floods.
The Things We Say
Well, that’s one way of looking at the bright side.
Cost: £ 3.99
COARSE FISHERMAN
Personality
A quality, perfect bound magazine from Metrocrest, established in 1978. It used to be billed as ‘The Magazine for the Serious Angler’ but that’s been dropped now because it probably realised it has some funny buggers writing for it.
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It is, though, a magazine that deals with coarse fishing in great depth and is indeed aimed at those anglers who have passed the elementary stage and are ready to move on to being thinking anglers. It covers all aspects of coarse fishing but leans towards specialist angling for better quality fish.
Thankfully the magazine also has a great sense of humour.
Feature Finder
Our pick of the main features this month are Alternative Barbeling in which Martin Bowler will upset a few purist barbel anglers with this carp fisher’s approach to catching them. This Fishing Life is John Bailey’s as he continues with his series and tells us his tips for staying comfortable and efficient through winter. And in Minimum Effort, Maximum Meal Lure angler Steve Crowther says lure choice is even more critical in winter.
Tackle Box
The Aligner Rig is featured in Carp Clinic and in Colleen’s Christmas Tree Colleen nips out and buys a mixed bag of smaller tackle items that we could tell a loved one they should stick in our Christmas stockings.
Bait Box
In Kim Milsom’s Helping Hand he delves into the increasing popularity of carp pellets.
Select Reviews
The Fox Pikemaster and the Tony Fordham Predator rods go up against each other. The Browning Revolver and the Swallow centre-pin reels are compared. And a look at Drennan Carp Feeders, Kamasan Blackcap Speed Feeders and Thamesley Flip Top feeders.
Competitions
Three Daiwa SS-11 3000C Specialist reels can be won in a quiz.
The Things They Say
‘If someone had told me ten years ago that I would be writing about hair-rigs I would have died laughing.’ Kim Milsom, match angler.
The Things We Say
If someone had told me ten years ago I’d be fishing a pole and actually enjoying it we could have died laughing together.’
Cost: £ 2.50
IMPROVE YOUR COARSE FISHING
Personality
A beginners and improver’s publication from the EMAP stable, pictorially pleasing with some outstanding full and double-page shots.
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Covers all aspects of coarse fishing with the emphasis on what we term pleasure fishing, that is, not specialising in anything in particular. As Europe’s best selling coarse fishing publication it can’t be bad.
Feature Finder
Our pick of the main features this month are: Getting Jiggy With It In which Mick Brown gets up to some jiggery pokery along the river and catches some nice pike, zander and perch. In Red Letter Days Des Taylor tells us about a magnificent catch of big eels he made back in 1981, that included monsters of 5.13, 6.4 and 7.3. All in 12 hours! And staff writer Jason Hill is On a Pike Mission: to break their 10lb pike barrier.
Tackle Box
The Ultimate Guide to Float Rods tells us what to look for when buying one. It covers rods with spliced tips, hollow tips and telescopics. Core Skills is a guide to making a pike trace.
Bait Box
Mark Pollard’s Mastering Chopped Worm is an in depth look at chopping worm and catching fish with this popular bait.
Select Reviews
Sundridge Minus 10 Waterproofs and a roundup of the past year’s Head to Head winners.
Competitions
Solve a crossword and stand a chance of winning one of 12 Sundridge Minus 10 Waterproofs. In Forum Questions you can win various tackle from Middy. And there are two quizzes in which you can win either a Preston Innovations package worth £ 500 or 10 Shimano Catana Specimen rods and storage sleeves in the other.
The Things They Say
‘Chopping up worms certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted. You’ve just got to go for it!’ Iain Toombs.
The Things We Say
Watch it Iain, that’s livebait you know. I wonder if chopped worm enthusiasts realise that if and when fish livebaits have been banned chopped worm could be next? Better support the pikers, eh?
Cost: £ 2.50
CRAFTY CARPER
Personality
Covers all types of carp fishing and catering more for, although not exclusively, improvers rather than the seasoned carper.
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Predominantly a ‘series’ journal which is good for in depth information because, let’s face it, a single article can only scratch at the surface.
Feature Finder
Our pick of the main features this month are The Next Stage On. With the basics mastered the more complex issues are discussed, with Simon Crow. In Thinking Carping co-editor Tim Paisley talks about the various issues raised in the forum and in sister publication Carp World’s Think Tank. Competitive Carping is a new series in which Andy Murray says you don’t have to fish carp matches to appreciate the theme.
Tackle Box
Co-editor Julian Cundiff’s Rig Clinic is the last in the series, and Graham Slater’s Rig Sense makes sense about……. rigs.
Bait Box
Various authors in the ‘Opinion Leader’ series discuss How Much Bait to Use? while Particles Masterclass teacher Ken Townley answers your questions in this last part in the series.
Select Reviews
Various products from books and videos to baits and clothing are covered.
Competitions
Various Kevin Nash tackle can be won in a wordsearch and Winter Warmers clothing from Aqua Vista is yours for coming top in a quiz. Catch a notable fish and part of 500 quid’s worth of Starmer bait could be yours.
The Things They Say
‘As with volatile esters in flavours the sharper the difference in pH between the message sender and the medium of water the more identifiable the source of the food message……..’ Co-editor Tim Paisley.
The Things We Say
We’ll take your word for it Tim while we put a dollop of flavour on.
Cost: £ 2.20
MATCH FISHING
Personality
Another perfect bound, quality magazine from the DH Publications stable covering general match fishing on all types of waters. Some excellent photography illustrating tackle and techniques in close-up.
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A nice flavour between serious how to do it pieces scattered with light-hearted, irreverent humour.
Feature Finder
Our pick of the main features this month are Woodland in Winter in which Barry Gregory explains through the words and pictures of Ian Chapman how to stay successful on Woodland Lakes in Yorkshire. Editor Roger Mortimer in Deadly Dozen gives 12 top tips for catching chub for the next time you draw a chubby peg. And Do the Wright Thing author Dave Wright fishes for carp with the extra long floating pole. You might not like it but you have to agree it needs a special kind of skill.
Tackle Box
Less £ £ £ s More Pole looks at cheap but capable carp crunchers costing less than £ 300.
Bait Box
Dave Vincent asks the questions in Magic Mixing while French groundbait chef Philippe Sempeski provides the answers. Bloodworm Masterclass headmaster Mark Addy, the Team England coach, shows us how to fish bloodworm on canals.
Select Reviews
Browning Syntec 730 reel, Drennan Drenchwear, and the Regatta Proton Fleece are amongst the items covered.
Competitions
Three sets of Drennan Drenchwear can be won in a Wordsearch while the Question Time feature offers Fox Match luggage for the best question.
The Things They Say
‘The discovery of two heavy square legs that belonged to a platform I don’t have any more was a bit of a piss-off too.’ Jez Hill.
The Things We Say
The discovery of two heavy square legs that belonged to a female Russian shot-putter that you do still have could have pissed you off even more.
Cost: £ 2.75
Updates with more magazines as we get hold of them.
