It's not always easy to settle on a particular bait at certain
fisheries, especially when there’s always two hot ones on offer. Our
commercials are hammered week-in week-out, with all manner of
concoctions, some of them bordering on the downright weird. However,
two of the more successful and prolific choices when it comes to
picking hookbaits are catmeat and sweetcorn, you're also looking at two
of the cheapest! But which one takes top spot for being the most
productive? Each have their own dedicated followers, so we’ve linked up
with a couple of likely lads who've had more than their fair share of
success using them, Don ‘The Cat' Garnish and Russ ‘Gigolo’ Berryman.
Both also share a passion for one of their favourites bolt-holes,
Willingshurst Fishery in Surrey, scene of some stunning weights, like Will Raison's 451lb in 2007.
Don Garnish Sponsor: None Best match win: 255lb at Willingshurst Favourite venue: Willingshurst Favourite method: Pole & paste Tackle: Pole: Daiwa Tournament 14m with Black Hydro elastics and a Lerc twin Process margin pole ‘The Edge’ with solid 16 and Red Hydro elastic. Rigs: Carpa 1 & 2 (4x10) or (4x12) on 0.19mm direct to B911 size 12 eyed hook.
Russ Berryman Sponsor: Garbolino Apollo Best match win: 268lb on waggler at Willingshurst Favourite venue: Willow Park Favourite method: Waggler Tackle: Pole: Garbolino 955 14m with Black Hydro & Drennan Bungee 18-20. Rigs: Carpa 1 (4x10) or 2 (4x12) on 0.18mm Gamakatsu G line direct to Gamakatsu G-Point size 16 hook.
We've chosen a couple of noted pegs, close to each other, with equal form, peg 8 on New Lake and 14 on Old. Both have distinctive features and both fish well to our selected baits. The coin's tossed to create a fair and friendly contest, Don win's and chooses peg 8, both anglers had already been matched to the relevant bait, Don’s on his noted catmeat and Russ on his cash crop corn.
The pegs have their own individual characteristics. Don has a 4 metre short one under the left hand bush, plus a 13 and 9 metre option either side of the channel gap, which joins the two lakes. Years ago there was a bridge running over it, but its since been dismantled and left simply as a run through. There are two large pipes underwater which can sometimes prove a nightmare for anglers hooking those fish opting to move lake location, so you need to be careful here! One slight problem for Don is a trio of carpers just opposite, on the other side of the gap who are blathering bait in the edge and catching fish… Don’s not impressed!
Russ’ options are 10 metres directly in front, plus two lines either side of the gap to his left, the main one being the far side at 14.5 metres. Although their rigs would be no more than 2 metres apart, at times, both pegs have their own particular set of features. Don has stick-ups either side of the gap and of course that big bush. Russ has a couple of stumps protruding from the far side of the gap, while some tufted grass awaited his attention this side. There's also the possibility 5 metres down the left hand side reed margins, which may produce some late fish for him. All in all the guys have got two pretty even pegs with which to do the challenge.
Now most of us, when fishing catmeat, will normally take just an ordinary can of our cats favourite finger lip-licking concoction, whether it be a mixture of duck, turkey, lamb, rabbit or chicken. Don’s feeding choice tends to favour the Coshida variety, so long as it’s in gravy, important because this will be chopped up with scissors, the hookbait, however, will be a firmer brand in jelly. One rather important point, which many don’t realise, is that it’s possible to fish catmeat all year round, you just have to modify your presentation a little. Don explains, “In winter I’ll push the feed meat through a maggot riddle to create a more mushed up consistency and then use a large meat punch to make a more compact hookbait for a smaller hook. One more relevant point is that catmeat is a messy bait, which puts many off, as they don’t like getting their hands too dirty. A simple solution is to use a spoon, I always carry one, but not the wife’s best cutlery though! This keeps mess to a minimum and makes handling easy.”
Don spoons out a quantity of meat and chops it up; this is so he can get a good dispersal around the chosen feed areas. Don has one more item he uses with catmeat, that’s plain carp pellet. After letting a batch of pellet absorb some water it’s a good idea to tip in a little of the cat gravy, this will give added appeal to the pellet on the deck. We’ve had some overnight rain and the day is overcast, which Don feels may make the fish tentative but the forecast is for a fine afternoon… now where have we heard that before!
Russ has fewer complications. He uses just hemp and two types of corn, Green Giant and VDE. These will be used respectively for feeding with hemp and for hookbait, but there’ll be no pellet as this would detract fish from his corn hookbait. The VDE grains are slightly larger and firmer than the GG, so make ideal hookbaits as they don’t easily fall off, perfect for distance work.
Both anglers pre-bait their swims with a pole pot, so that they can control the initial amount of feed. It’s important at this stage not to be too heavy handed and both anglers will gradually feel their way into the session, important if decent weights are expected under the conditions.
We eventually start around 11am and it doesn’t take long for action to kick in. It looks like first blood to ‘Gig’ as he guides one of the frisky residents away from his main attack line into open water, but gets ‘done’, one of many to occur. Ten minutes on and Russ is safely netting a decent fish, a lean-mean 6lb mirror, which wasn’t keen to come in, despite Russ' unconventional landing technique! A few glances over to the ‘Gig’ shows a slight furrowed brow on the ‘cats’ forehead. “I’m not so sure the meat will work today”, he mutters across to Russ. I wonder if Don’s covering his back?
Another 30 minutes pass and Don’s downbeat manner has been replaced by one of optimism. Not surprisingly as he’s taken four fish from the stick-ups, this side of the gap, but Russ is still one ahead of him. Don then lays into a good fish near the stick-ups and can make little headway with it. “Bugger’ I think was the term used, as the fish hangs the rig on the stick-ups. “I can’t get that out,” a fraught ‘cat-miester’ says, as the rig parts company with the line (below). A few minutes to re-rig and Don’s back out, but unfortunately he’s somewhat nervous now of getting too close to the snag with it’s new decoration. Having tried the far side of the gap for a couple of put-ins with no response, apart from an 8oz roach, Don brings out the heavy artillery, his ‘no-nonsense’ margin pole loaded with Red Hydro.
The bush is now his target as he’s been constantly eyeing it up for signs of life. First put in and the float buries, much to the ‘cats’ surprise, resulting in little more than a returned bare hook. A second and third go result in much the same until eventually the red Hydro zips out and Don’s applying pressure away from the bush into open water. A well-hooked mirror of 8lb is gradually eased towards a waiting, and relieved Don.
Now I think he’s showing signs of happiness! He’s still behind Russ, but a more confident Don sets his stall on fishing out the overhanging shrubbery with the odd foray to this far lines. Russ in the meantime is picking up fish regularly, all around the 5lb mark. “They’re good weight-builders here, with the odd lump thrown in,” Russ chirps. Meanwhile the wind starts to get up, blowing left to right, channeling through the gap and presenting problems for our ‘Gig’. He knows the far side post is where most of his fish are, but it’s difficult keeping his rig stable when 14 odd metres of pole is wafting in the breeze!
We’re well into the session now and it’s pretty much ‘even-stevens’. Russ is still struggling to maintain his rig in position near the post, but there’s still plenty of fish there… if only he could keep that rig still. He chops and changes either side of the gap for some respite from the struggle, but he knows where he wants to be! A brief flirtation in the reeds, 5 metres down his left hand side, see some roach and crucians come to the corn (below)… but it’s not what he looking for.
Both anglers have been regularly topping-up their respective swims with the pot and two-thirds through and Don looks to have the edge with better fish coming from the bush. Russ’ day, however, is tailing off, but the odd fish keeps him in close contention with his opponent.
As the day wears on, the guys keep adding to their tally but it’s hardly at a scintillating pace, nevertheless both have caught well in the conditions and as we start the count and weigh-in, we can get a good idea of how things have progressed. At the end we see that the day has been very even with Don just managing to get his nose in front with 18 fish for 117lb while Russ lost out a little bit towards the end with just a 17 fish haul for 107lb.
MA.com Overview
The heavy overnight rain kept down the water temperature and the cool overcast conditions clearly put the fish on guard. Catmeat definitely pulled in the larger fish later on when Don was able to target them under the bush, but corn gained an early advantage with fish coming almost immediately and Russ maintained a fish advantage until towards the end when the wind became a too much of a problem. Don on the other hand had calm air because of the bush windbreak and he was able to concentrate feed into the one spot. Russ got a little bogged down searching for quality fish in a more sheltered spot by the reeds which produced just roach and crucians, which we didn’t count today.
Above: Still good mates!
MA.com conclusion:On the day, Russ had drawn the better peg, but lost any advantage with the wind. Don’s catmeat, while taking the heaviest fish, was slow to start which may have been something to do with those carpers. Considering both anglers had these problems, the odds seemed fairly even. Both encountered loads of foul-hookers, which pointed to unsettled fish. Although Russ finished with one less carp and a lighter weight, there was not a lot between the two baits on the day, so it would be unfair to call either a clear winner.
VERDICT: A draw
The angler’s viewpoint:
“Apart from those carpers opposite, who I felt initially compromised my far lines, there proved to be too much water movement. Fish tended to stay in the upper layers, which probably accounted for the high percentage of foul-hookers. My saving grace was definitely under the bush. The fish in general didn’t really settle on the bait and I would have expected weights exceeding 200lb from both or either of these pegs on any another day.” Don Garnish.
“Summing up the day, I believe I would of had a lot more fish on my far line had it been less windy. I also believe corn is a better bait to fish when conditions are uncertain. At distance it’s far more workable than catmeat, but short the meat is probably the more deadly bait as it can be controlled better.” Russ Berryman.
Pros:
Corn was quicker to catch fish
Corn was more workable at distance as it stays on the hook better
Chopped catmeat has an effective odour pulling power
Catmeat effective as a close in bait
Catmeat sorted out the bigger fish
Both baits are cheap.
Cons:
Corn limited in its odour pulling power
Catmeat not suitable at long distance
Catmeat’s a messy bait.
Venue Factfile: Willinghurst Fishery, Guildford Road, Shamley Green, Guildford.
Contact: Mick 07791 857292.
Matches: Contact Mick 07791 857292.
Restrictions: Unhooking mats, No rubbish, Barbless hooks, No line over 15lb.
Facilities: Parking close to lakes, Tackle shop on site (opp. New Lake), Toilets on-site, Clubhouse/Restaurant/Bar (Main lake end), Cafe (opp. New lake).
How to get there: Southbound take the A281 from Guildford and a couple of miles past Bramley turn left where you see Fishery sign. Northbound follow the A281 past Grafham and turn right where you see Fishery sign. Alternately you can follow the B2128 southbound from Shamley Green or northbound from Cranleigh till you see Fishery signs. The top end can be reach by turning into Smithwood Common Road just off the B2128 Gaston Farm roundabout and then forking left into Alderbrook Road, the fishery is signed on the left about 300yds.
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Russ’ options are 10 metres directly in front, plus two lines either side of the gap to his left, the main one being the far side at 14.5 metres. Although their rigs would be no more than 2 metres apart, at times, both pegs have their own particular set of features. Don has stick-ups either side of the gap and of course that big bush. Russ has a couple of stumps protruding from the far side of the gap, while some tufted grass awaited his attention this side. There's also the possibility 5 metres down the left hand side reed margins, which may produce some late fish for him. All in all the guys have got two pretty even pegs with which to do the challenge.
Now most of us, when fishing catmeat, will normally take just an ordinary can of our cats favourite finger lip-licking concoction, whether it be a mixture of duck, turkey, lamb, rabbit or chicken. Don’s feeding choice tends to favour the Coshida variety, so long as it’s in gravy, important because this will be chopped up with scissors, the hookbait, however, will be a firmer brand in jelly. One rather important point, which many don’t realise, is that it’s possible to fish catmeat all year round, you just have to modify your presentation a little. Don explains, “In winter I’ll push the feed meat through a maggot riddle to create a more mushed up consistency and then use a large meat punch to make a more compact hookbait for a smaller hook. One more relevant point is that catmeat is a messy bait, which puts many off, as they don’t like getting their hands too dirty. A simple solution is to use a spoon, I always carry one, but not the wife’s best cutlery though! This keeps mess to a minimum and makes handling easy.”
Don spoons out a quantity of meat and chops it up; this is so he can get a good dispersal around the chosen feed areas. Don has one more item he uses with catmeat, that’s plain carp pellet. After letting a batch of pellet absorb some water it’s a good idea to tip in a little of the cat gravy, this will give added appeal to the pellet on the deck. We’ve had some overnight rain and the day is overcast, which Don feels may make the fish tentative but the forecast is for a fine afternoon… now where have we heard that before!
Russ has fewer complications. He uses just hemp and two types of corn, Green Giant and VDE. These will be used respectively for feeding with hemp and for hookbait, but there’ll be no pellet as this would detract fish from his corn hookbait. The VDE grains are slightly larger and firmer than the GG, so make ideal hookbaits as they don’t easily fall off, perfect for distance work.
Simply log onto V2V Angling's website via the this banner and key in the promotional code MACOM10408 to receive a 10% discount on their exciting range of DVDs.