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Ed’s Piece
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Ed’s Piece March 2009

It seems as though The Rotary Letter (page 73) is always a good place to start if you want to know what the key topics currently surrounding the carp scene are. Leadcore was a subject that our Rotarians covered for a number of issues, discussing its advantages and disadvantages and it was then Jason Hayward that highlighted product reviews: ‘why you never see a bad one?’ and since then three other writers have voiced their opinions. We even had a post up on our Facebook page stating, ‘I’ fed up of reading biased tackle reviews. Sort it out!’
       Take a look in any magazine (minus Which?, that type of publication), and you won’t see a bad review. Why? Because magazine are based on advertising. Without it there wouldn’t be any magazines. Of course these advertisers want review – good reviews, why would they spend money with a publisher that slates what they’re trying sell? Our stance on this is simple: we only review products that we feel are of a good quality, products that will serve you well. Of course there’s been some tat given to us for review purposes over the years, and seeing as we can’t write, ‘Don’t buy this, it’s really shite’, it simply doesn’t make it into print. Of course everyone has a different opinion – there’s items I love yet Rob wouldn’t ever use. That’s not to say the build quality, originality and working mechanics behind that item isn’t good, it’s just it doesn’t suit his style of fishing. In essences, what you see reviewed is what we feel is of a very good standard – like Kevin Nash’s new range for 2009 (P120): a reinvented throwing stick and unhooking mat, a super-deluxe bedchair and some clever tweaks to a pram-hood style bivvy.
       Now having disembarked on Nashy’s ’09 collection, move onto these key features, all offering essential expert advice for this year: Nigel Sharp’s Time to fine-tune (a master at improving rigs), Underwater Answers (discussing bite times and Zig Rigs), Monster Maggot Feeders (Nick Helleur’s latest trick), The Disappearing Rig (Joe Morgan’s ‘they’ll-never-see-it’ wonder set-up). In fact, there’s just too much to cover here, and seeing as our new Rig Doctor feature has started this month and in Tank Tests Anderson trials CC Moore’s new liquids, I’m off to get the rods out with the new secrets I’ve learnt and you’re about too…
Enjoy the issue.
Joseph Wright, Editor

Contributors
Words: Damian Clarke, Ken Beech, Lewis Read, Gary Bayes, Dave Moore, Brian Skoyles, Joe Morgan, Pete Castle, James Anderson, Ali Hamidi, Simon Maris, Myles Gascoyne, Bill Cottom, Rob Hughes, Mike Willmott, Nigel Sharp and Pete Regan. Pictures: Joe Morgan, Lewis Read, Rob Hughes, Damian Clarke, Simon Maris, Dave Moore, James Armstrong, Nigel Sharp, Ken Beech, Gary Bayes, Ali Hamidi, Brian Skoyles, Myles Gascoyne, Pete Regan, Hall of Fame entries and various tackle companies. Special thanks this month to: Joe Morgan, Louis Cribb and Keith Sykes.
The Social - March 2009
Inside Our Month For This Issue…
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Watched how they do a ‘vidange” over in French. There were more forties than Terry Hearn’s caught. Page 12.
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On going to bed everything was normal. 6hrs later and Scott ‘Geezer’ Grant wakes up to this – the river behind him had burst its banks! The ATT’s still worked, though.
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Had a tour of the Honda F1 Racing factory. Amazingly, I reckon Sykesy’s bivvy is still cleaner!
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“Any chance of doing us some piccies?” Jed Kent’s request at some unearthly hour on a Monday morning.
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It was like the who’s-who of carp fishing at CEMEX’s Sandhurst: Biddus, Sharpy, Roo, Gaz Fareham, Jamie Smith, Nick Helleur and Terry Hearn.
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Trade show at Nashy’s gaff. Left a big dollop of drool in the showroom. Find out more on page 120.
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The great Sir Keith Sykes became a grandfather thanks to sibling David finally cracking it. Good man!
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Literally froze over at CEMEX’s Yateley Split Lake with Nick Helleur. Turn to page 32 to see why it was all worth it.
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Simon Maris found the most stunning lake, caught, and now tells us all about it on page 102.
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Spent a joyous (read as: fork to eye) Monday archiving photos. Came across this one – our first ever carp show and looking about 13-years-old. Depression then kicked in: wrinkles, weight gain and reseeding, that sort of thing.
The Cover
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Cover Shot
Name: Nik Read
Photographer: Paw Print
Venue: Private Essex venue
Weight of fish: 33lb 4oz
Footwear: Very cold looking trainer… silly.
Fashion Director: Darrell Peck&