Mark Holmes


Quick Fire Question Time – Mark Holmes

1. Shelf Life or freezer baits
If we had been talking 10 years ago I’d have said definitely freezer baits but not anymore. The advancement in human grade preservative availability, coupled with the process of steaming have improved readymades beyond recognition. So for me these days shelf life!

2. Hook bait of choice
Now this is a toughie. It’s well known my love for Trigga Ice but not so well known is I used the BFM with garlic for over 10 years in the mid 90s onward and had great success. However, the new Ener-gise is something very, very special. As having a small part in its formation via real life bank scenarios to conclude from, I suppose I’m a little bias.

3. Particles or Pellets
In a word…pellets. To be honest I don’t use much of any of either but the simple fact I can use Nutrabaits formulations in pellet form is the big pull. I do steer away from small sized pellets though as they attract nuisance fish in my experience.

4. Glugged or Not Glugged
Well I’m going to be obtuse here and say both. I believe the way you prepare your freebies is just, if not more, important than the freebies. The ability to vary the attraction and types mean I use unglugged, glugged, different sizes and shapes. This stops the carp becoming too familiar with dangerous food items!

5. Overbait or bag fishing
When I say overbait immediately I reckon some of you will say I’ve chosen that because it attracts the big uns. Now that’s not the reason I prefer not to use bags. Although outstanding when you’re unsure about the bottom of the lake your fishing, or weed problems, stealth etc my big dislike of bag fishing is it promotes spot feeding. The problem here is not getting the carp to take the offering, it’s making sure you get correct bite indication. By careful spreading of loose feed I’m able to move the carp when feeding and so promote far better bite indication.

My favorite capture from the last couple of years:-
Black and Gold a stunning, now Yorkshire Forty I caught last year at 39lb. Very rare visitor as this male carp fights like the absolute beast it is.

#Nutrabaits #NutraOfficial #Fishing #Carpfishing #Carp

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About richardhandel

I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself; My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl! I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes. My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband. This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish. I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work. Richard
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