How shallow should I be going for commercial carp?
HOW shallow should I be fishing on commercial carp waters right now?
Ian Grice, Halifax
PLUMB the swim to find the maximum depth. Begin at half-depth and fish until you get bites.
If the fish are hooked in the mouth, you’ve found them straight away. If not, and you’re striking into thin air, fish are swimming into the line above the bait.
This is the signal to shallow up by 6ins at a time. Give each depth change around 15 minutes before going shallower again.
The time will come when you find that magical depth at which the fish are feeding, but if you are catching and the bites then stop, it can be worth going 6ins deeper again in case the carp have dropped further down in the water.