Martin Bowler’s Adventures
No better time than autumn for carp
AHUNTER’S moon, soon followed by mist, are preludes to an autumn day that starts with cobwebs hanging heavy with dew.
Then a big wind gets up, scattering fallen leaves far and wide. Beneath the surface of our stillwaters, though, no matter how turbulent the weather, quiet and subtle changes are taking place.
Weed beds collapse and decay, and the aquatic life they once concealed now becomes a source of food.
Every fish worth its salt knows this, and with their need to feed come opportunities for the angler. Carp are famously gluttonous come the autumn equinox, and this is why I always find time to cast a line for them.
There is no greater joy than to hear a fish leap over baited rods as the moonlight bathes the ripples in silver.
A coot squawks its disapproval at the intruder, but as far as I’m concerned all are welcome.
These are magical autumn nights when you just know a bite will come, and if you’re lucky it will be from a big fat mirror carp.
So let’s take a look at how to make this happen and enjoy the seasonal bounty while it lasts…
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
I guess we should start by focusing on location. There are no hard and fast rules, so all I can offer are generalisations. The first is that the carp won’t behave as they did in spring and summer.
Add an edge of east to any blow and more often than not the fisih will then be behind it, enjoying the warm, calm water. Whatever the weather, go with an open mind and use your biggest asset... your eyes.
In my experience, what carp love more than anything else is the sun, and in that respect they’re no different to us. Where would you pick to sit in your garden,
“There is no greater joy than to hear a fish leap over baited rods at night”
especially knowing winter is on its way? A sunny shielded setting sounds far more attractive than a seat in the shade with a keen breeze blowing!
Another draw for our finned friends is cover, particularly as the cooler temperatures are beginning to strip the lakes bare and allow them to clear. Any sanctuary is welcome when this shelter also provides a natural food larder.
So keep your eyes peeled for big weedbeds still in place and I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a carp close by. What seems to you like