BEAT THE PRESSURE OF SMALL LAKES
After being off the banks for several years and diagnosed with hip dysplasia, Joe Drury returned to the sport recently in unforgettable fashion, landing Devon’s biggest carp. Here are 10 of his best tips which helped him do it…
SMALL and pressured day-ticket waters can be among the hardest to fish.
From the moment you set foot on the bank, the fish become aware the game is on. Here’s how I outwit them...
Do your homework
Some of the best fishing you can do starts at home or before you cast the rods out. Find out everything you can about your chosen venue from research online or the fishery bailiff. Learning about habits, feeding times, patrol routes and features will help you focus your plan of attack for the session.
Stealth is key
Disturbance needs to be kept to the absolute minimum. Leads should be placed with no noise at all, whether that be lowered in off the tips or sneakily dropped with a baiting pole. These don’t have to be expensive tools – I made my own 8m device from an old match pole and a Gardner spoon.
Break open your boilies
Boilies are a phenomenal bait, but they don’t have to be round balls. You don’t need distance, so why not unleash the baits’ attractors by crumbing and chopping your offerings?
Plan for perfection
With the fish in small waters being incredibly spooky, it makes even more sense for everything about your rig to be perfect. Mechanically, the rig needs to be able to present and reset itself should it be interfered with. But when that pick-up does come along, you need to be in with the best chance of hooking it, and that means a razor-sharp hook.
The heavier the better with leads
I used a 5oz lead to catch the ‘Silverback’ from Anglers Paradise. A weight of this size is very hard for fish to deal with once they’ve made contact with it. If you’re lowering or dropping in, the bigger the better. Use a lead-clip to ensure it discharges in the fight or fish it on a drop-off inline set-up.
Have a reason for everything
Carefully consider your approach so you can justify your decisions. Each piece of the puzzle needs to be thought through thoroughly... rig choice, bait choice, location and so on.
Location is still important
Fish in small lakes can very easily move from one end to the other, but location and discovering where they will most likely take a bait is still important. Use your eyes and watch for any give-aways from the fish before setting up. Getting ahead of them and second-guessing where they might turn up based on the weather is a good tip too.
Let other anglers push the fish to you
Allow other anglers on the lake to make the mistakes for you. Heavy baiting or leading will push fish into quiet areas, where you’ll be waiting. Act like you’re not there – they can make mistakes, but you can’t make any.
Line concealment
Lines are certainly carp scarers. I pin mine down behind the lead with five large sinkers that are spaced out at intervals up the line. This is a good substitute for leaders or tubing and ensures the line stays out of the way of a feeding carp. It’s a totally unnatural feeling to them, brushing up against line, and they won’t feed where they don’t feel safe.
Confidence is key
You don’t have to change everything about your angling when targeting a new and tricky water. Be confident in rigs that have worked for you in the past, and focus more on getting them in the right place as quietly and stealthily as possible. If you change too much, you won’t be sure what works and what doesn’t. Once you know your trap is set correctly, sit back and let those alarms scream. If you have done everything above, it’s only a matter of when, not if.