THE COLOUR CODE

WHITE Great for clear water and deep water. White grabs every ounce of light there is and reflects it back. In coloured water, though, white is rubbish. In clear water it works a dream, but bear in mind when there’s gravel or shells on the bottom, white may blend in with other debris and look like a pebble down there. PINK Arguably my favourite all year round colour, and one which has caught me thousands of carp all through the year. It stands out against weed in the summer, and against almost every lakebed in the winter. Pink is a banker, whether a strong pink or pastel. Carp spot it a mile off, and usually can’t resist it. ORANGE An old school favourite that’s coming back into fashion again. Where the carp have been caught lots on pinks, a slight variation to orange can make a huge difference. It’s a small change but a big edge, and on some waters, Hardwick at Linear, for example, orange is number one. RED Red is great when there’s a bit of colour in the water. It stands out as it has a hard edge, making it very easy to spot, especially when the fish get closer. It’s not used anywhere as often as it should be, and is another one that can produce a bite when all the others are struggling. YELLOW Yellow is probably my least favourite winter colour, unless I am popping a bit of sweetcorn out as feed. It’s better for summer than winter, although you can boost it with flavour to help. Yellow works best in shallow water that’s clear but not crystal. Elsewhere, it’s pink and orange for me.