Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Adam Penning
Three steps to success
1 LOCATION...
LET’S start right at the top with the single most important factor determining the success or failure of a carp session. Put simply, you wouldn't fish a lake with no carp in it so why would you set up in a swim equally devoid of fish?
It appears that many people think that the stock of carp is somehow evenly spread throughout the lake. In reality, this is rarely, if ever, the case. Some parts of the lake will have very few visits from carp, while others could go months without any traffic at all.
If you choose a swim solely based on its proximity to the car park, the fact that it has a nice looking set of lily pads or perhaps a willow on the end of an island, then you could be on the fast track to failure. The only reason to ever fish any swim is because you have seen something that tells you carp are present.
While that could be a carp showing itself, it could be more subtle. Maybe there is one corner of the lake where the water is a totally different colour to the rest? Perhaps, if the wind is absent, you can spy some clusters of bubbles? Whatever the clue is, once you have seen it, you need to stand still and look for more indications because, more often than not, they will be forthcoming if you are prepared to invest a little time and patience.
So next time, instead of being in a blind rush to get into a swim that did two fish on Facebook last month, take some time to actually look for the fish. Personally, I will not even contemplate setting up until I have some degree of certainty that I’m in the same place as the fish – life is too short and time far too precious!
“Whatever the clue is, once you have seen it, you need to stand still and look for more indications”
2 BAIT...
There is one thing that never ceases to amuse and perplex me when it comes to the psychology of the general angling masses. Many people are content to spend large sums on all manner of fishing tackle yet, when it comes to bait, they want the cheapest they can possibly get their hands on! To me this is the ultimate false economy – if the fish doesn’t want to open its mouth and eat what you are offering then you will catch, quite literally, nothing.
Now this does not mean that bait needs to cost a fortune, as we all know that in some circumstances baits such as hemp and sweetcorn will catch plenty of fish. The problem, however, is that they are far from selective in terms of the species they will attract. If you want to target the bigger fish in your lake then, very often, there is nothing better than a good quality boilie. You don’t need to use these types of bait in huge quantity but the more the fish want to eat them, the more you will catch. Obvious really, isn’t it?
The highest quality in anything is also never the cheapest; that’s just not how it works. If I tried to sell you a steak at the pub for two quid, would you expect it to be a good one?
The reality is that as long as your line is stout and your hook is sharp, then none of your tackle needs to be expensive and shiny. Don’t spend the earth on looking good and then scrimping on the cheapest ( lowest quality) bait.
I spent a couple of decades carp angling before I was in a fortunate position with bait, but even back then I knew how important it was to have the best I could afford on my hook. I’d roll my own if I had to, but when it came to bait, no corners were ever cut.
3 EFFICIENCY...
There are unquestionably occasions when anglers are in the right spot and offering good bait, but still fall short of getting the results they want. This, in my view, largely comes down to a lack of efficiency at the tackle end resulting in the bait just not being accessible to the carp.
The rig could be tangled, or it could be buried in an area of unclean lakebed. To prevent these potential issues from becoming obstacles to our success, we need to take careful countermeasures.
First, before deploying a rig anywhere, I will always flick out a bare lead. On a braided line, I can quickly and quietly determine if the bottom is clean. If the lead slides towards me without undue impediment then I can fish the spot. I don’t care if it is sand, clay, silt, gravel, mud or whatever – if the lead slides then I can present a rig there. Never take anything for granted and always check it.
Next, by incorporating anti- tangle tubing and using a coated braid or stiff mono hooklink, you will greatly alleviate the risk of any tangles. Tangles are the number one enemy, and avoiding the potential for one should always be well considered. Never use straight, uncoated, soft braid unless it is inside a bag or being placed in the edge – it will tangle.
Making sure you always stop the rig before it enters the water is the next stage towards angling efficiency. Use the clip or your finger to stop the rig a couple of feet before it hits the water. This will cleanly separate the rig and lead, negating the possibility of a tangle in most situations. After that, the final stage is to feel the lead down through the water on a tight line, waiting until you feel it come into contact with the lakebed. You know it’s clean because you have already checked it. The rig is untangled and the bait is of the highest quality.
Finally, because the first thing we checked was location, we are also fishing for carp we already know are there. If we take these measures every single time we go fishing, the end result is more carp on the bank. I promise!
“If the fish doesn’t want to open its mouth and eat what you are offering then you will catch, quite literally, nothing”