Rich Beade, email

QDo you think that you need to wash your hands before attaching hookbaits? My mate says carp are put off by smells such as tobacco smoke or coffee being on your fingers?

AI think your mate has a very good point, one that I have long been aware of. It all comes down to this – is washing your hands free of all the odorous stains of modern life going to cost you any carp opportunities? Maybe it won’t really make any difference but it certainly will not have a negative impact. If we are serious about our fishing then we should consider the effects of everything and take counter-measures wherever possible.

For example, after answering the call of nature I always rinse my hands off in the lake and I also do this as soon as I arrive at the waterside. Smells such as diesel, soap and a whole host of other things will stay on the hands a long time, so the first thing I do is crouch in the edge and give them a good rub with some silt and weed. Remember, you can never do too much but many anglers simply don’t do enough.