GET TO GRIPS WITH THE GREEN STUFF
Far from avoiding it, ARON JOHN loves fishing in and around weed. Follow his tried-and-tested tactics and you’ll soon be catching from the type of spots many other anglers avoid...
WHEN it comes to gravel pit fishing, a lot of anglers cast out a lead and if they find so much as a single frond of weed, they have a meltdown.
I’m quite the opposite inasmuch as I actually prefer to fish weedy lakes, provided that the welfare of the fish is not compromised in doing so.
Many benefits
The reason I love this style of fishing is that, first and foremost, weed is full of creepy crawlies that the fish are naturally predisposed to seek out. Second, carp are far less aware that they are being fished for in these environments, unlike on the more obvious clean gravel spots where they may have been caught many times in the past. Imagine a busy lake where on the bank opposite the most popular swim there is a large tree. In line with this at 70 yards the bottom is hard and clean. The majority of anglers to have ever fished in that particular swim will have chosen to place their baits on this well-polished area, without doubt. In my opinion, you may as well put a traffic cone on the spot bearing a big sticker saying ‘Carp Beware’, it will have become that obvious to them.
A final benefit of fishing in and around the green stuff is that I feel I can present a rig better in light weed because the lead and end tackle are partly disguised. All in all, I’m a strong believer that being able to fish effectively in these often neglected areas gives you an automatic edge over those who steer clear.
First things first
For the purposes of this feature I’m fishing at Earith Carp Lakes. These are rich and weedy waters, full of big and beautiful carp. Even though the lake I’ve chosen is choked with weed and lilies, my approach is going to be simple.
I’m only looking for a ‘fishable’ spot, not a ‘clean’ one. Ideally, there will be between two and six inches of low-lying weed present. Any thicker than this and things start to get tricky.
To cut down the amount of disturbance made with a marker rod when seeking out such spots, when I arrive at the lake I like to climb a few trees (if possible) to
scan the water for promising areas. Once located, I cast a 2oz lead around and once I find somewhere I like, I clip up, wind in and attach an old rig. I then cast back to the spot before dragging the rig back a foot or so. The hook will pick up weed, and this allows me to better assess what I’m fishing over.
Getting the drop
The type of weed you fish over can make a big difference. Unlike many, I look for blanket weed and avoid the longer weed types, such as milfoil and Canadian pondweed, which it is easier for the rig to get hung up in.
With blanket weed, as long as you use a critically balanced hookbait and a nugget of dissolving rig foam, the hookbait comes to rest on top, rather than being dragged deep into it.
The lake I’m on today is only around 5ft at its deepest, but if I were on a deeper venue I would look to get a drop on the lead, as this also indicates a relatively fishable area. By using a 2oz lead, the weight will get caught up in thicker weed, whereas a heavier one will crash through regardless, often giving you a false indication.
Tackle for the task
A tough mainline is obviously important when fishing in weed, and I’m a huge fan of using braid because its fine diameter and lack of stretch will help it to saw