Specimen Secrets Dai Gribble’s quick tips for catching bigger fish
FIND THE FRY FOR PREDATORS
NOW is the time that fish fry will start to congregate in large shoals for protection from predators.
As weedbeds start to die back these shoals of fry will seek out whatever cover is available to them – this can be under boats
SPOT THE HOTSPOTS
It won’t just be bigger fish drawn to shoals of fry – birds such as grebes and cormorants will be, too, and they can help you locate likely areas to target.
Other signs to look out for are fry scattering on the surface and the obvious boils and splashes in the water where larger fish are chasing fry.
LIVE OR LURES?
Once located you can target the predators with a number of tactics. The obvious one is to use small livebaits if you can catch them from the same water but, oddly, I have often found other tactics are equally or more effective.
Lure fishing is an obvious option and it is worth switching lures regularly until you find the one that works best on the day. A particular size, colour or action can make a huge difference to what you catch, so keep switching through your lure box until you find the right pattern.
LOB OVER MAGGOTS
Even though perch have been drawn to an area to feed on small fish I have often found the best bait can be lobworms fished under a and pontoons, under cages in large reservoirs, in large reed beds, under overhanging trees and in or around any remaining weedbeds.
If you can find where the fry are you can be certain predators won’t be far away!
steady stream of loosefed maggots.
It doesn’t make any logical sense, but in my experience it works – and that’s all that matters!
DRIFT A DEADBAIT
A very successful method for pike is to fish small suspended deadbaits beneath a float that is allowed to drift slowly across the area.
Sprats are ideal, and can either be used with a single hook or with a trace containing two trebles – with one sprat hooked through the back on to each set of hooks.