How can I land carp quicker during matches?

Jim Bold, Bristol

ALanding fish quickly is all about having a balanced set-up and using the line and elastic that’s best suited to the size of fish you’re catching.

It has to be strong enough to allow you to dictate the fight, but still fine enough to get the bites in the first place.

Having said that, success in matches is not always down to landing carp really quickly – you want to make sure every fish that you hook goes in the net, so taking your time can sometimes be just as important.

WHEN deciding what and how to feed the margins, my decision is based on the depth I’m fishing at and the species present. Get it wrong and the results will be poor!

For example, a deep margin needs something completely different to one with just a foot of water to go at. Likewise, a lake with a massive head of little fish must be approached differently to one that’s home to just carp and F1s.

The ideal depth

Starting with depth, I’ve found that groundbait is at its best in water of 10ins to 18ins. Any deeper than that and line bites and foul-hookers become a major issue. Particles, though, are far more versatile and can be fished at any depth.

I’m talking about pellets (all sizes), meat, corn and even hemp. The beauty of particles is that they are relatively heavy and therefore more versatile than groundbait.

That said, I will adjust the particles I feed depending on the depth. For instance, I wouldn’t feed micro pellets in 4ft of water, instead I’d look at bigger pellets or even corn, because heavier baits tend to keep the fish on the bottom a lot better.

Think about the fish

What other species are present also influences my thinking. For instance, if a venue is full of nuisance silverfish such as tiny roach or skimmers, feeding groundbait can be a recipe for disaster, with your peg turning into a washing machine of small fish!

Under these circumstances I would feed baits that are relatively resistant to small fish such as 6mm or 8mm pellets, or even corn. That way I have a much better idea of what’s actually been eaten by carp as opposed to small silvers. I can also then present a hookbait long enough for a carp to find it!

‘Particles or groundbait – which should I use in the edge and when?’ Paul Phillips, Nuneaton

SET A TRAP WITH BIG PARTICLES

In deep margins, say, over 3ft, I’ll always feed particles. Hard 6mm or 8mm pellets and corn are ‘heavy’ baits in that they will stay put on the bottom when carp are feeding and stirring the water up. In this situation, I’ll only feed to catch one fish at a time, effectively setting a trap by introducing a small helping of bait with a pole-mounted pot every drop-in.

USE CRUMB WHEN IT’S SHALLOW

On the flip side, a shallow edge swim up to 18ins deep responds much better to a groundbait attack. Pick a mix that’s heavy when prepared and full of food content. Alongside this I’ll feed particles, often dead red maggots, aggressively piling in several large pole cups of bait in one go and aiming to catch a run of carp off it before feeding again.

CHOOSE A STABLE FLOAT PATTERN

Regardless of depth, the pole float you pick needs to be heavy enough to give stability to the hookbait. Feeding fish can easily ‘waft’ a light rig out of position – a diamond or rugby ball-shaped float taking between 0.3g and 0.5g will be ideal, fished with a simple bulk of shot grouped just above the hooklength.