HOME IN ON THE SWEET SPOTS!
A step-by-step guide on how to use a marker float and lead set-up to find the best lakebed features
READING and understanding the lakebed is one of the biggest skills in carp fishing. Get it right and you can end up fishing on spots that carp feed on regularly, but get it wrong and you could be in a forest of weed, with no chance of a bite at all.
Having a good cast about with a straight lead or marker rod set-up about can reveal so much about your swim, not just what the bottom substrate is like, but also any depth changes, bars and hidden features.
A quick way to do this nowadays is with a castable echo sounder, but there’s no substitute to being able to feel the lead down and understand the vibrations transmitted through the rod. After all, the difference between a good and a bad spot can sometimes be a matter of inches. Only the oldfashioned approach will let you achieve such precision.
WHAT SPOTS TO LOOK FOR
So, what’s a good spot? Well, it’s actually one of those questions which is very difficult to answer, and it changes from season to season and lake to lake.
The majority of carp anglers will be looking for hard gravel spots, because these areas make it easier to present rigs on. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking this is what you should always be fishing on. There are times when fish will be feeding heavily in the weed or silt, and the sensation these areas transmit through the rod tip is very different to that from gravel. Then there are clay spots, which in some gravel pits are considered the ultimate target, as the fish regularly use these as rubbing and flanking areas.
Try to take a look at your lake and establish what the majority of the bottom is like, then fish on something different.
Gravel spots are a winner in lakes dominated by silt or weed. But if most of the lake is gravel, finding a silty pocket could be a real game-changer.
WORKING OUT THE DEPTH
While finding the correct bottom to fish on is important, so is understanding the depth changes in your lake and swim.
This can be done by counting the lead down on a tight line but, for accuracy, you’re going to need a marker float. Once you know the depth of your swim, you have a starting point for tactics like zigs. Plus, if there are any depth changes, you can build up a picture of where the patrol routes of the fish might lie too. They’ll often use the crease
of bars, inside ledges and other features to navigate.
The only time a marker float won’t be beneficial is when fishing heavily-weeded lakes, and the float gets tangled in the green stuff and won’t pop up. In these instances, stick to a bare distance-style lead and cast to visible holes in the weed.
TOOLS FOR THE JOB
To get feature-finding working properly you’re going to need some dedicated kit. This means buying a marker/spod rod which usually has a far heavier test curve - usually 4.5lb-5.5lb - than your standard fishing rods. This needs to be matched with a reel capable of holding a large amount of heavy braid. Braid is essential, because its low-stretch properties mean that every bump from a stone is transmitted down the line to the rod-tip. There’s too much stretch in mono or fluorocarbon to feel spots correctly.
You also need a dedicated marker float kit, which usually comes with a boom for the float and a notched heavy lead. Don’t forget some marker sticks, so after finding your spot you can clip up and wrap the distance accurately. It’s worth taking a note of any interesting spots you find, and certainly those you catch from, in your phone. That way, when you next get back in the swim you can get your rigs right back on them quickly, without repeating the process.