Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Dan Cleary
Tackle weedy waters
It APPEARS to be another one of those summers. the ever- changing weather, from baking hot days to wet and windy ones, has seen the weed in most carp lakes thrive.
But, fear not! If your local lake is choked with weed, there is no need to recoil in horror. Even waters that are really choked with the green stuff can be targeted by applying just a few practical and a common- sense practices.
Both of the lakes I fish regularly are really weedy and usually rammed with anglers, but have become very quiet in the last few weeks. I can only put this down to the quantity of weed.
I’ve fished a few weedy waters in my time, one of which was known as ‘ the Football Pitch’ it was so choked! So, how do you target and tackle weedy waters?
Give it a rake
Rakes are essential items for me when targeting weedy waters. I have large, heavy rake tied to rope for clearing areas close in – up to 20 yards – that I will throw in. I also own a light casting rake of about 3oz- 4oz that I bought on eBay for clearing spots further out. With this, I use a stiff marker rod of 4lb test curve and 50lb+ braid. I wouldn’t use this too far out because there is no point clearing an area at 60 yards or more because you’ll still have 60 yards of weed to navigate a hooked fish through. this tactic is best for low- lying blanket or silkweed.
I’ve found raking has no adverse effect on fish. In some instances, it has even attracted them into the area as they investigate what is going on. As the rake disturbs the lake’s bottom as well as colouring the water, I have found it can put them into a feeding mood.
You don’t want to remove all the weed from an area – fish generally love the cover and food it provides – but just enough to present some goodies and maybe clear a narrow channel back to the bank, for a better line lay.
Keep the distances short. Fish love the margins in summer and only today did I catch a mid- 30lb mirror from a spot I had raked a rodlength out. With
5ft of water, it was more than deep enough for the fish, and of a depth to prevent swans from being a nuisance.
Weedy tackle
Weed can put huge strains on your set- up, so I always use a strong mainline of at least 15lb. If you’re confident using it and it’s permitted on your chosen water, braid is brilliant in weedy situations. I prefer a lead clip system to an inline or helicopter lead set- up. Importantly though, I cut the tail on the lead clip slightly so the lead will fall off easily when I get a take.
I also prefer heavy leads, generally 4oz. I find that heavy leads snag the weed quicker and are more likely to drop off on the take than a smaller, lighter lead. the reason I’m looking to drop the lead quickly is that it tends to hold the fish lower in the water and fewer seconds at depth could be the difference between avoiding a disaster and being able to get the fish up high in the water. At the terminal end, I fish short rigs of 4in- 5in with a size 4 or 6 heavy- gauge hook. there is no point using a smaller hook, just because you feel you will get more bites. You need as much strength as possible in a hook that faces the constant strain and pressure required to prevent fish from burying into a large bed of weed.
Baits and their application
For a small clear spot or over any low- lying weed, such as blanket weed, I fish a short pop- up rig, such as a Ronnie. I also have success with a Dynamite Baits’ Wafter combined with a PVA stick when weed is quite thick.
My PVA stick mix consists of Dynamite’s Source Stick Mix as its base. I then add some blitzed Complex- t boilies prior to adding a little CSL Liquid Carp Food and some Evolution Hemp Oil. these ingredients slow down the melting time to ensure that the PVA stick reaches the
bottom without exploding. If the weed is sparse – ‘ ribbon’ or grass- type weed – then I prefer a solid PVA bag. These are much heavier than sticks so I swap over to a 2oz lead to place less strain on my set- up. I fill my solid PVA bags with a combo of small pellets, such as 4mm Complex- T or 3mm Marine Halibuts, finishing off the payload with the same stick mix as before.
I then place the rig and hookbait in the PVA bag before crumbing up Complex- T boilies then adding oil, either Krill or Hemp.
To finish, I lick and seal the bag prior to tying PVA string around the top, to make sure it doesn’t open on impact with the water. I also pierce the bag a few times with a baiting needle. This enables quicker water ingress, so the bag settles better on the lakebed.
Getting a run
Getting a run is when most anglers slip up. Once you’ve hooked a fish, you need to keep the rod high and keep the fish moving as much as you can. Having the lead eject quickly will help as the fish will come to the surface, away from any weed. Once you have the fish on, don’t let the momentum stop. Even if it’s just inching closer, try to keep the fish coming towards you.
If it does all grind to a halt, it is best to be patient. Too many anglers keep pulling and this is when the mainline will either end up breaking or you’ll pull the hook.
Put the rod on the rests with the line remaining tight and wait for the fish to start moving again. This could take an hour or more, but it will eventually come out. Once it has, don’t tighten up immediately because it will dive back into the weed again. Give them a couple of seconds to clear the danger area before you give it some ‘ welly’.
Fishing weed is all about being methodical, using a little common sense and a logical approach. You will still lose the odd fish, but with right approach fewer than before!