Tag Archives: Fishing

Fishing Strategies

Carp Fishing Techniques

 

Still NOT catching Big CARP, even though using the right bait?

We all need an extra edge to say ahead of the carp right?

With most newbie carp anglers chasing the latest carp fishing techniques, usually in the area of bait or the latest rig…But I doubt if many anglers have ever considered if the smell of their hands are affecting their catch results?

How about if you are using the same bait that other successful carp anglers are using and catching on at your lake but YOU are NOT?  

Read on this could just be the answer…

In 1979 just before I got started carp fishing, I was a member of the local fishing club, and the club had fishing rights to one small lake and a stretch of a canal.

They would hold regular friendly matches and outings.

I remember fishing with one guy who had just taken up course fishing the previous year, who always used to struggle, he used the same baits and methods as the successful anglers but to no avail, he results were dire.

On one particular memorable day fishing we sat in the same peg, we were both float fishing maggots, I was catching tench one after the other.

Feeling sorry for this chap, I let him plop his float six inches from mine, as he hadn’t had a sniff all morning!

Well can you believe it he still couldn’t get a bite!

So at that point I decided to take a break and remove my rod and line, and let him have the spot to himself while I have a sandwich and a hot tea from my flask…all he caught over the next hour was a couple of tiny roach. 

We discussed this ‘unlucky touch’ that he seemed to have, and could just not understand why he was not catching, it seemed so odd, especially when I replaced my rod in the same spot and immediately starting bagging up again! 

During the afternoon George one off the older members came by for a chat and to see how we were getting on. George had fished since he was a small boy and even now in his twilight years was keen as mustard!

He’s was always great company with plenty off stories to tell.

During our conversation I mentioned about my buddy (John) struggling even though he fished right in the same spot as me! 

George turned to John and said your ‘hands stink’!

We both looked at him totally puzzled…

John asked him what exactly, was he talking about.

He explained ‘You have something in the pores of your skin on your hands that the fish don’t like’ 

After discovering that John was an apprentice hair dresser, and the fact that his hands came into contact with the chemicals used for dying hair…

George explained this was likely the problem, that there were probably still traces of these chemicals in the skin pores.

When John baited his hook these chemicals were passed onto the bait and the fish were repelled by them…Hence why John was not catching!

He added over the years he’s known other anglers with the same problem, though he could not put his finger on the exact cause, as some had office jobs, their hands never came into contact with anything like chemicals or similar.

But when they wore surgical rubber gloves before baiting, there catch rates improved considerably. 

The obvious solution was to use rubber gloves…But what a pain!

George also added to prove that this was the likely cause we could do a little experiment right now, but we didn’t have any gloves…

No problem…was his reply.

Pointing to a tree behind us, he asked John to pick a couple of the green leaves of it and rub them well into the palm and fingers of his hands, until there was a ‘green film’ covering them. He explained that your hands now have more of a natural odour and should mask any repelling smells.

He instructed John to use the maggots from my bait box, as all the maggots in John’s bait box would all be contaminated.

We both cast out and waited with abated breath, we didn’t have to wait long…Yet again I caught a tench!

After re-casting out, and no more action for twenty minutes, we started to wonder if this ‘hands stink’ stuff was for real…

Just as I was ending the conversation by saying to John that it was probably a load of poppy cock…John’s float zoomed off under the waters surface! He struck into the fish…after playing the fish out, into the waiting net slipped in a large tench!

I was gob smacked!

We both caught about the same amount of fish up until the afternoon when the sun came out and put the fish off…

Totally amazing…! What a result for John! 

I ran into John towards the end of the season, and enquired about his ‘luck’ he told me since that ‘lucky’ chance meeting with the older member George and advice given he will be eternally grateful, as he has had consistent good catches ever since.

I believe this point is extremely important in carp fishing as carp are easily driven away by unpleasant smells/taste of bait, as they have a highly receptive sense of smell; the lining of their mouths contains chemically sensitive cells that allow it to determine whether food is good or bad. Carp also have taste buds on their barbules, pectoral and pelvic fins, underneath their head and along the length of their body. Which again would repel them should the taste be unpleasant.

It just takes little edges like this one that can make all the difference to your results.

 

Too Your Success, Good Luck and Tight Lines… 

 Dennis

  

Dennis R. Black…A Keen Carp Angler with over 30 years experience.
To find out more about Big Carp Fishing Secrets and obtain a FREE ‘How to Guide on Modern Carp Fishing DVD’ visit:
www.carp-fishing-techniques.co.uk

Fishing Strategies

Carp Fishing – Land Monster Carp With These 3 Excellent Tips

Carp Fishing is one of the most challenging and enjoyable forms of sports fishing. What makes it so appealing? Well, there are a lot of reasons fishing enthusiasts enjoy fishing for carp. For one they are big, and make impressive trophies. (Even if the trophy is just a picture of you standing next to your catch.) Secondly, catching a carp isn’t easy. These put up a fight, which is why catching one, especially a big one, feels like such an accomplishment. And, finally, they are abundant. Carp are found all over the world, and there’s a very good chance that there is a lake, pond or stream near you that is filled with them.

So, now that you know why so many people enjoy going after these “big fish,” what do you need to know about actually catching one? Well, here are a few carp fishing tips.

Learn All You Can About Carp

If you have had experience sports fishing, you might know a lot about catching many different kinds of fish. But what you know about other fish, like bass, won’t necessarily apply to carp. Even something as simple as taking the fish out of the water safely, and without damaging your catch, could be different than what you are used to. That is why it is so important that you learn all you can about carp. You want to know where you can find them, the best bait to use, how they differ from other fish…Absorb as much information about carp as you can.

Use Creamed Corn to Bring the Carp to You

Carp are attracted by the smell of corn, so you can use corn to lure them to your fishing spot. So, the next time you go fishing for carp, take a can of creamed corn with you. Take about a handful of the corn and toss it into the water. It won’t be long before there are plenty of carp nearby, ready for the catching.

Be Cautious

Carp are pretty suspicious as far as fish go. They also have pretty sharp senses. So it doesn’t take much to spook them and drive them off. Movement on the water. A sound that they don’t like. So, when you are fishing for carp, it’s important to stay as quiet as possible. You also don’t want to move around a lot, especially if you are on a boat.

But, when it comes to carp fishing, the best tip is to be patient. Patience, and keeping the above tips in mind, will help make your next fishing trip a success.

Written by Glen Buchanan, Keep-Fishing.com, Carp Fishing Tips.

Fishing Strategies

Top 6 Carp Fishing Tips! Dont Fish Again Until You Have Read This!

Frustrating as it is, carp fishing is awesome. Carp are really good at sucking in and blowing out suspicious baits. It’s such an excitement to see the whole action in a fraction of a second as you hang on for dear life while the reel is trembling with a loud noise.


Carp happily devour on the surface as long as you keep the pellets, biscuits, chic peas, bread, and re-hydrated corn coming in, and these are inexpensive baits as well. Just attach them to the hooks, most preferably the bread.


Have the biscuits softened by dipping it in the water for about 2 minutes, then, place them in a sealed sandwich bag for about an hour. Since different brands have different textures, just experiment to know which is firm enough to cast. Another way to hook baits is super gluing the pellet into the shank.


Once they get into feeding, let them feel comfortable around the bait. This gives more opportunity for the fisherman since they begin to not feel picky. This tactic can be useful for zig rigs.


As soon as they’re feeding, cast the bait but make sure not to drop the bait directly onto the feeding carp. Cast away from the feeding area then slowly draw it in position. While the bait is till hanging, keep the food coming in so as to keep the carp from going away.


How to Set-Up?


1) Use a hair rig to increase your chance of catching. As carp taste food first, if they don’t like the taste, they won’t come near it.


2) You may also use a Spider Line, 50 lbs test, then use a leader material that fits the situation.


3) Thread the bait on the baiting needle and hook the hair loop. You may also use foam dipped in a flavor as this enhances the attractiveness of the bait.


4) Also make a baiting needle by just straightening a long shank hook. Slide the bait on the shank, then slide the bait from the needle onto the hair.


5) Using a float is also an advantage because it adds weight for further distancing and the location is easily identified.


6) Don’t forget the controller float rig. A leader can be used which is attached to the swivel to its mainline of at least 3 feet length with a 10lbs Drennan double strength. A low diameter mono will do just as long as it floats well enough for visibility.


As experts say, it is not the bait that catches the carp but the method in which the bait is introduced. Pre-bait everyday, in one spot for a few days. This makes the carp think that there is a regular source of food for them and by “word of mouth” there’ll soon be a school of fish around. Just be patient and it will all work.

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Fishing Strategies

Winter Carp Fishing Tips – and Helpful Bait and Big Fish Approach Tactics

Location location location!

First find your fish; they may be indicated by other anglers catching fish, or come from where you caught previously. Past year’s records of hotspots and over – wintering areas can be very useful. But these can vary according to a season’s dominant prevailing winds directions and temperatures.

Also fishing pressure, food availability, changes in the lake bed caused by moving / feeding carp, other fish present, e.g.; big over – wintering catfish etc can alter ‘holding areas! Snags in the water like fallen trees, rocks etc, silt beds, gravel bars, old water lily beds, dying weed beds, water inflows, overhanging trees and bushes can all hold fish and all are worth a try.

Also investigate cut – away banks, undercut margins, shallow margins in shade or sun where rolling / bubbling fish may be observed, in winter on the end of a warmer wind or the back of a Northerly wind.

Reed beds, underwater humps, troughs, ‘food traps’ along the prevailing winds lanes, dips, smooth hard areas may well indicate a feeding area as will old silted up areas with bloodworm beds, that produced fish previously in warmer times of the year.

Try places where there are sudden changes of depth as many harbour attractive natural food. Especially gravel slopes, mud humps and ledges around islands, and at the edge of weed beds. Casting around to find underwater debris and old dying weed can help locate fish too as these areas harbour natural food.

Studying quiet, or under-fished areas, ‘un-pressured’ areas can be very revealing. Often the biggest fish are often caught in the areas where the most bait goes into a lake. I know big fish man Dave Lane would agree on this, regarding his UK fifties!!!

Often in winter carp can be located in maybe 1, 2 or just 3 areas of a lake and will be shoaled up tightly together. Casting all around the lake with a small lead and braided line methodically until you feel ‘bumps’ as you wind in (that are not there next cast) could be fish!

Moving your hook baits every hour may be productive as you may find this roving approach lands right next to a fish or disturbs them into fresh activity / or ‘hearing’ your bait land and investigate out of curiosity.

Some say use smaller baits on the hook in winter, and I agree here. I’ve had more takes on these and I use small baits in P.V.A. bags or on stringers, especially using pastes and par – boiled baits mixed with quick dissolving bait / fishmeal pellets.

Bites in winter can be very deceiving indeed and your indicators should ideally be set to maximum vibration / sensitivity as often just one or two ‘bleeps’ could be a hooked fish spinning or shaking it’s head trying to spit the hook while just ‘sitting’ in the water static without running.

‘Rod knocks’ can really produce carp that were perhaps only lightly hooked; Try quickly ‘twitching’ your rig with a swift pull on your line by hand to hook the fish!

I have found that the old traditional ground bait composed of broken up stale loaves with loads of extra highly attractive additives and extracts, like those containing alkaloid substances you would use in your boilie base mixes work very well.

This form of ground bait is not used so often these days in the UK. Added ‘live food like maggots / worms bring much needed activity to the mix, and often will attract other species to feed first which stimulates the carp to follow just in time to polish off your hook bait!

On that note using a plastic ‘feeder cage lead’ wrapped in fast dissolving / breaking down ground bait as in the popular ‘method’ is a great way to ‘build – up’ and feed your swim with fast acting attractors importantly, without feeding up the fish!

This so often can produce smaller fish too, e.g., using ‘artificial maggots or sweet corn’ on the hook, but I was at “Rainbow lake” in France when Martin Locke (boss of “Solar tackle” caught his very first 60 pound carp on ‘the method’.

Find your fish and give them some bait!

While fishing ideally use quantities of fast dissolving baits that can really turn the fish onto feeding without filling them up or suppressing their appetite! A period of pre – baiting quantities either while fishing, or introducing bait into areas where warmer winds drive into or afternoon sun can heat up, not fished at the time, or while not fishing.

Or any area that potentially could hold or be a feeding area or a ‘safety area’ where fish may move to de – leach themselves or bask in top water levels as sunshine hits the water, or in / adjacent to snags etc; I remember one winter finding fish literally ‘stacked-up’ tightly together in a depression within an extensive weed bed of dead ‘Canadian pond weed.’ at Shotgate reservoir, Essex UK 1984.

These fish were very easy to catch for a half – hour period each day and this time was like ‘clockwork for a period of about 3 weeks in December. Each day the feeding time changed by about 10 minutes so it could be charted and ‘kick-off’ could be predicted extremely precisely. It was exceptionally fruitful and exciting fishing and I kept the action going by using lots of basic, simple small roughly chopped ‘par-boiled’ and paste balls; yeast based milk protein baits with added coffee and chocolate drink powders. (For extra attractive ‘alkaloid’ content – they’re addictive!)

I think regular baiting is the major factor in long term consistent big carp fishing success especially in the winter!

Fish pulling methods to trigger fish feeding:

Try using dissolving baits, Poly Vinyl Alcohol (water soluble) stringers with baits on or P.V.A. bags. These are excellent for delivery of larger quantities of bait, maggots and even oil based liquid attractors into your swim, or even fine ground bait or pellets etc.

Add some natural butyric acid to boost your winter baits: For great added attraction, simply add finely grated parmesan or blue cheese. This is just the ‘tip of the iceberg!’

By Tim Richardson

For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert bait making / enhancing ‘bibles’ ebooks / books:

“BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!”

And: “BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!” (AND “FLAVOUR, FEEDING TRIGGERS AND CHEMORECEPTION SECRETS”) SEE:


http://www.baitbigfish.com


Tim Richardson’s bait making and bait enhancing books / ebooks are at this dedicated bait secrets website now…

Carp Fishing Equipment

How to Use an Angling Technics Bait Boat

Andy Durham asked:

The adjustment upGet all your fishing kit set up and use a marker float to find the? Areas where you want to put your bait. Even if your planning to fish near the bank in the m? Margins I recommend getting a marker float in there? to ensure free of any hook especially if you have never fished this? area? l before. You can find f? Easy on Google tips and tricks of using a marker float. But worth every penny. Put your bait on your boat breaks loose mat to protect it and to pull your rig in below. Since so much bait in the boat as you require, then usually pull my rig to the top of the pile of bait that keeps the lead and the hook as straight as possible. This prevents your rig that gets tangled and twisted when you fall. You can also? N use a piece if PVA foam in your hook to ensure doesn 't get snagged up on any weeds etc. Fix a couple of sticks separate bank you can lie on your bar when your boat out. I do this for a couple of reasons, the first being that you can have your sticks close to the water as the wind won 't take any l? Slack line and the second reason? No it's because the bar be? always in the same position, use, and the same distance from the water this way, if you've been shortening their l? line marker or tape used, you 'll know that when l? line hits the clip, you' ll be exactly the same distance as the previous or next drop. Taking the boat out, take the boat out in the direction? N your marker float on the line most? S straight as possible, I usually mental scoring a point on the opposite bank as well? you know you can run the same direction? n towards your next trip. Ie a? Tree or a pole or something to tel? Phone. Choose something you can see in the dark if you get a run at night. Keep your l? Line and avoid the play tight. When you are happy that you are? in the position? n you want drop its load. Dej? Is you will expect your leads to hit the bottom and pull in the slack, but only to lead you don 't want to move your bait off the hook bait nice stack of temptation? N. Use some ribbon? Expensive electrical tape or marker to mark your l? Line as? you can remove the clip reel. Depending on the ship that you est? using can now repeat the procedure to drop his next rig, but of experience, if I'm on my own, usually take only one rig at a time because I always end up getting into a hierarchy? a right of the p? birds, but learn from mistakes (well almost). Set your rod in its sheath, and the wait. Other tipsAlways give bait boat once on his boat when you did it again to make sure no weeds etc in support. I put a piece of ribbon? Electrical on the small holes for drainage in the front of the boat to remove it, as if the water is a little choppy, the water can actually get in? These. Remove the tape when you come back. Watch out for thieves, bait boats are an expensive piece of kit, keep it always out of place when not in use and I take the m? Years in the bivvy at night. There are a ton of accessories available for your boat inc. GPS, fish finders, the lighting? Additional n etc. Evening meeting in the light of a certain etc is required if the margin takes into swims with lots of hooks. Recorded a small torch to handle for this or use a main torch with an adjustable strap around the carrying handle.

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