Hints & Tips

[Blue]

Anyone got any hints & tips for carp fishing. Anything that you do that could help people new to the sport or seasoned anglers alike. For example it may be something you'd never leave home without when you going fishing, rig tying tips, anything. Share your hints, tips and (secrets if you want )....

Rig tying

With snake skin type material where you have to heat up the outer coating to remove it, it often comes off the spool coiled up, to straighten it out, once you tie the rig and it's complete, boil the kettle and hold the rig in the steam whilst pulling it tight(ish), then immerse it in cold water to harden off again. You then get a perfectly straight rig that should fall away from your lead and lie nice and flat on the lake bed, not all coiled up.

I use a stringer needle to get the loops of my hairs small and neat. Once you've created the loop, pass the needle through the loop, hook it with your needle, then carefully pull back through and pull tight. Better than fumbling round with fingers and thumbs.

Photography

If you fish on your own a lot, learn self take photography. Get a little tri pod, and when it's quiet, organise as to where, when you get a fish, you want to take the picture. Look for a good back drop, look where the sun is if it's in the day, and mark the ground where you want the camera and tri pod to go. Set it up, and put the unhooking mat down where you want to be photographed. Then take a couple of shots, see how they look, if it's ok, just delete them (if digi), and when you get a fish, you know exactly what your doing. Even at night. I leave the camera on the tri pod in the bivvy.

On the bank

If fishing tight to islands, snags etc, get some pole elastic and always tie on a marker on you mainline, then when you re- cast, slightly over cast (away from said snags, islands etc) clip up, and your back bang on the money. Especially helpful at night. Try and look for markers to cast at on the horizon to, ie, tree's, houses etc, things that will silhouette at night so you know what to aim at in the night.

[kevw]

May seem obvious, but first and last thing to set up/pack away - landing net.

Can get tricky otherwise

[gazza]

When using solid PVA bags use a small bucket of groundbait to dip your rig in before you rebag, this will cling to any excess left from drying with a towel etc......... saves a lot of split bags

[braidman]

When going for an overnight session in the deep cold of winter take a hot water bottle. You will get warmer a lot quicker in your sleeping bag should you have to get out in the middle of the night for any reason.

[silverbirch]

Do not neglect the margins at dusk (especially on mixed fisheries) all fish learn to patrol the edge picking up discarded anglers thrown in at the end of day sessions, that includes fish of PB proportions as much as any other.

Even if you are fishing out, always make a point of feeding the marginal areas to your right and left of your swim. If the waters only 12" deep, still feed it. When a fish arrives you will know, bubbles,tail patterns or water 'bulges'.

Obviously it pays to keep a low profile , sit back from the edge and avoid making too much noise.

The cost is a few handfuls of pellet....... the results may surprise you, I rarely fish a session when a fish doesn't turn up in these swims at some point.

[dodge]

Originally Posted by kevw

May seem obvious, but first and last thing to set up/pack away - landing net.

Can get tricky otherwise

well said kevw

cast out with a bait on normally helps!

dodge!

[Callum91]

Every time your rig is out the water check your hooks and see if they are still sharp.. if in doubt change it!!!!!!

[skilledhandz]

Dont eat yellow snow

[tomo13]

Some good advice fellas.

I like the landing net one, I have been caught out once with no net set up.It is difficult to dig the net out and then put it together with an angry 30lber on the end of your line(well all right, a 12lber really)



My tip is to always, where possible, have one rod in the margins.Many people turn up and cast out as far as possible when most of the fish are close in.This is particularly important on lakes with little or no features.

Many big carp are caught a rod length from the bank.

[smokey]

if you have faith in your sleepin bag and chuck over sleep in a pair of shorts and a jumper , you will be alot warmer , ever woke up frezzin cause you have sweated in the night , thats normaly down to all them layers you have on ...... trust your gear , espeacialy if you have the new armo bag quality

smokey

[sky pod]

to the young-uns dont sleep with your boots on this time of year try sandals its toast honest

[HAWTHORN]

Take the time to learn water craft it will catch you far more fish than the latest bait or tackle

Originally Posted by smokey

trust your gear , espeacialy if you have the new armo bag quality

smokey

isnt it just !

[mancity]

Check out all the free advice on Quest baits website...........great baits too i might add!

[keffus]

...... trust your gear , espeacialy if you have the new armo bag quality

smokey [/quote]

your right there smokey, my new armo bag is the dogs...never had such agood nights sleep(lack of fish) ..dont know what i`d do without it.. lol