There are many ways to catch a carp; ledgering, float fishing, free-lining, or even surface fishing. But how do you know which approach to use and when to use it? In this piece, Julian Grattidge explains how to about selecting the right tools for the job;

Selecting the right approach when you arrive at a water is crucial, as aside from enjoying a few hours out in the fresh air, if you are employing the wrong method at the wrong time, you may as well not be there at all really! So, how do you get it right? The key is in watercraft. The clues are always there and, if read correctly, they will often give a pointer as to which approach could ultimately prove best for the session.

Aside from the obvious factors like time of day, weather conditions and temperature, we are also looking for visual indicators to give us some short cuts - we need to establish what the fish are actually doing. When I arrive at a water I will always take time to have a good look around. Not only am I looking for a swim that will give me the best chance of catching a fish, but I’m also looking to find out what kind of mood the fish are actually in. Although carp behave much the same from one day to the next in terms of mannerisms and characteristics; where they will be and what they will be doing will almost certainly be governed by the prevailing climatic conditions at the time of your visit, and those conditions can often change during the session itself.

First things first -  find the fish!

The first thing to try and do is work out what depth they are in. Quite often you will see groups of fish holding or moving around at different depths, and if you suddenly stumble upon twenty fish playing around on the surface, then it’s a good bet that a floating bait is going to be order of the day! Alternatively, they might not be on the surface as such, but just under, in the upper layers. They may be difficult to spot from the swim itself so if you can find a high vantage point, or even better, climb a tree, then do it - and make sure you have your polarised glasses with you! If you start to see dark shapes lurking not far beneath the surface then it’s a good bet they are in the upper layers. A surface approach could also work well here, but don’t ignore shallow areas and the margins. When in the upper layers, the fish will often move quite close into the edge and patrol along the marginal shelves, so a float fished bait flicked out to bankside feature could work really well when placed on the edge of a pad line or close to an overhanging bush or tree.

It’s quite possible that after investigating all areas of the lake you might not have spotted a thing. If you’ve observed properly and not rushed the observations in each area, then this would point to the fish being in the lower layers of water out of sight. As such, ledgering would probably suit best. The real trick is not to have a pre-determined idea of how you are going to fish for them before you turn up at a water, which, unfortunately, is how the majority of carp anglers go about it. I shouldn’t moan too much though, as this just leaves more fish for me to catch!

Through the use of Gizmo links, I’m able to change my set up in seconds so I can quite literally change from a bottom fished ledger set-up to a floating set-up in seconds. This versatility has enabled me to catch many fish over the years, simply by taking advantage of visual indicators. If you are fishing on the bottom and you suddenly start to see fish in the middle or upper layers what do you do? Most will leave the bottom bait in place thinking that the fish will eventually find it. I would much prefer to place a bait right under its nose. Active carp are usually feeding carp, so I would be trying to place a bait right into the thick of it. My first response if they were in the middle layers would be to see if I could get them feeding up on the surface by firing out a few floaters. Patience is the key; it might take a while to get them going but given the right conditions you can usually get a result quite quickly once the first floater has been taken. Alternatively I might look to place a bait in the middle layers, either through use of a zig-rig, or more likely through a float fished set-up.

Float fishing for big carp - a lost art?

Float fishing for carp is almost a lost art - how many anglers do you see float fishing for specimen carp? Not many! Yet there are various float fishing methods that have proved deadly for me in the past, particularly the lift rig - nothing could be simpler for flicking out a bait in to the path of a fizzing carp with zero disturbance.   

In essence, selecting the right approach is about finding the fish, and then working out which is the quickest and quietest way to place a bait right in front of them without getting sussed. The other key point, as I’ve said many times before, is not to sit behind idle buzzers. By their very nature, fish move about. My theory is that by moving about with them and by following the clues that the weather conditions are giving me, I’m much more likely to come across fish than if I just chuck out a three ounce lead and wait for the fish to visit the bottom of the lake in that particular area.

Quite often I’ll be found stalking, a method that has caught me by far the most, and in most cases, my largest fish. The interesting thing is that quite often when stalking you come across moving fish and you have a very limited time to work out the best way of presenting a bait. In these cases, and as much stalking work is done close in, I often go for a free-lined bait. Nothing could be simpler, and in a few seconds you can flick the bait into the path of the oncoming fish, duck down and wait for the line to pull away. It’s often that simple. I would say that perhaps 60-to-70% of my fish taken whilst stalking have fallen to a bait that has been in the water for less than say two minutes. The only reason those fish have been caught is because I’ve kept on the move.

Think on your feet: This 25lb Capesthorne mirror was taken within ten seconds of flicking a free-lined worm off the edge of a lily pad just in front of its patrol route.

You don't have to go stalking though. Even when fishing multiple rods, there’s no reason not to travel light, keep on the look out, and change tactics (or swims!) where necessary. At the end of the day it’s about keeping up with the changing conditions around you, and learning how such changes effect fish behaviour. Just as importantly, make sure you keep an open mind about how to target the fish. Yes, chucking out a lead is always the easiest option - but that does not necessarily mean it is the best. Successful carp angling is about being able to think on your feet and rising to the challenge, not going for the easy option.

So, next time you’re fishing and things are a little quiet, if you spot fish moving that aren’t near your hookbait - ask yourself the question - how can I place a bait right in front of its nose without spooking it?

You’d be amazed at how often it works.

Tight Lines…

Julian Grattidge
February 2006