So, recently i was talking to someone saying i couldnt remember the last time i had had a fish in darkness. All of my fish, on many different lakes being at dawn, dusk or in daylight.
I have fished nothing but pop ups for the last few years, low ones, high ones, everything except a bottom bait, it just suited my style of fishing, so i thought.
He told me "yeah, pop ups dont work at night" i kind of shrugged it off, thinking he didnt know what he was talking about.
Having noticed every man and his dog now uses a pop up, on a turbo microwave herman the german rig or something or other, I've swapped over to exclusively using bottom baits. And I've caught more fish in absolute darkness in the last few sessions than i have in the last few years
It left me feeling stupid for never trying. Is this common knowledge? Is it just coincidence. What is going on
I have since heard mr Peck say something similar on a podcast. But ive never heard it else where. Is it top secret insider information?
I have fished nothing but pop ups for the last few years, low ones, high ones, everything except a bottom bait, it just suited my style of fishing, so i thought.
He told me "yeah, pop ups dont work at night" i kind of shrugged it off, thinking he didnt know what he was talking about.
Having noticed every man and his dog now uses a pop up, on a turbo microwave herman the german rig or something or other, I've swapped over to exclusively using bottom baits. And I've caught more fish in absolute darkness in the last few sessions than i have in the last few years
It left me feeling stupid for never trying. Is this common knowledge? Is it just coincidence. What is going on
I have since heard mr Peck say something similar on a podcast. But ive never heard it else where. Is it top secret insider information?
In reply to Post #1
Pretty much use bottom baits all the time and still get majority of my bites in daylight ?
However I know others who regularly get night time bites on the same venue using pop ups.
My strategy has always been to use a bottom bait or wafter whenever possible if the bottom allows it, I've seen numerous fish whils stalking spook off very low pop ups or High wafters.
Your increased bites could purely be that the fish were avoiding your pop up in the past regardless whether it was day or night .
Pretty much use bottom baits all the time and still get majority of my bites in daylight ?
However I know others who regularly get night time bites on the same venue using pop ups.
My strategy has always been to use a bottom bait or wafter whenever possible if the bottom allows it, I've seen numerous fish whils stalking spook off very low pop ups or High wafters.
Your increased bites could purely be that the fish were avoiding your pop up in the past regardless whether it was day or night .
In reply to Post #1
Personally, pop ups are a more visual thing. I'm using bright/fluo colored pop ups and catch great during day and night but I've seen an increase in bites at night fishing bottem baits...
Personally, pop ups are a more visual thing. I'm using bright/fluo colored pop ups and catch great during day and night but I've seen an increase in bites at night fishing bottem baits...
In reply to Post #1
Pop ups work at night lol.
Of course if you're fishing a spot clean enough for a bottom bait the one on the deck will catch more fish. Regardless of light levels.
Pop ups work at night lol.
Of course if you're fishing a spot clean enough for a bottom bait the one on the deck will catch more fish. Regardless of light levels.
In reply to Post #4
You say 'of course' but before pop ups were as popular as they are today. I remember someone using pop ups and absolutely ripping apart a really clear bottomed sand pit. Are fish just getting used to them?
You say 'of course' but before pop ups were as popular as they are today. I remember someone using pop ups and absolutely ripping apart a really clear bottomed sand pit. Are fish just getting used to them?
I'm not a big lover of pop ups unless I really have to (heavy/silt) I much prefer a wafter or a bottom bait, always does me a lot more bites just seems a lot more natural for me. But I do believe they work at night so not sure why they wouldn't? Just like zigs, you can catch on them during the night
In reply to Post #1
This is a joke, right?
This is a joke, right?
In reply to Post #5
Getting used to bright ones off the deck more likely
Getting used to bright ones off the deck more likely
In reply to Post #1
I was thinking that pop-ups catch fish more because of the visual colour and possible leakage/attraction coming off it, and that at night the the being able to see the pop up for the carp went out the window but then it also reminded me that many fish are caught on zigs at night, some with high attract pop ups or zigs on, or even non high attract just plain zig foam, in addition to also being mentioned on this thread that people catch on high visual pop ups and wafters at night, also seen for myself, which has left me very confused. It has left me with two thoughts:
1) Fish don't rely on sight for feeding at night, so will home in on the smell of a boilie or sense bait being in the water with the many tools they are equipped with to find food, therefore some people will say pop ups still work at night possibly because of their ‘taste' and that a high attract pop up could work better in the hours of darkness or possibly just with no flavour
Or
2) The fish on your lake could feed differently at night compared to in the day
Just a couple theorys
I was thinking that pop-ups catch fish more because of the visual colour and possible leakage/attraction coming off it, and that at night the the being able to see the pop up for the carp went out the window but then it also reminded me that many fish are caught on zigs at night, some with high attract pop ups or zigs on, or even non high attract just plain zig foam, in addition to also being mentioned on this thread that people catch on high visual pop ups and wafters at night, also seen for myself, which has left me very confused. It has left me with two thoughts:
1) Fish don't rely on sight for feeding at night, so will home in on the smell of a boilie or sense bait being in the water with the many tools they are equipped with to find food, therefore some people will say pop ups still work at night possibly because of their ‘taste' and that a high attract pop up could work better in the hours of darkness or possibly just with no flavour
Or
2) The fish on your lake could feed differently at night compared to in the day
Just a couple theorys
Well i think zigs at night are highly visual. The silhouette of a zig from underneath against the night sky will be very visual.
In reply to Post #7
What part would be the joke I used to fish soley with pop ups and never caught at night. Now i fish with bottom baits and have started catching at night.
What part would be the joke
I used to fish soley with pop ups and never caught at night. Now i fish with bottom baits and have started catching at night.
In reply to Post #1
I think a lot of standard air ball type pop ups have very little food signal and the visual aspect is a big part of why they work.
I think a lot of standard air ball type pop ups have very little food signal and the visual aspect is a big part of why they work.
In reply to Post #11
I obviously can't speak for your angling and what you've experienced. But, from my own use of pop ups and using chods or reverse combi-hinge rigs, I've caught plenty of carp during the night, and that's using dark coloured pop ups like active 8, or matrix too, and in deep water too.
That's why I asked if you were joking! 😂
I rarely use bright/coloured pop ups. Sorry for using the term “match the hatch” but that's what I use for most of my angling. I only use bright coloured pop ups in the winter and early spring.
Besides, beyond 10ft of water it doesn't matter what colour the pop up, or hook bait is, because there's not enough light penetration to show their true colour. Yellow and pink still show a little bit, but as the water gets deeper the colour won't matter.
Pop ups do work at night and work well too.
I obviously can't speak for your angling and what you've experienced. But, from my own use of pop ups and using chods or reverse combi-hinge rigs, I've caught plenty of carp during the night, and that's using dark coloured pop ups like active 8, or matrix too, and in deep water too.
That's why I asked if you were joking! 😂
I rarely use bright/coloured pop ups. Sorry for using the term “match the hatch” but that's what I use for most of my angling. I only use bright coloured pop ups in the winter and early spring.
Besides, beyond 10ft of water it doesn't matter what colour the pop up, or hook bait is, because there's not enough light penetration to show their true colour. Yellow and pink still show a little bit, but as the water gets deeper the colour won't matter.
Pop ups do work at night and work well too.
In reply to Post #13
Had countless fish on pop ups at night but rarely use them now, unless the situation dictates. My thinking is that carp are more pressured now than they ever have been...and every single free boilie they find is on the lake bed. I've shied away from any alternative hookbaits for the same reason, unless its for singles in the cold. Seems to be working for me
Had countless fish on pop ups at night but rarely use them now, unless the situation dictates. My thinking is that carp are more pressured now than they ever have been...and every single free boilie they find is on the lake bed. I've shied away from any alternative hookbaits for the same reason, unless its for singles in the cold. Seems to be working for me
In reply to Post #14
Yeah, it's all about reacting to what's best to use at the time. If I'm not using pop ups, I'll use the snowman rig with a paste wrap. It works.
I really mean no offence when I say this, but for anyone to claim that pop ups don't work at night, or for any reason for that matter, really is talking a load of rubbish.
How many times has an angler just pub chucked a chod when they turn up on their syndicate lake late on a Friday night, and then, end up catching? I've done it loads times. Finish work, go to my syndi, set up in the dark, lob out a chod and catch.
Pop ups don't work at night??? 😂
Yeah, it's all about reacting to what's best to use at the time. If I'm not using pop ups, I'll use the snowman rig with a paste wrap. It works.
I really mean no offence when I say this, but for anyone to claim that pop ups don't work at night, or for any reason for that matter, really is talking a load of rubbish.
How many times has an angler just pub chucked a chod when they turn up on their syndicate lake late on a Friday night, and then, end up catching? I've done it loads times. Finish work, go to my syndi, set up in the dark, lob out a chod and catch.
Pop ups don't work at night??? 😂
In reply to Post #13
Same as you. I only use pop ups if the substrate dictates. I've not found it to be a disadvantage. You might get less bites fishing a 4" pop up over silt if your feeding freebies into the silt. But who would do that.
Same as you. I only use pop ups if the substrate dictates. I've not found it to be a disadvantage. You might get less bites fishing a 4" pop up over silt if your feeding freebies into the silt. But who would do that.
In reply to Post #16
A yellow wanger 4 me cast 2 shows
A yellow wanger 4 me cast 2 shows
Snowman??
Best of both worlds.
Best of both worlds.
I have fished waters in the past where popups are nowhere near as effective as bottom baits in daylight or at night. I think in some instances this is because they have been hammered on popups and they have become really wary of them. At the end of the day, every bait 1 inch off the bottom has a hook in it so it's inevitable they wise up. I also think the way carp feed and the type of bottom makes a big difference. Carp on silty waters are used to feeding 1-2 inch under the silt so popups are often ignored in favour of bottom baits and wafters.
In reply to Post #1
Didn't Darrel catch two tone at night on a pop up?
Didn't Darrel catch two tone at night on a pop up?
When I was fishing Alton Water every take came at night.
I usually fished a bottom bait on one rod, a snowman on one and a pop-up on the third.
Some nights it was the pop-up that produced, other nights it was the bottom bait or snowman. For some reason it was rarely on more than one rod. I could recast after a fish and catch on the same rod, yet another bait just yards away would be ignored.
A pop-up still 'smells' like food whether it is close to the bottom or higher. To investigate, carp have to take it in their mouth. They investigate items from the lakebed to the surface.
How often do you hear a carp slurping at night?
An insect, twig, leaf or whatever, not everything is food.
I usually fished a bottom bait on one rod, a snowman on one and a pop-up on the third.
Some nights it was the pop-up that produced, other nights it was the bottom bait or snowman. For some reason it was rarely on more than one rod. I could recast after a fish and catch on the same rod, yet another bait just yards away would be ignored.
A pop-up still 'smells' like food whether it is close to the bottom or higher. To investigate, carp have to take it in their mouth. They investigate items from the lakebed to the surface.
How often do you hear a carp slurping at night?
An insect, twig, leaf or whatever, not everything is food.
In reply to Post #1
Apparently fish never get caught in zigs either at night . Complete myth I'm afraid. Best one I like is that when people say, "fish don't get caught on pop ups here mate"
Apparently fish never get caught in zigs either at night
. Complete myth I'm afraid. Best one I like is that when people say, "fish don't get caught on pop ups here mate"
In reply to Post #22
Had this few times with a lake I fished in Southampton when I lived there,the so called know it alls used to say you don't catch on pop ups here,same people claim they caught all fish in that lake and the river itchen yet I never saw certain people fish or if they did it was rare as they were piss heads.
Had this few times with a lake I fished in Southampton when I lived there,the so called know it alls used to say you don't catch on pop ups here,same people claim they caught all fish in that lake and the river itchen yet I never saw certain people fish or if they did it was rare as they were piss heads.
In reply to Post #22
You would struggle to catch from my place using a pop-up in the summer months, totally different in the winter. In fact I had one just an hour ago on a naked chod.
You would struggle to catch from my place using a pop-up in the summer months, totally different in the winter. In fact I had one just an hour ago on a naked chod.
In reply to Post #21
Would you be happy using a pop up in deep silt?
Would you be happy using a pop up in deep silt?
In reply to Post #15
Agree
Agree
In reply to Post #14
Agree
Agree
In reply to Post #25
That's a great question. My current syndicate is very deeply silty I've used pop ups and bottom baits, and I've not had a single sniff on the pop ups as of yet, all my fish have been to bottom baits
That's a great question. My current syndicate is very deeply silty I've used pop ups and bottom baits, and I've not had a single sniff on the pop ups as of yet, all my fish have been to bottom baits
In reply to Post #13
Your right, purples and blues are the last to go on the colour spectrum, i fish some deep galacial meres where these colours do particularly well as opposed to your usual red yellow orange pop ups which all look the same at 30ft plus, rob hughes has done some interesting videos on diving and colours of baits at different depths, I've caught bream and carp at depths of 45ft on blue baits ( bottom baits and pop ups) day and night, definitely food for thought
Your right, purples and blues are the last to go on the colour spectrum, i fish some deep galacial meres where these colours do particularly well as opposed to your usual red yellow orange pop ups which all look the same at 30ft plus, rob hughes has done some interesting videos on diving and colours of baits at different depths, I've caught bream and carp at depths of 45ft on blue baits ( bottom baits and pop ups) day and night, definitely food for thought
In reply to Post #20
No, daytime, I believe.
He saw a big carp show, obviously Two one, wound a rod in, and overcast it, wound it back into the rings gently felt it down. Job done.
No, daytime, I believe.
He saw a big carp show, obviously Two one, wound a rod in, and overcast it, wound it back into the rings gently felt it down. Job done.
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