Right then chaps. Just starting on my first low stock water, having fished the sort of places where you can catch multiple 30s in a night. Obviously, I've lowered my expectations on catch rate but if you had one tip for making the switch to fishing a low stock venue, what would it be?
In reply to Post #1
Is it a big or small lake?
Either way number 1 is location but then depending on the type of water my approach would change....
Is it a big or small lake?
Either way number 1 is location but then depending on the type of water my approach would change....
In reply to Post #1
When you are looking at low stock, say 1 or 2 fish per acre, or less in some cases. Location is THE most important thing.
Next....determination and persistence, your eyes, ears and a good pair of walking boots and binoculars to find fish if you are not on them.
Good luck.
When you are looking at low stock, say 1 or 2 fish per acre, or less in some cases. Location is THE most important thing.
Next....determination and persistence, your eyes, ears and a good pair of walking boots and binoculars to find fish if you are not on them.
Good luck.
In reply to Post #1
When you say low stock, how low is low?
When you say low stock, how low is low?
In reply to Post #1
Try and find the feeding spots in all areas, when you find the fish you know where to put the baits
LOOK
Try and find the feeding spots in all areas, when you find the fish you know where to put the baits
LOOK
You should just read the water. Location is all dependent on how the fish behave. Take for instance the place I'm fishing, they just don't show, so all you're left with is best educated guesses and applying knowledge gained from other similar waters.
Stick to rigs that you know work for specific situations and stick with them without chopping and changing constantly. Apply a good bait and don't keep chopping and changing from one to another. All of this boils down to consistency. Obviously be flexible in your approach, but don't just change something for the sakes of change, different if you've had fish over you and your rigs are getting consistently spun.
With low stocked waters, say 1 fish every 2 acres, you have to have a certain mindset, the mindset that can sit through blank after blank without loosing your marbles. I've fished every weekend this season for one fish; I'm still as keen as when we were able to throw the shackles of this year's lockdown off.
Stick to rigs that you know work for specific situations and stick with them without chopping and changing constantly. Apply a good bait and don't keep chopping and changing from one to another. All of this boils down to consistency. Obviously be flexible in your approach, but don't just change something for the sakes of change, different if you've had fish over you and your rigs are getting consistently spun.
With low stocked waters, say 1 fish every 2 acres, you have to have a certain mindset, the mindset that can sit through blank after blank without loosing your marbles. I've fished every weekend this season for one fish; I'm still as keen as when we were able to throw the shackles of this year's lockdown off.
In reply to Post #1
Multiple 30's in a night? Where have you been fishing?!
Location is absolutely key, pointless fishing areas where they arent. If you are unable to find any signs of fish (likely) then past form or the weather conditions etc would be my next point of reference
Multiple 30's in a night? Where have you been fishing?!
Location is absolutely key, pointless fishing areas where they arent. If you are unable to find any signs of fish (likely) then past form or the weather conditions etc would be my next point of reference
All carp will give some sort of show at some point if you figure out what their giveaway is. Unless the fish are only fishing on the cleanest of spots then at some point they will give up gas bubbles while hunting around on the bottom. In the summer they will get up in the warmer surface water somewhere on the lake.
It's a challenge, but I've always preferred 2/3 fish a year from a 1 fish an acre lake than 3 x 30s a night and all the cr*p that goes with that kind of stock.
It's a challenge, but I've always preferred 2/3 fish a year from a 1 fish an acre lake than 3 x 30s a night and all the cr*p that goes with that kind of stock.
In reply to Post #1
look
look
In reply to Post #9
Location location location
With bait and rigs you have confidence in.
Good luck
Location location location
With bait and rigs you have confidence in.
Good luck
In reply to Post #1
Rule one.... Never listen to another carp anglers 'rules'. Most of the time, they are not worth a ****.
Less than one carp, per 10 acres where I fish. I've been told plenty that they never show. Ever. I've been told anglers who fish every week have gone ten years, and never seen a carp show, not once, ever.
I saw a mid 50 common, and a 60+ mirror or two clear the water this year.
NEVER, EVER go fishing on other carpers 'rules' or experiences. Make up your own. It's the only way forwards.
Good luck.
Rule one.... Never listen to another carp anglers 'rules'. Most of the time, they are not worth a ****.
Less than one carp, per 10 acres where I fish. I've been told plenty that they never show. Ever. I've been told anglers who fish every week have gone ten years, and never seen a carp show, not once, ever.
I saw a mid 50 common, and a 60+ mirror or two clear the water this year.
NEVER, EVER go fishing on other carpers 'rules' or experiences. Make up your own. It's the only way forwards.
Good luck.
In reply to Post #11
...... and if someone that catches 1 fish a year tells you how to fish it, do things totally different! Just look at the amount of times you hear about some "clueless noddy" rocking up at venue and having a result.
...... and if someone that catches 1 fish a year tells you how to fish it, do things totally different! Just look at the amount of times you hear about some "clueless noddy" rocking up at venue and having a result.
In reply to Post #12
So true
So true
In reply to Post #12
Don't know about that.
Take Jim Shelley for instance, think I've got this right that it took him 5 yrs to get a take on Swavesey which was the big-un - correct me on any of that if I'm wrong. Think I'd listen to what Shelley had to say.
Don't know about that.
Take Jim Shelley for instance, think I've got this right that it took him 5 yrs to get a take on Swavesey which was the big-un - correct me on any of that if I'm wrong. Think I'd listen to what Shelley had to say.
In reply to Post #14
Maybe he hadn't got it all right for that water. Even Tel admits he sometimes gets tactics wrong 🤷🏻♀️
Maybe he hadn't got it all right for that water. Even Tel admits he sometimes gets tactics wrong 🤷🏻♀️
In reply to Post #15
You could we'll be right. I do know that not a lot comes out and is the hardest on that whole complex. Strange pit.
You could we'll be right. I do know that not a lot comes out and is the hardest on that whole complex. Strange pit.
In reply to Post #12
Thanks fellas, really looking forward to it, especially the quiet banks. Bait and rigs sorted, only minor tweaks I'm planning on. I've had a good look around and lead about and it's as weedy as, which is fine but does limit where you can sensibly fish. Stock is probably 1 an acre.
Thanks fellas, really looking forward to it, especially the quiet banks. Bait and rigs sorted, only minor tweaks I'm planning on. I've had a good look around and lead about and it's as weedy as, which is fine but does limit where you can sensibly fish. Stock is probably 1 an acre.
In reply to Post #11
Top advice that, catch them on your own terms. Just got to get my head around the blanking!
Top advice that, catch them on your own terms. Just got to get my head around the blanking!
Be prepared to go bat s@@t crazy. Be prepared to question your own sanity. If you are currently in the mindset to put up with the weeks of mind numbing tedium, then this is the time to do it, cos once you lose the drive to do it, then it's very hard to get it back. So make hay whilst you can. When I was younger I fished some pretty hard waters and loved it. Now I can't be arSed with it anymore. I'm fortunate to have tickets that give me challenging right through to a fairly decent chance of a fish. I'm not embarrassed to say I rarely ever fish the hard waters now, in fact I'm so over campaign fishing that I rarely even fish nights anymore, probably 3/4 of my fishing these days is days only, so if you are up for it and excited for the challenge there'll never be a better time to have a crack at it.
In reply to Post #1
I agree with a lot of what other have said but would add one thing, keep fishing an easier water, just every now and again, to keep your confidence up. If you've blanked for months then you have a dayion an easier water and have a fish or two it does the world of good for your confidence.
And good luck!
I agree with a lot of what other have said but would add one thing, keep fishing an easier water, just every now and again, to keep your confidence up. If you've blanked for months then you have a dayion an easier water and have a fish or two it does the world of good for your confidence.
And good luck!
In reply to Post #12
Vic Gillings once wrote something along the lines of, “a lot of big pike seem to be caught by a noddy on a sprat fished 18” under a pike bung or big carp are caught by a carp angler's girlfriend float fishing a chunk of luncheon meat and it makes you think”
I think we all know a lot less than we think we do!
Vic Gillings once wrote something along the lines of, “a lot of big pike seem to be caught by a noddy on a sprat fished 18” under a pike bung or big carp are caught by a carp angler's girlfriend float fishing a chunk of luncheon meat and it makes you think”
I think we all know a lot less than we think we do!
In reply to Post #21
The pub chuck newcomers and the inexperienced have caught as many big carp as anybody, quickly too!
Key point, they have caught them because they have landed a bait on the right spot and presented a bait that the fish wanted to eat on the day, it really is that simple!!!
Takes a set of circumstances to catch a fish and the biggest factor that a lot of people overlook is the fish!
The pub chuck newcomers and the inexperienced have caught as many big carp as anybody, quickly too!
Key point, they have caught them because they have landed a bait on the right spot and presented a bait that the fish wanted to eat on the day, it really is that simple!!!
Takes a set of circumstances to catch a fish and the biggest factor that a lot of people overlook is the fish!
This message has been suppressed by a moderator.
In reply to Post #23
Oh shut up 🤫
Oh shut up 🤫
In reply to Post #1
A low stock water can also produce multiple good fish over a short time span. Location is key, as well as knowing what season or even week they are there. So fish hard the first year(s). After that you can reap the benefits at the right time of year and fish another venue during the time your lake hardly produces anything.
A low stock water can also produce multiple good fish over a short time span. Location is key, as well as knowing what season or even week they are there. So fish hard the first year(s). After that you can reap the benefits at the right time of year and fish another venue during the time your lake hardly produces anything.
In reply to Post #25
Just fish the new, big winds. Entertain yourself elsewhere in the meantime
Just fish the new, big winds. Entertain yourself elsewhere in the meantime
In reply to Post #1
Spend most of your time looking for the fish at every opportunity, if you can at least walk the lake a few times a week will pay off massively oh and have patience.You will probably find that if you can locate where they frequent ...they will be alot easier to catch than fish in high pressure venues, no need mess around with rigs either. stick to what you know. Its easy to start tinkering when you aint getting results.....but if you are on em you will have em!
Spend most of your time looking for the fish at every opportunity, if you can at least walk the lake a few times a week will pay off massively oh and have patience.You will probably find that if you can locate where they frequent ...they will be alot easier to catch than fish in high pressure venues, no need mess around with rigs either. stick to what you know. Its easy to start tinkering when you aint getting results.....but if you are on em you will have em!
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