Anyone else get the new water syndrome? I've done 17 nights and blanked and in my defence most of it has been in the recent colder weeks. I am starting to question what I am doing and thinking wether i need to take this that and everything else other than the kitchen sink. My last couple of waters have been relatively easier and once i had sussed out what worked and what didn't I literally took the bare minimum with me. At the minute I seem to be filling my bags with loads of extra kit ‘just in case'. It's renowned for being a hard water so i am not expecting to catch straight off especially this time of year, but I am starting to pull my hair out!! Is it just me or does anyone else go through these motions and if so how do you deal with it?
In reply to Post #1
I'm about to join my first ‘sort of syndicate' I'm so excited, especially as I'm sitting at home signed off work due to a minor operation. Spooled new line, reading up on bait, watching YouTube just to get a little fix, all the time I'm looking out the window thinking I know I'm not going to catch anything. It's cold an horrible out there. I'm still going to give it a couple of days before Christmas with a bit of luck.
Is anyone else fishing at the same time as you, I've made that mistake, get the buzz and sit there on an empty lake thinking ‘do they know something I don't'.
I'm about to join my first ‘sort of syndicate' I'm so excited, especially as I'm sitting at home signed off work due to a minor operation. Spooled new line, reading up on bait, watching YouTube just to get a little fix, all the time I'm looking out the window thinking I know I'm not going to catch anything. It's cold an horrible out there. I'm still going to give it a couple of days before Christmas with a bit of luck.
Is anyone else fishing at the same time as you, I've made that mistake, get the buzz and sit there on an empty lake thinking ‘do they know something I don't'.
In reply to Post #1
As we all know knowledge is power , talk to people , dont be over bearing, plumb , be different,map look look and think, past form, dont burn yourself out and enjoy , and good luck
As we all know knowledge is power , talk to people , dont be over bearing, plumb , be different,map look look and think, past form, dont burn yourself out and enjoy , and good luck
In reply to Post #1
I'm in a similar boat, haven't caught a carp since August lol.
Just gotta keep on keeping on, I'm sticking with what has worked for me before on one rod and experimenting on the other. Hopefully it'll crack the code soon 🙂
I'm in a similar boat, haven't caught a carp since August lol.
Just gotta keep on keeping on, I'm sticking with what has worked for me before on one rod and experimenting on the other. Hopefully it'll crack the code soon 🙂
In reply to Post #1
Personally I would stick to what you know - take the bare minimum with you, and leave the just in case 'clutter' in the car.
You know you can catch carp, using what you did on your other waters, just be more observant, mobile and consistent with proven rigs and baits on the new water.
Our Indicators are not going off all the time for most of us at this time of year
Personally I would stick to what you know - take the bare minimum with you, and leave the just in case 'clutter' in the car.
You know you can catch carp, using what you did on your other waters, just be more observant, mobile and consistent with proven rigs and baits on the new water.
Our Indicators are not going off all the time for most of us at this time of year
In reply to Post #5
You probably deserve your money back? I'd be taking more stuff...
You probably deserve your money back? I'd be taking more stuff...
In reply to Post #1
Back to basics.
Chucking more 'stuff' at it will just get you overthinking.
Spend your time watching the water . walk the venue without your kit and take time to listen to any good advice.
Scale down on kit and feeding - its winter so that's a universal approach anyway.
Try some old school. Maggot, small pva bags, drop a bait in the margins before dusk.
Enjoy the anticipation!
Back to basics.
Chucking more 'stuff' at it will just get you overthinking.
Spend your time watching the water . walk the venue without your kit and take time to listen to any good advice.
Scale down on kit and feeding - its winter so that's a universal approach anyway.
Try some old school. Maggot, small pva bags, drop a bait in the margins before dusk.
Enjoy the anticipation!
In reply to Post #1
First one off a new lake is quite often the hardest. Draw on all your experience, use what your confident in. Don't ask or hint for tips or advice, do it your own way, no folk law or preconceptions can often lead you to results the regulars never saw coming.
First one off a new lake is quite often the hardest. Draw on all your experience, use what your confident in. Don't ask or hint for tips or advice, do it your own way, no folk law or preconceptions can often lead you to results the regulars never saw coming.
In reply to Post #8
Starting in the colder months definitely isnt a bad thing. Quieter banks and more room to move about. I would be travelling as light as possible and just fishing singles etc, a bite at a time. By moving about you will get a good idea of the water, its features etc ahead of the warmer months. By knowing and recording spots etc now it will mean fishing more efficiently when the weather warms up
Starting in the colder months definitely isnt a bad thing. Quieter banks and more room to move about. I would be travelling as light as possible and just fishing singles etc, a bite at a time. By moving about you will get a good idea of the water, its features etc ahead of the warmer months. By knowing and recording spots etc now it will mean fishing more efficiently when the weather warms up
When I think back to times I've moved onto a new water I can see my results have varied a lot. But I can see a bit of a pattern in that those I have moved onto in the late spring, summer or autumn I have generally caught from the off but in winter or early spring the opposite is the case.
This despite in each case taking the time to check out the waters, speak to other fishermen, etc well before turning up with my rods.
This despite in each case taking the time to check out the waters, speak to other fishermen, etc well before turning up with my rods.
In reply to Post #1
Agree with all comments - winter is a tough place to start . . .
I've got a new winter ticket but I'm not going to beat myself up by blanking/w*nking/freezing/boring/knocking one out . . . will either wait for a weather window or fish it once the temps hopefully improve in March . . .
If you insist on beating your self up then I'd spend the time fishing a peg at a time and truly understanding all the features / subtleties in topography before the weed appears . . .and if you catch one in the process then thats a bonus.
Agree with all comments - winter is a tough place to start . . .
I've got a new winter ticket but I'm not going to beat myself up by blanking/w*nking/freezing/boring/knocking one out . . . will either wait for a weather window or fish it once the temps hopefully improve in March . . .
If you insist on beating your self up then I'd spend the time fishing a peg at a time and truly understanding all the features / subtleties in topography before the weed appears . . .and if you catch one in the process then thats a bonus.
In reply to Post #1
I always seem to switch waters September time, same this year caught first session then nothing as the cooler weather arrived. I personally don't worry about it unless others are catching consistently and are doing similar amount of hours as yourself, then you may be doing something wrong etc.
I always seem to switch waters September time, same this year caught first session then nothing as the cooler weather arrived. I personally don't worry about it unless others are catching consistently and are doing similar amount of hours as yourself, then you may be doing something wrong etc.
In reply to Post #13
Wrong post section ?
Wrong post section ?
In reply to Post #14
Sorry. Thought I deleted it. Have now
Sorry. Thought I deleted it. Have now
Starting a new water in the winter is never going to be easy . If it's well stocked you may make it work but lots of lakes shut down in the winter with only small windows of opportunity. If you have no experience of the lake these will be hard to find . Having said that lots of lakes have favoured winter areas so watch what the locals are doing it may help you .
In reply to Post #1
Walk it and watch as much as you can without your kit, small bag of bait an a catapult, anything shows put 10 baits on it and mark up the spot for investigation.
Keep going and stay upbeat.
Walk it and watch as much as you can without your kit, small bag of bait an a catapult, anything shows put 10 baits on it and mark up the spot for investigation.
Keep going and stay upbeat.
In reply to Post #11
spend the time fishing a peg at a time and truly understanding all the features / subtleties in topography before the weed appears . . .and if you catch one in the process then thats a bonus.
That's exactly what I have been doing for the last few years on limited fishing time........I can't wait to get out in a few weeks and start mapping the swims I haven't fished yet.......
spend the time fishing a peg at a time and truly understanding all the features / subtleties in topography before the weed appears . . .and if you catch one in the process then thats a bonus.
That's exactly what I have been doing for the last few years on limited fishing time........I can't wait to get out in a few weeks and start mapping the swims I haven't fished yet.......
Reading ALL pages