Evening all
Fishing a pit 12 acres 90 fish some weed coming up but ok at the min,really struggling to get anything going,most I see are spombing fishing spinners debating going down a spread of bait over wafters,had anyone else got any little edges 😎
Fishing a pit 12 acres 90 fish some weed coming up but ok at the min,really struggling to get anything going,most I see are spombing fishing spinners debating going down a spread of bait over wafters,had anyone else got any little edges 😎
In reply to Post #1
The biggest edge is not having any specific idea ,but adapting to what you find each time. Walk the water, find the fish and go from there. Now it's getting warm floater fishing is always worth a go too
The biggest edge is not having any specific idea ,but adapting to what you find each time. Walk the water, find the fish and go from there. Now it's getting warm floater fishing is always worth a go too
In reply to Post #1
Hormones
Hormones
In reply to Post #1
You already have an edge but you dont realize it...............................................................you know what everyone else is doing!!!!!
Now go and do the total opposite, you will catch
You already have an edge but you dont realize it...............................................................you know what everyone else is doing!!!!!
Now go and do the total opposite, you will catch
In reply to Post #4
Solid bags at range no bait over them is my next mission
Solid bags at range no bait over them is my next mission
In reply to Post #1
Oh for a water that easy...
I fish a 45 acre water with 105 fish!
Every trip, even if its piddling down, walk the water, and look for the fish. That is the biggest edge; finding the fish.
If you find them, sneak a bait onto them. A PVA bag, or mesh, or even a single. The quietest possible way, maybe if you know their patrol route when they are out of the area for a few minutes, a quick cast, or lower the bait in. It may be casting at them they disappear, so wading out and quietly dropping your bait in.
Do NOT bait straight up onto them, give it a few hours at least before spodding, Spombing or cattying bait. Let the bag or single have a chance to work.
Another edge may be prebaiting, so the fish accept the bait. If you are sticking to a decent food boilie, the more you prebait, the more you catch. Because I struggle to get up between sessions, my prebaiting is putting boilies in when I leave.
I also put in the last of my groundbait on an area, to keep the feed going in on 'that' spot, but if other angler's are likely to fish 'your' spot then it may be better baiting all over.
Oh for a water that easy...
I fish a 45 acre water with 105 fish!
Every trip, even if its piddling down, walk the water, and look for the fish. That is the biggest edge; finding the fish.
If you find them, sneak a bait onto them. A PVA bag, or mesh, or even a single. The quietest possible way, maybe if you know their patrol route when they are out of the area for a few minutes, a quick cast, or lower the bait in. It may be casting at them they disappear, so wading out and quietly dropping your bait in.
Do NOT bait straight up onto them, give it a few hours at least before spodding, Spombing or cattying bait. Let the bag or single have a chance to work.
Another edge may be prebaiting, so the fish accept the bait. If you are sticking to a decent food boilie, the more you prebait, the more you catch. Because I struggle to get up between sessions, my prebaiting is putting boilies in when I leave.
I also put in the last of my groundbait on an area, to keep the feed going in on 'that' spot, but if other angler's are likely to fish 'your' spot then it may be better baiting all over.
In reply to Post #1
Stop doing what others do. Fish singles on patrol routes towards prebaited areas, but don't fish the areas themselves. This may make you feel you are struggling from the very first moment you try it, but that's not really a loss at this point because you're struggling anyway. Its the same kind of confidence thing as with using plastic corn or zigs for the first time. It makes you feel like you may be wasting your time, but you probably couldn't be farther from the truth.
Another thing that has worked for me was to spread a very limited amount of baits over a very large area. So 1 or 2 freebies every 15 meters, and then repeating that after a capture only. Putting a chod on the weed may also work, because most others only tend to look for and fish clear spots. Last thing is to just keep going. These are usually the weeks when all of a sudden a switch is flipped and the big ones are banked over a short period of time. You'll want to be there on that day.
Stop doing what others do. Fish singles on patrol routes towards prebaited areas, but don't fish the areas themselves. This may make you feel you are struggling from the very first moment you try it, but that's not really a loss at this point because you're struggling anyway. Its the same kind of confidence thing as with using plastic corn or zigs for the first time. It makes you feel like you may be wasting your time, but you probably couldn't be farther from the truth.
Another thing that has worked for me was to spread a very limited amount of baits over a very large area. So 1 or 2 freebies every 15 meters, and then repeating that after a capture only. Putting a chod on the weed may also work, because most others only tend to look for and fish clear spots. Last thing is to just keep going. These are usually the weeks when all of a sudden a switch is flipped and the big ones are banked over a short period of time. You'll want to be there on that day.
In reply to Post #1
Best advice, think till it hurts
Best advice, think till it hurts
In reply to Post #4
Completely agree. I'd hazard a guess that on most lakes 80% of anglers fish the same or a very similar way. They certainly do on one of my lakes. It does occasionally pay off, so they'll stick to the same method over and over again. Fish parts of the lake that get over looked, if you're using boilies and everyone else is that's one of the first things I'd change ie. different hookbait.
Completely agree. I'd hazard a guess that on most lakes 80% of anglers fish the same or a very similar way. They certainly do on one of my lakes. It does occasionally pay off, so they'll stick to the same method over and over again. Fish parts of the lake that get over looked, if you're using boilies and everyone else is that's one of the first things I'd change ie. different hookbait.
In reply to Post #1
The best edge is fishing where the fish are! Time walking and watching is time well spent.
The best edge is fishing where the fish are! Time walking and watching is time well spent.
In reply to Post #9
Think outside the box never follow others that's what I do always looking for the one bonus edge that can give me an extra bite
Think outside the box never follow others that's what I do always looking for the one bonus edge that can give me an extra bite
A little birdi says decathlon scopex boilies
Don't say I told u so
Don't say I told u so
In reply to Post #1
I'm on the bug at the minute and hit the evo kit where you add powder and liquids to build attraction up in your hookbaits,well I've bought some dried meal worms from Poundland and ground them up in my Korda crusher and use these as my powders along with the little bit of liver powder too.surprise how big you can build a boilie up with powder and liquids.
I'm on canal till Saturday morning now so see if it works lol
I'm on the bug at the minute and hit the evo kit where you add powder and liquids to build attraction up in your hookbaits,well I've bought some dried meal worms from Poundland and ground them up in my Korda crusher and use these as my powders along with the little bit of liver powder too.surprise how big you can build a boilie up with powder and liquids.
I'm on canal till Saturday morning now so see if it works lol
In reply to Post #13
I tried using live mealworms one summer and never once got a decent feeding reaction from the carp. Dendras and lobs whole other matter.
I tried using live mealworms one summer and never once got a decent feeding reaction from the carp. Dendras and lobs whole other matter.
Walk your water at night.
Every carp angler does the same ole thing. Turns up, finds the fish in daylight, sets up on them. Where they are hanging out during the day... Will VERY RARELY be where the same fish are at 2am-8am.
If you are not catching, reel in at midnight and walk the lake until you find them (using your ears). If you can be bothered to do it, the results are outstanding.
You will be surprised just how far they will be from those day time areas where all of the other anglers are set up 😉
Every carp angler does the same ole thing. Turns up, finds the fish in daylight, sets up on them. Where they are hanging out during the day... Will VERY RARELY be where the same fish are at 2am-8am.
If you are not catching, reel in at midnight and walk the lake until you find them (using your ears). If you can be bothered to do it, the results are outstanding.
You will be surprised just how far they will be from those day time areas where all of the other anglers are set up 😉
In reply to Post #1
Are you seeing anything where you're fishing? Do you feel like you should have caught on your trips?
The only time you should start looking for an “edge” is when your consistently on feeding fish and aren't catching or feel you should have had more.
You could use any method/rig/bait in the world but if you're putting it in the wrong place it isn't going to make a blind bit of difference.
Listen to Mark and make sure you're finding them when they're feeding. There is no bigger “edge”.
Are you seeing anything where you're fishing? Do you feel like you should have caught on your trips?
The only time you should start looking for an “edge” is when your consistently on feeding fish and aren't catching or feel you should have had more.
You could use any method/rig/bait in the world but if you're putting it in the wrong place it isn't going to make a blind bit of difference.
Listen to Mark and make sure you're finding them when they're feeding. There is no bigger “edge”.
In reply to Post #1
Spend less time with the rods in the water and more time trying to find them. Find where they frequent...... ignore all the faddy rigs and methods.....a simple knotless knot rig in the right place is better than a spin wizzer anti flip anti eject fandango rig....in the wrong place.
Spend less time with the rods in the water and more time trying to find them. Find where they frequent...... ignore all the faddy rigs and methods.....a simple knotless knot rig in the right place is better than a spin wizzer anti flip anti eject fandango rig....in the wrong place.
My biggest edge is that I wear more carp branded clothing than anybody else on the lake. I also speak entirely in carp lingo whilst at the lake and I refuse to use any vowels at all so I can spend more time watching the water. Furthermore, I get a discount of 5 pence per kilo on my boilies (RRP £14.50 per kg) through my lucrative bait sponsorship deal with is obviously another big edge.
In reply to Post #18
Your on it,
Your on it,
In reply to Post #18
Finally some common sense thinking on fishing on this thread
Finally some common sense thinking on fishing on this thread
In reply to Post #1
I always think it's a lazy answer to say “be different” different for different sake is a nonsense.
I think the most underrated edge is DO EVERYTHING FOR A REASON what are the problems.
I've had beat myself up moments, but when you boil them down all are fairly easy in isolation, but all are different. Sometimes it's bait, rigs, line lay, presentation. If everyone's on 10mm baits it doesn't mean 20mm will work, if everyone is using 4oz leads aren't an edge.
An edge to me is where you look at the situation and work out the why and how..
If a water is dominated by maggots fish them better, different types of live baits, different traps - do the same but 10% better
My syndicate started to get really twitchy bites a couple of winters ago, it took a few weeks going back through things before you come up with it. My solution was probably very different to others but it was thought through.
I'm big on line lay and angles, it's only an edge if you can have the space to fish areas from different swims, on busier waters it's just not possible.
Dropping singles from a boat might be an edge, if the problem is distance and spots.
The method can be brilliant but you need to think why, same with chods, they were to overcome a problem, using them on clear spots will work but if they do think why, and make it better suited.
Every edge I've ever learnt is about understanding why the angler did it and what was the situation they were trying to overcome, then employ the lateral thinking NOT the exact solution.
I always think it's a lazy answer to say “be different” different for different sake is a nonsense.
I think the most underrated edge is DO EVERYTHING FOR A REASON what are the problems.
I've had beat myself up moments, but when you boil them down all are fairly easy in isolation, but all are different. Sometimes it's bait, rigs, line lay, presentation. If everyone's on 10mm baits it doesn't mean 20mm will work, if everyone is using 4oz leads aren't an edge.
An edge to me is where you look at the situation and work out the why and how..
If a water is dominated by maggots fish them better, different types of live baits, different traps - do the same but 10% better
My syndicate started to get really twitchy bites a couple of winters ago, it took a few weeks going back through things before you come up with it. My solution was probably very different to others but it was thought through.
I'm big on line lay and angles, it's only an edge if you can have the space to fish areas from different swims, on busier waters it's just not possible.
Dropping singles from a boat might be an edge, if the problem is distance and spots.
The method can be brilliant but you need to think why, same with chods, they were to overcome a problem, using them on clear spots will work but if they do think why, and make it better suited.
Every edge I've ever learnt is about understanding why the angler did it and what was the situation they were trying to overcome, then employ the lateral thinking NOT the exact solution.
In reply to Post #1
Forget edges. LOCATION of feeding fish IS THE EDGE.
ALWAYS Find the fish, cast out SIMPLE, proven non tangle rigs, with proven baits you are confident in, and watch and learn from there.
Work at it, get some good walking boots, and Binoculars.
Move swims as many times as you need to, to stay on the fish, using less bait helps you move .
So you have No FOMO on baited areas you have moved off of.... LOL
Good luck, you will catch them.
Forget edges. LOCATION of feeding fish IS THE EDGE.
ALWAYS Find the fish, cast out SIMPLE, proven non tangle rigs, with proven baits you are confident in, and watch and learn from there.
Work at it, get some good walking boots, and Binoculars.
Move swims as many times as you need to, to stay on the fish, using less bait helps you move .
So you have No FOMO on baited areas you have moved off of.... LOL
Good luck, you will catch them.
During the hours of daylight I find the fish are in the snags and pads,so called safe area's..
So,purely for scientific purposes ,I have a million candle power beam it's bright..I went lamping on this shallow lake I know well,put it this way ,none of the snags had fish in them ,and in the shallow,warm margins is where i found a few fish..the pads were not moving or shaking,anyway I was not a bit surprised to find a nice amount of fish right in close,as in ,tight ,working the margins ,looking for available food..
Basically ,the fish moved out,to feed ,and next time I fished,a good few days after,I had my simple traps right in tight,to my left and right,...and I got lucky..!
I realise ,I'm in a different position to most,lamping ,but it's an eye opener,just don't do it if others are fishing...its an education,you'll be very surprised where you think fish won't be ,but actually are..
I had a lovely Trewen common last week ,six feet along the bank just past the long top,,slack line ,super quiet movements around the swim,,and five baits..
My father and uncle always ,always rammed it home to me not just about carp fishing,but other species as well ,90% of anglers are fishing over the fish,ie,they come in closer than you think,
That's my edge...in the edge,and being quiet..
So,purely for scientific purposes ,I have a million candle power beam it's bright..I went lamping on this shallow lake I know well,put it this way ,none of the snags had fish in them ,and in the shallow,warm margins is where i found a few fish..the pads were not moving or shaking,anyway I was not a bit surprised to find a nice amount of fish right in close,as in ,tight ,working the margins ,looking for available food..
Basically ,the fish moved out,to feed ,and next time I fished,a good few days after,I had my simple traps right in tight,to my left and right,...and I got lucky..!
I realise ,I'm in a different position to most,lamping ,but it's an eye opener,just don't do it if others are fishing...its an education,you'll be very surprised where you think fish won't be ,but actually are..
I had a lovely Trewen common last week ,six feet along the bank just past the long top,,slack line ,super quiet movements around the swim,,and five baits..
My father and uncle always ,always rammed it home to me not just about carp fishing,but other species as well ,90% of anglers are fishing over the fish,ie,they come in closer than you think,
That's my edge...in the edge,and being quiet..
In reply to Post #1
12 acres is a small water - plot up in the margins in a swim that'll see good traffic of carp, be very quiet and use particles. Most waters I fish right now, everyone is doing the same thing - cast into the middle, spod out non stop and then moan about the poor fishing. I absolutely rinsed a club water recently where they all fished like that - I fished 2 rods where you can use 3, both in the edge, tigers and peanuts. 17 fish over 2 days, 14 were 20's, 2 of those over 30. Only one other person fishing even had a run. I find this scenario quite common on a lot of waters. People fish like robots.
12 acres is a small water - plot up in the margins in a swim that'll see good traffic of carp, be very quiet and use particles. Most waters I fish right now, everyone is doing the same thing - cast into the middle, spod out non stop and then moan about the poor fishing. I absolutely rinsed a club water recently where they all fished like that - I fished 2 rods where you can use 3, both in the edge, tigers and peanuts. 17 fish over 2 days, 14 were 20's, 2 of those over 30. Only one other person fishing even had a run. I find this scenario quite common on a lot of waters. People fish like robots.
In reply to Post #24
I've found that doesn't get fished often it's at the end of bank with swims that are really awkward to fish so I'm hoping less pressure will see them along this bank and onto my pre baited spot,I've baited it the last 2 weeks 4 nights a week clearing some of the weed while doing it with birds and carp I hope doing this,I'm dropping on tomorrow in the hope I'm in with a chance👍🏼
I've found that doesn't get fished often it's at the end of bank with swims that are really awkward to fish so I'm hoping less pressure will see them along this bank and onto my pre baited spot,I've baited it the last 2 weeks 4 nights a week clearing some of the weed while doing it with birds and carp I hope doing this,I'm dropping on tomorrow in the hope I'm in with a chance👍🏼
In reply to Post #23
During the hours of daylight I find the fish are in the snags and pads,so called safe area's..
On my syndicate lake from first light onwards you can see the fish go back from where they were feeding at night towards the weebeds, occasionally picking up a bait. 11am is pretty much cutoff time for bites unless you can find them.
There are the occasional few of the new stockies that stay out, but the originals are normally well hidden.
In winter though the fish do occasionally show during the day and to last light.
During the hours of daylight I find the fish are in the snags and pads,so called safe area's..
On my syndicate lake from first light onwards you can see the fish go back from where they were feeding at night towards the weebeds, occasionally picking up a bait. 11am is pretty much cutoff time for bites unless you can find them.
There are the occasional few of the new stockies that stay out, but the originals are normally well hidden.
In winter though the fish do occasionally show during the day and to last light.
Biggest edge you can have is time
In reply to Post #24
100% agree with this doing something different can give you bonus fish
100% agree with this doing something different can give you bonus fish
In reply to Post #24
Often difficult on my club lakes to be able to fish like that. I remember a few years ago one guy set up multiple signs on the path either side of his swim warning people he was margin fishing and to be quiet. That's the reality of fishing busy club waters. Stopping a Muppet casting into your swim from the opposite bank is a whole nuther kettle of fish.
Often difficult on my club lakes to be able to fish like that. I remember a few years ago one guy set up multiple signs on the path either side of his swim warning people he was margin fishing and to be quiet. That's the reality of fishing busy club waters. Stopping a Muppet casting into your swim from the opposite bank is a whole nuther kettle of fish.
Time is the biggest edge, can't catch fish while you are at work or doing family things 
You can however make things work for you by continuing to bait up every week for example. For years I have also planned my fishing around the weather, if it's red hot for example and I know not much is happening I will take the family out or do other things, if it's overcast with a good blow I will be planning some time off. As mentioned you need to be on FEEDING fish and you need to be there when they are FEEDING
Location is also the key and I have caught fish in literally minutes of turning up, right spot, right time
Get on a good bait with a track record if you are in any doubt then forget about bait
Another one, be ADAPTABLE, don't become numb to the situation, be ready to change, and NEVER become a sheep unless it's working otherwise you will just get what you get, baaaaaaaa
Spodamania, killed before started
Stay focused, watching the water and looking is the key
Over the years I have been distracted many times by doing other things, fishing other waters on socials with mates etc. It costs you fish.
As already mentioned, as carp anglers when we are on the bank we have plenty of time, early morning before first light and last thing at night are prime fish spotting times, you only need one sign in a lot of cases
I have also spent many a night listening to fish crashing out in others areas of the lake knowing I have got it wrong and I could be catching, that's fishing but learn from it
You can however make things work for you by continuing to bait up every week for example. For years I have also planned my fishing around the weather, if it's red hot for example and I know not much is happening I will take the family out or do other things, if it's overcast with a good blow I will be planning some time off. As mentioned you need to be on FEEDING fish and you need to be there when they are FEEDING
Location is also the key and I have caught fish in literally minutes of turning up, right spot, right time
Get on a good bait with a track record if you are in any doubt then forget about bait
Another one, be ADAPTABLE, don't become numb to the situation, be ready to change, and NEVER become a sheep unless it's working otherwise you will just get what you get, baaaaaaaa
Spodamania, killed before started
Stay focused, watching the water and looking is the key
Over the years I have been distracted many times by doing other things, fishing other waters on socials with mates etc. It costs you fish.
As already mentioned, as carp anglers when we are on the bank we have plenty of time, early morning before first light and last thing at night are prime fish spotting times, you only need one sign in a lot of cases
I have also spent many a night listening to fish crashing out in others areas of the lake knowing I have got it wrong and I could be catching, that's fishing but learn from it
Stand back from the lake and face it, close your eyes and walk forward. You will soon find an "Edge".
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