Quite a few areas on my lake covered in silk / blanket weed , sometimes called candy floss weed.
Anyone have any positive or negative comments in relation to carp feeding in this stuff ?
Anyone have any positive or negative comments in relation to carp feeding in this stuff ?
In reply to Post #1
The lake I fish is mostly horrid black silkweed and crud. Without doubt the fish do feed in it but seem to prefer getting right into it with pop ups not scoring particularly well. The only option I've found is to fish little gravel humps etc and present a bait there as trying to get a decent hookhold on a wafter or bottom bait is pretty pointless.
The lake I fish is mostly horrid black silkweed and crud. Without doubt the fish do feed in it but seem to prefer getting right into it with pop ups not scoring particularly well. The only option I've found is to fish little gravel humps etc and present a bait there as trying to get a decent hookhold on a wafter or bottom bait is pretty pointless.
In reply to Post #1
It's a nightmare fishing into that stuff. I recently returned from York Lakeside Lodges which was covered in it.
Went armed with solid bags and chod rigs and I didn't get a sniff. Wish I could be more optimistic, but good luck.
It's a nightmare fishing into that stuff. I recently returned from York Lakeside Lodges which was covered in it.
Went armed with solid bags and chod rigs and I didn't get a sniff. Wish I could be more optimistic, but good luck.
In reply to Post #1
Horrible stuff.
I'd been catching from an area until the wind got up and brought a load of this silkweed down with the tow.
Fish were still in the area, but it just became difficult to fish. PVA bags on top of it might work.
Horrible stuff.
I'd been catching from an area until the wind got up and brought a load of this silkweed down with the tow.
Fish were still in the area, but it just became difficult to fish. PVA bags on top of it might work.
In reply to Post #1
Once fished a lake and one season there was an explosion of silk weed in one area. Strange how it happened but the carp visited it regular. Get your hands in it, will be full of aquatic life
Once fished a lake and one season there was an explosion of silk weed in one area. Strange how it happened but the carp visited it regular. Get your hands in it, will be full of aquatic life
In reply to Post #1
Silk weed and blanket weed are two totally different propositions. If the silkweed is fresh, green and has invertebrate life in it, then fish there, that's the carps dinner.
Dead stinking black rotten silkweed and candyfloss type blanket weed are awful to fish in, presentation is very poor.
Silk weed and blanket weed are two totally different propositions. If the silkweed is fresh, green and has invertebrate life in it, then fish there, that's the carps dinner.
Dead stinking black rotten silkweed and candyfloss type blanket weed are awful to fish in, presentation is very poor.
In reply to Post #1
Like said if it has life in then the fish will get in there.
Like said if it has life in then the fish will get in there.
In reply to Post #7
Thanks for the replies guys, the stuff I'm fishing over is green and fresh as opposed to black and rotting, unsure if there's any life in it as only brought small amounts in on the leader and around the hooklink !
Maybe I'll drag a pronged lead through it and see !
Thanks for the replies guys, the stuff I'm fishing over is green and fresh as opposed to black and rotting, unsure if there's any life in it as only brought small amounts in on the leader and around the hooklink !
Maybe I'll drag a pronged lead through it and see !
In reply to Post #1
Shrimps etc. love it, so the carp do to. My tip for fishing in/over it is to use barbless hooks, they don't get stuck to it like a barbed hook.
Shrimps etc. love it, so the carp do to. My tip for fishing in/over it is to use barbless hooks, they don't get stuck to it like a barbed hook.
In reply to Post #8
If they are feeding in the silk weed then there will be clear spots. If you can get up a tree you'll see them, if not a light lead and braid to find a drop. Heavy leads can just drop through. If you really can't get a drop then the more vibrant green stuff is better than the dark stuff in my experience.
If they are feeding in the silk weed then there will be clear spots. If you can get up a tree you'll see them, if not a light lead and braid to find a drop. Heavy leads can just drop through. If you really can't get a drop then the more vibrant green stuff is better than the dark stuff in my experience.
In reply to Post #10
Thanks for the replies, I've read about going barblless before, think Shaun Harrison wrote about it !
I was seeing fish showing over this weed last session, I fished over it and thought I was presented OK but couldn't get a pickup, as I've always avoided it in the past I have no experience whether fish do or don't feed in the stuff ! , and I was wasting my time trying ?
Thanks for the replies, I've read about going barblless before, think Shaun Harrison wrote about it !
I was seeing fish showing over this weed last session, I fished over it and thought I was presented OK but couldn't get a pickup, as I've always avoided it in the past I have no experience whether fish do or don't feed in the stuff ! , and I was wasting my time trying ?
In reply to Post #11
My syndicate is covered in it. I found using sweetcorn as free offerings and naked chods with bright yellow pop ups got me bites when others were struggling...
The issue is as someone pointed out, the bloody stuff moves, so you can't keep bait going in to clear a spot as it won't be clear for very long...
My syndicate is covered in it. I found using sweetcorn as free offerings and naked chods with bright yellow pop ups got me bites when others were struggling...
The issue is as someone pointed out, the bloody stuff moves, so you can't keep bait going in to clear a spot as it won't be clear for very long...
Could get a castable weed rake and creat a clearing. Done well doing that in the past.
In reply to Post #6
I always thought silk weed and blanket weed were the same thing?
I always thought silk weed and blanket weed were the same thing?
In reply to Post #14
It is,its a type of Algae called filamentous algae.It is known as string Algae or silk weed
It is,its a type of Algae called filamentous algae.It is known as string Algae or silk weed
A good app is called picture this. Take a picture of a weed / plant and it gives you some info and other names and so on.
I've never heard of that app ill give that a try. 
About the weed, on my syndicate the whole lake bed is covered in silk weed its just not as bad in certain areas. Saying this, all the fish have very dark mouths and you can regularly see them routing about in it.
I've actually found fishing a wafter rig (Standard German) on a heli set up (bead slightly higher and rig slightly longer) whilst spreading boilies with a stick, picks out more fish and the bigger residents.
I've tried pop up presentations but had no where near the success. I also found that heavily baiting with particle whilst it did clear an area, the fish where less inclined to feed on it.
obviously this may change venue to venue but my confidence in fishing in silk weed now has sky rocketed with wafters after having seen fish actively finding them out. I also think the spread of boilies with a stick helps, as a moving carp is easier to catch than a grazing one in my experience. The biggest hurdle to overcome is the mental side when you retrieve the rig and it has silk weed on it.
About the weed, on my syndicate the whole lake bed is covered in silk weed its just not as bad in certain areas. Saying this, all the fish have very dark mouths and you can regularly see them routing about in it.
I've actually found fishing a wafter rig (Standard German) on a heli set up (bead slightly higher and rig slightly longer) whilst spreading boilies with a stick, picks out more fish and the bigger residents.
I've tried pop up presentations but had no where near the success. I also found that heavily baiting with particle whilst it did clear an area, the fish where less inclined to feed on it.
obviously this may change venue to venue but my confidence in fishing in silk weed now has sky rocketed with wafters after having seen fish actively finding them out. I also think the spread of boilies with a stick helps, as a moving carp is easier to catch than a grazing one in my experience. The biggest hurdle to overcome is the mental side when you retrieve the rig and it has silk weed on it.
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