In reply to Post #14
Carpworld did a dayticket series for a whilewith Loz East that was quite good
Carpworld did a dayticket series for a whilewith Loz East that was quite good
In reply to Post #1
My advice would be to start stalking, you can cover numerous swims and areas of the lake, there will always be fish feeding somewhere no matter what time of day, it's also one of the most exciting ways to catch carp,watching the fish feeding and take the hookbait you learn far more in one day than one year sat behind '3 rods on the spot at 20 wraps ' .
However it can be water dependant and not all waters are suited to it, but initially get yourself a big bucket of pellet and walk around putting it in likely spots , then continue to do laps of the lake you will be amazed at how close even the biggest fish come to the margins.
If you get it right I'll guarantee you will out fish those doing nights and using kilos of boilies.
My advice would be to start stalking, you can cover numerous swims and areas of the lake, there will always be fish feeding somewhere no matter what time of day, it's also one of the most exciting ways to catch carp,watching the fish feeding and take the hookbait you learn far more in one day than one year sat behind '3 rods on the spot at 20 wraps ' .
However it can be water dependant and not all waters are suited to it, but initially get yourself a big bucket of pellet and walk around putting it in likely spots , then continue to do laps of the lake you will be amazed at how close even the biggest fish come to the margins.
If you get it right I'll guarantee you will out fish those doing nights and using kilos of boilies.
would echo what's already been said, travel light, be mobile, be quiet, fish for a fish at a time. 90% of my fishing is short evening sessions on day ticket and club lakes after most have buggered off home and the bivvy anglers are set up and can't be arsed to move. Had it multiple times when guys have even known the fish are at the other end but they are 'waiting for em to get their eds down' while il go to the other end and catch them now. small sticks and bags in margins, sometimes with the aid of a baiting pole and remember carp are creatures of habit 
In reply to Post #1
Plenty of fish to be had just doing days . The best carp angler I have ever met only does days and he has emptied some tricky waters .
As mentioned previously, travel light and be prepared to move if you see fish and don't ignore the margins .
Plenty of fish to be had just doing days . The best carp angler I have ever met only does days and he has emptied some tricky waters .
As mentioned previously, travel light and be prepared to move if you see fish and don't ignore the margins .
In reply to Post #19
I only do days at the moment, I try get down and evening or 2 before I fish and pre-bait a couple spots. Then I make sure I get to the lake as early as I can to check the pre-baited spots, and look for fish activity.
I only do days at the moment, I try get down and evening or 2 before I fish and pre-bait a couple spots. Then I make sure I get to the lake as early as I can to check the pre-baited spots, and look for fish activity.
In reply to Post #1
If you prebait a few spots regularly and consistently you will catch.
If you prebait a few spots regularly and consistently you will catch.
In reply to Post #12
Some brilliant advice there Mark
I started out doing days and overnight sessions and it's how I prefer it today. I have spent a lot of time fishing, at one point I only worked 160 days a year when I did shifts so I had plenty of time on my hands let's say. Nowadays I prefer to make fishing work for me, not the other way around, predominantly on more local waters. If you look at bite times and windows of opportunity shall we say based around weather conditions you can eliminate or free up quite a bit of time. Don't get me wrong, the more you are at the water you always have a chance but if bite time is specific that is when you REALLY need to be there, same as the right weather conditions
I'm fishing 4am until around 1pm at the moment. Bite time is mainly around 7 - 11am. I sleep whilst on the bank so getting up does not bother me, that's the mindset you need to have. I also do this a couple of times a week. I also prefer to do this 3 times a week than do 3 nights providing the drive is realistic. I don't see the point in sitting it out for the sake of it unless I think there is an absolute need. I have other stuff going off in my life. The key is being mobile, I can be set up and fishing within 10 minutes, similar packing away. With 30 minutes to go I usually pack up and just leave rods on the ground and pack everything else away
You can make fishing as complicated or as complex as you want. If you doing days and bite time is specific you can still catch as much as the campers or more. Bait up when you go home, or if you want to be a secret squirrel, my preferred choice, go and bait up on an evening or early morning a couple of times a week prior to your fishing. Make the bait work for you. It's there for them to eat with confidence when you are doing other things, key point being confidence, plus you are keeping in tune with fish activity whilst having a nosy
There's a time and place for camping, no doubt but I work my fishing around what I want to do, most of my camping at the moment is trips out with a couple of mates. I'm stuggling at the moment trying to find a water that I REALLY want to fish which would be a camping water
Some brilliant advice there Mark
I started out doing days and overnight sessions and it's how I prefer it today. I have spent a lot of time fishing, at one point I only worked 160 days a year when I did shifts so I had plenty of time on my hands let's say. Nowadays I prefer to make fishing work for me, not the other way around, predominantly on more local waters. If you look at bite times and windows of opportunity shall we say based around weather conditions you can eliminate or free up quite a bit of time. Don't get me wrong, the more you are at the water you always have a chance but if bite time is specific that is when you REALLY need to be there, same as the right weather conditions
I'm fishing 4am until around 1pm at the moment. Bite time is mainly around 7 - 11am. I sleep whilst on the bank so getting up does not bother me, that's the mindset you need to have. I also do this a couple of times a week. I also prefer to do this 3 times a week than do 3 nights providing the drive is realistic. I don't see the point in sitting it out for the sake of it unless I think there is an absolute need. I have other stuff going off in my life. The key is being mobile, I can be set up and fishing within 10 minutes, similar packing away. With 30 minutes to go I usually pack up and just leave rods on the ground and pack everything else away
You can make fishing as complicated or as complex as you want. If you doing days and bite time is specific you can still catch as much as the campers or more. Bait up when you go home, or if you want to be a secret squirrel, my preferred choice, go and bait up on an evening or early morning a couple of times a week prior to your fishing. Make the bait work for you. It's there for them to eat with confidence when you are doing other things, key point being confidence, plus you are keeping in tune with fish activity whilst having a nosy
There's a time and place for camping, no doubt but I work my fishing around what I want to do, most of my camping at the moment is trips out with a couple of mates. I'm stuggling at the moment trying to find a water that I REALLY want to fish which would be a camping water
In reply to Post #1
I know it sounds obvious, but find a water where you can get takes in the daytime.
One of my waters, no matter how hard I try, I (and other anglers) have only had fish between 10 at night and 5am in the morning, and it is not like it is mega pressured by carp anglers either.
Some waters do respond to baiting areas up, wandering round, and then if you see fish almost stalking them, on the float or basic tackle. Others can be see signs near lilies or weed beds and you can (quietly) put a rod or two on them, then you may have some that respond to a single bait or putting a bit of free (ground) bait in and waiting for the carp to come in, or even regular feeding a few pellets every few minutes.
The most important thing is obviously location; don't just jump in the first swim.
Learning a water can help. By that keep I mean keep on fishing one lake, and try various different methods as mentioned above and see if one works to catch you fish.
I know it sounds obvious, but find a water where you can get takes in the daytime.
One of my waters, no matter how hard I try, I (and other anglers) have only had fish between 10 at night and 5am in the morning, and it is not like it is mega pressured by carp anglers either.
Some waters do respond to baiting areas up, wandering round, and then if you see fish almost stalking them, on the float or basic tackle. Others can be see signs near lilies or weed beds and you can (quietly) put a rod or two on them, then you may have some that respond to a single bait or putting a bit of free (ground) bait in and waiting for the carp to come in, or even regular feeding a few pellets every few minutes.
The most important thing is obviously location; don't just jump in the first swim.
Learning a water can help. By that keep I mean keep on fishing one lake, and try various different methods as mentioned above and see if one works to catch you fish.
In reply to Post #21
Exactly this, try and develop feeding spots and patterns. Your be smashing the water in no time
Exactly this, try and develop feeding spots and patterns. Your be smashing the water in no time
In reply to Post #1
This is how I have fished for years. My advice is to play to your strengths and to not emulate other fishermen on the lake.
If you only have a few hours then:
- be mobile
- be prepared. Turn up with rods tackled up, hooks sharpened, cast out before you put your banksticks in
- be careful about putting too much bait in for a quick bite
- use rigs that present well over a lakebed that isn't clean (to avoid the need to market and make multiple casts)
- be quiet
- recognise that you are aiming for one bite. Margins and snags are good for this. Other anglers may be aiming for a big hit and spodding lots of bait into open water
Watch You Tube videos of people in a similar position e.g. Alan Blair fishing quick sessions, Tom Dove at Walthamstow etc.
Good luck
This is how I have fished for years. My advice is to play to your strengths and to not emulate other fishermen on the lake.
If you only have a few hours then:
- be mobile
- be prepared. Turn up with rods tackled up, hooks sharpened, cast out before you put your banksticks in
- be careful about putting too much bait in for a quick bite
- use rigs that present well over a lakebed that isn't clean (to avoid the need to market and make multiple casts)
- be quiet
- recognise that you are aiming for one bite. Margins and snags are good for this. Other anglers may be aiming for a big hit and spodding lots of bait into open water
Watch You Tube videos of people in a similar position e.g. Alan Blair fishing quick sessions, Tom Dove at Walthamstow etc.
Good luck
In reply to Post #22
can't argue with any of that scozza, it's pretty much how i fish except i rarely do the overnighters these days, i'll get up at 3.30am if i have too, like you say you just need to have the right mindset for it
can't argue with any of that scozza, it's pretty much how i fish except i rarely do the overnighters these days, i'll get up at 3.30am if i have too, like you say you just need to have the right mindset for it
I have not fished nights since 2015. Still got my bedchairs and bivvies but they are gathering dust in the shed and don't look likely to get an airing any time soon. Not missed doing nights one little bit.
Going go tomorrow for first time in 4 years. Float fishing in the margins for the carp. 7am-6pm opening times for now but I'll take that.
In reply to Post #27
get them on eBay and make a killing Ken
get them on eBay and make a killing Ken
Some great advice already on this thread. Mark and I were on the same days-only lake in the 90s and it shaped how I fish to this day - mainly early morning sessions in the week nowadays and gone by 8.30 for work.
A couple of extra thoughts... I've always travelled really light, but have combined that with using a small barrow recently too, and fishing off it. Makes things really efficient when you get to your peg with rods out on top ready to take off tip tops and cast, buzz bars already on sticks, baited rigs ready to attach once I've made one or two casts to get clips right on spots.
I generally fish for about 3 hours, but choose lakes with a morning bite time wherever possible. Lovely way to fish and often pretty rewarding.
Fishing to features often tends to be most productive for me on short trips - reeds, pads, bushes, margins or any kind of structures.
When fishing overnight sessions I often blank the night fishing open water, but end up nicking a bite with an early recast to shows or tight to features (that I wouldn't be comfortable fishing whilst asleep).
Last point, and I find it a huge edge - for this sort of angling a single hookbait is so effective. Matt coloured pop up in summer/autumn, bright one in winter/spring. Have lost count of how many of my better fish came on a single pop up all year round, definitely not just a winter tactic.
If you can find a spot where you can pinch early bite, they'll often keep coming. Early on, early off and keep it under your hat 😉
Hope you go well 👍🏻
A couple of extra thoughts... I've always travelled really light, but have combined that with using a small barrow recently too, and fishing off it. Makes things really efficient when you get to your peg with rods out on top ready to take off tip tops and cast, buzz bars already on sticks, baited rigs ready to attach once I've made one or two casts to get clips right on spots.
I generally fish for about 3 hours, but choose lakes with a morning bite time wherever possible. Lovely way to fish and often pretty rewarding.
Fishing to features often tends to be most productive for me on short trips - reeds, pads, bushes, margins or any kind of structures.
When fishing overnight sessions I often blank the night fishing open water, but end up nicking a bite with an early recast to shows or tight to features (that I wouldn't be comfortable fishing whilst asleep).
Last point, and I find it a huge edge - for this sort of angling a single hookbait is so effective. Matt coloured pop up in summer/autumn, bright one in winter/spring. Have lost count of how many of my better fish came on a single pop up all year round, definitely not just a winter tactic.
If you can find a spot where you can pinch early bite, they'll often keep coming. Early on, early off and keep it under your hat 😉
Hope you go well 👍🏻