ASK THE EXPERTS
Dear Panel
My syndicate ticket is about to expire and I am feeling nervous. I want to move on, but I feel institutionalised. I have fished my current 19-acre gravel pit for the last 5-6 years and feel that I should move on. In fact, I have found another, a lovely 20-acre gravel pit with some very pretty mirrors and loads of commons to over 30lb. I have walked around, talked to the bailiffs, chatted to the other carp fishers, and discussed the lake with my local tackle shop. I have learned that the going boilie is ‘anything with a fish flavour’. HOW CAN I GO WRONG? However I am still hesitant and very nervous. Any help and advice your panel could give me would be appreciated.
Kind regards
John Newton -
Bournemouth.
Hi John
If you think it’s time to move on, then it probably is. Having found in my own angling that once you feel institutionalised (bloody long word for a Cornishman!) it’s difficult to add the extra 1% to your angling that can put extra carp on the bank, things like quick overnighters on work nights and barrowing to the far end of the lake on a rainy day. The great thing is, you’ve already sorted a new venue, and it can do no harm to have a walk about and a chat to the odd angler, but keep an open mind, because the guys you talk to, may be, as you’ve put it, institutionalised themselves. These anglers can often be the most helpful or loose-lipped, but as I’ve said, keep an open mind and don’t ignore tactics that may not be commonly used, as these can often be a real edge.
Quality bait will work anywhere!
In the main, when fishing new waters, I generally begin with the obvious, until I learn otherwise through time and experience. Start by fishing on the end of a warm wind, off the back of a cold wind, in deeper water in the colder months, and shallow areas when it’s warmer. As for rigs, I recommend you begin with whatever setup you already have confidence in, and which is working for you now, again, until you learn otherwise. Basically, take the confidence of what is working for you at your present lake, including your current bait choice, to the next. Confidence can catch a lot of carp simply by removing temptation to chop and change things just for the sake of it. The two lakes you mention are very similar, and just by taking a look over your shoulder at what has worked well on one gravel pit may see you hit the ground running on the new venue.
Sitting on a bucket, watching and learning.
Probably the best advice I can give to anyone embarking on waters new, is to spend as much time as possible watching and observing the water. Location is nearly always the first piece of the puzzle you need to solve.
I was once told the going method on a new venue was 10mm pop-ups at the 100yd mark. My son Thomas, unable to reach this kind of range, fished 15mm bottom baits at 30yds, and outfished 40+ anglers at a rate of 5-1! So keep an open mind!
Tight lines
John
