Fish Less & Catch More…

The time and preparation invested ahead of a few days by the water is not only rewarding but eagerly anticipated by many anglers. Tying rigs, sorting and organizing gear, cooking up bait and organizing food and drink supplies is usually essential to make sure a session lasting more than a day or two goes smoothly especially if the intended venue requires a long journey. If all goes to plan then there is no doubt that these longer sessions can produce some spectacular results.

Over the years trying to balance family, career and fishing (and not just carp fishing as I thoroughly enjoy all forms of light tackle and fly fishing pursuits…) has made my time spent on the water a precious commodity. As a result I’ve never really been into marathon carping sessions. Even when fishing for carp on UK waters in the 70’s and 80’s, where blanks were frequent, I usually limited my sessions to overnights with the odd couple of extra days here and there. So for those who have limited time to spare or simply want to make their time on the water more efficient let me introduce you to how I go about fishing a short session.

Firstly what is a short session? For some it might be just a couple of hours while for others it could extend into a day or overnight. In my case a typical short session is anything less than  6 hours of actual fishing time although this past season I’ve put in some 12 hour stints and a couple of overnights in an effort to explore new areas and tactics. I’ve excluded driving, walking to the swim and setting up my rods but these can be important considerations especially if your time is limited and you need to travel longer distances in pursuit of your plans.

Location

I’m quite fortunate in having some productive local waters. However one of those, and despite it being on my doorstep and easily accessible, I managed to studiously avoid for almost 15 years! The flooding of a local lake we’d planned for a fish-in forced a move to this untried venue and resulted in a couple of nice fish taken. This demonstrated it was certainly worth further investigation and since then has produced a string of big fish with most taken in early morning or evening sessions.

The point to be drawn from this experience is that there seem to be way too many carp anglers willing to travel hundreds of miles when they could be overlooking some first class fishing closer to home.  Each season I challenge myself to explore new waters or seek out new swims. Of course it is easier to ‘drop-in’ to a known swim but it is much more satisfying and a better measure of your angling capabilities to find and develop your own.

However choosing which swim and when to fish is critical to getting results in the limited time you have available. So it’s vital to do your homework.

Homework

Simply turning up at a water and expecting to catch fish from the nearest available swim is pointless. Dick Walker (renowned for his capture of a British record carp) once said that he would rather spend 6 hours of a fishing trip finding the fish and an hour catching them than 7 hours blanking. This is easily the best advice if you want to make the most of your limited time on the water. There is a huge amount of satisfaction in figuring out the best places and times to fish on any given water and then consistently putting some big fish on the bank.

When I first moved to the US back in 1994 many of the waters we now take for granted were unexplored and in many cases we did not know if they even held carp. I spent many weekends wandering around potential waters, mostly at the crack of dawn or late evening, in the hope of seeing carp showing. On one such morning I bumped into a teenager out walking his dog and asked if there were any carp in the lake. “Sure” he said, some are over 40 lbs”… as you can imagine my interest level was piqued but then I’d also heard too many folk claim a mid teen fish as a forty. So I asked how big a forty pound carp might be and this young lad stretched out his arms and said “42 inches”. How did he know it was that precise size I wondered? The answer was it had been bow hunted by his father and was now mounted on the wall in their basement. I’d visited that water four or five times and seen no signs of carp and but for that chance encounter would have probably crossed it off my list. Since then it has produced some cracking fish in short sessions but not without some homework.

Topographic maps or time spent with marker floats etc are important tools to help you build up a picture of the water. The creation of a simple map that shows key features such as drops offs, ledges, bars, weed beds etc will be invaluable and especially if you mark areas that you frequently see carp feeding or moving then it will add to considerably to your knowledge. One of Europe’s top carp anglers Frank Warwick even suggests creeping around a lake in the middle of the night to listen for the sounds of crashing fish and carefully noting their location and feeding times.

On the larger waters here in the USA it really helps to understand the effects of wind. A change to warm westerly or southerly winds should have you on the move to the North or North Easterly side of a body of water. Conversely cold winds should be at your back as the carp are more likely to seek shelter in the lee of the wind. In the heat of summer the fish will often reverse this behavior in search of cooler water. While there can always be exceptions to these ‘rules’ you’ll find that 9 times out of 10 you will have made the right decision and that’s what is important if you want to capitalize on your short session success!

Over the years I have kept quite detailed records of my fishing and compiled a massive amount of information on the waters I fish and the results of my sessions and captures. Weather conditions (especially any significant changes in prior days), wind direction, water temps, moon phase, baits, rigs used, where the fish is hooked etc all get recorded. Perhaps even more importantly I’ve made as many notes when I’ve blanked in the hope that I might gain some insight on why!

Pre-Baiting

One of the keys to enjoying short session success is a consistent and well planned baiting campaign. Since most of the carp here are dependent on natural food they will quickly move off an area once the bait is gone. However with a regular baiting program the carp will soon include an area in their daily routine and if you get the timing right it will make your time on the water very productive! In the spring and fall I like boilie campaigns. In my experience it not only produces a higher percentage of big fish but also makes baiting up a relatively quick and easy operation. Even a couple hundred boilies can be placed with a catapult or throwing stick in less than 10 – 15 minutes. However once the water has warmed up and the fish are feeding more heavily I will usually switch to particles. It is relatively easy to make up several gallons at a time and introduce them to my preferred swim over several days with a Spomb. And, if the water is warm enough I’ll even swim out a couple of 5 gallon buckets of particles or pellets to a marker float. If you too like to fish particles then I would recommend reading about the ‘Baiting Pyramid’ that was developed by my good friend Mike Wilson back in the 70’s – it is stunningly effective on North American waters!

Organization

There is nothing more frustrating, when your fishing time is limited, than time wasted in getting baits out and in play. My aim is to have two rods out and fishing within 15 minutes of arrival on the bank. The only time this might be impacted is when setting up in the rain and the need to put up a brolly or shelter takes precedence. In order to achieve this I will admit to behaving in an especially OCD manner… since I’m easily distracted I know that it is imperative to follow the ‘plan’ exactly until the lines are out before I can sit back, relax and enjoy the session.

My first requirement is to set up the landing net and place it by the water together with the unhooking mat. That way they are always there and ready when you need them most – not in the rod bag or sitting out of reach! Next I might fire out a few boilies or Spomb out some baits before setting up the rod pod and attaching the alarms. The Delkim D-Loks make this a breeze as they simply snap into place in perfect alignment. You can also keep your alarms attached to the buzz bar.  I carry my rods (in numbered rod sleeves for easy identification) ready rigged and it takes just a minute or two to put them together and attach the leads (I take them off for transport to prevent damage to the rods) using quick clips shrouded in silicone tube to reduce the risk of tangles. I also cut off the swivels from most of my leads as I think they do nothing useful and lengthen the space to the lead which simply creates more opportunities to catch your line or hook length. All the key items I might need to get started are in one pack. This includes a couple of leads, baiting needle, hair stops, tungsten putty, a few Enterprise imitation corn kernels etc. Everything else stays in the tackle bag until needed which avoids having to open different boxes and minimizes bankside clutter. As part of my obsessive set-up behavior I also stow items such as car keys, rod wraps and tip protectors carefully in predetermined places. That way I know exactly where to find them at the end of a session.

Unless I’m ‘stalking’ fish where I carry the bare minimum of tackle I probably carry more gear than is strictly necessary. However a carp barrow or trolley makes it relatively easy to carry those ‘extra’ items of tackle or additional bait that by being readily available can make all the difference. An extra couple of rods for example set up with a lighter lead or free line bait can help me quickly target a fish that is cruising outside the baited area or simply try a change in tactics.

Packing up should be a simple reversal of your setting up. That way everything is stowed carefully & neatly away ready for your next session  and if you keep your swim tidy rather than gear strewn everywhere it will take very little time before you are headed home. I always make a note (mostly because I don’t trust my memory…) while I’m fishing of any key items that might need repairing or replacing. Every moment on the bank counts so when its time to head home I begin by packing away non-essential items first so that my tackle barrow or back pack is almost fully loaded and ready to go…

On most pods you can remove the alarms and stow them while the rods lay on the buzz bars and if the swim allows my next step is to lean the rods against the back of my chair while I stow away the pod. I can’t tell you how many fish I’ve had with the rods propped like this but a word of warning… in summer months the background sounds of crickets and other bugs can easily mask the clicking sound of a bait runner or clutch. There is nothing worse than finding a carp has taken off a load of line and buried itself in a snag!

Any wet items such as the mat, weigh sling or keep sacks go into a heavy duty contractor grade trash bag to avoid stinking up the car and bait buckets etc carefully rinsed out. Not matter how late or how tired I am when I get home I always unload & stow my gear. I’ve also mounted a garden hose just outside the garage together with a tall container so as soon as I get home I can give nets, slings and mats a quick spray to rinse off any ‘slime’ and then leave them to soak overnight with a bio friendly citrus cleaner. That way the risk of transferring any organisms from one water to another is eliminated and perhaps more importantly the Mrs is not offended by any lingering smells!

Rigs & Terminal tackle

North American carp are not, for the most part, as wary and rig ‘educated’ as their European cousins. However this does not remove the need for a rig that is 100% effective in its hooking ability. I’m always in favor of simplifying things as much as possible and feel that the more complex a rig is to tie then the more likely it can go wrong or fail.  One key factor to consider with North American carp is that on average and pound for pound they will fight harder and longer than those ‘across the pond’. This means that your rigs, terminal tackle and in particular your hook holds must be top notch.

When you are fishing short sessions, and as I will continually highlight, then every minute counts. The ability to land a fish and promptly put a bait back out on the ‘hot spot’ is often all it takes to end up with a photo of you holding a ‘brace’ of trophy fish. These bigger fish often swim in small groups of similar sized brethren and if you waste time netting, unhooking, photographing, re-baiting rigs etc then they are likely to have moved on by the time you are finally ready to get back in action.  If space allows then set up an area ahead of time where you can weigh and photograph fish with the minimum of fuss or delay. A second landing net, if the budget allows, can also make life much easier or invest in one of the new ‘floatation’ weigh slings as they allow the net to be freed up quickly ready for further action without the carp sitting around on a mat. There have been plenty of times when both rods have gone off and I’ve ended up with two fish in the net – including a couple of thirties.

If you take a look at my terminal tackle you’ll see that it is designed for quick changes. This means that I have pre-baited hook lengths (complete with PVA sticks or boilie strings attached) ready to go and can simply swap them out in a few seconds using a link clip. I like to use Speed Swivels which allow a hook link loop to be easily hooked into place and secured with an anti-tangle sleeve over the link clip to minimize tangles and prevent any chance of the line working free.

I’m not a huge fan of braided main lines for carp fishing except for big rivers or snag fishing where minimal stretch is important. I generally prefer to use a good quality mono like Suffix Siege & more recently the low diameter, high strength PB Control Mono. The PB Control Mono is inexpensive (with a 1250 m bulk spool costing less than $30) and is remarkably abrasion resistant plus the 18lb test is only 0.30 mm which makes it a great distance casting line. If needed I will add a 30 – 40lb test mono or fluoro ‘shock’ leader if I’m worried about cut offs on zebra mussels etc.

At the end of the main line I form a 6-9” loop tied with a Perfection Loop which is both secure, reliable and very easy to tie. Even more importantly it is small enough to allow a lead or clip to pass over it so a carp will not be towing it around in the event of a mainline break. This loop-to-loop connects to a TFG Safety or other leader such as PB Silk Ray which already has the required lead clips, beads etc in place. Not only do the leaders ensure that the line is pinned down nicely to minimize line bites but they are much easier and quicker to set up than laboriously threading line through rig tube etc. If need be I can also switch from a method feeder to a running lead or bolt rig set-up or heli-rig just by unlooping the leader from the main line and looping in another.

As for hook rigs I’m again a big proponent of keeping things simple. Mike Kavanagh’s Multi-Rig is not only quick and easy to tie but hugely effective for a variety of pop-up and bottom baits. It can easily be adjusted to ensure the hook is at the optimum angle and when tied with coated braids the angle formed by the loop coming out of the eye creates a nice line aligner and obviates the need for adding shrink tube etc. The multi-rig also allows a dulled hook to be swapped out in matter or moments. Among my rig armory you will also find Chod, KD, 360 and Frank Warwick’s Bottom Bait rig which can come into play as and when the need arises.

Always, always check your hook point for sharpness or damage. It only takes a moment and if in doubt a couple of strokes with a diamond file will soon have the point needle sharp again. I know the UK magazines would have you believe that changing a rig out after every fish is a ‘must’ but with the number of fish we catch here in North America we’d all be bankrupt if we followed that advice! If you check everything carefully there is no reason why you cannot land ten, twenty or even more fish on the same rig.

It is also worth running your fingers over last few feet of main line, especially if you’re fishing over rocks or zebras or have been dragged through some snags! You’ll soon feel any abrasion or nicks and can quickly trim off the damaged length and retie a new knot or loop as needed.

Chum & Chumming

The success of a short session often hinges on how you introduce chum or free bait samples into a swim. “Filling” in a swim with a large quantity of chum or bait as soon as you arrive will usually spook wary carp and often until well after you have left. Even if they do return while you are fishing the chances of them picking up your hook bait among so much food material is like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Introducing small amounts of chum or bait samples on a regular basis will not only keep fish interested and in the target area but give them more opportunity to find you baited hook. The smaller quantities also help increase competition for the limited quantities of chum with the result that not only will fish behave less cautiously but larger fish will tend to  push out their smaller brethren.

Accuracy when chumming and positioning (casting) baits is paramount if you want to be successful. I’m always frustrated to see even the most accomplished anglers cast a bait wide or short of an area they have carefully baited and think that will do… it might produce one or two fish but if you really want to enjoy consistent success the bait must land on target each and every time. If it doesn’t then wind in and try again until you do get it right!  The same goes for chumming, especially with particles. If you continually miss the intended area and spread bait all over the place then your hook bait is going to be much, much more difficult to find. The only time that I break away from this rule is when fishing for very big carp with boilies. These larger carp are much more wary, more easily spooked and invariably more solitary in behavior, preferring to swim in small groups of perhaps two or three similar sized fish. The extra space for them to roam around over a widespread bed of boilies will not only keep them occupied while they continually search around but also far less likely to be spooked by another carp  being hooked nearby and hauled off from a tightly confined swim. Since they are continually on the move searching for the next boilie to eat they also become less hesitant picking up the bait.

When fishing dawn or evening sessions placing a bait in the margins can produce bonus fish that use the security of the low light conditions to feed in close. Chumming just a few baits in a line a few feet out from the bank (or along a shallow weed bed, ridge line or similar structure) is often all that is needed to intercept these cruising fish and lead them to the business end of your gear. However it is imperative to minimize any bank side disturbance while setting up, so always move stealthily and don’t hammer in bank sticks or shine bright lights.

In the dark…

Dawn and Dusk are my favorite and most productive times to fish. As the nights get longer in the Fall I’m usually on the water from late afternoon until the first two or three hours of darkness. A thorough knowledge of the swim and any snags will help you play fish confidently and give you the best chance of landing a fish in darkness. I use reflective tape on the arms and yolk of my landing net so that even with the red light (to avoid spooking the fish as well as protect my night vision) from my head lamp I can easily guide it in. I also use reflective ‘dots’ or tape on my baitrunners so I can quickly check they are ‘set’ as well as on important items (marker float vanes, car keys, phone ear piece, baiting needles etc) so that if dropped or misplaced I can find them easily with a quick sweep of a torch. Careful observation of the opposite bank should yield some tree or building outlines that will remain sufficiently visible (building or other lights are notorious for switching off at critical times) for accurate casting and a suitable line marker will ensure you hit the correct distance.

Here in New England water temps usually allow consistent fishing until the end of November and sometimes even early December. Carp will continue to feed but in increasingly shorter periods – ideal for a well timed short session. Fishing from a bank that faces west or  south will ensure that it gets the most afternoon sun, warmer water temps and the best chance of feeding carp. However once the sun goes down the bankside temps can plummet to below freezing and it is important to be prepared. Keep your landing net in the water so it does not end up as a solid frozen lump and minimize the time fish are out of the water as their gills can freeze and become damaged.

The Results…

Here is a recent example and by no means unusual. This past Fall (November 2012) we had a 3 day warm spell immediately following a Nor’ Easter that dropped several inches of snow. I’d not been out on the water in over 2 weeks but knew this was an opportunity simply too good to miss. A southerly wind and 60+ temps soon brought the water temps up from a chilly 44F to 52.5F. I already knew the perfect swim that not only faced into the wind but also caught the afternoon sun. Experience has taught me that these fish usually feed in the two hours before dusk and rarely more than two hours after sunset.  I arrived a little earlier than usual since I had not pre-baited, fired out about 20 boilies and was set up with lines in the water by 2:30pm. A hesitant run just before 4pm resulted in a 33.06. Out went another 10 free boilies  and 40 mins later after a couple of beeps I hit into a drop back that put a hard fighting 19.04 in the net. A few more boiles went in and around 5:30pm I got a screamer on the right hand rod which I thought had crossed the other line as it kept going off when ever this fish took line. I eventually landed a 31.02 only to realize that the line from the other rod was still moving. 10 minutes later I carefully steered a 24.08 into the net to join the thirty that was already sitting there. Things quieted down and after packing almost everything away around 7:30pm the only thing left were the rods lying on the ground. As I went to wind the first rod in I heard the spool clicking and ended up with my fifth run and a 22.00 to finish off a great session.

Most seasons I manage between 150 – 200 hours (about 6 – 8 days) of actual fishing time each season. On average my season runs from mid April to the first week in December and usually includes a couple of overnight and perhaps a couple day sessions each year. The rest of the time is divided up into 4 – 6 hour sessions (and remember this is time on the bank with baits in the water rather than driving back and forth or hiking into the swim).

Over the past few years more than 60% of my carp have been over 20 lb and on some waters as high as 75%. I usually average 3 – 5 blanks each season with at least 2 being in the months of November and December. If we exclude ‘blanks’  I typically average 3 fish per 6 hour session with at least two exceeding 20 + lbs.

There are plenty of successful anglers who I’m sure can easily surpass many of my catch statistics in terms of numbers caught or biggest fish. However what I hope I’ve demonstrated is that with some careful planning and preparation you too can be regularly putting big carp on the bank even with only a limited amount of fishing time.