In the fishing world, there are things you would love to ask but can’t. The first question on your lips when you walk into other anglers swim is, have you caught any fish? It’s all about knowledge and it’s not a bad thing to know. Another question is which spot it came from? I’m sure this would help you build up a picture of where the fish come from in each swim. You would then like to know as well, was it a bottom bait, pop up or wafter? This will help you to bank a carp or two.
These questions are just no-go areas. Some people will be happy to spill the beans and I am one of those. I believe it’s us against the Carp and not each other. Copying someone else’s tactics certainly doesn’t mean you will catch and should not detract you from your achievement. It’s simply about building knowledge about the lake at the particular time of the year.
I must admit, it has certainly got a lot better since I start carp fishing (in the early 80’s). People would ask you to leave their swim when they baited up or even cast to another spot just to throw you off the sent. I must admit, I did catch a lot of bream and tench in those day’s.
Back then, bait was never a question as we all made homemade boilies but times changed and everyone got obsessed about being on the going bait. I think that stage has passed, as there are a few top quality bait companies about these days. Unfortunately, a few rough ones with substandard quality ingredients hang in there.
Being part of a Syndicate of the like-minded angler’s really help these days, everyone is being pushed for time in the modern world we live in. Which is where I am very lucky, the knowledge of which swims are fishing well is passed around quite freely. This can be a real obstacle on some waters.
No one asks about which rig you are on anymore if you stick to the common subscribed rigs you will not go far wrong. There can be an edge to being on the right rig for the lake and that also goes for any of the above. Knowledge is the lifeblood of a successful angler, but never lose sight of the real goal. This is to catch fish, enjoy yourself, relax and forget the stresses of everyday life, don’t let fishing get sucked into that side of your life.
Enjoy and be lucky
Richard
