My Approach to 2026

2026 Fishing Season

The 2026 season is going to be less dramatic with change and more refinement—of approach, mindset, and watercraft. After several seasons of measured adjustment, the trajectory points toward a year where accumulated experience converts into consistent results rather than isolated highlights.

From a tactical standpoint, 2026 will favour a continued shift toward subtlety. Carp will remain highly pressured on most venues, and those willing to fish lighter, quieter, and more deliberately—particularly in the margins and intermediate water—will reap the rewards. Short sessions, carefully chosen swims, and precise baiting will again outperform prolonged campaigns. Observation will remain the primary edge, with time spent watching fish behaviour proving more valuable than time spent behind the rods.

Bait-wise, confidence baits and restrained application will dominate. High-quality boilies, compact PVA presentations, and simple particle applications will be used not to draw fish in from distance, but to capitalise when they are already present. Oils, liquids, and activators will still play a role, but with a focus on solubility and year-round effectiveness rather than heavy attraction. Less bait, applied better, will be the recurring theme.

Water selection in 2026 is likely to become even more critical. Rather than chasing numbers or reputation, success will come from committing to waters that suit a quiet, mobile, margin-focused approach. Smaller lakes, overlooked corners, and unfashionable swims will increasingly produce the most meaningful captures. Big fish will still be caught—but more often through timing and placement than prolonged baiting campaigns.

Mentally, the season should feel calmer and more grounded. Results will matter, but not at the expense of enjoyment. Fishing will continue to be about balance: time on the bank, time away from pressure, and time spent reconnecting with why it all started in the first place. Blanks will be accepted as part of the process, not failures, and captures—when they come—will feel earned.

In short, 2026 is predicted to be a season of quiet confidence. Not louder tactics, not more gear, not more bait—but better decisions, made more often. The kind of year where the memories outweigh the statistics, and where the water, once again, teaches more than it takes.

Let’s get this year started.

Richard

Happy New Year