Day Ticket Tactics to try Today.
In this new series
specimen angler Duncan Charman visits different day ticket venues
each month and reveals the tactics that have been working.
What makes article
writing so rewarding is when you know other anglers have read and
taken on board the tactics described then taken them to their local
fisheries and found success. I know one angler that’s now obsessed
with float fishing prawns, everywhere he goes its prawn on the hook
but what’s different about John is that he catches everything that
swims, wherever he goes and always returns home a happy man. I
watched another angler last week also using prawns, yet he was
ledgering these with no alarms, just centerpin reels and old rods and
did he catch, oh yes.
Sadly though it’s
common to witness anglers that are over-gunned using big rods, reels
and heavy lines on venues that respond so much better when every
thing is scaled down. These anglers seem reluctant to want to catch
plenty of, what must be to them unwanted species, even if this means
catching far more of their target species, carp! All the gear and
absolutely no idea comes to mind, but what makes it more frustrating
is many are happy to cast out, catch next to nothing and if their not
asleep watch as anglers like myself get constantly beaten up by what
would give them what’s known as a called red-letter day.
Unfortunately I can’t educate every angler out there to take a
serious look at their approach and tackle as many are just happy to
be there away from their hectic lives, to relax and maybe hear an
alarm sound, however if this is ringing any bells for you and you
want to increase your catch rate then read on, as here are a few
tactical tips for you to try next time you venture out.
I have to admit
that I’m not a great lover of using the flat-bed feeder much
preferring to use what’s known as the groundbait or pellet lead,
yet on a recent visit to Godalming’s Harris Lake I was faced with
extremely clear water, clarity which meant that catching under the
rod tip wasn’t going to happen, well not in daylight. In the car I
always have a small bag that’s filled with lots of spare fishing
items such as flatbed feeders, it comes in very handy on many
sessions when I have to revert to another method and with a ruling
stating that all rigs must be running, which rules out the helicopter
rig, it was time to put these into action. My thoughts were that the
fish would be out close to the islands, not right under the
overhanging foliage but at the base of the drop-off and after a
couple of casts I found this to be around a rod length from it. A
small dash of Nash Spot-On painted onto the line just off the reels
marked the spot, however I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to
unclip as each hooked fished would probably head left or right and
even if one did head towards the island their would be enough stretch
in the mainline to cope with this. The height of the bank sticks were
adjusted so the tips of the rods just touched the lake surface, a
fantastic way of revealing liners which mean fish in the swim.
For bait I very
rarely if ever get stereotyped into one approach. I will always have
an idea on what will work best yet when tench and crucians are my
target only taking one bait can be disastrous as these can show a
preference that changes daily. My first approach was to fish Nash 2mm
Ballmaker pellets on the feeder with the smallest grain of corn that
had been soaked in sweetener. This would be hair-rigged next to a
size 16 hook and placed in the mould before the pellets so it sat
right on top. My other rod would see a 6mm punched piece of corn
stick (a bait that’s been catching me loads of fish of late)
hair-rigged in the same way but this time placed on top of Old Ghost
Krill Groundbait that had been mixed up, as had the pellets before
leaving home.
My Fox Kevlar
Barbel rods, won many years ago in Coarse Angling Today’s ‘Where’s
the Catch’ competition, with the 1.25lb T/C tips added, along with
Shimano 4000 reels loaded with Gardner 6lb HydroFlo and short three
inch Reflo 4.12lb hooklinks completed the set up which seemed
balanced enough for the crucians but more than capable of taming one
of the lakes bigger tench should it show.
My session only
lasted three hours during which time five tench to nearly six pound
graced my net along with three crucians to a shade over 2lb. Other
anglers around were struggling, the odd tench if they were lucky but
what made the difference was I kept casting every ten minutes as well
as leaving the line in the reels line clip, something others just
weren’t doing. What method worked best, well the corn over pellet
had the edge just and seemed to be what the crucians preferred.
The Specimen Lake
at Mill Farm Fishery is one of the lakes where carp anglers seem
intent on using tackle well over-gunned when simplifying things and
using smaller baits will see their alarms constantly sounding. I love
the venue as not only does it provide the outside chance of a British
Record silver bream but its one of those venues that catching a 100lb
of fish can be achieved when its fishing badly, well that’s if its
approached correctly.
The method I use
on this venue is the helicopter rig however the flat-bed feeder will
also catch plenty of fish as my friend Paul Garner showed on a recent
session. Casting towards the islands seems the way forward if it’s
a big silver you’re after however this is also an area the carp
love as well. Rods are as previously mentioned yet with carp to over
20lb likely to be hooked my mainline is increased to 8lb. On the end
of this a 1oz cage feeder is attached and a few inched behind this a
three inch hooklink is attached and locked in place using a couple of
float stops. The hooklink is made from Wychwood Truefly 6lb
fluorocarbon with a size 16 hook attached knotless knot style and a
Nash tapered sleeve placed over the swivel that acts as a boom and
reduces tangles.
Groundbait is
banned here so in the feeder I press 2mm Nash Crab and Krill
Ballmaker pellets and for hookbait its either a small 6mm pellet, a
piece of corn or a punched piece of Old Ghost Corn Stick. All these
baits have their day so when starting a session keep your options
open and try them all.
Although Spot-On
is great for marking lines when I’m casting up against an island at
some distance I like to use a stop-knot made from pole elastic. This
is tied just of the rod top and when the feeder is in flight makes a
noise through the rod rings which is the time to drop the rod from a
vertical position to a horizontal one allowing the feeder to drop on
the same spot every time. Regular casting is the key once again in
catching, every ten minutes is a good starting point yet once the
fish arrive expect to cast far more often than this and be prepared
to hook plenty of carp. I’ve had them to over 20lb here so when one
is hooked just take your time as bullying them will just see you
having to tie a new hooklink.
Over the next month I’m hoping to
get out and catch a few big tench on the waggler and with the water
warming up will be spending some time targeting carp off the surface
so until then I hope you try the above methods as they will catch you
loads of extra fish wherever you take them.
Venue profile –
Harris Lake – Station Road, Milford,
Surrey GU8 5AE
www.godalminganglingsociety.co.uk
Mill Farm Fishery – Bury Mill Farm,
Bury, West Sussex RH20 1HF
www.fisheries.co.uk
Images –
1. Having your rods already made up
allows you to arrive and get them out at the best time of the day,
dawn.
2. Harris isn’t the easiest place
especially when the water is clear and the suns up but you still
should be able to catch plenty.
3. Place the rod tips in the water and
watch. You will be amazed what they show up.
4. The components needed to fish the
flat-bed feeder.
5. Keep your options open.
6. Place your hookbait within the mould
first.
7. The end product but what one will
work best?
8. Duncan bent into a good carp.
9. Crab and Krill Pellets through the
feeder along with a choice of hookbaits.
10. The helicopter rig, simply
devastating.
11. Sometimes I prefer a stop knot as a
distance reference marker.
12. Mill Farm not just a carp and
silver bream venue.
13. A night session on a day ticket
venue produced this near 20lb common and was taken on the helicopter
rig as mentioned.
14. My mate Chris with a big perch from
Mill Farm Fishery and again on the helicopter rig.
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