Keeping carp coming throughout a session can be difficult to achieve at this time of year but Graham West reveals his simple fix to the problem
WHEN the water is still a little on the chilly side in early spring it can be tricky to know what approach is most likely to serve you best.
Temperatures well into double figures one day can spur optimism of the fish feeding well, only for us to be faced with harsh ground frosts and bright skies a day or two later that knock the fishing back again.
During these highly unpredictable weeks, you need all your options covered when you visit a commercial venue if you want to catch consistently throughout the day.
Today, I’ve come to Alders Farm in Buckinghamshire to target Ash Lake. Packed to the rafters with carp, it has shown signs of coming out of its winter slumber, as the tightly packed shoals slowly begin to disperse.
It’s clear from recent sessions that they haven’t fully awakened just yet, though. Bites often come in short bursts. Plunder one spot for too long and you’ll waste precious time, so a busy day of swim rotation is key to avoiding frequent lulls in sport.
With the water still very clear and the weather turning cold once again, I need to give myself the best possible chance of keeping in touch with the fish while working out the best feeding tactic on the day.
Keeping busy
If you’ve got carp in your swim at the start, they’ll probably want to stay in front of you for the whole session. It’s unlikely that they’ll remain rooted in one zone, though, and the commotion of a couple being hooked will keep them on the move.
They’re easily spooked at this time of year, and they’ll often move a couple of metres away and continue with this pattern as the day progresses. It’s almost impossible to get one line to produce for a prolonged spell, which is why you need to remain active.
I set up a single pole rig and a feeder rod, using them in various areas of the swim as the day pans out.
Priming pole lines
The fish won’t settle close to the bank when the water is this clear, and that’s why my pole efforts are concentrated at 14.5m.
I’ve plumbed up two lines – one to the left and the other to the right – and they will be fed very differently. My left-hand line will receive a single ball of SonuBaits Thatchers groundbait with a few pinkies included. This will give me the chance of catching some skimmers and the odd carp early if the fishing is harder than expected.
However, the activity produced by any skimmers is bound to trigger the curiosity of the carp and enti
