Too early for shallow fishing ?

[OldTaff]

Saturday is looming and with it my first chance to get out on the bank at my local lake. It is stocked solely with carp of all sizes up to high teens.

Initially my plan was small method feeder, 2mm pellets with wafters and/or red maggot but I walked the lake lunchtime today and saw significant small carp activity at the surface adjacent to multiple reed beds as well as a few large fish crashing about out of the water out in the middle.

I am rather desperate to christen my new pole and wondered if it is too early in the year to have a go for these little guys to get my eye in and if not then what setups & baits do people suggest?

I’m guessing light loose feeding 2mm pellets from a small cad pot with a 4mm hard pellet banded with a 16 Kamasan animal or a couple of red maggots on the hook. Have some ready made up 2m Drennan Crystal dibber (?) float rigs but will these be sensitive enough at this time of year?


Karl

 

[Silverfisher]

Going to be water dependant but you could probably catch a few on the drop (been getting a few fish that way myself) but probably too early to set up shallow. I prefer to set up full depth on the drop pretty much all the time save for when I can visibly see fish feeding up in the water which isn’t that common at the best of times let alone this early. If I’m not certain they are up I’d rather fish the full water column rather than rule out half of it.

 

[OldTaff]

Going to be water dependant but you could probably catch a few on the drop (been getting a few fish that way myself) but probably too early to set up shallow. I prefer to set up full depth on the drop pretty much all the time save for when I can visibly see fish feeding up in the water which isn’t that common at the best of times let alone this early. If I’m not certain they are up I’d rather fish the full water column rather than rule out half of it.

Thanks - where the edges of reed beds are is probably 4’ max depth at the moment so on the drop makes a lot of sense

 

[ukzero1]

A chap yesterday on our club waters got 4 Carp off the top, using those type of 'doggies' that are soft in the middle.

 

[Silverfisher]

Thanks - where the edges of reed beds are is probably 4’ max depth at the moment so on the drop makes a lot of sense

Just makes sense to me to cover all the water to start with then can either stick with it if it’s working well enough or follow them up if you’re clearly getting all your bites up in the water

 

[rudd]

Went on a night patrol last night and saw loads of fish up in the water including Tench!
Frost forecast tonight - that will put them down again.

 

[dave brittain 1]

I'd look to start on the deck feeding 6mm pellets feeding with a pot. If they're active and competing for the feed try loose feeding over the top but try to keep them down. If you start getting lots of false bite, indications and foul hookers, that's the time to look at a strung out light rig fishing on the drop and if necessary exploring the depth. I wouldn't expect to catch shallow shallow so would look at 2ft -3ft going up and down if necessary.

The biggest mistake most anglers make at this time of year is over feeding and trying to force the fish up when they aren't ready for it. In April/May you can get away with it but while many waters are still clear and the fish haven't quite woken up you are far better building the swim steadily and taking one fish at a time while trying to make sure you keep them on the bottom which although difficult will put far more fish in the net than trying to catch shallow when they aren't quite ready for it.

 

[Me and my lad]

Catching on our pond a foot deep so I would say go for it

 

[Silver fan 82]

Saturday is looming and with it my first chance to get out on the bank at my local lake. It is stocked solely with carp of all sizes up to high teens.

Initially my plan was small method feeder, 2mm pellets with wafters and/or red maggot but I walked the lake lunchtime today and saw significant small carp activity at the surface adjacent to multiple reed beds as well as a few large fish crashing about out of the water out in the middle.

I am rather desperate to christen my new pole and wondered if it is too early in the year to have a go for these little guys to get my eye in and if not then what setups & baits do people suggest?

I’m guessing light loose feeding 2mm pellets from a small cad pot with a 4mm hard pellet banded with a 16 Kamasan animal or a couple of red maggots on the hook. Have some ready made up 2m Drennan Crystal dibber (?) float rigs but will these be sensitive enough at this time of year?


Karl

I'd go and set up rigs to fish both shallow and deeper Karl. Alot of Carp on my local waters are showing and I've seen alot of fish cruising under the surface.

 

[OldTaff]

Cheers everyone - only two more sleeps to go, getting a bit excited

 

[Russamg]

Last week I fished a lake that was half frozen, as it thawed out to the right of me I caught 3 carp down the margin at a depth of about one and a half foot. I was loose feeding some maggots with 2 on an 18 hook with 1lb 14 oz hook length. The carp were about 4 or 5 lb. If I had stayed a while longer I am sure I would have had some more. So i am sure now it is warmer you will catch.

 

[robert d]

Cheers everyone - only two more sleeps to go, getting a bit excited

Try 2 swims well apart ,feed one with a pot the other with a catapult ,mostly try and keep them on the bottom as already been said but have a trial and a bit of fun on the other line ,it can happen fish up in the water now , i had great results at decoy with f1 when it was freezing . Its something to try but well away from the mainline. Tightlines

 

[mickthechippy]

Cheers everyone - only two more sleeps to go, getting a bit excited

"Polexcitus" !

 

[OldTaff]

Went for a sneaky peek at the lake on the way home - soooooo much water, at least 3’ up on December levels & only one fishable peg

On a tiny positive note there were dinky carplets topping around the reed fringes

Hoping a 6am start Saturday is early enough to bag the peg but with my luck I’ll find a bivvy on it