| How can you really get the best carp fishing | | | | Feeding lots of these tiny bait pieces in |
| results when things really hot up? How many | | | | your swim over a reasonable period of hours |
| anglers have not yet savoured the joy of | | | | can make carp go crazy for sure, even better |
| summer carp fishing and all the great | | | | than using dog mixers on pressured waters... |
| opportunities and experiences of great | | | | A competitively feeding big carp is easier to |
| catches, that summer brings? | | | | catch, but achieving multiple competitively |
| | | | feeding big carp in your swim is far better! |
| Surface fishing is possibly your favourite | | | | |
| method of all. Actually watching the | | | | In extremely hot summer conditions, do bear |
| movements of the fish you are about to hook | | | | in mind conditions. Cover-up against the sun. |
| is so exciting! The subject of surface bait | | | | Sun block is not enough, heat induced |
| silhouettes, shading and colours are | | | | headaches and sun stroke and even dehydration |
| interesting, as is the ability of your bait | | | | are not pleasant while fishing! So if you're |
| to move in as natural a way as possible and | | | | new to hot weather carp fishing, be prepared |
| obscuring of the hook too. | | | | to take plenty of water and equipment to make |
| | | | your own shade if needed. A 'bivvy' can turn |
| Plastic baits are available flavoured now and | | | | from shade into a baking oven, leaving you |
| some can be made to glow in the dark too. | | | | nicely roasted and feeling quite ill in very |
| It's not really surprising that baits such as | | | | hot conditions. Even that cool box of beer |
| 'glowing' artificial corn can be as effective | | | | may not save you! |
| in day time as in the dark. When used in | | | | |
| conjunction with other baits like pellets, | | | | Please remember though, if you're hot, then |
| boilies, particles etc to enhance the carp's | | | | any fish you land certainly will be also. |
| attentions they do demonstrate a proven edge. | | | | De-oxygenated water, contact with a hot carp |
| Plastic baits are great for simultaneously | | | | mat (even when watered down) and simple |
| offsetting the weight of your hook, and | | | | stress from handling, can easily induce shock |
| changing the behaviour of your rig too. | | | | in more weakened fish. These may be spawn |
| | | | bound, or in post spawning recovery. Many |
| Floating corn is fairly new to the scene in | | | | spawn bound fish are likely to be very big, |
| the UK as is giant corn. Pink and white | | | | and very vulnerable and perhaps some of the |
| marshmallows are a good sweet alternatives. | | | | biggest residents of your water. |
| The variety of multicoloured floating candies | | | | |
| that can be exploited is amazing. For those | | | | Especially at times directly after or between |
| of you more natural bait oriented air | | | | spawning, many big fish are very susceptible |
| injected worms of different types, dipped in | | | | to being caught, being ravenous and energy |
| additives can really work well, although the | | | | depleted. But they are most at risk of |
| ethics may need considering here... | | | | suffering from shock when caught and in the |
| | | | case of high density stocked very small |
| Using large quantities of floating maggots | | | | waters with little shade, this can be lethal. |
| and casters on the surface as chum can be | | | | Please be prepared not to fish if this could |
| devastating and on waters where this has | | | | be a risk! (If the forecast is 90 degrees |
| already been done, the additive and flavoured | | | | perhaps it's best to head for the beach and |
| oversprays can be a great edge too. | | | | not that small commercial lake!) |
| | | | |
| Floating fish pellets of many types from pond | | | | Just as a side note, especially in the UK, if |
| sticks and pellets to floating salmon pellets | | | | you fish a small commercial lake with a high |
| etc, have always worked well. Using tiny | | | | fish stocking with no oxygenating weed or |
| floating pellets soaked in additives is | | | | pump and fish behaviour and catches indicate |
| another edge where standard sized dog | | | | that severe de-oxygenation of the water is |
| biscuits have been over-used in the past. | | | | taking place, take action. Insist that a pump |
| Just as with bottom baits, it pays to mix | | | | is installed and turned on. I fished one |
| different sizes, colours, flavours, oil | | | | water where the pumps were not in use which |
| contents, weights etc together, to confuse | | | | led to an easily avoidable big fish death. |
| your carp. Even spotting your own hook bait | | | | (It's no good having 'emergency pumps' if |
| can be impossible when using this approach! | | | | they're not in use when obviously needed; it |
| | | | takes time to re-oxygenate a water!) So |
| In very hot weather, adding cork or foam etc | | | | please make management responsible especially |
| to float any sinking type bait, including any | | | | if the water has a record of fish wipe-outs |
| boilie is good, especially if that boilie | | | | due to de-oxygenation! |
| used is the dominant catching one that water | | | | |
| at the time. Making a homemade buoyant base | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait |
| mix and simply rolling it flat and chopping | | | | 'edges' up his sleeve. Every single one can |
| into small pieces, then air-drying these | | | | have a huge impact on catches. (Warning: This |
| pieces is a great alternative. You can pack | | | | article is protected by copyright.) |
| them full of your chosen attractors and go | | | | |
| fishing extremely confident indeed! | | | | By Tim Richardson. |
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