40lb+ carp caught with accurate spodding
One of the most productive methods for multiple captures of any species of fish, is by accurate presentation of both loose feed, boilies and the hookbait to a small area in open water.
The first task is to locate a possible feeding area that is within casting distance, to present a carpet of feed and your hookbait. The requirements for this are
1. a marker rod,
2. a spod rod
3. 2, 3 or 4 Fishing rods.
The first rod that you should use is the marker rod which can find the depth of water, the contours of the lake bed and the texture of the make up of the lake bed. Once a fishing spot is located, allow the float to rise to the surface and pick a point on the skyline that the float is lined up with. Either record this or memorise the location.
Wind the line back until you feel the marker hit the lead on the line, so that the marker is now on the lake bottom. Mark up the main line of the marker rod, at the butt ring of the rod with electrical tape or pole elastic. Once you are happy that it is properly marked, reel in the line.
Our next step is to mark up the spod rod and the fishing rods for that that baited area.
To do this, place 2 bank sticks, say 4 meters apart.
1. Take the marker rod and secure the marker and secure it at the base of one of the bank sticks.
2. Pass the line around both bank sticks bearing in mind each length of line is a 4 meter length.
3. Count the number of lengths of line that you have passed around the bank sticks, until you come to the electrical tape or pole elastic on the main line.So if you have 10 lengths of line which equals 40 meters, along with 3 meters of line extra towards the reel, you are fishing a distance of 43 meters.
4. Wind all the line back onto the reel and move onto the spod rod.
5. Secure the spod to the base of a bank stick, and again pass the line around both bank sticks. Pass the line around 10 times again leaving 3 meters of line towards the reel. Mark the line with electrical tape or pole elastic and reel the line back onto the reel.
6. Follow this procedure with your fishing rods, only this time for each rod, secure the lead and hook bait to the bank stick. Again at the 43 meter mark mark up your line.
You have now accurately marked up all your rods. There is no need to put the marker rod out again. Having located the memorised point on the sky line, cast the loaded spod rod until the electrical tape or pole elastic mark is at the Butt ring. Repeat this and you can accurately present a bed of bait.
The baited rods can be cast out without the marker rod being out in the water, again placing baits at a point when the mark is at the butt ring. You can recast the baited rods or spod rod as often as you like, as all the rods are accurately marked.
Tight Lines
Paul Cooper.
Standard tactics for fishing UK waters where boats are not allowed, but in France on most lakes baitboats are permitted, and if everyopne else is using them you will probably be putting yourself at a disadvantage if you choose not to. If you have a boat with a sounder all that you need to do is find your spots with that, drop your hookbait and free offerings, mark your lines and use a feature on the far bank for direction, then use the markers on the lines to drop the bait in exactly the same spot.
Jon wrote :” Standard tactics for fishing UK waters where boats are not allowed, but in France on most lakes baitboats are permitted, and if everyopne else is using them you will probably be putting yourself at a disadvantage if you choose not to.”
These methods also work very well abroad and on some weeks we have fished, have outscored the bait boat anglers quite cosiderably (probably due to the bigger spread of bait and topping the swim up more often via a couple of spods at regular intervals).
Also just because everyone else is using a bait boat doesn’t mean you have too. Personally i never have and never will own one. I can’t stand the things and as such would much sooner use ‘my own abilities’ to find features and feed them accurately, getting far more satisfaction and enjoyment doing it this way than having to rely on the latest piece of electronic kit to find features and place baits. If it does cost me a few fish,then so be it, to me it’s not all about numbers.
Finally it’s worth practising these methods even if you do have a bait boat – what are you going to do if your bait boat packs whilst you are away for the week !.
Cheers,
Pat
I agree totally with you Pat.
As you are aware, I do own a bait boat, but my preference is catch fish from my own abilities. The blog was placed on the web site to help some anglers who may not be as experienced, or as wealthy, as Jon, to put the extra fish on the bank.
Not everybody has the finances to purchase a baitboat, so any help is better than none.
The advice that Jon has given is basic bait boat use and I am sure the most in-experienced angler can go to France using a bait boat and catch fish.
Carp anglers are loosing the art of casting and as Pat rightly says, if your boat breaks down,what do you do then, go home. I fish both abroad and at home and under no circumstances would I rely soley on using a baitboat. They are useful to top up your swim, but then at least cast to your chosen fishing area.
I am not anti-bait boat, but they do take a lot of skill out of angling, but everyone to there own.
I know that there are arguements about advanced technology in carp fishing but at least let us try to teach some of the newer and inexperienced anglers the art of angling.
Paul Cooper