{"id":26066,"date":"2019-03-01T12:04:06","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T11:04:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/?p=26066"},"modified":"2019-02-27T16:46:23","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T15:46:23","slug":"david","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/david\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spring Carp Conundrum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Spring is just around the corner; the carp are on the move, and back on the munch. Contrary to accepted wisdom, however, this may not be the time to pile in the bait; rather, a softly-softly approach is often key to early season success\u2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nnights are finally drawing in; the water temps are rising, and the carp are emerging\nfrom their winter slumber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For carp anglers, this has to be one of the\nmost rewarding times of the year; and it\u2019s a joy to be out on the bank, as the\nlakes and surrounding countryside slowly come back to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Molyneux-Spring.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26070\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Molyneux-Spring.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Molyneux-Spring-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Molyneux-Spring-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Plenty of our anglers choose French lake <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/Molyneux\/\">Molyneux<\/a> for an early season session, the venue offers 50% off until mid March and sits just 2hrs 45 from the port of Calais.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Baiting-wise however spring is an enigma, not\nleast due to the diverse weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With anglers experiencing, often, all four seasons\nin one day \u2013 from clear skies and sun, to sleet and snow \u2013\nthe best advice, initially at least, is to fish for a bite at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As\nalways, finding the fish is key. Which means watching the water for the usual\nsigns: rolling, fizzing and crashing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take\na steer from the resident birdlife, too; if they\u2019re diving in numbers they\u2019re\ndiving for a reason \u2013 and the fish won\u2019t be far behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So\nkeep your eyes peeled for coloured water, flat spots and bubbling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As\na starting point, seek out the shallower water, which will warm up far more\nquickly, drawing in the fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Explore\nthe margins, islands and bars too. And as ever the snags, where the carp feel\nmost comfortable throughout the year (and now especially).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/laroussi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26087\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/laroussi.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/laroussi-150x75.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/laroussi-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption>Big fish water <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/Laroussi\/\">Laroussi<\/a> is also a popular choice for a Spring session, with 25% off weeks in March.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And\nif all else fails, head for the north side of the lake, which will benefit from\nthe first rays of the morning sun, making it a logical place to begin if you\u2019ve\nno other signs to go on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Low\npressure fronts can have a huge impact on carp behaviour at this time of year,\nbringing with them strong, warm winds from the south or west. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But\nhowever active or otherwise the fish may\nappear, this is not the time to reach for the spod rod. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At\nleast, not right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather,\nconsider kicking off your session with a single hookbait, or small PVA bag – to\nassess the fish\u2019s mood, preferences and willingness to get their heads down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then,\nif and when you\u2019re fortunate enough to pick up a few or two, consider\nconsolidating your success: introducing a little bait, to hold the fish in your\narea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For\nmy part, I generally favour a \u2018bits and pieces\u2019 approach from February through\nApril, introducing hemp and other seeds, casters, and just a few broken boilies\nto get the fish mooching around (rather than feeding them up). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lake\nrules permitting, a handful of tigers over a few pouchfuls of hemp can be\neffective. And of course sweetcorn is a hardy perennial, the \u2018golden grains\u2019\nproviding visual appeal in clearer water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All\nof which is not to say boilies are a no-no; not a bit of it: they can be\nexceptionally effective in the spring, before the fish become pressured, and wise\nup to the little round balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nwatchword however is \u2018moderation\u2019. Bait with just a handful of boilies over\neach rod, perhaps with a brightly coloured wafter over the top. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spring\ncarp get caught on fluoros more frequently now than at any other time of the\nyear, so ignore them at your peril. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nor\nshould you become fixated on bottom-bait fishing. Generally, the warmer\nthermoclines are often higher up in the water. Which means the fish will be\nspending much of their time in the upper layers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given\nthis, a zig is always worth a try, particularly on deep, clear pits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"336\" height=\"196\" src=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Zig-Rigs1-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26092\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Zig-Rigs1-2.jpg 336w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Zig-Rigs1-2-150x88.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Zig-Rigs1-2-300x175.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px\" \/><figcaption>Zig-Rig<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Experiment\nwith different depths, baits, colours and areas to determine where the carp are\nmost comfortable \u2013 and most vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On\nthe right day, surface fishing can be a killer spring tactic too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fact\nis, it\u2019s unlikely the carp will have been targeted on the top since the\nprevious year, making them relatively easy to tempt with a well-placed mixer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though\nthe water can still be relatively cold, a couple of days\u2019 warmer weather will\nget them moving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ncarp are influenced not just by temperature, but by changing light levels too; but\nthat\u2019s not to say the longer days will trigger a pre-spawning feeding frenzy as\nin years gone by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather,\nas weather patterns have changed \u2013 the winters becoming ever milder – so has\nthe carp\u2019s behaviour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From\nnow through till April, it may be that all the fish want is a mouthful or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So a small bag and bits approach may be more effective than \u2018filling it in\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steve Calder<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spring is just around the corner; the carp are on the move, and back on the munch. Contrary to accepted wisdom, however, this may not be the time to pile in the bait; rather, a softly-softly approach is often key to early season success\u2026 The nights are finally drawing in; the water temps are rising, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[946,1,1113,889],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26066"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26066\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}