Angling Lines Blog

Mike Burt wrote:

I’m a reasonably experienced angler but new to dedicated carping and very confused about lines, braid, shock leaders, hook lengths etc.

I have all the tackle but am not sure what line to put on the reel.

What I really need is a configuration of the type of lines from my reel to the hook. Sorry if this seems basic but any help would be appreciated.

Hi Mike,

A basic question? Yes…  but one that I’m sure many new comers to carping get wrong or don’t ask. Like many specialist branches it has evolved over the years and can be confusing…

continue reading…

Simon Rooney wrote: 

Generally speaking peole have the impression that carp don’t take of the surface in France. This is of course rubbish. However this idea means that very few people try…. those that do may give it a go but soon get discouraged and give up. continue reading…

Following on from my article on early season tactics and zig rigs. Here is an article by Ian Gemson from Smart Carping on how to set up a Zig rig.

by Ian Gemson

The Zig-Rig a simple method for fishing bait mid water that has accounted for many large carp.

The Zig-Rig allows a buoyant bait to be fished from the lakebed (legered) at any set depth from a couple of inches above the lakebed right up to the water’s surface. This allows the angler to be able to present the hook bait at the depth at which the carp are either cruising or more importantly feeding.

The Zig-Rig can be used in many situations where hook bait presentation at certain depths is critical, like on the surface during hot weather, or as another example, just above light weed where normal hook bait may become hidden within the weed. Other uses may be sub-surface where carp maybe cruising, say a couple of feet below the surface, or even sub-surface where wildfowl may become a nuisance.

My preferred Zig-Rig setup is a 8lb Drennan double stretch mono hook length tied to a buffer bead setup in a running rig style,, which is fished on the lakebed (legered) and setup with a bite-alarm and indicator as you would normally.

The Zig-Rig is a tremendous rig which is very easy to setup however it is often overlooked in the carping fraternity.

continue reading…

France has had a hard winter this year, many lakes were frozen for a number of weeks at the start of 2009 and even now in the first week of April we are still getting frosts. This has naturally had its effect on water temperatures.

Water temperatures are the key to fish moving and feeding in this changing time of the season. Carp naturally look for the warmest part of the lake and so we will often see them in the margins or in the upper layers of the water. This is especially true of gravel pits and deep lakes. As the sun’s rays heat the upper layers so the fish naturally drift to the top to enjoy the new felt warmth and get their lethargic, cold bodies going.

This poses a distinct problem for anglers tackling the deeper waters… fish can often be seen, active, jumping out, swirling and causing flat spots as the break the surface, but can be hard to tempt on a bottom bait. Enter the Zig rig, a n effective way of catching fish off the bottom or in mid water…

continue reading…