{"id":26295,"date":"2019-09-25T20:36:37","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T19:36:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/?p=26295"},"modified":"2021-12-07T14:56:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T13:56:09","slug":"tackling-smaller-lakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/tackling-smaller-lakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling Smaller Lakes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Looking for a new carp fishing challenge? Think small\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intimate pools. Big carp. Minimal\nangler pressure. Chuck in a fat bloke and a tree, you\u2019ve got Christmas – right?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, maybe not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, as  I write this, four very capable carp anglers are\n\u2018blanking up a storm\u2019 on my own one-acre pond which \u2013 for the record \u2013 is home\nto a substantial head of fish approaching (actually, possibly by now exceeding)\n40lbs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angling Lines has several similarly\n\u2018diminutive\u2019 French ponds on their books; many of which are available on an\nexclusive basis to small groups of anglers. And they\u2019re extensively stocked too\n\u2013 with 100s of carp to 50lbs+.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given this you\u2019d be forgiven for thinking\nsaid carp will be climbing up your rods, from the minute you open the\nTransporter doors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019d be wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, small waters can be tougher nuts\nto crack than big, windswept gravel pits: though the carp in these ponds may\nhave fewer places to hide, they will of necessity wise-up fast. And they are\nmistresses of their own domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On warmer, sunnier days, you may spot the\nlion\u2019s share of the stock congregating in a quiet corner of the lake \u2013 eschewing\nevery bait, rig and presentation (save gelignite) that anglers choose to throw\nat them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, when the temperature (and pressure) drop,\nyou\u2019d be forgiven for thinking there wasn\u2019t so much as a pasty in the pond \u2013\nforcing you to draw deep on your watercraft, guile and rig-smarts to buy a\nbite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carp fishing on small, pressured waters can be a challenge. But approach them correctly and the rewards will follow…<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The greatest edge I\ncan suggest when targeting smaller venues: a lake exclusive booking \u2013 hiring\nthe entire lake, either by yourself or with a small group of likeminded\nanglers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This takes one of the key variables – angler\npressure \u2013 out of the equation; eliminating the need to double-guess what \u2018the\ncompetition\u2019 is up to and allowing you to focus solely on finding and fooling\nthe fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a couple of Angling Lines\u2019 more intimate\npools which are available for exclusive hire include Bletiere<\/a> – which is stocked with roughly 150 carp to\nover 40lb – and Eau De Vie, a spring fed two-acre lake which, being new\nto the portfolio, is home to a stock of relatively na\u00efve fish approaching an\nimpressive 50lbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading you, no doubt, to wonder: How hard could\nit be? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact is, though, even the recent stockies\nin our pond  \u2013 all of which are well in\nexcess of 20lbs, with appetites to match – know when they\u2019re being fished for;\nand appear remarkably adept at picking out and avoiding rigs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By its very nature, small water fishing is\nabout stealth. There\u2019s no need for big leads or big pits, here; rather, more successful\nsmall-water anglers adopt a sneaky-beaky \u2018Scope\u2019 style approach: decked out in\nthe drabbest of camo; creeping through the more overgrown, treelined margins; staying\nlow to the skyline, eyes peeled for the tiniest signs of feeding fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since many of these ponds are just a couple\nof acres \u2013 and many even smaller \u2013 tracking down the fish is seldom too onerous\na task. Finding where they feel confident feeding \u2013 and are catchable \u2013\nhowever; well that\u2019s an altogether different challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with any unfamiliar lake, a little\nresearch can pay dividends \u2013 allowing you to shortcut the learning curve and\nget catching quicker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With\nthis in mind, the Angling Lines<\/a> website contains detailed venue descriptions,\nlake maps and pics, as well as \u2018warts and all\u2019 reviews from previous visitors.\nAnd of course the many forums, Facebook and other social media enable you to\ntap into an extended network of anglers to help to fill any gaps regarding your\npreferred pond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Knowing the main characteristics of the lake before you travel can help you formulate a plan of action \u2013 and determine the tackle and bait you\u2019ll likely need.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/em>Of course, any and all advice you receive should\nbe taken with a liberal dollop of salt. Carp are contrary creatures, affected\nby myriad variables \u2013 from changing weather conditions to prior angler pressure\nand the presence of natural food – so you should never kickstart your session\nbased solely on preconceived ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather, a thorough recce should always be the\nfirst order of business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which means donning the polaroids, grabbing a\nbucket of bait, and having a good look around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And taking your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, you\u2019ll want to get fishing fast \u2013 but\nwith a week or more at your disposal it really will pay you to familiarise\nyourself thoroughly with the challenge at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Getting to know your swim before casting a line can spell the difference between a whacker and a washout. <\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Approach each swim quietly; stay well back\nfrom the edge, watching for boils and bubbles, cloudy or coloured water –  signs that carp have stirred up the bottom in\nsearch of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is far more important on smaller ponds, where\nthe fish are constantly on their guard, wary and easily spooked; and may thus\nfeed confidently only in short bursts, and on \u2018spots within spots\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s within these micro-locations – holes in\nthe weed, small gravel patches amid the silt, and so on \u2013 that you should place\nyour bait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And like it or loathe it, finding these areas,\nwith minimal disturbance, is best achieved with a Deeper or Smartcast, as you\ncan be sure: \u2018leading around\u2019 will have the carp running (well, swimming) for\ncover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Islands, overhangs and plateaus are always worth targeting. <\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If the lake bed is relatively featureless, the slightest variation in the substrate can mean the difference between a bite and a blank: so \u2018there or thereabouts\u2019 just won\u2019t cut it… <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, the biggest and most obvious feature\non any lake is the margin where, fish can often be nicked out of the edge as\nthey go about their daily routine – either picking up discarded baits or following\ntheir natural patrol routes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are few more exciting styles of fishing\nthan watching your quarry hoover up your free offerings at your feet. So during\nthe days \u2013 and maybe nights too \u2013 consider leaving the bulk of your kit in the bivvy\n(or gite) and setting out with your staking gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seek out the most awkward, unfished and unfancied\nareas, which are invariably overlooked by more \u2018sedentary\u2019 anglers; lowering\nbaits into nooks and crannies \u2013 anywhere you can safely land a fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scatter a few pellets, particles and crumbed\nboilies in likely areas close to snags, between bushes, alongside reed beds,\npads, weed rafts and the like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bait a handful of spots; then  return to them in rotation, looking for signs\nof carpy activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have carp feeding confidently in an\narea, you\u2019re ready to lower a rig. But what rig?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, to my mind, the watchwords are efficient,\nunobtrusive, and strong; capable of withstanding screaming initial runs, and\nenabling you to bully fish away from snags if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My preference: going \u2018full Crabtree\u2019 – either\nfreelining a trimmed-down boilie; or float-fishing a worm or a couple of grains\nof corn; techniques which can account for cagier fish that may spook off more conventional\n\u2013 and thus familiar – line angles and lead set-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whichever approach you adopt, stealth is the\norder of the day; so stay well back from the water\u2019s edge; or, if possible,\nwalk your rod back along the margin, out of sight of the feeding fish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
On more intimate venues, you\u2019ll often be fishing just over the nearside reed stems; so bankside noise must be kept to a minimum. <\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This might sound fairly obvious. But if I had\na fiver for every time I\u2019ve seen anglers crashing along the banks, hammering in\nbank sticks and bivvy pegs, shouting to mates, and so on, well: I\u2019d have paid\noff my mortgage several years sooner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of disturbance can result in every\ncarp within 100 yards \u2013 and in these smaller pools, almost ALL the carp may be\nwithin 100 yards! – hightailing it to the opposite bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The early evening\nis a great time to nick a bonus biggie (or two) by fishing down the edge; leaving\nthe carp to move in on your main baited areas – gaining in confidence whilst your\nlines are out of the water.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Selective surface fishing can help you pick out the lake\u2019s bigger specimens.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Of course you shouldn\u2019t just concentrate on\nplacing a bait on the deck. Where conditions \u2013 and rules \u2013 allow, floater\nfishing is one of the most selective methods there is for picking out the bigger\ncarp; allowing you to literally lower your bait, which may be a freelined piece\nof bread crust, mixer or whittled-down pop-up, right onto the nose of your\ntarget fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All well and good; but what of your main  \u2018plot\u2019; where should you pitch your tent for\nat least the first night or maybe two?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, assuming you\u2019ve elected to bivvy-up,\nrather than take advantage of the \u2018mod cons\u2019 afforded by a nearby gite, then\nthe usual rules apply: when choosing  a\nswim, time spent watching and listening is seldom time wasted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On smaller ponds, however, there\u2019s another\ntechnique that can work really well when it comes to fish location \u2013 especially\nwhen you\u2019ve nothing more concrete to go on – and that\u2019s: fishing for liners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a semi-slack line (so as not to spook\nwary fish) combined with a light bobbin, cast your rigs to where,\ninstinctively, you think the carp might be. Then, as you start get line bite, lifts\non the bobbin, recast a little shorter \u2013 the inference being that the fish are located\nbetween you and the rig. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If, on the other hand, you don\u2019t receive any\nindication, try recasting a couple of rod lengths either side.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rinse and repeat, till you start getting\nliners and you\u2019re happy you\u2019re in \u2018the zone\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then start small \u2013 \u2018fishing for bites\u2019 using tiny\nmesh bags, stringers and so forth \u2013 only introducing bait as the session progresses\nand the runs develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And moving if they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which leads us to the final piece of the\npuzzle: bait presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here again, camouflage is key. So once you\u2019ve\nselected your spot(s),  pin everything\ndown using, ideally, fluorocarbon mainlines, flying back leads, back leads, and\neither leadcore, fast-sinking leaders or tungsten tubing, as the rules dictate.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rigs-wise, there\u2019s no need\nto reinvent the wheel: instead, keep things simple, with proven and dependable presentations\nthat you know work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact is,  carp are carp \u2013 be they residing in larger\ngravel pits or intimate pools; in the UK or on the continent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, don\u2019t waste time experimenting with this week\u2019s jingly-jangly wonder rig; provided your hooks are sharp, turn and deliver solid hookholds, stick with the tried and true; and look forward to the kinds of screaming takes and intense battles that keep so many \u2018small minded\u2019 carpers coming back to ponds like ours, over and over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Calder<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking for a new carp fishing challenge? Think small\u2026 Intimate pools. Big carp. Minimal angler pressure. Chuck in a fat bloke and a tree, you\u2019ve got Christmas – right? Well, maybe not. In fact, as  I write this, four very capable carp anglers are \u2018blanking up a storm\u2019 on my own one-acre pond which \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26296,"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":[1,1113,889],"tags":[1117,1078,1120,1119,1121,1124,1114,1123,1116,1115,1118,1125,1122],"class_list":["post-26295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-carp-fishing-news","category-steve-calder","category-carp-tactics-and-watercraft","tag-angling-lines","tag-carp-fishing","tag-carp-fishing-france","tag-carp-fishing-in-france","tag-carp-france","tag-carp-rigs","tag-fishing-france","tag-fishing-holiday","tag-fishing-holidays","tag-french-carp","tag-french-carp-fishing","tag-french-carp-lakes","tag-lakes-in-france"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"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=26295"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27363,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26295\/revisions\/27363"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}