Fishing new carp lakes and the benefits of prebaiting for carp.

So you have purchased your permit to fish a new carp lake, what's next? What I would normally do is spend some time researching the venue and the carp within it. From large to small waters the same approach has worked for me time and again. Make a few trips in advance, not to fish, just to observe and tune in to the environment. Try to learn the habits of the fish. Polaroid sunglasses are a key item to carry with you. They help to eliminate surface glare and help you to see through the water.

Carp and the wind

On large gravel pits, carp will nearly always follow a big wind, especially a new wind blowing from the southwest. Southwesterly winds are by far the best winds because they are the warmest. Carp follow these new winds because they know natural food items will be carried by them. Locating the bank where the southerly wind blows is a tactic employed by most experienced carp anglers. In such conditions the carp will often be in the margins. Often they will be a few feet from the windward bank as the waves crash in.

Small carp lakes

On small more intimate lakes carp will often ignore wind direction in favor of security and safety. On these small lakes stealth is important and on the first trips to observe the lake you will always see more by remaining quite and blending in to the lake and its surroundings. On such waters look for features like lily beds, reed beds and other interesting areas. Carp in these smaller lakes will often be a little more crafty and careful than there large water cousins. This is mainly due to there coming into contact with anglers and carp baits far more often. Carp rigs may need to be refined and adapted to take into account the careful feeding nature of these fish.

Never ignore the margins

When approaching any new venue I always study the margins as much of the time that is where I will fish. Even on large gravel pits the margins can still one of the best features. After the first initial visit you should have a few likely looking areas in mind. Taking a rod with you is a good idea. I avoid the usual plumbing set-up in favor of just a sensitive rod coupled with a 2 ounce lead.

At this point I am not too interested in the various depths, just the feel and nature of the bottom. I will cast the lead and slowly draw it back feeling through the tip of the rod for anything unusual, such as smooth clay areas, gravel or weed. I will spend much time feeling the margins, again looking for gravel or hard clear spots in the edge or depth variations. You should be able to judge the approximate depth by counting how long it takes the lead to hit the bottom. These same tactics can be employed on any water. A couple of hours spent employing these methods will often pay dividends.

Don't waste the winter

Winter is a good time to do some preparation in the form of plumbing to find the various depths and contours. There will be few other anglers around for you to annoy and the fish will be less active so you can spend ample time investigating and preparing. Preparation is paramount, in carp fishing it really is a case of the more you put in the more you will be rewarded. While others are sat in front of the tv you can take the opportunity to learn and fine tune your knowledge.

Prebaiting for carp

Once you have found a couple of spots your happy with then you could start baiting them. The effectiveness of prebaiting cannot be underestimated. Taking the time to visit your lake with a couple of kilo's of bait a few times a week will have the fish soon feeding on your bait. The longer you can do this the more confident the carp will become until, eventually your feel the time is right to place a baited carp rig in the water and reap the benefits of all that hard work. This is the single best method in your carp fishing armory. The longer you can do this without actually fishing the more chance you will have of a carp picking up your baited rig. I will normally look to pre-bait a couple of spots for at least 3 weeks. Try to pick an area where you know other anglers aren't likely to visit. The last thing you want is for some-one else to reap the benefits of your hard work, never mind the expense!

Best baits for prebaiting for carp

Is there a best bait to pre-bait with? Well I can certainly recommend some and mention some I wouldn't use. The number one best bait to pre bait for carp with has to be boilies. Quality boilies are are full of ingredients which are good for the carp and they seem to know this. Feeding the carp on a good food source like boilies will have them returning again and again to your baited areas.

From large windswept gravel pits to small intimate ponds, these methods will help you succeed in your carp fishing.

author : paul@aboutcarp.co.uk