TOM MAKER IS NO STRANGER TO CATCHING CARP, HERE HE EXPLAINS HIS TOP TIPS TO GETTING THE BEST FROM WEEDY GRAVEL PITS…
A lot of my fishing and the way I go about it remains similar, no matter what time of the year it is. In the summer though, I do make a few tweaks to what I do, which I believe gets me more bites. Most of the lakes that I fish have a good stock of carp and by summertime, they would have normally spawned.
When you fish for carp during the summer months, there can be large periods of inactivity, due to the heat, but there will be bite windows when they will feed with gusto. The fish are empty and often ravenous, so putting a bed of food in an area that they are happy to feed in will always stand you in good stead.
The weed growth flourishes in the warmer months and this is where the carp will often feel most safe. If they are spending their time during the day lazing around in weed beds, they won’t travel too far to find their food.
At times they can become preoccupied on the natural food larder, but this is often down to the fact that eating bait carries a risk of getting caught. The trick is to put a lot of bait in an area that they feel comfortable eating in and they won’t be able to resist.
I spend a lot of time casting a bare lead around, searching for clear areas close to dense weed growth. Once I have found something, I then use a grappling lead to reveal exactly what’s on the bottom. If it’s old, black silkweed, then I avoid it, but if it there’s some fresh green weed then I would happily fish over it. I do prefer super clean gravel, but often the smooth areas that have a light layer of silkweed are where the fish will be much happier feeding.
I tend to use particles more in the summer months and have recently found success with not only standard hemp, but also peanuts. Crushed peanuts are very visual on the lakebed and I think the crunch factor helps with the attraction, too. Of course, no mix would be complete without boilies and The Krill is perfect for use in the warmer months. I always mix in a few liquids too, as when the bait is gone, the scent of the liquids stays, and continues working for you.
ONCE I HAVE FOUND THE SPOT THAT I AM LOOKING FOR, I APPLY SOME BAIT!
A STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO THE IDEAL MIX FOR FISHING IN WEED
When it comes to quantities, I like to go in heavy, especially if I am happy with the swim and the spot that I am fishing. If I know the carp are on me, I would happily go straight in with half or even a full bucket of bait, depending on the weather conditions. The lakes that I fish, such as Farlow’s, Thorney, Linear and so on, hold large numbers of big carp and when a few of these descend on a spot, it is amazing how much they get through.
STEP 2
Then add a good helping of hemp and peanuts.
STEP 6
The finished mix is full of small food items and heaps of attraction.
IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT TANGLES, HOOK ON A SMALL PVA BAG!
Fishing like this in weedy areas has helped me catch some amazing carp and have some really good hits too. The key is to work the swim and capitalise when the times are right. If the action is coming in the morning, make sure you have plenty of rigs tied up and make the most of the short windows of opportunity.
EXTRA HINTS & TIPS
Here are a couple of Tom’s top tips for being successful when fishing in weedy areas:
The rig I use for most of my fishing in weed is the 360 rig. I believe it is the most efficient rig out there and have used it for many years. There is a lot of negativity surrounding the rig, but there are a few things that you can do to ensure that it doesn’t create any problems. Aside from these points that are easily fixed, the rig is super effective and allows you to fish a balanced pop-up very low to the lakebed. The hook spins round 360 degrees and so too does the hookbait, meaning that no matter what direction the fish sucks in the bait, the hook turns, and catches hold straight away.
When using the 360 Rig, it is important to unhook each fish you catch in the net. This avoids any mouth damage by stopping the swivel/hook eye getting caught in the mesh when you lift your prize out of the water. This can also be avoided with a small piece of silicone tubing placed over the eye of your hook.
As far as my gear goes, all of it is gunned to be as strong as possible. I tend to use a minimum of 28lb main line if not 23lb, to avoid cut offs. Lead clips and snag leaders are a huge help too, as they allow me to drop my leads in heavy weed and be in direct contact with any fish I hook, without fear of losing any.
I like to use a 14mm pop-up in either pink or white. The Signature Squids are my go-to hookbait and I trim them down until the bait sinks nice and slowly. When the fish are feeding on small food items, I want my hookbait to behave as they would do. On its own the rig will sit nicely with a balanced hookbait and shouldn’t tangle, but if you are worried about it tangling, just nick on a PVA bag of pellets.
REFLECTIONS
Follow Tom through two sessions on the wonderful Thorney Weir, a 20-acre day-ticket venue in West Drayton. Using his tried and trusted tactics, throughout the summer and late autumn, you won’t want to miss this.
