Locating Carp in featureless Pits.

[Comus]

Can someone direct me to an article or brief me on how to locate carp on a gravel pit. I'm used to the idea of using visible features to locate target species but on a pit I fished today it's very bland, large , with no castable islands etc but known to contain a fine head of Carp. Fluked a small carp and missed a run but would like to fish it better next time.

Can't quite get my head around feature finding leads etc.

 

Thanks.

[Anthony78]

I think you are going to have to get the marker rod out. I don't fish large gravel pits but I would think its the same for any venue that has no visible features. Or you could use the wind. If you have a strong south westerley then fish with the wind in your face, but if you have a cold north easterly fish with the wind over your back. The only other thing you could do is climb any tall trees nearby as you may be lucky enough to spot fish feeding in a certain area and fish to them. But I think the marker rod is your best option.

hope this helps a little.

Ant

[Newt]

Hi Comus. Re your title, there simply is no such thing as a featureless pit.

 

Granted, some features are more obvious than others - at least to anglers - but to the fish, there are always features.

 

For instance, if the bottom has lots of contours it may take a depression of 2-5 feet to constitute a 'feature'. If things are pretty flat, a depression or a rise of 2-5 inches may be enough.

 

If the bottom is gravel, an area of 2-3 inch rocks will seem a major change. If it's mostly silt, a patch of gravel will also be a feature. Mostly clear - try near a patch of weed. Mostly weedy, try small openings. And so on.

 

I'll leave it to the experts on here to give you specifics for finding the 'features' because I mainly rely on electronics and a boat so I can't help you very much there.

 

[ 17. February 2005, 07:58 AM: Message edited by: Newt ]

[Comus]

Thanks Newt,

I think Ant's right I will have to leard how to 'read' the bottom using a marker rod and one of these pronged leads.

[CARPBUTT]

another good way of locating carp without using marker setups is to watch the water as much as possible walk around the lake looking for signs of fish topping it doesnt happen much at this time of year but it does occasionally and when they give them selves away like this it is always worth putting a rod on them i have found some of the best spots on my lake doing this and when explored later with a marker rod later could not find anything unusual about the area just try and get down to the lake as much as possible.....

[Newt]

Hi CARPBUTT and welcome to AnglersNet. Good suggestion.

[Chesh]

MARGINS MARGINS MARGINS MARGINS !!!!

 

the biggest feature on any lake

 

alternatively look for the fish to show themselves, might mean endless hours of nothing but in some cases it can beat thrashing the water to a foam with a marker float

[Comus]

Thanks all,

Carpbutt et al, if I see fish showing themselves at say 0900hrs one morning does that suggest a place they will be at other times or just at 0900hrs in the morning. Are there holding areas or do they roam around depending on food supply and water temp etc?

[Chesh]

do they show themselves regularly at 9am? if they do then you have found a part of the patrol route try ang build up as much information as you can about fish and there routes, late spring early summer will give you a good idea especially when the water warms up and the fish move into the margins more confidently if you can spot fish in the margins on a regular basis then your onto a winner and you can start pre baiting a few likely looking spots prebaiting by using hemp, particles, crushed and whole boilies etc.. and keep and eye on them. (obviously abide by your club rules on the particle side of things). last summer i tried to visit my lake a few days a week to put bait in, and sure enough after a few weeks of baiting i managed to keep a spot clear and had my only run of the season on this spot

 

Effort = Rewards

[southernclive]

Hi Comus

Time - spending time on a water with a plumbing rod in your hand for a few hours a couple of times a week. This time of year you will not disturb other anglers. You'll find spots to fish in the summer and be watching the water much keener than just walking round the lake.

Spend an hour in each swim to start with - noting any features - not just depth but what the bottom feels like. Write EVERYTHING down, even if you just bump across the bottom for no reason or you pull through slightly softer silt. I often use two plumbing rods so you can put one on a spot and cast around it with the other.

Even a flat lake bottom has features, build that up in your minds eye and you'll cast those spots with your eyes closed when the fish are in your chosen swim.

Good Luck