i can`t fish!

[Guest rabbit]

Why dont you tell us what method you plan to use for your next trip? I think in your case its not a case of just bad luck, just a lack of knowledge, which should give you hope. In my opinion luck has got nothing at all to do with fishing, its all about preparation, watercraft and experience. Don't be anxious, relax, enjoy and you will catch.

[bbigbbob]

i think you`re right its lack of knowledge on my part. i can tie the knots and cast ok but i think that rigging the line correctly and plumbing the depth correctly is probably letting me down. also i think i`ve missed bites because i`m not sure when to strike. i never thought there was so much to it, when you see people fishing it looks so easy.

thanks for the tips though , its making me want to try again.

[Huw]

If we landed a fish every time, it would be called catching. Patience and a few tips will grt you there. Tried chatting to the other anglers, I've found the guys around the lakes where I fish really helpful. They know the water, it's various depths, and the hot spots, them and the ubiquitous IYCF, and its game on my son.

Tight lines.

[Steve Burke]

Bob, one tip that's rarely mentioned in books and articles is to ensure that you keep the line tight to the float. If you don't you'll miss a lot of bites. In particular, a breeze can often cause a big bow to form in your line. So until you're more experienced find a swim where the wind is blowing either in your face or from behind you.

 

To help ensure you don't have too much slack, lightly touch the line by the reel just before the float lands. This is called "feathering the line".

 

On a stillwater you also need to sink the line. This is because the surface water gets blown by the wind, whilst the water underneath travels the opposite way. With a floating line the float (and therefore your bait as well) will travel with the wind, which will appear unnatural to the fish.

 

Most lines float (which is usually best for fishing flowing water), but you can make them sink by adding diluted washing-up liquid to the spool of the reel. Better still use a sinking line such as Drennan Specimen Plus, Maxima or (best of all in my opinion) Gold Label Pro Gold.

 

Cast further than where you want to end up and quickly put the rod tip under the water and sharply wind back a turn or two of the reel. This will help sink the line.

 

I'd suggest you start off by fishing just on the bottom. I'm assuming you know how to plumb the depth, but if not jusk ask and we'll be pleased to help.

 

Magazines like the excellent "Improve Your Coarse Fishing" will give you diagrams showing how to set up a waggler float (one attached bottom end only) and where to put the shot. You can also find such information on the internet.

 

The best hook size to use primarily depends on the size of the bait you're using, but also on the size of the fish and whether there are any snags etc. The same goes for the breaking strain of the line. It would be useful to know a liitle more about the water you're fishing. Are there other species, what size they are and details of any snags etc?

 

As has already been mentioned, if you just want to maximise the chance of catching a fish, regardless of species or size, maggots are a good bet. This is because almost any fish, big or small will eat them.

 

One of the most important points about fishing this sort of water in particular is getting your feeding right. I'd start by putting a handful of maggots into your swim as you set up (away from the bank so as not to spook the fish), and then feed "little and often". By this I mean maybe a dozen maggots every couple of minutes until you start getting bites. Then feed whenever you get a bite. This feed rate is only a guess though as what's best will vary from water to water and from day to day. However, little and often is the key - and something that even many experienced anglers forget.

 

At the very beginning it can be hard as there's a lot to remember. If you learn correctly though right from the off it'll save you getting into bad habits, that are often hard to put right.

 

However, it'll suddenly fall into place, and before you know where you are you'll be catching regularly!

 

[ 21. September 2005, 03:09 PM: Message edited by: Steve Burke ]

[bikenut]

Whereabouts are you fishing bbigbob?

bikenut

[bbigbbob]

i`m not really sure how to plumb the depth properly. i havn`t been keeping my line tight so i`ll be doing that next time. i did feed regulally last time with red maggots. as far as i know there are only roach and carp in there ( royal berkshire fisheries in windsor ).

[frodo_uk]

Hi bbigbbob and may i start by saying welcome to anglers net. As you have already discovered we're a freindly bunch and always eager to help beginners (we all were once) so keep asking away put the advice into practice and you'll soon be able to show us all your first uk catch.Take a camera with you

Now to your plumbing question... first you need a plummet. these come either in a clip on form or a cone shape with an eye at the top to thread your hook and line through and a strip of cork on the bottom to push your hook into. both are made from lead or a heavy metal. So with your plummet on the hook you cast your float in (no weights on yet just hold your float in place with float rubbers). If your float sinks you are not fishing deep enough, if your float lies flat (unless its a self cocking float (weight already on it))then you are too deep. the idea is that your float sits upright in the water with just the the tip showing. now you are exactly on the bottom. reel in, set your weights, and robert is truly your mothers brother.

[frodo_uk]

quote:

---

Go to a fishery that has lots of silver fish (roach etc) and have fun!

---

This is also great advice, fishing for carp is great fun but can mean playing the waiting game. If your feeling dispondent and need a confidence booster tackle up with three or four pound line eighteen hooks and do some maggot bashing with the silver fish (roach chub bream dace perch ect) it'll inspire you to continue on to greater things and give you much needed experience. all the above applys exactly the same.

[Guest wotsit]

HI BOB one of the best things to is find a mate or someone you know and go with them and ask em to show you before you get blinded by science then what you read on here may start to make sense and dont give up we all have days were we dont catch

[Bally]

bbigbbob, I'm not too far from royal berkshire. If you want I could meet you there one day next week and give you a few pointers. i.e. setting up and feeding etc. I don't know the venue that well, but been there a couple of times. It would have to be mid-week though, can't make week-ends.

 

Just don't give up too soon.