Moody dont worry mate,you aint alone in finding Upper Tamar a bit tricky.Lower Tamar I aint a got a clue so Im looking for info on that one.Here's what I do know and think about upper Tamar.
Ive only fished it since last year and my first Carp was an upper double,not massive but a new fish from new water etc and I thought that will do nicely for a start.I'll catch a few of these whilst I work out where the bigger one's are.
Little did I know that that was gonna big my biggest so far.Since then they got smaller and smaller and smaller.
Now as far as fish stocks,well its stuffed with Roach and Ive had a few bream.Carp stocks are a grey area.No one I have spoken to actually seems to know how many fish are present.There definately are a few upper 20's,a fair amount of tiny stunted commons.A couple of Carp appear well fed(probably the strain)but the majority of the Carp I have seen are thin and look in need of a good meal.
I have also heard a story of a Giant Common(every lake seems to have one)..I would ask where has it come from,whats it gonna eat etc,how come no ones seen it??
I have fished lots of big waters some well stocked some with a handfull of Carp and yet its still possible to find fish once you know where to look.Yet on Tamar I've only seen a handfull of Carp roll.So I would be inclined to say that there aint alot of Carp.If they were there more would be caught and seen.My opinion only tho.
The 2 areas I fancied a fish from are the only area's that I have managed to catch from and even that was unpredictable.I have fished many other swims just to try to get a better picture of the lake,all with no success.The Carp seem to be very mobile,I have found nothing to note in the way of features weed beds or holding areas,the water apart from insect life seems fairly rocky,deep cold and barren.Tamar is still a young water so it might get better but I feel the overall location and topography of it will heed the requirements for large Carp growth.Anglers I have spoke to say that picking a swim a hopeing they turn up is what most do.Which is Camping not Angling and the main reason why I have stopped fishing it at the moment,untill the weather warms up when a fish may be on the cards.
Im sure a water like this would respond to sustained pre baiting but is it worth it for the size of the fish you are gonna catch.
Hope this is of any help