Lazy Angling?

Ok, you turn up to a new lake.....you can see where the fish are, so forgoe the marker, have a lead around and find a couple of spots. what do you then do, cast out the rigs that are already on the rod or make something up that you feel suits better?
do you go for something you have confidence in, even though it might not be quite right?
or dont you think it really matters - feeding fish'll pick up anything eventually?

"feeding fish'll pick up anything eventually"

Maybe eventually but in cicumstances where 'you can see where the fish are' then ur half way there its just a case of adapting to the situation, reading it right and setting your approach for 'that situation'. No good fishing hard on when the fish are having it off the top is it......or is it?

Could be contraversial!

I chuck out what I have got made up, unless its really silty, then I make one of them silt rig thingeos!

I reckon that fish will eventually pick anything up if its been there long enough!

I always remember an article by Rod Hutchison who reckoned if I remember rightly, words to the effect, that the average match anglers were better anglers than average carp anglers!

His point being that match anglers tried alsorts within a short space of time, fished at a point effectively chosen for them at the wrong time of day, and became really sharp as a result!

Whereas some carp anglers relied on a prolonged length of time in order to achieve their result!

If this is a wrong summary of your words Mr H I apologise but I did buy 'The Carp Strikes Back'.

I think Jim Gibbinson summed it up perfectly when he said "in no other sport does time substitute skill" and yes Eddie, your average match angler is more skilled without doubt, and i`m not nor have i ever been a match angler, but to be fair they often fish outside the feeding periods and in swims which they do not choose!

It depends on what you mean when you say "you can see where the fish are" Frothey.

As Wol says, it really depends on the situation. If you see them on the surface, you fish accordingly. If you have climbed a tree and can see them over a gravel bar, but probably a few feet deep. Or possibly you see them boshing at distance.

Each scenario calls for a different aproach and therefore possibly a different rig for each.

Personally I tend to have rigs already on made-up rod - two that I can use generally and one that I can use for pop-ups - possibly off the lead. There a few situations covered, and I always have a variety of hooklengths made up in a wallet so, with quick change links, its easy and quick to change rigs to suit!

Feeding fish may take one's bait eventually, but I mostly fish overnighters, I therefore have to make a bit of effort in an attempt to winkle one out, as opposed to baiting and waiting!

If any of that sense?

Correction: "If any of that makes sense?"

How could I, an absolute beginner compaired with the Froth, comment.

Except to say - you see them - on the bottom say - on a gravel bar - and if you see them they're within 30 yards or so. Get out the marker (or carp float) rod and rig up a Polaris float and the smallest weights you need to sink the float. Don't do a bolt rig, live dangerously with a float as I did once and had a 15lber out of a difficult situation.

Keep an opern mind.

didnt mean necessarily on the top....bubbling, fish in the margins, rolling fish....

i know someone that uses 1 type of rig. to use pop ups, he just bungs on a shot. rig length is whatever it ends up as, and he changes hooks when they rust off. he does catch, but i think he'd catch so much more if he thought about it more......

mind you, so long as he's happy!

It's a good question and my answer would be dependant on the company. If there's a couple of us fishing then I'd opt for splitting the fish and what I mean by this is i'd place my left hand rod on the money and my fishing buddy would share that swim with his right. That being said I would still adapt my rigs to the situation.

If on my own then yes I'd cast to the fish with possibly two rods with two seperate set-ups with perhaps a bottom bait on one and a pop-up on the other. I wouldn't bait heavily just a single bait or double over the top of a pelleted PVA bag. I wouldn't really want to disturb the swim if fish were boshing out all over the place but would probably try a cast or two to get an undertsnading of the bottom make up and then change my rigs to suit.

"but would probably try a cast or two to get an undertsnading of the bottom make up and then change my rigs to suit"

thats the point i was trying (badly) to make - how many people use the same rig in silt/silkweed/over gravel when they might be missing out?
will a rig "designed" for bottom baits give an efficient hooking arrangement with a pop-up?
or does it really matter - the fish in a lot of lakes just arent that clued up and they'll eventually get caught anyway. fine if you are there for days...but not if you're there for a couple of hours....

Jeff - cobblers!

I've managed to get on a syndicate this year just down the road from where I've recently moved to. Add to this that as long as Holby City is on the box every Tuesday the better half has granted me a weekly pass to fish overnighters.

What do I know about the venue apart from what the bailiff has told me on the open day and a walk around there on Sunday then nothing. This gives me the opportunity to work out what?s what in my own way in my own time, but and it?s a big but and in line with your point Frothey these are short trips of no more than 12 hours a week. I might see fish, I might not but what I do know is that I?ve got to be on my feet when it comes to playing with rigs and bait and more importantly I haven?t got time on my side when it comes to just leaving the baits out there for all that period in the hope that Mr Carp comes along. Firstly I?ve got to pick a swim that if fish are not showing anywhere at the very least it looks carpy. I HAVE GOT TO understand what?s on the bottom in order to put forward the best suitable rig to catch fish in my opinion. Once I?ve found out the bottom contours and the make up (in this case I have seen signs of average depth silt) I can run the numbers so to speak.

Could I throw out the rigs that were left on from fishing another venue then NO WAY, camping is great, but it would be nice to bank a carp on the first ever session.

Watch this space! All I do know is that I will be working my fat arse off in order to wangle one out tonight at my first session. Hooking one on a venue I know very little about and have no knowledge of hot spots or favoured swims is no easy task. I?ll report back tomorrow.

It sounds a similar scenario to myself Stu. I've joined a lovely little overgrown water this year with a low stock. Finding out where most people don't fish, especially the margins, has led to regular fish for me on a water that is far from easy. Geetting the fish used to finding bait in this undisturbed margin swims has been the key even if the baiting is nly done every Tuesday and Saturday for example.

Frothey - which part of me is cobblers?

Or were you refering to Schumacher (shoe maker = cobbler) winning the Grand Prix on Sunday.

Oh you hurt at times. )