newbie needs advice

Hi there,I have started fishing again after about 20 years of playing golf,but my father has bought a static caravan on a site in north lincolnshire which has a few fishing lakes on which i have started using.I currently use a rod and reel (float fishing) with bread,pellets,maggots etc in the carp pond which has carp between 2 to 15lbs and smaller silver fish.The other day my dad turned up with a whip 6m long which the guy in the shop had elasticated with 12 elastic i think in total it cost ?12.99.And what we found was that we caught many more fish with the whip,we think due to the fact that with the rod/reel/float set up we miss alot of bites by striking.
As i would like to stay with the rod/reel/float set up is there a better system so the fish almost hook themselves rather than me pulling the float and line out of the water into the trees behind me. lol.
Im sorry its such a dumb question but i am very new to this.

Also the rigs sold with the whip had no float,just about a foot of line and a hook,can you use a pole rig with the whip !

thanks scott.

i'd stick with the rod you will have more range than a whip rod and you will be able to cast which goes on to other areas of fishing (feeder and ledger) .Don't strike the float till its gone under then the fish is hooked ,but not to hard so you dont pull the hook out.yes you can put a pole rig on a whip rod.

"Also the rigs sold with the whip had no float,just about a foot of line and a hook,can you use a pole rig with the whip !"

YES! That's the easy part over with.


As for striking, keep the rod tip low to the water, maybe 6 - 12 inches off the surface.

Strike to the left side (to the right if your left handed) and at the same time try turning the rod over ? turn so that the rod rings all bend with the curve of the rod. The reel will be on its side as well, but don't worry for now.

How hard to strike? Let the feminine side of you come out and keep a limp wrist. No joke, as soon as there's enough resistance, your wrist will give to the fish. That's enough.

Now you can straighten the rod and let the rod play the fish and only take up line when the rod reaches 12 o'clock. Lower rod and take up slack line.



If some of this sounds obvious, sorry, but it pays to reiterate the obvious sometimes.

great advice thanks very much,its not obvious as im still new and learning.
scott.

we all learn, read improve your coarse fishing brilliant for beginners