Have you been 'done'?

Bait mouthed and spat out without any indication on the tip/alarm could mean your rigs not working correctly, but how would you know without a wolf and how many times does it happen?

A liner... was it really a liner?

No bait on retrieval, was it nicked 20 minutes ago while you were pouring that cuppa or did it simply come off as you wound in?

What's your solution to knowing what goes on down there?

Put a float on

Spend as much time as you can fishing small, clear waters where you can watch what's happening.

A tip from one such session decades ago: Why was it taking 20-30 mins to get a tench bite on flake, even though I knew they were in the swim? Dropping short (probably a bungled cast; the spirits of the lake prefer giving hints to handing you the answer on a plate) I saw the flake ... I should not have been able to see the flake... rumble, rumble tinkle of penny dropping - the flake was floating, and it was taking up to half an hour to sink, whereupon the tench might regard it as "safe" and snaffle it ... pinching and releasing the hooked bait under water so it sank from the word "Go" and bites came much more quickly. Not many fish, just bites, but it was a piece in the jigsaw.

I now carry a jug on a string so I can have a test-tank to hand any time I'm fishing bread. Also good for hand-washing, groundbait-damping, bread-soaking and wetting the paw before handling a fish.


P.S. My childhood waters were the wide, deep and murky London end of the Grand Union canal and the even wider and murkier tidal Thames - no wonder I was a slow learner!

for carping I use a second piece of silicone rubber on the bend of the hook trapping the hair, if I find the bait intact on retrieval, but the rubber moved, then I know I've had an enquiry

markg said:

Put a float on

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Haha trust you Mark!

laguna said:

Haha trust you Mark!

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Sorry about that Lag but I was half serious, line bites not a problem, the float does that sort of wiggle thing, fish taking it in and spitting it out, usually pretty evident on the float. The bait comes to the surface fairly quickly and you can see if its still on or not. I can most times even tell which species. As a way of telling whats going on with your bait, I reckon it cannot be beaten. I rarely fish any other way, for carp as well on the occasions I fish for them. I believe the better fish are caught on other methods but, not exclusively so. The humble float is a very useful tool.

Catch lots of BIG FISH on a Varity of methods over a LIFETIME !!

Keep the rigs simple and think about what you are doing.

Try not to follow the crowd and do your own thing.

Do not take for gospel the latest Fantabulous Rig offered by an Exert you have never heard off !!

Bob