way between our respective homes in Suffolk and Bristol. It was mid

Picture the scene. A mate and I had decided to meet up for a couple of days on quite a high profile carp water about half-way between our respective homes in Suffolk and Bristol. It was mid-Summer and the weather was hot, so it didn’t take us long to find plenty of fish laying up in a quiet corner of the lake. Although the fish appeared to have little inclination to feed, it was still surprising that the half dozen anglers on the lake were all sat behind boilie rods. Can’t catch ’em off the top ‘ere’ seemed to be the consensus of opinion. Still, he who dares and all that. Dumping the overnight gear some way up the bank all I took with me was a single rod, net, unhooking mat, chum mixers, Polaroid’s and catapult. After half an hour the first mixer disappeared down a rather deep throat. After another half an hour several fish had started to move around. After two hours I chanced a cast. Within ten minutes I found myself attached to a rather large, and certainly pee’d off carp who had just had his afternoon spoilt. Unfortunately the fish fell off pretty quickly, and his mates took off just as quickly. So, once again we had proven that they certainly can be caught off the top if you are willing to really try for them. The trouble is, it is so much easier to sit behind a pair (or three or four) of rods and fish bottom baits. I’ve just re-read the above and it does sound very pompous, which it is not meant to be. I am certainly not the best floater angler in the world, but even I can catch them so it can’t be that difficult. There are a few secrets, but most of the time the only things you really need to learn are stealth and correct feeding. Stealth is something that you can’t teach, but is something you can learn. It really comes down to thinking about what you are doing. Keep low and move slowly. After a while you will be able to do it without thinking. Remember, if you can see the fish it can probably see you. You’re only weapon is stealth. Fish struggle to differentiate objects above water which do not move. Stand still and you will effectively blend in, that is if you are wearing colours which match the background. Feeding is much more variable and so difficult to learn. No one ever gets it right all the time, so don’t worry if you make a few mistakes. Generally, you are looking to feed little and often. How much and how often will depend upon the fish. Start off with a dozen baits and top them up when most of them have gone. If after an hour or more nothing has happened it can be worth stepping up the amount of feed dramatically to try and illicit a response. Most times though this will end in failure and you are better leaving as few baits in the water as possible. Only experience (and that means making mistakes) will teach you the best ways in which to feed.

Finally, one of those little secrets I mentioned earlier. When carp begin to wise up to floaters their first response is to take them in the outer edge of their lips. With standard hair rig and side hooked baits this will mean that the hook is outside of the fish’s mouth. When the fish turns their may well be a tremendous boil as the fish feels realises it has made a mistake, but you will not find yourself connected to the fish. The answer is quite simple. All I do is reverse the direction of the hair, so that it faces up towards the eye of the hook. Now, with the hook sitting below the bait and also with the hook point facing upwards, the chances of hooking these wily fish is greatly enhanced. Give it a try, you might be surprised at the difference it makes!