There are some baits that only tend to get a look-in at certain times of year. While maggots, sweetcorn and pellets are likely to be on most anglers’ side trays, regardless of whether there’s been a sharp frost the night before or it’s a scorching hot day, other baits have gained the reputation of only being effective under specific seasonal conditions.
When it comes to commercial fisheries, luncheon meat is one of these. It’s a high protein bait that’s relied upon by many of us during spring and autumn when the fish are keen to pack on the pounds, but meat becomes virtually redundant in the winter. Match ace, Pete Upperton doesn't think you should ignore meat in colder water as fished with a little thought, you can really bag up!
If the venue allows meat, then I will always have a couple of tins cut up, because it has got me out of jail so many times before when the temperatures have been low, he explained.
I’m not just talking about it as a hookbait on the bomb or feeder either, or I’ve found that feeding it quite generously is often the key to unlocking your session when all else fails.
In this article we'll discuss the important things to consider when using meat as we move into spring.
THE BEST FISHING POLES WILL ENABLE YOU TO PRESENT YOUR RIG PERFECTLY.
Choose the right rig
Meat is a lightweight bait that will sink at quite a slow pace, and your hookbait must fall through the water at the same rate so that the fish don’t suss that something is up.
Your shotting pattern plays a key part in achieving this, a taper being the best bet. The gaps get slightly smaller as you work up the rig, and this makes sure that your hookbait appears like a loose offering when the fish set eyes on it.
Terminal tackle doesn’t need to be over- gunned, but it needs to have enough grunt to deal with the stamp of fish you are likely to encounter.
For carp in the 4lb - 12lb size bracket a 0.16mm mainline and a 0.13mm hooklength to a size 16 Guru Kaizen is ideal. White Daiwa Hydrolastic has plenty of stretch, but can also be tightened up with the use of a side puller on your top kit.
ALWAYS USE THE BEST POLE FLOATS FOR THE JOB WITH OUR EXPERT GUIDE.
Rely on your catapult
I may cup in a small amount of bait at the start, to lay down a carpet, but from that point on it’s the catapult that will do the rest of the work.
Carp are at their least active at this time of year, and bait moving through the water is often the catalyst to trigger a response. I’ve always thought that, and the ‘Guru Underwater 3’ film footage with Andy Bennett and Steve Ringer confirmed it.
A catapult also spreads the bait over a bit bigger area, and that stops the fish from filling up too quickly. Instead, they find the food a cube at a time, and this keeps them grubbing around looking for more.
THE BEST FISHING CATAPULTS WILL HELP YOU FEED ACCURATELY.
Conquer your presentation
I like to lay my rig in, as opposed to lowering it down gently. This is imperative in making the hookbait look natural as it sinks.
It can pay to play with how you do it, though, and I’ll initially lay my rig in, allow the float to settle and then catapult a few cubes of meat over the top.
The idea is that the loosefeed lands and creates noise that the fish instantly head towards, but the first thing they’ll find is your hookbait, because the other cubes are still falling through the water. This is particularly effective on reasonably shallow venues when the carp aren’t inclined to come off the bottom.
Today I’ve got just over 4ft 6ins of water in front of me, and this style of presentation has worked a treat, most of the bites coming shortly after I have loosefed.
That said, on other days it can pay to do the opposite and loosefeed first, ship out and then lay your rig in, the hookbait being the last thing that is introduced.
USING THE BEST POLE ELASTIC WILL ENHANCE YOUR POLE FISHING.
React to nuisance silvers
The soft texture of meat means that it will appeal to all species. Fish such as roach and skimmers can suck it up quite easily, and there are likely to be times when every bite will come from one of these nuisance fish.
Increasing the amount that you feed for a short while is the key to giving those big fish an incentive to come back. I’ll usually feed four or five cubes each time I lay the rig in, but I will up this to 10 to 15 if silvers are causing me issues.
This creates additional noise, but it also increases the chances of there being meat on the deck when the carp arrive. As they start to move around the peg, the commotion will bully silvers away and spark the curiosity of other carp that are nearby.
LUNCHEON MEAT IS GREAT FOR FISHING, BUT WHY NOT GIVE THESE OTHER MEAT BAITS A TRY!
Go beyond your bait
It’s not unusual for bites to suddenly cease, but this rarely means that the fish have completely left your swim. They’ve often backed off a little because they’ve clicked on to the danger, and the answer is simply to push out slightly beyond where you started fishing.
Going just half a section further can be the answer, pushing that to a full section if required. It’s important to keep the loosefeed going into the same spot, though. If you push out and continue to feed over your float, then the carp will keep backing away, and eventually they will be out of range.
Fishing like this imitates a cube of meat that has gone beyond the danger zone, and the carp will usually eat these ‘scraps’ with a lot less caution.
IF YOU WANT MORE ADVICE ON POLE FISHING, STEVE RINGER REVEALS HIS BEST TIPS.
