Some commercials can, at first glance, seem pretty barren and sparse – but whatever your peg gives you in terms of features, there’s always somewhere that the fish will prefer to be shoaled up near to.
These ‘spots’ can be as insignificant as a few sprigs of grass overhanging a far bank, or a muddy clump of earth that’s laughingly called an island! Happily, though, most fisheries are well matured and give you more things to fish up against and catch from than you can shake a stick at.
Some are relatively straightforward to tackle, but others require a bit more of an understanding about what you’re doing, as well as the need to pick the right method and feeding regime.
Here I’ve highlighted a few of the most common features you’ll find on a typical commercial carp water and, while I appreciate that it’s impossible to fish them all in one session, by giving it a bit of thought as to which ones to target and holding fire before tackling up, you’ll be halfway to enjoying a great day’s fishing!
Mudlines
The bare far bank of a snake lake that’s just earth, these spots have undercut banks which give fish a hiding place. In winter feed three or four spots, while in summer you can concentrate on one spot and expect to catch reasonably well.
Sedge/reed beds
Normally growing in shallow water, these are a great summer features that give you some cover to hide the pole against. I look for around 12ins of water, as this makes catching carp easier and reduces the number that will be foul-hooked.
Islands
You can catch from these all day on feeder or waggler, but on small lakes this can apply too much pressure to the peg, so rotating with other areas is a good ploy. I’d still look for 12ins of water, only searching for deeper in winter.
Snags
Carp love snags, where they feel safe and are rarely fished for. But with balanced tackle and the right feeding regime, you can sack up from these areas. Tackle needs to be robust, with 0.18mm lines and red or purple Hydrolastic a must.
