Spring Is Just Around the Corner

As we near spring, I'm sure every angler's thoughts turn more towards fishing.

First up, where will you be fishing over the coming months? Will it be the same waters you've fished in previous years, or somewhere new and exciting? Perhaps a long-awaited syndicate ticket has finally come up, or maybe you're planning to tackle a day-ticket water with rumours of a few big fish. Or could this be the year you escape the busy lakes altogether and explore rivers and canals in search of an uncaught giant?

With the amount of flooding we've seen over the last 20-plus years, sadly hundreds of fisheries across the UK and Europe have lost valuable fish stocks into river and canal systems. Many of these waters receive very little angling pressure and, in some cases, none at all. We've personally seen catch reports of carp over 40lb from rivers where I'm convinced they found their way in during the floods. Big carp like peace and quiet with minimal angling pressure, so those canals and backwaters you regularly drive past could quite easily be hiding something very special.

Choosing where to fish can make or break your season. Choose wisely and you could be in for a fantastic year. Choose poorly and it can become a frustrating one.

I've seen it time and time again—anglers leaving productive waters to chase one famous fish on a low-stocked, heavily pressured venue, only to become demoralised after a few months of blanks.

Make your decision carefully. If you're someone who enjoys regular action and likes the buzzers to burst into life, is a low-stocked water really the right choice?

One piece of advice I'd always give is to have a backup water—somewhere you know well and feel confident fishing. If your main venue isn't happening or you're struggling to get in tune with the style of fishing it demands, don't be afraid to take a break. Spend a few sessions on your backup water, regain your confidence, then return with a fresh outlook.

We've all fished waters that have tested our patience over the years. Anyone who says otherwise is probably stretching the truth.

Once you've chosen your waters, it's time to work out the tactics you'll be employing. Whether that's distance fishing, heavy baiting or stalking the margins, the excitement to get started soon becomes difficult to ignore.

Some anglers will be returning to familiar waters chasing a particular target fish, while others will be hoping to get off the mark quickly on somewhere completely new.

Whatever your plans, choose your bait wisely—and once you've made that choice, stick with it.

One or two blank sessions don't suddenly mean your bait has stopped working. More often than not it's about location, timing and presenting your bait where the carp actually want to feed.

One water I've fished for several years has a very predictable feeding spell during the warmer months. The carp regularly switch on between 9am and 11am. It's strange, but you could almost set your watch by it.

Yet every Sunday morning you'd see anglers packing away at first light, eager to get home, leaving the lake almost deserted by 9am. That left it to the diehards—the ones who didn't mind getting home a little later than promised—to enjoy the best part of the day.

Sometimes success is simply about staying a little longer.

Whenever I join a new water, I like to walk the lake several times before I even think about casting a rig. I'll also find a good vantage point and sit quietly for a couple of hours, simply watching.

It's amazing what nature tells you if you're prepared to slow down.

A fish showing, birds suddenly lifting from the margins, bubbling in an otherwise quiet area—these are all signs that can give you valuable starting points.

Don't rely too heavily on other anglers' advice. Learn the water for yourself.

Not only is it far more rewarding when it all comes together, but you'll also gain a far better understanding of the lake than simply dropping into someone else's "going swim" and fishing over their spots.

Carp aren't fools. They soon learn that so-called hotspots often come with danger. The older, wiser fish quickly begin to avoid those areas after being caught several times.

Finding your own little edge, your own overlooked areas, is often what separates consistent anglers from the rest.

Bait Choices

Which bait should you choose?

Before answering that question, be honest with yourself about one thing—how much fishing are you realistically going to do this year?

A good place to start is by looking back at previous seasons. Unless you're making a major lifestyle change, such as retiring, most of us will end up fishing roughly the same number of days and nights each year, give or take the odd extra session.

I've become a realist over the last few years.

Every winter I'd convince myself that the following season would be different—that I'd somehow find more time to fish. In reality, I was only kidding myself. Between family life and work, my fishing generally consists of a 48-hour session every third weekend, along with the occasional overnight or day session when time allows.

Rather than fighting that reality, I've learned to work with it.

Over the last few years my fishing has been split between two venues.

During spring and summer I've concentrated on Grenville's, mainly because the 200-mile round trip is manageable when the evenings are lighter. Once autumn and winter arrive, however, getting there before dark on a Friday simply isn't practical, so I move onto the Hull & District waters, which are only 30 to 40 minutes from home.

More recently, I've also been fortunate enough to secure a ticket on one of the North's most sought-after venues, home to several very special carp. I haven't had the opportunity to fish it yet, but that's something I'm really looking forward to.

Keeping Things Simple

When it comes to bait, I prefer to keep things simple.

I choose one bait and stick with it.

For the last two seasons that bait has been Trigga Ice, and it's rewarded me with some incredible captures along with several truly beautiful carp.

Confidence counts for a lot, and constantly chopping and changing rarely helps.

This spring, Trigga Ice will once again be my first choice.

However, from May onwards things could become rather interesting.

Something New Is Coming…

Behind the scenes we've been working long hours on a completely new bait.

Tank testing and the initial trials have already been completed, with full field testing due to begin shortly.

Field testing is always an exciting time, but this project feels different.

Both Jason and I are genuinely excited about what we've created.

It's taken more than two years to source some very special ingredients—components we knew had the potential to elevate an already very good bait into something we believe could be truly exceptional.

As always, nothing will be released until we're completely satisfied it has earned its place in the Nutrabaits range.

That's how we've always done things, and that approach won't ever change.

Hopefully, it won't be too long before we can share more.