Targeting the A team in your chosen water works two ways. You are either very lucky or like the most consistent big fish anglers worldwide, you put the hours into working out the best way of catching the ones you want.
Being lucky is great but being lucky once and being consistently lucky in catching the biggest is very unlikely. Over the last 40 plus years there’s a consistent pattern of the same few anglers every decade who catch the largest carp over and over again from some of the most pressured waters. This is for several reasons, time, access and hard work.
First up is time, keeping up with the movements of big carp on limited time is almost impossible. Also timing sessions when the big carp lower their guard and go on the feed is put in the favour of anglers putting the time in on the bank. Either fishing or observing where the carp are feeding on a more regular basis. With limited time you need to make the most of every minute you have whilst fishing.
Next up you need access to big fish waters and whilst fishing one you need to be working on where next to target. The joy of catching a big carp off your wanted list is a fantastic feeling but the feeling of where next is a flat feeling if you haven’t got the next venue set up.
Finally hard work, this covers so many aspects. First finding the water with the carp you would like to catch. Then learning about the lake from other members past and present. Habits of the carp, where your target fish have been caught and does this form a pattern. Then the hours walking the banks, baiting spots and establishing a bait. When targeting big carp the latter is essential, giving the carp a quality food source bait they will readily accept as part of their diet is essential. Giving them a free feed to lower their guard is a perfect way to give yourself an edge. 
Now comes competition against other members of the lake, many of the big carp on the most pressured waters in the U.K. only get caught once or twice per season so how do you stack the odds in your favour ? With many of todays more pressured waters the amount of anglers fishing both during the week and weekends has nether been greater. Also many of the more productive swims will be taken most weeks especially during the more productive months. So giving yourself an edge is essential, the biggest edge is being observant and working out where the larger carp spend the time avoiding angling pressure and the routes they take around the lake. Understanding where the carp feel safe, routes traveled and feeding areas.
The areas the big carp feel safe will usually be snags, out of bounds areas or quiet areas of the lake. The last thing you want to do is feed the carp in these areas. This will only keep the carp in these areas. This is a big mistake you see on lots of fisheries worldwide. Carp anglers feeding in snags and out of bounds areas. It’s illogical and not beneficial to hopefully catching these fish. Feed areas away from here to draw them out looking for food more often. 
Traveling routes, these are like motorways around the lake for the carp. Unless angling pressure changes the routes, carp tend to stick to a routine where they feel safe. You will find targeting these areas pointless unless the carp are seen to stop and investigate areas. You will find with big, old carp they pick up on change very easily and instantly associate this with danger. The best way to target the big old warriors is establishing feeding areas with free offerings between sessions.
Unless an angler is waiting to follow you into a swim, then give your spots a top up with bait. This gives the carp a free feed with no angling pressure and increases the chances over time of one making a mistake on one of your future sessions.
Choosing the correct bait to target big carp as never been easier with the knowledge available but using the highest quality bait available in the quantities you can afford is essential. It doesn’t matter how much or little of a low quality bait you introduce you will never establish it as food source.
Both Trigga and Big Fish Mix are legendary campaign baits which have accounted for a ridiculous amount of big carp over the years including lots of repeat captures of the largest. A true sign of a quality bait.
Don’t get jaded in the pursuit of the one you want. If a plan isn’t working then be prepared to change. Sometimes when the going gets tough a break away from the lake to recharge is often the best policy. Away from the lake is far more easy to understand where you are going wrong as opposed to sitting it out in the hope you might get lucky.
Tight lines and good luck in the pursuit of the one you would like to hold aloft for the camera. 
