Summer Carping
Fishing through late spring to early autumn can be challenging at times when the temperatures are at the highest. Just like during winter the feeding spells can be short but productive if you read the water well. Carp during the warmer months are more active and can be found more easily even on the most pressured waters.
Take your time walking your chosen water, be silent and sit quietly in swims watching for signs of feeding carp. This can be obvious with fish showing regularly or the occasional bubbler giving itself away. Make notes of these areas and more importantly the times as with no angling pressure in these areas, carp can become predictable in their routines. Angling pressure plays a huge part in the life of a carp, zing tight lines passing through a swim or noisy bank side activity can easily change a routine.
When you have found the spots and feeding times it’s getting bait on the spots without disturbance. So pre-baiting is the key and doing it discreetly without other anglers seeing is a must. The pre-baiting doesn’t need to be heavy baiting, as little as a dozen baits can often be enough to keep a carp revisiting a spot. But be aware these areas can change on a regular basis, the feeding spot you have found could be another anglers baited spot or be naturals that can be harvested in only a few days by the carp before another hatch happens somewhere else on the lake. So making the most of your find is a must.
Like all sports there are people that want to take advantage of others hard work so keeping it to yourself is a must. 
Making the most of feeding spell’s. It’s no secret that first light is usually the most productive time during the warmer months closely followed by the first hour of darkness. Many of us don’t have the time for long sessions due to busy working lives and family commitments. So getting the most on limited time is a must. As little as 1hr in the right area can be far more productive than sitting in a going swim for 48hrs in the hope they turn up.
Getting your rigs in position with as little disturbance is essential. If you have primed the spots prior to the session then simply casting clipped up to spots with a solid bag or stringer is all that’s needed. Having spare pre-baited rigs ready to get back on the spots is also essential as you want to make the most of the feeding spell.
With this type of angling, targeting feeding spots on limited time can prove to be addictive. Often catching and being away from the lake whilst most bivvied up around the lake are still fast asleep. Traveling light is also the key to success, often 3 rods are not required. The more lines in the water the more chances of carp knowing you are there. So one rod on your chosen hot spot and a second fished well away is the best approach. Also keeping the chances of spooking carp to a minimum.
To summarise, keep disturbance to a minimum, keep the bait trickling in on spots between sessions, keep vigilant and most important of all, keep your findings to yourself and don’t broadcast to the world of your successful tactics and spots until after you have reaped your rewards.
Tight Lines
Rich Hughes
