Its always difficult to suss out a strange water that you have never fished before...but there are a few ground rules that apply for most waters...
1st off.... If fishing with a float rod get your lads to plumb the depth of the water in a wide arc around the spot they are fishing...This lets them know the depth of the water in front of them... and will help them mark out any underwater features...only takes a few minutes to do and is easy to do once you have set up your line with a float on...Once you have set up your float with the proper weights to sink it to the required depth while fishing...Take a large split shot an AAA or an SG(these will be marked on the shot dispenser) and attach it to the line just by the hook...Cast out and watch how the float settles on the water..dip the rod tip under the water.. reel in slowly and watch what the float does if it sinks out of sight...It means your float is set too shallow for the water in front of you...an it will need to be moved further up the line..till the float tip is showing above water..If it lies flat on the water..move the float and shot down the line..again till the float sits evenly on the water...Once they are happy that the hook is on the bottom the large weight(the AAA or SG) can be removed and they will know their bait will be on or near the bottom...Next stage reel in..Hold the hook against the edge of the handle of the rod and reel in till the float lines up with a rod ring on the rod (this gives them a mark to return to..If at some point they decide to fish a bit shallower in the session)Which they will probably have to do to find the depth the fish are feeding at...Remember the bottom of most lakes will have a fair amount of weed etc covering the bottom at this time of the year..Its advisable after a few casts o the bottom to slowly start bringing the float down the line a bit...thus bringing the bait off the bottom and clear of the weed till you find where the fish are feeding..
2) Lakes and ponds will all hold fish...but not necessarily in the spot they choose to fish??? If they can contain their excitement..Tell them to take time out to have a look round the lake to see if they can find some fish holding features..Islands...weed beds and clumps of lillies(or other water plants) are always good places to try for a fish or two...Again remember fish will have their favorite spots to inhabit in a lake.. and these can be few and far between Not knowing the lake..and these fish holding places their object will be to entice the fish into the area they are fishing..Its always a good Idea..even before they set up their rods to throw a few bits of the bait they will be using into the area they will be fishing(even a few small balls of ground bait(if they can afford it) the bait in the water starts to attract fish into your area while your setting up and by the time you have plumbed the depth and set up ther should be a few fish in the swim(the area they are fishing)
3)Reel line and hook lengths...for small silver fish..Roach..Bream Rudd etc reel line should be between 4-6lb...Hook lengths should be lighter..say anything between 2-3lbs...This has 4 functions 1) lighter hook lengths means line hanging in the water is harder for fish to spot(so enticing more bites) 2)Should something snap them off they dont lose everything IE float etc(just the hook length) 3)Again should they snag on the bottom(or in a tree on the cast) the hooklength will snap 1st leaving most of your terminal tackle intact...4) and most importantly should a fish snap you off it wont be trailing yards of line and weights around the lake to eventually snag and tether said fish to the bottom!!!
Sorry if its a bit long..and maybe a bit technical... But following these basics should help them locate and catch fish on a strange lake...Hope it helps...
Jelboy.
PS: When they start fishing..and have baited a spot up..get them to cast beyond the baited area..Dip the rod tip under the water..and reel the float back over the baited area..Some fish dont like the splash of a float on top of them..Others like carp do..and associate the sound of the splash with food...Dipping the rod and reeling in over the baied area sinks the line(avoiding slack line between the float and rod tip and the float moving out of the baited area due to wave/wind action or undertow that sometimes occurs on lakes...Hooks(depending on what bait/hooklink they are using should be between size 20 up to size 12(bigger the number the smaller the hook) and perferably should be barbless...
Jelboy.
Post last edited on 01/08/2010 00:30:18
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