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I’m really surprised to find that European – or rather British – anglers also feel so strongly against this trend. I always assumed this high-tech approach had long been accepted and widespread over there. Over the past few years, I’ve gone through nearly every carp fishing article available online: every online magazine, every tackle brand blog, everything you can dig up through search engines. This style of fishing felt so novel, fascinating and almost magical to me. Whoever invented it must have been an absolute genius; it feels almost inspired. To this day I still don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my head around it. Honestly, I went back and forth for ages about buying and using a bait boat, and had endless discussions about it with my fishing mates here. But for whatever reason, we caved in to the temptation in the end. I don’t know the exact situation across Europe, but I get the impression your fishing regulations and the whole scene are really well established. And for you lot, it’s all about the enjoyment, not the catch itself. It’s different over here – we have a long culture of eating carp and grass carp. So apart from a few influencer streamers who do it for clout and to take the moral high ground, very few people actually release their catch. Another factor is the ripple effect – almost like a butterfly effect – when someone bags loads of fish, and big specimens at that, in no time using a bait boat. It’s incredibly tempting for regular anglers. Especially when you’ve driven hundreds, even thousands of kilometres, fished solid for days on end and come back blank. After a few runs of that kind of frustration, it’s really hard to turn down a shortcut that seems to work. Carp fishing has blown up to become one of the most popular freshwater fishing styles in China right now. On live streaming platforms, people sell tackle while broadcasting from reservoirs. Big catches are a regular sight – especially footage of 100-jin (roughly 110lb) black carp. It’s visually spectacular and drives huge traffic, which in turn boosts bait boat sales. It got to the point where the high price tag seemed like the only reason not to buy one. A few years back, a team of Chinese anglers sponsored by tackle brands entered a world carp fishing championship for the first time. They were among the very first carp anglers in China. They used all kinds of high-end kit: inflatable boats, underwater drones, bait boats, the latest top-of-the-line fish finders, you name it. And since all that gear was permitted in the competition, this approach got spread around here as the “proper, orthodox” way to do carp fishing. The logic goes: if the fish are released anyway, any method is fair game as long as it’s legal. Part of this is driven by tackle sales. On top of that, barely anyone here has actually travelled to Europe or the UK to learn first-hand, or to fish and talk with local anglers. Almost everyone learns everything online. That flood of information, mixed with commercial push, is what’s led to this whole situation. That’s exactly why I came onto this forum to ask. I want to know how real anglers in Britain and Europe actually fish. I want to learn the actual, meaningful skills and knowledge behind carp fishing. Throwing endless money at it lowers the bar for catching big fish, and makes honing your own craft and skill feel pointless. That was never what I got into this for. Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies. I know it’ll take me a while to take it all in and put it into practice properly. But I truly believe this is what fishing is really all about.

Nicely put. Ian.

Hmm! Your eyes and ears are your biggest advantage. My fishing for years was fishing waters big reservoirs and lakes, for a maximum of 48hours. I'd get home from work, frequently at 11pm at night, load up my gear and go fishing, arriving at the water between midnight and 1am. The picture is just 30acres of a 75acre water I fished for 10years. Even arriving that late I would often sit listening before deciding where to set up. To start with, the only baiting I would do is with PVA stringers or PVA bag of pellets, no other free bait. I don't use a bait boat, everything is by hand, throwing stick or spodding bait in. In fact I put most of my bait in either as I left, or on specific baiting sessions where I was prebaiting for later trips. Getting your lines the right distance is easy with distance sticks or walking it out. I don't worry about water temperature, if it is not iced over it is possible to catch. Fish will be where they want to be, they may follow wind lanes, move from weedbed to weedbed to natural food. As much as you ask, there really is no substitute for being on the water, while carp as a species tend to behave the same, every water is different and they have their own rules. Fish can follow a new wind, especially in summer if it is warm, but not so much in winter. As the wind grows stale they will move back off it. Don't immediately think that long range is the answer, many fish get caught from the margins. It is easier to see them, easier to bait for them, and easier to cast at them (quietly). Does your big baiting attract nuisance species? There is no point in piling bait in if other species eat everything before the carp find it. It is easier to cast in a PVA bag of bait and your hookbait, than stand spodding for 1hour if it is going to get pinched by something else.

I guess pre baiting is out of the question (which is a good edge), judging by the distance you travel? Is there nowhere closer to home to hone your tactics? As others have said before, your eyes are the best tool you have to try and locate the fish before you think of putting a rig out. Although its all guess work, if you can't see any signs of them. What makes you fish at such range and depth? Ive caught nearly as many fish in the margins. Benefits such as, easier to bait up and also determine if the fish are taking your freebie bait. Its all part of learning how to unlock the puzzle of the venue. Its called fishing, not catching😉

Is that not what a forum is for?