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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.

After I reeled in my rig for the first time, I measured the lead weight and found its temperature was 22.8°C. I reckon this temperature is pretty suitable. Also, is my spot right on the transition between shallow and deep water? I’ve heard this kind of area is known as a fish highway/fish path.

Even though relevant laws and regulations are in place, many reservoirs are privately contracted. The contractors carry out illegal fishing using nets, and some rivers are frequently plagued by people using electric fishing devices. There are very few spots available for long-term shore camping fishing, and the viable ones are far away. In many areas, fishing rods fitted with reels are prohibited. Yet we have a strong passion for angling. We are still willing to give it a go even when fish stocks in a given water body are scarce. After my last post, I did walk around the reservoir with a monocular to scout the water. I am not sure whether I failed to identify fish bubbles or there were other factors, but I spotted no signs of fish activity at all. There are crucian carp close to the bank, yet I have never seen anyone land carp or other large fish from the shore. Perhaps the bankside areas are too disturbed and noisy.

I’ve learned all my fishing knowledge entirely online. I spend far more time studying fishing content on the internet than actually fishing on the water. That’s why I often get flustered and confused the moment I arrive at a fishery. I’ve come to realize that instead of second-guessing things on my own, I’d be better off asking seasoned anglers with plenty of real-world experience. They share advice with no commercial agenda, unlike me who only has book knowledge with no on-water practice.

Sorry, English isn’t my first language, so I try my best to learn your fishing tactics by asking questions, since I can’t express myself freely in English. I often fish at unfamiliar venues hundreds of kilometres away from home, which is why I had to buy a bait boat fitted with sonar. Even so, I frequently draw a blank. Take today’s spot for example: the average depth here is 4 metres, with the deepest points hitting 6–7 metres, while the bank-side water is only 2 metres deep. I chose the transition zone between the 2-metre shallow shelf and the 4-metre channel drop-off.

I use a bait boat to locate my swim and save the position as Spot A. I set up my rod pod with the three-point alignment method: rod pod, bait boat and a marker on the opposite bank. I put the largest quantity of bait at Spot A, and place one rod on each side of the rod pod with only a small amount of supplementary bait. What is the reasonable range for this whole setup? Are there any improvements I can make to my current baiting method? My bait boat has significant GPS error, and waves also stop it from staying in a fixed position. Should I use line stops to precisely control the line length from my reel? I’ve noticed some anglers use rangefinders and laser pointers to get accurate distance and angle for the bait boat. Is it necessary for me to buy these tools?

So what weight do you use?

I don't quite get it. We only use it to weigh the line down into the water, not to set the hook.

It wasn’t FOX. I came across two very unique backleads on YouTube back then. One was the Multifunction Backlead 2.0, and the only thing I remember about the other one is that it had hints of green and also flipped over once submerged in water. I’m not sure if it was a British, German, or some other brand—it was extremely niche.

I’ve noticed back leads come in a wide range of weights. How do I pick the right one for different fishing scenarios? ------------ Also, I once came across a type of back lead on YouTube. I remember it’s designed to flip over upon entering the water, and it automatically releases from the line when a fish is hooked or when you lift the rod. I thought it was really well-engineered. The only thing I recall is that it has a bit of green on it. Does anyone remember the model number? I just can’t find it anymore.

https://tacklebox.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/TB6030-Line-Test-PDF-Issue-15-190526.pdf The previous link is no longer valid; the above are the latest working links.

It's wonderful to obtain firsthand information and experience shared by European anglers. This is a fantastic forum with plenty of kind people.

I have polarized sunglasses and binoculars. I’ve never tried observing from a tree, but thanks for bringing that up; it’s helped me see just how important this is.

As an aside, if you were to head to an unfamiliar body of water, even in a foreign country, how would you start fishing? I'm from Asia, and our holy grail is landing giant common carp, grass carp, and black carp. But every time I arrive at the water's edge full of confidence, I end up feeling completely lost. I check the air temperature, barometric pressure, and water temperature. I even own a pH meter for water quality testing. I try to pinpoint the best fishing spots using satellite maps, measure water depth by every means possible, and even use a sonar fish finder. I observe the vegetation along the banks and gather every scrap of information I can about the water body, both online and from fellow anglers. Yet I still consistently struggle to catch fish well. I don't know if I'm missing something crucial or if I've lost sight of what truly matters. Whenever I feel this confusion, I always default to fixating on my tackle: should I buy a dissolved oxygen meter? A device to analyze the bottom substrate composition? A thermometer that reads water temperature at different depths? Or perhaps invest in better groundbait and hookbaits? But I suspect that's not how a truly skilled angler thinks. So how do I become a real master angler?

Yeah, that’s exactly where my anxiety stems from. I’m not from Europe, so I’ve been learning carp fishing online. Countless articles keep stressing how wary carp are, covering line diameter, line colour, sinker concealment and whether hook coatings reflect light. It’s left me pretty anxious and unable to tell what matters most, haha.

What pound test fishing line do you use? Do you think the diameter of fishing line affects your catch?

How about Bank Bugs Rock Steady Back Rest V2?

How about Multifunction Backlead 2.0？

If we now go back to the mechanics of the hair rig: The fish sucks in the bait, and attempts to spit it. The bare hook pricks its lip and it “bolts” off. Now with a heavy fixed lead in place, as the fish bolts the weight of the lead pulls the hook more firmly into its mouth and the fish is on before you have even seen the bite. To achieve this you need at least 2 ½ ounces of lead and I prefer 3 oz or more. https://www.ontariocarpfishing.com/carp-fishing-made-easy.html (I don't know how to choose, I listened to this person.)

I use 3.5 ounces of lead under any circumstances. Is this reasonable?

When you go fishing How many fishing rods do you use? What is the distance between the fishing rods?

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