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Carp waking up?


Nube

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Every water is different. 

Deeper waters may take longer for the fish to start moving, or waters with low food stocks. 

No point in wasting energy looking for food if there is little about.... Or conversely the fish might be looking for food and constantly moving. 

 

Some waters will fish all the way through. 

Pretty much any water above 4degrees and somewhere a take is possible, be it on a zig, (hurgh, spit) or on a float fished or ledgered bait. 

Lengthening days might get them moving, but on some waters there is another factor. 

As the water warms up, the bottom 'turns over'. A layer of algae silty stuff floats up from the lakebed, hits the surface. You will see what looks like little patches of a thin layer of floating lichen covered in tiny bubbles. 

This can be the time carp start moving. 

 

The best way to find out, is to spend time watching and fishing. 

 

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I find that down here in the south east, they usually start waking up about now. Personally, I look for signs from nature to know when the “right time” is, I look for the first buds on trees, when the days start to lengthen out, snow drops starting to bud, spring lambs etc. It might seem daft, but I find that when the trees first start budding, that’s a good natural sign. Waters that are shallower (hopefully with good sunlight to warm it up) usually wake up sooner, they seem to react to rising temps quicker. I’ve got 3 waters that I keep tabs on, the lake that’s got max depths of 6ft is already producing fish, I had 5 out in 4hrs on Monday. The 2nd lake is only 2 acres, with depths of up to 9ft, but it’s very sheltered and doesn’t get much sun this time of year, it’s quite dark and dingy and hasn’t produced a fish in months. The last water has depths of 18-20ft and usually doesn’t regularly produce fish until mid March - beginning of April. It’s slower to warm up. Yet this year, after a stocking of 15 carp, it’s done half a dozen bites over the last few weeks, which is against the norm, we think the new fish have spurred the old stock into having a munch. Simple way to know if your lake has woken up is to fish it really, but when I see the hours lengthening out, blossom buds on trees and bushes starting to open out, I feel more confident. I think the increasing light hours wake them up, although cold deep water can keep them more sluggish longer then carp in shallower water. 

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8 hours ago, Nube said:

Hi, as I'm a newcomer to carp fishing and going to have my first go this year, when do carp usually start waking up/feeding? Is it more linked to daylight hours or is it temperature? 

My own personal findings are every lake is different I’m on the bank of a lake most days the local match lake they move all yr the parc lake will be about now to coincide with spring the buds are starting on the trees the days are lengthening the birds are starting to sing find an prepare a few spots you can keep an eye on mr an mrs carp will soon let you know butty

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29 minutes ago, Nube said:

"Afterbite" is the best I've used. It's an ammonia type dab on  pen, the key is not to rub/ scratch the bite if you can help it

Easier said than done! Lol! After bite is good, I tend to use piriton (chloremphenamine) if the topical stuff doesn’t calm it, it’s an antihistamine that can make you drowsy though at times. 

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36 minutes ago, Nube said:

"Afterbite" is the best I've used. It's an ammonia type dab on  pen, the key is not to rub/ scratch the bite if you can help it

I ve already scratched it lol, it's swollen up like a good un 

I've put some bite cream and taken an antihistamine so hopefully will settle, 

I'm gonna get my bug zapper out tonight 😁 

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10 minutes ago, yonny said:

I agree.

Water temps have climbed from 4 degrees to 9.2 degrees in 9 days on the water I fish (crazy, crazy increase). Just like that it's done its first fish since December.

I spoke to someone who has been keeping an eye on the lake I fish yesterday, he said it seems to be going up a degree a week at the moment, he said up to 10 degrees in places, I said thanks and vowed to start trickling some bait in 😂

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3 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

it seems to be going up a degree a week at the moment

And the rest buddy. Last weekend ours climbed 2 degrees as air temps stabilised at double figures. Then the big winds and 16 degree air temps on Wednesday sent it up another 2 degrees. Then that amazing sunshine this weekend bought it up to 9!!

It has to be the most rapid increase I've ever seen. I have no doubt we'll see more cold weather at some point in March but defo a promising sign.

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