fishing in weedy conditions

[andywilson123]

What's your go-to rig setup for fishing in weedy conditions?

[elmoputney]

51 minutes ago, andywilson123 said:

What's your go-to rig setup for fishing in weedy conditions?

It really depends what's in front of me, usually strong line, and look for where they are feeding, I've found some great clearer spots by locating bubblers, I've also then prebaited some of those spots with good results. I now try and let the fish guide me, raking can work a treat too, but try to be discreet with it other wise you are doing hard work for others to reap the rewards. 

[salokcinnodrog]

13 hours ago, andywilson123 said:

What's your go-to rig setup for fishing in weedy conditions?

My rigs are the same as I normally use, a D-rig or rig ring on the hookshank for pop-ups, a Multi-rig for snowman baits.

I still use run rings, but if the weed is bad over silt I will use the lead on a 150mm lead link of 20lb clear Amnesia.

On the syndicate lake I have tried raking swims, the carp avoid the spot, let them clear it by feeding and they are happy to keep coming back to it.

 

As an add I DO NOT like helicopter setups in weed, too many missed or funny takes over 30years of fishing.

[greekskii]

Chod rigs work well for me fishing on top of the weed, im not worried about fishing the chod 3,4,5ft up the leader with a light lead. That lead will plug in the weed and become a lot heavier, itll also drop off easier. I use the C clip way of attaching them. 

If I find clearer spots then drop off run rigs as per usual for me. Strong line and if a fish gets weeded just keep constant pressure with the rod as high as possible. I have always found the fish start moving, it might be millimetres at a time but theyll come. Last resort is putting the rod back and slackening off a bit imo. 

I have just started using braid so cant say it's better or not but all of the above has worked fine for me with heavy mono lines. 

[salokcinnodrog]

On 13/05/2024 at 08:51, elmoputney said:

I now try and let the fish guide me, raking can work a treat too, but try to be discreet with it other wise you are doing hard work for others to reap the rewards. 

 

On 13/05/2024 at 21:19, salokcinnodrog said:

On the syndicate lake I have tried raking swims, the carp avoid the spot, let them clear it by feeding and they are happy to keep coming back to it.

I ended having to rake a swim this week, the swans have made most of my other spots unfishable.

4 hours raking to about 5 rod lengths out and baiting up with hemp, sweetcorn and boilies. Sadly I can't be discreet, I have 2 piles of weed about knee height, one either side of the swim, and some weed dragged into the margin rushes to my left.

I was able to fish running rigs on all 3 rods, cast just shy of the weedbed l couldn't rake with my usual array of rigs. A line aligned sliding ring on the hookshank and sweetcorn on one, Multi-rig and a Hemp Naturalz and a 360 rig with Nutty Bait pop-up.

It's the old school sweetcorn bait that produced.

 

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, salokcinnodrog said:

 

I ended having to rake a swim this week, the swans have made most of my other spots unfishable.

4 hours raking to about 5 rod lengths out and baiting up with hemp, sweetcorn and boilies. Sadly I can't be discreet, I have 2 piles of weed about knee height, one either side of the swim, and some weed dragged into the margin rushes to my left.

I was able to fish running rigs on all 3 rods, cast just shy of the weedbed l couldn't rake with my usual array of rigs. A line aligned sliding ring on the hookshank and sweetcorn on one, Multi-rig and a Hemp Naturalz and a 360 rig with Nutty Bait pop-up.

It's the old school sweetcorn bait that produced.

 

Sometimes it's impossible to be discreet sadly, I always regret not having a wheelbarrow at the ready but it can make such a mess you can never really hide it until it dries out. 

Just have to hope the other anglers leave you to it. 

[salokcinnodrog]

On 03/08/2024 at 20:30, elmoputney said:

Sometimes it's impossible to be discreet sadly, I always regret not having a wheelbarrow at the ready but it can make such a mess you can never really hide it until it dries out. 

Just have to hope the other anglers leave you to it. 

With so few swims fishable if the silkweed algae moves, someone will fish it. 

There are a couple of us cleaning swims of weed and silkweed and fishing each other's spots.

 

[elmoputney]

I went for a walk round the lakes today, it's full of weed, I think if I was to rake a swim everyone would fish it lol, so unless it benefits me I don't think i will 😂

[salokcinnodrog]

On 17/08/2024 at 18:32, elmoputney said:

I went for a walk round the lakes today, it's full of weed, I think if I was to rake a swim everyone would fish it lol, so unless it benefits me I don't think i will 😂

I'm hoping that I don't have to get the rake out this week, it hurts!

 

 

On 17/08/2024 at 18:32, elmoputney said:

I went for a walk round the lakes today, it's full of weed, I think if I was to rake a swim everyone would fish it lol, so unless it benefits me I don't think i will 😂

That's the hard part, deciding whether it's a benefit or not.

So often I've found raking on the syndicate is the kiss of death, going out up to my chest with the rake and the carp avoid the spot for ages, but with so much silkweed algae about its been the only way to fish some swims, and that has only produced one fish for me (and anyone else), but with so much weed, the lake is hardly being fished anyway.

I can see no-one on a 5 day session!

And I walk Sky round every day.

What fish have been out have come to finding clear spots, and then knowing that it's going to be a boat job to get out to net them.

 

[salokcinnodrog]

On 17/08/2024 at 22:42, salokcinnodrog said:

What fish have been out have come to finding clear spots, and then knowing that it's going to be a boat job to get out to net them.

 

I'll change that slightly as I have managed to land 2 in just wellies and from just standing in the water.

(

)

I have found the clear spots, and put my rig on it.

Slight change in rig, a 360 rig using a size 4 Gardner Incizor and RH Monster Crab pop-up and putty on the hooklink knot.

Cover the hook eye with shrink tubing to stop it catching in the landing net.

It looks like time to change rig on the other rod in the same area, as both came to the same rod.

 

On 16/08/2024 at 15:17, salokcinnodrog said:

With so few swims fishable if the silkweed algae moves, someone will fish it. 

There are a couple of us cleaning swims of weed and silkweed and fishing each other's spots.

 

Funnily enough the other member who has raked swims has gone into the swim I started the August Catch Reports with the 15 and caught 2 more stock fish while I have gone back to one of my previous swan disturbed swans.

No swans being a pain, they've dispersed and gone back to the main lake. Get the occasional drifters, but  the males aren't getting the heads down on my hemp bed. 

[elmoputney]

I could do it and make an area fishable leave a tonne of bait on it ready, but with the time I get I might just be doing the hard work for someone else to benefit from it. That's happened a few times I've turned up post weeding to find some else in that swim and it annoys me lol. 

[framey]

11 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

I could do it and make an area fishable leave a tonne of bait on it ready, but with the time I get I might just be doing the hard work for someone else to benefit from it. That's happened a few times I've turned up post weeding to find some else in that swim and it annoys me lol. 

Problem with carp fishing nowadays lol 

On club waters no one knows who’s fishing where unless you are in the clique and let’s be honest most of the time you have to slot in

added to that all the superstars say find the fish first and unfortunately, if they are showing in the swim you have prepped it’s going to get fished.