Feature finding from What bait

[mrmud]

  On 26/05/2024 at 15:17, salokcinnodrog said:

Don't think of prebaiting as a one swim tactic if you are on a food bait. The bait should be thought of as a food and the carp used to finding it anywhere.

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Never thought of it like that. 

  On 26/05/2024 at 15:17, salokcinnodrog said:

Knowing the lake helps, I know most of the features, and I had the same on Taverham, Brackens and the South lagoon and Earith, with hand drawn or Google maps of the features.

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I've been trying to learn by casting a marker lead around. Think I've found a gravel bar but not used it much as I only get day sessions and don't want to disturb the swim as it's tough enough fishing anyways 

[salokcinnodrog]

  On 26/05/2024 at 16:11, mrmud said:

Never thought of it like that. 

I've been trying to learn by casting a marker lead around. Think I've found a gravel bar but not used it much as I only get day sessions and don't want to disturb the swim as it's tough enough fishing anyways 

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Google can be your friend, especially if you can find a decent Google Earth picture.

I did have a South Lagoon Nazeing picture, complete with every bar and distances marked.

The time to put the marker float about is about an hour before you leave.

The more you learn the better.

 

When it comes to bait, many current food source baits are frequently on a nut or vegetable protein base, which I don't think are as good as the meat or fish based base mixes of 10years ago. 

Vegetable and nut proteins are not complete proteins in as much as they miss a couple of essential amino acids, where fishmeal, meat meal, or yeast based are rich in all essentials, and as such I think are better baits.

 

[mrmud]

  On 26/05/2024 at 19:11, salokcinnodrog said:

Google can be your friend, especially if you can find a decent Google Earth picture.

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Can barely even find a mention of this venue online. Did manage to find some historical stuff but it's changed so much since then.

  On 26/05/2024 at 19:11, salokcinnodrog said:

Vegetable and nut proteins are not complete proteins in as much as they miss a couple of essential amino acids, where fishmeal, meat meal, or yeast based are rich in all essentials, and as such I think are better baits.

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Yeast would be the better all year bait then. I worry about the fishmeal not being as effective in the colder months.

[framey]

  On 29/05/2024 at 07:56, mrmud said:

Can barely even find a mention of this venue online. Did manage to find some historical stuff but it's changed so much since 

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What nick means is 

open Google earth and find pictures of the lake.

you can get various pictures for different weather conditions if you look enough and it might show you the bars gulleys etc.

the. You can use the measuring tool and work out how far these are and then cast to them.

[mrmud]

  On 29/05/2024 at 08:13, framey said:

What nick means is 

open Google earth and find pictures of the lake.

you can get various pictures for different weather conditions if you look enough and it might show you the bars gulleys etc.

the. You can use the measuring tool and work out how far these are and then cast to them.

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Thanks I never use earth I was just using Google maps. Thought they were the same thing

[salokcinnodrog]

  On 29/05/2024 at 07:56, mrmud said:

Can barely even find a mention of this venue online. Did manage to find some historical stuff but it's changed so much since then.

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  On 29/05/2024 at 08:28, mrmud said:

Thanks I never use earth I was just using Google maps. Thought they were the same thing

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  On 29/05/2024 at 08:13, framey said:

What nick means is 

open Google earth and find pictures of the lake.

you can get various pictures for different weather conditions if you look enough and it might show you the bars gulleys etc.

the. You can use the measuring tool and work out how far these are and then cast to them.

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I might split the thread about feature finding.

This was Google Earthed

[mrmud]

  On 13/06/2024 at 09:03, salokcinnodrog said:

I might split the thread about feature finding.

This was Google Earthed

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Wow that's detailed.

I looked at Google earth pro but it never gave away anything except how much the rushes has taken over part of the pond.

I need to get the hang of using a marker rod.

[salokcinnodrog]

  On 13/06/2024 at 22:40, mrmud said:

Wow that's detailed.

I looked at Google earth pro but it never gave away anything except how much the rushes has taken over part of the pond.

I need to get the hang of using a marker rod.

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Obviously I got the distances myself, but used Google Earth to get the actual satellite shot.

[mrmud]

  On 14/06/2024 at 07:32, salokcinnodrog said:

Obviously I got the distances myself, but used Google Earth to get the actual satellite shot.

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Yeah I guessed that lol. Defo a few hours of leading around done there.

I watched a few videos and on some it gave away gravel bars and a weed bed. 

[yonny]

  On 26/05/2024 at 16:11, mrmud said:

I've been trying to learn by casting a marker lead around. Think I've found a gravel bar but not used it much as I only get day sessions and don't want to disturb the swim as it's tough enough fishing anyways 

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It's worth sacrificing a day sesh just to mark up swims mate. It can mean the difference between a great year and a terrible one.

[salokcinnodrog]

  On 18/06/2024 at 08:28, yonny said:

It's worth sacrificing a day sesh just to mark up swims mate. It can mean the difference between a great year and a terrible one.

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Before I fished Virginia at Earith I spent 2 days feature finding and pre-baiting. 

I mapped out the whole lake for myself and @brucelait, I know I had a hand drawn copy, I think we had one each.

Over 2 years I had a total of 4 blanks, and 2 of them were when the lake froze over while I was fishing.

I can't remember how many fish we had, but it was hundreds and many were over 20lb.

  On 13/06/2024 at 22:40, mrmud said:

I need to get the hang of using a marker rod.

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It's not that hard.

If you want full depths and distances then a float and lead, if you are happy with just 'rough' then a lead alone.

Use braid to a 30lb mono ( Amnesia) shockleader for a better feel, with a run ring and 3 or 4oz lead (maybe a lead link), and a marker float at the end.

Obviously cast out and feel around; gravel feels 'bumpy', sand is smooth, clay often a bounce as the lead comes free then slides smoothly, silt is the lead pulls free, but slides slowly. Weed almost pulls back, jams, comes through, sticks, and repeat.

Hold the line tight down, then pull a foot of line off the reel at a time until the float reaches the surface. Weed might stop it, even with a lead link.

If you use just a lead you are counting it down from the cast, I've always used roughly a metre a second, but it won't 'donk' on or in silt or weed. You then have to clip up once you find the spot and get the distance on sticks or walking it out.

 

I can't remember who said it, I think Dave Lane, mono is a smoother cast, and on distance sticks I think recommended taking a wrap off for the fishing rods. So if you got 15wraps with the marker rod and braid, go 14 with mono on your fishing rods.

[mrmud]

  On 18/06/2024 at 08:28, yonny said:

It's worth sacrificing a day sesh just to mark up swims mate. It can mean the difference between a great year and a terrible one.

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  On 18/06/2024 at 14:08, salokcinnodrog said:

Before I fished Virginia at Earith I spent 2 days feature finding and pre-baiting. 

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  On 18/06/2024 at 14:08, salokcinnodrog said:

It's not that hard.

If you want full depths and distances then a float and lead, if you are happy with just 'rough' then a lead alone.

Use braid to a 30lb mono ( Amnesia) shockleader for a better feel, with a run ring and 3 or 4oz lead (maybe a lead link), and a marker float at the end.

Obviously cast out and feel

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Thanks @yonny & @salokcinnodrog.

Need to buy some braid then I'll be doing as you both suggest n spending a day or two annoying everyone casting a lead n float around