LET'S GO FISHING

When you arrive at your chosen water take a walk round, don’t sit down in the nearest swim. You need to take a good LOOK AROUND & check for overhanging trees, access to the water, are there any snags or plant growth out in front of you what direction is the wind blowing. If you are with a friend, it will usually be necessary for you to have a swim each, double swims are not that common and if you try to squeeze in together, you will not be able to fish correctly and may be told off by the local land owner.
The next thing to do is unpack and get comfortable, your going to be they’re for quite some time. You will need to be a little organised. Get into a routine when you fish, i.e. landing net to your left, bait to your right, lunch behind you etc. that way you will be able to put your hand on any piece of equipment you may need at short notice. A fish could be lost whilst you are scrambling around trying to reach your landing net. Worse a fish will suffer unnecessarily if you don’t know where you put your Disgorger. GET ORGANISED, you will catch more.

Open your tins and sort out your bait. PLEASE be careful & put away empty tins & lids.

If there’s no nearby bins TAKE THEM HOME.

SETTING UP THE WAGGLER

The Waggler is my favourite way to fish, but not always possible if the weather is wrong. It's near impossible to cast if you have a head on wind, whereas if it's blowing from behind it’s a lot easier.

Regarding the visibility of the float, don't leave the float sitting too high in the water, just to make it easier to see, this will reduce the signs of a bite, as sometimes it will only dip a few millimetres.

You will need to slide your float onto the line and use a split shot weight either side to hold the float in position. Before you set your depth & add your hook length, just plop the float a few metres out to check you have the correct weights, leaving the float sit a little proud, so you can add a couple of No.8 weights further down the line.
Now make a loop at the end of your main line and again on your hook length, feed one through the other pull tight and trim off excess line. Hook length should be about 18" long. Attach the hook and add a couple of No 8 weights spaced evenly apart down the main line.

Now (If you have done your homework & spoken with other fishermen), you will know

the approximate depth of the water, therefore set the float accordingly by sliding the float & weights up the line until the desired distance between hook & float is reached.

If however the depth varies, then you will need to plumb the depth. A quick easy non technical way is simply after you have set your float to the correct buoyancy, is to take a large split shot weight and clip on to the line next to your hook & cast out. Your float will sink under if you have set the float too short, if your float sits perfectly continue to move your float & weights down your line, until the float is JUST visible. Reel in remove your plumb weight and move your float a ½” back up the line.
The beauty of a Waggler is that you can fish any depth. Fish are not regimental in where they can be found. It will be necessary to maybe start off at the bottom and decrease you depth by 6 - 10" until you get a bite (this is done by sliding the float and fixing weights down the line).

LINE CLIP UP

The distance you choose to fish can be set on your reel. Just make a couple of casts, when you feel you have cast at a comfortable distance, before you start to reel in, take the line and place it round the Line Clip Up on the reel.

This means that every time you cast it will be at the same distance. A word of caution, if you are fishing where there are large carp i.e. over 8lb, this is not always recommended as when the fish runs the tension on the line could snap your hook length.

CATAPULT

Choose your bait and away you go. Not forgetting every couple of minute’s fire out a small pinch of particle bait over your float with a Catapult

Once you have cast out, with practice you will learn to sink your line. This is necessary for still waters as any tow on the water or wind will drag your line and float. Simply place the tip of your rod a couple of inches under water and flick the tip sharply up. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave your rod unattached to either your box or your hand, I have seen TOO MANY rods lost when an unexpected large fish has taken the bait/hook/line & ROD.

When your float dips under the water GREAT you have a bite. (Note I said you have a bite NOT a fish) this is where you now learn, the difference between a bite & hooking a fish. When you see the float dip under you must strike. Never too sharply else all that will happen is you will pull the hook out of the fishes mouth, but sharp enough to hook the fish, trial & error will teach you the best method.

Once you can feel the fish you will need to make sure your line remains taught. If the line becomes slack the fish can unhook itself. Slowly start to reel the fish in, take your time, especially if it feels like a large fish. Once your fish nears the bank approx. 12’ away reach for your landing net. Make sure it is in and under the water BEFORE you bring the fish in too close. The disturbance of lowering your net in can seriously spook the fish and your line may snap with the fish’s sudden jerks. Slowly manoeuvre the fish to the landing net making sure not to allow it to get too close to the bank, you need room to manoeuvre the net & fish.

ANTI-REVERSE

Once safely in the net, release the line Anti Reverse Button on your reel to let the line run free, Place down your rod and bring in your net & fish.

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