10 simple steps to knowing your swim inside out

Step No.1

Getting the right set-up is as important as any other aspect when it comes to hitting the right spot. Braided main line is a must for a few reasons. Firstly, it has no stretch and when dragging the lead back, the make-up of the bottom is transmitted through the braid and replicated on the rod tip giving you an indication of whether you have landed on silt, gravel or weed. The braid I use is 20lb ESP Spod and Marker Braid. It is lovely and supple and has a very thin diameter which are key properties when it comes to casting at range.

On the end of the braid I attach a quick clip which allows me to take the marker float off. I then have a big-eyed swivel free running up the line with about eight-inches of braid attached to another quick clip, this allows me to switch between leads as I explore the swim.

The rod I use for my marker work is a normal 12ft 3.5lb TC carp rod with a Daiwa Emblem ST5000 reel.

Step No.2

When I set about plumbing a swim for the first time, the first thing I do is have a feel around with a zip-style lead without the marker float attached. If fishing at range I will use a 4oz ‘zip’ and if I am doing a bit of close-range work then a 3oz will suffice.

Once cast out, I will count the lead down to the bottom which will give me a very rough indication of the depth. As the lead hits the deck, it is possible to get a good idea of the type of bottom you have landed on by the clarity of the donk. A hard donk will normally indicate that the lead has landed on gravel or a hard spot, whereas a softer donk either means the spot is covered in light weed or is silty. If there is no donk at all it usually means that the lead has landed in a thick weedbed.

Zip leads are far from good when it comes to feature-finding but I only use them to start with in case I land in a big weedbed and then a zip lead will retrieve without any problems and I won’t have to pull for a break.

Step No.3

The next step is to drag the lead back gently and feel for any resistance. I always do this keeping the rod low and to the side. If there is resistance then the lead has landed in weed. The harder it is to drag back, the weedier it is. If the lead skids back with no resistance then the spot is likely to be clear.

I use this set-up and keep casting around the swim until I get a good donk and a clear drag back.

Step No.4

Once I think I have found a likely spot with the zip lead I will clip the rod up to the spot and line it up with a far bank marker to make sure I hit the same spot every time. Once clipped up, a couple more casts will confirm the donk and clear drag back which is exactly what I am looking for.

Step No. 5

This is the point at which I see so many people make one of the biggest mistakes that you can make when plumbing a swim. Although it may feel clear with a zip lead, it’s now time to replace the zip lead with a Wychwood Grubber Lead or in some instances I use a 4oz Breakaway Lead that is normally used for sea fishing. Both of these leads have prongs coming out the side which drag along the bottom ripping up any weed that maybe present.

Once the lead is replaced, I will line up my cast with the far bank marker and ping the lead out to the clip and feel for a drop. A quick drag back of the lead and more often than not, the spot that feels so clear with a normal lead is not so clear after all. These two leads catch any weed that maybe present on the spot and drag it in which not only tells you what type of weed is on the spot but also shows you the depth of the weed.

I have had it so many times where anglers have put me onto a clear spot (or a spot which appears clear when plumbing with a normal lead as the case maybe) and I will cast out my Grubber Lead only to find that there is not a clear spot to be found and that the spot is actually covered in two-inches of weed.

The reason I don’t start off with a Grubber Lead to begin with is because if I were to cast it straight into a thick weedbed, the chances are the lead will get stuck and I will have to pull for a break.

Step No.6

For most of my fishing I like to target the clearest spots, as quite often on the busy day ticket waters, the clear spots are only clear because they are regularly fed on and the carp keep them polished off. So it is these dinner plates that I am trying to find. If I have found that the spot I once thought was clear with a zip lead but is actually covered in light weed with the Grubber Lead, I will cast around the swim again and repeat the process until I find a clear spot.

Step No.7

Once I am happy that the Grubber Lead is indicating a hard clear spot, I will cast a number of times around the spot looking for the hardest donk and cleanest drag back to find the clearest hardest spot within the area, as this will be the spot which has been fed on the most.

I then cast out to the spot and drag back 4ft – then wind in quickly and see if there is any weed. I do this seven or eight times to make 100% sure I’m happy with the spot. Then cast right and left to explore the boundaries around the spot to find out the size of it.

Step No.8

Once I am 100% happy with the spot I intend to fish, I pace out the spot on the bank until I hit the clip and put a stick at either end to mark the distance. I also count the paces and make a note in my diary to help me find the spot in future sessions. It is more common to use two banksticks a rod length apart and count the wraps till you hit the clip but I am fairly old school and prefer the exercise of pacing my rods out.

Step No.9

The first time I fish a lake, or a particular swim, I will plumb the depth but once I have done that there is never a need for a marker float. Again, all of the depths of swims are marked into my carpy diary for future reference.

When plumbing for the depth, I use the quick clip and switch back to a zip lead as they are better for casting accurately at distance, and again, I never cast out a Grubber Lead with a marker float just in case it gets snagged up; I wouldn’t want to lose one of my precious home-made marker floats.

I always carry three different marker floats which do the trick in just about every situation. If I cannot find a clear spot I will then have to present my bait in weed. The bigger balsa marker floats are very buoyant and perfect for popping up in weed whereas smaller floats are often a nightmare to get to pop up. I have one in black and one in orange depending on the shadow on the lake; it is often the black float that stands out more than the orange one depending on light conditions. I also carry a smaller dart-like marker – this is perfectly aerodynamic and lightweight for the longer chucks.

Step No.10

There are only really two main reasons why I use a marker float to find the depth. One is because I do a lot of Zig fishing and I need to know the depth of the water to know how deep to fish my Zigs. And secondly when spodding I need to know how much further I need to cast my hookbaits compared to my spods to allow for the arc in the line. The deeper the water, the further I need to clip my leads compared to my spod. I always clip my rods up one foot further than my spod for every two-foot depth of water. So in ten-foot of water I will clip my rods up five-foot further than my spod.

Once I have clipped up my rods I will attach a small tag of Number Two fluoro pole elastic to mark the distance and allow me to clip-up to the exact same spot without having to pace my rods up the bank every time I need a re-cast. The thinner pole elastics are best, as the thicker elastics create too large a knot and the line will get caught behind the knot on the cast. A fluoro elastic makes it easier to see when clipping up.