5 essentials for early spring fishing
We ask four experts what their top five items are
Question
Finally, what are your five essential items for early spring fishing and why?
Adam Penning
“1. Floaters: you need to be ready for the first time the fish arrive on the surface – that is often the best time of the whole year. 2. Polaroids: essential all year but now the fish are coming in close to the bank again, they are absolutely invaluable. 3. Pre-tied (at home, not bought!) Zigs: spring fish will be seeking warmth above all else and being prepared to fish Zigs in the upper layers is a big edge. 4. Mozzie mesh for the brolly for obvious reasons – on some lakes they come out early! 5. Chest waders: I always have these to hand but they get used a lot in the spring for setting margin traps.”
Ian Chillcott
“1. Boilies. Carp love ‘em, and whilst everyone else is messing around with singles, I can get the carp feeding competitively for food and catch a few. 2. Floater gear. It is very often the case when surface fishing, the first to respond to the fact that the carp are in the upper layers is the one who catches the most. 3. A sleeping bag cover. 4. Take an alarm clock. 5. A stalking rod. The shallow margins are areas that carp will visit first. One, because it‘s probably warmer there, and two, because the carp’s natural food will become more active as the temperatures increase, and that happens in the shallow margins first.”
Gaz Fareham
Very little kit, just a couple of rods and a brolly so I can move at the drop of a hat. A couple of tubs of bright or pale pepped-up singles and a decent set of eyes! Job done.”
Nigel Sharp
“1 Polaroids: to help with location as small windows start to open and ‘edge chances’ can suddenly emerge. 2 Brolley: I ditch the full bivvy as I like to be as mobile as possible. 3 Pellets and corn: because they are both non-perishable items so it doesn’t matter how long I have them in my armoury. 4: Fishmeal/foodbait pop-ups: because I’ve caught on them during the spring and if I don’t have them with me I’ll not know when there is a transition from fruity wangers to foodbaits unless I follow the pack. 5 An extra rod: this I’ve entitled the general ‘abuse stick’ as it has several uses from leading around to spodding.”
