How I approach a new water

The big question

“Okay Terry, is it best to have an open mind when it comes to a new water and where to fish? Is it worth doing stacks of research on the water, walking round and getting some tips and so on? Or for an experienced angler is it best to rely on common sense, experience and gut instinct?”

“I find that it’s generally best to have an open mind when starting on a new water. But, at the same time it’s also well worth doing your research prior to starting your campaign. By research I mean looking at old magazine articles, talking with friends that have already fished there, that sort of thing. If it’s a water that I fancy having a go on myself then I make sure to keep any magazine articles on the place for future reference.

“Another great tip is to use Google Earth. You get an aerial image of the lake and you can usually distinguish the deeps from the shallows, the bars and plateaux etc. You also get a compass point so you can see which winds blow where, so before you even turn up at the lake you can check the weather and know which area the wind is going to be blowing into upon your arrival. Gut instinct and experience obviously plays a part too.

“I’ve got to be honest and say that I’ve never been one for walking round a new venue asking questions. It always seems a bit much to me. Sure, if the anglers want to open up and give you a few pointers in the right direction then I’ll take it on board, but more often than not it’s a case of reading between the lines and doing your own thing. It’s probably different on waters where it’s all about getting takes and having fun, but on the low stock waters where the other anglers are all there for the same reason, i.e. in the hope of catching ‘the big one’, I certainly wouldn’t expect them to tell me too much.”