Should you adjust your rigs to suit your target?

Question: How often do you change your rigs, or the dimensions of your rigs to suit the feeding behaviour (or even body shape) of a particular fish? Or do they all get the same set-ups to deal with?

Another lovely Wasing mirror

It’s not very often that I change my rigs to suit the feeding behaviour of a particular fish, not in that sense anyway. If I’m watching one feeding in the edge and I think it’s getting away with it, then I might make a tweak here and there, but not so much when I’m fishing blind out in the pond. I just go by my results. If my rigs catch the big ‘un’s mates okay, then to my mind they should be suitable for the big ‘un as well.

The Parrot, which I’m currently fishing for, has a bit of a abnormality mind, as let’s just say its mouth is very different to any other big ‘un I’ve ever fished for. If there’s one thing that normally puts me off fishing for a particular fish, it’s mouth damage. It’s a pet hate and I very, very rarely use shots of carp showing it.

As its name suggests, the Parrot’s mouth is already deformed, but it’s clear that anglers have also played their part over the many years that it’s been fished for, which is a shame but largely unavoidable with a huge, well fished for carp in such a weedy environment. The fact that it’s an otherwise incredible fish, long, dark, aged and scaley, oh, and it weighs around 65lb, is enough for me to turn a blind eye to the mouth. It is what it is.

The first time I saw the Parrot on the bank and I got a proper look at its mouth, I felt that it was odds on that I’d probably already bumped it once or twice myself. The opening is mis-shaped and smaller than you’d imagine for a carp of that size, and the pallet is very hard - it’s easy to imagine your hook not getting a proper purchase and bouncing out, completely different to a normal carp’s mouth. Having caught pretty much everything else in the lake I’ve obviously had times where I’ve wondered whether or not my rigs are suitable for that particular fish, after all, its mouth is one feature which makes it that much different from the rest. The thing is, the more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that the bottom bait rigs I’ve been using, with the Hair trapped at the bend, should be absolutely perfect for it.

If my rigs are good enough for the big 'uns mates, then surely they're good enough for the big 'un.

The way I’m fishing my Hairs means that the hook and bait is more streamlined, especially in comparison to a lot of other rigs were the hook is swinging about more to one side the side of the bait, and for a smaller opening that should be a good thing. I honestly can’t think of a more suited presentation. I’m not about to change that just yet, to my mind there’s other more important things to be thinking about, like fishing the right spots at the right times.

Anyway, that’s enough of the questions, time to sort my kit out. As I write this the weather’s finally on the turn and mild weather with nice southwesterlies is forecast for the whole of the coming week. At long blooming last, hopefully it’s an early start to spring.
I’ve pretty much spent this winter solely on the rivers, mainly fishing for barbel or zander, but even that has been hard work, either too cold or in flood. In a way I’ll be glad to put away the river kit this year. Thinking about it, the last time I fished an overnighter for carp was back in November, so I’m pretty keen to get back to the long stay carping.

Saying all that about it being a poor winter, I did get lucky enough to winkle a good ‘un from the river just before Christmas, a ghost common of 37lb and a new Thames PB by a few ounces. It was a bit of a bruiser, old, battered and crusty, but in relatively un-fished territory and with a backdrop of rocks and boulders, it was a bit different too, just how I like it.

The battle was truly epic, and I had to run downstream probably eighty-odd-yards before we managed to net it - a good story for another time. All thanks to my mate Dave, who invited me to join him in his well-prepped swim for a day session on my birthday. What a present, one to remember, ta mate! Keep catching ‘em.