Float fishing big water from boat for roach, rudd etc.

[lochhopper]

There is a big water (couple of miles long) near me which offers good mixed coarse fishing, e.g. with a lot of rudd around the pound mark, roach a bit smaller and bream a bit bigger. Most of the bank is inaccessible, so this means boat fishing for the most part. The water has got large areas which are less than 20' deep and it warms up quite quickly compared a lot of the deeper colder pre-alpine lakes where I live.

The area I have got my eye on is a big (100 yds +) reed-lined bay. It's shallow in the back, but at the front it drops off quickly to 10' close to the bank and then more slowly to 15' further out.

My plan is put an H-marker out from the edge of the lilly pads on the deep side of the inital drop-off, then to anchor up a cast length away. Next I want to catapult in groundbait around the marker, which I plan to mix up quite dry and fluffy, with some maggots and corn mixed in. I then want to fish a normal waggler rig (I assume this is still normal) with the bulk around the float and then a number 4 or 6 above the hooklength swivel, aiming to put the bait 6" or a foot off the bottom. Maybe instead a slider if I run out of rod length.

I've tried it like that before, with really patchy results. On one day a friend and I really bagged up, while on another we scratched around for a few "bits". I couldn't really put it down to the weather or temperature, so I have wondered whether the location is really that critical, or whether we messed up our feed, or whether on our less successful days (which outnumber the more successful ones) we simply had bad luck.

Can anyone offer any tips for location, feeding or technique in this situation?

[Pinkie]

Get a fish finder if you don't already have one. Then look for underwater features like weed beds or deeper holes, and prebait these areas. In particular, search the area near the shoreline where the prevailing wind buffers against, and you may well find a few hot spots!

[Bob Watson]

I'd start hard on the deck with a few more shot (small bulk) down the line in that depth of water, especially after the initial bombardment of groundbait. One or two number 8 or 6 on the deck to combat undertow if and as needed.

If you suspect fish are present and getting no bites or getting bites on the drop, then bulk up around the float with a couple of tell tale droppers and adjust depth until you get amongst them. A couple of casts without a bait will show what your float is doing in relation to the droppers, hit anything different when you have a bait on, bearing in mind there will be a slight difference with the bait on but you'll have it sussed by then!

That's my basic approach to deep waggler fishing in a prolific venue where I'm expecting bites quite soon.

[stubbojo]

prebaiting for a few weeks is the way to go pal
it really makes a difference on big open waters, where the fish could be anywhere

[Mike J]

As Stubbi says above.

Prebaiting is how I got amongst the fish on a place about half the size of yours and a direct repeat of the methods we used on Wilstone for the bream.
Nothing technical I just found a fishable area, heaved in the prebait and the fish found it. I used mashed bread (crusts from a sandwich maker) and dumped in a bucketful for 3 or 4 evenings and fished the next.
I always began with a few handfuls of mash then fished an Avon rod, 6lb straight through to size 10 on a 1/2oz Arlesey bomb, indication was a M'way isotope on a drop arm infront of the reel. The distance was as far as the mashed bread went, right from the start it was a fish a chuck, real clattering bites and nothing small. Perfect!
All this was early evening fishing in winter for baits and it continued for a good few seasons until the carp population got out of hand.

Find an area you can fish comfortably, feed it well and the fish will come as the light drops. simples.

.

[lochhopper]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Fish finder: unfortunately banned, as it is on most waters around here. I'll see what I can do with a plumb line.

Fishing over depth: interesting. I wouldn't have thought of that one. I'll try it.

Pre-baiting: I hadn't thought of that either, although I guess I should have. I'll see what putting some bread and corn in in advance can do.

[Mike J]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Fish finder: unfortunately banned, as it is on most waters around here. I'll see what I can do with a plumb line.

Fishing over depth: interesting. I wouldn't have thought of that one. I'll try it.

Pre-baiting: I hadn't thought of that either, although I guess I should have. I'll see what putting some bread and corn in in advance can do.

For prebait quantity will always beat quality, even bread green with mould will draw fish if you use enough.
Using mash and fishing a grain of corn over the top can be deadly, as is the opposite.

Good luck.

.

[neil hardiker]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

[Mike J]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

I used layers pellets but stopped when I noticed the list of pharmaceuticals that were included. Not sure if the various medicinal drugs would harm fish or aquatic life but I didnt want to take a chance they might.

.

[Slug]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

I used layers pellets but stopped when I noticed the list of pharmaceuticals that were included. Not sure if the various medicinal drugs would harm fish or aquatic life but I didnt want to take a chance they might.

.

Couldn’t find anything. What’s in them?

[Mike J]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

I used layers pellets but stopped when I noticed the list of pharmaceuticals that were included. Not sure if the various medicinal drugs would harm fish or aquatic life but I didnt want to take a chance they might.

.

Couldn’t find anything. What’s in them?

From memory they were to control worms and digestive problems.

.

[Slug]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

I used layers pellets but stopped when I noticed the list of pharmaceuticals that were included. Not sure if the various medicinal drugs would harm fish or aquatic life but I didnt want to take a chance they might.

.

Couldn’t find anything. What’s in them?

From memory they were to control worms and digestive problems.

.

Interested as it’s sort of my background. No need to worry Mike the wormer is flubendazole. This is also used for fish parasites.
The digestive help is just yeast. Saccharomyces boulardii

You would have to buy the pellets that contained these also most don’t.

[Mike J]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

I used layers pellets but stopped when I noticed the list of pharmaceuticals that were included. Not sure if the various medicinal drugs would harm fish or aquatic life but I didnt want to take a chance they might.

.

Couldn’t find anything. What’s in them?

From memory they were to control worms and digestive problems.

.

Interested as it’s sort of my background. No need to worry Mike the wormer is flubendazole. This is also used for fish parasites.
The digestive help is just yeast. Saccharomyces boulardii

You would have to buy the pellets that contained these also most don’t.

Thanks for that advice.
I just picked up a few sacks from Scats/Mole Valley Farmers and used them to bulk out bread mash, the result drew held fish so I will use them again.



.

[Slug]

Get some layers pellets or flaked maize from an animal feed place for cheap and plentiful pre-bait.

I used layers pellets but stopped when I noticed the list of pharmaceuticals that were included. Not sure if the various medicinal drugs would harm fish or aquatic life but I didnt want to take a chance they might.

.

Couldn’t find anything. What’s in them?

From memory they were to control worms and digestive problems.

.

Interested as it’s sort of my background. No need to worry Mike the wormer is flubendazole. This is also used for fish parasites.
The digestive help is just yeast. Saccharomyces boulardii

You would have to buy the pellets that contained these also most don’t.

Thanks for that advice.
I just picked up a few sacks from Scats/Mole Valley Farmers and used them to bulk out bread mash, the result drew held fish so I will use them again.



.

Used various animal feeds in past but don’t think I’ve ever using layers pellets. Will keep in mind for the future.

[SmellySmelt]

I use pigeon conditioner, soak it in boiling water for 24hrs then boil it for 30mins. Also flaked maize, layers pellets, sweet corn, pellets, crushed boilies and pellets. Oh and some brown crumb and loads of molasses. This works on big wild Irish loughs.