By : Des Shipp
Looking to try a new fishery? Here are some great tips to help you make the most of your visit.
Most fisheries now have Facebook pages and it is my first port of call when doing some ‘digging’. Although you won’t be able to find the exact tactics the guys are using you should be able to get an idea of what weights are being caught and what species (or size of fish).
You will also be able to get a feel for the place by being able to see a few pictures of the venue.
A more recent phenomenon is the surge in fishing videos and for many venues now there will be a video on YouTube to accompany it. These are a great source of information that you can utilise.
Whatever way you choose to do your homework, it is time well spent. Going in blind to a new venue can work but it is far better to know what to expect.
The last thing that you want to do is visit a new venue and try using a bait option that you are not familiar with. I prefer to take baits that I know work and make them work on the new venue. Pellets are the perfect starting point for your first visit as they work well on every commercial fishery.
The other option to consider are maggots. You can catch any species with this bait choice and they will work wherever you take them. Then once you become familiar with the venue after one or two visits you can start to try other bait options.
Following a similar theme to point two, there is no point changing the floats and rigs that you normally use, just because you are going somewhere new. I have a core of rigs that I take to all of my fishing matches and they revolve around just a few float patterns that I know inside out. The F1 Maggot, Carp Shallow and Diamond are my three ‘go-anywhere’ float patterns.
Hook wise I keep things simple and the GPM-B in spade and eyed are the perfect choice for many baits.
Visiting a new venue that you are not familiar with can be a little daunting and if things don’t go your way on the first visit, then it can be very easy to never return. But you will learn something from each session and sometimes a new venue can be like a jigsaw puzzle and each session is another piece added.
So don’t become despondent with the venue and stick with it as the rewards will come. On the flipside, sometimes a fresh outlook can be very effective and don’t be surprised if you do very well on your first visit!
