Despite Mother Nature’s best efforts, it looks like we’re finally heading into Spring. There’s been plenty of days over the last week or two where there’s been a strong sun with a real warming effect on the water.
Therefore, I’m beginning to see more and more fish as they wake from their winter slumber and start to forage around. Many that I’ve been watching up close are still a little way of feeding hard, so I’m not about to start balling in the bait just yet, but with most that I’ve been feeding at close quarters near to snags and features, if just a little bit of attractor feed is placed right in front of them, then they are more than willing to drop down and investigate.
For me, the next month or so before temperatures really start moving in the right direction is all about placing a little bit of temptation in their path and seeing if you can provoke a reaction. One of my all-time favourite approaches for this time of year, as the sun starts to show, is to fish naturals over a light scattering of hemp. The hemp is perfect for getting them grubbing about, but without actually filling them up. I like to fish shallow areas two or three foot deep near to sedges islands or obvious features, but the key is to fish the spots that are really getting the sun. The fish will love to move through areas like this as we head into the Spring as the water here will warm first.
A nice bed of smelly hemp will be just the job and its attractive aroma will drift right up through the water column helping to entice passing fish. To seal the deal, I’ll use my corn rig with a few maggots wriggling away on top, or often will use two or three grains of artificial corn on the hair. The key is that either approach offers just a little visual hit over the wafting aroma of the hempseed.
Get it right and the carp can’t help but come in for a closer look, but as I say, fishing a shallow area can be key. I’ll be taking this method out with me tomorrow and already know one of the first spots I’ll be baiting that will be first to get the sun in two or three feet of clear water.
I’d love to be able to say I spend weeks fermenting my own special brew of hemp just for the job, but I don’t. I used to in the past, but I’ve just not got the time any more and, besides, I’d struggle to make it as good as the Dynamite Baits Frenzied Hempseed I use straight from the tin. It’s always cooked to absolute perfection and screams big fish every time you open it. Therefore, I just buy theirs and always make sure I half a few 700g tins at home – easy as that!
As I say, at this time of year less can be more, so the beauty is that it’s won’t cost you a fortune. I might only use half a tin in a session so I usually take the rest home and freeze it.
Give it a try, I’ll certainly be on it tomorrow!
Julian Grattidge
March 2013
USEFUL LINKS
Dynamite Baits Frenzied Hempseed on eBay – CLICK HERE
Dynamite Baits Frenzied Hempseed on Fishtec – CLICK HERE
Dynamite Baits Frenzied Hempseed on Dragon Carp – CLICK HERE
