Carp fishing tackle

Carp fishing

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Something Different Part 1 - The Camouflage Effect


How many times do we read that old cliché, do something different? The definition of the term is difficult to accomplish as the majority of methods have been used on many of our pressured carp lakes. So to attempt to do something different is not as simple as it sounds, we’ve seen it written on many occasions in many different publications by numerous accomplished writers. What is the meaning of something different? Does it mean applying bait that has not been exhausted on your chosen venue or a method that has not been used by one and all? I would suggest that doing something different is not a case of jumping on the band wagon, but applying a method or bait that carp in your chosen lake do not associate with danger and therefore as a result, not be so wary. In my articles that follow I will detail my interpretation of doing something different, which I personally, have applied to very good effect. The first part I will cover is the use of camouflage and concealment of line and rigs. It is not my intention to detail a multitude of methods I have used, but to get you thinking about hiding your end tackle using the theories of camouflage and concealment and adopt these principles within your own angling situations.

Carp fishing

A common denominator in carp fishing is that all rigs have an obtrusive length of line from rod to hook a simplistic statement. With this in mind, it is this area we should examine first to make as inconspicuous as possible. Carp will as we know take notice of line and this is highlighted when observing surface feeding fish at close quarters, we know from experience that they will spook to it, sometimes the only way to entice a take is to hide the line by removing it from view. A case of making the carp think your surface bait is a free offering so we must remove all signs of obvious danger. The way I achieve this is as follows: drape the line across lilies, hang it over a twig or use the well-documented beach caster method.
This leads me on to an open question, "do carp react in the same manner when feeding on bottom baits?" To a lesser degree they do, as line or braid lying on the bottom can be seen, but possibly less conspicuous, not nearly as visible as a silhouette of line on the surface. A rig lying on the lake bed blends in to its back ground better than line on the surface - the camouflage effect. I believe that light coloured rig materials blend in much better as they take on the natural colour of the waters sediment. Try submerging/clinching a light rig material in some wet lake sediment and you will see what I mean. Green snake skin has camouflage properties when fishing weeded waters; part of its success is down to being similar in colour and texture to a strand of weed? Place some snakeskin next to some weed and you will notice how well it blends. The carp angling fraternity are becoming more aware of the importance of camouflage and concealment.

Carp fishing

The main principles of camouflage are colour, shape, shine and silhouette. We have all heard of carp picking up freebies and avoiding the hook bait, the terminal tackle being visible and standing out like a bulldogs gonads! This will occur on all lakes where fish recognise line, rigs and terminal tackle as a sign of danger. Let’s take a closer look at how carp anglers can utilise the art of concealment in order to be more successful. I fish a lake in France regularly that has gin clear water with the odd patch of weed; it is very difficult to get a take unless the line and rig is concealed from view. I achieved good results by lowering the rig on the edge of the weed bed using a boat, as the water was clear the rig was placed so that only an inch or two of the hook length was visible, the lead and the majority of the rig was camouflaged in the weed.

Crap fishing

Stick methods, PVA bags and method feeders are very successful for a number of reasons but I would suggest that part of the success be down to the fact that the rig is concealed by the feed used in them. Resulting in a much better chance of a carp picking up your hook bait, less visible danger.
Camouflage in carp fishing as we have seen in recent years, is being applied to most aspects of carp fishing from clothing to end tackle! We only need to flick through the magazines to see this, real tree clothing, flouro carbon lines, stones and leads to match the environment. All of which can be placed in the disruptive pattern material (DPM) bracket. According to some fish biologists fish are virtually colour blind, seeing only the colours of the spectrum from white to black and shades between. Mimicking the colour of the lakebed will make the end tackle less visible. This would surely reduce the chances of your end tackle being detected? I know so! How many of us cast a black lead and rig onto a light coloured lakebed i.e. sand? Try placing a black lead onto a light sheet of paper! Get my drift. Moral of the story is: give this some serious thought and use terminal tackle that is similar in colour to the lakebed.

Carp fishing

Another camouflage principle is shape, and probably the most important of the principles. Line, swivels, rig materials and leads contain straight lines and curves that are manmade, how many natural objects do we see that have the same shape, un-natural shapes in a natural environment, easily detected! It is these distinctive shapes that the carp recognise as danger. In order to overcome detection we should adopt and learn lessons from other areas that put a much higher priority on camouflage and concealment than we do! I.e. a sniper hides from view by breaking up his shape with foliage from the surroundings in which he is operating.
With that in mind breaking up the shape into a more natural outline would further reduce the chances of detection. A combination of breaking up the outline and matching the shade or colour of the lake bed is what we should try to achieve - a presentation that would be very difficult to detect. The human eye recognises by shape and colour, I would suggest that carp can detect danger by associating some shapes by association with a previous bad experience, i.e. line, hooks and leads. If we could hide these shapes/lines we would achieve a much better presentation profile which in turn would deceive more carp into picking up our hook baits.
On looking through the range of leads and hooks available today it is very noticeable how much surface shine hooks, swivels and leads have. As we are looking to avoid detection we should be using none shining products i.e. a matt finish. Note how many of natures own objects shine in a lake. Very few, so why do manufacturers insist on silver grey glistening hooks, lead coatings that reflect rather than absorb light, its OK using a black coating as long as it is matt and does not shine.
Finally we move onto the sense of touch, carp use their barbule to feel/touch, when they slide across an anglers line or rig. I presume they recognise the man made material and shape of it. Monofilament is unlike anything that can be found in any natural surrounding, immediately raising a carps sense of awareness and caution. If it were possible to attach debris or natural particles to terminal tackle carp would be much less wary and much less likely to sense danger of man made products.
Concealment in all its disguises is the way forward to tempt rig shy fish. Realistically speaking its only those last few feet that can be hidden, it’s not possible to break up the distinctive shape and texture of main line, it would be impossible to cast!

carp fishing

I think we can learn a thing or two by studying creatures, one of which is the caddis lava. Each larva spins a tube of silk and fixes to it material such as sand grains, small stones, plant stems, twigs and therefore the creature gains some protection and blends perfectly into its surroundings, a second example would be the stick insect. If we could mimic that effect it would be an advance in our presentation. How can this be achieved? I am afraid I don't have all of the answers but have been experimenting with a number of ideas to do just that, nicknamed the cam rig, its still in the trial stages but results so far are encouraging! Prior to attempting to camouflage your end tackle it is vitally important to know the bottom of the lake in the area where you will be placing bait.
Tackle companies see the importance of this, with the various new colour camouflaged end tackle that are hitting the market? But they are neglecting one of the most important principles, that of shape. Leads and rigs which have a broken outline would be a step forward and would achieve a much better cam effect than colour only. Maybe rig tubing that does not have a definitive outline but broken with the use of life like foliage? Or dried silt, sand/debris glued onto rig materials/leads.


Fishing Method

Take a rig/lead and cover it in glue to attain a broken uneven outline. I use a glue gun with PVC glue. Whilst the glue is still tacky role the lead and rig in dried debris similar to that of the lake you are fishing, repeat the process until you have achieved a good build up on the outer surface. I have also used a peat type soil from a grow bag, which blends in to silt and areas of over hanging trees perfectly. The cam rig in the photo is made using grow bag soil; notice how well it blends into some sediment that was taken from my local gravel pit. Also note how much better it is at blending into the back ground in comparison to the standard rig materials pictured left and right of it. Just about any material can be applied from weed/leaves to dried silt. One thing you must ensure is that you are matching the lake bed in the area where you are placing your rig. Don't use sand and gravel if the lake you are fishing is predominantly silt, it would stand out! The lake I tested it on had a thin covering of silt, which was full of blood worm. It blended perfectly into its environment and all that was visible at the rig end was a small hook and maple 8 pop up.

carp methods

Hiding the last few feet of line can be achieved using lead core with debris attached in a similar way to that of the rig and lead. Lead core is used to prevent the attached glue from lifting off the lakebed. The combined lead core and rig give an approximate 2-3 ft length of deception pinned to the lakebed. Don't use tight lines when fishing short to medium range as this would lift the lead core at a direct angle from lead to rod making it conspicuous.
Alternately a similar result can be achieved using the stick method, rather than use ground bait try dried silt, sand, weed or debris. Ensure you use a sinking rig material to prevent it from drifting above the contents of the mesh tube. On pick up by a carp the boilie and rig length is easily released from the sediment.
At present I have the following materials attached rigs, leads and tubing – Sand and gravel, silt sediment, and dried weed. Do ensure you place a shot or putty on the rig length as glue floats and may lift the rig if it is not weighted.
Once you have constructed a number of rigs, leads and core I suggest that you weather them. Now we are taking a leaf from a poacher's book. A poacher understands that the animals he is trying to trap can smell human scent and odours that are not normally found within a rabbit burrow. A rabbit can smell this and avoids that area. The poacher overcomes this by weathering his snares, leaving them covered in soil, normally in the garden. Due to using glue to make the cam rig, the finished rigs are left in my fish tank to weather until needed, this eliminates a large percentage of the odour, thus reducing the chances of a carp scenting danger.
The methods detailed above are ideal for close to medium range fishing due to their poor aerodynamic properties. A lot of the general information I have presented is theoretical. However the principles of camouflage and concealment can be used to good effect in many situations and should be built upon rather than dismissed. One thing is certain; it will be difficult for a fish to detect danger through association of lines and rig lengths when camouflaged using these methods.
The anglers that venture to try new methods are usually those that succeed and are constantly thinking about their approach in order to wrinkle out that extra fish, and more often than not are the top rods on a lake, the time and effort is well worthwhile! I hope this article has given many of you food for thought on this simple but very successful process.

Carp fishing

Perhaps Mr Nash/Fox or any other company that markets rig materials can produce a commercial rig/lead and tube that maintains the principles of camouflage and concealment, shape, shine, colour and silhouette? Take note of the caddis larva, it uses debris as a home to hide from fish, by doing so it is able to stay alive, carp anglers are trying to hide terminal tackle from the carps prying eye, the caddis larva succeeds can we adopt its principles also?
In the next article I will introduce you to some new bait that has been catching a lot of fish for me and the few that I have mentioned it to.



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