No stainless pod, bank sticks or buzz bars required
Why not put the stainless steel rod pod away, infact dispense with the carp fishing bank sticks, you dont even need buzz bars for this type of carp fishing, all you need is a carp rod or two to help you put a few more fish on the bank.
Fishing for carp stalking
Stalk carp - There’s no better way to race the heart than fishing whilst crouched with intent on the chair, crawling around the bushes with a lob on, it is my preferred method of fixing the adrenalin junkie within me, so much more fun than sitting behind motionless rods. Imagine the scene; I seal crawled into position and gazed through the stinging nettles to the sight of 3 carp digging into the silt, the best being in the upper 20 lb bracket, I was holding my 6 foot 1.5 lb stalker carp rod and had every intention of doing it right i.e. see without be seen in an attempt encourage a bite. Not wanting to move in fear of spooking them the worm was gently lowered into position. At this time of year those fresh nettles seem to be at their most venomous, as my hands touched the leaves a stinging was felt, my nerves were telling me to move but I couldn’t as the will to remain still and silent far outweighed what my brain was telling me to do, the pain was endured for fear of spooking the quarry!
Sitting up on the bedchair
I was abrupt on the bedchair as the carp’s tails dimpled the surface as they buried their heads in search of food items, and slowly nearing my hook bait. The bait was too succulent to be ignored, the float slid across the surface, my heart felt like it was in my mouth as the beats increased, I struck the rod into nothing, what a wasted chance! I had messed up pulling the hook from the carp’s mouth. After giving myself a dig in the ribs through my failed effort, I retired to safe haven under the bushes, hoping for their return. And that they did, this time closer to the lilies to the right, slightly out of reach of my improvised float consisting of a small twig pushed onto the line. An alternate approach consisted of crushed maple 8 in a bag with a small maple boilie on the hair. This was lobbed to the edge of some overhanging foliage and fished slack.
Unhooking mats
Unhooking mats have ghosts - As I sat out of sight out of mind amongst the bank side jungle the bait runner churned as a carp bow waved towards the security of the lilies, bingo second time lucky! Let battle commence, the 1.25 lb through action stalker rod had me pounced up from the bedchair and was creaking in combat, 10 lb fishing line singing in the wind, the initial run stripped 40 yards of line, the angler on the opposite bank was oblivious to the happenings as he lay half asleep on his double bed chair probably due to a hangover from the previous nights festivities, he and some friends were having a social, the noise was enough to ruin any chance of a carp take, the bank side activity was not unlike a game of jumanji, eventually he startled, the bow wave crossed his comfort zone in front of the rods at the same time as I jumped from the undergrowth, here was I, been here less than an hour and he all weekend without a touch. And here the scenario ends as the size of the fish landed is and now engulfed within my unhooking mat immaterial was a creature that needs to be seen to be beleived, what counts is the excitement and sense of achievement of fishing in such a manner. Yet I’m amazed how few anglers practice such methods, it seems that in many ways stealthy carping has lost out to the session tactics.
