Keeping track on the carp whilst you are not there.
Always within a quick glance on the office wall
I like to keep an eye on where I expect the carp to be between trips to the venues I fish. It really does surprise me how s0 many anglers turn up at the venue and know what the weather was doing on their last trip, where the wind was blowing and everything else, then turn up for their next trip with little idea what the wind has been doing between trips and indeed the weather.
The weather leading up to a session is much more important to me as regards to the venue I choose to fish and indeed the area I would be looking to explore/look at first than the weather conditions when I arrive.
This is so simple to do and only takes literally seconds out of your day. I generally click on the on-line weather stations (my favourite at the moment is www.xcweather.co.uk whilst having a coffee break and see what is happening in the different parts of the country I fish. It is always handy having venues well apart as the weather can often be more favourable in one area of the country than another.
Once I have clicked on the area I want to check it’s a simple matter to glance up at my lake maps where I am fishing which I always have on my office wall as well as in my angling diary and see where the wind is blowing etc.
I print the aerial photographs off the internet for each venue I fish then simply draw grid lines over them so I can see exactly where for instance a South Westerly is going to be hitting. This is the most accurate way I have found over the years and by simply glancing from the computer screen to my maps gives me an idea where the fish may be.
Grid lines drawn on show exactly where the wind will be hitting.
Simple job each day which can help to keep you one step ahead of the other anglers and when you hear that a big fish came out of such and such swim on the Wednesday you will probably have a better idea why than many others.
These maps on the wall are also real handy for river fishing. This last winter as we all know was an absolute grueller in regards to the weather conditions and with all the still waters being frozen the rivers were the only option. Now I must admit to choosing my river sections to fish totally from a comfort point of view and each morning before setting off I would see which way the invariably cold wind would be blowing then choose the stretch of river I was going to target which would give me maximum comfort out of the wind.
I guess I may be getting a little old LOL!
Best fishes
Shaun
About the Author: Shaun Harrison
