Page 2 - Coarse Fishing Guides

The brainchild of specimen carp hunters, the safe bolt rig has found its place with match and pleasure anglers targeting species such as tench and bream on stillwaters.

Semi-fixed bolt rigs have become common in modern angling techniques, not just for those targeting carp, but for anglers chasing many other species too.

The beauty of a PVA bag is you can put in a wide range of baits. Hard pellets in 6mm or 8mm are ideal as big carp love them and small fish struggle to eat them. Whenever the carp turn up they will find every morsel of bait you have introduced. A PVA bag will contain a mouthful of bait and as it is presented directly alongside

Rudd are among the most stunning of coarse fish species, but they can be notoriously finicky to fish for.

We have put together a guide of different tips/tricks that you can try to stack the odds in your favour!

1. USE BREAD

In summer and autumn, floating crust takes some beating. Feed several loose chunks then, as the fish

When your swim is deeper than the length of your rod, it’s time to rely on this clever set-up so you can still fish accurately.

Originally developed for fishing in deep water, the slider float has proven to be more useful than just that one task and can be used in many situations. When tackling stillwaters where the water

The float is angling’s classic bite indicator and one of the most enjoyable ways of fishing. We take a look at some of the most common types to use with rod and line.

Float fishing is one of the most popular forms of angling and is the first tactic that most newcomers to the sport will try. As well as serving as a visual

Whatever type of angler you are – match, pleasure, carp or specimen – you’re all going to enjoy catching tench in the spring. The first tench catch reports of the year are as synonymous with the arrival of warmer weather as daffodils and the lengthening daylight hours. In an ideal world, you would be able to catch tench

There’s nothing more natural or delightful than watching an insert waggler float for signs of a bite. Here’s how to set-up this classic float fishing tactic.

There can be few more pleasant ways of catching fish than by using an insert waggler and getting bites as the hookbait flutters down through the water. Bites can be

You’ll struggle to find any rig more effective at bagging bream than this set-up, particularly when it’s loaded with tempting fishmeal, worms and maggots.

One of the most effective tactics for bagging stillwater bream is the cage feeder loaded with a mix of fishmeal-based groundbait, chopped worms and dead maggots. This

It works on both stillwaters and rivers and nails shy-biting roach. So if you’re targeting specimen redfins, tie this rig and grab some white maggots!

Britain’s favourite species can be caught on a wide range of different tactics, from float fishing to the Method feeder. One of the most effective tactics, especially in

We look at different leads and how to ensure you choose the right one for the job.

Lead choice is one of those areas of fishing that you may think is relatively straightforward. That is until you walk into a tackle shop and are greeted with a wall full of leads of different shapes, sizes, textures and even colours.

So which

They dominate the carp bait scene, but why are they so popular and what should you look out for?

Boilies are carp fishing’s number one bait and most tackle shops stock a bewildering array in many colours and flavours. But what is a boilie? It is a boiled paste bait made from a combination of fishmeals, milk proteins, bird

When used correctly, lead clips are one of the safest and easiest systems to use. They can be used in a variety of scenarios but are especially effective in situations where you need to dispose of the lead. When fishing