| There's currently a huge trend in carp fishing to | | | | also adds additional skills to our carp fishing |
| camouflage all the rig's end tackle components, | | | | methods. |
| but is it really necessary, is a carp's vision that | | | | Another time when I believe rig camouflage will be |
| good? | | | | needed less, is when we are able to get the carp |
| I remember when I first started fishing for carp | | | | feeding confidently, or after creating a carp |
| down our local lake, we would use anything | | | | feeding frenzy. This is a time when all the fish will |
| available in the tackle box to create our basic carp | | | | become pre-occupied with walloping down the |
| fishing rigs. There was none of them | | | | food items before their neighbour gets to the |
| dung-coloured leads or silt-coloured rig | | | | food first. Therefore, in fishing situations like this, |
| components at all, yet we used to catch carp on | | | | elaborate camouflaged tackle will not be |
| a regular basis, so why the need to change now? | | | | necessary as much. This does go to explain why |
| Maybe there are other things to consider in the | | | | some beginners can use really terrible looking |
| whole outlook here and not only to do with carp's | | | | fishing rigs can catch some good carp - just like I |
| vision. At a time before the huge explosion in carp | | | | did when I first started fishing many years ago! |
| fishing popularity, carp may have been able to | | | | Angling Tactics to Disguise the End Tackle Rig |
| easily see the odd bits of end-tackle, but because | | | | Components |
| there was less pressure from anglers it didn't | | | | There are some angling tactics that can help |
| spook them at the time. As time has passed, | | | | cover up your rigs. One is to use a ground bait |
| carp have become wise at the dangers and | | | | that causes dark clouds as the fish swim around |
| started to learn that these bits are all part of a | | | | and feed on it. If you manage to get some fish |
| dangerous situation, therefore they started to | | | | into the area and feeding confidently, even if it's |
| move away as soon as they seen any sight of | | | | nuisance or smaller fish, you'll stand a better |
| these regular, suspicious components. As a result, | | | | chance that when the carp arrive they won't see |
| carp fishermen today have had to adapt by | | | | any end tackle parts of the rig and spook away |
| learning to cover our end bits in order to continue | | | | from the area. The huge numbers of fish bodies |
| catching carp. | | | | surrounding them whilst feeding, or the clouds of |
| It's well known that carp have brilliant eyesight, | | | | silt and particle bait causes heavy clouds which |
| even better than ours according to some | | | | hinder a carp's vision. |
| research. Their sight has needed to adapt to the | | | | Creating fishing situations where carp cannot rely |
| murky, dark waters of the bottom of lakes and | | | | so heavy on sight is another good sign of |
| ponds, and as a result, they can easily see small | | | | effective carp angling. Fishing in silt for example, is |
| items even in low light conditions. | | | | a good tactic because most carp will just dive into |
| Because carp have such good eyesight, we do | | | | the black stuff and sift around for food items. |
| need to think about how to cover the main parts | | | | Having a rig placed inside silt can produce results |
| of our end tackle before casting in the basic | | | | and make it hard for carp to adapt to this type |
| fishing rigs. This is especially true in gin-clear | | | | of fishing tactic. For this reason, I believe targeting |
| waters, where carp will rely heavily on sight over | | | | the bigger carp in silt is one of the best tactics to |
| their other senses. Some will easily spot a loose | | | | use when fishing on very clear lakes! |
| hook sitting on the bottom of the bed along with | | | | I always do try my best to cover up any end |
| the boilies, and may be the reason why we | | | | tackle and try to blend them into the colour of |
| always seem to get more takes when using | | | | the lake bed. I like to test every rig in the |
| smaller, lighter hooks, and a higher number of runs | | | | margins and see what shows up easily and then |
| using thinner main lines. | | | | looking for ways to disguise the problem. Once |
| Creating Angling Situations Where Carps Good | | | | I'm happy with the colours I'll cast it into the swim |
| Vision Won't Affect the Fishing | | | | hoping to trick a carp into capture. Getting into |
| I think that in some waters which are dark in | | | | the practice of covering up your end tackle rig |
| colour, we may be able to relax and worry less | | | | components can result in big rewards for a little |
| about camouflaging our end-tackle components, | | | | extra effort! |
| but generally it's a good practice to keep up, it | | | | |