Specimen Angling

Schalk_F

Member
Hi guys,

Can someone please explain why I don't get any bites?
I fished one tod with a boilie and popup "snowman" one rod with Tigernuts and fake maize and one rod just normal papgooi with some mielies. I left the specimen rods for 24 hours without a single bite. Next morning I took out the boilies rod and changed it to standard papgooi rig and what happend I started to catch carp size from 3-5kg. I left my tiger nut rod but no joy. This isn't the first time I have experienced this. What am I doing wrong?
 

HennieB

Sealiner
You're not gonna get bites by simply casting in a hair rig with a boilie or tigernut on, it just doesn't work that way. Put in some effort with feature finding, spodding or dropping extra bait etc. Bigger carp aren't fooled the same way as smaller carp.
 

Schalk_F

Member
I understand that and I did prefeed with maize, hemp and tigers and boilies but not even a 5kg carp took the bait
 

HennieB

Sealiner
How long before the session did you prefeed? Also dumping bait in won't necessarily bring you fish. I fish with a boat so I'm looking for features and depth, that is normally where big fish feel safe. A good rule of thumb is to start slowly with the bait, certain venues and big fish are wary of lots of bait, so when you drop a line just put 2 hands of bait down.
 

Schalk_F

Member
I didn't feed too much got there on the Tuesday made a mix of maze hemp and tigers & boilies found a spot and did some pre feeding and left it for the afternoon and only started to fish on the Wednesday & Thursday
 

TimJan

Sealiner
Location Location Location.

If there isn't any "big" fish where you are fishing then you cant catch a big fish. No matter what your bait/rig or anything.

Using a tiger nut on a hair rig does not guarantee anything.

Using boilies can be a very hit and miss if your location does not "know" boilies.If its a wild waters I will rather stick to particles and mostly maize and hemp.

Then feature find to find the correct place where you decided to fish.

Also is the venue known for big/proper fish sizes?

Then even if everything is right you are on the correct location and there is big fish and you have the correct bait sometimes the big fish just don't bite.

I learn more out of a blanking session than one where I catch allot.

If you think your bait was correct and you location was spot on then maybe the weather was off. Next time do the same with other conditions or change your approach either location or bait/presentation.

If you want to catch 20 fish a session rather stick to conventional your chances are better. But if you are willing to blank 20 times just to catch 1 fish then your approach will be correct for specimen.
 

Schalk_F

Member
Thx guys was just strange that I caught on the exact same place with mielies on a hook and plain bom but when I was fishing with tigers of mielies on a hair in the exact same place the fish didn't want to take the bait.
 

Kosie

New member
Just remember A small carp can eject a hair rig easier then a normal papgooi rig (my opinion). You might not have caught anything, doesnt mean it didnt have a go at it ;-) Chances are there were only small ones around. You will be surprised how many carp have A go at your hair rig before you actually hook one.
 

Barbelman

New member
Schalk_F wrote:
Hi guys,

Can someone please explain why I don't get any bites?
I fished one tod with a boilie and popup "snowman" one rod with Tigernuts and fake maize and one rod just normal papgooi with some mielies. I left the specimen rods for 24 hours without a single bite. Next morning I took out the boilies rod and changed it to standard papgooi rig and what happend I started to catch carp size from 3-5kg. I left my tiger nut rod but no joy. This isn't the first time I have experienced this. What am I doing wrong?
Don't feel bad at all. Even experienced fishermen blank with times. I remember watching a episode of Hier gaan ons alweer. They said they did not get a single fish in 4 days straight! And they have done everything right. Feeding everything. Specimen angling just work this way. But there will be days that you will catch a bigger one. I still do specimen fishing. But I will allways have a papgooi rod in, just not to blank. I get better results with tigernuts than boilies.
 

Schalk_F

Member
this weekend I tried again we went for n night session. Blowback rig with n Kiara(musk) tiger and small popup and finally I caught a Carp of 4kg at 4:30 in the morning not big but it is a start. I'm very happy with the 4kg Carp.

I used a pva bag filled with pellets with some hemo oil. I did not make a feeding spot.

Also had a bite on a popup but lost the fish.

At least it is a start.
 

Schalk_F

Member
Thank you.

Net so probeer is die beste geweer.

Private water just outside Bloemfontein.
 

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Schalk_F

Member
Barbelman wrote:
Schalk_F wrote:
Thank you.

Net so probeer is die beste geweer.

Private water just outside Bloemfontein.

That is mine I released, I send it straight to you::tight:
I was there yesterday, I only caught one fish the whole day.

We fished Friday and Saturday my brother also caught one over 4kg and we had a few smaller carp 2-3kg on papgooi
 

Barbelman

New member
My 4kg fish was caught with 3 small Kariba worms. But it was the only fish of the day. My friend caught 2 small barbels only.
 
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