1- Although there may be blue skies above and it can feel very warm in the middle of the day once that sun drops it can be very cold indeed. In fact snow is not uncommon in April especially for us northerners. So make sure you are prepared for the worst that can happen. Even on a day session I will take a brolly and plenty of warm clothing and when I am doing an overnighter the Infinity bed chair and sleeping bag is a must. You will still have around ten hours of darkness to cope with so a gas light, torches and candles are essential unless you really like your sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2-If you have had a two or three month break you are probably mad keen to get fishing and rightly so. However be careful not to burn yourself out as you have a lovely long summer and autumn to enjoy even if you are not a fan of cold weather carping. Start slowly and ease your way into it rather than going at it like a bull in a china shop. Slowly, slowly catchee…carpy…..

3-Unless you are doing an overnight session it pays to travel light and be prepared to move swims if carp are telling you to do so. When I am using a barrow most of the gear stays on it and only the rods and nets are in the swim.If you can’t cast to the fish then you must be able to move onto them rather than being stuck with an hour of packing up to do ( which means you probably won’t move anyway…..)

Leave the gear on the barrow and stay mobile

4-Sun and shallows can equal success. Now that the sun is out at last the shallow areas of your lake will be the first to warm up and that’s where the first natural food will develop. Carp love natural food and they also love the sun on their backs so that’s two good reasons for them to be there. Carp can be very active so even if the carp are not there when you look first time they can soon drift in my friends. If you can keep looking in the shallows as often as possible and a high vantage point will make this a lot easier. Tree climbing rules…..

5-Although its true to say the carp are where they are at ANY time of the year experience has taught me that during the spring months they do love the reeds and snaggy areas if your lake has them. They will use these features for cover and safety, to rub against to knock off the leaches and to pick the natural food that lives on them. So get the rods pointed at the snags, screw down the clutch on the Basias and stand by your rods. Don’t give them an inch and use sensible strength line and leads that can come off the clips.

6- You don’t just have to fish on the bottom and I have caught a lot of good fish in the spring months fishing anchored zig rigs a foot or so under the surface. Although it looks plain crazy when you cast it out the carp don’t seem to think so and once you find the depth they are at it can be hectic fishing. Obviously if you can climb a tree to see where hey are in the water that’s best but if not I tend to fish one rod six inches under the surface and one rod a foot under the surface. You can use pop up boilies as bait or buoyant foam in colours of your choice. Black and yellow are my first choice but changing regularly can produce the goods

Take the warm clothing, it can still get cold

7-If you are following more traditional fishing methods then the hi-attract fluro bait approach is great in March and April. I love bright over flavoured baits in pink, yellow and orange and they are fished either pop up or bottom bait style. A foam nugget will stop any tangles and avoid using additional baits…that’s not single bait tactics is it ! Recast regularly to find the spots the carp are at and mark your line so that if you do find one you can recast to the same spot if need be.

8-The feeding spells tend to be frantic and its not unusual to have frantic action then…..nothing. When you get to the water have plenty of rigs tied up, take two landing nets so you can leave it in the net and get a bait back to the spot in minutes not half an hour…

9-Be prepared to be one of many on the water and don’t let it phase you. Just like the carp many carp anglers tend to wake up in the spring as well and waters that were empty in February can be heaving in March. Take a deep breath, count to 10 and remember a season is not just two mad months. Most will soon fall by the wayside so don’t be one of them.

10-Even if you are not catching its not a waste of time and think of it at the very worst as ’practice’….The more you fish the better your casting will be and the more in tune you will get with your fishing. From experimenting with PVA to training yourself to watch the water properly its just the start to your most successful season ever………..I hope.

See you on the bank,
Jules