Starting on a new lake can be very tricky, there are many unanswered questions that will be running around your head, the likes of, What rigs should I use? What bait should I go with? Is it a weedy lake? Where are the carp likely to be holding up? etc etc.
The first bit of advice I would give anyone is just keep it simple and fish to your strengths. Firstly Stick to rigs that you are confident in, they have already caught you carp in the past so they will continue catching you carp in the future. You may need to slightly adjust your rigs in time so they suit the situation of this new lake more accurately, but they will only be slight adjustments, and you will only do this by gaining experience through fishing the new lake. Again the same principle applies to bait, choose or carry on using the one that your are most confident in. The choice in hook bait you choose may differ through the experience you gather from your time on the lake. You may find a match the hatch wafter catches you more fish than a fluoro popup presentation, or vice versa.
My best tips on approaching an new water would be keep things simple. Chat to the bailiff and other members get as much info out of the as you need and second use that information to your benefit. Take that information and digest it, come up with a simple plan, but follow your own experience and tread your own path. End of the day, going through all this makes you a better angler and the more you take from each new beginning will serve you well on the next new adventure.
Jimmy Hibbard
