Angling expert Dave has a secret to success at Ancaster lakes

A method that has been working particularly well over the past few months has been using shallow-set float rigs in deep areas of both the Match and Specimen Lakes at Woodland Waters, Ancaster, writes Journal angling correspondent Dave Coster.

Although this can be a winning tactic for catching some great nets of fish, very few anglers take this route.

This is probably due to the work involved because, in order to get the fish feeding high up in the water, it entails putting in loose bait like maggots, casters or hemp seed virtually every minute.

Dave said: "Bearing in mind most sessions by the water are at least five hours long, this busy technique gives no time to relax. The normal practice of fishing on the bottom is far less frantic, which allows you to watch the world go by. Only trouble with that is if the fish aren’t down there, you won’t catch anything!"

Dave reckons there are several reasons why shallow tactics work so well. In the warmer months, lots of different species move up in the water in deep venues, because the higher levels are warmer and better oxygenated.

But he believes the main reason many of the bigger and wiser fish like to feed shallow is because very few people trouble this area with a baited hook.

Dave said: "Bigger fish get crafty and know this is a safe place to grab a free meal, picking off bits of the various baits anglers put in as they drift down to the bottom.

"But the strange thing is, although bigger specimens of most species are always more difficult to catch, they seem to lose all caution when chasing bait thrown in regularly, particularly near the surface in deeper water."

To prove how effective shallow float tactics can be, Dave has recently caught several big weights of silver fish on both the main lakes at Woodies. These included quality roach to well over the one pound mark, skimmers, rudd, perch and hybrids.

Dave said: "Hybrids run big in these waters, but like rudd have a tendency to only show up close to the surface. If you fish on the bottom, you wouldn’t know they were there.

Dave says that light pole rigs set just a few feet deep work well, but waggler floats combined with rod line can be just as effective.

Big carp will also respond to free bait going in regularly and will feed on or near the surface, but for this species pellets are a better bet. These need to be catapulted out around the float every few minutes. Stronger tackle is required for these fish and the best size pellets to use are 6mm or 8mm.

+ You can see more of Dave Coster’s angling adventures on fishingmagic.com