I just went for a walk round my local lake, in earnest of getting some hours in over the next few weeks. :o Shock, horror, agasp. Gin clear water and not to many obvious clear spots. This is as a result of the gravel patches having seriously weeded over in filamentous algae, aka blanket weed. In some spots it must be approaching over 3ft thick. I think the strong winds we've had down south have moved great lumps of this stuff around. Either that over its just gone made in the extra light.
Anyway, my question to you boys is, "How would you tackle this ?" The fish appear to be feeding and a couple of them are easily pushing 40, they also appear to be showing around where all this weed has amassed, suggesting that there are some rich pickings in amongst it. Trouble is, you know that if they get there heads down in it, when on, you're as good as dead in the water as it won't be easy to move them out. Secondly, I would be concerned regards presentation in some of the thicker stuff that is out there. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

I hate blanket weed! :angry:
The trouble is, fish dont. Its like a big "all you can eat" buffet for them. :P
Get yourself a sack or two of Weat and Hemp, or cheap wild bird food, soak it in boiling water and bait up an area about the size of a bin lid, say 2 rod lengths from the bank. Then wait till the fish clear the weed for you. Takes a day or two depending on the size and quantity of the fish visiting the swim.
When the fish have cleared all the way down to the bottom, widen out the area to the size of a dining table. The only problem is keeping other anglers away from the swim after the fish have hoovered the area clear.


BOF ;)

BOF, I'm hearing you, but given that....
A, the water is fairly small and any such baiting would not go un-noticed, so as you've rightly pointed out, any full timers on the water would soon be on the spots and probably before I get down there. :angry:
B, the water also holds a very large, no sorry that would be an understatement, is thick with stunted roach, rudd and bream. I am not sure that small particles would prove effective and would possible cause the small fish to gather in the area, possibly keeping the intended fish out as a result of spooking them. I've seen this down there before, having baited with partiblend in the evening, only to wake next morning to find the water was black with fish of approximately 2-3oz's in weight.

I'm tempted to take a leaf from the old Tench fishers techniques by simply choosing a swim, giving it a good old raking and then bait it up and fish it immediately. Working on the principle that carp are a curious species and they will investigate the activity and the clouding of the water. The raking will also stir up the naturals and it should also mean the bottom is relatively clean. Has anyone else tried this with any success, given that it goes against the way most carp anglers now fish?