Comfort on the bank

WORDS: Derrick Nel | PHOTOS: Supplied For too many conventional bank anglers, ‘specimen carp fishing’ sounds just too complicated, so in this series, specimen carp angler, Derrick Nel has provided practical advice on the what, where, how and with what to also achieve your Personal Best (PB). So by now, hopefully, you have most of your carp fishing tackle sorted and the time has come to start shopping for a few last items to make your stay at the water’s edge a comfortable one. Specimen carp fishing should be regarded as your home away from home, and there must be no reason for you to want to pack up and go home for any reason other than an emergency. Time at the water is precious, especially if it is limited and your tackle has bent the budget a bit. That tackle needs to work hand in hand with the new strategies you’ve been taught, and the only way to do that is to go fishing, no matter what the weather man has predicted! Several years ago my brother and I planned a short two-night session at a water close to our house. It was winter and a serious cold front was closing in, and by the Friday the front had arrived. It was freaking cold and windy while we packed the car that evening. I must admit that our excitement levels weren’t on their usual high as we made the short trip to the dam, and when we arrived we sat in the car hoping that the wind would settle just enough to allow us to pitch a bivvy. We sat in the car for over an hour before we both decided to come back early the following morning to get the lines out, and struggle with the bivvy later during the day. The following morning we woke up early, checked outside only to find that it had snowed through the night! It was an incredible sight considering it was the first snow we had seen since I was in primary school in the early eighties. To this day we wished that we had stayed and battled the cold wind. It would probably have been a once in a lifetime experience waking up at the water’s edge, carp fishing in the snow! YOUR BIVVY Your sleeping quarters should meet the following requirements: it must be easy and quick to set up; it must be waterproof and must have one or two air vents at the back. The air vents allow a breeze to pass through which will keep you a bit cooler on hot summer days. Some of you might find the last requirement less important, but believe me, it is. The bivvy needs to be green in colour, preferably olive or army green. Most specimen carp anglers across the globe prefer green, brown or camo when selecting a bivvy, in fact most of their luggage and clothing will also be in these colours. The main reason for this is not to try and hide themselves from the fish (laugh, some people do believe this, and even compare specimen anglers to bow hunters). The main reason is to blend in with your surroundings. Along with fish care, most carp anglers care about fauna and flora, which means their campsites are generally neat and tidy. The green, brown or camo colours blend in with the fauna which complements the beauty of the whole scene. Although South Africa produces some of the best quality canvas tents in the world, these will be suited to long sessions at our bigger waters, especially if the family is coming along, but if only a short two-night session is the order of the day, you need to invest in a decent bivvy. A bivvy is quick to set up and because they are manufactured according to European standards, they are definitely waterproof and can withstand strong winds. My bivvy has stood its ground through a few hectic storms, and it has kept me dry. Some bivvies are available with a winter skin, while others will have it as an optional extra. The winter skin is basically a cover that fits over the bivvy during extreme cold conditions. It also prevents condensation within the bivvy if it is cold outside and warm inside. Condensation will only take place if your bivvy is closed during cold evenings if you do not have a winter skin over it. Most quality bivvies come with decent bivvy pegs that are threaded to enable you to actually screw them into harder ground. The thread also makes it difficult for the pegs to be pulled out by strong winds. YOUR BED CHAIR A must-have item that will ensure the ultimate comfort is the bed chair. A bed chair is similar to a stretcher, just a lot more comfortable to sleep on. Some have more padding than others which means they are almost as comfortable, if not more comfortable than your bed at home. They are very quick to set up, and although they take up a bit more packing space than an inflatable mattress, they are well worth it. Do yourself a favour next time you visit your local tackle shop, just go and lie on one, especially the deluxe models. They do tend to be a little expensive, but if looked after, it should be a once off investment (until your wife or girlfriend tries it of course!). SLEEPING BAG The last item which can definitely make a difference to your bank side comfort is the sleeping bag. Your space is probably quite limited, and to cart a whole lot of blankets or duvets along can be quite a mission, especially if you need to walk to your swim. Choose a sleeping bag that has a fast opening zipper, namely one that that does not need to be physically unzipped, but merely ‘ripped’ apart by pulling the two sides apart. In the dead of night you don’t want to have to fumble with a zipper while the alarm is going off! A decent sleeping bag that has a polar fleece type material on the inside and a hood will definitely keep you warm during cold nights. Some sleeping bags have straps attached that clip together underneath the bed chair to keep the sleeping bag in place. The last thing you want is to come running out of the bivvy during a late night bite with your sleeping bag around your ankles! Look for a sleeping bag with zips on both sides so that you are not restricted in the way or direction you need to place your bed chair. As a parting thought, no matter the hi-tech properties of all your gear, the most important factor is yourself, namely your attention to all the details of bait, rigging, location and of course, patience! *Readers are welcome to send in photos of catches for publication. You don’t need to reveal the location of the catch, but a few details regarding baits and so on will be welcome. Email it to lesers@foranglers.co.za.

Comfort on the bank

SPECIMEN CARP FISHING

KEEP FISHING ALIVE: If you like our work support For Anglers’ journalism with a digital membership!

Premium Digital

Read Next

HENGEL met RIAAN ALLEMAN – Ohana Fishermen Cabins

Die Oewerhengelaar – INHOUD | The Bank Angler – CONTENTS

Maak jou lysie om seker te maak

Fishing on a student budget

Limpopo Skoleliga – 126 hengelaars, 2232 visse

Fishing is a FAMILY AFFAIR

HENGEL met RIAAN ALLEMAN – Ohana Fishermen Cabins

Wenke vir die LENTE …

Hengel saam met FRIK & RIËTTE

First 70-pounder in South Africa!

HENGEL met RIAAN ALLEMAN – Ohana Fishermen Cabins

Die Oewerhengelaar – INHOUD | The Bank Angler – CONTENTS

Maak jou lysie om seker te maak

Fishing on a student budget

Limpopo Skoleliga – 126 hengelaars, 2232 visse

Fishing is a FAMILY AFFAIR

HENGEL met RIAAN ALLEMAN – Ohana Fishermen Cabins

Wenke vir die LENTE …

Hengel saam met FRIK & RIËTTE

First 70-pounder in South Africa!

BASS FISHING DURING SPAWN: Sight Fishing For Giants Isn’t Easy

Die Oewerhengelaar – INHOUD | The Bank Angler – CONTENTS

HENGEL met RIAAN ALLEMAN – Ohana Fishermen Cabins

R550.00 per year

R55.00 per month

R399.00 per year

R40.00 per month

R399.00 per year

R40.00 per month