Fishing Busy Day Ticket Carp Lakes - How I Do It! | Gavin Mccready
With the abundance of big fish day ticket venues around the country, carp anglers in the UK have never had it so good! But with their high stocks of large specimens comes overwhelming popularity and intense angling pressure - meaning fishing them can be challenging! In this article, day ticket regular, Gavin Mccready, explains how he tackles them...
Day ticket carp fishing can be awesome, but before choosing a venue, you must do your research. Check lake bookings and make sure you pick somewhere with plenty of availability. There’s nothing worse than turning up to a busy day ticket water only to find that two or three lakes are shut—it would make things very difficult.
Once you’ve decided on a venue, scan social media for catch reports, message friends, and—most effectively—search for it on YouTube. There are loads of informative videos out there.
Don't Rush Into It
Once you’ve decided where to go, don’t overthink it and be open-minded about which lake you fish. Most lakes will have a high turnover on a Sunday, so if you can fish midweek, that’s ideal. If not, be patient and don’t rush into a swim. That’s the worst thing you can do—even if it’s a named swim, don’t rush into it. If the fish aren’t there, you won’t catch, so be patient and keep walking around the lakes until you find a few fish.
The Comfort Zone
Once you’re settled into a swim, don’t be afraid to find a spot at a distance you’re comfortable with. If the wind changes and you can’t reach it, you’ve wasted your time. One thing I do that I feel gives me the edge is to avoid fishing at my maximum range. The reason for this? If you start at a shorter range and put a little bait out but the fish just aren’t there or aren’t on the bait, you give yourself the option to chuck Zigs or Solid Bags past your spot. This gives you another chance at a blank saver or a bonus fish.
Be Prepared To Move
Always travel as light as possible. If you set up in a swim and then spot fish at the other end of the lake, you need to be prepared to move. Travelling light makes this much more likely compared to having to pack away everything—including the kitchen sink.
Baiting Day Ticket Lakes
When it comes to baiting, I start off light. On pressured day ticket lakes, you never know what the person before you has put out. I always start with 7–10 Spombs and top up after every bite with around 3–4 Spombs. Don’t be afraid to give them more if you’re getting multiple bites—just to keep them there.
My Favourite Rigs For Day Ticket Carp Fishing
For rigs, I have the big three...
The Spinner Rig, which I use with pop-ups and top with maggots, is devastating—it’s still the rig that holds my PB.
The Solid Bag, which often saves a blank and is great over silt and weedy situations, can be fished on its own or over bait.
Then there’s the Zig, my absolute favourite, as I believe carp spend most of their time in the layers rather than on the bottom. Zigs are simple and effective—they accounted for around 60% of the carp I caught last year, and regularly casting and finding the right length is very rewarding.
All my rigs have one thing in common—you guessed it, the Lock Hook.
Enjoy It!
Don’t be overwhelmed by busy day ticket waters. Places like Linear Fisheries, Bluebell Lakes, and Norton Disney have something for everyone, regardless of ability. Get out there and have some fun!
WANT MORE? WATCH THE VIDEO THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON BELOW...
Article author Gavin Mccready is part of the angling duo Beginner Carp UK, who joined the OMC Family back in the summer of 2024. Keen and regular carp anglers, Gavin and his fishing partner Mikey spend most of their time on popular day ticket venues such as Linear Fisheries and Norton Disney.
