Pole position carping

The thinking carp angler offers his opinion, insight and advice every week exclusively here in Angler’s Mail. Col will help you become a wiser angler.

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ONCE a great edge that was rarely seen in use, a baiting pole has become more and more widely recognised as being the key to some great action.

The ability to push a baited rig into areas where hook baits can’t be cast is worth its weight in gold.

A baiting spoon attached to a long, extendable handle has long been an ace card up the sleeve of many a carper, helping them to place a rig and bait in otherwise inaccessible areas, a trick that produces extra takes on many venues.

The only limitation has been the length of the handle, with extending handles topping out at 12-15 ft. The only option for greater reach has been the development of specially designed roach/carp pole conversions.

You would imagine that these long poles would be quite a niche, UK-focused product, but a baiting pole is now no longer limited to 15 or 18 m. It can be extended to up to silly distances. I’ve been amazed by the interest shown by anglers all over Europe.

Not always used for out-and-out big carp fishing, as the benefit of precise bait placement is not unique to carpers, is it?

Welfare and price protests

Arguments against baiting poles are surprisingly vociferous, at least if you take ‘keyboard carpers’ as a representative sample.

The chief concern of the ‘Carp Police’ is fish welfare, carp being hooked but not landed after placing rigs in out-of-the-way places.