Clear Water Carping At Linear Fisheries

We head to Linear Fisheries for what turned out to be one of our toughest commercial carp sessions yet. With crystal-clear, tap-clear water and extreme conditions, the carp were pressured, cautious and far from easy to catch.

From the off we kept things flexible, covering water with feeder, bomb and mini zig tactics to try and draw a response. We explored all our options early, but despite our efforts the zigs and the bomb didn’t produce this time around. Once again, it was the feeder that came good.

Bait choice was key in such clear water. Our go-to mix was simple but very deliberate — Hinders Natural Black mixed with Tutti Frutti Expander, two parts black to one part Tutti. We added one cap of Tutti Frutti Betalin to the mixing water to boost attraction without overfeeding, keeping everything subtle but effective.

With Betalin central to the approach, paired with pellets and mixed ground baits, the focus was firmly on attraction rather than putting too much food into the swim. Every cast mattered, and small changes in depth, distance and feeding made a big difference as we worked the swim patiently.

This session wasn’t about numbers. It was about problem-solving, adapting under pressure and grinding out bites when conditions were stacked against us. One of the hardest trips we’ve done — but exactly the kind of fishing we enjoy.

Mark Wells & Steve Clarke
Tight lines