Watching the water is the biggest edge in carp fishing and the more you watch the water the more likely you are to get a glimpse of something that will trigger you into an action that will result in a carp on the bank. Ian Chillcott is a staunch believer that fishing from an open fronted shelter will undoubtedly catch you more fish and in this piece he details his thought process behind that...

It was the first night of a 48 hour session at a quiet little syndicate lake and as darkness fell I found it impossible, as is always the case, not to keep looking at the water. After all, isn’t it that which tells us all we want to know? The swim I was in offered a good view of a large portion of the lake, and I wasn’t about to do anything to hinder it. The wind and rain had made setting up a bit of a chore, and coupled with the fact that I had been guessing when I selected the area I intended to fish, I could think of nothing more important than finding the fish. As I sipped a brew, I couldn’t help noticing a fellow moving onto a small point some two hundred yards to my right. He spent about an hour setting up his accommodation, and some highly ineffective five minutes putting his rods out. I couldn’t help thinking how much it should have been the other way round! He amazed me even more when he disappeared into his bivvy and, without hesitation, zipped the front down. I was left wondering what some expect of carp fishing, and what exactly they want from it, to be honest.An escape from the real world.

It’s supposed to be an escape from the real world, isn’t it? The journey is supposed to be enhanced by being at one with your surroundings, and the wildlife that calls it home. And, in this instance as Richard Walker wrote all those years ago, isn’t it important to “first find your fish”? I could tell by the hectic light display through the bivvy’s misted up windows, that the latest series on Netflix was being watched, and in many respects I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. With no front, or any other view restricting device on my 60inch Ultra Brolly, I sat and watched the night unfold….and it didn’t take too long to get some of the answers I was looking for.I find it impossible not to look at the water.