But here's a paradox. But a tight line can spook carp, so whenever possible, I prefer to let mine hang slack - I mean really slack, too, with loose loops hanging between the rod rings. Be quiet and stay out of sight. Yes, I know it's been said a thousand times - but the fact that it has been repeated ad nauseam in no way detracts from its value. Surprising, then, that so few anglers heed the advice.
Carp are wild creatures - they have an instinctive fear of alien shapes, shadows and noises.
We intensify that fear by constantly pursuing and hassling them. We are not likely to catch them close-in, therefore, if they know we are there. If the configuration of the bank makes that impossible, I like to sit behind cover. If no cover exists, I may create it - a few willow fronds, perhaps. In many waters margin fishing has developed a sort of self-fulfilling negative dynamic in that everyone believes it to be an ineffective technique, so no one tries it.