Tips to help make you a better Carp fisher:
* Try using a dough ball for starters. The carp usually love them. Or you can take cereal, wet it,
and work it into a ball. Be sure to set up your rod with a treble hook, which will help keep the dough
or any soft bait, from coming off.
* Another great bait to use for carp is canned corn. They love it.
* Carp oftentimes just come up and nibble a little before finally pick up the bait and swimming away.
If they feel any resistance on the bait, they will spit it out before you even know that they were
interested. To avoid having them spit out the bait before it is really in their mouths, put a weight
about 24" above your bait to cause a little slack between them and you. Or you can leave your bail
open, and give a little slack. Then when you see the line move, flip it shut and strike.
* Carp are generally line and weight shy so the lightest lines and weights should be used when
fishing for them. Light action rods designed for trout or panfish are ideal for carp fishing - even for
specimens in excess of 20 pounds. A longer 6-7 foot rod will help with casting a light offering
further, although most carp are caught very close to shore so it's not really necessary. I use 2-4
pound test line only. You can probably use 6 pound test if you're really worried about losing them
but you probably won't get as many bites.
* Carp are primarily vegetarians and feed on a variety of aquatic plants. The best all-around bait
for carp is probably whole kernal corn in the can. Another good bait is doughball mixtures (often
corn-enhanced) and good old fashioned bread. Carp are often caught on a variety of other baits
and even flies but if you're going to specifically target them, the corn and doughballs are hard to
beat.
* If the conditions allow it, my favorite technique for carp fishing is "fly-line" the bait without any
weight. With a single kernal of corn, a #12 or 14 salmon egg hook and 2-pound test I can usually
cast around 20 feet which most of the time is too far out for carp anyway. However if there is a
current as in river fishing or if they are feeding further off the bank, a small sliding egg sinker and
swivel may be necessary. Look for carp in shallow water where the aquatic vegetation is thick. Cast
your bait out and set your rod in a good holder with the bail open. If you're fishing close to shore,
don't stand right next to your rod waiting for a bite. Carp can see you from 15 feet out and spook
easily. I will usually set my rod down and watch my line from a chair a small distance away. As soon
as I see my line move, I will creep up to the rod and set the hook.
* Topwater is definately the the most exciting technique. Loosly roll bread balls onto your hook and
"float" them on top of the water. This usually works well where there is a high concentration of
feeding carp like on the Colorado River. Sometimes you can even be selective and pull your bait
away from that 2-pounder to allow that 10-pounder to grab it!
* Luncheon meat is one of the most successful baits for Barbel, Chub and Carp. You will find the
cheaper the luncheon meat is, the better it stays on the hook as it is usually more solid (and fatty).
Cut the luncheon meat into cubes approximately 1cm square, then leave it exposed to the air and
sun for a short while, this will put a firm skin around it making it less likely to come off the hook.
Best fished on a hair rig and boillie stop.
Copyright© 2006 - 2009 BobberStop.com
* Try using a dough ball for starters. The carp usually love them. Or you can take cereal, wet it,
and work it into a ball. Be sure to set up your rod with a treble hook, which will help keep the dough
or any soft bait, from coming off.
* Another great bait to use for carp is canned corn. They love it.
* Carp oftentimes just come up and nibble a little before finally pick up the bait and swimming away.
If they feel any resistance on the bait, they will spit it out before you even know that they were
interested. To avoid having them spit out the bait before it is really in their mouths, put a weight
about 24" above your bait to cause a little slack between them and you. Or you can leave your bail
open, and give a little slack. Then when you see the line move, flip it shut and strike.
* Carp are generally line and weight shy so the lightest lines and weights should be used when
fishing for them. Light action rods designed for trout or panfish are ideal for carp fishing - even for
specimens in excess of 20 pounds. A longer 6-7 foot rod will help with casting a light offering
further, although most carp are caught very close to shore so it's not really necessary. I use 2-4
pound test line only. You can probably use 6 pound test if you're really worried about losing them
but you probably won't get as many bites.
* Carp are primarily vegetarians and feed on a variety of aquatic plants. The best all-around bait
for carp is probably whole kernal corn in the can. Another good bait is doughball mixtures (often
corn-enhanced) and good old fashioned bread. Carp are often caught on a variety of other baits
and even flies but if you're going to specifically target them, the corn and doughballs are hard to
beat.
* If the conditions allow it, my favorite technique for carp fishing is "fly-line" the bait without any
weight. With a single kernal of corn, a #12 or 14 salmon egg hook and 2-pound test I can usually
cast around 20 feet which most of the time is too far out for carp anyway. However if there is a
current as in river fishing or if they are feeding further off the bank, a small sliding egg sinker and
swivel may be necessary. Look for carp in shallow water where the aquatic vegetation is thick. Cast
your bait out and set your rod in a good holder with the bail open. If you're fishing close to shore,
don't stand right next to your rod waiting for a bite. Carp can see you from 15 feet out and spook
easily. I will usually set my rod down and watch my line from a chair a small distance away. As soon
as I see my line move, I will creep up to the rod and set the hook.
* Topwater is definately the the most exciting technique. Loosly roll bread balls onto your hook and
"float" them on top of the water. This usually works well where there is a high concentration of
feeding carp like on the Colorado River. Sometimes you can even be selective and pull your bait
away from that 2-pounder to allow that 10-pounder to grab it!
* Luncheon meat is one of the most successful baits for Barbel, Chub and Carp. You will find the
cheaper the luncheon meat is, the better it stays on the hook as it is usually more solid (and fatty).
Cut the luncheon meat into cubes approximately 1cm square, then leave it exposed to the air and
sun for a short while, this will put a firm skin around it making it less likely to come off the hook.
Best fished on a hair rig and boillie stop.
Copyright© 2006 - 2009 BobberStop.com
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| Carp Fishing Tips |
| "There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot." Steven Wright |