 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Carp Fishing Tips
| Carp Fishing Tips |
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.
* 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 - 2008 BobberStop.com |