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Carp Advice

H

Howard Hutchins

Senior Member
For the first time in my life,owing to hopeless results last season,im
venturing on a syndicate water,for mainly carp.(not really my style but needs must)

Only have limited tackle a couple of oldish Browning carp rods 3lb test.
In the past used for piking.Coupled with a pair of shimano 6010 reels.

Think most fishing there will have Spods,/ marker rods but ive non,so will
want to fish without,owing to not having a clue how to use:(

thought i may do what others aint,and use catapult,and bags,and not fish the horizen "its a 60 acre gravel pit" thought may also try the method,
as well as even float fish,supposed to be some big tench also.

Will i look an Oddbod and fail using this type of tactics:eek:

Any tips for fishing and hopefully catching my first 20 pounder
(lake record 38lb) gratefully received,such as simple rigs ect

Howard
 
Howard

Keep it simple and don't be swayed by the regulars 'advice' about the only rig/bait/method that will catch. They are just fish and if you put a few freebies and a hookbait in the right area you will catch.

Pay attention when choosing your swim, look for gaps in the weed and changes in depth. Use a decent bait and if you see a fish roll - cast at it!

If the camo'd carpheads smirk at your gear don't let it get to you and if you get that 38, wave it under their noses :D
 
Howard,

The best thing I can say is take some time to get to know the water (non-fishing time), go and watch it, walk around it and find out where the fish are and any feeding habits they have, Carp will always give themselves away, watch for them rolling or any general activity, especially in areas you feel you can fish with what you have.

On a water that big, the only problem you may have is that they can have a habit of staying out of range of pressure but if, as you say, most of the pressure is at range you may be better closer in.

Don't be afraid to feed, carp eat loads..........and like Dave said, make sure you have a good bait, it would e advantageous to find out if there is a particular well established bait in widespread use, you do not want to be competing with what the carp see as their No1. food source..........

The Korda Carp DVDs are a great source of know how, rigs, etc and are free at your local tackle shop, number 3 has just come out, get a copy and watch it.

Oh, and good luck, I am also putting in my first Carp campaign for many, many years this closed season....
 
It's actually quite exciting learning a new "trade". Your biggest dilemmas surely will be whether to fold your reel handles or not, and what kettle to use. As Crookie says, spend time observing, not only for signs of fish, but see how everybody else does it, and using that as a yardstick, make your own plans.
It seems "modern" to disown float fishing in preference to sitting behind alarms, but the "old" ways still catch fish as indeed do "old" baits like bread, worms and maggots.
Have fun (I'm sure you will)
 
i have never realy been a carper , but when i target them in my local canal i couldnt get enuff ov it . Had fish to 27 on corn and pellets .i hate to say it but i was barbel fishin for carp .
 
Thanks chaps. Some really good no nonsense replies,and ill bear all in mind,
and thanks for the reminder Phil,i need a new kettle :)

ATB Howard
 
Howard,

Fish maggots at short to medium range, try the korda maggot clip or the Simon Lush popped up maggot rig fish about 2 inches off the bottom. Most carpers i see launch spods and rigs over the heads of the fish they are trying to catch. I know a lot of tench anglers also, that pick up big carp on maggots when the carpers arent catching on boilies and particles. I hooked and lost a big 30 last spring on popped up maggot, i got it in close enough to see it before it busted my 5lb hooklink. Two tench fishing mates both had 30s on maggots last year whilst tench fishing. You can fish the mags in a PVA bag or fine mesh, but catapulted or spodded maggots dropping through the water column is a big attraction to carp.

Paul
 
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Howard,

I have spent most of the last 25 years fishing for carp and it never ceases to amaze me how many carpers make it out to be harder than it needs to be. On a water that size as with any other water the biggest feature is the margins and no matter what the locals tell you the carp will always investigate them at some time. Spend as much time as you can afford looking and doing some marker work while not actually fishing. Look for small dropoffs and silt patches etc at the base of bars, any feature that might attract the fish. With such a big water you will obviously have to fish at range on occasions if that's where the fish are showing so i would get yourself a throwing stick for baiting up at range along with the small gardner spod rocket which will be castable on your 3lb rods. Bait wise i would go for hemp/pellet in the margin areas with a nice simple maize or tiger nut bait fished over the top or may be worms. If fishing at distance then boilies will make baiting up a bit easier and any decent quality bait should work, if there is a going bait then fish that as others will be baiting up for you. As has been said above always cast to showing fish especially if you see a couple of shows in the same area as this will probably be a feeding spot. Carp are creatures of habit and will very often get caught from the same swims/spots numerous times so try and gather some info from the regulars without being to forward with them on past captures as this can lead to future captures of certain fish (the offer of a cup of tea always helps here). As for the gear thing what you have will catch any carp swimming so dont worry about that what catches them is the bit on the end so a nice simple reliable rig and you will be fine.
Most of all enjoy yourself and dont get to disheartened if it seems hard at first just keep plugging away and results will come.
Jez
 
location and presentation is far more important than your choice of boilie corn or whatever. If it is a busy syndicate you might find you have to compete with others for the going swims, however, don't let this deter you as everything comes to those who wait.

As for bait I can't really advise as we all have our own ideas. I would certainly give thought to the PVA mesh approach.

Personally I would fish for the tench until I have got a feel for the place after all there is plenty of time for carp.
best of luck
 
howard, nothing wrong with your gear mate, yes and little dated and yes theres a lot better rods but yours are still very adequate mate, thats the great bit about carp fishing, you can fish on your own terms and to hell with the multitude mate, latest all singing dancing rods are nice tools but
a rod is exactly that a tool, its the angler that hooks and plays the fish;)
have fun mate...j.w
 
I have spent most of the last 25 years fishing for carp and it never ceases to amaze me how many carpers make it out to be harder than it needs to be. On a water that size as with any other water the biggest feature is the margins and no matter what the locals tell you the carp will always investigate them at some time.
Click to expand...

Amen to that:D:D:D:D:D:D

99% of carpers will be looking to go on the chuck. Most times sixty yards out is fifty eight too many;). I`ve been reading a lot of old fishing diaries to refire my enthusiasm for carp and the one thing that jumps out from the pages is that, regardless of the water I fished, the margins always came up trumps:D
 
nothing wrong with your gear indeed, to many tackle tarts and wannabe professionals out there in the carp world, keep it simple, a good bait,a good hook and your away,
complicated rigs are a real turn off for me.
 
long cast reels

Thanks for the great advise so far. Have been thinking,in the event,of
noticing others are getting fish from long range,i "may" cough up for a long
cast big pit reel,as my Shimanos would be limited (though ill concentrate on
near bank and medium range first) for a while. Can anyone reccomend
a good big pit with a baitrunner.

Have dug out two reels bought for piking years back,and never used,due to finding,i darnt cast much further than my baitrunners,as they were so heavy
it felt like my rod butt would break.both weigh well over a pound and half
one is a diawa think emblem pm 2600 h but not baitrunner.
Other is the diawa ss 3000 with an added very awkward baitrunner conversion.

Are modern big pit reels lighter,as wondered about flogging these to help fund
a newer lighter version. (in the event of needing one)

Please bear with me,on my ignorance of carping,as really know Jack Scmit
about it

regards howard
 
Have been thinking,in the event,of
noticing others are getting fish from long range,i "may" cough up for a long
cast big pit reel,as my Shimanos would be limited (though ill concentrate on
near bank and medium range first) for a while. Can anyone reccomend
a good big pit with a baitrunner.
Click to expand...

Howard, if you can push the boat out then a set of Shimano BBLCs are worth investing in. Brilliant reels but not the cheapest around. Great line lay and bulletproof.
 
I would echo all thats been said, the margins are always very productive for me too. I'd feed with a particle mix and fish a tiger nut over the top this will catch fish anywhere. One thing to remember when fishing close in is to slacken your lines right off so they just lye limp off the rod tip and lye flat to the lake bed as not to spook the fish.

If I was looking for a cheap big pit I'd choose these

http://www.britnett-carver.co.uk/ericsangling/prods/2694.html
 
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Howard, unless your going in for powerful casting rods then shimano aero 10,000 xte s will do you proud mate, you can pick up a good condition
pair used for around £120 mate, i have some technium xts but my 1st
pair out of my cupboard are the xte 10,000s, heres wishing you quiet nights
watching the stars and the lake and listening to the sounds of the night mate,
and that trembling anticipation after hearing a small bleep:)
 
Cheers John. Will probably give it a while with what i have,and see how undergunned i am,and even if i am,will give it some weeks margin fishing,
and another not to far out,and also do some tenching. As reccomended by
most here.........with a watchful eye on what others are doing.

Havent got a clue what the lake looks like,its surrounded by hedges,and fenced with locked gates,......last saw it 20 years ago,so may be in for a
culture shock :eek:

regards howard.
 
Howard, use your barbel rods, most modern 1lb 12oz TC jobs will be perfect for short/mid range fishing, winter/flood rods will handle even decent range casting! They have a far better fish playing action than a lot of the poker stiff carp rods, they are supposed to bend after all!
peter
 
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