Carp fishing

Hooked On Carp Fishing
By Dave Offen


What is carp fishing all about? Why do people, me included, spend days (and nights) on end on the lakeside, often ending up without having caught a thing?
I've often wondered, when soaked to the skin on the lakeside, "What am I doing here". But I realize that carp fishing is not just about catching a few fish and putting them back.
Carp are special fish. Many are even given names. Some are legendary, like "Mary" the former British record carp that used to grace the occasional landing net from Wraysbury.
Of course, part of the lure is that, other than the occasional catfish, no British freshwater fish grows as large as the carp. There are several carp in UK lakes over the magical 50 pound mark, and if you venture across the English Channel to France, carp of this size are almost common place, with 60 and 70lb fish regularly caught - often by British anglers on a carp fishing holiday.
Carp are clever fish too. One of the reasons that we try out so many different rigs and tactics is that we know that the carp have learned to be wary of certain types of baits and presentations. That makes it a battle of wills between you and the fish. I know of guys who have targeted a particular carp and not been satisfied until they have had it on the bank. Often they have spent a whole season (in the old days when there was such a thing) pursuing that one fish.
And of course, when you are lucky enough to hook into a decent sized carp, they fight all the way to the net.

But carp fishing is even more than that. The social side of things can be great fun too. A couple of lads in a bivvy, chatting over a brew. A fry up by the lake on a cold winter morning with a few mates. It all adds up to make carp fishing a great way of making friends for life.
For more on carp fishing, including catch reports, rigs, bait talk and more, visit http://www.baggingup.co.uk/blog Tight lines. Dave Offen

Carp Fishing - Corn and Vanilla Extract Will Work Wonders
By Kevin Sewell


Carp fishing has not caught on in the United States like it has overseas in Europe, but there are still many people that fish for carp over here. Although, I do not fish for carp regularly, I fished for carp when I was younger because the pond that was in my neighborhood was loaded with carp and catfish, but no bass. I learned a lot about fishing for carp and I even entered a local carp fishing tournament when I was a kid. The yearly carp fishing tournament was fun and I either won or finished second 4 years in a row.

All I used was sweet corn out of a can mixed with a little bit of vanilla extract. One teaspoon or tablespoon will work when mixed with a can of corn. You can also use frozen corn that comes in a bag. I didn't use the frozen corn in tournaments, but it will work just fine and you can mix the corn in the bag that the corn comes with. If you use the canned corn, pour the vanilla extract into a sandwich bag with the corn and shake it up.

Use a small to medium sized hook, and fill the hook with corn. A short-shanked hook is preferred and 4 to 6 kernels should fill up your hook. Add enough weight to get your bait out there, set your rod down and wait. Carp love corn and they will hold onto the corn a little longer when it has a touch of vanilla added to it. This will result in more hookups. Carp can blow out your bait instantly, but it happens less often when you add the vanilla extract to the corn. If you add too much vanilla extract, you will not catch as many fish. Just use a teaspoon to a tablespoon and see how it works for you.

If you want more information on carp, take a look at our carp fishing page.
Article provided by Kevin Sewell at Ultimate Fishing Site
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Carp Fishing Rods - The Basics You Need to Know
By Phil Penn


A fishing rod is a tool utilized in sport fishing that consists of an extended pole with a line held in place at the side of it with the use of guides. Generally the line is held in reserve in storage on a reel that the angler twirl or spin to both gather up and let out the line while casting. At the loose end of the line is a clip or a hook to clasp the bait, live worms and insects or simulated lures, plus bobbers or floats and sinkers that keep the bait at the suitable level in the water.

There are different kinds fishing rods obtainable for coarse fishing, each one intended to perform a particular job. When selecting a rod make certain it has a screw reel fitting, to steadily grip of the reel. Several contain sliding clips that you can fasten into place. Most rods come with secure reel fittings nowadays, but it's worth being attentive when purchasing the rod.

The rod utilized for carp fishing varies with the various sizes of carp. When you are in smaller lakes or ponds you may be searching for carp weighing up to 15 pounds or more. In bigger lakes carp may be as large as 30 pounds. Not every rod will permit you to grapple a 30-pound carp, therefore selecting the rod carp fishing equipment should vary on the size of the carp. A 1 to 2 pound test curve rod would hold carp up to about 15 pounds. Something over the 15-pound mark should most likely require a rod with a test curve of about 3. The angling distance is also a factor when selecting your carp fishing equipment. The longer fishing distance entails a longer rod with the capability to grip a heavier load.

The rod rings must be a reasonable size in diameter which decreases friction during casting. Carp rods generally come in two pieces, with either a spigot or a put over joint. Anglers must understand the differences between the two, as some anglers strive to thrust the spigot joints which flush together, this can damage the rod. The separated spigot joint on a carp rod is attached to the bottom half of the rod, the top half is pushed onto the spigot to hold it in place. This is the most common kind of joint on carp rods. Anglers can also join the two rod halves together. Various carp rods have "put over" joints, where the bottom suit into the top. Most manufacturers fit spigot joints to carp rods, because they are well-built and solid than the "put over" type.

Note that just because a rod is called a "carp rod that it can only be used for carp as some anglers use a salmon spinning rod, as a small carp rod and it works perfectly. Anyone who wants to go out fishing can truly start anywhere. Just keep in mind that "it's not just what fishing equipment you use, it's your execution which catches fish".
You can share photos, fishing experiences and tips at the worlds only Guild devoted to all aspects of fishing at the Fishing Guild which also boasts a huge variety of fishing equipment such as Carp Fishing Rods.

Carp Fishing Tackle
By Neil Runswick


Carp tackle is an expensive business. There are so many products on the market, from the mildly priced to the ridiculously expensive. The thing is, everyone is lead to believe that when it comes to buying carp tackle, the more expensive and better quality, the better the experience. This is not always the case. To be able to buy the top of the range carp tackle, and I mean all of it, you will need to invest a small fortune. So, that's either selling your house or winning the lottery! Carp fishing means compromising a little, and having some of the best and then some cheaper options. Otherwise you may find your habit taking over not only your life, but your bank balance as well!

It pays to look around when considering buying the correct carp tackle. Compare prices and look everywhere. The internet is a great resource when it comes to buying many things and fishing stuff, particularly carp tackle is no exception. You should also consider buying second hand things, and looking at online auction sites is a great idea. You can get some really good carp tackle for a fraction of the price in the shops and a lot of the things you can buy is in great condition!

Fishing for carp is a long and rather boring process. Many carp fishers will have two or three lines on the go at once, and this is perhaps why buying carp tackle is expensive! Buying one of everything is a lot of money, but going for two or three is practically bank breaking! The reasons behind having more than one line is because it increases your chances of catching carp by doubling or trebling the surface area that you can cover. As I have already said, this type of fishing is a waiting game, and the more rods, the better the chances of you actually catching something. You do need to remember, however, that if you are planning on having multiple lines, that you should check the amount you can legally have on the license you have. Some of the licenses will only allow one or two rods or lines, so you may need to obtain more than one license!
Carp tackle tends to be more expensive because you need more durable things. Carp are heavy fish and therefore small lines and hooks just won't cut it. A thicker and more durable line is needed; otherwise you will end up losing parts of your line and also your hook if the fish gets away. Better quality hooks are needed, and this means more expense, and don't forget, more than one line means more than one reel of line, hooks etc.
At the end of the day, carp fishing can be a very enjoyable experience for so many. Just don't let your head run away without you and spend a fortune on carp tackle that you may not have. Be sensible and try to check out second hand tackle and you won't have to break the bank!
Devon Angling Centre offer mail order fishing and carp tackle supplies and have a shop located in Devon, UK.