What to catch carp with: the best baits and lures, animal, vegetable and artificial

Carp is distinguished by its cunning and courage. This is a predatory fish that feeds on various types of plant and animal foods.

The main diet of carp consists of worms and larvae from the bottom of the reservoir. In order to successfully hunt for carp, you should know the main nuances in the equipment and bait used to fish.

Animal bait when fishing for carp

Maggots

Maggot is the larva of a fly and is very often used as the main bait. It is customary to catch many types of fish using maggots.

This bait can easily be found in fishing stores, and you can also grow it yourself. To prevent the maggot from turning into a pupa, it must be stored in the cold.

Chafer

It is recommended to collect beetles from large trees using a net. The active season for collecting beetles is May and early June.

The caught beetles are placed in a box and fed with birch and aspen shoots. Before fishing, the wings of the beetles are removed; they should be placed on the hook by piercing them under the breast.

Shellfish meat

First, the shellfish should be removed from the shell and lightly scorched over the fire. The bait is placed on the hook in small parts. If fishing is for large individuals, then several mollusks are planted at once.

Worms

The size of the worm is directly responsible for the size of the prey caught. Therefore, the larger the bait, the larger the catch. For fishing for large fish, crawlers are used.

When choosing a worm for bait, you should know some nuances:

if a fishing rod with a float is used, then dung worms are used;
Bottom fishing is good for crawling;
if worms are used with bait, then earthworms are added.

Let's celebrate! Worms are stored at normal temperature, and the container must contain moist soil.

How to fish for carp using boilies

To catch a carp, you will have to work hard. The fishing process is very long, and it begins from the moment of purchasing and installing gear, as well as from the moment of preparing bait and boilies. Only patient anglers can do this. The carp does not like a lot of noise, so you need to follow these rules, otherwise the carp will not come to the shore.

While fishing, you need to decide on the type of boilies that you don’t mind trying carp. To do this, you should take turns throwing in boilies with different flavors. At the same time, we should not forget about bait. The best bait for carp will be a handful of maggots.

The success of fishing will depend on how high quality the boilies are. Not every angler will be able to show so much patience and put so much effort into obtaining a quality product. In this regard, many fishermen buy industrial boilies. In this case, there is no need for such a waste of time, especially since there is not enough of it anyway. But this is only if it is possible to pay extra money.

Vegetable baits when fishing for carp

Peas and corn

If the product is used in canned form, then after purchase it is ready for use. It is allowed to use fresh young corn with soft grains. If the grains are dry, they can be prepared for fishing by filling them with water and leaving them to steep overnight.

Add soda to a container with water and corn, calculating one spoon per liter of water. After swelling, the corn is cooked until soft.

Potato

When choosing potatoes, you should give preference to varieties that do not disintegrate when cooked. It is advisable to take medium-sized tubers. Boil potatoes in their skins, adding bay leaves and dill to the water to add a special flavor. The tubers are peeled before being attached to the hook.

Dough

This bait is popular among many fishermen. There are many types of preparation of dough balls. One of the simplest is to mix wheat flour and any available oil. To attract carp more, add egg, sugar or berries to the dough.

Bread

Experts recommend using the soft part of the bread in its pure form; various oils, potatoes and flour can be used as additives. The selected ingredients are mixed together and formed into balls, then placed on a hook.

Porridge

When catching carp, millet porridge is used. It is recommended to use this bait when fishing with a donk. The millet porridge should be boiled until fully cooked, then laid out in layers on a baking sheet and placed in the oven to allow the product to evaporate. The finished product needs to be cooled and cut into small pieces, taking into account the size of the hook used.

Berries

When choosing berries, preference is given to the following types:

grapes;
raspberries;
currants;
cherry;
plum

Note! The berries should be caught on the sharpest part of the hook.

The best baits of animal origin

Fish like worms in different ways; creeping and rain, forest and swamp, dung and underleaves. At the same time, the fisherman tries to find the largest order of invertebrates; it is known that the larger the bait, the larger the carp can be caught. Each type of worm has its own fishing method; creeper is used when fishing with a donk; small-sized rain and underleaves are added to the dough.

Maggot , this type of bait can be purchased at the Hunter-Fisherman store or you can breed them yourself. The second method is suitable only for residents of private households with personal land. In the warm season, leave a few fish with their bellies ripped open near the compost heap; the larvae will breed on their own. The peculiarity of the nozzle is that several maggots are put on the hook along the body at once.
The shellfish meat is taken out of the shells, lightly scorched over a fire and placed in small pieces on the point of a hook. On the Don and Volga, fishermen often use the toothless clam. To make it sit better on the hook, you need to dry it in the sun. If the hunt is for a large individual, then you need to plant several two or even three mollusks at once.
The cockchafer, a favorite bait of carp hunters, is believed to be a delicacy that hunters cannot refuse. Can be used for bottom fishing, float fishing, and fly fishing.
The larvae of wasps and bees are better than maggots because they have their own specific smell. Bees can be obtained from an apiary; wasp larvae are much more difficult to find and are not without danger.

All baits of animal origin are stored cool, in moss or in boxes with soil. The box should have small holes. Favorable storage temperature is +5, +7 degrees.

The best boilies for catching carp

At first glance, choosing boilies for fishing is difficult, but in fact this process is simple if you know the basic nuances.

Boilies for catching carp are divided into the following types:

drowning;
floating;
soluble, dusty;
dry.

It is often recommended to use sinking options. After the bait is thrown into the water, they fall to the bottom without scaring the fish, as they resemble real food.

If the carp feeds on the surface of the water, you can use floating boilies. But this option scares away the fish with its unnatural appearance, so fishing will be less successful.

Let's celebrate! Dusty boilies fall into the water and immediately begin to dissolve to form a cloud of muddy water, which especially attracts fish. The disadvantage of this option is that the bait often has to be taken out and changed.

Dry boilies can stay in water for a very long time.

Boilie recipes

Recipe 1

Ingredients:

corn grits - 500 g;
fish meal - 70 g;
bird food - 150 g;
soy flour - 500 gr;
bone meal - 70 g;
sunflower oil;
garlic;
cinnamon;
caraway;
egg-7-10 pcs.

Preparation:

Bird food and corn grits are ground.
All specified types of flour are added to the finished mixture.
The mixture is thoroughly mixed and a little oil is added.
Garlic, cinnamon and cumin are added for flavor.
The eggs are beaten and added to the resulting mixture.
The result is a dough-like consistency; it should be kneaded thoroughly.
Balls are formed from the dough; the size should be taken into account based on the size of the desired catch.
The resulting balls are dipped into boiling water and left until they float to the surface.
After the balls go through the cooking process, they are left to dry for 2 days.
Using food coloring, the resulting bait can be painted in any color.

Recipe 2

Ingredients:

Semolina - 500 gr;
Soy flour - 400 gr;
Vegetable oil;
Corn flour - 300 g;
Eggs - 8 pcs;
Casein - 150 g;
Ground hemp seeds - 150 g;
Ground peas - 150 g;
Powdered milk - 150 gr.

The cooking technology is completely identical to the first recipe.

How to fish for carp using boilies?

When choosing boilies as bait and using a fishing rod, you should remember the following features:

The rod should be up to 5 meters long. The length of the fishing line is at least 100 meters with a diameter of 0.25 mm.
The float is chosen weighing from 2 to 8 grams. The most suitable floats are those that are mounted in a sliding manner.
The hook should be held very tightly so that it does not come off at the most inopportune moment.
The fishing result directly depends on the bait supplied. Color also plays a significant role. When making boilies at home, they can be painted in any color using dyes.
The most optimal baits are white, green and pink. These colors are suitable for clean and deep bodies of water.
If the reservoir is not particularly clean, then choose yellow, red and orange.
Before fishing, the carp should be fed. It is recommended to use pieces of bait when feeding.
Equipment for fishing for carp does not require special production.

Good to know! The above rules are necessary in order to make fishing the most productive. A rich catch and an exciting fishing process will give a person a lot of positive impressions.

What boilies are preferable to use for catching carp?

You can use boilies of various sizes and shapes. To catch fish of normal sizes, the use of small balls is required, but if you want to catch a real trophy specimen, then the diameter of the boilies should be at least 20-25 mm.

As a rule, carp can bite on boilies of any color, but its composition and aroma can be decisive. Moreover, the aroma is selected depending on various factors, sometimes not entirely clear to the fisherman. In the spring-summer period, the carp can take bait with a fruity aroma, but in the autumn-winter period it bites better on fish boilies.

Artificial baits for fishing for carp

Wobblers

Wobblers are one of the popular artificial baits. Characterized by different colors and shapes. They are widely used in fishing, as they are able to attract fish with their appearance. For predators, this bait looks like a real small fish. Wobblers are made from wood, metal and plastic.

There are the following types of wobblers:

remaining on the surface;
deep;
for shallow water;
wobbler-game. This type is most similar to a live fish.

Spoons

A wide selection of spinners, characterized by different types, for example:

regular;
with a rotating element;
metal;
various shapes and sizes.

To catch carp, it is recommended to use a rotating spoon; when in the water, it rotates around its axis, shimmering and sparkling.

From the outside, this bait resembles a small fish. The surface quality of the spoon is responsible for its resemblance to a real fish. The more similarity there is, the better the chance of catching a good catch. It is advisable to store spinners separately from each other, in their own cases.

Preferences of carp depending on the time of year

As weather conditions change throughout the year, the preferences of this fish both in food and habitat change.

Autumn

In autumn, the chances of catching carp increase. If you choose the right time and place, then you are guaranteed a good catch with any bait. But with the onset of cold weather, carp prefer the following as bait:

worms;
bloodworms;
maggots.

You can buy such bait in a store or try to dig it yourself, but in this case it will take more time and effort, and it is not always possible to find such a place nearby.

Winter

Catching carp in winter is not easy, but it is possible. The most likely habitats in the cold season:

deep holes;
places where the current borders with standing water;
areas just around the bend in the river.

There is no need to count on luck in shallow water or strong currents. The fish are more active on thaw days. When a place with optimal living conditions is selected, it is imperative to use fertilizer to attract fish.

It is important to remember that in winter the fish eat less, which means complementary foods should be used in doses.

For bait you can take:

boilies with protein, tutti-frutti, honey and strawberry flavors;
corn, canned or boiled;
shrimp meat;
boiled potatoes;
a bunch of bloodworms, but it can be attacked by any other species of fish living in the reservoir;
worm;
maggot;
mask.

Summer

In summer, carp individuals prefer to go out to feed on clean sandy shallows. Due to the abundance of food, they become selective and can only be lured by abundant and high-quality feeding. But you shouldn’t count on a big catch; after spawning, individuals exist separately from each other.

Spring

Carp become a frequent catch in the spring, after the winter awakening. The warmer the water, the more actively the fish moves in search of food and replenishment of reserves wasted over the winter.

At this time, he consumes not only animal, but also plant food. Fish of this species gather in schools and prepare for spawning. It is during spring fishing that the largest specimens are caught on a hook.

Features of choosing bait and bait for carp

The choice of bait is primarily based on the time of year, what period of the day the fish are caught, and also what the weather is like outside the window:

Fishing in spring. During this period, the carp actively bites on animal bait, for example, a worm, maggot. In late spring and early summer, vegetable and artificial baits are used.
During the cold season, carp moves a lot and tries to gain weight before the cold weather, so during this period their appetite increases. During this period, bait of animal origin should be used.

Depending on the weather:

Cloudy, cold, and also very hot days are designed for plant-type bait. At this time, the fish is particularly lethargic, moves weakly and is at the bottom.
When the weather is clear, worms and maggots are used.

Carp are most actively caught in the spring, until the end of June. The fish are actively feeding throughout the fall, so this period is also considered one of the best for fishing.

Optimal time of day for fishing:

At dawn;
After sunset;
In some situations you can fish at night.

It should be remembered that on particularly hot days, there is no point in going out fishing during the day.

Sooner or later, many fishermen go fishing for carp. Such a catch is often very weighty; one individual can reach 12 kg. In addition to their heavy weight, these fish are distinguished by their intelligence and skill in moving away from the fishing rod.

Let's celebrate! That is why, having caught a carp, a fisherman can be considered a real professional. In the hunt for such a catch, bait plays a major role. Carp are carnivores, but their diet includes different foods. There are some features of catching carp depending on the time of year and weather that you should be aware of.

Boilies and cake as a separate type of bait for carp

On different bodies of water, the carp prefers a particular bait; the fisherman’s task is to find it. But still, there are universal baits that are catchy everywhere. These include boilies and cake.

Boyles

Boilies are a specially cooked bait made from dough in the form of balls of different diameters with the addition of various flavors; they differ in taste, smell, and color. In addition, for different types of fishing, boilies can be sinking, floating, with neutral buoyancy.

Branded boilies are not cheap, but you can make them yourself. They can fish with boilies using any gear. Boilies are increasingly used by fishermen.

Find out more about catching carp with boilies in our article.

Cake

While being carried away by fashionable boilies, do not forget reliable attachments that have been tested over the years, such as cake - the aromatic waste of oilseed processing. Pressed cake or makha can easily compete with boilies and is often more effective. Fishermen even came up with a special tackle - a makushatnik, with which they successfully catch carp. Cake is the best bait for carp in the fall.