How carp bite - what and how they bite under water, video, summer, spring, autumn and winter

A great joy for an angler is catching a trophy carp.
It is this fish that makes you feel real excitement and brings pleasure from fishing. To catch it, you need not only good and reliable gear, but also well-chosen bait and knowledge of what time you can hunt it. Carp is a domesticated species of carp, which began to be artificially bred in freshwater ponds.
There are 3 types of these individuals:

scaly;
mirror;
naked carp

Their names depend on their scaly cover. The fish has a large mouth on each side of the upper jaw and antennae.

This type of fish feeds on both plant and animal foods. Carp is constantly in search of food, and it is also unpretentious in food, so it grows quite quickly. Puberty begins after 3 years of age.

Carp biting time by season

Summer. This time of year is the most favorite for carp, since it is heat-loving and its bite improves as the water warms. Fishing in summer begins after spawning in early June and continues until early September. During the day it hides from the heat, so you should look for it at a depth of 2-5 m near underwater holes where there is cool water. He also moves into the thickets, where he calmly finds peace, food and protection from enemies.
It is better to go fishing in warm, cloudy weather, because during prolonged heat the carp eats practically nothing and waits out unfavorable weather for it.
Autumn. Fishing during this period becomes not as exciting as in summer. The water temperature drops and, accordingly, biting activity also decreases. In early autumn, it lives near thickets, snags and reeds. When the water becomes clean and transparent, the fish begins to look for places where they can hide. This type of fish prefers muddy water, where it is not visible.
Before going into hibernation, the carp begins to actively look for food for itself, so the bite during this period increases. But at the same time, the weather must correspond to his behavior.
The days for successful fishing must be warm. When frost sets in, individuals of this genus most often live in pits, and if you find one, successful fishing is guaranteed.
Read also: How to catch an asp using a spinning rod
Winter. This is the most inappropriate period for carp fishing. It is almost impossible to attract it with bait, so it is rarely possible to return home with a trophy catch.
Spring. Fishing begins immediately after the ice melts from the surface of the reservoir.
It should be noted that on rivers this process occurs much earlier than on closed reservoirs.
After winter, carp begin to gain weight and become stronger as spawning begins soon. He actively takes any bait offered by her. When the water is still cold, its activity is not too noticeable. With each warm day, the water becomes warmer and warmer, so the carp begins to go out to the shallows, which are well warmed up by the sun's rays.
At the beginning of spring, the water is quite clear and therefore you should be very careful when catching this shy fish.
It reacts quite quickly to loud sounds on the shore, bright colors, bait and tackle. You should be quite careful.

Season

The annual life cycle of carp is by and large standard: spring, summer, autumn, winter. Summer is perhaps the favorite time of year for fishermen, but it is during this period that the carp bite is very unstable.

Let us remember that this fish feeds primarily on various plant foods, and it is in the summer season that there is the most greenery. In addition, fishermen are also active, feeding the carp with a wide variety of “dishes”. Therefore, the effectiveness of fishing largely depends on the choice of place, and if the bite is weak, do not despair, but simply try to move to another area.

Autumn brings colder temperatures, and due to temperature changes, carp become more and more lethargic.

The fish's metabolic process slows down, it moves less, and gradually becomes more and more passive.

But at the same time, before the onset of cold weather, which the carp feels well, this fish, like many others, tries to eat to its full in order to have enough energy for the winter.

And since there is already little greenery in the fall, the carp bites very well. First of all, good bite is observed from late September to early October. In regions where winter comes late, the period of active autumn feeding of carp extends until the second half of October.

Related article: carp fishing with feeder tackle

Carp fishing in winter

In winter, carp sink into deep holes, move very little, actually do not feed, and draw on the energy accumulated during the active autumn period. At this time, carp are caught very rarely.

Carp in spring

In spring, this fish is still sluggish, but is already beginning to look for food. The latter is not yet available, since the trees and bushes will bloom much later, and therefore you can safely go fishing.

Carp bite especially well from late April to mid-May, when the fish are already fully active and are in dire need of food. In the second half of spring, carp gains weight and renews its strength.

Factors influencing good bite

A good bite of carp is influenced by quite a few factors, the main of which are:

Atmospheric pressure and weather. It is best to go hunting for this fish on days when the atmospheric pressure is slightly lower. This could be after hot days or before rain.
Times of Day. The greatest activity of the future catch begins at night. At this time of day, the fish begin to move a lot in search of food. You can also count on luck early in the morning or late in the evening. But, you should not deny yourself the pleasure of fishing during the day, only on the condition that the complementary food, place and fishing technique are selected correctly.
Temperature. Carp loves warm water and weather, but without fanaticism. That is, you need to choose an average temperature, it should be neither cold nor too hot.
Favorite habitats. Most often, carp can be found in places where there are snags. It’s good if the snag is located far from the shore. It is recommended to use heavy weights when catching it, it will not be scared, and also it will not have the desire to hide. At any time of the year, it lives in flooded river beds and ravines. It can also be successfully caught near dams. At the same time, it sinks to the bottom from 3 to 5 m, depending on the water temperature. Those fishermen who find a sandy patch where there is a spring will not be left without a catch.

First carp bite in spring

The most important question that plagues many fishermen is simple: “when does carp start biting in the spring?” Let's just say that the first bite can start in different ways. In many ways, its timing depends on the water temperature. As soon as the reservoir warms up to 15°C, you can safely go fishing for carp. At a lower temperature of the aquatic environment, the fish behaves passively and practically does not feed. So “domesticated” carp is thermophilic.

Therefore, it is quite difficult to say exactly when carp starts to be caught in the spring. How quickly the water area warms up to a temperature comfortable for fish depends on many factors:

territorial and geographical location of the reservoir;
its depth (naturally, in shallow ponds and lakes the water becomes warm much earlier);
size of the reservoir;

The start of the carp bite depends on how quickly the water warms up in the spring

presence/absence of underground springs and springs (they feed the reservoir with colder water);
weather or climate (spring is warm and sunny, which means the water will warm up faster, and the opposite is true if it’s cold and it’s constantly raining).

Reasons for lack of bite

Despite the fact that the fish lives underwater, it still actively reacts to everything that happens both on the shore and in the water. Avid fishermen can easily determine what reasons influenced the poor bite.

What are the reasons for poor bite:

Spawning. At this time, the fish is busy with completely different things, it has no time to look for food, so you shouldn’t expect mercy from it to get hooked.
It should also be noted that after spawning for another 2-3 weeks the fish is in a stressful state, and there will be no bite.
Atmosphere pressure. Carp does not like sudden changes, so with any deviations the fish simply forgets about its food.
Carp can be caught in winter too
Wind. It should be moderate; its complete absence can bring failure to the fisherman. Strong wind currents also affect the bite. It is interesting to know that if there is a northeast wind near a reservoir, then there will be no bite at all.
Times of Day. You should not try your hand at noon, in the summer heat. It is also not recommended to go fishing during the full moon.
Excess natural food. If it is present in unlimited quantities in a reservoir, then the fisherman is unlikely to be able to attract carp with his treats.
Poplar fluff. This is perhaps the most terrible period for fish, because after swallowing it, the fish goes to the bottom and gets sick for a long time and is not at all interested in biting.
Tackle. They must fully correspond to the fish being hunted.
Human factor. Any screams or noise can scare away the fish.
It should be as quiet as possible on the shore. The fisherman should wear clothes of a dull color. Also, there will be no bite for a long time in those places where electric fishing rods and explosives were used.

What time of year is the best time for carp to bite?

The most difficult period for catching carp (in Ukrainian – koropa) is winter. It is quite difficult to catch him at this time of year. Firstly, fish in cold water behave inactively, feeding rarely and in small portions. Secondly, in some reservoirs, carp stop pecking altogether during the winter months, being content with the food that they can find at the bottom.

Features of spring

The carp fishing season begins at the end of spring, when the water warms up to a comfortable temperature, promoting fish activity. At the same time, immediately after the ice melts, in March or April, carp bite is still bad. The reason is still the same - cold water, in which he inactively takes a wide variety of baits.

When going carp fishing in the spring, you need to focus on how warm the reservoir is.

Carp are difficult to catch in early spring when the ice melts

It is optimal if the water temperature is at least 15-17 °C. This means that spring carp have already begun to feed more actively. If the reservoir is not yet warm enough, then you should wait a little. After all, many scientists have long proven that at a water temperature of about 12°C, carp practically stops feeding.

Summer fishing

When is the best time for carp fishing? Of course it's summer. On average, from June to the end of September, carp bite well in all reservoirs. But of course, not always - a lot depends on the weather, food supply and characteristics of the water area.

Also, a good bite is observed before spawning and immediately after it. Everything is clear here. Before spawning, the fish is always hungry, because its body understands that it will take a lot of effort to reproduce. After spawning, the carp may “sick,” that is, come to its senses within a couple of days and ignore food. Then he gradually begins to actively peck, already regaining his strength after the mating season.

The optimal time for carp fishing is summer.

Carp spawning in different regions begins differently, so it is difficult to determine the exact timing. We recommend paying attention to the water temperature. If it has recently warmed up to 20-23 °C, then most likely the fish has gone to spawn and now feeds extremely rarely.

Autumn and its difficulties

As for autumn, at this time of year carp bite less actively than in summer. There are several reasons for this:

water temperature decreases;
algae begin to fall off and rot, which creates an unpleasant odor for the carp;
the water becomes more transparent - because of which the fish see better what is happening on the shore and are frightened by every rustle;
oxygen balance deteriorates, which leads to carp passivity;
Daylight hours and many others are decreasing. etc.

With the onset of autumn, carp activity decreases

To summarize, we note that the best and most consistent carp bite is observed in late spring and throughout the summer. The positive factors are:

warm water (optimum temperature from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius);
pre-spawning and post-spawning periods, when the fish’s appetite increases.

Basic fishing methods

Spinning. As you know, this tackle is more suitable for catching predatory fish, but it turned out that carp does not disdain artificial baits. It will be especially useful in the fall, when the fish begin to eat. Carp eats everything, from bugs to similar fish. The spinning rod should be fairly light with a medium action. The length of the rod should not exceed 2.7 m. The fishing line should not be noticeable, so it is better to replace the fluke with 0.13 mm braid. The reel must be taken with a spinning reel with a rear clutch.
Feeder. The most common tackle for carp fishing. In addition, it is an excellent replacement for expensive carp rods.
This type of gear is easy to use and suitable for beginner anglers.
Bait for carp is sent in special feeders, which vary in shape and weight. The length of the rod should be from 3.5 to 4 m. The action is suitable for medium or fast. The reel must be inertia-free, a suitable size is 3000-4000. Only monofilament fishing line with a size of 0.25 to 0.3 mm is suitable.
Float rod. Sometimes it is more effective than a feeder. Large carp can approach the very shore, so it is the float rod that comes to the aid of fishermen. The length of the rod should be from 4 to 6 m, depending on the casting distance. The reel should be light and inertia-free. Braided or monofilament fishing line. The float fits in different shapes with a thin tip. The hook should be of carp shape. Its size should be from 10 and below.
Pacifier. This tackle is somewhat similar to a feeder, only the hooks on it are hidden in the bait. When the carp approaches the trap, it begins to suck up the food along with the hook, which is covered with foam and is practically invisible. After the hook is swallowed, the fish begins to move away, but a hook occurs.
Spring. This method of carp fishing was invented when no one had ever heard of a feeder rod. In principle, this is an ordinary feeder, only it has the shape of a spring. Viscous complementary foods are placed inside it. The hooks are hidden in the treat; after the carp smells it and starts sucking out the treat, it will definitely swallow the hook.
Makushatnik. It is a piece of pressed sunflower cake. Used for bottom tackle. It does not get wet in the water for a long time, so fishing with it always brings good results.
Boilies. This bait is not cheap, only if you buy it in a store. You can make your own balls. For their preparation, various cereal products and flavorings are used. Used for feeder gear. The ball is put on a hook and after the fish starts to eat it, it gets hooked. The advantage of such balls is that small fish cannot swallow them. Therefore, the fisherman will only be able to catch a trophy specimen.

Tackle for catching carp and carp in spring

It is in the spring that both carp and carp can be caught using the widest possible range of gear. Unlike summer or autumn, when the fish most often stands at a great distance from the shore and requires the use of either feeder or special carp rods for the longest cast, in the spring it is quite possible to go after carp with a regular fly rod. However, both in the case of feeder gear and float gear, the rod and reel must have a fairly significant margin of safety, since the carp is a strong fish and will desperately resist when fishing.

Float rod

Catching carp with a fishing rod

Later in the season, you can effectively catch carp only with plug or match float rods, but in the spring, when the water is just starting to warm up, it is quite possible to catch this fish close, within the reach of ordinary fly rods.

To catch carp in spring you can use:

A fly fishing rod, which, however, must have a certain margin of safety - even for small carp, ultra-light “bleak” fishing rods are not suitable. And if there is a chance of catching a more or less decent specimen, then the safety margin of the rod should be appropriate.
Bolognese rods are also quite suitable for carp fishing. The presence of a reel makes it possible to fight large fish, loading the rod itself somewhat less. It should also be noted that Bolognese fishing rods are designed for fishing in the current, which means they are more suitable for fishing for the carp’s wild relative, the carp.
Match blanks are suitable for carp fishing not only in the spring, because such rods allow you to fish at a fairly significant distance from the coastline. It is in the spring that blind match rigs are more often used, since the fishing depths at this time of year are relatively shallow and usually do not exceed the length of the rod.
Plug fishing rods are also quite effective in the summer. They are convenient to use in situations where trees hang low over a promising point, and there is no possibility of maneuvering with the same match rod. The plug also gives the advantage of silent feeding of the point, which in the spring, at close range, is especially important when fishing for carp.

When choosing float gear, you should remember the safety margin - carp is a strong fish, which also usually resists when fishing to the last. Both the rod, the reel, and the line with the hook must be prepared for such loads.

Feeder

Fans of feeder fishing are also actively starting carp fishing with the spring warming. The absence of the need for ultra-long casting of equipment on most reservoirs allows you to use at this time of year both long-range forms from 3.9 or 4.2 meters in length, and picker rods, as well as short boat feeder options. Often, when fishing for carp, and also if there is likely to be crucian carp in the by-catch, in addition to the usual installations such as a symmetrical or asymmetrical loop, Paternoster or other options, they also use method-type feeders.

Flat type feeders are a good option for carp fishing with feeder gear. The bait hidden in the bait makes casting easier, and based on the smell the carp finds the bait faster.

Important! In order to minimize the likelihood of gear breakage and fish escape, it is advisable to use a feeder of the appropriate diameter. The use of this rubber allows you to use thinner leashes, which means that the chances of tempting a cautious and cunning carp to bite increase.

Carp tackle

Carp gear differs significantly from the same feeder gear. First of all, classic carp fishing involves the use of three rods at once - a marker, a spod and a main one.

Probing the bottom, as well as feeding, is given even more attention than in the feeder; for each of these purposes, the use of a separate rod is implied. A separate fishing rod is also used for feeding the point. It has an increased safety margin and provides long-range and accurate casting of a fairly large load.

In carp gear, the equipment used also differs. While in feeder fishing the use of hair rigging is relatively rare, in carp fishing it is practically the main option. The pace of fishing also differs. If feeders re-cast the tackle quite often, then in the case of carp fishing, re-casts after feeding are done rarely, the rods are installed on a rod-pod, and bite alarms are connected to them, which do not allow rare carp bites to be missed.

In the case of carp gear, the angler can even move a little away from the fishing spot - the alarm will report a bite, and the reel with a baitrunner will not allow the carp to drag the rod away.

What to lure and feed with?

Carp is an omnivorous fish, it loves both plant and animal baits, the main thing is to know when to use which.

This is how they plant corn when fishing for carp

In the summer, baits of plant origin are more suitable:

corn;
peas;
potato;
bread, etc.

During the cold period, it begins to actively prepare for winter and gain fat, so it is better to use animal bait here:

worm;
maggots;
bloodworm, etc.

Any grains, as well as flavorings and aromas are suitable for feeding. You can prepare the bait yourself from products that you can find in the kitchen, or you can buy it ready-made in a specialized store.

Peculiarities of carp behavior in early spring

Remember that you shouldn’t wait for the first good bite of carp in the spring as soon as the ice has melted from the reservoirs. At a minimum, 3-4 weeks should pass, during which the water level will stabilize and various dirt and turbidity will settle. Only after this the carp will want to start feeding. Moreover, in March he will be more occupied not with searching for food, but with basking in shallow water or getting enough oxygen, the content of which in the water in the spring increases significantly. Therefore, carp fishing in early spring rarely ends with a good catch.

If you still decide to go carp fishing in March, then pay attention to the following:

Air temperature. The best option is at least 16-18°C. In other words, it must be warm for the carp to leave their wintering pits and begin to show interest in food.

When going for carp in early spring, you should take into account atmospheric pressure indicators

Fishing places. For fishing, it is best to choose small holes up to 2-3 m deep or shallow areas with dense vegetation.
Atmosphere pressure. The barometer needle should be going up in the last few days. It is the growing air pressure that has a positive effect on the bite in the spring.
Weather. At the beginning of spring, for carp fishing, you should choose days with sunny, warm and calm weather.

If all the points listed above coincide, then you can safely count on the activity of the fish. This means that an experienced and successful fisherman will not leave the reservoir without a catch.

Carp fishing techniques and tactics

For fishing to be successful, you should follow a few simple rules on fishing techniques and tactics:

Before you start fishing, you need to study the place.
Fish requires constant feeding, otherwise it may simply go elsewhere in search of food.
If there are no results at a certain place, then it is better to change it.
On the shore, there is no need to make unnecessary sounds so as not to scare away the future catch. Clothes should not be too bright. You should also carefully consider the choice of gear palette.
It is recommended to take a lot of different baits and lures with you.

In what weather is carp fishing more successful?

Continuing to talk about when is the best time to go fishing for carp, we should also note the importance of weather conditions. After all, unfortunately, not every day is suitable for catching this fish. It's not a matter of even or odd numbers, but of the weather. For example, a hot and sunny day can please an angler, but have the exact opposite effect on carp. Whereas the nasty drizzling rain will force the carp angler to stay at home, and in the meantime the fish will feed intensively.

When fishing for carp, you should take into account the strength of the wind.

What weather can be considered favorable for carp fishing? Let's just say that the fish are more actively interested in baits:

with gradual warming, which took several days;
in clear weather with little clouds and light wind;
when the air temperature remains warm and there is light rain;
during periods of stable weather and no changes in atmospheric pressure.

In heavy rain, the carp bite decreases

Accordingly, you need to know what weather conditions negatively affect the carp bite. Let us list the main situations when this fish is reluctant to feed:

in heavy pouring rain;
in a thunderstorm;
during cold snaps, especially prolonged and sudden ones;
when a strong wind blows;
in hot and stuffy weather;
with changes in air pressure and sudden changes in weather.

In persistent heat, the carp goes closer to the bottom and there may be no bite

Day, morning or evening: when does carp bite best?

Another important point is to be able to navigate and understand when during the day the carp is more inclined to eat food. After all, any fish, so to speak, has its own “daily routine”. Including carp. True, it is not always active at one time or another, because much still depends on the weather, the water temperature, and whether it is spring, summer or autumn outside the window.

Summer. Morning and evening (and even night) hours are more successful for carp fishing. This is due to the fact that during the day it is quite hot - which is why the fish are mostly passive. True, if there was a cold snap, then a good bite may, on the contrary, occur during the day, when the water has time to warm up.
Spring. It is advisable to go to the pond for carp closer to lunch. By this time, the sun has managed to slightly increase the water temperature, which awakens the fish’s appetite. Carp fishing in the spring in the morning or evening very rarely gives results.

The optimal time of day for carp fishing depends on the season.

In autumn. As on spring days, it is better to choose midday and afternoon hours for fishing. For the same simple reason - at night or in the evening the water temperature cools down, negatively affecting the activity of carp.

Best time of day to catch carp

Carp bite best early in the morning, namely at dawn. In addition, carp can be caught well at night. As a rule, at night, carp are caught on donks and feeders.

The morning bite of carp can be divided into early, that is, from dawn to sunrise, and late, from sunrise to lunch.

At night and early in the morning, carp take the bait much more boldly than during the day; in the evening, the carp bite is much weaker than in the morning, but at the same time, provided that the correct gear and fishing location are chosen, you can catch a pretty good specimen.