Fishing for carp is always distinguished by the expectations of catching a significant trophy, as well as the equally important sensations for the fisherman of a real struggle when fishing, which invariably accompanies the capture of a river carp, regardless of its size. This powerful and beautiful fish is common in many large rivers and lakes of our country, ranging from its middle latitudes and to the south. Catching wild carp tempts the angler with the originality of the tactics used, the search for a place that is often secluded and rarely visited by people, and, of course, the result of fishing, which can be a fish worthy of its weight.
Carp are caught using common methods of hunting for carp fish species, and the fishing tactics are in many ways similar to the strategies of experienced carp fishermen. What adds complexity to the fishing technique is the naturalness of natural conditions, which sometimes does not play a significant role when fishing for carp, since the action takes place on artificial reservoirs equipped for comfortable fishing. These factors alone require special knowledge and skills from the angler to achieve a positive fishing result, which consists of narrow nuances that carp anglers have developed over many decades of fishing practice.
In this article we will highlight the main secrets of catching trophy carp for a fisherman who is beginning his first steps in this direction and will guide him to choose the optimal fishing planning strategy organized for carp fishing.
Features of fish
The robust fish with armor-piercing scales belongs to the species of carp fish and is a direct wild relative of the domesticated carp. Its habits and lifestyle are quite similar to the carp known to every angler, which must be taken into account when determining the fishing time and selecting gear. The fish is active when the water warms above 18 degrees. When the reservoir cools to below ten degrees, the object of the hunt completely stops feeding and goes into a stupor, gathering at considerable depths in huge flocks. Catching carp without knowing the main features of the fish’s habits is unsuccessful, so we will consider the main significant moments of its life activity, focusing on the primary factors of the existence of this species.
Fishing tactics
Fishing for carp using a donkey allows you to catch trophy specimens at a great distance and at considerable depth, and even in underwater currents - to places where it is problematic to purposefully deliver complementary food. The method of capture depends on where the actions are carried out from - from a boat or shore. Some useful tips for novice fishermen:
- use exclusively high-quality tackle, with an increased tensile strength (when pulling a carp, it provides remarkable resistance);
- use fragrant baits with baits, since this fish has an extremely developed sense of smell;
- It is advisable to feed the fishing spot before fishing;
- When making your own bait, take mainly plant components (large predators may be attracted to the animals and can scare away the carp);
- feed the prey on a schedule, then the fish will develop a conditioned reflex and it will be possible to predict the result of fishing.
No less important is the time and season of carp fishing. In summer the fish are not very active. In persistently hot weather, carp are more willing to take “treats” in the mornings and evenings. Spontaneous changes in external conditions have an adverse effect. During a storm, the bite stops.
Fishing on a platform with donks
Donka from the shore
When you plan to cast gear from the shore, you first select a promising place, throw the bait into the water, clip the rod and make several casts to a specific point. At the same time, remove the line from the clip after each casting of the tackle - otherwise the fish that bites will drag the rod to the depth.
In order not to lose the selected water area for fishing, you need to mark it with a special beacon. You can make it yourself from a plastic bottle: place a firefly in it for float fishing (it will glow in the dark). It is not necessary to try to get in front of the bottle when casting. Trophy specimens love to feast on the sides of the feeder. When the tackle is thrown, fix the form on a stationary stand.
To receive a bite signal, alarms are used (can be electronic or mechanical).
Carp caught from the shore tackle - donka with a rod
From the boat
It is not convenient to fish from a boat using a casting rod - spinning tackle or a feeder is more suitable. It is necessary to choose models with a length of no more than 2 meters. It should be taken into account that the carp has excellent hearing, so any impacts on the boat and the movement of a person in it will be heard under water. And this can alert prey, especially large ones. Therefore, it is better to use wooden boats.
Carp in a boat, fishing in summer
Fishing on the current
From a watercraft it is easier to find and feed the catching site, as well as transport and install gear. For complementary feeding, it is recommended to take grain crops (corn, peas). After catching, you need to once again feed the same area with sweet corn or peas. Carp are a schooling fish, so there is a high probability of waiting for the next bite soon.
After casting from the boat, the rod is taken out and installed on the shore, equipped with a bite alarm (you can attach a bell). They fish out the trophy from the shore. A boat is used if the fish gets caught in snags or reeds. Then they change the bait and again cast the fishing rod in the same place.
In strong currents it is difficult to catch, but possible
Habitats of carp
These giants love huge water areas with smooth clay plateaus and depths of at least two meters. Such conditions are provided by large, slowly flowing rivers and flowing lakes. On the hard bottom, the fish rests and gains strength to enter feeding areas, which are bottom thickets and colonies of shells. Flocks do not disdain to stop in snags and among driftwood.
Despite their small size, the fish are quite shy and do not like noisy places. The giant does not stay near bridges and populated areas where human activity is active, preferring wild, deserted places. A definite parking point for the carp will be a section of a reservoir on the border of a current and a deep, quiet backwater, tightly closed from the shoreline by a wall of cattails or reeds. The fish overwinters in underwater pits, with depths of ten meters, becoming densely individual to individual, ceasing all activity.
Spawning
This species of cyprinids spawns when the water temperature rises to 22–26 degrees. Which most often happens closer to mid-summer. Sometimes it is the third ten days of June and mid-July. Spawning is portioned, three times per spawning season. At this time, the fish does not stop feeding completely. For spawning, flocks look for shallows of 1.5-2 meters calm from the current and vigorously spawn eggs on the bottom algae, accompanying the spawning with extraordinary splashes and incredible activity. The carp begins to peck immediately after spawning, bringing its nutrition to a state of gluttony.
Catching carp
To catch carp from the shore, a tool such as a donka is used. They catch it on donka using pressed makukha - this is sunflower cake, and it is cut into bars of medium thickness.
When fishing from the shore, a specially shaped weight, loops or other materials are used to attach the makukha bars.
The hooks are inserted entirely into the corner of the bar so that they do not stick out and prick the fish; you need to make sure that when it is at the bottom, it does not get tangled in the reins, and is constantly at the top of the load.
The fluff gets wet, the fish sucks it, and tries to throw the hooks out of the gill covers, and that’s how it gets caught.
Most of all, fishermen use bloodworms, maggots, and medium worms. Animal and plant foods are used for bait. A good bait for carp would be millet porridge.
It is best to use it in the middle of summer, at this time the fish does not pay attention to algae and bites well on the bait.
You can prepare it using different recipes, the simplest one is to pour washed millet with a glass of boiled water and cook over low heat, stirring constantly so that the porridge does not burn.
What does carp eat?
The diet of this glutton is varied and includes food of both plant and animal origin. You can catch carp using specially prepared baits, but natural types of delicacies will definitely be a priority. During the flight of insects, the fish actively feeds on the carrion of cockchafers, locusts and dragonflies. All kinds of snails, toothless shells and zebra mussels actively gather from the bottom in flocks. The fish eats bloodworm and caddisfly larvae, amphipods, daphnia and small crustaceans in countless quantities throughout the entire period of its activity. In the summer months, the diet includes a lot of plant food in the form of fleshy elodea, young cattails and reeds. Cereal grains and small berries, including cherries and rowan berries, that fall into the water also readily replenish the fat man’s menu.
Lures for catching carp
To catch carp, many plant and animal baits are used:
- Potato bait is one of the most popular and good for catching carp. To make such bait, you need to take dense potatoes that do not soften when cooked. Potatoes need to be boiled with the skins on, in salted water. Then peel the potatoes and, if they are large, cut them into small cubes.
- If you fish with donk, it is best to use millet porridge. The millet needs to be washed and cooked. Mash it into a homogeneous mass and place in the oven to evaporate. After this, cool the porridge and cut into squares the size of the hooks.
- Corn kernels are a popular bait, especially if they are young and soft. Boil ripe grains in water with salt and dry for bait. Large peas are used for bait. They need to be soaked for 24 hours in a soda solution, and then boiled in a gauze bag for twenty minutes to an hour. You can eat rolled peas.
- Dough balls are used for bottom fishing rods. You need to mix the flour with drops of any oil. And if you add an egg, berries, sugar, vanillin, you will be very pleased with the catch. Fishermen say that carp really like balls with cornmeal in sunflower oil.
- Pieces of bread are used as usual or with additives. The bread crumb is soaked in water and small balls are made.
- To catch a catch, when bottom fishing you can take berries: cherries, plums, red rowan, grapes, blackberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, currants. Berries with seeds need to be placed on a hook so that it goes around the seed.
- You can use crawlers, earthworms, green worms and dung worms. The larger the bait, the larger the catch. Bait should be stored in boxes with holes in a cool place. You can use maggots, which are sold in a fishing store. It is better to store it in a cool place.
Finding a fishing spot
They look for places for carp fishing away from noisy places, looking out for vast backwaters with shell rock or small underwater growth. A sharply changing downward current strength will be an advantage in determining a promising point. The watershed of the flows of the main river bed and the transition to the quiet water of the backwater with a slight reverse draft, a favorite feeding place for fish. On such underwater shallow plateaus, up to three meters high, colonies of mollusks live, which are part of the diet of the hunted object.
The depths, smoothly turning into small spits, washed with pebbles and shell rock, also provide good prospects for catching large carp. The remoteness of such places from the shore adds to the chances of successfully finding the flock’s feeding point. The coastal habitat zone of the trophy is determined by the cliffs of the coast, which sharply descend into the depths. The presence of obstacles at the bottom that slow down the flow, in the form of driftwood and impressive snags, and the overhanging tree crowns above the water, adds comfort to the fish’s habitat at the observed point.
When the carp bites
Only sufficiently warm water provides guarantees for catching large carp on the river. Any slight cold snap radically changes the bite for the worse. Catching carp begins in May and continues until mid-October. The spring bite is not stable and is best experienced on quiet, warm, sunny days, starting at dawn and throughout the daylight hours.
Fishing for carp in the summer at stable pressure and temperature becomes periodic and is best experienced in the late morning and early evening, waning at lunchtime. In hot weather, the fish switches to feeding at night and then the biting activity shifts to the evening dawn and early morning, continuing throughout the dark time of the day. In the fall, active feeding of fat begins and the flocks switch to full daytime feeding without respite. Catching carp in autumn is possible throughout the daylight hours from dawn to sunset.
Important! Rains during any period of the fishing season do not contribute to its improvement; rather, on the contrary, they force the fish to hide and wait for calm and silence on the surface of the reservoir.
An increase in the intensity of the bite was noticed in the pre-storm period. The time period of the zhor is very short, but it is famous for the capture of especially trophy specimens. Sunny days are more catchy than days in cloudy and windy weather. Fogs are also not good for planning fishing sessions.
What does carp bite on?
The seasons of the year clearly correlate with the food preferences of the trophy. Spring and autumn definitely require animal baits, since the fish at this time feed purely on objects of animal origin, gaining strength for spawning in the spring, and energy for wintering in the fall. In the summer, the fish, like a gourmet, eats up young underwater vegetation, becoming a picky and capricious creature. Based on these considerations, we will consider the best types of attachments based on their origin.
The best vegetable baits
Of the vegetable baits, it is worth highlighting canned sweet corn, which definitely becomes a favorite for catching carp in the summer. A good bait is dough made from cereals with the addition of vanilla and cinnamon based attractants. Carp is caught on potatoes, which are boiled when young, selecting small tubers of an even round shape. Branches of young elodea, wound and secured with an elastic band on a hook, are especially useful at the beginning of summer, when the rapid growth of this aquatic plant begins.
During the flowering of reeds, the soft and sweet core of this plant is used. Its brother, young cattail, is also suitable as a similar bait. If the banks of a river are overgrown with berry bushes, then you can confidently use the fruits of these bushes or trees in any form. Sweet raspberries or cherries are preferred, but even unripe rowan at the end of summer can become the bait that the fish will prefer to other baits.
The best baits of animal origin
A universal option is a bunch of dung worms, which is always a glutton's choice. With the addition of maggots to the bait, this bait will become even more attractive. Bloodworms are more interested in young carp and you can’t count on a giant when using this type of bait. May bugs, crayfish meat, dried pulp of toothless shells are precisely those baits for carp that he almost never ignores, especially if the fisherman uses them in season as a natural food component of the fish’s diet.
Artificial baits
Catching carp with a float rod or bottom tackle is not a panacea for catching a trophy. Recently, anglers have been actively using spinning fishing to hunt for this species. Small silicone fish, vibrotails, and also wobblers in similar shapes of insects and fry are used as artificial baits.
Important! The use of so-called edible, strong-smelling silicone is beneficial in increasing bites.
In float installations, imitation corn grains, dung worms and bloodworms, which are impregnated with an attractant, are successfully used. Artificial baits include boilies, which, as in carp fishing, give significant results when catching wild carp.
Lure
Fishing for carp is always more successful when the angler uses bait to feed the fishing spot with loose compounds, from which lighter particles are constantly released and floated to the surface. Bait for catching carp is prepared on a base of breadcrumbs with the addition of pearl barley, fish feed and a strong attractant concentrated on the smell of a sweet component, mead, chicory, vanilla or cinnamon. The bait is prepared without the addition of soil or sand, using purely edible ingredients. The cooked porridge is not strained, allowing it to become gluten, which, as the lump of bait dissolves in the water, will release particles of crackers and feed flour to the surface of the reservoir. The column of floating particles and the smell of food will lure the fish from afar, both visually and based on its developed sense of smell.
Important! An effective bait method is filling a mesh bag with bait and then installing it on the bottom of the reservoir at the fishing site.
This type of feeding does not frighten the flock gathered at the point by throwing the next portions of bait and allows you to catch fish without pauses for the next approach of the fish to the feeding table. It is worth noting that a daily fishing session requires quite a lot of complementary food and the angler must be prepared to consume 30–50 kg of the mixture, and this is especially true when fishing for carp in the current.
Scenting the bait and correct wiring
Scented baits can be bought in the store, but you can also make aromatic tincture yourself:
- First, thoroughly wash the purchased twister so that the standard smell goes away.
- Then finely chop the dill or other herbs (garlic might be a good option) and add a little water. The contents need to be stirred well and even crushed with a spoon or something convex so that the juices from the dill come out even more.
- The bait is placed in this mixture and sits there for several days. And just before fishing, you can dip the bait in a similar solution again to refresh the smell.
Wiring. Due to the fact that carp is a non-predatory fish and does not chase its food, the retrieve should be slow, along the bottom, but twitching in order to attract attention. Often the carp grabs the bait while falling, after another pull of the bait with a reel from the bottom.
Using a rig with a retractable leash would be very appropriate. This will allow you to use the twister without its own load and its play will be smoother, it will stay in place more often.
What the gear for catching carp looks like - everything about the feeder for wild carp.
Catching carp on a feeder - a complete guide to baits, equipment used and groundbaits.
Watch a video about catching carp. From preparing the equipment to fishing - a whole review on our website.
How to catch carp
The principle of fishing for this representative of cyprinids is no different from the technologies used in carp fishing and classical methods of catching crucian carp, bream and roach. The only deviation from the ordinary will be the use of reinforced gear, accessories and cords for mounting equipment. Methods of catching carp vary from hunting using float rigs, bottom fishing rods and right up to classic spinning rods.
Taking into account the extraordinary fighting qualities of the strong fish, they use reinforced hooks in the range of numbers 8–12, selecting the type of accessory depending on the type of attachment with a long or short shank. As the main cords, it is more rational to use mono lines with a diameter of 0.3 mm and above. This type of fishing line perfectly absorbs the forces from the resistance of a trophy hooked. It is more rational to knit leashes from braided lines of 0.14-0.18 mm. They behave best on pebble and shell bottoms, abrading less, and due to their small diameters, they are less noticeable than thick fishing lines, but have equal strength.
Important! A peculiarity of fishing is the use of elongated leashes from 1-1.5 meters.
This length is due to the caution and excessive vigilance of the fish. As a fishing rod, the best option would be purely carp tackle, powerful and with a lot of dough. Fish bites are not particularly accurate. The heavyweight takes the bait confidently and sharply, continuing to vacuum the bottom like a master. In such cases, fishermen say that they took it like a locomotive. Such confident suction of the bait rarely requires hooking; the trophy hooks itself, which threatens the loss of gear left outside the control zone without a baitrunner or additional fastening.
Fishing is intense, with constant chaotic retreats of the frightened giant in different directions in search of shelter in snags or other secluded places. The randomness of the movement of the caught individual and the angler’s loss of control over the tension of the line threatens to tangle the tackle and cut off the fishing line on the sharp, saw-like front ray of the dorsal fin. Raising the fish to the surface and taking a breath of air does not indicate its complete fatigue; the fight will be waged in the landing net, on the shore of the reservoir, and even at the time of the photo shoot. The fisherman must be constantly alert and not lose concentration until he lowers the fish into a strong and securely secured cage.
Fishing with feeder tackle
As installations of feeder equipment, ties are used that are not particularly subtle for determining bites. An ordinary symmetrical loop will be a completely reliable working piece of equipment. Feeders are used in a rectangular shape of medium size, for better grip on the bottom and to prevent rolling due to currents, which frightens important fish. Long leashes and hooks for catching carp made of a thick wire base are the nuances that most influence the success of the business. Carp reels with a baitrunner and a sound alarm are required when equipping the feeder. The fishing spot requires constant additional feeding, which the fisherman should do using a slingshot or radio-controlled boat.
How to catch carp on a donk
Donks are used for hunting from the shore and from a boat. From a boat, fishing for large carp with a ring is used according to the principle of fishing for bream. The boat is firmly anchored, installing the gear along the current. In this case, they use bait that leaves a trace of turbidity at the fishing point. For hunting from the shore, the most suitable option is a rubber donk. This method is used to fish without feeding, by placing leashes on the bottom plateau of a school of fish. The leashes are equipped with hooks that place bait on the bottom surface. The disadvantages of this method are the impossibility of installing the gear in cramps and dead wood. The advantages are the silent delivery of baits and fishing in high waves.
Fishing with a float rod
Carp on a float are mostly caught with match and Bolognese tackle. Due to the limited casting range, a fly fishing rod does not provide complete conditions for maintaining silence and invisibility of the fisherman. For long casts, special long-range sliding floats with high antennas are used. The mass of the float rarely exceeds 6–9 grams, but a length of 20 cm is the optimal component. The sinkers are installed near the float, additionally equipping a long leash of a meter or more with several additional loads of small shot. The bait is let along the bottom, allowing it to be drawn along with the current. Complementary feeding is carried out, as with the additional method described in feeder fishing. Catching carp with a fishing rod is preferable in calm, calm weather, and is especially effective and spectacular at night, when using illuminated floats.
How to properly catch carp on the makushatnik
The makushatnik is fished with bottom tackle mounted on the frame of a spinning rod. As a bait, a densely compressed and highly flavored briquette of complementary foods is used, which is based on the components of the production of confectionery halva. The bait briquette is secured to the base, which is also the weight of the equipment.
The sinker is introduced into the equipment using it as an element of a conventional sliding mesh feeder or using the installation of a symmetrical loop. Strong hooks, from two to five pieces, of medium size and preferably in the color of the crown, are stuck into the crown briquette. When bait is detected, the fish begins to suck on the bait, drawing in the hooks located in the briquette. As a result of such actions, a notch occurs, which entails the subsequent capture of the trophy.
Carp for spinning
Spinning jig fishing for wild carp has also become popular. Small silicone fish made from edible rubber are used as bait. Common carp react to vibrating tails with passive play of their own. The fisherman places the bait at promising points using a classic jig step, but unlike fishing for predatory fish, the throws are not sharp and aggressive, but, on the contrary, smoother and longer.
The fish intuitively grabs the bait rather than purposefully chasing it. With this method of fishing, the key to success is the competent supply of silicone to the trophy’s resting place, as they say, under the nose of fishermen. Luck is more favorable in a large school of fish, when food competition forces individuals to instantly react to any movements. Silicone is mounted on stationary jig heads, since sophistication in animation is not required. Their braided versions are used as a cord for more effective hooking.
How to catch carp on a spinning rod from the shore
After the fish are fed, you can start hunting.
Basic rules and techniques for catching carp from the shore:
- Throw the tackle at a distance of 30 m.
- Secure the rod.
- After taking the bait, you shouldn’t hook the fish right away. You need to tighten the fishing line gradually, without unnecessary movements. One wrong step and the fish will begin to actively resist and may fall off the hook. When catching carp, wait-and-see tactics are very important.
When going fishing for carp, you should choose the right gear. The choice is made based on the characteristics of the fishing location, as well as the dimensions of the intended catch. An important factor influencing the success of the event is the correct bait and long-term feeding of the fish.
