Carp fishing?

[splashhopper]

Ok, so i am seeing all these pics of the big carp and i am noting the comments of the "new carpers" too.

 

So, i think i want to give this a try too.

 

A few questions please:

 

Rod and reel ?

 

Type of place to fish? ie river/pier/ bottom type of water etc

 

Bait/lure?

 

 

Thanks for the help again.

 

Splashopper

[workwear]

when i went i was introduced to what is called a hair rig....look on the net youll find this weird rig....all we had for bait was sweet corn that was boiled....threw the rig in and waited.....as for rods i was using a m/h 7' ...careful not to bring them in to hard....i was told that they have soft mouth openings and can tear off very easy...althought they kept my rod well bent......probably the only times i like my rod that way.....lol....good luck

[Shaun Rickard]

Try these links splashhopper:

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/guides/sea...sode2/index.php

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/guides/epi...anglersview.php

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/guides/epi.../launchzone.php

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/guides/epi...anglersview.php

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/guides/epi...anglersview.php

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/media/articles/article5.php

 

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

Cheers, Shaun

[splashhopper]

thanks shaun... great site

[Photoz]

EXCELLENT SITE . . .. another well worth having a look at too . . . . you'll be hauling out the biggies in no time! http://www.geocities.com/carpsava/content.html

Edited May 15, 2008 by Photoz

[Victor]

Here's another one...

Carp Fishing Tips and Articles

 

Rod: Preferably something longer with alot of backbone so you can handle the fish easier instead of the fish yanking you around

Reel: Big spool with a good drag system

 

Location: A lot of waters in and around the TO area have carp in them ... some are even at places you never expect to see a fish at. All the places you mentioned can potentially have carp swimming around. Do a bit of scouting, they aren't that hard to spot.

 

Bait: If you're just starting out, grab yourself a can of sweet corn from the grocery store and start fishing!

 

Good luck!

[bassjnkie]

www.ontariocarphunters.com or www.carpanglersgroup.com

 

Reel any good reel will do, but a bait feeder is the way to go.

Rod 8' medium heavy would be good as start off rod.

 

Bait, stick to sweetcorn always produces.

 

Daniel

[Shaun Rickard]

Splashhopper, here's another short clip that demonstrates some very simple rig set ups:

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/media/video/video4_wm.php

 

Cheers, shaun

[splashhopper]

man.. i am impressed with the help us newcomers get on this board.

 

thank you everyone.

 

Splashhopper

[Uncle Buck]

baitrunner, and a downrigger rod if you're wanting to take it easy...

 

if you wanna go hardcore...

 

baitrunner/carp rod (2.75 TC)/pod/alarms/etc...

 

as for bait... CORN, buy a 50lb sack at a feedmilll (under $10), that'll last you a long time with baiting...

boiling corn only makes it easier to stick a baiting needle through... i use it hard and a mini drill by hand when the bite is off to pre drill the corn kernals...

 

use a hair-rig, and get a feeder, learn to make method mix... (corn/birdseed/bread crumbs and water) it takes some getting use to figuring out how much to add so it falls apart in the water, but enough to stay on while casting...

 

you're in London, try the Grand river...

pretty much any water holds carp...

 

Good Luck, you'll definitely enjoy

[MJL]

boiling corn only makes it easier to stick a baiting needle through... i use it hard and a mini drill by hand when the bite is off to pre drill the corn kernals...

 

I would have to disagree with this statement. Soaking/Boiling corn not only makes it easier to hook, it renders the particle safe to eat for carp. Maize along with almost all other particle/nut/pulse/seed (exception being canned corn) has the ability to expand over time when wet. The idea is that you want the particle to expand to its maximum before you feed it to the fish. If not, they have the ability to expand inside the fish which could lead to digestive tract problems and death. Boiling particles also does a number of things: 1. It enhances the ability of the particle to take on flavours, 2. It kills any chance of the seed/particle from germinating inside the fish - many particles after all are seeds. If you're going to be using maize, it is recommended at a minimum to soak it at least 24 hrs before use.

 

Article on maize

http://www.carp.com/article44.html

 

Particle preparation guide

http://www.carpforum.co.uk/Shared/Messages.asp?TopicID=26850

 

As far as tackle goes, carp fishing is far more dynamic than sitting behind a set of buzzers with the baitrunner set to free-spool. Most likely you already have tackle suitable to land them. For years I've used my heavier salmon/steelhead rods and centrepins to stalk them while they cruise the shoreline (I do this on the Toronto Islands). You can also float fish, fly fish (almost like fishing for bonefish on the flats), you can sight fish for them using slightly heavier bass/walleye tackle rigged with tubes, twister-tail jigs or flipping jigs and yes you can take the modern European approach and spoil yourself will electronic bite alarms, pods, carp rods and baitrunners.

 

Carp fishing can be as simple or advanced as you want to make it.

 

Hope this helps

[shane]

I fish for carp around London in the Thames quite a bit. I like to keep things pretty simple. A half decent medium weight rod and reel, a forked stick stuck in the mud, (sometimes I use two forked sticks to make a pod ) and canned corn. But not just any canned corn. I use the cheapest stuff I can find. It's usually really slimy and smells funny and the kernels are great big things the size of horses teeth. Usually at the dollar stores, three or four cans for a buck. Put two or three kernels on a regular bait-holder type of hook, a split-shot or two, and throw it out in a likely looking spot. Sometimes I'll throw a handful or two of bait out as chum. Set my rod down in my 'pod', and wait for the fun to start.

 

My absolute favorite way to carp though is wading the shoreline and watching for schools of carp that are actively hunting in the shallows. Then I toss a crayfish out just upstream from them and when they get close give the bait a couple tugs like a crayfish swimming and then watch some huge carp come darting over and slam it, set the hook,big splash, screaming drag,...it's go time. Just like fishing the flats for bonefish....except bigger fish.

[Mattones]

I was fishing tonight and looekd down near my girlfriends lure and saw a HUGE carp going for it. But she ahs sun glasses on and just pulled it out when i said CARP! . UGH haha

[Photoz]

The hard unsoaked corn will NOT harm the carp . . . . . it is ground up BEFORE it ever gets close to the carp's stomach by the big molars in the carp's throat. This also happens to zebra mussels, snails . . . . anything hard . . . . the ground up shells are expelled out through the carp's gills, and the digestible stuff goes into the gullet. However, I do boil / soak my maize, as I generally add strawberry KoolAid mix, anise or garlic to flavour it . . . . it SEEMS to bring 'em in better?

[MJL]

The hard unsoaked corn will NOT harm the carp . . . . . it is ground up BEFORE it ever gets close to the carp's stomach by the big molars in the carp's throat. This also happens to zebra mussels, snails . . . . anything hard . . . . the ground up shells are expelled out through the carp's gills, and the digestible stuff goes into the gullet. However, I do boil / soak my maize, as I generally add strawberry KoolAid mix, anise or garlic to flavour it . . . . it SEEMS to bring 'em in better?

 

Even in its crushed state, maize along with other particles still expand. Run a batch of maize or chick peas through a food processor, soak and/or boil and it will still be much larger than it was in its dry state. Not all indigestible matter is passed through their gills as you mentioned. On the St. Lawrence and Otonabee rivers, I’ve noticed some fish passing zebra mussel shells while in the landing net. When fish are on the feed, their gill rakers can only filter so much of the stuff. In many commercial fisheries in the UK and France, particle baits have been banned because of particle bait related deaths – You are forced to use boilies and pellets. Many of the fisheries who still allow particle baits only allow you to use commercially available/already prepared baits (like the ones produced by Dynamite baits) or the ones that the bailiffs and fishery owners prepare themselves and sell to their guests.

[splashhopper]

Splashhopper, here's another short clip that demonstrates some very simple rig set ups:

 

http://www.hookmorefish.com/dir/media/video/video4_wm.php

 

Cheers, shaun

Thanks again Shaun, i never thought of using one of my slip floats for this.

My daughter will like the action on the float too.

 

Splashhopper

[splashhopper]

Can i buy those hair rigs?

(non in hte stores i go to yet)

 

I have not come across any other carp fishing dudes, F2F, yet to see one of these.

 

I have tried tying them from the pics on line to no success.

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks

 

Splashhopper and Botbot

Edited June 3, 2008 by splashhopper

[Victor]

what are you having troubles with while tying a hair rig? They're really really easy to tie.

 

maybe try uploading a few photos of your working progress so we can help ya out?

 

i don't know where you can buy pre-tied hair rig anyways ... at least anywhere close to you