For Carp - Bigger Baits = Bigger Fish?

[Rich]

Need the carp experts here.. I know at this time of year for bass and pike, the rule on my boat tends to be bigger is better. And I find I catch crappies and rock bass far more often on my bass lures. Which leads to what I assume may be a trend across the fishing board.. as bait of all variations would tend to be bigger now..

 

So, I ask thee panel of carp experts, in your experience, is bigger better in the fall? I've tinkered with some longer, larger hair rigs in the past couple weeks with varied to minimal success. It seems under a float with a small hook we are getting the most bites, but all but one float fish has been small (5lbs or under for the most part). Tried the bigger hook idea, and missed fish like crazy under the float. We have hooked two larger than life bad boys in the last three days, with nothing to learn other than both those fish were on bottom, and both were the only fish we had bite that hit and immediately hooked themselves and screamed drag.

 

Anywho, bigger = better or no?

[hammercarp]

Just my opinion but I would say no. That generalization does not apply to carp. It applies to predator fish because their forage has gotten bigger over the summer. As to the amount of bait I would say the more the better, they are noted for really pigging out in the fall.

Edited September 5, 2013 by hammercarp

[MJL]

In my experience, when you consider the variety of baits that carp anglers use, then yes larger baits do often account for the larger fish. I’ve caught greater numbers of larger carp using boilies (20mm baits) VS corn or any other type of smaller particle baits (like maize, tiger nuts, various peas and beans).

 

Keep in mind that there are various factors that go into hunting for larger fish (ie. specimen hunting – 30lb+ fish are the target). One strategy that most specimen hunters who target larger fish use, is to avoid spending time catching smaller fish. There are universal baits out there such as corn, bread, soft dough-baits and worms that catch carp of all sizes. Generally specimen hunters reach for boilies first because of their larger size. Larger fish are generally the only ones who can eat the larger baits. Can you catch small carp with boilies? Yes, but it’s far less than what you’d catch with corn. I have friends who roll their own boilies up to 2 inches in diameter. They may go weeks or months without catching a fish, but usually what they catch is much larger than average (to them a fish under 30lbs is considered small). On that note, large fish often school with smaller fish. Having those smaller fish feeding on your loose offerings is often key before the larger fish gain confidence to feed (from my own observations with stalking carp in very shallow water).

 

Another strategy that can be successful is to stalk the fish in shallow water (provided they are cruising around in shallow water). Sometimes you can pick and choose the fish you want to catch.

 

If you have a chance to look through various European carp magazines, you’ll often see the term HNV (High Nutritional Value). It’s in reference to how nutritious the baits actually are to the fish. It is hypothesized that over time, carp can develop knowledge of how nutritious the food they eat actually is. From my own observations, this may actually have some merit. When you consider the various carp baits and their sizes, boilies do offer a more balanced diet (if you can call it that) VS corn. Big fish don’t get big by just eating corn.

 

From what I can tell, the biggest factor when it comes to catching large carp is the timing of the seasons. You won’t catch big fish if they aren’t around. The Hamilton guys know exactly what I’m talking about when certain areas of the harbour cough up 40+lb fish in spring and again in late fall. The same fish are phantoms in summer and are almost never caught.

 

I used to spend a fair amount of time specimen hunting around Toronto when I was still in school. For 4yrs there was 1 fish I saw almost every time I fished the harbour that I’d guess was around the 50lb range. It never did stop to look at any of my baits and would slowly cruise the same path at the same time every day. It was an exercise in futility. I eventually just gave up the hunt.LOL

[mike rousseau]

Short and sweet...

Yes...

 

I fish corn 90% of the time... All my biggest carp have been on boilies....

 

20mm

 

Sometimes a 20mm bottom bait with a 14-16mm pop up to form a snowman...

 

2 14-16mm baits....

 

The 20mm/16mm snowman is the deadliest big fish bait I've seen.... 2-3 of my top 5 are on this set up...

[Old Ironmaker]

Somewhat off topic but may be interesting to you carp hunters. For 20 years I have watched the carp spawn from my deck, the numbers are staggering. They can keep you up at night with the wild thrashing. This spring I saw a few dozen fish and that's all. Yes the water levels were down then up but this isn't the first time water levels started low and then rose.

[cuzza]

I fish corn all the time, normally 3 grains on a hair rig and I've watched fish home in straight away on the larger bait and others pick up everything but the hookbait so I'm not sure there's a pattern. Before I moved to Canada, i fished for carp a lot in the UK and I used boilies (16 or 18mm) and particles (normally tiger nuts) and there was no difference in the size of fish taken with either bait. If the fish you're going for have never seen a boilie before it might take a while for them to turn on to them

 

If you're using larger hooks for your hair rigs, you still need the same gap between hook and bait, if you scale up the length of the hair relative to the size of the hook, you'll miss fish as they'll take the bait but not always the hook or the can eject the whole lot much easier. Fish caught on float gear will move off and you see the bite before they feel resistance and panic,fish caught on the bottom feel the weight of the rig and bolt before or at the same time as you see the bite.

[Rich]

Some really awesome information here guys, can't thank you all enough!

 

I need to vary my approach from corn now as the golden shiners are tearing it all apart in seconds down there. Sounds like I should be using more boilie style baits!

[MJL]

Some really awesome information here guys, can't thank you all enough!

 

I need to vary my approach from corn now as the golden shiners are tearing it all apart in seconds down there. Sounds like I should be using more boilie style baits!

 

If you move away from canned corn or bread, there are many other baits you can use to avoid small nuisance fish (like shiners). Maize (aka field corn or cow corn), tiger nuts, chick peas, jumbo corn, maple peas and boilies can be used for carp without having to deal with many other species of fish (aside from bullheads and the odd big channel cat or sheepshead)

[mike rousseau]

Also... It's an average thing...

 

There's nothing saying you can't crack a huge carp on a single piece of corn....

 

But on average when fishing boilies compared to corn my average fish is a lot bigger....

 

If you want to catch as many carp as possible... Use corn/maize...

 

If you are looking to eliminate those smaller fish and give the piggies the opportunity to eat you bait... Go with boilies...

 

Edit... My advice is for wild fish... Not pay lakes.... Big difference....

 

 

 

....

Edited September 5, 2013 by Mike Rousseau

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

How do you guys use corn? Do you just cover a hook with corn and toss it out there?

[mike rousseau]

How do you guys use corn? Do you just cover a hook with corn and toss it out there?

Most use a "hair rig"

 

Google or YouTube will give you more information then you can shake a stick at

[Rich]

How do you guys use corn? Do you just cover a hook with corn and toss it out there?

My girlfriend does it this way, and hooks almost as many as the hair rig. I use this method under a float as well, works great.

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

How far from the sinker should the hair rig sit? I'll have to give it a try sometime soon, been wanting to catch a carp for a long time now.

[mike rousseau]

How far from the sinker should the hair rig sit? I'll have to give it a try sometime soon, been wanting to catch a carp for a long time now.

Lots of different thoughts on this...

 

Some are as short as 2-3 inches... Some are 12+ inches...

 

I personally like 7-9 inch rigs for boilies with a size 2 or 4 hook for boilies...

 

And 5-6 inch rig for corn with a size 6 or 8 hook for corn...

 

 

Now this is for euro style carpin...

 

There are many other ways to fish em...