| Many new fishermen are tempted by the huge | | | | Getting to know which rig and rig material to use |
| size carp can reach but need to know more | | | | in different fishing situations can take much time |
| about baits for this especially hard fighting fish. | | | | and it helps to practice fishing marginal swims |
| Carp fishing beginners often lack the experience | | | | where you can actually observe how fish react to |
| of fishing for other species to help them in their | | | | you bait and rigs. Different things occur in or over |
| quest and often fishing for this fish is far from | | | | silt and water weeds of different descriptions and |
| easy, so any little edges can make all the | | | | fishing over gravel bottoms can require specialist |
| difference! | | | | rigs too especially where carp can normally see |
| Your bait choice is of paramount importance and | | | | your line on the bottom. |
| too much time and money spent on tackle alone | | | | Most beginners start out carp fishing by buying |
| with little thought about bait can produce less than | | | | readymade bait while they are in a fishing shop |
| the results you are hoping for! Carp fishing is | | | | getting those hooks and other essentials. Bait for |
| incredibly exciting, but it helps to be catching a | | | | carp fishing can be extremely costly and many |
| few fish regularly along the way. Catching fish is | | | | beginners are amazed by the amounts of bait |
| the fastest way to learn, rather than not catching | | | | often used by successful fishermen. Clever |
| fish! Like anything else in life, feedback or your | | | | leveraging of bait is really 'where it's at' for the |
| good and bad catch results guide you on the path | | | | average angler even for more experienced |
| to more consistent catches and this can takes | | | | anglers. |
| years of experience. | | | | As for bait, let's keep it really simple. The fishing |
| However, a few simple bits of advice can help | | | | magazines are full of all kinds of advice. Much may |
| multiply catch rates enough so can get all the | | | | well come across as contradictory or confusing. |
| positive feedback (catches) you need to learn | | | | I've often been asked "What bait are you using?" |
| fast! | | | | The clue to success is not necessarily what bait, |
| Find a range of easy waters to fish. Many | | | | but how it is presented to the fish. In some |
| beginners make the mistake of trying to catch a | | | | swims there is literally only one small spot that |
| big fish from a big fish specimen water, which can | | | | carp will feed on and correct presentation of your |
| lead to many new anglers becoming disheartened | | | | bait is vital. The successful use of red-dyed |
| or even catching the fish of a lifetime immediately | | | | sweetcorn (pre-flavoured) on a river where carp |
| and then feeling like they have nowhere left to | | | | confidently eat free baits of yellow corn, but find |
| go. Even if they only have smaller sized fish in | | | | it easy to detect and reject hook baits for |
| them, the experience of mastering fishing for | | | | example. |
| these fish will really boost your experience and | | | | On some waters there is a 'going bait.' Basically |
| confidence. You may be very surprised to | | | | there is a bait on one particular type being |
| discover that there are some very difficult to | | | | constantly introduced which the fish treat as |
| catch smaller fish! | | | | natural food such is its abundance. Certain |
| Fish with a more experienced carp angler, maybe | | | | manufacturers' boilies for example can dominate a |
| someone with a couple of year's carp fishing | | | | water for long periods of time. But do not be |
| under his belt. Finding someone keen to share | | | | fooled, you will catch fish on other baits with |
| their knowledge of their waters and baits, rigs etc | | | | persistence. If the most popular bait is a boilie or |
| with you is invaluable and this really will help you | | | | pellet then why not 'top' it to get better results |
| progress. Having 2 people's input is especially | | | | than the average guy also using these baits? The |
| useful because often the other person | | | | key is to make your bait a bit different to the |
| experiences different things to you in terms of | | | | ones that have hooked them previously, but are |
| how fish act in their swim and to different tactics. | | | | similar enough for the fish to recognise and readily |
| Fish location and ground baiting and new bait | | | | eat. Soaking baits in a watered-down flavour |
| establishment is that much easier too. | | | | solution is a simple quick way to do this. |
| Many beginners start by buying the cheapest | | | | Making your own paste or dough bait to wrap |
| hooks they can, or even buying hooks which look | | | | your hook in or put on the hook itself and to use |
| big and heavy so they can get a big bait on. | | | | as free baits and ground bait is a very great edge |
| Whatever hook is used must be needle sharp. | | | | indeed. Where most beginners would use a |
| Carp are incredibly talented and resourceful at | | | | readymade boilie or pellet, why not break them |
| getting rid of fishermen's' hooks. Very often this | | | | up and use them as the base for a paste. A food |
| will be without any knowledge of a bite having | | | | blender or food grinder in combination with bait |
| ever taken place. Often a hook which is not sharp | | | | meals or powders and binders like eggs has been |
| enough to penetrate deeply enough initially gives | | | | used for decades with great success. |
| the fish the easy change to wriggle free. Using a | | | | On many waters, ground baits using ground up |
| hook sharpener before every cast is my number | | | | pellets and boilies can be very much more |
| one tip for consistent success after great location | | | | effective than their 'whole' round or pellet shaped |
| skills and rig and bait use and application is | | | | counter-parts. Bulking out your ground baits with |
| understood. | | | | bird or pet foods works a treat. Bread based |
| Of course, using rigs that do not allow the fish to | | | | ground baits are great and very few carp refuse |
| use your weight as a fulcrum or lever to get the | | | | bread. In fact try this tip: Use a boilie and a pellet |
| hook out are a great edge on many waters | | | | on your hook or hair and add a big coating of |
| today. Light 'running leads' with a back-stop on the | | | | bread flake covered with a layer of bread paste |
| line to bump your hook in are very effective and | | | | with yeast extract like 'Vegemite' or 'Marmite' or |
| often give great confident bites compared to | | | | even cheese powder or garlic granules with a little |
| using semi-fixed heavy leads where sometimes | | | | salt. |
| only a couple of 'beeps' might register on your | | | | Why not try soaking your hempseed and other |
| bite alarm. | | | | particle baits in yeast powders or corn steep |
| Many carp anglers use a 'semi-fixed rig' of around | | | | liquor for boosted attraction, or add chilli oil or |
| 8 inches in length and this will catch you fish on | | | | halibut pellet oils for instance. Cat foods and dog |
| most waters. This is usually attached to a swivel | | | | foods with added liver powder and green lip |
| which fits inside a lead weight or sinker and the | | | | mussel extract make excellent ground baits. |
| weight of the sinker helps hook the fish initially, | | | | These raise the amino acid and betaine levels in |
| sometimes making it 'bolt' or flee, resulting in a | | | | your bait which carp seriously love. Even ordinary |
| full-blooded take. The safety of fish is to be | | | | flavour-soaked corn flakes or pre-soaked cooked |
| considered as there have been occasions where | | | | cracked corn, (sweetened with brown sugar and |
| fish have been lost and the main line has broken, | | | | lightly salted,) will work. |
| leaving a fish trailing the rig and lead, which is not | | | | Regular effective ground baiting by various |
| good for the fish and can end up with a fish being | | | | techniques and the learning of this art, involve |
| fatally tethered. The only way to really have | | | | some one of the greatest secrets in carp fishing. |
| confidence in every | | | | The numerous options for differentiating your bait |
| There are very limited choices of rigs that a | | | | from every other angler are fantastic. Making |
| beginner can use with confidence. The | | | | your own versions of adapted or enhanced |
| conventional hair rig with a 'line-aligner' bit of tubing | | | | readymade baits can produce amazing results. |
| is absolutely fine for most situations. This design | | | | That's the joy of 'topping' a popular bait; let |
| when teamed with a combination 'rigid' plastic | | | | everyone else do the expensive baiting up work |
| coated and inner supple braid hook length such as | | | | for you. Just keep on slightly adjusting your bait |
| 'Kryston Snakeskin' or 'Suffix Stealth Skin' is very | | | | based on the most popular others are currently |
| successful. Varying the use of different colour | | | | using and keep ahead of your fellow anglers and |
| hooklengths, in braids, plastic coated braids, | | | | the carp at the same time... Good fishing! |
| monofilaments, multistrands etc, gives a varied | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait |
| experience of these materials and where and how | | | | 'edges' any of which can have a huge impact on |
| they are best used. | | | | your catches. |