posted by admin on Apr 8

The Carp Fishing Rods Guide

One of the most difficult choices to make in carp fishing is which carp fishing rod to purchase. There are quite a few out there on the market and it really can be difficult to determine which one  (or ones) to get. How big are the carp your fishing? Where are you fishing them? What depth? What bait? What type of fishing are you doing? From land or boat? There are so many factors that go into this that it is difficult to decide.

The carp fishing rods I have fished with thus far are Shakespeare, Chub, Prologic Harrison and Wychwood. Each of these rods has its own pro’s and con’s. If you made me choose a favorite rod though, I would probably say that my Daiwa is the best rod I have fished with.

The John Wilson’s are not too bad either but can get to be a bit pricey. If you can’t make a decision then believe me you’re not alone. With everyone claiming to use Carbon Fiber and Kevlar along with the lightest Blanks it can get confusing. If this is the case, then go to your local fishing spots and ask the guys there, I am certain those guys will be happy to tell you what rods they think are tops.

Below we will take a look at some of the main factors to analyze when you are deciding which carp fishing rod is best for you so that you can make an educated decision on which brand and model to go with.

The Carp Fishing Rods Action

There are two main types of rod action that you will see in carp fishing rods. Tip action, or fast action rods bend mainly at the tip of the rod. Fast action rods are better for casting over long distances. The down side is that they are not so good for playing the fish. Now if you don’t have to cast long range then a through action rod is recommended. Through action rods will bend throughout the length of the rod and this will make playing the fish a nicer experience. This will give you a better chance of successfully setting the hook on the carp. If you are like the majority of the carp fishing population, your fishing will take you into different territories. As a result, the through action is the most versatile and as a result more highly recommended.

The Carp Fishing Rods Length

A 12ft carp rod is usually a good choice for the average carp fisherman. This will handle most fishing scenarios and is a good choice if you are doing a number of types of fishing. When you need to cast your hook over long distances it is best to get a 13 foot rod as the range is longer. When you are margin and/or floater fishing, an 11 foot rod is going to be your best bet. Although, if you will be stalking your carp then I would advise you to use a 10 footer. These are the best for skulking through the brush. As with everything else, the length will depend on exactly the type of fishing you are doing. The types of fishing that we spoke about above are going to be fairly accurate guides to work with regarding the rod length you should get.

The Carp Fishing Rods Materials

Carbon fiber is the standard material for manufacturing carp fishing rods. When you spend more money for the fishing rod you will usually be getting higher quality carbon fiber. It will usually cost more, but Kevlar is sometimes used in the manufacturing of the rod. This makes them stiffer and stronger. The potential negative to the Kevlar rods though is that they are stiffer and can make it more difficult to play the fish. I have used Kevlar rods before and can recall several times when I lost a hook set because of the rigidity. You should pick up a standard carbon fiber rod unless you know that you will be dealing with huge carp.

The Test Curve of the Carp Rod

A carp fishing rod’s test curve is an important factor that you need to take into consideration when choosing your dream carp rod. The amount of weight you will be able to cast is in direct proportion to the test curve of the rod. When the test curve is too high you really lose any sensitivity to the rod which makes it much more difficult to gently draw the fish in. Balance in your carp fishing rod is a necessity and “balance” is determined by the type of fishing you will be doing. 2.25lb (2 1/4lb) test curve and 2.75lb (2 3/4lb) test curve is best for medium to close range fishing. Carp fishing rods in this range are softer when trying to play the fish, but remember that you can’t cast as far.

Which Carp Rod Is The Best?

Fladen, Drennan, Normark, Rod Hutchinson, Wychwood, Daiwa, Shimano, JRC, Shakespeare, TFG (Matt Hayes) , Prologic, Abu Garcia, Masterline, Fox, Chub, Ron Thompson,  Greys, Harrison, John Wilson, Grauvell, E.S.P.

So how are you going to make a decision on which one? I believe that all of these manufacturers develop a good solid fishing rod. First determine what type of fishing you are going to be doing, and then understand exactly what your budget is. Once you’ve done this, any choice that matches will be a winner.

posted by admin on Apr 4

The Basic Carp Fishing Reels, Rods and Rigs Setup

Your basic carp fishing setup isn’t very complicated. Although these are finicky fish you can get set up without much difficulty and really be successful with them.

Fist you will want to use a hair-rig to better your chances of hooking one of these guys up once they do suck the bait in. One of the challenges with carp is that they will “taste” their food first and if they decide that they don’t like it they will spit it right out and never come back to it again…

One thing about carp is that they are extremely strong so I would suggest that you use a spider Line and be sure to keep it over a 50 lbs test. Once you have this you can use a leader material that seems to be most appropriate for you specific scenario.

You will want to start out by making a baiting needle. This can be accomplished by simply straightening out a long shank-hook. Once you’ve done this you can move your choice of bait down the shank. Then you will be able to slide the bait right from your needle onto the hair.

By threading whatever bait you decide to use onto your baiting needle and then hook the hair-loop you will have the best shot of keeping the bait on the hook. For bait you can use anything from corn to biscuits to chick-peas to actual Styrofoam that has been flavor soaked.

To give yourself the greatest advantage you will want to use a float. Floats add weight to your bait and cast so that you can get longer distance AND because of the heightened visibility it is much easier for you to identify exactly where your line is. Carp fishing is usually in mucky water so doing this is not always the easiest.

It is really important that you remember to use a controller float rig. In order to do this you can use at least a 3 foot leader that is attached to a swivel coming off of the main line.  I recommend that you do this with at least a 10 lbs. Drennan double strength line to reduce the chances of a break. If you can’t get this type of rig together a lower diameter monofilament can indeed accomplish the task, but you want to make sure that it is something that you can see…
Make sure that you have some way of knowing when you have a hit. Most carp fishermen will have multiple rods going at once and using some sort of an alarm system is important in this case. Carp only bit once and you don’t have a ton of time to set that hook. As such, you want to make sure that you grab that bite quickly.

Be sure to continue baiting your area every day AND in the same spot. When carp realize that there is indeed regularity to the food source, trust me they will continue to come back for it.  Be patient, persevere and be smart about where you are fishing and you will be pleasantly surprised with the successes you will have carp fishing.

posted by admin on Apr 1

Carp Fishing 101

Carp fishing is probably one of the most unbelievable experiences. Carp are extremely efficient at sucking in, analyzing and either eating or discarding bait. You really can’t under estimate their frugality… And what a huge rush to see a big carp suck in the bait that you have worked so hard to prepare and then turn to run with it as you set that big meat hook…

First things first, you will want to find a good spot where you can see these guys feeding on their own. If you can’t find this, you will want to find a place that has good cover and isn’t too deep where you can begin to “bait” the area in order to draw them in. If this is the case, it may take a few days of continual baiting to get them coming back consistently.

Carp really are happy to eat most things on the surface of the water, as long as the food is plentiful and they are not in danger. By putting a hook into some of the food you’ve been using as bait your ready to start fishing for these bad boys…

If you are going to use bread or biscuits (which are great options by the way) you will need to pre-soften them with water before using them as bait. Just soak them and put them into a plastic bag after a few minutes. Biscuits and certain breads can be too mushy to cast, so pay attention to which ones you’re using so you don’t have any issues in the field. If you decide to use pre-made carp pellets, putting a hook through one can be tough. In this case, don’t be afraid to use super glue.

Once they finally begin to feed in your area, make sure to let them feel comfortable around the bait. This will give you more possible catches as they will be less skittish. Once you have gotten them good and comfortable, this is perfect for the use of Zig Rigs.

Now that they’re feeding, cast the bait over them, but make sure not to go directly onto the feeding carp. Just get your bait close to them so that you can retrieve it into the area where they are feeding. While the bait is still on top of the water, be sure to keep the bait coming in slowly and steadily so you don’t scare them.

Once it is in the midst of the feeding giants, just let it settle and be patient. Although carp are finicky, they are very diligent in their feeding… Due to their size they are almost always feeding so your chances of getting one to go over your bait are really good. When that line dips, you need to be quick and accurate with your hook set… Once that hook is indeed set though, you are in for the ride of your life.

By following this general strategy you are on your way to catching some huge carp. Be patient and keep your cool, that is what the carp fishing game is about. If you can do these two things you will be a success.

Carp fishing is probably one of the most unbelievable experiences. Carp are extremely efficient at sucking in, analyzing and either eating or discarding bait. You really can’t under estimate their frugality… And what a huge rush to see a big carp suck in the bait that you have worked so hard to prepare and then turn to run with it as you set that big meat hook…

First things first, you will want to find a good spot where you can see these guys feeding on their own. If you can’t find this, you will want to find a place that has good cover and isn’t too deep where you can begin to “bait” the area in order to draw them in. If this is the case, it may take a few days of continual baiting to get them coming back consistently.

Carp really are happy to eat most things on the surface of the water, as long as the food is plentiful and they are not in danger. By putting a hook into some of the food you’ve been using as bait your ready to start fishing for these bad boys…

If you are going to use bread or biscuits (which are great options by the way) you will need to pre-soften them with water before using them as bait. Just soak them and put them into a plastic bag after a few minutes. Biscuits and certain breads can be too mushy to cast, so pay attention to which ones you’re using so you don’t have any issues in the field. If you decide to use pre-made carp pellets, putting a hook through one can be tough. In this case, don’t be afraid to use super glue.

Once they finally begin to feed in your area, make sure to let them feel comfortable around the bait. This will give you more possible catches as they will be less skittish. Once you have gotten them good and comfortable, this is perfect for the use of Zig rigs.

Now that they’re feeding, cast the bait over them, but make sure not to go directly onto the feeding carp. Just get your bait close to them so that you can retrieve it into the area where they are feeding. While the bait is still on top of the water, be sure to keep the bait coming in slowly and steadily so you don’t scare them.

Once it is in the midst of the feeding giants, just let it settle and be patient. Although carp are finicky, they are very diligent in their feeding… Due to their size they are almost always feeding so your chances of getting one to go over your bait are really good. When that line dips, you need to be quick and accurate with your hook set… Once that hook is indeed set though, you are in for the ride of your life.

By following this general strategy you are on your way to catching some huge carp. Be patient and keep your cool, that is what the carp fishing game is about. If you can do these two things you will be a success.