Carp

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This is a regularly updated advice column, providing info from our assembled experts on various methods and techniques.

“Catching Carp on Commercial Fisheries”.

Because many rivers have now died off and most casual anglers don’t like walking miles to an allocated peg, the majority of carp fishing now takes place in commercial fisheries. Carp are ‘hardy’ fish and all they seem to do is eat, making them quite easy to catch in large numbers. On a commercial fishery, a 100lb bag of carp is not uncommon whereas on a river such a haul will be as rare as rocking horse manure! There are several ways to fish these venues and I’ll run through these with you in the hope that your own ‘once in a lifetime’ haul will become that little bit easier to achieve.

Float Fishing on Rod & Line
Firstly, you must make sure that the float rod you use is capable of handling heavy lines and big fish. There is a vast range of rods on the market designed specifically for this purpose. It’s no good hooking a 10lb plus fish on a light float rod that lacks the strength to control such power. Also make sure that your rod is ‘through-action’ as this takes out most of the shock as the fish is diving at your feet. Many float rods made for commercial fisheries are shorter than the normal 13ft versions. I’ve found that a shorter rod provides better control when a fish is ready to land and it will surface closer to the landing net.

13ft or 14ft rods are best when fishing big ‘wagglers’ or ‘splashers’ at longer distance. When fishing the float on commercial fisheries, you will either fish shallow or deep. Most shallow fishing comes in the summer months when the water is warm and feeding fish are close to the surface. These can be caught in a number of ways. Fishing a short stick ‘waggler’ at between six and 18ins deep is usually ideal with double maggot, corn, pellet or hair-rigged meat. When using maggots, take a large supply as it’s best to feed continuously and create a feeding frenzy. Extra feed will also fill up the smaller fish such as roach and rudd that you don’t want to catch. It’s best to feed first and then throw your float into the loose offerings that are falling through the water. If you don’t get a bite within 30 seconds, feed again and twitch your bait into the new falling bait. If 30 more seconds pass without a bite, bring it all in and do it again. The same applies for all baits. The key to shallow fishing is not to leave bait in the same place for long, hoping for a passing fish. This is an active technique and the hardest working anglers will always achieve the best results. Finally, if you set up another float rod to fish the same area as the shallow rig but on the bottom, it’s worth casting out now and again to catch any fish that follow loose feed downwards. This could catch you an extra couple of fish that win the match. Ideal reel line strengths for this type of fishing are between 4lbs and 6lbs breaking strain, not forgetting that the heavier the line, the bigger the float needed to achieve required distance. Hook sizes will differ between 12s and 18s depending on baits being used. Try to have two or three catapults with you as you will be constantly feeding and if an elastic breaks under pressure you could be left with a load of feeding fish in your swim that you can’t get bait to because your only catapult is broken.

In winter months, most float fishing is done on the bottom as fish are more lethargic and will not chase baits as easily as during warmer periods. Spend time plumbing up your peg as you should be fishing just touching the bottom. The only time to lay line on the bottom is when there is a natural tow to the water. This will help slow the float down giving the fish time to pick up bait. In winter, fewer fish feed so you can feed less often. Lighter hook lengths and smaller hooks are advisable as the fish have more time to inspect everything. Be prepared to play them longer as each fish counts a lot more at this time of year.

Pole Fishing

Pole Fishing is the most common technique on commercial fisheries. The pole you intend to use must be strong enough. Never a week goes by without us receiving poles that have been broken under pressure, the most common reason being oversized elastics. Just because a pole has elastic rating of 20 doesn’t mean you must use this strength. It is also essential that terminal tackle is balanced to suit. It’s no good fishing with a 18s hook and 3lb line because when you hook a big one, something will have to give and it’s usually the line with all the tackle. Thick elastics are only necessary when you’re sure that most of the fish you’ll be hooking will be larger than average. Otherwise, use elastic of smaller diameter to have more chance of landing the smaller fish that are hooked.

In summer, carp can be caught in a variety of ways – such as shallow with a lot of loose feed via a catapult or on the bottom, feeding with a cupping kit. When fishing shallow, don’t try to catch too close as the fish will get wary and back off. A distance of 10-15m shouldn’t be too much trouble. Hold the pole at all times and learn to feed whilst holding the pole. This is a difficult technique but is worth practicing as it can treble catch rate. When shallow fishing on the pole, you’ll find that you don’t have to strike. Striking can create more tangles than hooked fish and if you just keep lifting the pole, most fish will hook themselves. A ‘dibber’ type float with a thick top is easy to see and will allow you to fish bigger baits such as corn, meat or pellets. As you feed, just lift out your rig and drop it back into the middle of the loose feed and bites are usually instant. Once a fish is hooked, keep the pole low in the water as when you lift the pole the fish naturally swim away, creating problems. Lift the pole when you’ve unshipped down to your top sections and this will make playing fish easier.

When fishing on the bottom during summer, it’s normal to catch nearer than in winter, usually at between four and eight metres. Heavy feed is needed to keep the fish in your peg and make sure you take enough with you. There is nothing worse than running out of bait with an hour of a match left. Feed through a cupping kit, usually every put in. Margin fishing is a must on most commercials and if there is enough room, feed either side. Most big fish come along the margin at some stage, so try it down the side every now and again. It’s usually in the second half of a match that you can catch down the edge and hundreds of matches have been won in the last hour using this method.

Use a ‘dibber’ float of 0.2 or 0.3grm and be ready to stick some sections on because when they are hooked, these fish shoot off like a train. Always look down the edge for signs that fish have arrived, such as underwater disturbances or bubbles. If the water is shallow enough, you may actually see the tails of the fish as they have their noses down to feed off the bottom.

Larger baits such as corn, meat or pellets are usually best. In winter, cut down on feed, hook length and hook size and more importantly, elastic strength, and don’t forget, the balance of pole tackle is essential. One last word of advice when pole fishing, always use elastic lubricants as it makes the elastic perform properly when a fish is hooked.

Feeder Fishing
Feeder Fishing for carp is a winning method on certain waters. On vast waters where it is a big chuck to reach the fish, Feeder Fishing or Lead Fishing comes into its own. Probably the most productive method is the ‘Method Feeder’. These come in elasticised or in-line versions. Some fisheries ban the elasticised version as in the event of a breakage the fish can end up dragging around the feeder that has snapped off.

If a breakage occurs with an in-line feeder, the feeder will slide off the line and cannot be dragged around by the fish. With this method, a heavy or extra heavy feeder rod is required as when the Method Feeder is loaded with ground bait it can weigh as much as 6oz, requiring a very heavy rod to throw it any distance. I’d recommend going no lighter than 8lbs main line as at £2.00 each you don’t want to be cracking off on the cast. It’s a simple method and can be used with a variety of baits including meat, pellets, corn and dead red maggots.

Bigger baits are almost always fished on a hair-rig which has been a big step forward with Feeder Fishing. Hair-rigs can be purchased through good tackle shops or are easy to make using a knot called a ‘knotless knot’. A baiting needle is needed to pull the hair through the different baits and a hair-stop is needed to stop the bait flying off when cast in. All you then need is a couple of bags of Method Mix Ground Bait to mix into a heavy mix and put around the feeder.

Try to cast in the same area each time as ground bait dissolving off the feeder will attract fish to the same spot. Hook bait can either be hidden inside the ground bait mix or left outside on a short hook length. There’s no need to put any other baits in with the ground bait mix as you want the fish to eat the one on the hook and not be distracted with other loose offerings.

Bites using this method are ferocious and if you’re not careful, your rod can be pulled in, so don’t leave unattended tackle in the water. Recently, a lot of fish have been caught on commercial fisheries using hair-rigged drilled pellets with a straight lead. If weather conditions allow, feed 6mm pellets and put 8mm or 10mm on the hook. If it’s too windy to reach the required distance, feed 8mm or 10mm. If there’s an island close by, use an open end feeder with liquidised luncheon meat mixed with ground bait or neat fish meal and cast right up the bank where the fish patrol. With a piece of meat on the hook this can be a killer. Another good technique is an open end ‘gripmesh’ type feeder with maggots covered in sticky mag. Around eight maggots on a big hook can work when all else fails. In winter, the tried and tested ‘blockend’ feeder with double maggot on the hook is as safe a bet as any. And finally, it pays to open the holes in the feeder to allow maggots to escape easier.