It is possible for both amateurs and seasoned fishermen to enjoy carp fishing with only the vary basics of tackle, bait and of course plenty of patience. But first, you will need to know where the carp are. 

Arguably the greatest thing about carp is the slow moving environment in which they prefer to live. This allows for a peaceful, tranquil day of fishing. Pleasurable dwindling of many hours can be spent in this way, regardless of whether or not you actually catch anything. Many enthusiasts have found so great a pleasure in this pastime, that there is a niche market in carp fishing holidays which will cater for the professional or novice’s every need. 

A gregarious creature, the carp is most often to be found grouping with six or more other individuals . They prefer a quiet, shaded environment, with plenty of floating vegetation above them. They are hard to see from the surface as they are bed feeders so will naturally be searching for food in murkier depths. But you will know they are there. 

There are many seasoned fishermen who have been seeking out the best spots for decades, such as George Barnes.  “They love the dark and the quiet,” he says. “If disturbed from their habitat, they may disappear and not return to the bed for days. They are easily scared, and a spot where four or five were landed on one day may be barren the next.” 

Carp have been known to weigh up to 50 lbs, but you would be lucky to find a specimen of this size. The average carp landing tends to be around the three to five pound mark, meaning a huge degree of sophistication in carp fishing tackle is unnecessary, particularly for the novice. In the beginning, a simple 10lb-line rod and reel set-up is more than sufficient. An essential part of your carp fishing tackle is the float. It’s generally best to invest in a decent float if you can afford it as you will be thankful in the long run. It doesn’t take much for the carp to be frightened away, so you should avoid excessive pulling in and re-casting.

As carp are omnivorous and will try almost anything which comes their way, there is a huge range of carp fishing bait on the market. “I usually use a ground bait, lowered gently into the water,” says Barnes. “Boilies or pellets or lobworm paste all work well. Once the fish are used to the introduction of these, they will be more inclined to take them from the hook. 

“You must have patience for carp fishing. One day, you may have no luck with one type of bait, so it is essential to have as many different types of carp fishing bait in your bag as you can. Fruit flavour boilies or pellets can sometimes bring instant catches: on other days, you have to keep changing the variety of carp fishing baits before you get results.” 

There are other essentials to bring in your bag, as well as the Thermos and sandwiches. A variety of hooks may be needed, of differing sizes and types, depending on the time of the year. It may be useful to have an extra rod. Keeping the set-up simple rather than using the fanciest tackle and latest variety of bolies can sometimes yield better results when carp fishing. 

There are many people, like George, who have been carp fishing for many years - even decades – who will attest to the fact that no matter how much carp fishing tackle you accumulate or bait you try out, it really just depends on what the fish feel like doing. In conclusion then, the most important thing to remember when going carp fishing is to take along your patience!

 

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