A Look At Some Proven Carp Fishing Tips

Fishing can be great fun - relaxing and a good social occasion. However, it can also be something of a let down if you don't catch any fish. Our guide offers some top tips for carp fishing. Firstly, you need to be in an area frequented by fish. Some popular fishing areas suffer from false advertising - loads of anglers go there, but because the fish associated it with danger, they're off swimming elsewhere because they like to feel safe in their environment. Sometimes the unlikely areas are the best ones.

It's always handy to be armed with some basic tactics before you get going. For example, fishing on warmer days can boost your catch rate. This is because the water will be warmer and so more fish will be out feeding. Pick yourself a location (peg) surrounded by water rather than tucked away in a corner as you'll have a better chance of success. Also take good equipment - a good bait and rigs in particular are vital for carp fishing.

Once you're set up in a good location, try some baiting tactics. In new lakes and popular ones, it's good idea to start a baiting campaign. This involves feeding the fish with new bait they're unfamiliar with. Introducing it to them as food encourages them to associate it with safety. Once they're familiar it, you can begin fishing with it as bait as it will lure them in. Big carp are especially good to catch with this method as they can otherwise be a bit wary of most bait.

As carp can be quite wary, it's a good idea to have some tactic up your sleeve for luring them. One good option is what's called the 'trick rig'. Often, carp learn how to eat around your bait while avoiding the hook, so load up an obvious 'danger bait' which the carp will then avoid. The trick is that the hook is hidden in the surrounding areas, which the carp should then eat quite happily. This is a good way to catch the bigger - often warier - carp in the lake.

A few more little tips for catching the big, more experienced, warier carp include: making sure you've got a good spot before setting up your equipment. It sounds simple but it pays to take note. Also try using salty bait as carp love salty food - add 1tbsp of salt to a 5liter bucket of dry particles. You could also use maggots to lure carp in or, strangely, some of them love the kick of chili flakes, so try adding some of those to your bait as well.