Carp Fishing Introduction
It is more than just a matter of turning up at a location, finding a spot and setting up your fishing gear.
This activity requires a lot of thought and preparation and many factors must be taken into consideration if there is going to be any possibility of catching any fish, let alone a large and crafty carp.
This section of HelpwithFishing.com looks at carp fishing in detail and explores the many sides to fishing for this species of fish. We will inform you of the most suitable tackle, tactics and baits to choose from plus where and how to locate carp in the water and also which weather conditions and time of year are ideal to suit this sport.
Carp are common to most stillwaters of the UK but are also often found in a number of slow-flowing rivers in lowland areas and faster flowing rivers during the summer months. The carp that are found in rivers are much more active than those found in reservoirs and lakes, as they need more energy and thus more food to be able to cope with strong currents and tougher river conditions. This should be taken into consideration when fishing in rivers.
Generally, however, the behaviour of the carp will be more or less the same whether fishing in a river or in a lake with regards to preferred spots or feeding habits.
To be in with a chance of hooking any species of fish, whether it is carp or not, the angler should have in his mind some basic knowledge of the fish that he hopes to catch.
Things like the carp's preferred food is a must so that the most suitable form of bait can be chosen. This information may be found from any good tackle shop, angling club or from the pages of our website!
Similarly, it is vital that you know where to go for carp fishing and which lakes, ponds, gravel pits or other still waters contain this species of fish. There's no point turning up at a location where carp are absent as you'll be in for an extremely uneventful day.
Bear in mind that carp like to hide out in areas of dense vegetation or behind natural water features that offer shade and cover. These spots will be key carp-holding areas.
Weather conditions and the time of year are also important as they affect the behaviour, reproduction and feeding patterns of the fish. Carp prefer warmer water temperatures and will head off towards areas where the water temperature is slightly higher than any colder areas.
Once the correct or ideal environmental factors are in place and you have found your ideal spot, it is only then that you should start to think about the strategy you are going to use. This will include which bait, hook size, line strength and style of rig to use on that particular day. This information will be explored in more detail in our upcoming pages.
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