Very basic carp rigs please

[fieldwanderer]

I haven't fished for a long time now but have decided to try for a carp or two on holiday. I've got the rods, reels, pod and alarms from when I last used them.

 

But, I'd like to steer clear of anything fancy like hair rigs etc. What I've got in mind is a large inline feeder and nothing fancier than a slightly lighter hook length and whatever bait (no boilies on the lake ill be going to though).

 

Anyone got any suggestions?

[fenboy]

A hair rig will give a far better chance of a hook up , no need to complicate things though a simple knotless knot hair rig using some 10-12 lb mono should surffice.

Bait wise , sweetcorn still takes some beating , maize is very good two , put some in a pan bring to the boil and then leave to cook for 30 mins , put plenty of sugar in with it when cooking or golden syrup is good too.

Once cooked put it in a sealed bucket and leave somewhere warm for a few days until it starts to ferment , the fish love it like that.

[Danger-Mouse]

If it`s just a regular commercial type pond, ie not a specimen water then just about any standard tactic should work. No reason fishing a simple maggot feeder shouldn`t be successful.You could also try the method feeder.

 

As already mentioned sweetcorn is an excellent bait. And you can`t beat plain and simple bread. Nice and versatile, fish it on float, leger, or on the surface. Go for a loaf of Warburton`s Toastie thick sliced as it stays on the hook well.

 

Hair rigs aren`t necessary but they are effective so if you don`t fancy tying them just buy a packet or two.

[fieldwanderer]

I've used hair rigs and allsorts in the past but everything's been in the loft for about 15yrs so all the line, elastic etc will need to be replaced. I went looking in the local tackle shop yesterday and it became apparent just how much I've forgotten!

 

I think you're both onto something though, I think I'll just buy a couple of packs of small hair rigs and try a few different baits on them, sweetcorn especially but I might get some pellets to try too. I don't know much about the lake but I've seen a couple of pictures of 10-12lb (ish) carp that don't look fat like they often get - I do remember though that they fight really well when they're like that. I had 8lb line in mind but, given the above, I guess it'll be 10 that I end up buying.

 

Think a 12 or 10 hook would be about right?

[Gaz9243]

What test curve rods are you using? and what type of lead or float system are you likely to be using? Whats the average size of the fish? If you pm me your address I will tie you some hair rigs, and post them

[pestcontrol1]

Boyes sell ready made rigs cant go far wrong for the odd day sat on the bank oh and there very cheap

[SEshooter]

If u have a half decent main line just use that to tie a simple hair rig. All you will need is a swivel, hook and baiting needle. Bait wise, as has already been said but try a bit of pepperarmi as a hook bait.

 

A hair rig gives much better hook holds compared to most of the hook being buried in a piece of corn. A 10lb carp has a big mouth and will suck a piece of corn with a hook in and blow it out with ease. I'm not saying it don't work hooking the bait but with a little effort you will give yourself a much better chance.

[mick miller]

If you don't want all the faff of using a hair rig just use a treble.

[fat_jay]

When are you going? I will tie you up some rigs and send to you if there is time..

[daveboy]

If It's sunny chuck in a few chum mixer and they will float on the surface.

Let the carp get used to them (while you set up) and then fish a chum mixer on the hook using a bait band either free lining or

a small bubble float.

I think this is the most exiting way to catch carp as you can see them taking the free offerings and moving towards your hook bait.

[fieldwanderer]

Thanks for the offers of help chaps, sadly it's only a few days away now.

 

Right so, this is as far as I've got and I'm gonna need to get my finger out but thought I'd see if any of you could see any obvious problems.

 

Like I said, I don't know anything much about the lake in question. It doesn't look to have much in the way of features in that it has few trees around it and I don't think there's any lilly pads or anything much. I don't think there's any real monsters in there but that's only a guess too.

 

I've decided to go with 10lb mainline, the thinnest best camouflaged I can find without crying when I have pay for it that's going on a pair of baitrunner type (daiwa) reels and a pair of 2&3/4lb rods. At the other end, I'm thinking an inline feeder (I'll get a selection), rubber ball (shock bead? it's been a while) then a swivel to about 8lb hair rig - I say "about 8lb" because I'm going to be lazy and buy them so it depends what's available - Get your hook size recommendations in quick please.

 

Bait, I haven't got very far yet but I like the pepperami idea if I can stop myself and the dog eating it all. I was also thinking a tin of sweetcorn won't break the bank but I'd like to try pellets, they were only just starting to get popular when I was into fishing before and I never tried them. I'll also need something to hold everything in/on the feeder, any suggestions here? what's on sale's all a bit bewildering!

 

I'm also taking a heavy float rod that's somewhere between a normal rod and a carp rod, the idea being to try a float if the feeder's don't seem to work out but I think I'll go with 6 or 8lb line on that.

 

 

If It's sunny chuck in a few chum mixer and they will float on the surface.

Let the carp get used to them (while you set up) and then fish a chum mixer on the hook using a bait band either free lining or

a small bubble float.

I think this is the most exiting way to catch carp as you can see them taking the free offerings and moving towards your hook bait.

Biggest carp I ever hooked was with a big bunch of floating casters on a bit of line on the end of a carp pole, no float, shot etc, just a couple of metres of line and a hook it was a wild fish on a little private lake my mate's uncle owned and way too powerful for the gear - sadly I didn't land it but I've never had such a hard fight from any other fish.

[fenboy]

Hook sizes 10 and 8 should cover most things .

Buy method feeders and some pellets , scold the pellets with boiling water , once they have gone soft you can mould them around the feeder.

Use the meat or corn on the hook.

[outandabout]

Good advice already and kind offers of posting you some rigs!

 

If you still have time and haven't got any hair rigs, it's worth considering some pellet bands. They're basically tiny rubber bands that you stretch around the pellet and then hook on.

 

You can use them on pellets and dog biscuits (and boilies but I know you won't be using those), very good over scolded pellet and meat or corn would be just as effective as a hookbait as fenboy suggested.

 

Good luck, hope you catch a few

[blowin]

+1 to mixers on top. Super simple and the most fun you can have carp fishing – especially if you're on holiday with limited time. A few hours between late afternoon and dusk on a hot day can be frantic.

 

Just need a controller float, a catty, a bag of biscuits and a fake plastic mixer on a size 10 hook. Some Mucilin line-floatant will help too but vaseline works OK.

[fieldwanderer]

Thanks again everyone.

 

In the end,I've gone for a decent sized inline method feeder, I'll be putting soaked 2mm oily trout pellets in that with crushed hemp (no cereal ground baits allowed), followed by a rubber bead, swivel, pre-made hair rig 3" 10/12 hook and whatever bait; I've got 11mm pellets, sweetcorn, chick peas and luncheon meat. Plus a bottle of spicy krill flavour.

 

I got some pellet bands too but I'm concerned they'll not hold during casting (taking superglue incase).

 

Setting off tomorrow, I'll try to remember to get some pictures. Wish me luck!

[Cambsman]

Don't firget a tin of luncheon meat too. Dirt cheap and works well on a simple hair rig.

[kent]

Here is one hook on the line add one ssg and bait with a lump of brrad

[Paul taylor]

Most importantly. Let us know how you get on pls.

[hatsanmad]

Bait wise most natural type baits are still very effective and most the time are largely over looked because boilies and pellets are ever more popular.

Maize and corn are very good and dependant on lake rules tigernuts and other types of nuts are still as effective now as they use to be also chick peas.

Theres also the fake foods which are good and i have been using them more then other baits i reccomend the korda fake foods slow sinking maize which is available in a few diffrent flavours should you go down that route.

Also keep everything simple. Most modern carp fishermen over complicate things with rigs that dont work properly. And dont forget the margins can often produce more fish then out at distance. Good luck and all the best.

[fieldwanderer]

Most importantly. Let us know how you get on pls.

 

O.k, so on arrival at the campsite, I took the dog for a walk and killed two birds with one stone - the pond I found looked pretty dire to be honest and I was starting to wonder why I'd bothered The following morning though, I found a second lake on the site but still less than perfect. I also found a sign for another local lake.

 

so, after buying a new landing net (because mine was still in the garage at home ) I went to the other lakes on the third day. I tried several different baits but only luncheon meat really did any good, I had a few small carp and a 2-3lb tench (on sweetcorn) but, early in the evening, I lost something big and found myself hooked!

 

the next day I was back fairly early (well, I was on holiday!) It was pretty slow but in the afternoon I swapped bait to cheese and finally landed a 10lb'er;

 

 

then a 7lb'er

 

 

The following day saw me back at the same lakes bright and early but I tried a different lake which I was soon to be sharing with two noisy old men which ruined the atmosphere and the fishing wasn't great either, it was early afternoon before I got the second decent run and hooked a nice carp on a chick pea - a first for me (is it a ghost?)

 

 

I moved to another lake but stuck with chick peas and eventually bagged an 11lb'er;

 

 

I thought I was all done at that point, seeing as how I'd been a bit antisocial up to now but, lunchtime on the Saturday, people were still milling about and trying to decide what to do for the day - so, I grabbed some of Daisy's biscuits and stole some cheese and frankfurters that may well have been destined for sandwiches and disappeared this time to the second lake on the site.

 

It was really slow going but I hit both runs, the first on 3/4" of frankfurter and the second on an inch block of cheese;

 

9lb

 

 

7lb (another ghost?)

 

 

Thanks again, had a fantastic time

[SEshooter]

Well done, some nice fish there. It is very addictive, are you going to keep at it?

[fieldwanderer]

I fished every moment I could right up to the age of 16 when I got more into the shooting and have been once, maybe twice since. I still have all my gear (16 years on) but will need new line, elastic etc. I got a years rod license though with the intention of going again.

 

I was much more into the match fishing back then and remember seeing carp fishing as a bit of a lazy sport for fat men with too much money but I really have enjoyed it and think that's probably going to be more what I get into now. Yeah, I'm not as light as I was and earn more than I need so, maybe I was right!

[Paul taylor]

Sounds like you had a great time and I hope you have many more good days wetting a line.

I've just spent hours sorting all my tackle so we have a porch again lol. Funnily enough I've just thrown away a tin of chick peas I've been meaning to try for years, maybe I should have used em?!

[Danger-Mouse]

Some nice fish there fieldwanderer.

 

Apart from the penultimate photo, which may well be a ghostie, they all look like common carp to me. Hard to tell for sure though because ghosties are hybrids and come in a variety of colours and scaled and unscaled. If the water was very clear that could account for the paler colour.

 

Ghost carp often have a creamy colour to them. Like this fellow I caught a couple of years ago.

 

[fieldwanderer]

Sounds like you had a great time and I hope you have many more good days wetting a line.I've just spent hours sorting all my tackle so we have a porch again lol. Funnily enough I've just thrown away a tin of chick peas I've been meaning to try for years, maybe I should have used em?!

Funnily enough, my tin of chick peas were bought when I was into fishing so were about 15yrs old! I used to think they were one of those baits that you hear about the pros using but no one else seems to catch anything with. My mum dug them out of a cupboard when I said I was going fishing! I only really tried them for a laugh rather than throw them away without.