To successfully fish for carp in the UK you might have to upgrade your rods and tackle so they support the fierce fights when trying to land large fish. If you're moving in from match type fishing or bass fishing in the US, you must first look at both your end tackle and your rod and reel setup.
Carp Fishing Rods
The most suitable rod for carp fishing is a 12ft or 13ft rod, with a minimum test curve of 2.25lbs. The test curve will determine the heaviness of the lead you cast, the bend and the action of the rod when you're trying to get large fish into the net. Carp rods on the market today vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and most newcomers to the sport will tend to opt for cheapest rod they can find. This is often their first mistake. Look around for the top names and makes in sales like Century, Diawa and fox, rather than buying unknown brands at cheap prices. If you can afford it, the first rod you buy should have a test curve of 2.5 or 2.75lbs, because it is likely to last a lot longer and offer more excitement when catching and netting carp.
Reels, Big Pits & Runners
Next on your shopping list should be a good reel. Though most match angling reels can be used, the reels emphasis should be on the distance you want to fish and the strength of the drag system. When you're attached to a 30lb carp, it's like trying to hold onto a runaway train; the carp's weight and power will put the rod, reel and line under immense pressure and the best way to prevent it from snapping is to use a drag system. The drag system will tire the fish out until it's ready to net.
Bait runners and big pits are the best carp reels. A bait runner is engaged when your rods are in a static position. When a carp screams off with your bait, line will automatically come off the spool and the fish will take as much as it can until you disengage the bait runner. The other type of big pit reel is the front drag system, with which you'll have to manually fiddle to create the right drag to act as a bait runner.
The main reason carp anglers use big pit reels is the amount of line which can be held on the spool. These reels can hold up to and over 200m. You can literally go out to the other side of the lake, drop your rig and bait, then drive 200m back to your bank and fish comfortably thanks to the large spool of line. If you're not fishing at these distances, then a smaller spool will do fine. As for cost, big pits and bait runners are extremely expensive due to the advanced gears and ball bearing technology, and the best ones on the market tend to be the lightest models. When you're starting out, look at large spooled sea fishing reels; most of these will certainly be up to the job as a good carp reel.
Carp Fishing Line
There's no point really tough rods and reels, and then fishing with light line. Everything about carp fishing is heavy duty. The minimum line for your reels should be a quality brand with a breaking strain of 12lbs. In fact to start with, you should go for 15lbs.
Some anglers prefer to use braid rather than monofilament, as braid is much more direct when you're fishing over large distances, and when you pull the rod back over the bottom of the lake it's much easier to understand the lakebed. You can feel the action of the rod tip through the braid, and this helps you to better visualise the area you're fishing.
There are two types of braid - sinking and floating - and you should bear in mind that braid is not the easiest line with which to start out fishing for carp. Monofilament line has much more stretch which is useful when handling a large carp on the line. Monofilament is virtually invisible in the water, which is helpful for reasons which should be obvious, and it sinks with its weight. When you're choosing your line, look at its diameter and compare it with the breaking strain. A high diameter line with a low breaking strain will mean less line can be spooled on the reel. Therefore, the best line is one with a low diameter and high breaking strain; it will be strong and you can spool more of it on the reel.
End Tackle
Your choice of end tackle will have a significant impact on your success as a carp angler. On the bank we can just about get away with the worst equipment, but in the water, wher your bait and rig lay, the equipment has to be perfect. A strong rig must be attached to your main line with a lead system which has been made to protect the carp's welfare, even of there's a breakage. The term 'death rig' is used when a carp is still attached to your rig and line after a breakage, and the carp is still towing around the lead. Soon the leaded rig will snag on something and the carp will be killed. It's extremely important when you're choosing your end tackle that the carp's safety is always your number one priority.
The rig is the length of line between the lead and the hook. It's connected to the mainline and the lead using a swivel. There is a vast range of end tackle systems on the market, and Korda and Fox are currently market leaders in safety systems. The simplest system is a mono hook link with a hair rigged hook attached to a boilie. The average length of a mono is 7 inches, it's followed by the swivel, then a bead to protect the swivel knot, and then the lead is attached to the mainline. This rig is known as a 'free running' rig. The weight of the leads depends on the strength of the rod and reel line so there's no chance of a breakage during a cast.
Ready tied carp rigs are available from Ocean Fresh, and these are recommended as a good start for beginners to the sport or for specialists who want a pre-fastened carp rig for extreme circumstances. Making your own carp rigs is a time consuming process, and not all of us are gifted with the tiny fingers and high dexterity necessary to complete intricate knot designs. What's more, imagine you're trying to improve your personal best carp record, and just as you're about to net the fish there's a breakage or the hook pulls and many long, hard hours fishing is wasted right under your nose, due to a poor rig. So there's certainly no shame in buying pre-tied rigs. In carp angling, confidence is required to be successful, and you need to have confidence in your equipment - particularly in your end rig and bait. There's nothing more frustrating than hearing your bite alarm go off only to find no fish on your line because your rig didn't hook it properly.
Once you understand the make-up of your rig, you can then source the materials separately and start making your own rigs. The lead clip system is a safety system which will come off if the lead snags on the bottom. That way the carp can be netted safely; if there's a snap-off the lead will be loosened and the fish can survive.
Many, many pages could be filled with information explaining all the different types of carp rigs and setups, and this information is widely spread across the internet written by professionals associated with the sport, and below is a list of different types, any one of which can be googled for more information:
- Leadcore and Anti tangle tubing
- Korda lead clip systems
- Safety inline leads
- Safety clip systems
- Bolt rig / semi fixed carp rig
- Free running carp rigs
- Helicopter & Chod rigs
- Bottom bait presentation hair rig
- Pop up bait presentation hair rig
- Zig Rig & Surface bait rigs
- Snowman rig
- Snag fishing rig
Bite Alarms
Another important piece of carp fishing equipment is the bite alarm. Bite alarms are electronic devices on which your rod rests. The mainline runs over a sensor roller and when a carp take your bait, or when any fish touches the line, an alarm is sounded to give the angler an indication that a carp may have been caught. Since carp are generally nocturnal creatures, anglers might fish all night but it's not really practical or possible to sit watching the rod tip all night. Thankfully, clever technology is on hand to help you catch these animals even while you catch some badly needed sleep. For them to work properly, your reels must be set on a bait runner, or the front drag must be open so line can come freely off the line. Failing to open the front drag will mean that when the carp begins to struggle and it swims away at speed, your mainline will be broken and the fish will get away. Currently, the best alarms on the market are made by Fox and Delkin.
If you plan to fish for carp overnight then you must have adequate warm clothing and shelter from the weather. Other carp angling equipment for more serious anglers include:
- A bivvi or tent
- A bed chair
- A sleeping bag
- A gas stove
- A headlight or torch
- A landing net
- A carp mat
- And a rod pod
As time moves on and your personal carp angling experience grows, you will understand the importance of this equipment. Once purchased, it will last for many years to come and will only guarantee you get more enjoyment and better results from carp fishing.