Carp fishing is a very popular sport and pastime for many people. What makes carp such an exciting fish to catch is that they offer up a good fight and can often put on some impressive acrobatics.
Whether you plan on catching carp for fun, as a competitive sport, or as part of your organic garden’s natural fertilizer cycle, learning how to catch them is very rewarding. Listed below are the top rigs and baits used when targeting these silver giants.
Carp Rigs And Baits
Most Effective Rigs
Lake Rig: An excellent rig for catching carp in lakes and reservoirs where weed beds present an issue with casting, the Lake Rig consists of a mainline (which is attached to your lead or weight), an inline swivel, and an attached wire trace which loops over the lead. The hook is then tied to the remaining part of the wire trace. Once you cast out your rig, make sure to let it sink properly for about 1-2 minutes before bouncing it along the bottom. The beauty of this carp rig is that because there are no hooks on your mainline if you feel that one has taken hold of your bait but hasn’t set itself well enough to shake off the hook, just gently pull back towards shore and slowly wind in until you can safely net them.
Carolina Rig: A great alternative for those who don’t want to deal with weed beds is the Carolina Rig. Introduced by veteran bass fisherman Greg Dickson, he claims this rig was responsible for catching over 40 species of fish. For carp, however, it’s best used in situations where you can slip your hook under weeds and rocks without getting snagged as well as around structures such as downed trees. The mainline is attached to a lead or weight and the swivel should be inline onto another section of mainline (about 10 inches long). On the other end is an attached wire trace that loops over the lead and has its hook tied to it. It’s also important that when using this rig that you use a smaller than normal size 3-0 hook so that if one does manage to set itself, you can easily pull it out.
Most Effective Lures
Artificial Lures
There are many different types of artificial baits that work well for catching carp. Plastic worms are a crowd favorite, but I would recommend livening up your rig by adding live bait such as maggots or mealworms to the hook while fishing. If using plastic worms, always go with the larger 8″+ varieties so you have plenty of room to cast and also have space to do battle with these huge fish once they grab hold of your lure. Crickets are another effective bait. They bring out an instinctive response in carp who will charge after them for dinner. Even though they are living, if you use aquarium-grade silicone to attach them to your hook, they will last the duration of your fishing trip without any harm coming to other fish or wildlife.
Noodle Baits
The Korda Doughnut is an extremely versatile carp bait that can be used in a variety of different ways depending on how you choose to rig it. One popular method among anglers is by using it as it’s intended – doughnut style (i.e., with no hook). You simply cast this light buoyant bait out and let the wind do its work (with some occasional encouragement by imparting slow rotational movement). Carp which get curious enough about the orange-colored doughnut will then take a bite out of it, resulting in you hooking them.
Another effective way the doughnut can be used is when inserted onto your mainline and tied to an inline swivel using a Palomar knot. At this point, simply attach your chosen hook to the other end of the line and you’re ready to fish. Carp will get curious about the doughnut shape on top of your mainline which they associate with food. They will swim around it interestedly until they get close enough to get snagged by the minnow-style bait that’s below it. Depending on how big or small you make your doughnuts will depend on whether you catch large or small carp respectively.
Additional Tips
When using any kind of bait, try to cast it out so that if one does take the hook – you can reel them in slowly and steadily rather than having to tug at them frantically. More often than not when you pull too hard on a hooked fish, they will suffer internal damage due to stress or loss of fluid which could cause their demise in hours or days after capture. If in doubt, if your line is taut then usually this means that your carp has been properly hooked and you can continue reeling them in until you get a clear enough view to net them.
Other Tips
When using live baits such as maggots or crickets for bait, always go with the ones which are more lively since they work better with getting a carp’s attention. Cast them out into the water and let them swim around for a few minutes before you start fishing, as this will give them a chance to escape if they’re starting to feel uncomfortable on the hook. If they aren’t lively enough, it may be worth your time juicing them up with some honey or molasses which you can easily apply using a brush or cotton swab so that they have an enticing scent for fish to notice from far away.
In conclusion, by now you should know how to catch carp using baits such as sheet wax worms and also artificial lures like doughnuts and plastic worms along with various rigging techniques. There are different rig setups you can use depending on the size of the fish and where they’re mostly caught. With a bit of practice, carp can become a reliable source of fishing entertainment for your whole family – good luck!
Adelaide Gentry, a seasoned kayaking enthusiast and expert, is the driving force behind KayakPaddling.net. With over a decade of experience navigating the world’s most challenging waterways, Adelaide combines her passion for adventure with a deep knowledge of kayaking to provide insightful and practical guidance for paddlers of all levels.
