There are numerous techniques for catching carp. My favourite methods are float, surface, pole and feeder fishing. I particularly favour the lift method, in my opinion this is one of the best ways of catching carp. On this page I will give you an insight into how I go about fishing for carp. They are tried and tested methods so give them a go yourself.

 Float Fishing for Carp

Float fishing is one of my favoured methods for catching carp. I have probably caught more carp float fishing than any other method. Most of the venues I fish are small shallow ponds where using lots of lead is just not necessarily. I much prefer to use light gear to catch reasonable sized carp. Catching a 10 pound carp on a very light float rod is a lot more exciting than catching one on a very heavy duty carp rod. The 12LB carp in the photograph to the left was caught using float tackle on a CTB match rod and 3lb line. If you are disabled and strength is an issue, then there are plenty of extremely light rods on the market that you will not even know you are holding once they are strapped to your arm. The other advantage with float fishing is you don't actually have to cast. A lot of carp will feed virtually under your feet so all you have to do is plonk the float three or 4 feet from the bank, even less, I have caught fish 6 inches from the bank.

If you intend on fishing extremely close in, I would suggest using a float and longer than 6 inches long. In fact, I would go as far as to say use a float that is around 4 inches. You don't need a great big long float if you are fishing very close in. All you are after is some indication that you are getting a bite. The chances are, the water is going to be very shallow, probably no more than a couple of feet deep. I don't bother with complicated shot patterns when I'm fishing like this. I put enough weight around the bottom of the float so it sits properly in the water, and I put a little weight not far from the hook, this is just to keep it in place.

Depending on what sized carp your fishing for and what bait you are using will depend on what sort of hook size you should use. I use a variety of bait when float fishing. Sweetcorn is always a favourite and I would normally use a size 8 hook and put at least four or five colonels on, making sure that they are not all bunched up. If I am using maggots, I will use anything from a size 14, to size 8. I will pack as many maggots onto the hook as I possibly can. I rarely go above a size 8 when fishing for any sized carp. I am not shy to use quite large baits either. Obviously, if you are using large chunks of meat, you may have to up the size of your hook. There are so many baits on the market, I am not going to go into all of them. It's always a good idea to ask what is successful at the venue on to fish. Don't be afraid to go for something completely different. This often brings very good results as carp may not have seen this new food before.

Ground baiting the area you are going to fish is absolutely essential. You want to encourage the fish to feed where you are fishing. I always bait up my swim as soon as I get to the pond. I don't wait until I have got set up, I want the fish as quickly as possible. It might well take an hour or so, but you should be able to entice them in with a bed of tasty food.

If the water is shallow, you will normally see when the fish have arrived. A lot of the ponds I fish are old clay pits. When the fish grovel around picking up food, they send up clouds of dust which is a tell tailsign of fish in the area. Also, if the water is shallow, they disturb the water surface with their tailfins. Just because fish suddenly appear, don't think you have to stop putting in ground bait. You may have quite a few carp in the area and believe me, they can eat quite fast. Keep putting in your choice of ground bait at regular intervals. You don't have to chuck handfuls in, just enough to keep them interested.

When you are ready to fish, put your tackle in the water gently and just wait. You may notice that your float will go under the water momentarily. Do not strike when this happens. You will probably find that the fish are brushing up against your line and giving you false baits. If you strike at this stage, you are very likely to foul hook the fish. As a rule, you should wait for two seconds after the float goes under the water and then strike.

You may also notice sometimes your float lifts up in the water. This will now bring me on to the next method of catching carp.

The lift method

The lift method is still float fishing. It is probably most widely used for tench and carp fishing because of the way the fish feed. The reason it is called the lift method is because when a bite occurs, the float lifts out of the water, rather than going under.  In my opinion, this method is much more efficient at detecting bites from carp in shallow water.  

When fishing the lift method Try to use a straight float that isn't too long. Peacock quills are excellent for fishing the lift because they are extremely light.  You can normally get three or four good floats out of one long peacock quill. I normally paint the top will red.    Just use a  float rubber to attach it to the line, you can then easily slide it up and down.  However, it is not always that easy to get hold of a peacock quill, unless you happen to live near a zoo. I actually now use a small crystal float that is around 4 inches long.  They normally have a thin fluorescent top that is very easy to see. I use small rubber float stops that you slide onto the line to lock the float. I find that this method performs a lot better than the old peacock quill.  The rubber float stops normally keep the float very secure, unlike the bands on the old peacock quills, they would often slide when you strike.  setting up the lift method is simplicity in itself.  You don't have to bother about complicated shot patterns,  all you do is place a single shot anywhere between three and 6 inches from the hook. It really depends on how big the float is to how big the shot should be. You need to choose a shot that will pull the float under. So, you may need to use a 2SSG to achieve your goal. If you don't use a shot that will pull float under, you will not know if the shot is actually on the bottom. You then alter the float so that when the weight is resting on the pond floor, the float tip is just visible above the surface. Some people actually submerge the float completely so that when the float appears above the surface, they know they have a bite. Personally I like to see the float. The reason being is because you often get traditional bites where the float does go under so I prefer to keep about half an inch of float sticking out of the water. If you do choose to fish the float just under the surface, watch for the line moving away, this sometimes happens rather than the float lifting out of the water.

This is how the lift method works, when carp and tench feed, they often feed at an angle, rather like the illustration to the left. When they lift their heads up with your hook in their mouth, they dislodge the shot, thus making the float, lift out of the water, rather than go under. You may see the float lift quite high out of the water, or it might suddenly lie flat on the surface. As soon as this happens, strike. The lift method is a superb way of catching carp very close in. They often stay in one place when feeding so will not pull the float under. Using the lift method is an ingenious way of detecting baits from feeding carp. If you are fishing over slightly uneven ground, you may have to move the float around occasionally so that it sits exactly right. If you are fishing at a slight distance using the lift method you may have problems finding the correct depth. If you find that you are slightly over depth, i.e. the float is laying flat, reel in very slowly until the float cocks. The line will be going down at a slight angle from the bottom of the float to the weight rather than straight down but it will still work. This method is also a good way of catching wary carp. Because the line is at an angle, there is less chance the carp will bump into it and become spooked. You may have to put the rod on the bank or on some rests because the slightest movement will move the float.

 Paste and banded pellet work extremely well when fished on the lift

Give this method a go, I promise that you will be addicted to it before long.

Margin fishing with the pole

This method can be very rewarding, especially when fishing right under your own bank. I use a 4m-margin pole that has elastic rating up to 20. 20 is probably a little heavy, you may experience more than your fair share of hook pulls. It obviously depends on the size of fish that you are after. I fish for carp that average 8lb, but there is a good chance of a mid double, so I would recommend elastics from 14 to 18. Again, the elastic you're using, governs the line you should use. Going by the elastic ratings I've already mentioned, I would think that anything from 4 to 8lb would suffice. As for a float, dibbers are perfect.

Bait your swim as soon as you get there. Don't be in too much of a rush to get fishing though, let the carp get established first. If you're fishing in shallow water, you'll know straight away when they arrive.  Two tell tale signs will be clouds of mud being stirred up as the carp forage around eating your ground bait.  In many cases, you may be fishing in a foot of water, sometimes less, this is when you may see the fish, especially their tails as they feed with their heads down. If you're planning to fish 2-3 ft from the bank with a 4 or 5m pole, then it's obvious that you're going to have to sit a fair way from the water . Don't worry, this is good, it means the carp won't see you. This will only pose a problem if there's not enough room behind you. If this is the case, fish to your left or right. Once your rig is in the water, loose feed some free offerings every now and then Fishing with a pole is very different than with a rod. You don't strike with a pole.

 Carp feeding in less than a foot of water

 The cheeky beggar, right under my feet

When you see carp feeding in your swim, you might experience your float to move around, or even bob under and then come up again. Ignore this; what's happening is that the carp are feeding on your free offerings, brushing against the line causing false bites. Wait for the float to go under and stay under. All you have to do is lift the pole a few inches and you should hook the carp successfully. Because you should only have a short length of line between your pole and float, the carp will normally pull the elastic out, hooking itself in the process. Once the fish is on, the elastic will act as a bungee, sometimes stretching to an alarming length. Hold the pole at a slight angle to the fish. It's best not to point the pole directly at the fish because you run the risk of losing half your pole. If the carp goes on a run, put the top of the pole under the water, this should help to turn him. You shouldn't really have to unship a 4m pole when landing the fish, but it's up to you.

As I have already mentioned, I use a 4 metre margin pole. If like me, you attach your pole to one arm, you might find things difficult if you go any longer than four metres. Remember that you are going to have 10 or 11 ft. of pole to hold onto. Even a very light pole will be difficult to hold onto if a big carp goes on the run to the left or the right, you may need some kind of support to stop the pole from being pulled to the side. I normally jam the poll into a leg support that is attached to my wheelchair. As far as I am aware, there are no manufacturers that actually make "disabled fishing poles" or "electric fishing poles". It all depends on how strong you are at the end of the day. If you haven't got a lot of strength in your arm, scale down the size of the pole. Most poles will actually break down to various lengths, so even if you have got a four or five metre pole, you could probably break it down to an eight-foot pole and fish very close into the margin. In this situation, you may need to find more cover.

The Method Feeder (The Method)

The method is one of the most effective ways to catch carp. Most feeders work by having the ground bait inserted inside them. Method feeders work the opposite way; the ground bait is moulded around the outside of the feeder. There are too many method feeders on the market to list. I favour either the inline, or the shock absorber type. It's very simple, on the inline feeder; the line passes through the middle. You can leave it as a free running feeder, or you can lock it with two float stops and have it as a bolt rig. On the shock absorber type, the feeder has elastic running through the middle. This is designed to minimise hook pulls when a carp bolts. There's a snap swivel that your main line attaches to and another swivel on the end of the feeder that the hook link goes on.

It's very important to keep your hook link short. I would recommend it to be no longer than 4 inches. The reason for this is so that your hook bait is always in close proximity to the ground bait. Some anglers like to bury the hook bait in with the ground bait on the feeder. I prefer to leave it looking like a piece of food that has fallen off the method ball .

When you prepare the method mix, it's very important to end up with the correct consistency. It's no good casting out, only to have the method mix come off the feeder as soon as it hits the water. Its very much trial and error. Once you've done it a few times you'll get the hang of it.

I use an extra heavy feeder rod when using the method. You don't have to do it this way; you can use a normal carp rod in conjunction with bite indicators if you wish. When you're ready to fish, make sure you've got a suitable rod rest positioned so that when the rod is resting on it, the rod tip is between 1 and 2 ft above the water. If it's a windy day, position the tip so that it's almost touching the water. This will make sure that all the line is under the water, thus, eliminating false bites. When you've cast out, sit and point the rod at an 80-degree angle to where you've cast. Reel in gentle until you get a slight bend in the rod tip. When the carp eventually find your bait, your rod tip will start to move, sometimes slowly, other times you'll get sharp twitches. Don't strike at these. Wait till you get a positive bite. Normally, the rod tip will be pulled all the way around. Occasionally you may experience a drop back bite. This is when the line goes totally slack. This could be one of two things, it's either a bite, or the carp have managed to nudge the method ball forward. In this situation, you can strike, or tighten up again. One word of warning. Do not leave your rod unattended, not unless you want to lose it. This is not a joke!

Surface Fishing

Surface fishing is the most visual and arguable the most exiting way of catching carp. In the summer months when the water is warm, carp will happily take food from the surface.

As the name suggests, the bait is presented on the surface as either floating or suspended bait. The most well known floating bait is of course bread.  However there are various other floating makes you can use, marshmallows will catch carp, if you haven't eaten them already. Floating trout pellets are also extremely good for surface fishing. Nowadays, dog biscuits are widely used by large percentage of carp anglers.

Now comes the problem of getting these light baits out to feeding fish. You can free line in the margins but that's your limit really. What you need is a controller float. This is a special float that is designed for surface fishing. There are all sorts of floats you can get. It's best to study your local water and then decide what sort of float you need.

When you arrive at the venue you're going to fish, have a look around and see if there are any fish topping. If there are, catapult a few dog biscuits (or whatever bait you intend on using) out and see if they take them. If they start slurping down your biscuits, wait a couple a minutes and then put a few more out. Now, I can't emphasize this enough; do not start catapulting handfuls of biscuits in. This will only make the fishing harder for you. Image if you will: five carp all taking biscuits off the top. You chuck in thirty biscuits, that's an average of six per fish. They can pretty much take their time eating them. But if you put in five biscuits, they've got to get to them quickly or they'll lose out. Get them competing for your bait and you should have a good day. If you intend on using dog biscuits, it's advisable to soak them until they swell up. If the carp eat too many dry biscuits, they tend to swell up inside them. After all, the welfare of the fish should be paramount.

There are various different ways of putting a dog biscuit on the hook. You can super glue it, hair rigs are good for wary fish, and you can use a band or just soak them in water until there're soft enough to hook. If you want, you can flavour them and add a colour. There are some fake dog biscuits available that look remarkable realistic. I've had some degree of success on them, but I still think the carp can tell the difference.

Once the carp are feeding, it's time to cast. Try not to cast into feeding fish, apart from spooking them; you might injure one of them. It's best to over cast the feeding fish and then draw the float forward to where they are. It's a good idea to grease the line with Vaseline; this will stop the line from sinking, making easier contact with your terminal tackle. Even if the carp are taking the biscuits you've thrown out, you won't necessarily get a bite straight away. You'll find that the carp will investigate your bait. What they tend to do is mouth the bait or splash around it. It's very difficult, but try and refrain from striking when this happens. The chances are that you'll foul hook one and that can be a real pain, especially if it's a big un. When a bite comes, the carp will take the bait and run.

Surface Fishing Using Bread 

 Catching carp off the surface is very exciting and can be extremely addictive.  

Well, there you go, that's how I go about carp fishing . Give it a go, see how you get on. A word of warning, I will not take responsibility if you don't catch anything. Carp are a funny fish, sometimes you can catch loads and the next time you go back to the same place, you will catch absolutely nothing.

Catching up in the water 

In the summer time when the water warms up, the carp start feeding further up in the water and at the surface.  If you can see carp just under the surface but they aren't actually taking surface baits, you can try fishing a little under the surface.  Now, this type of fishing does require quite a lot of work to get the fish feeding.  It does also often attract a lot of silverfish which can be annoying.  However, it can be absolutely deadly for carp so give it a go.  So, how do you go about fishing this method?  Well, it's very simple, I would recommend using a crystal Waggler, because you are trying to attract fish to come up in the water, they might get spooked by dark objects above them, crystal wagglers are see-through so are less likely to spook wary fish. I would recommend fishing between one and 2 feet under the surface to begin with, you can always alter the depth and could you start getting results. There are various baits that can be used, they obviously need to be sinking baits.  One of the best is small pellets.  I would recommend attaching them to hook sizes from 10 to 8 using a small hair rig, or a small bait band.  Now I have already mentioned that this method does require a little bit of work.  What I mean by this is you need to be catapulting out a few pellets every few seconds.  What you'll find is the more you do it, the more the fish will come up in the water to intercept them as they are sinking. This method works best on commercial waters where there are loads of carp.  It probably wouldn't be worth using on waters where they are just a few large carp.

This method does attract smaller fish so expect to catch quite a few rudd or roach. Another float that can be used are large heavy floats that cause a splash when they land on the water.  When the carp become really confident, they will investigate splashes in the water so using a large heavy float is actually an advantage.

Try this method, it often works extremely well.  Just remember that if you like relaxing and sitting back in your chair and watching the world go by whilst waiting for a bite, this method will not be for you.

 Spawning Carp

When we get the first decent warm weather of the year and summer is just around the corner, you will probably notice that carp will start spawning for anything up to a week.  It is very easy to tell when carp are spawning in small commercial fisheries, you will often see them splashing around the margins as the males chase after the females.  It is often extremely difficult to catch carp at this time so you may do yourself a favour and wait until they stop spawning. After all, if somebody threw a sausage roll into your bed whilst you were banging the misses, you would probably want to wait until you were finished before you tucked into it.  Carp really aren't any different when they start spawning, they're more interested in making little carp rather scoffing your bait. There will be carp that aren't spawning so it might not be a dead loss, I just get a bit disheartened when I arrive at a venue all excited and all I see is lots of splashing in the margins.

A couple of days after they do stop spawning can be a really good time to fish for them as they will be extremely hungry. 

 Hot days aren't always best

 Anglers often think that baking hot days are the time to catch carp.  Warm days yes, baking hot days, unfortunately not always the case.  The problem with long spells of hot weather is on the small commercial waters, the oxygen is sapped out of the water.  When this happens, you often find that fish are just not interested in eating.  It's very easy to tell when this is happening, you will see all the carp sitting just under the surface of the water.  We've all done it, you cast a floating bait at them and they just ignore it.  If this is happening to you, try fishing near an inlet if there is one at the fishery.  Many commercial fisheries spring fed so you will have constant water entering the pond.  When the water enters the pond, it actually oxygenates the water, you will often find fish hanging around this area and they may be more willing to feed

 If the weather is going to be very hot, I often prefer to go down to the pond and fish a few hours in the evening when the weather cools down.  I'd much rather do that than sit on the bank all day roasting my chestnuts off catching absolutely nothing.