Biggest Carp Caught on a Float?

[bub81]

Hi all,

I would be really interested to know what the biggest carp sizes are, caught by you chaps, when float fishing?

I don't mean flukes on a single red maggot, I mean when targeting big carp with a float.

Also what is the biggest you have heard of being caught on the float by someone else and, what is the biggest sensible target when float fishing for carp? Is there a limit to the size you can hope for and if so, why?

Regards,
Malcolm

 

[sam vimes]

16.5lb, but mainly because that's about as big as the carp get in the water I'm fishing. IIRC the biggest intentionally caught carp on float gear I've heard of is just shy of fifty pounds (I'm pretty sure it's at least talked about on film somewhere, one of Matt Hayes programs perhaps).

There's no particular upper limit to the size of carp you can catch using float gear, provided you gear up accordingly. It rather depends upon your interpretation of what exactly constitutes float gear. If you mean a standard match rod with six pound mainline and four pound bottoms, you're going to need a lot of open water, a lot of patience and a fair dollop of skill (or blind luck). However, if you uprate your gear to a decent heavy float rod, Avon rod or even a barbel rod, add eight to ten pound mainline and hooklengths between six to ten pounds, you've just upped your chances. On more standard match type float gear (2 to 5lb hooklengths), I'd not deliberately target fish much bigger than ten pounds. However, that's not to say that I wouldn't have a reasonable expectation of landing fish to around fifteen. Landing fish much bigger on such light gear is relatively commonplace but I certainly wouldn't have any great expectation of landing many.

As I said earlier, the carp in the water I'm fishing aren't huge. There's also an awful lot of open water. Because of this I generally get away with a heavy float rod, eight pound mainline and six or seven pound bottoms. Only now that the marginal weed is really starting to thicken up is there any real danger of failing to land anything I might hook on such gear. It's a lot more fun than fishing "proper" carp gear.

 

[dangermouse]

Around the 9lb mark is my best, can`t be exact because I didn`t weigh it.

The biggest I`ve seen/heard of being caught on a float is a 44lb common by Martin Bowler on Catching the Impossible.

 

[flightliner]

By "design" a mirror of seventeen pounds plus (cant remember the ounces) at Cuttle Mill back in the mid eighties.
By "fluke" a common just on thirteen lbs while fishing the tidal trent in a match on light float gear-----they did,nt want to pay out on the coach-- lol!

 

[peterjg]

I've caught a few 20s deliberately on the float and with a centrepin. I once foulhooked (in 1991) (accidently!) a 42lb mirror carp while, again deliberately fishing for carp with a peacock float and sweetcorn - a few months later I managed to catch the same carp properly on normal carp gear and it weighed a bit less at 40lbs 12ozs. On the same day as the 42 about an hour earlier I, again I stress, I foulhooked another carp on a running leger which weighed 38lbs - needless to say I was distraught!!!! I remember one of the club members who witnessed events saying that I had caught a brace of carp which weighed 80lbs and that they didn't count - quite right of course but at the time I was gutted!

 

[sagalout]

16.5 for me on the pellet waggler, as per Sam above, starting to get to the upper reaches of what's available on the waters I fish.

 

[barbelboi]

By 'design' 27.14 sunken float in the margins - 24.2 on pellet waggler tactics at distance.
Jerry

 

[red creel]

Mid double(cannot be more accurate than that as i did not weigh it) from the Snake river at Pondwood some years ago.

 

[Philip]

The size limit is exactly the same as with a lead.

I had one of 20+ on a float last week but I am prob fishing waters with a higher density of such fish than many others.

Some really enormous fish get caught on the float.

Its interesting to see how many takes you get when you fish a float, many of the bites you would not have seen or even been aware about on a fixed lead.

 

[bub81]

Wow, some huge, huge fish!
Really pleased to see there is no limit and that no one can think of a reason why there should be.

My biggest is a 14lb mirror, last summer. Margin, in the evening.

I guess most people report below the 20lb barrier because many of the lakes we choose to float float fish are smallercarp 'ponds'. I suppose you realistically need a big lake with protected areas and sheltered margins to have a shot at the 30's and 40's?

Peterjg, that must have taken some getting over, haha!

Sam, I should have said; I use 10lb line, a 1.75lb barbel rod on open water and a carp rod on snaggy/tight waters.

Very encouraging, will carry on taking a float setup even when modern carp fishing on 'big' venues.

Thanks guys.

Malc

 

[sagalout]

Just remembered, saw a video the other day where this mush was catching on a pole, his mac to date was 54lb. Found it, here Fishing for specimen carp on the pole


http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-...niques/Fishing-for-specimen-carp-on-the-pole/

 

[barbelboi]

The size limit is exactly the same as with a lead.

I had one of 20+ on a float last week but I am prob fishing waters with a higher density of such fish than many others.

Some really enormous fish get caught on the float.

Its interesting to see how many takes you get when you fish a float, many of the bites you would not have seen or even been aware about on a fixed lead.

When was the last record carp caught on a float? - IMO the indications you get on a sunken float are second to none
Jerry
PS the main difference is you have to hit them.

 

[dangermouse]

When was the last record carp caught on a float? -
Jerry

Be reasonable Jerry, you can`t sit in a bivvy brewing up if you`re float fishing

 

[barbelboi]

Be reasonable Jerry, you can`t sit in a bivvy brewing up if you`re float fishing

Certainly not Neil Although i much prefer catching on a float my 'lead' carp have been somewhat bigger and I don't leave the rod.
Jerry

 

[Philip]

When was the last record carp caught on a float?

I am not sure what your point is. I was just answering the original posters question about whether there was a limit to the size of a Carp you can catch on a float.

In answer to your question, I dont think a record Carp has been caught on the float. Some have been caught freelining however. Does this mean freelining is better than a float for big Carp ?

 

[terry m]

Mid double for me also. ~15lbs+, I rarely float fish for carp.

 

[noknot]

How long have you carp fished, or fished?

 

[neuvy]

Hi all, newbie alert mg:
Over here in France I often fish a place called 'Pescalis', usually a pond of one hectare. I nearly always float fish generally with a Fred Crouch pin and a TFG 15' beefed up float rod, 8lb fluro-carbon mainline and 6.5lb Ultima Power Silk hook-lengths.
This year, my third year of fishing here I've had a 3 1/2 lb Perch which is the biggest I've ever seen and the most beautiful fish I've ever seen, my first ever lake Sturgeon 1 metre and a half long Rudd and Roach to 2lb on a regular basis, Tench to 7lb, quite a few carp over 20lb and two around 30lb.
This is all by way of information not to brag or anything. In a 25 hectare pond in the same parc there are carp over 60lb, massive cats and Pike so I've bought a Fox 'Warrior rod with a 2 3/4 TC and a new pin loaded with 15lb fluro. I'm going to margin fish with a float and see if I can hook what I've seen and hope I don't get pulled in!

 

[terry m]

How long have you carp fished, or fished?

NoKnot, I am not sure if your note was directed at me, if yes, then I have fished since the early 1970's, and on and off for carp since the mid-late 70's.

 

[nicepix]

By "design" a mirror of seventeen pounds plus (cant remember the ounces) at Cuttle Mill back in the mid eighties.
By "fluke" a common just on thirteen lbs while fishing the tidal trent in a match on light float gear-----they did,nt want to pay out on the coach-- lol!

That has jogged my memory. Those journeys back on the coach after a club winter league match. The banter was always great, but especially if someone got into the money with a 'bonus' fish Then, at five on the dot, it all went quiet for the footie results on the radio. I can hear that theme tune now............