Newbe help fishing for carp...

[fishplate42]

Hi,

I am new to fishing and reasonably new to this forum. I have posted a few questions in the Beginner's Forum but I thought I would give the General Fishing Forum a go as I am now an experienced angler - I have caught a fish or four!

I have been fishing only once, so far, and I caught some fish. Nobody was more surprised than me! I was fishing using a waggler float and maggots on still water using a 12ft Ron Thompson match rod and Okuma CBF 140 reel. I also have a 11 ft Matt Hayes Adventure carp rod and size 50 carp reel that came in a starter set.

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We are off fishing next weekend in the same place with the same match rod. This time I thought I would take my carp rod with me and have a go with it. My question is what sort of tackle should I try as a first attempt and what bait?

I know this is very basic stuff but I just don't know. The books and the videos just confuse me, at the moment, as everybody has a different way of fishing and I have just the one trip under my belt so the experience bank is almost empty. I know everyone says just get in and have a go, and I will, but a suggestion of where to start would be very useful.

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Also, My carp rod is pictured above. From looking at it, the main difference between it and the match rod seems to be the size of the eyes. I assume it is stronger than my match rod? and or it flexes differently? CI would be grateful if somebody could explain the difference in simple terms There are other pictures of my selection of cheap starter gear pictured on my blog HERE. I know that I will probably need to upgrade most, if not all, my gear in time, but I just want to try a few things out to see what suits me best.

Ralph.

 

[naxian62]

Hi Ralph,
I was in a similar position 18 months ago, and as I dont know anyone else who fishes, I turned to the internet and my local tackle shop owner.
Try googling your questions and querys you'll always find something. Also you- tube and other peoples' blogs have been a great help for me.
Re: the water you fish, ask the other guys who you see fishing, I 've only ever found (some) of the carp boys to be a bit secretive.
The guys on here will answer your q's but I reckon it's better to be more specific.
Google is your friend.
Tight lines

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

The carp rod should have a higher test curve than your match rod so you can cast larger weights easily

You can also use stronger main line with your carp rod , say 12lb instead of 4lb on your match rod

 

[fishplate42]

Hi Ralph,
I was in a similar position 18 months ago, and as I dont know anyone else who fishes, I turned to the internet and my local tackle shop owner.
Try googling your questions and querys you'll always find something. Also you- tube and other peoples' blogs have been a great help for me.
Re: the water you fish, ask the other guys who you see fishing, I 've only ever found (some) of the carp boys to be a bit secretive.
The guys on here will answer your q's but I reckon it's better to be more specific.
Google is your friend.
Tight lines

Thans for the advice, I am trying to do exactly that but my problem at the moment is trying to work out what is good information and what is not. I am also discovering things I had no idea existed and technical terms that are just meaningless to me. Some of it might as well be written in Swahili for all the sense it makes to me right now! I am sure all this will fall into place given time but for now it is as if the tackle box brain has been tipped out and I need to sort it out I will get there but in the mean time I might have to ask some stupid questions.

...You can also use stronger main line with your carp rod , say 12lb instead of 4lb on your match rod

Oh! Now there's a thing. My Okuma reel came with a pre-loaded spool (as did the other reels) but this one is marked with a small sticker 12LBS (12lb?) I also have some spare line, that is 0.28mm. It has no breaking strain marked on it but by searching the internet I have discovered that the diameter/breaking strain are not consistent from one manufacturer to another. I guess that this line is about 12lb as well.

Why on earth do the manufactures state the line diameter and not the breaking strain? I know I am a complete numpty when it comes to the technical stuff but this seems completely daft to me.

Ralph.

 

[john step]

As stated..just plague u tube. Don't try to run before you etc....Have a few months catching anything that comes along with your match rod to get the feel of everything which is more important than the technical matters. The lbs type breaking strain is the older way of measuring line. I am also a numpty as after nearly 60 yrs fishing the new metric mm bit confuses me also.
There are basic books about just about everything in fishing which might be easier to digest as you can pick them up and keep referring back easier than digital media.
Try Carp fishing by Kevin Green which is being widely advertised.
just remember someone famous(****ens?? Shakespeare?? some clever reader will know.). said all you need is a worm on one end and a fool on the other

Further..just read your blog and seen the pictures.Yes as you say its not state of the art stuff but it will catch OK and you have enough stuff there to start enjoying. Shame it is when fishing can start to get harder when it gets colder. Consider thermal winter boots etc. Stick with it. By next Spring things get easier again. You say you are pushing 60. Sorry you missed out all those years!!!

 

[tilly05]

Best advice, go fishing and get used to catching, the fight, unhooking, etc... When your on a lake and you hook into a decent fish there will be eyes on you and your gonna be nervous enough when it starts running, is the line strong enough, was the knot tied adequately. The 2 big ones iv had recently have both had me thinking!!
TV shows show certain techniques and some explanation of rigs, but there's no point over complicating things, method feeder, waggler float, cage feeder.. They have all worked me me. No fancy tubing or beads or clips etc.. Thursday dinner time I had a nice common carp with a cage feeder filled with a mixture of bream and a carp groundbait ... Size 16 hook with 3 maggots.
Trawl through the carp section and read any and all questions posted.
Iv got a 10ft Abu garcia enticer pro feeder rod. It only just handles a loaded feeder but it been fine bri going the fish in.. Refine the technique then the bigger better rods seem a waste cos it's more fun when you have that element of fear!!

 

[fishplate42]

Thanks for the advice guys. I know you are right, and I will be out there giving it a go.

...You say you are pushing 60. Sorry you missed out all those years!!

I was doing other things I enjoyed doing in "all those years". I am never going to be a fishing fanatic (Famous last words!) my intention is to just spend a few days, as and when, catching fish as a leisure pursuit. I am also enjoying the learning curve.

...Best advice, go fishing and get used to catching, the fight, unhooking, etc..

I agree, that is what I intend to do, in the mean time I intend to collect and collate as much information as I can. As I have said in my blog, I will keep on experimenting and compare the theory with the practical.

Ralph.