Advice needed

Beecy · Sep 6, 2005

I have only started to have a go for carp this season and need a little advise. At the moment I am float fishing with meat ( I don’t want to go down the bolt rig, boilie and bite alarm route yet) on my local lake, close in next to a large bed of lillie pads. On Sunday after five or six fruitless outings I had my first large carp on which went straight for the lilies, snagged me up and broke my hooklength. I am fishing with a 2lb t/c rod, 10lb daiwa main line and 8lb bayer hooklength to a size 8 hook.

What I would like to know is:-

Is the gear I am using up to the job of this hit and hold style? ( the fish range from 10-20lb)

When I strike into a take will the fish generally go off in the opposite direction?, because the lilies are on my left hand side should I strike towards the lilies hoping the fish will go the other way towards the open water?

Little Stu! · Sep 6, 2005

"I have only started to have a go for carp this season and need a little advise."

me finks you're in a chicken and egg situation, you state its new to you, hence you'd have little experience in playing carp on light tackle. You're being snapped up so again you're experinece of playiong these fish on light tackle is not happening. Make sense?

In answer to your question, you need to gain experience playing these torpedos, upgrade your tackle to the following if fishing for carp near snags

12-15lb mainline minimum, 15lb hooklength (braid or mono)

Ron 'The Hat' Clay · Sep 6, 2005

I have caught hundreds of carp fishing close in, in snaggy water in my life.

First of all I would increase the strength of your tackle. Try 15 lb Krystonite. It's much thinner than most other lines. Also use a shorter rod, say 10 feet as against 12 feet. The test curve is about right.

When you strike the fish you have to have all your wits about you and hold on hard. Get the fish coming towards you in one move and keep it there if you can.

If the fish runs towards open water let it, but keep maximum pressure all the time.

This is not a time for back-winding. Use the clutch on the reel set tightly with the anti-reverse on. And if you want to exert more pressure put your finger down and clamp it on the spool.

And heave!!

You should take up fly fishing ny the way. It improves the muscles in your forearm for this sort of tactic.

Paul H · Sep 6, 2005

This is a serious question as I'm interested;

Is that kind of breaking strain suitable for float fishing?

Would you not need a HEFTY float?

And is braid a suitable hooklength for float fishing?

I thought that mainline would be too heavy and springy for floats unless they were jolly big uns and that braid would be too visible hanging in the water.

I stand to be corrected though.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay · Sep 6, 2005

if I were float fishing for big carp close in, I would use an ordinary Drennan Waggler with maybe the hole poked out a bit with a needle to take the stronger line.

I don't think I would use braid, just a line like Krystonite straight through to a substantial hook.

If the water was clear enough I would watch the carp take the bait before striking.

Paul H · Sep 6, 2005

Interesting, I am thinking of getting some Krystonite though I have already got some Berkley Flouro at around 9lb which I intend to put on my imminant centrepin reel for float fishing. Not for Carp of that size though.

Paul H · Sep 6, 2005

Meant to add does the Krystonite not get springy with memory on a light float like that then?

I know 15lb Maxima does.

Bryan Baron 2 · Sep 6, 2005

If your fishing on the bottom just attach a piece of peacock quill with a couple of rubbers. No lead need the weight of the meat will sink it and just wait for the float to dive under. If your not use to playing fish in snags i would up your takle as stu suggest and a stronger rod around the 2.5Ib mark. A lot of people start giving line when they see there rod bent in half.

Fishing Gimp · Sep 6, 2005

Braid is too brutal on the fish for 'hit, hold and haul' tactics as it can really cut into any fish especially if they twist themselves up in the line. Again I have to agree with Ron about the line strain of 15lb minimum with a little give but not too much so line like krystonite fits the bill.

Personally I prefer an 11ft rod with a 2lb test curve that can really bend all the way to the corks combined with a large centre pin so you can really feel the direction the fish is going and anticipate some of the moves they will pull. As for floats if it is really weedy I use a polystyrene nymph fly fishing indicator so that it does not tangle should the fish make it to the weed.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay · Sep 6, 2005

Probably the best type of reel for hook and hold tactics is a small multiplier. It has the attributes of a centre-pin with a fast retrieve.

Take a leaf out of American Bass anglers tactics where they drag out bass from heavy snags and structure using a very stiff rod and 40 lb lines.

Paul H · Sep 6, 2005

How on earth would you persuade a Carp to take anything attached to 40lb line on float?

Ledgering ok but not on a float surely.

Big Rik · Sep 7, 2005

ignore him Paulio, the rest of us do.

Beecy · Sep 7, 2005

Paulio, the tactics I am using would probably be more accurately described as float legering. I am fishing a 2bb drennan crystal fixed bottom only with a float rubber, then I have 2AAA sliding link fixed between 2 sliding stop knots set 6” apart, 8-10” from the hook.

I am sure this is not the best way but it is a style I am comfortable with and enjoy fishing like this, the bites are very exiting – couple of twitches on the float then it comes up like a periscope before sailing away ( problem is its mostly bream!)

Paul H · Sep 7, 2005

I have much to learn about float fishing but have also had some fun and success with float ledgering.

One Drennan waggler on 8lb Berkley vanish straight through to a size 12 Drennan super specialist. A rubber bead pierced sideways holding one small (about 3 SSG) in line ledger weight about 6 - 8 inches from the hook with a sliding stop knot for added security (prevent the weight from getting near the hook or fish when hooked). The float is held with a tail rubber from a lead clip for ease of movement and some loverly tench are on the bank, woohoo!

Beecy · Sep 11, 2005

Beefed up my gear and got my first one out yesterday, one bite in five wet & cold hours.Only small to you lots standards, about 12-14lb.

Now I've a better idea of how much stick you can give them with this sort of gear I should be ok.

Bryan Baron 2 · Sep 11, 2005

What gear have you stepped upto Beecy.

Beecy · Sep 12, 2005

15lb main line, 12lb bottom.

Bryan Baron 2 · Sep 12, 2005

Line is fine it will land just about anything you are likely to hook and what rod have you moved to.

Beecy · Sep 12, 2005

Ive kept the same rod Bryan, I thought I had a 2lb tc rod but on inspecting the print on the blank found out it is actualy 2.5lb! ( they must have given me the wrong rod when I bought it and I never checked-doh).

It is only a cheap job (Zebco cool carp, ?30 including reel) but as I will only be doing the occaisional bit of carping it will do me for now.

I did a bit of messing about in the garden last week with the line tied to a fence post (neighbours probably think I've finaly gone over the edge!) to see how much force I could apply and was amazed at what i found, my feeble arm will break before line or rod!

Bryan Baron 2 · Sep 12, 2005

Well done most people have no idea how much force the can apply. Some of the cheaper rods are great for close work as the rods usually have a soft action which allows a little give with out actually giving any line or pulling the hook.

Hope you keep on catching and keep us informed on your progress.

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