Baits for carp and grass carp that avoid bream and tench

Paul Neate · Jun 1, 2015

I have just started fishing a local water that has some large (30 lb +) carp and large (20 lb +) grass carp, but also has a good head of bream to 7 lb + and tench to 6 lb +.

Any suggestions for baits and tactics for the carp and grass carp that will not immediately be hoovered up by the bream or tench? (The pond also has a large head of coots, moorhens and ducks which could present a challenge for surface fishing.)

geoffmaynard · Jun 1, 2015

Sounds perfect for floater fishing then. Wouldn't be the same without the bird challenge

law · Jun 1, 2015

Grass carp are vegetarian.
Ive had several on sweetcorn but bread works well too.

stu_the_blank · Jun 1, 2015

law said:
Grass carp are vegetarian.

I've had them on luncheon meat occasionally and regularly on fishmeal boilies, I'm not sure that they are.

To avoid Bream? A difficult one. You could try chick peas but if the Bream get their heads down, there's not a lot they won't hoover up!

I think that you may have to put up with them!

Stu

Stu

john step · Jun 1, 2015

Sounds like an absolute dream of a water. Bait hoovered up by tench...heaven.

On a serious note though, have you tried bigger boilies and donkey choker pellets?

There is a water I fish with grass carp in it. There are some thick leaved plants that grow around it. There are only two things I have seen them take regularly is bits of this plant thrown onto the surface and cornflakes which can last only a minute or so before disintegrating.
Super glue two pieces together to make a sandwich with the hook in the middle. It works but its very fiddly.

law · Jun 1, 2015

stu_the_blank said:
I've had them on luncheon meat occasionally and regularly on fishmeal boilies, I'm not sure that they are.

I've had one on meat too, but the general consensus is, that they don't eat meat! Mind you, I had a cat on bread while fishing for grass carp once, and everyone sais that cats don't like bread!

Paul Neate · Jun 2, 2015

law said:
I've had one on meat too, but the general consensus is, that they don't eat meat! Mind you, I had a cat on bread while fishing for grass carp once, and everyone sais that cats don't like bread!

I once had a cat that liked marmite sandwiches ... oh, you mean catFISH. Silly me.

But, seriously, many thanks for the rapid replies and suggestions. I think I am going to try float fishing large lumps of breadflake near the marginal lillies and donky-choker boilies out by the island -- see what that brings up.

But knowing me, I'll probably go back to smaller boilies or pellets just to get a few runs. I never was much of a specimen hunter -- no patience.

alsoran · Jun 2, 2015

Peanuts in the margins for the bigger carp and 'Sugar Puffs'/'Honey Monster Puffs' for the grass carp.

law · Jun 2, 2015

neophyte said:
But knowing me, I'll probably go back to smaller boilies or pellets just to get a few runs. I never was much of a specimen hunter -- no patience.

In that case, fish 2 rods. One on bread/corn, the other fish big fish baits!

stu_the_blank · Jun 2, 2015

alsoran said:
Peanuts in the margins for the bigger carp

Peanuts are banned (with good reason) on a lot of waters. Be sure that you check before using them. Unfortunately, they were very effective!

Stu

carperjake · Jun 4, 2015

Big boilies, 24mm minimum or tiger nuts. If you're concerned about preparing them then buy the ready prepared ones from Dynamite from your tackle shop, they come tinned and are easy to use out of the tin.

If you want to prepare your own then try this:

Soak in water for 24hrs, if you can get lake water or rain water then use that for soaking.

Add a handful of rocksalt for each kilo you are soaking.

Once soaked pour them into a big pan, I have a Burco for preparing particles but a big pot will do just as well. Boil the nuts for 30mins at least, a good rolling boil is what you need.

Put the lot in an airtight container and use within 72/96hours.

For a change omit the salt and add a flavour, sweet flavours work best IMHO. Alternatively add nothing until cooked then add 250gm sugar into the cooked nuts and liquid and allow to ferment.

Spomb them out so you don't lose the liquid as the juices are a great attractant.

Fish 2 on the hair and a piece of cork in between to balance them out. Don't use a piece of fake corn etc as a sighter as this will still attract the nuisance fish and they'll hook themselves up inadvertently.

laguna · Jun 5, 2015

john step said:
Sounds like an absolute dream of a water. Bait hoovered up by tench...heaven.

Indeed! and to think (heaven forbid) they should ever be regarded as a nuisance fish??????

mg:

Bream on the other hand....

carperjake · Jun 5, 2015

Nuisance fish in this case would be the rudd on my syndicate! There's thousands of the little buggers.

elzevir · Jun 25, 2015

Tigers
Tigers
And more tigers

Paul Neate · Jun 25, 2015

Well, that will teach me -- been trying 20 mm boilies, peanuts and chickpeas, and haven't had a bite since. I think I will go back to smallish (12 mm) halibut pellets and just "put up with" the tench and bream while hoping one of the carp takes a fancy.

Had a similar problem with "nuisance" salmon while night fishing for sea trout - switched tactics to avoid the salmon, caught nothing.

benny samways · Jun 25, 2015

Try deliberately targeting the tench and bream. The law of sod would say that you would then start picking up nuisance carp?!

elzevir · Jul 16, 2015

Any decent bait will be attractive to other fish as well as carp
If you are catching tench on a bait that is good in my opinion as they are massively finicky and sensitive to baits

Just up the size to 20mm as an absolute minimum. Try 25mm, it's different and works well for carp. In the late 70s people used absolutely giant baits of around 75mm as the norm

Baits for carp and grass carp that avoid bream and tench

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