A rogue angler who catches a specimen, puts it in a tank and takes it to a water where he knows he’ll get a few hundred pounds for it from an unscrupulous stockist who isn’t too choosy about the origin of his fish. Tragically, stealing carp is becoming much more calculated and, in some cases, …
Landing carp safely is all about patience and care. Anglers who chase fish with the net may knock them off the hook. So it’s essential to wait until the fish’s head is above the water before attempting to net it. Mick draws the carp over the net and lifts it clear. It’s a plump mirror …
Most carp anglers today use 20-30cm (8-12in) long hook links, with anti-ject hair rigs and semi-fixed or fixed leads. ‘his arrangement relies on the fish sucking a the hookbait and moving a few centime-res, whereupon the heavy weight pulls the took into the carp’s lip. In most everyday carp angling situations this is probably one …
Crucian carp are much neglected by specimen hunters because they fail to reach a good size in most waters. But if you pick your water carefully, you could find yourself attached to a very big fish. The current record for a crucian carp stands at 5lb 10oz 8dm (2.56kg), but in small farm ponds these …
Next to presenting bread crusts on a greased line, perhaps the most effec-tive of all carping methods – and there are many – is to ‘freeline’. The secret behind this most sensitive presentation is to choose a bait large and heavy enough to be cast accurately without the addition of shots or float, and simply …
Spawning generally takes place be-tween early May and late July, and is primarily dependent upon water tem-perature. Usually, this needs to be in excess of 17°C (62.6°F) to stimulate the wild carp into spawning. There is strong evidence to suggest that spawning is often prolonged over a period of several days, or even weeks although …
