Top 10 Tips For Catching More Carp – Without spending a penny!

Carp Fishing Tip #1 – Observation

Always watch the water make and sure that when you turn up to the venue you don't just drop in the first swim that you find. Take time to walk around the lake and keep an eye on the water at all times.

What you're looking for is any sort of signs of fish, perhaps some bubbling coming up in the water that can indicate the fish are feeding on the bottom and obviously a fish jumping out is another indication. Also, just a little ripple of rings that could be where their dorsal fin just leaves the water and leaves a little reflection. It's obviously a lot harder when it's windier, but spending the time walking around the lake, looking, will help you find the fish.

If you find the fish and you're getting a swim near them you're much more likely to catch them and don't forget, not only do you look for signs of fish in the open water you should also look right in the edges under a tree and in the margins.

Carp Fishing Tip #2 – Research the Venue

If it's the first time you going to a venue then do your research first.  There is so much information available online and the first place to go is YouTube. Search the venue name there will be lots of videos available where you can pick up some tips about where the good areas are other bits of advice from anglers that fish it regularly.

Go to the website of the fishery and you’ll most likely find write-ups where other anglers have said how they've caught they're caught on zigs or where they caught on the bottom. You might even get a bit more information about the depth of the lake, which is the deeper end and which is the shallower end and which is which peg that commands a lot of water.  You can never do enough research!

Carp Fishing Tip #3 – Check the Weather

One topic that we love to talk about in the UK is the weather, and there are loads of apps out there that you can download to give you accurate forecasts.  Understanding the weather conditions whilst you’re at the lake is one of the best bits of advice to help you catch more carp.

One such app is Windy, which as the name implies, tells you which direction the wind is going to be blowing and how it will change every hour over your session.  For example, if you've got a nice South Westerly wind coming that's a warm wind, then quite often the fish will follow this wind if it's blowing into the one corner that's a good chance where the fish are going to be. However, if it's a Northerly wind it tends to be really cold, so sometimes you will find the fish on the back of this wind.

Also, and this may sound completely obvious, but understanding the weather will also have an effect on what you need to be wearing to make sure you’re comfortable in all conditions whilst on the bank – sometimes the obvious tips are the best ones!

Carp Fishing Tip #4 – Learn to be Accurate

Tip number four is to learn to be accurate.  This is something that can only come with time and practice, therefore it’s a good idea is to keep a rod with a reel and a lead in the car, so anytime you get an hour and you can get down a lake and practice casting at the same marker in the distance or even over to the far margin.

Another way to be accurate is to learn how to wrap u.  Once you can wrap up and once you've found your spot, you know that you will always be casting into exactly the same area.  This means that you can accurately bait the same spot and then place your rig exactly over the bait, increasing your chance of a catch massively.

Carp Fishing Tip #5 – Learn How to Feel the Lead Down

This is also called looking for the ‘donk’ and is a technique that takes a bit of practice, however, once mastered, it will give you valuable information about how your lead is sitting and the nature of the lake bed.

When you cast out your rod, keep your line tight as the lead hits the water and as the lead falls through the water you will feel a slightly different sensation when the lead hits the bottom.  For instance, if the lake bed is firm, you will feel a ‘donk’ sensation through the rod.  If you feel it very lightly then it’s an indication that there could be silt and if you definitely don’t feel anything, then you are definitely in some thick weed.

The sensation is always felt best when using braid on your spod and marker rods.

Carp Fishing Tip #6 – Keep Your Kit Clean

Keeping your kit clean is not just a good idea to protect all of the kit that you need to carp fish, it helps with performance as well.  For example, keeping the eyes of your rod clean will make sure there’s no build of dirt when casting and it’s always a good idea to run your line through a towel when winding back in to remove any sediment.

After using your bite alarms, make sure they are dry before packing them away to make sure moisture doesn’t get inside, causing them to fail when you come to use them on your next session.

It may sound obvious, but keeping your kit as clean as possible will not only make sure it lasts as long as it should do, it will also make for a more comfortable time on the bank.

Carp Fishing Tips #7 – Organise Your Tackle Bag

To make the most of your time whilst fishing, make sure your tackle bag is as organised as possible so that you know exactly where everything is.  Knowing exactly where your hooks, leads, lead clips and other bits of terminal are will make it a lot quicker to get your rig straight back out after a bite or when changing tactics.  Also, by having a designated place for everything, it’s easier to find what you need in the middle of the night.

Carp Fishing Tips #8 – Be Prepared

Always make sure that you are prepared for the lake that you are going to fish.  Have pre-tied rigs ready to go and if you’re using PVA bags, have some ready-tied bags so that you can spend more time fishing and less time getting your rigs ready.

Carp Fishing Tips #9 – Put in the Effort

The most common peg at any lake may be the one that is closest to the car park, however, pegs that are further away may be better options as the fish don’t get any pressure, so putting in the effort to walk around the lake can definitely pay off.

Also, don’t get all your kit out and set up to be on the same swim throughout your session.  Be prepared to move to where the fish are, therefore putting in the effort to pack down and set up elsewhere should never be ignored.

Carp Fishing Tip #10 – Be Nice, Be Polite

This is one of the most, if not THE most important tip.  Being nice and polite to fellow anglers and especially the lake bailiffs can help you massively with important information that’s going to help you, whether this is a new or known lake.

Bailiffs know pretty much everything about their lake, so, take the time to talk to them, make them a brew and they may just help to give you the edge you are looking for.

Manners cost nothing!

Summary

Hopefully some, or all of these tips, will help you catch more fish without spending a penny!  Some may be obvious or simple, but sometimes, these are the best tips and whether you are new to carp fishing or a seasoned angler, never stop learning!