Another question to the carpers

[Sportsman]

The last time I fished for carp they were wild and a 10lber would have been exceptional. After 20 years of fly fishing with the occasional session after Pike I got back into coarse fishing over the past 2-3 years but there are very limited opportunities to fish for large carp this far North so it is a bit of a new subject for me.

We are moving to France in September and there are several lakes containing carp up to 45lb withion a few minutes drive, so it would be a pity not to have an occasional go for them

Now I have the portable TV, electric reels and automatic rods on the radio controlled rod pod, which apparently all carpers have, but I have one or two more basic questions on the subject of rigs.

I have read up on the basics of rig tying and can tie a hair with a knotless knot but what I don't understand is the difference between all of the hook link or leader material. Stiff, coated, strippable, leadcore, braid. What are they all for and when do I use what.

I have loads of 25lb braid laying around from the pike fishing. Can I use that and if not, why not?

What do you guys use that works for you.

[DavyR]

I'm no expert by any means, but it doesn't do any harm to keep things as simple as possible. Chris Yates does ok with simple running rigs or freeline tactics (or float fishing) using mono hooklengths (sometimes plain braid) and even I catch a few that way as well.

 

If you're determined to go down the "Fox" route, there are numerous rig-tying vids on YouTube or detailed instructions on the various carpy websites. This one is quite useful:

 

http://www.carp-fishing-tactics.com/

[Elton]

Clint wrote a bit about them here:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/carp-fishing-a...-hooklinks.html

[Dales]

I'm no expert by any means, but it doesn't do any harm to keep things as simple as possible. Chris Yates does ok with simple running rigs or freeline tactics (or float fishing) using mono hooklengths (sometimes plain braid) and even I catch a few that way as well.

 

Sounds like good advice, it's all ways best to keep your rigs as simple as possible and a straight forward hair rig on any of the soft hook link braids should work fine for most occasions. The 25lb braid you have should be fine as main line for the large Carp you will get in France, but don't use this as a hook link material as it may cut the fish, mono or any of the specialist braid hook link materials would be better and cause less damage.

[poledark]

SP, Glad to be of help

 

 

2.5 oz running leads, 8" hooklink with a hair that gives you a 1/4" gap between bait and hook. Hooklink of any material, soft braid is best. Your 25lb braid will be fine, I use 20lb myself never cut a fishes mouth in over 50 years of carping.

 

Make up a stringer of boilies with PVA tape, hook this over the hook and cast out. The stringer will reduce/stop tangles and the resulting freebies will help to attract the carp.

 

That's it, not complicated, but it will help if you can spot/find the fish first, so ask around when you get there.

 

A stringer is 5 or 6 baits mounted on a baiting needle and the pva tape is pulled thro' and tied.

 

Any basic fishmeal boilie will catch if they are feeding.

 

Welcome to the dark side :)

 

Den

Edited April 16, 2010 by poledark

[Peter M]

i use 10 to 15 pound flurocarbon when tying my own rigs or you can just buy braided hook lengths ready tied on ebay. i use either small sweet bolie ie tuti fruity or strawberry or i use 12 mil halibut pelletsthat i buy pre drilled or you can use a bait band . this is for going for double figure carp up to 20 pounds. This time of the year though i use maggots under a float for carp fishing on commercials. when May comes and my club is open i will use the carp rods with above tactics. I also feel it is important to use safety clips in a semi fixed style and i would never use fixed bolt rigs as they can harm fish. I have very cheap electronic bite alarms that are very good, i don't own a bait boat and i rarely fish very far out unless the margins are very shallow which can be the case on some french lakes so i have been told.

[essox_lucius]

i use 10 to 15 pound flurocarbon when tying my own rigs or you can just buy braided hook lengths ready tied on ebay. i use either small sweet bolie ie tuti fruity or strawberry or i use 12 mil halibut pelletsthat i buy pre drilled or you can use a bait band . this is for going for double figure carp up to 20 pounds. This time of the year though i use maggots under a float for carp fishing on commercials. when May comes and my club is open i will use the carp rods with above tactics. I also feel it is important to use safety clips in a semi fixed style and i would never use fixed bolt rigs as they can harm fish. I have very cheap electronic bite alarms that are very good, i don't own a bait boat and i rarely fish very far out unless the margins are very shallow which can be the case on some french lakes so i have been told.

one word hooklinks = flurocarbon i use it in all my fishing and i do ok

[Sportsman]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

No disrespect to anyone else but what works for Den is likely to work for me

[Sportsman]

OK, I've just bought some Kryston Silkworm leader and apart from the colour I cant really see any difference to the braid that is on my reels. It might be a touch thicker but that's about it.

Any explanation why the Silkworm costs so much more

[jedibond]

Yep, it's the Kryston bit in front of it that makes it more expensive