Carp fishing on the River

[Kaz]

Hi Guys, Gals

Can anyone give me some advice as to fish a river for Carp im use to lakes fishing, im going to somerset soon fishing the River Brue and would appreciate any advice, help I can get I thought I would Methode feed, with particals ect, boilie or maggot as hook bait what do you think, look forward to any ideas you can sling my way

 

Thanks Kaz

[Steve Burke]

As always the most important factor is location. Bait and methods are very much secondary. So if you're going more than once I'd spend the first day looking and plumbing as opposed to fishing. As the old adage goes "It's better to spend an hour fishing in the right spot, than a day fishing in the wrong one!"

 

If this is impractical I'd suggest you still spend the first part of the day looking.

 

Otherwise I'd remain as flexible as possible, and decide what to use on the day. I don't know the venue, so hopefully, you'll get some advice from local Forum members that will cut down on your options so that you haven't got to take too much.

 

Whatever you do though make sure at this time of year you take some floating bait, even if it's just good old-fashioned bread!

[Will Wilkinson]

I'd definately echo Steve's recommendation to take bread, both for fishing on the top and as flake on the bottom. I know a couple of people who fish for the big carp in the Great Ouse and they both reckon that bread is the most productive bait, usually fishing a big lump of flake on a size 4. I've been having a lot of success for Chub with hair-rigged mixer popped up 18" off the bottom, this could work well for carp also.

 

A good bed of mixed particles should work well also, I'd be tempted to go for tiger nuts or tiger nut boilies as hook baits in conjunction with particle feed.

 

If people use pellet on the stretch - don't know the Brue myself - then a large pellet, 18-24mm over a bed of smaller ones could work.

 

Will

[Guest Ferret1959]

Kaz.

I have fished the Brue at Bason Bridge and heard of carp coming out of there.

But I haven't fished for them.

I have had big bream on corn,I'd say take some sweetcorn and worms so if you can't find the carp then a nice few bream would be a bonus.

[seph]

Firstly you need to find the fish then a couple of pre-baiting sessions should do the trick, this is how I have nearly all my river carp. Get the fish used to feeding on your bait before fishing for them and you should be into fish almost straight away

[Peter Sharpe]

Don't neglect the margins - and by that I mean within feet of either bank. If it is fairly shallow, find the end of a reed bed and fish level with the outward facing edge of it. If you have six feet or more under your rod tip, then the gentlest of under arm lobs will be about right. Put a bait next to each bank and you won't go far wrong. You can catch in mid-river, but it is not usually the first choice.

I would advise fishing with no more than two rods, as any carp hooked will make long runs up or downstream. A carp going through one line is bad enough, but two is a nightmare.

[Dick Dastardly]

Steve and Will have allready mentioned it but you cant over state how important location is.On my local river there are miles of water without a carp in.Best time to look is during the closed season.

 

I would also forget about using method feeders.Not normally a high enough head of carp to get a competitive feeding situation.

 

Most river carp dont get much pressure so no need for fancy baits.I find mass baits like mini trout pellets good for attracting/holding the fish.Simple TP paste or a TP boillie if there are problems with small fish fished over these is good.Maize is also cheap and effective as a feed and hook bait.

 

Allthough very attractive to carp I find bread and worms attracts too much attention from small fish.

[Kaz]

Thanks for all your tips so far, so maybe ill use loose feed and Pva bag to get feed where i want it I dont know what the river is like yet till I get there so I will take all this advice on board would you still use your bite alarms I