Carp fishing on large rivers!

[Pipe]

I recently took up river fishing again after a friend introduced me to a nice fishing spot on our second largest river! My question is how would you approach a river?

[Newt]

How much current in the section you want to fish?

 

Do you have access to method or cage feeders or any way to order them online?

[Pipe]

I recently took up river fishing again after a friend introduced me to a nice fishing spot on our second largest river! My question is how would you approach a river?

 

There is a slow current in the deepest part and almost now current in the shallower areas! I mainly use feeders for most of my fishing!

[Pipe]

There is a slow current in the deepest part and almost now current in the shallower areas! I mainly use feeders for most of my fishing!

 

What rigs, bait, ground bait and method would you use on a river?

[Anthony78]

What rigs, bait, ground bait and method would you use on a river?

 

First you need to be sure that there are carp in the section you intend to fish. Then I would Prebait for a minimum of a week. If there are a lot of bream in the area and your not on a tight budget then a kilo of boilies every 2-3 days should be enough. If moneys a bit tight then go with vitalin and if the bream do move in then you will have to persevere and hope that the carp muscle them out. As for rigs I would go for the same rigs as I fish on lakes, I would just change my lead for a grippa style to hold in any flow there may be and use a back lead(if theres no snags close in) to keep the line free of floating leaves etc. Remember that if you are fishing stretches that have little or no flow then that is where the silt/debri will be collecting so your rig may get burried. I would reposition my baits every 2 hours just to be sure. Remember that river carp are much fitter than there stillwater brothers so you will need strong tackle. You will need a minimum of 12lb mainline, if theres snags around then go up to 15lb use good strong hooks like korda widegape or fox series 2xs.

 

Alternatively you could do what the barbel boys do and cut a large tin of luncheon meat in to four, mount it on a size 2 hook and launch it into the middle of the river. Some very big carp/barbel have been caught on this method.

 

Good luck.

 

Ant

Edited October 26, 2007 by Anthony78

[Newt]

If moneys a bit tight then go with vitalin

He may have the same problem with vitalin that I do - none available that I know of and without a sample, I can't even find out if we have anything similar.

[Anthony78]

He may have the same problem with vitalin that I do - none available that I know of and without a sample, I can't even find out if we have anything similar.

 

Oh Crap!! Sorry I didn't even realise that you were from South Africa. That changes everything. Ok you need some size 22 hooks 18lb mainline and live flees off a cheetah's back for bait and before you ask I'm not letting the results of a certain rugby match influence my answers

Only kidding, let us know what you have to work with and we will try to help you out.

 

Ant

[Pipe]

Oh Crap!! Sorry I didn't even realise that you were from South Africa. That changes everything. Ok you need some size 22 hooks 18lb mainline and live flees off a cheetah's back for bait and before you ask I'm not letting the results of a certain rugby match influence my answers

Only kidding, let us know what you have to work with and we will try to help you out.

 

Ant

 

I can get most and tackle bait that you have in Europe! I think our rivers is a lot like French rvers. There is mainly 5 big species of fish in our rivers Carp, catfish, mudfish and small- and largemouth yellowfish. Here is a link if you want to look at some of the fish http://www.indigenousfishing.co.za/

 

In the slow flowing parts in the rivers we mainly catch carp and catfish! In the section I'm fishing, the average size carp is 12lb and the largest that have been caught 27lb, but there have to be larger ones. In this section of river it is very deep and the current is slow. What bait and techniques would you recommend?

 

I have added a picture of one of the carp(5.5kg)

[Anthony78]

I can get most and tackle bait that you have in Europe! I think our rivers is a lot like French rvers. There is mainly 5 big species of fish in our rivers Carp, catfish, mudfish and small- and largemouth yellowfish. Here is a link if you want to look at some of the fish http://www.indigenousfishing.co.za/

 

In the slow flowing parts in the rivers we mainly catch carp and catfish! In the section I'm fishing, the average size carp is 12lb and the largest that have been caught 27lb, but there have to be larger ones. In this section of river it is very deep and the current is slow. What bait and techniques would you recommend?

 

I have added a picture of one of the carp(5.5kg)

 

I would definately go with the prebaiting approach that I mentioned earlier whether it be with trout/halibut pellets and boilies (if you don't mind catching catfish) or some kind of cereal type groundbait. Vitalin is a dog food mix which contains lots of flaked maize. Maybe you have a substitute??

As for hookbaits if your fishing boilies and pellet then 2 large fishmeal boilies (maybe 20mm) to try and select the larger fish or for the cereal approach then a method feeder with the same mix as you are feeding and a stack of corn/maize on a short hooklength. I hope this given you some ideas. Good luck.

 

Ant

[Pipe]

I would definately go with the prebaiting approach that I mentioned earlier whether it be with trout/halibut pellets and boilies (if you don't mind catching catfish) or some kind of cereal type groundbait. Vitalin is a dog food mix which contains lots of flaked maize. Maybe you have a substitute??

As for hookbaits if your fishing boilies and pellet then 2 large fishmeal boilies (maybe 20mm) to try and select the larger fish or for the cereal approach then a method feeder with the same mix as you are feeding and a stack of corn/maize on a short hooklength. I hope this given you some ideas. Good luck.

 

Ant

 

Here is that pic of the 12lb carp: