what bait is best to catch carp?

[kderocheross1]

dont add taste to them and any 1s seen to work i just use tesco value or any 1 that comes to me but i mainly use tesco coz its cheaper

[kennard]

if i was you, wait until late in the evening as the sunny is setting, this is when the surface water is at its hottest. if its a big lake then bait a few swims with pedigree chum mixer couple of hours before sunset. only put them in the margins. hopefully a few patrolling carp will start sucking up your bait. the best methed and most exciting is to freeline a dog biscuit. i would use a strong low diam 8lb-12lb line and a size 12-14 strong hook. any bigger than this and the dogbiscuit will look very un-natuaral, and they may not even look at it lol. to hook the biscuit i use a john roberts halibut pellet band, make sure its the 8-25mm size (tells you on the pack). see the fish you want and cast it just infront of where the fish is goin, and if its all correct you will see it "take the biscuit". and get ready for the best fight ever! they go mental once they are hooked lol. try seeing a swim where an angler has left also, as they may have chucked in un-used bait. remember the margins dont get fished by many carp anglers as thier sight is only on the horizon 100+ yards away :P lol. so good luck :)
tight lines chris

[Fisherwood]

I would be float fishing with sweetcorn.

[dougwoolcott]

Freeline floating crust or try a lobworm

[fishingcanada]

I use a lot of natural baits, as I feel many anglers overlook them so again, I find they work very well; nuts, beans, maize, etc. You need to make sure they are well soaked and prepared properly before use though.

[carp-catcha]

Sometimes just fishing with a few lobworms on the hook can do the trick, especially when the boilies and other processed baits aren't working.

[STOKIEPHIL77]

Originally Posted by norwichfishing1986

hiya. i have been struggling to even get a bite even though theres for than 250 big carp in where i fish. i have been using pop ups, tuna flavoured and pineapple? they used to work. what would you recommend and whats been working for you. cheers norwichfishing1986

Hi m8ty. Its very possible that if you and presumably others at the lake have all been using the same baits and possibly even very similar rigs that the fish could now associate the bait and/or rigs with danger. They may be savvy to whats on offer having been caught many times before. It is also that the fish have been caught on boilies that arent carp food ie pop ups are usually associated with bright colours and tatse attractors but usually means less REAL food. The fish will soon know that some particular bait is attractive at firs but wont sustain all the nutritional requirments of the carp. Brightly coloured pop ups in fruity flavours are good for short summer sessions when u want a fast bite.....using high vizbility/smell attraction. To keep carp taking your bait use boilies/pop ups of a good quality. try to get ones full of "fish food".....containing some of the many nutritional requirments. fish will want to continue te eat these. You can add attractors (dips/sprays) to increase the attraction and also to switch between to get something a bit different to everyone at the lake. But thats a bit about boilies.........dont forget REAL FISH FOOD, cant go wrong with maggots or worm. If its the way the bait is presented that is the problem then u might have to get on the bottom and encourage them down with a pva bag/stick. which is where PRE DRILLED HALIBUT PELLETS gets a much deserved mention. A bag filled with micropellets, crushed and whole halibuts, groundbait and maybe some corn for the visual. This gives you a choice of what to use on the hair ie while pellet or corn or even boilie. The ground bait will rise up through the water with the oil from the halibuts and tempt the fish to your tight pile of bait around your hook. Halibuts are FISH FOOD! In a nutshell id say it is likely that the fish are simply pressured from the same baits and method and a complete new approach could well see you leavin the others at the venue in the dust!. Plus you may want to consider fishing away from the usuall angling pressure. The regular hotspots could now be no go zones to the carp if there have been a lot of fish caught over the past. I would go for the halibut/pva bag option 1st....maybe firing 4-5 halibuts over the top every 10 to 15 mins. But either way pop up or pellet make sure to get a FOOD bait that will sustain the carp and with its ingredients. Anyway thats my opinion. Hope some of it is helpful/interesting Phil

[STOKIEPHIL77]

Originally Posted by norwichfishing1986

hiya. i have been struggling to even get a bite even though theres for than 250 big carp in where i fish. i have been using pop ups, tuna flavoured and pineapple? they used to work. what would you recommend and whats been working for you. cheers norwichfishing1986

Hi m8ty. Its very possible that if you and presumably others at the lake have all been using the same baits and possibly even very similar rigs that the fish could now associate the bait and/or rigs with danger. They may be savvy to whats on offer having been caught many times before. It is also that the fish have been caught on boilies that arent carp food ie pop ups are usually associated with bright colours and tatse attractors but usually means less REAL food. The fish will soon know that some particular bait is attractive at firs but wont sustain all the nutritional requirments of the carp. Brightly coloured pop ups in fruity flavours are good for short summer sessions when u want a fast bite.....using high vizbility/smell attraction. To keep carp taking your bait use boilies/pop ups of a good quality. try to get ones full of "fish food".....containing some of the many nutritional requirments. fish will want to continue te eat these. You can add attractors (dips/sprays) to increase the attraction and also to switch between to get something a bit different to everyone at the lake. But thats a bit about boilies.........dont forget REAL FISH FOOD, cant go wrong with maggots or worm. If its the way the bait is presented that is the problem then u might have to get on the bottom and encourage them down with a pva bag/stick. which is where PRE DRILLED HALIBUT PELLETS gets a much deserved mention. A bag filled with micropellets, crushed and whole halibuts, groundbait and maybe some corn for the visual. This gives you a choice of what to use on the hair ie while pellet or corn or even boilie. The ground bait will rise up through the water with the oil from the halibuts and tempt the fish to your tight pile of bait around your hook. Halibuts are FISH FOOD! In a nutshell id say it is likely that the fish are simply pressured from the same baits and method and a complete new approach could well see you leavin the others at the venue in the dust!. Plus you may want to consider fishing away from the usuall angling pressure. The regular hotspots could now be no go zones to the carp if there have been a lot of fish caught over the past. I would go for the halibut/pva bag option 1st....maybe firing 4-5 halibuts over the top every 10 to 15 mins. But either way pop up or pellet make sure to get a FOOD bait that will sustain the carp and with its ingredients. Anyway thats my opinion. Hope some of it is helpful/interesting Phil

[ninjacarp]

ok well first of all its hot so carp will patrol the surface of the lake/pond so a surface bait will probably be best but also look for features such as overhanging trees or a big feature that casts a shadow because i find as it get too hot for the fish they go to the shadows to hide from the sun ... as for the bait, bread flake is an overlooked one imo and you don't even have to fish it far off the bank so the enjoyment of seeing the fish take it is even better although a quick warning stay very still as not to spook them off, also try chum mixer as stated in another reply, an addative is not strictly neccessary but it wont hurt either way try fruity flavours my favorite at the minute is a pinnaple flavoured liquid you just squirt on, i cannot remmeber the brand off the top of my head and i dont have any in the house at this time .. hope it helps

ninjacarp