Welcome to our guide on the Characteristics of carp! Carp are a popular game fish that can be found in many freshwater bodies around the world, and they are known for their size, strength, and resilience. If you are interested in targeting carp, it is important to be properly prepared and to choose the right location and gear.

In this guide, we will be exploring the basics of carp fishing, including how to prepare and choose the right location, as well as the characteristics and behaviors of carp.

So let's get started and learn about carp fishing!

Carp fishing

Who wants to say anything, every fisherman's big dream is to catch a big carp. But not many fishermen know that they have two options when catching carp: waiting for the fish or looking for it. Here we will describe the advantages of the second method.

The culmination of carp hunting usually begins in June. But carp also bite in April and May, as long as the pond is allowed to fish. If you have decided to wait until the end of May, it is not superfluous to learn some subtleties. One method promises you special success. The magic word is stalking.

Why the prospects for catching in June are so favorable? Because at the beginning of summer, in the morning and evening twilight, carp are especially greedy and looking for food. And very often in close proximity to the shore. Therefore, the fisherman must be very careful as an "Indian on the path of war" to sneak from one place with carp to another.

Characteristics of carp

The carp has an elongated, laterally flattened, thickened in the front and not the very high body, covered with large, well-shaped scales. On the back they are dark in color, and on the sides of the body - silver-golden-yellow. Compared to the body, his head is small, with a semi-lower mouth, with two small whiskers on the upper lip. In the mouth, there are three-row pharyngeal teeth with well-developed chewing plates.

Growth

If we compare it with other fish, carp grow too fast. Its growth rate depends on the amount of food in the pond and the amount of carp in it. Under good conditions in the first year the carp reach 50-60 g, the two-year-olds are over 500-800 g, and the three-year-olds - are 1,200-1500 kg. The carp reaches 40 years of age. And its length can reach 1 m and weigh 50-60 kg. Medium-sized specimens are usually caught - from 7 to 15 kg.

What does the carp eat?

Carp is a thermophilic bottom fish. He seeks his food mainly in the mud. He is extremely undemanding to her. He eats almost everything. In the beginning, it feeds on zooplankton, larvae of mosquitoes and dragonflies, then on crustaceans, worms, larvae of benthic invertebrates, seeds of higher plants, wheat, corn, rye, and others.

[caption id="attachment_2853" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Natural Diet of Wild Carp[/caption]

The Carp is interested in food only when the water temperature rises above 10 degrees, but lazily. As the temperature rises, so does his need for food. When the temperature is between 20 and 25 degrees, he begins to eat very hard. After exceeding 30 degrees, his desire to eat drops sharply.

At below 10 degrees, the carp stops feeding.

The Carp Sense of Danger

The carp has a highly developed sense of impending danger and is able to emerge unscathed from the most difficult situations. He jumps overfishing mushrooms and nets, hides from them in the small depressions at the bottom, and with flat bottoms lies on one side or surrounds them from afar.

Carp Hearing

This fish has well-developed hearing, smell, and sight. She quickly notices the moving angler, the falling insects, and the bait. He carefully walks around and examines the bait, and if he likes it, he swallows it carefully.

The Carp In winter

When the temperature is below 5 degrees, the carp falls into a deep hibernation by being buried in the mud or hiding in deep places. While sleeping he is numb, motionless, with very minimal metabolism, with 3-4 breathing movements of the gills per minute, and is all covered with mucus.

Carp fishing gear

The carp fishing gear used must meet the highest requirements. For large bodies of water, take a short spinning rod with greater hardness or a carp rod. It quickly tires the fish when it is taken out of the water, without allowing it to become entangled in the roots or in some other underwater obstacles. For reservoirs overgrown with denser aquatic vegetation, ordinary glued and non-glued bamboo rods with a length of at least 3 meters are also good.

The reel

She must be healthy. Baytruner reels have advantages because they can be wound with a lot of fiber, and this is especially important when removing carp hooks. There are cases when the carp rushes to the shore from afar and in order to get rid of the hook, it gets entangled in the rhizomes of trees or bushes at the very feet of the angler.

Reels with a simpler device, although not solid, are designed for ordinary rods. But it is better to work with the reel than without it. The LARGE, but not very heavy SPINNING reel is suitable for carp.

The Line

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[caption id="attachment_1894" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Line[/caption]

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Fiber with a diameter of 0.30 - 0.40 mm. and a length of 150 m is sufficient. The occasion should be the same diameter or one or two numbers smaller.

The hooks

It is recommended that the hook is from number 3 to number 8 depending on the size of the fish to be caught. It is preferable to BOTTOM fishing with movable weight or without weight - when using a larger lure (bait weighing 25 g. Allows you to make a fairly long cast).

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="170"] Circle Hook[/caption]

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The best places where you can outsmart the carp are reed belts, swamps, and places where algae grow.

It is advantageous for fishermen that fish are often released while looking for food - when they dig up the mud, air bubbles appear on the surface of the water. Also, swaying reeds are a sure sign of fish.

Fishing Tactics

When the sun is shining and the water is warm, we can be a little lucky to see fat carp swimming calmly around the shore or sunbathing on the surface of the water. Jumping carp are a signal to prepare the rods during the lurking hunt. Prerequisites for success are calm behavior and the use of the smallest opportunity to catch.

The equipment should be limited to what is necessary, as the fisherman is almost constantly on the move to looking for one place after another to hunt carp. It is best to use flexible fingers 3 meters long. They should never be hard because otherwise, the hook will easily come off the fish when pulled.

[caption id="attachment_2934" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Carp Hooked With Corn[/caption]

The rod must be equipped with a small and easily adjustable spool. Make sure it has a reliable counter. The cord depends on the weight of the rod and should be between 0.22 and 0.27 mm. In areas where there is vegetation and algae in the water, where the rod could be hooked, you can safely put a thicker cord. Dough balls can be attached to the hook. The dough is of particular interest because it is very usable and also easy to prepare. If colorant and flavoring are added, it can become even more tempting for fish.

Bait tests consist of a binder and various ingredients. Breadcrumbs or wholemeal flour can be used as a binder. They are mixed with cat food, pate, sardines, and even dog food to make a soft dough, but still firm enough to hold onto the hook. As for the ingredients of the dough, there are no limits to the imagination. One tries by learning. You can improve the quality of your dough by adding casein or minerals.

Preparation for carp fishing

[caption id="attachment_1896" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Characteristics of carp[/caption]

The Preparation

The first question we ask ourselves is - where to Fish ?

We assess where the chances of catching carp are best. Once we have settled on a suitable reservoir, we carry out the necessary preliminary preparations. If we are not indifferent to what kind of fish we will catch, we must be aware of some facts about the pond in which we fish and the habits of carp in it. Consultation with local fishermen can always bring only benefits.

Choice of location

When you arrive at the pond, spend as much time as you can spend exploring, try to understand where the fish are spinning. It is not necessary to take the tools out of the car and get stuck in the first place that comes before your eyes. It often happens that fishermen arrive at the reservoir, place the rods in the first convenient place and catch almost nothing all day.

Chasing the fish

Sometimes it is good to fish with a spare rod - to change the position of the bait in the water. The second spare rod is ready, loaded on shore, while the first is thrown. When a fish shows up and makes a circle in the water, we just throw the prepared second rod to the place where the fish appeared.

Testing New Bait

It is always good to try new bait while fishing. We never know if we will be more successful with the use of new lures. The new bait can irritate the fish more and predispose it to more active biting.

The line

Carefully choose what is the main fiber used according to the pond in which it is fished. The fiber must be strong, not too old and worn out. Often pies for fishing with thinner fiber play a bad joke: instead of providing a better bite due to its more difficult visibility in the water, the thin fiber is torn by larger and more combative fish. Sometimes a different colored fiber may be more appropriate for ultimate success.

For example, if everyone in the pond uses brown fiber and you switch to colorless, the pecking may become more active.

Lead

Sometimes the difference in length is decisive. Strength, color, and thickness are also important. It is not a good decision to fish with a thin lead when there are teasing, overgrown with bushes shore, or reeds around. Change tactics until something works.

Binoculars

[caption id="attachment_1895" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Binoculars[/caption]

If you have good binoculars, you will see how useful they can be when looking for feeding fish on the surface of the water. Without it, you would not notice the little black cloud of water and the trace of bubbles that suggest the presence of fish.

Carp Habitat

In almost all artificial reservoirs, in the Black Sea marshes and lakes, and in the lower reaches of major rivers. . This fish prefers warmer waters with a muddy bottom. In rivers, it stays where the current is weak and the water depth is greater.

The reservoirs themselves inhabit quiet places with hard and soft vegetation and algae.

Bait Installations

In ponds with muddy bottoms, the bait often gets stuck in the mud and hides. To prevent this, it is best to fix the weight fixed at the end of the main fiber. At 15-20 cm in the direction of the rod is attached one hook, tied for a shorter occasion, and then another 20-30 cm and the other.

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This method of mounting the weight facilitates casting, with the bait hooks not buried in the mud. After casting, place the rod on the stand, adjust the advance of the reel and wait for the bite.

Detection

When caring for the bait, the carp SHOULD NOT feel any resistance, or very little. The detection should not be accelerated, but wait for the bait to be well eaten by the carp. It is detected vigorously and quickly. Old carp do not offer much resistance when removed. They are lazy and act primarily with their weight. Suitable time for carp fishing

From spring to autumn it is best to fish with a long rod "lightly". Later in the spring he goes to the depths and has to be attracted by lure. In April, carp can be seen in the vegetation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, carp fishing can be a challenging and rewarding activity that requires proper preparation, the right location, and the right gear.

Remember to always follow local fishing regulations, practice catch and release, and respect the environment when carp fishing.

With the right preparation and knowledge, you can have a successful and rewarding outing on the water.