How to catch carp quickly
Let’s be honest, everyone wants to catch carp quickly however most of the time the carp have other ideas. Big carp especially are easily spooked and a lot smarter than smaller fish, this can sometimes make them a pain to catch and leave u disappointed after a whole day of fishing. After years of carp fishing we have compiled together our top tips on how to ensure a quick bite, I’m talking 2-5 bites an hour from good-sized fish. After carp fishing yourself and hearing what the so-called experts are saying you may have doubts about what we are claiming, were here to prove this stuff works.
When wanting to catch fish quickly we believe that there are 3 main aspects that when followed correctly will allow you to achieve the best possible results:
- The swim
- The bait
- The time of year
Getting these factors right will substantially increase your chances of a bite, in the past couple of years we have been able to catch up to 20 fish in one session by implementing these techniques into our fishing.
In this article we will go through different ways in which you can increase your chances of getting a quick bite.
The Swim
Finding the right swim is mandatory if you’re looking to get a quick bite, taking a few laps around the lake to understand the features of the lake as well as look for any signs of the fish is something which we highly recommend. If you can help it you don’t want to be changing swims too often in one session. Look for bubble and ripples in the water, fish usually churn up the bottom of the lake so discolouration of water can also be an indication of fish.
In order to have the best possible view of what’s happening in the lake we recommend using polarised sunglasses, they allow you to see the water clearly and without the glare of the sun, making spotting fish on the surface much easier.
Lakes often have features such as islands in the centre which can be a great place to look for signs of fish, this is because areas which provide cover from open water is where carp will prefer to be. Snags in the lake can also be a great area to fish, however they do increase the risk of a carp getting away.
Choosing the correct swim means that you can design your fishing to best suit a specific area of the lake, later in the this article we will talk about what tackle and bait to use in different situations to ensure a fast bite.
By observing the lake you can pick the best possible swim, it will inevitably lead to better chances of having a bite. If you want more information on how to find fish then check out our in depth review how to find carp in a lake.
The Bait
When aiming for a quick bite, the bait you use has a huge impact on the level of success you will achieve, different baits work better in different situations.
When fishing in the margins or near a lakes features we recommend baiting in the same spot little and often, this draws fish into the swim and keeps them feeding steadily.
When fishing further out, popups have been our most affective bait, not disregarding boilies but the vibrant colour of pop ups is what we believe adds extra attraction. A simple but affective rig that works great with pop ups is a method feeder rig, here is an image of the exact rig we used to catch 20 fish in one session.
A simple method feeder mix works wonders when combined with a highly attractive bait such as a pop up, the key is getting the fish feeding before you cast out a rig, this will increase the chances of a quick bit.
Another excellent bait to use when trying for a quick bite is plain white bread, under the right circumstances bread can be a fantastic bait that’s irresistible to carp. The best time to use bread is when fish are feeding more on the surface, free lining your hook into the water with some bread has hooked us lots of decent sized carp. Once the fish know there is a consistent feed on bread being disposed in certain areas of the lake they all start coming. This technique works best in a well stocked lake on a warm summers day.
Stalking carp using this technique is interactive and enjoyable style of fishing which requires full attention all of the time, for more information on stalking carp check out our full article on how to Salk carp where we talk in depth about stalking and the best way to go about it.
The time of year
We all know that fish feed more in summer meaning that if you’re looking to get lots of bites quickly then a warm summers day is probably your best bet. The higher temperature means carp increase their level of feeding, being able to capitalise on this correctly will help ensure a successful fishing trip.
All in all when aiming to catch fish quickly the spring and summer time is best suited to this goal.
Carp can be a hard fish to catch and sometime they just won’t feed however if you implement these techniques into your fishing your chances of a quick bite should increase.
So there you have it a few tips on how to catch fish quick. If you found this article useful feel free to check out some of our other articles for more info, tips and tricks for your carp fishing.
