How to Catch Carp

Common Carp are arguably the top gamefish in Quebec, but remain very underappreciated. They fight hard, require a lot of skill to catch consistently, and are pretty photogenic. However, many anglers seem to turn their noses up to them, perhaps because they are too difficult to catch or maybe because they don't make great table-fare. Admittedly, they don't taste very good (in my opinion). In an attempt to solve the first problem and make them a bit more accessible, here's a beginner's guide to catching carp.

Common Carp

The Spot:

We'll keep it simple for this part. Like many other fish, Carp move around depending on the season and can relate to many different structures and parts of a water body. However, I've found one of the most consistent places to catch them is in a bay of a medium to large river. Look for a bay that is wide enough to provide shelter from the current, but not so wide that it becomes shallow and choked with weeds.

This is just a random spot I found on Google Maps, I have no idea if it's productive or even accessible.

I like to position myself on the upstream point of the bay, where I can most easily present my bait on the current seam. This seam is where many fish stay so they can conserve energy out of the main current while food is pushed right to them. In this case, it also has the advantage of moving the scent of your bait into the bay so it can bring out hungry fish.

Finally, there is no need to cast far. In fact, it is more important to cast accurately to ensure your rig and bait is being placed into the same spot, slowly drawing more and more fish to the area. If the spot allows, I only cast 30-40 yards, just enough to get to deep enough water and past any weed lines.

The Bait:

The next helpful step is to pre-bait, or chum, your spot for several days to get the Carp used to feeding in your chosen area. This isn't necessary and can be skipped if you don't have the time, resources, or dedication to do so, but can really increase your odds of having a productive day. If I do choose to pre-bait, I will typically chum with 1-2 cans of sweet corn every day for 1-2 weeks. Hardcore carp anglers will generally use feed corn and use a lot more bait, but I've never felt the need to go through that process.

Using the rig I will describe below, you will also need to make some pack-bait used to bring fish to your hook-bait. My preferred pack bait recipe is listed below, and I also like to use it as chum the day I'll be fishing. I generally chum 1-2 handfuls every 15 minutes for the first hour of fishing, then once every hour afterwards.

• 1 can of sweet corn
• 1 packet of strawberry Jell-O powder
• 1 box of panko bread crumbs
• Enough water so the mixture can be squeezed and formed into a ball

Pack-bait

The Rig:

This part is important! You'll want a specific rig designed for carp fishing, called the "hair rig". I would explain it here, but there's no way I'll do a better job than the video linked below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjact22m6Bo

You can ignore the boilie hook-bait used in the video, save these for when you have a bit more experience with carp fishing and are looking to experiment. For North American waters, 2-3 sweet corn kernels will work most of the time and give you the opportunity to catch other species as well! The only specialty gear I use is a piece of fake Styrofoam corn used to float the bait just off the bottom. It gets threaded onto the hair same as any other hook-bait.

Hair Rig

I also prefer to use a method feeder sinker, which allows me to pack my pack-bait directly onto my rig for an accurate presentation to bring in fish. These work exactly the same as a sliding sinker and slip right onto your mainline.

Method Feeder

The Gear:

Finally, here's a list of the more specialized equipment that can be useful, but not necessary, for carp fishing:

• Baiting needle (or straightened out hook)
• Bait stop (or piece of tiny plastic)
• Pop-up fake corn (or small piece of foam)
• Method feeder
• Chumming catapult
• Bucket for mixing chum
• Rod pod
• Bite alarm
• Landing net
• Landing mat
• Pliers for hook removal
• Comfortable chair/cot

Just remember, it only really takes minimal gear and just a little bit of knowledge to catch one of the strongest fish in QC, so get out there and give it a try!