Artlure Carp Fishing In a Nutshell

RishFish888

New member
A look at Carp - Neil Button
Carp are one of the most common angling species found in South African and along with barbell are found in most of our Waters.
Although carp are occasionally caught on on lures like Rapala’s and small spinners, this is more the exception than the rule.

To catch carp on artlure the first rule is that one must be able to see the fish. If you do not see the fish you cannot catch it.

The tackle used for carp is as follows:
1. 6 wt Dean big lake Rod with 6wt Floating Line.
2. 21ft collapsible dipping rod with 17lb fluorocarbon on a baitcaster.
3. 6ft Shimano light Cranking Rod with closed face reel and 5lb monofilament.
4. 7ft shimano Sensilite, shinamo 2000 with 8lb monofilament

There are several ways of seeing carp feeding namely:
1. Tailing
Tailing carp are found in shallow water between ½ and two feet and can be seen feeding in the mud with their tails breaking the surface. These carp are caught either by using a weighted fly like a beaded woolly buggar or a Mills Fritz, or by using a long Dipping rod, of up to 21 feet, with a Leadhead. It is important to put a White or Yellow Sada grub on the leadhead which adds movement to it. The expertise here is to judge exactly where the Carp is feeding and place the leadhead or fly where the head is. It is extremely difficult to cast a fly and then to judge where to let is drop. As soon as the leadhead or fly hits the ground it is then moved up and down to attract the attention of the feeding carp.
The Key here is to learn to read the body language of the fish.
If the Carps tail and fins start moving in overdrive you know the fish is locked onto the lure. If the tail stops moving then you can lift the lure because it has been engulfed. It is important to learn never to strike a carp but always just to lift into it. The colour of the fly or Leadhead varies from the most common Leadhead colour of black head, black body and red tail to all black to Olive depending on factors like water clarity, vegetation and food source. In our local dams to common colour is black and red with a Yellow grub. On the Vaal the common colour is olive with no grub. In the cape on Dams like misverstand black Leadheads with black grubs work the best.

2. Carp Feeding on Scum lines
Scum lines are found in the wind lanes the morning after a big wind on the dam. The hatching midges are blown against the windward bank and then when the wind stops blowing float out into the middle of the dam. Carp love these Scum lines and there is nothing better than seen the big orange mouths of these carp on the surface engulfing the midges on the surface. The best way to catch these carp is on a fly. Either on a DDD or Parachute Adams or similar surface fly or on a Chunky Woolly Buggy or similar fly.
The Dryfly is cast with extreme accuracy to within a foot of the feeding fly and left there. The Carp will hone onto the fly and will sometime move a good metre to engulf the fly. Again one must remember not to strike but merely to lift into the fish. When using a sinking fly the fly is cast about a metre past the fish and then stripped slowly back towards the fish. Watch the fly until the fish takes it and lift into the fish.

3. Carp in the Grass or weeds.
During the summer months as soon as the rains push the water into the grass the carp will move in to feed. These fish can be seen feeding on the grass and the whole fish can be spotted. Catching these fish on fly is extremely difficult because of the structure so it is easier and more successful to catch them on a dipping rod.
The fish needs to be approached as silently as possible because they are extremely Skittish. The best approach is from behind the fish; the leadhead is lowered slowly down next to the fish just behind the line of sight and then moved forward to about 3 inches in front of the fish. If the fish is hungry it will engulf the leadhead.

4. Bubbles
When carp feed in water between 4 and 25 feet they can be found by the bubbles debris which floats to the surface.The bubbles are caused by the carp blowing into the mud and disturbing the vegetation. Once the carp has loosened the mud it will pick out and eat everyting edible. These carp are best caught in 3 to 6 feet of water. Any deeper and it becomes difficult
to get the leadhead down to the fish.Using a Dipping Rod or a spinning rod with a Leadhead the angler will watch which ay the bubbles are moving and will then lower the leadhead to the centre point of the bubbles.
As the leadhead hit the ground is it is raised and thinking it is a tasty morsel
the carp will engulf the leadhead.

5. Grubs
Smaller shoaling Carp can be caught successfully on a medium Sada grub fished on a no. 16 hook with a small split shot. The grub is cast beyond the shoal and fished very slowly back through the shoal. The take will be very light and subtle.
 

aquadementia

Sealiner
I'd like to add that I think I've spooked more carp by lifting and dropping the leadhead than I have had been triggered by that motion. In my opinion it is better to leave the leadhead motionless and if the carp doesnt see it, GENTLY readjust.

It obviously works for the author though, maybe KZN carp are a bit different?
 
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