Carp rig advice

[PaulC]

All,

Has anyone got advice on the type of carp rig to use that has been successful on Tanners?

Which type of setup? Helicopter Rig, Inline Lead or Semi fixed lead?

Hooklength material? Mono, fluorocarbon, braid, or coated braid?

Lengths of hooklink? Up to 6inches or Longer?

Hook type and size? Bottom bait or a Pop up?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[screamer26]

hi paul,
i have fished for carp for many years up at tanners and have found many rigs to be sucessful.
A good starting point would be 3 ft of anti tangle tubing, a lead clip with a 2oz grippa lead attached (these dont sink in silt as much as others) and a swivel for the hook link. i use a soft coated braid, esp strip tease or a supple braid. This should be at least six inches long up to 12 inches.

as for bait its up to you, for bottom fishing a 15mm boilie with a 2cm gap between the hook and the bait. pop ups, i would go for 10mm baits with a short hair, with a shot an inch from the hook to balance it.

if you would like to know anymore just ask and i will gladly help

screamer

[PaulC]

Thanks Screamer - what do recommend in the way of hook patterns? I have heard that hooks with an in-turned eye have the best hooking potential?

[screamer26]

hooks with in turned eyes do have greater hooking potential but some are better than others. I use a wide gape size 8, 10, 12 depending on the size of the bait with a piece of shrink tube on the eye so the angle is more aggresive. recently i have become very fond of the korda kurv shank hooks which have, as the name suggests a curved shank, these have a greater hooking potential than a wide gape and dont need shrink tubing to help them turn quickly, but i use shrink tubing on the size 8s because it makes it near impossible for the carp to eject the bait

ask if you would like to know more, as i will gladly help.

screamer

[PaulC]

Thanks mate - will nip out and buy some of those hooks tomorrow. I have never bothered personally with the anti tangle tubing stuff as I have always found it a bit of a pain to thread the line through it. I was using a back lead last season to sink the line instead... which probably explains why I caught very few carp!! ha ha. Been looking on the web though and I think there is a new type by Osprey so I might nip out and get some of that as well (if they stock it in Stalybridge)

http://www.crazycarp.com/1152/Osprey-An ... er=froogle

[screamer26]

The tubing is not only for anti tangle purposes, it stops scales being flicked off the carp during the fight, which is very important. if you didn't get any tubing or have found it difficult to thread buy leadcore as i use this and it is easy to use, but must be set up correctly otherwise the fish may get teathered if you snap off. if you would like to know how it would probably be easier if you are shown rather than me messaging you. i could do a step by step picture method if you want mate.

screamer

[PaulC]

Thanks - I will see how it goes. I have used leadcore in the past but think I will stick to tubing. Has anyone had any success using the method feeder? I have tried in the past but was a little worried that the whole thing was likely to get dragged into the silt.

[screamer26]

the method works well on tanners in summer and is fine in silt, but you catch the odd bream as well. i use the method on peg one as it only holds carp most of the time so they compete and you catch a rake.

screamer

[Lollipop]

The tubing is not only for anti tangle purposes, it stops scales being flicked off the carp during the fight, which is very important.

screamer

This suggestion that keeps doing the rounds about fish scales being lifted by line seems very dubious to me. If you see a fish with a scale missing how do you know that it is line that has done it? You fish on the surface a lot in summer but you would never use tubing then so where is the consistency? I never fish with tubing or leadcore or anything that is not necessary and I catch plenty of carp with the simplest running ledger set up and I don't think that I have caused scale loss during the fight. We all need to be aware of the basics of fish welfare and handling and I think that there is far more damage done on the bank by people not using mats and if it were up to me I would insist that all carp anglers had an unhooking mat and used it.

[PaulC]

Thanks Lollipop - it seems dubious to me as well that mono can rip scales from carp. I feeder fish a fair bit and can honestly say that it has never happened as far as I know. As far as fish care goes I tend to lay carp down on any bit of soft grass that I can find and unhook them on that. But good advice non the less.

[Lollipop]

The problem with grass is what's underneath - sharp stones, broken glass maybe. With a mat you are definitely giving protection and I want to put my catches back without having caused injury.

[screamer26]

hi lollipop,
i understand what you are saying about me fishing on the surface with no tubing, the reason it is more likely to remove a scale is because of a leger weight pulling the line across the fish, surface fishing uses no weight. leadcore and tubing do stop tangles and that is the main use but i use leadcore as it sinks the line away from the fish so they dont spook, this coupled with a flying backlead and a slack line keeps the line sunk away from the fish. i think this increases my catch rate, as most peole fish bow string tight lines to the lead with no backleads or leadcore/tubing, at the end of the day it is your choice and i am not confident unless i know the fish cannot see my line cutting through the water.

screamer

[Lollipop]

We can agree to disagree about the scale lifting potential of different methods and everything else for that matter. If you read the various carp mags virtually every "expert" disagrees with the next one so at the end of the day it comes down to confidence. If you believe your rig is going to catch more than the next man's then stick with it, I know what I've found to be more successful and what certainly catches me more than others 9 times out of 10. I think the one thing we definitely agree on is that care of the carp should always be the priority.