Carp Bait

[windsorlad111]

Hi all, I caught a carp last week for the first time on a worm and float, totally by accident and now I am 'hooked'. I just put a hair rig together for this weekend, but am not sure what I can bait it with. Ideally I would have some boilies, but I don't have time to make them. Anyone have a good suggestion for a bait that will stay on?


BTW, the carp I caught last week was about 6-7 pounds I reckon.

 

[staffman]

You could try corn or phone around and find a tackle store that carries commercial baits.

 

[NADO]

how do you make the balls? is it just your own uncooked recipe of bread dough?

 

[hammercarp]

Hi all, I caught a carp last week for the first time on a worm and float, totally by accident and now I am 'hooked'. I just put a hair rig together for this weekend, but am not sure what I can bait it with. Ideally I would have some boilies, but I don't have time to make them. Anyone have a good suggestion for a bait that will stay on?


BTW, the carp I caught last week was about 6-7 pounds I reckon.

You can use just about anything that you can punch a hole through for bait on a hair rig. In my opinion boilies are not the greatest bait here in Ontario. You can use dried field corn, beans, chick peas, peanuts, pieces of potato, dough balls and lots more. The dried corn, beans and peas need to be boiled and soaked to make them soft enough to use, You can use cheap canned corn on a hair as well. The cheaper it is the more likely the kernels will be big and tough. Dried field corn can be bought at farm co-ops in large quantities or in smaller quantities at pet shops or wild bird feed shops. People buy it to feed ducks and geese. There is a variety of dried corn sold at Loblaws/No Frills/Fortinos. It is white and when soaked and cooked it will be about the size of the end of your thumb. This is a great carp bait. It will be in with bags of dried beans. The brand name is Faema I think.

 

[windsorlad111]

Chick peas! hadn't thought of that or heard of it before. I'll definitely try that. thanks

out of interest, do you have a recommended hook size for a hair rig?

 

[hammercarp]

Chick peas! hadn't thought of that or heard of it before. I'll definitely try that. thanks

out of interest, do you have a recommended hook size for a hair rig?

Number 4, long shank, turned down eye, as sharp as you can get it.

 

[fisher12]

I tried to catch carp today and ended up catching a bullhead instead.

 

[hammercarp]

I tried to catch carp today and ended up catching a bullhead instead.

What were you using for bait? What type of rig ?
Bullheads are often caught while fishing for carp. Sometimes , depending on what you are using that is all you will catch.

 

[fisher12]

What were you using for bait? What type of rig ?
Bullheads are often caught while fishing for carp. Sometimes , depending on what you are using that is all you will catch.

I was using corn and worms, they were biting both.
My rig which I caught 2 bullhead on was heavy sinkers at the end of the line with 3 hooks up the line, but they seemed to only get on the bottom hook.
Another rod had a bobber with bait underneath. it got a few bites.

 

[NADO]

Anyone use pickeral rigs for carp? I was thinking maybe use a pickeral rig with both corn and worms, I would definately get a rig that was stronger than the ones I use for perching.

 

[hammercarp]

I was using corn and worms, they were biting both.
My rig which I caught 2 bullhead on was heavy sinkers at the end of the line with 3 hooks up the line, but they seemed to only get on the bottom hook.
Another rod had a bobber with bait underneath. it got a few bites.

The rig you were using is not typically used for carp. Carp anglers don't like the idea of the extra hooks snagging the fish while playing it. It can also be dangerous to handle a 20 lb fish thrashing about swinging hooks around. That weight and strength can drive hooks in to the bone.
Most of the time we fish with the weight above the hook. Carp tend to take off when they feel resistance. They actually set the hook them selves if you are using a heavy weight.
Bullheads will readily take canned corn, actually a lot of fish will. Worms are great carp bait if there are no other fish around. Other smaller fish tend to beat the carp to them. Try using a hair rig with a harder bait this will discourage other fish or at least it will stay intact after small fish nip at it.
Check this out.
Carping for beginners



I hope this helps.

 

[fisher12]

Thank you.Instead of making a hair rig, can't you just put the corn onto the hook itself?

 

[hammercarp]

Thank you.Instead of making a hair rig, can't you just put the corn onto the hook itself?

Yes you can fish with canned corn directly on the hook. But the hair rig is more effective. You will hook more carp with it . Try and tie some . Once you tie a few it will become easier.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Does Corn actually work with carp? I've tried it with the carp literally jumping in front of me, but they don't seem to bite. I had one with a worm once though.

 

[hammercarp]

Does Corn actually work with carp? I've tried it with the carp literally jumping in front of me, but they don't seem to bite. I had one with a worm once though.

Absolutely. Corn either canned or re hydrated field corn is one of the best all around carp baits there is. Worms are also great except everything else eats worms and quite often small fish get to your worm before the carp do. When you have carp in front of you that are active but won't take your bait it is believed by some that they may be keying on something specific, like an abundance of aquatic insects or snails in the water. I have found that doing something to get there attention will help. The next time this happens try dragging your bait along the bottom for a couple of feet . Then letting it sit for a while. Repeat this. I have caught carp by doing this under the circumstances you describe. Carp can use their eyes, hearing, and their ability to pick up vibration to help them find food. This is on top of their incredible ability to detect and taste minute quantities of substances in the water. Carp can also detect the weak electrical fields given off by animal life .

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

I used can sweet corn, I read that carp have very good sense of smell they're always waving tails at me while feeding. The biggest fish I've ever tried to reel in was a huge carp mad fight, > than bass. I'll try again with corn, but I feel the corn is so small and carp bottom feed by sucking ground, which why I gave up and switched to bass fishing, large mouths and eats everything

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Yo I was wondering if carp will go for small - medium sized minnows. I read that they may eat dead fish but was wondering if live minnows are good for carp

 

[hammercarp]

Yo I was wondering if carp will go for small - medium sized minnows. I read that they may eat dead fish but was wondering if live minnows are good for carp

Minnows are generally not used for carp. Again the reason is other fish will get your bait first. Dead minnows are more likely to get catfish than anything else. Stick with corn,. It's cheap and it's a proven carp getter. You can add some flavour to the corn if you like as well. Just add a package of kool-aid to the corn before you go fishing . Strawberry and cherry are good choices. Or you can add some vanilla to the corn as well.

 

[ScugogBassFisher2011]

Nice I'll try the koOlaid corn out thanks!

 

[johnnyboy]

me and 2 of my fishing buddies fished the credit river and we pulled in 7 carp.