If you\’re a beginning carp angler, this guide is for you. Here, you\’ll see what carp fishing equipment you\’ll need before you get started. You can choose to start out with a single rod kit (using the stalking method) or you could use a 2-rod or 3- rod static system; the 2 or 3 static rod system is the more popular of the two, but the choice is yours to make.
Carp Rods Beginning carp anglers usually don\’t want to deal with carp rods which require making long-distance casts. You\’ll probably do better with one of the all-through action carp rods that you can buy. A 12\’ rod is a good choice for a beginner. It\’s easy to find a wide range of beginner rods online, but you can also find them in a lot of tackle shops.
Carp Reel For carp fishing, a baitrunner reel works best; these reels let the carp run out the line once they grab the bait, preventing your rod from being pulled into the water when the carp try taking off with the bait. These reels also have the advantage of being easy for beginning carp anglers to handle.
Audible Bite Alarm This handy piece of equipment lets you know when you\’ve got a bite with a visual signal and an audible alert. Look for one which offers adjustable volume.
Rod Banksticks Your carp rods will need support, so you\’ll need to find some rod banksticks. Look around for the stainless steel screw-in type, because they\’re easier to get into dry or hard ground. It\’s best to avoid using aluminum rod banksticks because they\’re nowhere near as strong, sometimes bending when you work them in.
Line and Carp Rigs A 12 lb-test fishing line is probably the best line for beginners to start with. A wide variety of different types of hooks exist, and which one will be best for you depends on your rig. You can choose from the prefabricated carp rigs that you can buy, or you can make your own fishing rig.
Landing Nets and Unhooking Mats Landing nets can help prevent damaging your fish as you haul it in. Use a net with a fine mesh because a coarser weave can damage your carp\’s scales. Removing the hooks from your catch sometimes also causes damage, but you can prevent or reduce this by using a quality unhooking mat.
Bite Indicators A bite indicator is a great addition to any carp fishing kit; these tools can help you figure out where the fish are going and what they\’re up to.
Carp Bait Of course, you\’ll also need some bait. Bait shops everywhere offer carp bait boilies, but you can also make your own carp bait. Just choose from one of the many successful recipes you can find online.
P J A Allan is a keen carp angler and is keen to help beginners and experienced carp anglers. He has created a web site dedicated to carp fishing tackle, carp bait and carp fishing tips. For more tips, reviews, bargain carp tackle visit his site.