I am sure i will be told that this is not the way to catch Carp but having sampled float fishing for carp last weekend this is the way i want to do it. There is something about watching the float bob as they nibble etc Any tips on rods, reels tackle etc appreciated.............M

In reply to Post #1
Well your not alone,I float fish for carp All the time..

I keep it simple,as always....using a thirteen ft korum float rod,Mitchell 300 or Mitchell 3.0.0 reels version five, and a okuma centrepin,five pound line,maxima straight through to hand whipped spade ends..

My last forty carp to low twenties come this way...key is a small bait dropper,Ian lewis floats,or MG's handmade floats,if its deep,I use the loc slide....dibbers...

Keep it quiet or Nashy will be calling it 'country' or getting back to your roots. !!!!!!!

In reply to Post #1
I float fish for them a lot as well.
I've an old Daiwa V Specialist 1 1/4tc with a centrepin on and a 2 1/4tc Scope with a Shimano 4000d on. Line I chose depending on the swim/situation but generally between 6-12lb. My favourite floats are porcupine quills or the modern version of the Drennan Stillwater Blues, I can't remember what they call them now. My preferred bait is dendrabina (spelling) worms, but I'll use paste or boilies at times.

In reply to Post #3
What length rod are you using, my local lake is only 1 1/2 acre, the carp are up to mid teens..............

In reply to Post #4
Quite a few people have commented on your other thread, if you are looking at float fishing (great method by the way), then certainly a lighter test curve rod and 12ft would be my suggestion.

I would imagine casting a float with a 9ft 3lb test curve rod would be a struggle.

I use a harrison 12 ft specialist rod 1.75 t.c coupled with a ss2600 had carp to 24lb on it .

In reply to Post #5
Thanks Enut, having posted the other thread and being a newbie to fishing i thought most people fished with floats, but having been to a carp match to view on Sunday i noticed hardly any were using a float. I had a good think about what i enjoyed most it was float watching and obviously the rod action when i hooked a 6lb mirror. The rod i borrowed was definatly not 13ft in length and my wife will be coming along and doing a bit as well, i am wondering if she would get on better with a shorter, lighter rod!

If you have weed or snags to contend with then light lines and tackle won't be up to the task unless you're skilled (and have luck on your side).
A float fished bait in the margins is as good as it gets, through action is more forgiving, test curve not so important, it needs to absorb shock.
If, say, you're on a commercial with plenty of clear space then you can afford to use lighter gear and let them run. A power float model would work, Drennan Super Tench Float rods were superb, I don't think they're made anymore though. Budget constraints may come into play, there are some excellent blanks out there for the money.
Theoretically, you can use any old rod for float fishing as long as you don't need to cast far.

In reply to Post #1
Look for an Avon or barbel rod between 1.5 and 1.75 test curve within your budget, you won't need anything heavier for those fish. Because these rods will need a bit more casting weight you'll need some big wagglers.

I prefer to use the lift method and a centrepin reel but a fixed spool would be better for you for now

A 13 ft rod is definitely an advantage unless you intend to only fish right down the edge all the time. I use a heavy DAM pellet waggler rod, and old 3000 size shimano reel with fighting drag loaded with 8lb line, I also have spools with 12 and 15b but those really require heavier floats and you lose a lot of the finesse you get with float fishing. Using the lightest line you can practically get away with allows you to mend the line more easily if you need to do so. My favourite way of fishing the float is lift fishing, love watching the float pop up out of the water then slide away.

It would be good idea to read up on match fishing tactics those guys really know their stuff when it comes to float fishing. Unless you've used them before I wouldn't bother with using a centrepin at first although they are a fantastic tool if you're used to them.

Contrary to the previous post (no offence), if you are new to the sport then I suggest you avoid being influenced by top end match anglers as you will probably find it confusing. I've caught carp on float gear since way back and never get technical - there's rarely any need.

I like a through actioned 11' rod which covers pretty much every situation. I hardly ever cast beyond the margins and it's okay for fishing under trees. In fact, on most waters there will be carp in the margins, especially on heavily fished commercials. You can get them inches from the bank if you sit back and keep quiet.

Fishing over depth avoids most false bites with an AAA shot 3-5" from the hook and a bit more line laying on the bottom. You can cock the float or leave it flat, either is fine.

Scatter particles around the spot - pellets, hemp, broken boilies or whatever. Plonk your bait amongst it - worm, bread, corn (real or plastic), a half boilie ...... the choice is infinite.

Enjoy

In reply to Post #11
No offence fella, we all have our own way of approaching things

You can go one of two ways, a dedicated float rod like a drennan power carp waggler which I use. You could also use an avon rod in 1.25lb if there's no weed or snags... or a specimen rod in 1.5/1.75lb test curve if there is big fish or weed/snags.

The benefit of the float rod is ringing and action suited to flicking out light floats, but you can't leger with it.

The benefit of the avon/specialist is that you can also leger with it.

If you're happy to buy two rods eventually, I'd go the float rod option for now.

In reply to Post #13
My local lake seems to have Carp right out to the the edges, we were watching them whilst fishing, they were no more than 10ft from the bank breaking the surface. I just cast among them with a bit of cheese, didn`t even put any pre bait in the water and caught a nice mirror (not sure how to post pics on here.) The rod had been borrowed from someone who fishes the lake frequently and it was obviously set just right to catch them in there using a waggler float. We weren`t casting out far, 15 to 20ft maybe but the fish in there were playing with food constantly by the way the float was bobbing. I hope to speak to the guy who the rods belonged to but unfortunately he is unwell and in hospital at the moment. The lake is not deep and as far as i`m aware doesn`t have any snag problems or weed and probably if prebaited or using some of the baits you mentioned i would have a lot more success with the right set up.

In reply to Post #14
How does this setup sound, Daiwa carp match pellet waggler rod 11ft with a Daiwa Black Widow BR 4000 reel. I`ve gone for 11ft rather than 12 as my wife will be using it as well and we certainly weren`t using a 12ft rod when we borrowed the gear last week. I`ve gone for the 4000 reel based on advice given below on the line size etc. I won`t be casting far out and will be using a waggler float, this set up is a bit more than i had intended to spend as i will only be a couple of times a month hobby fisher not a week in week out type. The rod is cheap enough at just over £30 but the reel is £53 but as usual i guess you get what you pay for and the reel is something that has been flagged up as needing a bit of quality. I could go for a 3500 Black Widow which is £12 cheaper, do they come with line on or is that a separate purchase and what is the difference between the two? Am i better getting the 4000 for what i want to use it for? Thanks for the replies guys.......

In reply to Post #4
The Daiwa rod is 11ft and the Scope 9ft.

In reply to Post #15
Have you got a tackle shop near you? I don't know those items but looking online, the reel is too big for the rod. A decent tackle shop will give good advice on this stuff as its in their interest to look after a potential long term customer.
Most lakes will insist on a decent sized landing net and matt, and costs soon add up with the end tackle, forceps discorger...

Best to set a budget, and see what the tackle shop will do for you

In reply to Post #17
My local shop does a float rod/reel combo for £22.99, great price, maybe it will do for me but i don`t want to get let down by crappy gear! His prices are obviously quite a bit more for named gear than the online sellers so i thought i would get some advice here.

In reply to Post #18
A £20 reel will be ****. Budget at least £50 for a reel and similar for the rod. Its not that cheap a hobby when you factor in net, mat, line and little extras. What's your total budget?

In reply to Post #19
Max i want to spend on a rod / reel is £100, the landing net etc i will pick up on top of that. I have two other expensive hobbies, one of which is time consuming and money sapping! I just like the idea of spending a few hours now and then doing some float fishing as the lake is only a couple of minuets down the road.

In reply to Post #20
Then you're good to go. A parobolic action Avon type rod, 4000 reel , I'd say use the 8lb line, straight wagglers, split shot and hooks.
Rod suggestion

https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/korum-specialist-rods/20880-korum-opportunist-rods.html

Or
: https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/korum-specialist-rods/21638-korum-barbel-rods.html

You've got a reel in mind haven't you?

In reply to Post #21
This one looks the sort of thing i could be looking for, thanks for the suggestion.
Korum Opportunist 10ft two-piece 2.25lb

Yes i was thinking of the Black Widow BR 4000, do i need to go for a 4000 or would the 3500 do the job for the type of fishing i will be doing?

In reply to Post #22
Alternative reel found at the same supplier as the rod is this Shimano, any thoughts on that?

https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/shimano-baitrunner-reels/15311-shimano-baitrunner-st-4000fb-reel.html

In reply to Post #23
I like shimmy Baitrunner reels, they've been making them long enough and a Baitrunner means more flexibility for you. I do think 10ft 2.25 is a little limited, I prefer 11ft about 1.75 to 2 tc. But it's a personal thing.

If you shop around you could well find the same for less.

In reply to Post #20
As said by a few, you don't need to spend 100s

A decent waggler or Avon Rod paired up with a Mitchell reel will do you right.

No need to cast miles out. Flick underarm into the near margins and edges of weeds. A few free offerings with some sweetcorn on the hook and you'll pull a few out.

I love float fishing for carp, stalking, walking around searching for fish, or just sitting working a spot.

I prefer fishing the 'lift float', a float held in place with a single rubber round the base, fished overdepth, and overweighted. The overdepth, means with a tight line the float will actually cock rather than sink if you get the tension right.

Loads of good baits, sweetcorn, pellets, paste, various particles, boilie chops and chunks.

The tackle I use is a Shakespeare Barbel rod with either a Marco Cortesi Centre Pin or a Shimano Aero Gte 4000 Fighting Drag reel.
The Centre pin is a bite indicator as well as a reel, the screech on a take if you have lost the float by getting lost in time, will wake you up.

In reply to Post #26
Are there two versions of the lift method?
The one I'm familiar with is where the float stays cocked until you get a bite and then the float lays flat.

In reply to Post #27
The method Nick is describing is known as "Stret-pegging"

In reply to Post #28
I thought that was a river method? Over shotted and bumped downstream?

In reply to Post #28
Pretty sure it's not chap, stret pegging is Used in flowing water, fishing way over depth with a large bow in the line from what I remember

There are a few ways of setting the lift method up, as long as the floats lifts on the take it's the lift method to me..

In reply to Post #31
contacted my local tackle shop today with what i was looking for out of a rod and his suggestion was a Preston Tyson pellet waggler rod, tried looking for reviews for it but pretty much drawn a blank. Price from him is £54, which is £20 more than the Daiwa pallet waggler from Amazon. Has anyone here used the Preston rod?

In reply to Post #32
Pellet waggler fishing is a specific method of catching fish by catapulting pellets out very regularly, 5-6 pellets or so every 20-30 seconds. Then you cast out every couple of minutes and try to catch fish 'on the drop' - where your pellet hook bait is falling through the water along with the pellets. If you don't have a bite in say a minute then you twitch the float towards you to make the bait rise and fall.

What makes a pellet waggler rod specifically good for this is a short length and having a through action. It should be soft enough for small fish like rudd which are often first on the pellets and then also larger carp when they arrive.

Its not a bad shout, but it is a specific tool and most wouldn't use it for general float fishing for carp. Just my opinion. I'd hazard a guess you said you wanted a short float rod for carp and pellet waggler rods are just about the only ones that fit that bill?

Have you seen the tackle box in Kent who have their own rod range and offer rod/reel combos?

I think this combo would be better for you, depends if 12ft is a deal breaker? darent valley float and reel

In reply to Post #32
Have you thought about the John Wilson Avon/quiver...a very famous and versatile rod,I have one....its very good,use it virtually everything,other than big carp at long range,check em out....this is my course set up..

J/W Avon,quiver
Korum power float rod
Mitchell 300s
Okuma pin

A small unhooking mat
A chair
Brolly
Rod holdall
Some floats,hooks and small bits,and landing net..

On purpose kept super minimal...,its all you need..my full on carp set up also minimal...

In reply to Post #26
The simplest method of float fishing for carp I'd use is a flat float. Set up a running lead rig with 3 float rubbers above the run rig. Attach a piece of peacock quill of parallel width via the 3 float rubbers. Set over depth and cast anywhere you think fish are. Further distance bigger lead and longer piece of peacock for sight reasons. Even for large carp you can use this set up. Very effective for changing the line angle a vertical line may have less chance of spooking wary fish, plus keeping the mainline ontop of weeds back to the rod. The float will pull off the line if a fish runs through weed etc.

In reply to Post #35
What your describing is float legering which is useful for longer range. The traditional lift method is for close range margin fishing.personally if I were fishing at longer range I would use a driftbeater float with a big sight bob.

Hi all,
My preferred stalking method Is with the float and achieved several low 30's in the years past not done it for a while and need to replace the rod which I had back then.

Can anyone recommend a good rod 2.5lb no more than 10ft? No real budget but would appreciate your thoughts for margin work?

Cheers Chris

I used to use the old Polaris floats on the lift float method at a local club lake great tactic that I ain't used for years now going online to purchase some floats 🙈

In reply to Post #37
You can find second hand scopes at 2.25tc and 10 foot.


To be honest, avons do a fine job of things and if you ca lengthen to 11 foot then the drennan twip tip specialist in 11ft 1.5lb tc would be a lovely choice.

In reply to Post #1
Try the Polaris float range in the small stumpy sizes - finds bottom automatically with zero plumbing / fiddling about

Pellet Wag if theres a floater ban / they've been hammered off the top . . .

Use to love night fishing for carp with a star light float, probably one of the most enjoyable ways of fishing for carp.

In reply to Post #39
I use a Shakespeare Specialist 1.75lb tc rod, which gets used for roach, bream, tench, Chub and carp.

Properly abused rod, but lovely for all those species.

In reply to Post #42
You told us that 16 posts and 3 years ago

In reply to Post #43


I was probably about to do the same!

I do have a lovely box of old wood / balsa (I think) floats that were my grandads that I use for ledgering and simple maggot float fishing. Classic dark green with orange tips.

It's lovely weather for it right now too

In reply to Post #43


Think I broke the barbel rod catching it in the car door, the Specialist rod is its replacement.

So before you jump, think...

Seems you always want a pop at me!

In reply to Post #45

A great float to use is a Drennan Driftbeater

In reply to Post #39
I got myself a Scope 2.25lb today so we'll see how I get on thanks for the replies!!

Proper adrenalin rush when you see the float sail away and you strike into a good fish...

In reply to Post #41
Use to love night fishing for carp with a star light float, probably one of the most enjoyable ways of fishing for carp.

That sentence brings back some good memories. Being sat on a seat box all night under a brolly - using bread flake, exciting times!

Taking them off the top on Fly gear is pretty intensive too

In reply to Post #49
you had the ultimate luxury there Keith, a brolly lol.
I just had my Woolworth deckchair and a blanket but there again, I only had my paper round money to buy stuff but boy, those floats with the red lights on the top were amazing and the source of many hallucination after staring at the thing for 8 hours
I actually don't think I've ever been happier fishing than back then, 14 or 15 years old, not a care in the world, never caught a Carp, just happy to catch a Tench, Bream and Roach next to the lily pads with some bread or sweetcorn and chatting to school friends, one of them I still go fishing with now, 40 plus years later.
I wish I could travel back in time, just for 24 hours.

This summer I will be using my late dads Bruce and Walker MK IV accompanied by a Garcia Mitchell 300 .

I promised him I'd catch a 20 + carp on this rod and a double figure barbel

I will certainly enjoy the attempting to even if I don't succeed... I've got the rest of my life to do it

In reply to Post #1
Depends on the size of fish really. Someone said 20 quid reels were "****" but Shimano do a small 4000 called the Alivio which is around that price tag. Front drag, smooth, and does the job. Couple that with a Korum allrounder in 1.5lb or a 2lb twin tip and you have a rod which you can dabble with other species too.

I like to use a standard waggler but lock it on the line with pole float elastic either end, which shows every single movement. I tie on a bog standard hair rig so I can use boilies, and mould putty around the swivel. Plenty of weight there to set the float and get a sharp hook *****ed in the bottom lip.

In reply to Post #51
Prepare to be scared should you hook either of your targets on that rod. Bendy doesn't even start to cover it.

In reply to Post #53
Yep that's an understatement

In reply to Post #49
Doing that and catching tench up to 9lb was fun as a teenager, breadflake or sweetcorn on the float and luncheon meat or sweetcorn on the lead rod.


Cripes, over 30 years ago!