Still in shock after today's fishing!! A bit of advice from those lads who Carp fish please. Fished with small waggler and size 18 hook today and as usual pulled out a load of perch and roach. Had a decent size roach and noticed I was missing a few fairly strong bites. Anyway I took a bite which didn't seem much but then all hell broke loose. Rod bent double and it was obvious I had hooked something big. Played it as best I could with line coming off quicker than I could reel in. Managed to get the fish close in and pretty much on top when my son noticed it was a large carp. Carried on for another few minutes or so just missing netting it until the hooked pinged out and it was off. The 18 hook was bent!! What chance did I have of that ever being landed and has anyone else had this experience whilst fishing for anything other than Carp specifically. Could I have done anything different? Appreciate your thoughts and any advice. My lad got a got a good view of it and said it was huge!
In reply to Post #1
If it was almost at the net then yes you could have got it in
If it was almost at the net then yes you could have got it in
In reply to Post #2
How buddy? It was a good foot or so just under the net when the hook pinged out.
How buddy? It was a good foot or so just under the net when the hook pinged out.
In reply to Post #3
It's all about time
You will loose more than you can land but they can and do come in eventually,
I dare say you got the rush of blood a bit and just wanted to get it in.
I guessing neither of you are carp anglers so even a 10lb is massive to some people
It's all about time
You will loose more than you can land but they can and do come in eventually,
I dare say you got the rush of blood a bit and just wanted to get it in.
I guessing neither of you are carp anglers so even a 10lb is massive to some people
In reply to Post #3
Loads of unhelpful people on here mate, just ignore them.
Its one of those thing unfortunately mate. Ive had carp hooks open up, as have loads of other people. A size 18 hook isnt ideal for big fish that pull back, but sometimes you will get them in. Just crack on. May be worth increasing hook size and line b/s if you want to stand more of a chance and be able to give them a bit more, but that will no doubt impact on the other fish your catching. Swings and roundabouts and all that
Loads of unhelpful people on here mate, just ignore them.
Its one of those thing unfortunately mate. Ive had carp hooks open up, as have loads of other people. A size 18 hook isnt ideal for big fish that pull back, but sometimes you will get them in. Just crack on. May be worth increasing hook size and line b/s if you want to stand more of a chance and be able to give them a bit more, but that will no doubt impact on the other fish your catching. Swings and roundabouts and all that
In reply to Post #5
Agree with The Heff, you don't have to go particularly light to catch roach and persh. My 12 year old lad has just started coming with me and my eldest lad. While me and the eldest target carp or catfish, the youngest gets his float rod, with 6lb line and 5lb hooklength, size 14 hook, and he catches all day, and is able to get bigger fish in.
In reply to Post #5
The point I was making was that I am not a carp fishermen but was waggler fishing for roach and perch etc. This carp just somehow managed to take an interest in my maggot and off he went. Can't increase hook size as I'd rip the perch and roach in half. I suppose that at some point that purely by luck you may hook a big carp if they fancy a change of eating habit. I was shaking like a leave afterwards. I suppose the carp lads there would have loved that, but to be honest I've seen them losecarp this weekend so perhaps I shouldn't beat myself up about it. Would have lovedto get him in. I was just wondering what I could have done any differently?
The point I was making was that I am not a carp fishermen but was waggler fishing for roach and perch etc. This carp just somehow managed to take an interest in my maggot and off he went. Can't increase hook size as I'd rip the perch and roach in half. I suppose that at some point that purely by luck you may hook a big carp if they fancy a change of eating habit. I was shaking like a leave afterwards. I suppose the carp lads there would have loved that, but to be honest I've seen them losecarp this weekend so perhaps I shouldn't beat myself up about it. Would have lovedto get him in. I was just wondering what I could have done any differently?
In reply to Post #8
Roach and Perch can take bigger hooks no problem at all
Roach and Perch can take bigger hooks no problem at all
In reply to Post #8
Not a lot, a lot of luck is involved in those circumstances. I landed a mirror just under 27lb on a size 18 or possibly size20 with 2lb hooklink a few years ago, took about an hour to land ,and Tbh it was far more luck than judgement. My line was twisted to the point of being unusable by the end of it ,and if that fish would have gone anywhere I'd have been in trouble but it just plodded about in the open water rather than going round an island or bush. I've no doubt that 99 times in 100 I'd never have landed that ,that one was just the lucky one. When you are fishing that light then you don't really have much choice in how it goes lol
Not a lot, a lot of luck is involved in those circumstances. I landed a mirror just under 27lb on a size 18 or possibly size20 with 2lb hooklink a few years ago, took about an hour to land ,and Tbh it was far more luck than judgement. My line was twisted to the point of being unusable by the end of it ,and if that fish would have gone anywhere I'd have been in trouble but it just plodded about in the open water rather than going round an island or bush. I've no doubt that 99 times in 100 I'd never have landed that ,that one was just the lucky one. When you are fishing that light then you don't really have much choice in how it goes lol
In reply to Post #8
I use a size 6 for perch.
I use a size 6 for perch.
In reply to Post #8
I used to fish a lake where sometimes carp would take a a floatfished maggot. Fortunately it was an open bowl type lake with very few snags. In such a lake you can land sizeable carp on float/ match gear if you are prepared to be patient. However you would not have any chance if the fish was determined to get into any appreciable kind of snag.
I used to fish a lake where sometimes carp would take a a floatfished maggot. Fortunately it was an open bowl type lake with very few snags. In such a lake you can land sizeable carp on float/ match gear if you are prepared to be patient. However you would not have any chance if the fish was determined to get into any appreciable kind of snag.
In reply to Post #1
Hi mark
First off don't be surprised at carp taking maggot. I use them year round and the carp love them.
As ip says, sometimes you'll hook onto something big and on a day when the luck is with you, you'll have a bit of something special in the net. On others it's a one that got away - and that's by no means limited to smaller hooks and finer line.
The carpers may well tell you to beef up to 3lb test curve rods with 30lb braid and size 6 microbarbs but it seems you're doing what works for you in terms of silvers, roach etc.
From my experience I'll happily target roach and the like on a size 12 with a couple of maggots on the hook and a swim feeder. And I'll regularly bring in carp on that too. Patience is important. As is keeping that tip up or sideways when you need to steer the fish away from reefs etc.
It's a lot more fun than just hauling them out on gear that would land a small shark
Hi mark
First off don't be surprised at carp taking maggot. I use them year round and the carp love them.
As ip says, sometimes you'll hook onto something big and on a day when the luck is with you, you'll have a bit of something special in the net. On others it's a one that got away - and that's by no means limited to smaller hooks and finer line.
The carpers may well tell you to beef up to 3lb test curve rods with 30lb braid and size 6 microbarbs but it seems you're doing what works for you in terms of silvers, roach etc.
From my experience I'll happily target roach and the like on a size 12 with a couple of maggots on the hook and a swim feeder. And I'll regularly bring in carp on that too. Patience is important. As is keeping that tip up or sideways when you need to steer the fish away from reefs etc.
It's a lot more fun than just hauling them out on gear that would land a small shark
In reply to Post #8
I've landed carp on match gear and as said it's a question of taking your time.
Just concentrate on playing it and leave netting it until it gives up and surfaces in front of you. Gulping air is a good sign that they have had enough. Beware though that they sometimes have another go when they see the net so be sure that they are ready before you commit to netting it.
I've landed carp on match gear and as said it's a question of taking your time.
Just concentrate on playing it and leave netting it until it gives up and surfaces in front of you. Gulping air is a good sign that they have had enough. Beware though that they sometimes have another go when they see the net so be sure that they are ready before you commit to netting it.
In reply to Post #14
One of the Warmwell big ‘uns was landed on very basic and light kit, an old mate of mine was on holiday there at the time - he was able to watch some of the battle, go for his tea and a shower, then return to see it landed... It happens but most of the time they are lost...
One of the Warmwell big ‘uns was landed on very basic and light kit, an old mate of mine was on holiday there at the time - he was able to watch some of the battle, go for his tea and a shower, then return to see it landed... It happens but most of the time they are lost...
My old mans pb was surface caught from quite a weedy lake yea he was using a 2.75lb rod but size 14 hook 6lb hooklink took him 45 mins to land but he did it 31lb on the button it can be done
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