Summer – is an active time for any fisher! That includes carp fishers too. Some prefer fishing in paid ponds; someone likes “wild” waters. In this article we will talk about the features of carp fishing in summer- where to find it, which weather is most successful, what you should use and much more.
Firstly we need to know about the weather
Strangely enough, but good catch can be during a thunderstorm, as well as a few hours before it. At this time, the hunger of the carp is giant, and he takes everything! If you see black clouds gathering on the horizon and hear distant thunder, then, by all means, visit the nearest carp pond – you will not regret it!
Carp also like quit weather with low grey clouds and small rain. If that “bad weather” is supported by small warm wind, fish will actively eat during all day. These days are perfect for fishing!
But strong cold wind with rain and low temperature can negatively affect the biting. Intense heat also wholly discourages the appetite from the carp – on hot days, which are not too few in the summer, he eats only at night or early in the morning. During frequent changes in pressure and weather not only the carp activity decreases but other fish too, especially, roach. It doesn’t even matter in which side the weather changed, cold or warm.
Time of catching during summer
If possible, you need to arrive at the pond early, even before sunrise – at dawn the carp eat much better than at any other time of the day. Evening bite begins at sunset and continues until dusk. Of course, in the evening he is not as active as the morning. As already mentioned above – on a hot, it practically doesn’t bite and eats at night, when the water temperature drops.
Where to find carp during summer?
If during spring fish comes out to shallow water, which is well warmed by the sun, during summer they try to be in the shadow, mainly day-time. Carp love deep pits with muddy ground, especially if there are holes of cold groundwater rich in oxygen.
Besides deep places, it can be found in thickets of water lilies and other vegetation. These places are rich with different food; plants create shadow and natural defence against enemies. Not rarely in summer carp stays in the shadow of willows or other trees. In this places, carp spends most of its time.
Lures and baits
After choosing a perspective place, you have to attract carp there. For that, you need a trick. You can still catch without it, but some bites will be much less, and fishing would be boring.
A well-made lure attracts carp to the place of fishing and holds him until it will end or until someone will scare it off. For catching carps in the special summer, compounds are sold in the fishing shops. Famous brands are Sensas, Sabaneev, and others. One of the main advantages of branded baits is that they save time – on the pond, it will only be necessary to dissolve them with water, bring it to the consistency and throw it into the catching point.
But some fishers like to do all by themselves. What lure is right for carp?
Firstly, very nutritious. When there is a lot of food, but it does not saturate the fish, the carp will go looking for something more satisfying.
Secondly, large carp-like when the lure is made out of big pieces. Besides large portions can’t be swallowed by different small fish like a roach, so it will not be a problem during fishing.
Every pro carp fisher has his recipe. Its base can be porridge (oatmeal, wheat, pearl barley, etc.), steamed oats, wheat, corn, beans and other ingredients. In the bait, you need to add also what will be used as a nozzle. The first feed should be the most significant – more than half of the entire feeding.
For our bait to work more efficiently, it needs to be aromatised, to give it the right smell. In summer, carp are attracted by sweet and vegetable smells. Therefore, in small quantities, honey, aniseed drops, cocoa, vanilla, seeds, garlic, dried herbs (parsley, dill, etc.), cinnamon, biscuits, mint are added to it in small amounts.
Of course, from all you need to choose one, otherwise, you will get a mix, which will scare fish off. Besides you can use branded attractants. In particular, good references can be heard about the company “Nutrabaits” – if you use their products by the instructions, then to the place of catching it will attract all the carp in the vicinity!
On “wild” waters you can pre-feed the fish – a day or two before catching. Such privatization will attract a carp and, if it is enough, will hold at this point before your arrival. This tactic of feeding fish in the summer will be very successful.
Nozzles
“Gastronomical” preferences of carp depend on the weather. In hot weather, when the water temperature increases and, the amount of oxygen decreases, carps become less active and doesn’t need calories. During this period it is better to treat it with vegetable food – bread, wheat, porridge, canned corn, pearl barley, potatoes, etc. In those ponds where the fish is already familiar with such a lure as a boil, you can use it. In those places where the boilies are rarely caught, the fish doesn’t take them.
When water temperature decreases, the right decision will be switching to “meat” nozzles. On carp, the bloodworm, worm, grubs, caterpillars (larvae of different butterflies), insects (grasshoppers, flies, bugs), etc. are used mainly. These nozzles are recommended to be combined, to make so-called “sandwiches” or to plant separately. In my experience, I can tell that carp react to meat with garlic smell nicely. I don’t know how carp will respond to this nozzle in your pond, but I still recommend you before throwing the rod to send the living creature in a jar with crushed garlic and hold it there for several minutes.
Methods of carp fishing
In the summertime, carp is caught two ways – using the float rod or bottom one. English bottom is priceless during long distances and night when seeing the float is hard. When fishing from the shore, regular float rod will be enough. I recommend you to watch a video about the features of that fishing.
A few words about hooks
If you hunt for trophy carp, hooks should always be a bit sharpened (blunt hooks can’t penetrate a thick fish lip) and made out of stiff wire. Their size depends on the size of a nozzle. In summer we often catch carp using bread and spaghetti – for that nozzle, you need big hooks №1-3, for small nozzles like gums, grains of wheat, etc. – from 4 to 7.
Rapid popularity is gained by fishing on a carp with a feeder. It is one of the most exciting ways of catching this fish!