Carp Fishing Tips - Catch more off the top!
SURFACE fishing is one of the most exciting methods of catching carp in the summer months.
Watching a fish rise slowly through the upper layers before engulfing your hookbait never fails to get your heart pounding.
However, it can also be incredibly frustrating when you witness the fish spooking off your end tackle or rejecting your bait at the last moment. There’s certainly a fine line between success and failure!
It’s a common misconception that all surface fishing is done with a controller float. While a controller float does give a casting advantage, it can actually be a hindrance in terms of causing excess disturbance and limiting manoeuvrability of the hookbait.
The old-fashioned method of free-lining with surface baits is still as deadly today as it ever was. Whether you side hook a pop-up, bury the hook in a piece of bread or band on a couple of mixers, free-lining is a precise and spook-free method to present a floater to a carp feeding off the top.
Try to get the fish feeding on your floating offerings as close to the bank as possible. This should limit the need for a controller float, which can sometimes spook fish, especially on small venues.
The great thing about using a simple free-lined set-up is that if you see a fish moving or feeding in a different area of the swim, even tight to features, you can quickly cast on its head with little chance of it spooking. This will also help you pick out the larger fish.
Surface fishing is one of the most exciting methods to catch carp
Be patient...
Feeding with surface baits can be a long process. Sometimes it takes hours before the fish are confident, but waiting until multiple fish are taking confidently is a more effective than casting in straight away.
With all this feeding going on, birds can be infuriating when they’re eating your freebies, but they can be avoided.
Try piling some bait in from the start to feed off the birds. This won’t hurt them, as they will only eat what they want. On some waters, the commotion of the birds feeding will even draw in the carp to investigate. If the birds have left anything, the carp will clear up and you can begin the surface fishing process.
If this doesn’t work, it’s worth considering feeding the birds in another area of the lake to keep your intended spot quiet.
Wait for as long as you can before casting out to get multiple fish confidently taking.
Vary your feed
Many top carpers talk about the importance of providing a banquet for the carp on the bottom with varied food items. The same applies to feeding carp on the surface. If you put out a selection of surface baits the carp have less chance of picking out your hookbait.
Great floating baits are Chum mixer dog biscuits, floating pellets and breadcrust. Having a selection of these can really make a difference to catching consistently off the surface.
Fish can be more readily lured into surface feeding through smaller food items, such as Nash Riser pellets. Start by introducing these smaller feeds and gradually wean them on to the bigger baits.
Carp can be exceptionally wary of feeding off the surface on some venues. The best advice is to spend time feeding the fish little and often. By only putting a handful of offerings in at a time, they have no choice but to compete for every last one. If you pile in loads from the off and litter the surface with baits, the fish can be more selective.
Feed a mix of bait sizes, colours and flavours
Concealment is key
One of the biggest factors that will lead to more takes off the surface is effective concealment of your end tackle. As carp are approaching your hookbait from underneath, it’s vital to ensure your line is floating and everything looks natural.
Use a good floating hooklink, preferably one designed for surface fishing. Dropping the strength and diameter of this hooklink will lead to more takes. If your hooklink begins to sink during the session, grease it up with Vaseline.
Using a specialist floater style hook is also important. A hook pattern that is too heavy will cause your hookbait to sit unnaturally in the water. Dropping the hook size will help avoid this, but don’t go too light because when a carp is hooked the action is explosive!
Use a floating hooklink and as small a hook you can get away with.