25 guides · 6 tools
All carp fishing guides
Plain-English guides with a diagram for every one, grouped by topic. New to carp? Begin with the beginner guides.
Rigs
How the main carp rigs work, how to tie them, and when to use each one, from the hair rig to the chod, Ronnie and zig. Every rig is shown on a fish-safe set-up.
How to tie a hair rig
The rig almost every carp angler starts with: what each part does, how to tie it step by step, and the mistakes that cost bites.
The chod rig: when and how to use it
A short, stiff rig that sits on top of weed and silt. How it works, how to tie one, and the safe way to set it up.
Lead clip, helicopter or inline?
The three ways to attach a lead, what each one does best, and how to make sure any of them is safe for the fish.
Zig rigs: fishing up in the water
When carp are cruising off the bottom, a zig puts the bait where they are. How to pick the depth, tie the rig and fish it.
How to tie a Ronnie rig
The Ronnie, or spinner rig: a pop-up rig with a hook that spins freely on a swivel. How to tie it, how to balance it, and when to leave it in the box.
How to tie a hinged stiff rig
A two-part pop-up rig: a stiff boom joined to a short stiff hook section by a rig ring. Why the hinge works, how to tie it, and where it beats a chod.
Carp knots: the five you need
Five knots cover almost every carp set-up: the knotless knot, the grinner, the figure-of-eight loop, the uni-to-uni and the double grinner. Step-by-step instructions for each.
Bait
Boilies, pellets, particles and PVA: what to use, how much to bring, and how to put it where the fish are, from the method feeder to spodding at range.
Spodding and spombing: baiting at range
Getting bait accurately to a spot 80 yards out. Spod or spomb, how to clip up, how much to put in and how to keep it tight.
Carp bait explained: boilies, pellets, particles and corn
The four main carp baits, what each one does best, what to buy first and how much to take on a session.
PVA bags, sticks and mesh: which one and when
PVA dissolves in water and leaves a small pile of bait right next to your hook. When to use a solid bag, a mesh stick or a stringer, and how to tie each one.
Method feeder fishing for carp
The quickest way to catch carp on a commercial lake. How the method feeder works, how to load it, and the short hooklink that makes it so effective.
Watercraft
Finding carp before you cast: reading a lake with a marker rod, fishing the margins and the surface, and looking after every fish you land.
Reading a lake with a marker rod
How to find bars, plateaus, gravel and silt with a marker rod and float, and what each feature tells you about where carp feed.
Carp care on the bank
Landing, unhooking, weighing and returning a carp safely. The kit fisheries ask for and the habits that keep fish healthy.
How to catch carp off the surface
Controller floats, floating baits and feeding carp up on mixers until they compete, then getting a hookbait in among them without spooking them.
Margin fishing and stalking for carp
Carp spend a lot of time close to the bank. How to approach quietly, spot feeding fish and place a bait right under the rod tip.
Seasons
How carp behave as the water warms and cools, and how to change your bait, rigs and swim choice from spring through to winter.
Winter carp: catching when the water is cold
Carp feed less when the water cools, but they still feed. How temperature changes their behaviour, and which baits and tactics still work.
Summer carp: fishing in the warm months
Carp are at their most active in summer, but heat, low oxygen and weed change where they feed. How to find them, when to fish and what to use.
Spring and autumn carp
The two in-between seasons: carp waking up in spring, the spawning break, and the autumn feed before winter. What changes and how to fish each one.
Kit
What you actually need on the bank and what the features do: rods, reels, line, hooks, bite alarms and night gear, judged on specification, not sponsorship.
Your first carp session: the kit list
Everything you need for a first day or night on the bank, what fisheries insist on, and where to spend and where to save.
Choosing bite alarms
What the features on a bite alarm actually do, which ones matter, and what you get as you spend more.
Night fishing for carp: a safety and set-up checklist
What to sort out before dark, the lights and power you need, and how to land and look after a carp safely at night.
Your first overnight carp session
What you need on top of day kit for a first night on the bank: shelter, a bed, staying warm, cooking safely, light and power. Plus how to plan the night.
Carp hook sizes and patterns
Which hook size suits which bait, what each hook pattern is for, and when barbless is the rule.
Carp mainline: mono, braid or fluorocarbon?
Which mainline to spool up with, what breaking strain to use, and why many fisheries ban braid.
Choosing your first carp rods and reels
Test curve, length and reel type explained, and what you get from budget, mid-range and premium set-ups.
Tools
Pick a rig, plan your bait, check the month, or look up a term.