Peculiarities of carp behavior in spring: methods and techniques of fishing

A great joy for an angler is catching a trophy carp. It is this fish that makes you feel real excitement and brings pleasure from fishing. To catch it, you need not only good and reliable gear, but also well-chosen bait and knowledge of what time you can hunt it.
Carp is a domesticated species of carp, which began to be artificially bred in freshwater ponds.
There are 3 types of these individuals:

• scaly;
• mirror;
• naked carp

Their names depend on their scaly cover. The fish has a large mouth on each side of the upper jaw and antennae.

This type of fish feeds on both plant and animal foods. Carp is constantly in search of food, and it is also unpretentious in food, so it grows quite quickly. Puberty begins after 3 years of age.

Carp biting time by season

1. Summer. This time of year is the most favorite for carp, since it is heat-loving and its bite improves as the water warms. Fishing in summer begins after spawning in early June and continues until early September. During the day it hides from the heat, so you should look for it at a depth of 2-5 m near underwater holes where there is cool water. He also moves into the thickets, where he calmly finds peace, food and protection from enemies.
   It is better to go fishing in warm, cloudy weather, because during prolonged heat the carp eats practically nothing and waits out unfavorable weather for it.

2. Autumn. Fishing during this period becomes not as exciting as in summer. The water temperature drops and, accordingly, biting activity also decreases. In early autumn, it lives near thickets, snags and reeds. When the water becomes clean and transparent, the fish begins to look for places where they can hide. This type of fish prefers muddy water, where it is not visible.
   Before going into hibernation, the carp begins to actively look for food for itself, so the bite during this period increases. But at the same time, the weather must correspond to his behavior.

   The days for successful fishing must be warm. When frost sets in, individuals of this genus most often live in pits, and if you find one, successful fishing is guaranteed.

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3. Winter. This is the most inappropriate period for carp fishing. It is almost impossible to attract it with bait, so it is rarely possible to return home with a trophy catch.
4. Spring. Fishing begins immediately after the ice melts from the surface of the reservoir.
   It should be noted that on rivers this process occurs much earlier than on closed reservoirs.

   After winter, carp begin to gain weight and become stronger as spawning begins soon. He actively takes any bait offered by her. When the water is still cold, its activity is not too noticeable. With each warm day, the water becomes warmer and warmer, so the carp begins to go out to the shallows, which are well warmed up by the sun's rays.

   At the beginning of spring, the water is quite clear and therefore you should be very careful when catching this shy fish.

   It reacts quite quickly to loud sounds on the shore, bright colors, bait and tackle. You should be quite careful.

Spawning

The spawning time of carp depends to the greatest extent on weather conditions. If spring is long and cold, it may start much later than usual. Carp is a heat-loving fish, and spawns when the water temperature reaches 18-20 degrees. Each season this process may begin at a slightly different time. Most often in the middle zone this is the end of April and almost the whole of May. However, a cold spring may cause spawning to begin closer to the beginning of summer.

Carp spawning can be quite noisy and visible from a great distance.

Important! The spawning period is not the best time for carp fishing, even if fishing is allowed in a particular reservoir. Fish activity drops by approximately 70% or more, and there will be very few bites.

Factors influencing good bite

A good bite of carp is influenced by quite a few factors, the main of which are:

• Atmospheric pressure and weather. It is best to go hunting for this fish on days when the atmospheric pressure is slightly lower. This could be after hot days or before rain.
• Times of Day. The greatest activity of the future catch begins at night. At this time of day, the fish begin to move a lot in search of food. You can also count on luck early in the morning or late in the evening. But, you should not deny yourself the pleasure of fishing during the day, only on the condition that the complementary food, place and fishing technique are selected correctly.
• Temperature. Carp loves warm water and weather, but without fanaticism. That is, you need to choose an average temperature, it should be neither cold nor too hot.
• Favorite habitats. Most often, carp can be found in places where there are snags. It’s good if the snag is located far from the shore. It is recommended to use heavy weights when catching it, it will not be scared, and also it will not have the desire to hide. At any time of the year, it lives in flooded river beds and ravines. It can also be successfully caught near dams. At the same time, it sinks to the bottom from 3 to 5 m, depending on the water temperature. Those fishermen who find a sandy patch where there is a spring will not be left without a catch.

Lure

Feeding carp in the spring, especially during the first months when the water has not yet warmed up and the metabolic processes in the fish’s body are somewhat slower, requires some caution. It is quite easy to overfeed carp or carp at this time of year, so fat-rich ingredients should be used with caution. At the same time, it should also be taken into account that the presence of a large amount of protein in bait is highly desirable. Aromatic additives should be used with caution; in the spring, their excess can be harmful. First of all, “meat” flavors such as crab, bloodworm or shrimp are used, as well as universal options in the form of various spices.

If you plan to fish with boilies, then they should be not only on the hook, but also as part of the bait. But you should be careful with the amount of bait you throw, especially in early spring, since at this time it is quite easy to overfeed the carp.

Reasons for lack of bite

Despite the fact that the fish lives underwater, it still actively reacts to everything that happens both on the shore and in the water. Avid fishermen can easily determine what reasons influenced the poor bite.

What are the reasons for poor bite:

• Spawning. At this time, the fish is busy with completely different things, it has no time to look for food, so you shouldn’t expect mercy from it to get hooked.
  It should also be noted that after spawning for another 2-3 weeks the fish is in a stressful state, and there will be no bite.
• Atmosphere pressure. Carp does not like sudden changes, so with any deviations the fish simply forgets about its food.
• Carp can be caught in winter too

  Wind. It should be moderate; its complete absence can bring failure to the fisherman. Strong wind currents also affect the bite. It is interesting to know that if there is a northeast wind near a reservoir, then there will be no bite at all.

• Times of Day. You should not try your hand at noon, in the summer heat. It is also not recommended to go fishing during the full moon.
• Excess natural food. If it is present in unlimited quantities in a reservoir, then the fisherman is unlikely to be able to attract carp with his treats.
• Poplar fluff. This is perhaps the most terrible period for fish, because after swallowing it, the fish goes to the bottom and gets sick for a long time and is not at all interested in biting.
• Tackle. They must fully correspond to the fish being hunted.
• Human factor. Any screams or noise can scare away the fish.
  It should be as quiet as possible on the shore. The fisherman should wear clothes of a dull color. Also, there will be no bite for a long time in those places where electric fishing rods and explosives were used.

Basic fishing methods

• Spinning. As you know, this tackle is more suitable for catching predatory fish, but it turned out that carp does not disdain artificial baits. It will be especially useful in the fall, when the fish begin to eat. Carp eats everything, from bugs to similar fish. The spinning rod should be fairly light with a medium action. The length of the rod should not exceed 2.7 m. The fishing line should not be noticeable, so it is better to replace the fluke with 0.13 mm braid. The reel must be taken with a spinning reel with a rear clutch.
• Feeder. The most common tackle for carp fishing. In addition, it is an excellent replacement for expensive carp rods.
  This type of gear is easy to use and suitable for beginner anglers.

  Bait for carp is sent in special feeders, which vary in shape and weight. The length of the rod should be from 3.5 to 4 m. The action is suitable for medium or fast. The reel must be inertia-free, a suitable size is 3000-4000. Only monofilament fishing line with a size of 0.25 to 0.3 mm is suitable.
  

• Float rod. Sometimes it is more effective than a feeder. Large carp can approach the very shore, so it is the float rod that comes to the aid of fishermen. The length of the rod should be from 4 to 6 m, depending on the casting distance. The reel should be light and inertia-free. Braided or monofilament fishing line. The float fits in different shapes with a thin tip. The hook should be of carp shape. Its size should be from 10 and below.
• Pacifier. This tackle is somewhat similar to a feeder, only the hooks on it are hidden in the bait. When the carp approaches the trap, it begins to suck up the food along with the hook, which is covered with foam and is practically invisible. After the hook is swallowed, the fish begins to move away, but a hook occurs.
• Spring. This method of carp fishing was invented when no one had ever heard of a feeder rod. In principle, this is an ordinary feeder, only it has the shape of a spring. Viscous complementary foods are placed inside it. The hooks are hidden in the treat; after the carp smells it and starts sucking out the treat, it will definitely swallow the hook.
• Makushatnik. It is a piece of pressed sunflower cake. Used for bottom tackle. It does not get wet in the water for a long time, so fishing with it always brings good results.
• Boilies. This bait is not cheap, only if you buy it in a store. You can make your own balls. For their preparation, various cereal products and flavorings are used. Used for feeder gear. The ball is put on a hook and after the fish starts to eat it, it gets hooked. The advantage of such balls is that small fish cannot swallow them. Therefore, the fisherman will only be able to catch a trophy specimen.

Selection of baits

Spring is that time of year when preference should be given to animal baits, or their various combinations with plant options. Red dung worm, maggot, bloodworm and other similar options are quite effective in the spring, especially when it comes to March-April. At the same time, the closer it gets to summer, the better vegetable baits like corn or peas, which are classic for carp fishing, perform.

Boilies and bait pellets for spring carp fishing should be selected from those that are as rich in proteins as possible. At the same time, carp fishing enthusiasts recommend avoiding too fatty options, since using them in bait can quickly overfeed the carp, and it will lose interest in the baits. “Meat” aromas like crab or shrimp work well in water that has not yet been warmed up, as well as somewhat universal options in the form of various spices. Sweet smells will be more relevant towards the end of May.

A floating bait in the spring is often the most effective option, as it stands out well on the bottom.

What to lure and feed with?

Carp is an omnivorous fish, it loves both plant and animal baits, the main thing is to know when to use which.

This is how they plant corn when fishing for carp

In the summer, baits of plant origin are more suitable:

• corn;
• peas;
• potato;
• bread, etc.

During the cold period, it begins to actively prepare for winter and gain fat, so it is better to use animal bait here:

• worm;
• maggots;
• bloodworm, etc.

Any grains, as well as flavorings and aromas are suitable for feeding. You can prepare the bait yourself from products that you can find in the kitchen, or you can buy it ready-made in a specialized store.

Features of spring fishing

Carp begins to be caught in the spring when the temperature in the reservoir rises to fifteen degrees. In central Russia this is usually the end of April - beginning of May. It is quite natural that in the shallows of relatively small reservoirs, the water will warm up much faster, which implies the main feature of spring fishing for carp and carp - at this time of year there is no need for ultra-long casts, the fish often feeds right under your feet.

In spring, carp often gather in shallow waters. Early in the morning, concentrations of fish can be observed practically under your feet.

Carp fishing techniques and tactics

For fishing to be successful, you should follow a few simple rules on fishing techniques and tactics:

• Before you start fishing, you need to study the place.
• Fish requires constant feeding, otherwise it may simply go elsewhere in search of food.
• If there are no results at a certain place, then it is better to change it.
• On the shore, there is no need to make unnecessary sounds so as not to scare away the future catch. Clothes should not be too bright. You should also carefully consider the choice of gear palette.
• It is recommended to take a lot of different baits and lures with you.