Saturday, October 24, 2009

A Beginner's Introduction to Carp Fishing Gear

By Tony G. Stevenson

There are many different types of freshwater fish that are very popular with anglers. Once that receives great attention in Europe, but hasn't caught on so much in the States, is carp. Carp fishing is still a very popular hobby, and one that is even growing in the U.S. There is one thing that carp anglers have in common regardless of where they are from: the need for good carp fishing tackle and equipment.

The first piece of fishing gear to look at is a good carp fishing rod. A suitable fishing rod should be at least six feet long (more is okay), and also medium action. This is the best combination of strength and flexibility to make carp fishing a challenge, but give you a good chance to lead even the trophy sized fish.

Right after the rod you need to consider the reel. All good reels are open faced, not closed faced, and can hold a great deal of line. At a very minimum, you should be able to spool 150 yards of 12 lb test. More is better, but 150 should be your minimum standard.

Finding the right bait is important with any type of fish. Carp aren't picky eaters, but some bait is going to work better than others. While many bass anglers love rapalas, the best tackle for carp is actually sticky and smelly bait. There are many specialty carp baits available, so test around and see what the carp in your area like best.

If you're a beginning carp angler, you may have heard of pods. Pods are basically rod holders that many carpers use to get more than one line out there while waiting for the carp to bite. This isn't a tool that beginning anglers need to worry about, but if carping becomes an obsession, it's something to look at down the line.

And of course there's the all important fishing line. Kevlar fishing line is a popular choice among any anglers, although in the end the main concern is getting fishing line that is 12 pound test or better.

While there is big time fishing gear for carp anglers that costs a good deal of money, starting gear can be had for fairly cheap. Carp angling can be a very rewarding hobby that provides many hours of entertainment, making it a cheaper in the long run over many other forms of recreation.

Every angler knows you have to have the right gear to get the job done. If you want to really enjoy carp fishing, get the right tackle and gear early on and you'll be glad you did. - 2368

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