I had to remind myself not to forget the rope because when Carp fishing in central Illinois, a 50 foot length of manilla rope ranks high as a must have item among my Carp fishing tackle. My buddy Vic and I usually set out just before dawn to make sure we are in position on the river before the big Carp began to move. A lot of people that set out for a day of Carp fishing find themselves a bridge, slide down the bank to the water and start fishing. Not so with Vic and I.
Being Carp fishermen and growing up in the region gave us a distinct advantage, we know where the best Carp fishing water is, and it is not under a bridge. Granted, they may get lucky but, they're missing out on some great Carp fishing action. Think about it, If you had your pick of the best spots along a rivers' length, would you park your camp under a noisy bridge? Or, would you find a quiet stretch of stream shaded by overhanging limbs and the only things disturbing the water are leaves and insects bobbing on the surface? Now that's thinking like a big carp. Vic and I pull up to a bridge but not to fish. Our method is to park the vehicle near the bridge and walk in. I'm talking about a 1/2 mile or more to find undisturbed, hungry and ready, monster Carp!
As we walk downstream along the ridge, we scout the banks below for prime big Carp habitat. Big Carp like sheltered locations with obstruction, a brush pile, log jam or an undercut bank. If you spot an undercut bank with a brush pile or log jam blocking it, you have just found Carp fishing Mecca. I'd bet your casting arm that there's a monster big Carp holed up in there living the life of Riley. The next question is, how do you get him out of there without spooking him. Try not to forget that he's wild, not stupid and just as wary as a whitetail or a rabbit.
Remember that rope I included in my Carp fishing tackle, it's time to put it to use. The majority of river banks I have encountered can be climbed and descended reasonably well but not quietly, especially when packing our Carp fishing gear. The goal is to get to the waters' edge without the big Carp knowing it, remember, he didn't grow to that size being an idiot. Once we reach the river, we get out our carp fishing rods and our carp fishing reels, which are heavy duty by the way, and prepare to begin our stalk. The right carp will tear up your carp fishing gear if it is undersized for the job. Spend the extra bucks and go heavy duty. I started out with a graphite rod that I was told could handle the stress, not a chance. I hooked a Carp in an undercut bank one morning and set the hook. Up and down the river we went battling each other until the Carp got tired of playing with me and stepped off down stream. The big Carp snapped that graphite rod like a sun dried twig and I never.... saw..... the fish.
I use a heavy fiberglass Carp fishing rod with the rod extending completely through the handle, no weak spots on this rig. The reel should be equally as strong unless you don't want to see your Carp fishing trophy.
As you probably guessed, our Carp fishing bait is a closely guarded secret, so here it is: 1/2 volume corn flakes, 1/2 volume corn meal and enough water to mash it into a paste like peanut butter. That's it. That's all there is to it. Carp love corn! We used whole kernel corn in the beginning but, the big Carp were masters at sucking the kernels off the hooks. Corn meal with corn flakes as the binder worked perfectly. When they pick up a blob of this Carp fishing bait, they have to work to suck it off the hook and the majority never make it. One more item you can add to your Carp fishing gear is a small amount of the dense brown catkin from the Cattail plant, kept in a small container. Mix the catkin fibers into the paste to make the Carp fishing bait almost impossible to suck off.
Our goal is to get within casting distance of a likely hole and let the current push the Carp fishing bait into the lair. Fishing down stream this way, we have to monitor the fishing line closely. When he picks up the bait, two things could happen, he will back up and tighten the line or, he will move forward and the line will go limp. Either way, set.....the......hook!!!! The fight of your life is on!! I must warn you though, this is not for the faint of heart.
Over the years, I've developed a deep admiration and healthy respect for this warrior of our freshwater streams. Once hooked, his pursuit for freedom is relentless and his power is awesome. I don't think I've ever fought a tougher fish. I am a firm supporter of catch and release. Please don't throw them on the banks and leave them for dead. Such a great fighter deserves to be "Released".