How To Catch Carp Using Artlure In South Africa
Catching Common Carp, Mirror Carp & Grass Carp Using Artlure Methods In Southern Africa
The Common species of Carp in South Africa are probably the most popular targeted freshwater fish in the Country and many fresh water anglers are constantly trying new ways and methods of catching that prize Carp. In this article I will explain how you can catch Common Carp, Mirror Carp and Grass Carp via Art Lure methods and techniques. Artlure angling is an amazing way to catch fish and if you know the secrets, you should catch them!
The main information and all pictures below were given to me by Rodney Smit, a very knowledgeable angler in all facets:
Catching Carp Using Art Lure Methods
Choice Of Lure?
No matter what type of Carp species you are targeting on Artlure everything is much the same when it comes to the theory. First I will show you some pictures of the leadhead lure best to target Carp with:
If you are unsure what a leadhead is, it is basically a hook with a lead sinker moulded on to the top of the hook shank. This allows the angler good casting distance and a very good lure action. The lures in the above picture are perfect for targeting Carp but preparation is needed in order to make them look like they do. You can purchase your own jighead or leadhead at any tackle shop and then follow the picture to see what else you need to make the lure look similar to the ones above. This is a very tricky form of Artlure but when you master it you should be catching a lot of Carp as well as many other fish species. Next you will need some paddletails, as these give the lure an amazing action. Colour doesn't matter but over time you will find a colour that the Carp like.
What To Look For?
When targeting Carp using Artlure most of this is done by sight fishing ie. looking for where the fish are feeding or where they are swimming and casting to them. Signs to look for include the Carp jumping out of the water, 'tailing' and bubbles on the surface. Also if you are lucky enough to be able to see the Carp in clear or shallow water this is great as well! So the key here is looking for signs of the fish... Below is a 9kg Common Carp caught on this technique...
You Have Seen The Carp, What Next?
Now this is the tricky part, trying to get the Carp to take your lure! You have found the feeding Carp so now you cast a few meters beyond where the fish are and quickly retrieve the lure until you are in the strike zone; now let the leadhead sink until it is on the bottom! Hopefully the Carp will take your lure on the drop if they are jumping out of the water or tailing, but where you see bubbles they will most likely take it on the bottom of the body of water. Leave it on the bottom for a few seconds and if you do not get a pick up during this time, wind the lure back very slowly, bumping it along the bottom... If a Carp does not pick up your lure after you are out of the strike zone, then quickly retrieve the lure and cast it back to where the Carp are feeding! Below is a diagram done by Rodney Smit illustrating the above points...
Artlure Tackle For Carp
As mentioned before, artlure is generally a light tackle form of angling but Carp are very strong fighting fish and the lighter tackle you fish with the less chance you have of landing the fish! In the end it all comes down to what you feel confident with and trial an error but this is what I would recommend:
- A 6 or 7 foot rod that can cast lures well but also has some back bone
- A 3000 or 4000 size reel
- 10lb Braid or 10lb monofilament, the smaller the diameter in the line the better, you can go lighter than this however.
Good luck targeting those Carp on Artlure and a special thanks to Rodney Smit for all the information!
