Fishing the River For Large Carp
One of the most important points to get right when river fishing for carp is to know exactly where to fish. In other words, location, location, location!
You want to locate a good feature somewhere along the river. These can be very similar to those found in lakes and ponds. Places where carp can hold up in piece and quiet are good places to start, especially if there is some kind of coverage.
Some features worth looking for are:
- reed beds
- overhanging trees
- flowing water
- water outlet or inlets
Weed beds and lily pads can be some great features to find on rivers as well as in many lakes. The weed beds help "catch" and hold food items in place, thus, there is a reason why carp may come back to visit them on a regular basis.
Fast flowing water can be great places in the summer, the water gets oxygenated at these places and as a result draw in many carp. Weirs can also be a productive feature for carp fishing on rivers as well as large groups of moored boats. These offer carp some security and warmth, as well as food sources so don't be afraid to fish by moored up boats, especially during the colder months as boat owners may not use them as much. This makes these areas fairly quiet for carp to become settled for a few months.
Fishing the river margins can produce good results to. River margins will often drop-off quickly to form a shelf where food items can gather together and provide fish with regular supplies of food. Placing a fishing rig at the bottom of the shelf can produce numerous carp catches.