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North American Carp Angler Magazine – Spring 2015
Now available, the 2015 spring edition of the North American Carp Angler Magazine
click here to read it FREE: http://issuu.com/northamericancarpangler/docs/naca_2015_spring_edition
NACA is published by the Carp Angler’s Group (CAG) – a group of anglers dedicated to catch-and-release carp fishing.
World Classic Baits Fields New Imitation Corn and it’s Great!
World Classic Baits is a provider of some of the finest carp fishing bait available in the US. Their maize and boilies are proven carp catchers, but if that weren’t enough they’ve gone and developed an imitation bait offering that is nothing short of superb.
Why is it better than other imitation offerings?
I’ve fished with a lot of different imitation corn kernels. Big names like Enterprise and Korda among them. What these big brand imitation corn products have in common is a tough, scent resistant plug of rubber that is brightly colored. They don’t hold scent well and after mild use they are simply flavorless chunks of color. WCBs imitation kernels on the other hand are soft. They compress and hold the scent in a more porous body of plastic. The scents themselves are strong and pleasant. If I had any complaint it’s that they’re too saturated making them a bit slippery, but this may be a good problem to have.
The kernels are a bright, high-visibility yellow and are the perfect accent on top of some flavored maize, boilie or tigernut. It’s a sinking bait so you can also use it to critically balance a pop-up. Currently yellow is the only color available but I’ll keep my fingers crossed for an orange, white or pink offering.
How Many in a Package?
WCB packs each resealable container with a whopping 15 pieces. That’s five more than most bait vendors. Normally, you get 8 to 10.
What’s the advantage of using Imitation Corn?
In a word, “Re-useable.” Maize splits or dries out. This imitation corn is immortal like some greek god of baits that will keep on luring fish for as long as it stays on the hair. Eventually a snag, a snap off or a turtle will swipe your corn, but that’s whyWCB gives you 15 pieces.
What flavors are available?
The flavor offerings are a lineup of every carp angler’s tried-and-true flavors. If you haven’t fished with 4 Seasons, you’re missing fish.
- 4 Seasons (My favorite)
- Pineapple
- Strawberry
- Scopex
- Anise (Quickly becoming my new favorite)
- Sweetcorn
- Banana
- Tigernut
If you need proof that it’s an effective carp catcher see below. My son, Big Texas Travis will tell you straight, “This stuff works, Daddy. It really works!”
Carp Rigs :: Helicopter Rig (Long Distance)
The Helicopter Rig is designed for long distance casting without tangling. The lead first and free moving hooklink allow the rig to be cast at great range without the hooklink snagging up on the cast. A stiff hooklink (heavy mono or fluorocarbon) is recommended.
Rig Mechanic:
The name of the rig says it all. The hooklink attached to the larger swivel will allow the link to spin freely around the leadcore leader. The stiffer line will keep the hook and bait pushed out from the line preventing tangles. The lead at the end of the rig positions the weight such that it leads on the cast for maximum distance. The longer distance you need to cast, the greater the weight of the lead. The stop beads prevent the hooklink from moving around too much and the tail rubber tidy’s up the rig for a sleek presentation. Finally, the leadcore line keeps everyting pinned down to the bottom and helps to prevent tangles on the cast.
Reader Mail :: Miklos Catches Chunky Texas Buffalo
My first reader picture! Miklos is new to North Texas but it didn’t take him long to find the buffalo. This 19-pounder is a great way to start a season. Well done, Miklos! Keep sharing those pics, we love them!
If you have a recent capture and would like to share, you can send you picture and details to txeliteangler@verizon.net
What Bait Do You Use To Catch Carp :: Tiger Nuts
If your fishing holes are plagued by small nuisance fish or catfish then corn may not be the best choice for big carp and buffalo. Catfish will readily take a boilie and often will take maize even though less frequently. A remarkable alternative to the staple boilie or maize are Tiger Nuts. Tiger Nuts are a fantastic bait and catfish don’t often take them, nor turtles now that I think about it. If you often fish small waters in the spring when catfish are numerous and turtles have awoken from their winter hibernation, Tiger Nuts are a good option.
What are Tiger Nuts?
A tiger nut is an edible tuber from a chufa sedge. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is hardy on the hair. It’s this hardiness that makes it unattractive to catfish, but carp and buffalo absolutely love the sweet flavor and crunchy texture.
Where do I get Tiger Nuts?
Similar to maize, you can get tiger nuts unprepared and prepared. Unprepared tigers can be purchased from the big outdoor outfitters, such as Cabela’s. You’ll be shopping for “Chufa”, and will find it in the hunting section. Chufa can be fairly expensive at $49 for 10 lbs, but when you consider these tiger nuts will be used for hook baits, as opposed to chum like field corn, the cost makes more sense. It will take you a long, long time to use 10 lbs of hook baits. You won’t want to prepare the whole 10lbs at once. Just what you’ll need for hook baits.
Tiger Nuts can’t be used in this raw form. In fact, unprepared tiger nuts are toxic to carp. To properly prepare tiger nuts you must soak them for 24 hours and then boil them for 20 minutes. Store them in the boil water as it will contain all the boiled out starch and sugars. You can either go preservative free or use some Kosher salt to keep them from fermenting.
If you don’t want to bother with tiger nut preparation, then you can buy prepared tigers. These baits have been properly soaked, boiled for softness and flavored. Various carp bait vendors offer prepared tigers.
How Long Do Tiger Nuts Keep?
Prepared Tiger Nuts bought from bait retailers will keep a long time simply by refrigerating your bait when not in use. I’ve been using the same tiger nuts for over a year now and they’re still good.
Glugging Tiger Nuts
I have started gluggling my tiger nuts so that they are full of flavor and attractants when I thread one on the hair. I’ve been using World Classic Baits line of bait dips for this task. The dips are very think and potent and have been working great as a glug. They have been particularly effective on smallmouth buffalo.
Hook Patterns for Carp Angling
Of all the freshwater species you can fish for the common carp is probably the most tackle shy. Underwater videos of the world’s top carp anglers shows that carp have a keen sense for the unnatural and will devour every food item BUT your hook bait leaving it wafting in the current untouched. I’ve seen carp hover near a bait and inspect the hook, then totally ignore the rig. Carp are also good at ejecting a hook. For every beep on your alarm, there are probably five pickups and ejections you didn’t get indication on. Because of this, the right hook choice is critical. The proper hook will be hard to detect and be optimized to the rig for the greatest potential for a hook set.
Hook patterns can basically be broken down into categories base on Eye Orientation and Shank Type.
Eye Orientation
Out-turned Eye:
An out-turned eye carp hook is good for stiff rig bait presentations using stiff mono-filament or fluorocarbon lines. The out-turned eye allows the hook to properly align on a stiff line leaving the gape open for maximum hooking potential.
In-turned Eye:
The in-turned eye carp hook is the most versatile pattern because it can be used with many different presentations. The in-turned eye allows the hook to turn more aggressively in the carp’s mouth resulting a more frequent hook ups than a straight eye hook. Paired with a bit of shrink tube or line aligner, this pattern is down right deadly.
Straight Eye:
The straight eye has no turning property unless augmented by shrink tubing or a line aligner. Without the ability to turn aggressively this is not a good hook pattern for carp angling. An in-turned eye hook is always better than a straight eye hook when it comes to carp fishing.
Shank Type
Long Shank:
The long shank hook will catch in a carp’s mouth faster than other patterns due to the effectively wider gape from point to eye. The weakness in the long shank hook lies in its strength. Long shanks aren’t as strong as a short shank hook and will bend out more often. Commonly used with pop-up rigs.
Short Shank:
The short shank hook will turn aggressively and at a greater angle than the long shank which is good for the hook up, but the greater angle may result in a shallower set. If the hook doesn’t bite deep enough you could lose your fish to a hook pull. Short shanks are exceptionally strong hooks. Versatile pattern that can be use for bottom bait, balanced or pop-up rigs.
Curved Shank:
My favorite pattern as it turns so quickly to find purchase in a carp’s mouth. The curved shank makes it difficult of the carp to eject the hook resulting in more frequent hook ups. Curved shanks come in both long and short shanks along with the same pros and cons regarding shank length. Versatile pattern that can be use for bottom bait, balanced or pop-up rigs.
Final Results :: Lake Fork Carp & Buffalo Challenge
Congratulations to Kurt and Steve Bond for their win at the Wild Carp Companies, Lake Fork Carp & Buffalo Challenge. Under very difficult conditions this veteran pair bested Lake Fork and took the 1st place slot with some spectacular catches. Kurt and Steve represented England for Sonik and Ace tackle. Queen and country would be proud I’m sure.
Top angling, gentlemen.
Carp Tactics :: How To Fish With Pack Bait Using The Method
One of the most effective ways to catch carp and buffalo is fishing what is known as “The Method.” As mysterious as “The Method” sounds, it’s really quite easy to add to your arsenal of carp catching tactics. Honestly, if you’re not fishing the method, then you’re probably not catching to your potential.
Before we discuss the method, we need to define “Pack Bait.” Pack Bait is a particle bait made with a three components, a Binder, a Breaker and a Wetter. Together these particles work in unison to create a highly attractive baiting strategy that has put more carp and buffalo in the net than any angler could count.
Components of a Pack Bait:
Binder: The binder is your pack bait base and is what allows the bait to pack together and stick. Without a binder your bait ball would not hold together and you would be unable to pack it around your lead, much less cast it out. Examples of binders:
- Oats – 100% Old Fashioned, not Quick or Instant
- Grits – Instant no Quick
- Panko – Japanese Bread Crumb
- Soy Meal
- Calf Manna
- Bread – White bread
Breaker: The breaker is an additive to your pack bait that allows your bait ball to break down in water. Without a breaker your binder would hold together too well and not break down into that lovely bed of bait. It’s important to get your portions correct. To much breaker and your bait ball won’t pack well and fly off on the the cast. Examples of breakers:
- Quick Grits
- Bird Seed
- Cracked Corn
- Sweet Feed
- Hemp
NOTE: Any seed or grain baits should be soaked for 24 hours, and in some cases boiled before use (post coming on this soon). Failing to soak your baits will allow the bait to swell in a carp’s belly which could burst it’s stomach.
Wetter: The wetter is the catalyst that starts the binding process. Dry particles won’t pack, but by adding the wetter binding particles swell with the moisture and become packable. Examples of wetters:
- Creamed Corn
- Lake Water – Don’t use tap water
- Flavored Syrup
- Corn Steeped Liquor (CSL)
The Method:
Ok, now that we know what Pack Bait is, lets demystify The Method. The Method is a strategy for casting out a small bed of particle bait with your hook bait. Carp are adept at locating these small piles of bait and will eventually encounter your hook bait as they gobble up the free particles. Rig camouflage and proper tying will ensure your hook bait isn’t ignored or ejected and BAM! Fish on.
To deploy the method ball, we’ll be packing the bait around your lead. The lead has enough structure to give the pack bait something to hang on to. Some anglers pack the bait around their hook bait, but in my experience the pack bait flies off the cast more often this way. Various leads can be used to improve pack bait grip such as a Gripper Lead or Method Cage.
To start, take a handful of pack bait and place your lead at it’s center. The lead should be aligned such that your line will feed out of the top and bottom. If you crimp the line in your pack bait ball the ball will come apart on the cast as this line straightens out under the force of the cast.
Second, take another handful of pack and cover the lead. Compress the pack bait around your lead by pressing the bait together. Sometimes it helps to wet your hands before packing so the bait doesn’t stick to your hands. Continue to compress the bait around your lead until you have a hard packed ball. Note, the more compressions you give your pack bait the longer it will take to break. It’s a good idea to throw a small ball into the water’s edge to judge break time. A ball that breaks down completely in 5 mins is ideal.
Your pack bait should pack easily. If it breaks or flakes, it is too dry. Add a small amount of wetter. Careful you don’t over wet or your pack bait will become soggy and wont hold together on the cast. It takes some time and experience to get this right, but you’ll be an expert in no time. Keep a lid on your pack bait bucket to prevent it from drying out.
Once you have your pack bait molded, take your hook bait and hook it into the bait ball. This ensures your hook bait will be resting among the particle bait bed at the bottom of the lake and also prevents any hook link tangles on the cast. There is a potential that your hook bait can be pinned beneath the bait ball as it settles to the lake bottom, but I wouldn’t worry to much about this as a hungry carp will knock around the lead while feeding. If you want to ensure perfect presentation, then get a method cage that has one side weighted like the one in the “Pack Bait Leads” graphic.
That’s it. Cast that baby out and get ready for a run.
Method Ball Baiting:
Your pack bait can also be used to build up a bed of particles in your swim to get fish competitively feeding, and more importantly to keep them feeding once they arrive. Using a Catapult, Method Sling, Wacker Blaster, Spod, or Spomb, you can deploy method balls (pack bait rolled into balls for throwing out) at range to keep the area baited up and fish feeding. Size the method ball to the device your using to throw them out.
The Method is a highly effective way to entice carp and buffalo in to your swim and get them feeding aggressively. The more aggressively they feed the more likely they are to make a mistake. With a good hook bait presentation combined with the Method you will exponentially increase your chances of catching.
New Personal Best – Fantail Koi
You wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had. Not only did I witness and help resuscitate the pending Texas State Record Flathead Catfish (Taken by noodling – 79lbs) but I spent a beautiful Texas day with a cool couple who are emerging Euro-carp anglers, and caught my new personal best Koi! Phew…how’s that for a fishing session.
For a carp angler, catching a Koi is a big deal, but catching a Fantail Koi is pure awesomeness. It’s customary to name a captured Koi so this one is now dubbed, “Nero.” The fins on this fish were so long and elegant and its markings were artistry.
Nero fell to Pineapple Flavored Maize by World Classic Baits and weighed in at 7lbs 6oz.
WOOHOO!
Texas Elite Angler 