Practical Carp Fishing

Practical Carp Fishing is brimming with practical and sound advice and is invaluable for all budding carp anglers as well as more experienced carp anglers who wish to improve their skills and their catches.

The popularity of carp fishing has increased drmatically during the last thirty years; many now regard the sport as a separate branch of angling in its own right, alongside coarse fishing, game fishing and sea fishing. The increase in the popularity of carp fishing has been accompanied by a great thirst for knowlege about this exciting form of angling. More fishing magazines and websites are dedicated to carp than to any other species and there is no sign of this enthusiasm slowing down. There are books of all kinds but this volume is particularly aimed at the coarse angler with some experience, who has decided to enter the exciting world of carp fishing for the first time, and at relatively inexperienced carp anglers who wish to improve their catches.

This very practical and accessible book examines the characteristics and habits of this cunning species of fish and pays particular attention to its feeding habits. It considers the tackle that is needed including rods, reels, and all the accessories, and informs the reader about exactly what is required to spend long sessions at the waterside in some comfort. There are clear instructions and photographs demonstrating how to construct basic and more advanced rigs, and the authors indicate why specific rigs should be used to present baits in various ways. Baits are covered in depth, from the simple baits for casual sessions to the more complex nutritional `food-bait recipes' used to create boilies for long-term campaigns. However, the book is not all about long-session angling: it also caters for the carp angler who has time only for short sessions in the evening after work, or perhaps in the morning before an afternoon shift. Accordingly, there is advice on stalking, float fishing and that most popular and exciting short-session technique, surface floater fishing.

The authors, Graham Marsden and Mark Wintle, have a century of angling experience between them, and fully appreciate that it is not enough simply to advise the reader on what to do and what not to do. As demonstrated in this fascinating book, they understand that it is important that the reader should know why he, or she, is using something and why a particular technique or bait is best. Only by understanding the underlying reasons for their actions can anglers move on to create their own rigs and baits, or at least improve those created by others.

This comprehensive book, which is written in a no-nonsense style, provides an essential guide to catching bigger carp. Beautifully illustrated, it is easy to follow and understand, full of top tips, and never loses sight of the fact that fishing should always be fun.

Graham Marsden is a long-established angling writer, photographer and tackle consultant. His first article was published in 1968 and he has been writing regularly ever since. His articles have appeared in almost every major British angling journal, and in many foreign fishing publications. Graham has written in every issue of Coarse Fisherman magazine since its first issue appeared in 1975. He has written several books and scores of chapter in books, has contributed articles and photographs to several major angling part-works, has made professional videos, has appeared on television and has broadcast his own show on local radio for eight years. He is now managing editor of the UK's foremost angling website www.fishingmagic.com.

Graham has fished for carp for over forty years, and caught his first double-figure fish in 1958 on critically balanced honey-flavoured bread paste! Graham has fished for big carp across the UK and Europe, has caught carp to over 30lb in the UK and has netted many carp over 40lb, including a personal-best of 52lb 80z that he landed in France. His favourite carp-fishing method is floater fishing and he once caught twenty-eight doubles, with several over 20lb, on floaters in one morning session.
Mark Wintle has been fishing for forty years and for an extended period combined a long and successful match-fishing career at club, open and national championship level with a desire to catch better-than-average fish on his local rivers and lakes. Although a true all-rounder, Mark has a real liking for catching carp of all sizes using a variety of methods. He has spent many years testing his skills against bigger carp and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Together with Graham Marsden, Mark wrote the highly acclaimed Pole Fishing - A Complete Guide (Crowood, 2008) and he has written numerous articles for the angling press.

Mark has a passion for shorter fishing spells with a single rod, and is a master at blending into the background. He often stalks and outwits carp skulking in the margins. By calling on his extensive float-fishing skills and by using judicious feeding and stealth he persuades the carp to accept his hook bait.

Althogh Mark has caught carp to over 30lb, he admits that he could have caught a lot more, and probably bigger, fish if he had spent longer periods behind a bank of rods. Not for one minute, however, does he regret his preoccupation with margin-stalking in short sessions.