I have used a lot of hair needles over the course of my carp fishing career and I can easily say that the Gardner Braided Hair Needle (standard size) is my favorite. There are a few reasons for this but the biggest is that they are versatile. As my baiting needles seldom serve as only baiting needles but rather as multi-function rig tools, I find that the barb on this needle is perfect.
The Gardner Braided Hair Needle comes in two different colors. They both work great but the green one is easier to find in a black rig box.
Since it is not like the barb on a hook but rather more of an indent, it can be used for pulling line through various rig bits without snagging up while doing so. The sliding design is also surprisingly useful as it allows you to push the bait onto the hair just the right distance from the bait but it also keeps the it from snagging on stuff while being stored or in your pocket. While you might think that a needle without a barb might be at somewhat of a disadvantage when using monofilament, it really works just fine on just about all material.
This hair needle is not sharp and has a rounded end – which makes it much safer than the normal ones!
Unlike most baiting needles, this one does not have a super sharp point. I have found that this even works on really hard air-dried baits and had the added benefit of being much safer to use than a normal baiting needle as the lack of barb and sharp point really help to keep it from sticking in your hand!
The construction is durable and the only issue I have had is the two parts of the slider will separate if abused – however they can be easily snapped back together. The hole in one end can be used to put it on a key ring or to tighten knots which is what I often use it for.
The Outreach landing net from Gardner is a well thought out and durable piece of essential equipment. As the name suggests the handle is a bit longer than normally seen with the addition of an additional section that can be added on. Read more
Have you ever noticed that some carp are nearly impossible to catch? What makes one carp easier to catch than another? Searching to answer this question, I came upon a handful of scientific studies that discussed some of the issues involved. Of course, there are many factors such as the amount of fishing pressure, what the fish are naturally feeding on, location in the water body, and many, many other things that can impact fishing. However, I became interested in one that is less talked about: genetics. Carp have been domesticated for a long time and the result is many different “strains”, much like breeds of dogs or any other domesticated animal. And just like dog breeds these strains have different characteristics that impact everything from appearance to growth rate. While this selective breeding was not with angling in mind, the outcome of it is of major interest to anglers—and not just if the fish is a common or mirror, or how big it can ultimately get. It turns out that this selective breeding also has an impact on how easy the fish are to catch. This is isn’t just a minor difference either, as studies have shown that some strains of carp are much harder to catch than others. Most of these comparisons were between wild type carp (common) and more domesticated mirror carp. Mirror carp have been bred for two things: few scales (obviously) and a high growth rate. These traits were useful in the production of carp for food and set these fish apart from their wild brethren. In order to achieve a higher growth rate these fish have to eat more, which in turn naturally makes them easier to catch as a fish that eats more has more chance of getting a hook in the process.
There is also a difference in what the strains prefer to eat. Both have been shown to prefer to eat sweet corn over pellets (even when raised on pellets) which is likely a combination of the bright color but even more importantly the sugar content of sweet corn (the fish prefer to eat candy). But in another study the wild type carp preferred worms over other food types which can go a long way to explaining why there are many waters in the USA (and possibly other places) where often the biggest carp out of a lake was caught by someone who was not fishing for carp at all but rather by someone fishing for sunfish or catfish – using worms. Iain Sorrel has an article on “Alternative Approaches” that discusses this very topic.
But back to the impact of genetics. Studies have also found that even with the easier to catch domesticated strains there is a relatively high percentage of fish that were never caught at all in experimental ponds. For mirror carp this was about 45% of fish never being caught, and for the wild type this number was 68%! That means that 68% of the fish in a small pond could not be caught in 20 days of fishing. Keep in mind these were fish that had been raised in a hatchery and were used to eating pellets and had never been fished for before. Now think about the fish that you are fishing for and it makes you wonder how you ever catch anything!
The impact of angling pressure was similar for both strains as they become harder to catch the more they are fished for. This means that the carp get better at not getting hooked – which is no surprise to anglers on heavily fished waters. Even if you can see the fish feeding over your baited area it doesn’t mean that you will catch any: a study using tagged fish showed that even when fish are feeding directly where angler’s baits were located, it made little difference on whether certain fish were caught. The interesting thing is that it has been found that the carp kept feeding similarly but more slowly and with more inspection of the food. Not only did they use sight, though, the carp were likely able to detect the rig by feel as well.
Added to all of the above are individual differences between carp in the same lake, from food preference to handling of that food. This also makes some easier to catch than others. Feeling overwhelmed? Some take home messages for carp anglers include this advice: keep your rigs concealed. The fish can and will learn to avoid the rigs. This is not “smart” so much as the same conditioning they use to avoid other predators. Try alternative baits. There are potentially a lot of “wild” fish out there that are never caught because they prefer to eat wild food. Make sure your hooks are sharp. When the carp can feel the rig, you’ve got a much better chance of hooking them before they reject it if you aren’t making it easy for them with a dull hook!
There are so many lines on the market – and so many make fantastic claims about their abilities. So what about Gardner’s Pro line?
The color of the line is really nice and looks super carpy on the reel.
It is a fairly limp line and behaves it’s self very well. There are so many claims about line being limp and tough and this line comes as close as any to being 100% accurate about this. I have put it through some very demanding situations (huge tangles with weeds and the like) and it has never let me down. Casting is good and it will allow you to flick out very light baits a good distance. It is also a very reasonable price which completes the package and makes it a must try for every carp angler.
In this video I do a step-by-step of creating a blowback rig and a leadcore leader to attach it to. This set up has put a ton of my fish of the past few years on the bank (including the one in the picture) and is my go to rig for pop-ups and balanced baits.
There are lots of bait alarms on the market and I have tried some of them. While I started off wanting all the knobs and buttons and adjustments, I realized that none of these things really matter as much as reliability. Having the ability to change the sensitivity of the alarm on the fly means nothing if the alarm won’t sound if it gets rained on. So, when I was looking for new alarms I wanted reliability above all else (it helps to keep off the bad dreams as well – the one with a 50lb fish taking all my line and getting snagged because the alarm did not go off).
The ATT alarms and receiver
After doing some research I decided on the ATT alarms from Gardner. These compact little alarms are super simple and yet offer exactly what I was looking for. There are no buttons at all and they are super waterproof. This did not mean that the alarms were not adjustable however and simply swapping the roller wheel is all that is needed to change the sensitivity. Having your cake and eating it too is always nice.
I was at first a bit worried about one of the most unique features of these alarms – the fact that they don’t have speakers and all the bite indication is accomplished by the receiver. I should not have been concerned however as this arrangement works perfectly and is actually preferable to the normal speaker in the alarm arrangement as you don’t have to broadcast to the whole world you have a run if you don’t want to.
There are a number of models of the ATT alarm – even a clear one! I choose the under lit wheel version that the whole wheel lights up on. I wanted this as it allowed me to see a run better from various directions. This has worked out well and it’s easy to tell which alarm is going off even if you can’t see the indicators.
The cover of the alarms also serves as the on/off switch and keeps them safe when not in use. I found this to be one of my favorite features as it kept me from forgetting to turn on the alarms which was another subject of paranoia. Also having a case that comes with the alarms is nice as you don’t have to go out and buy a separate one.
The cover of which acts as the on/off switch
The receiver is programmable to each alarm on its own channel and you can change the color of the lenses can also be changed to match you alarms. Programming the alarms to the receiver was simple and the included instructions were easy to follow.
The ATT Deluxe Receiver comes with spare lenses and they can also be purchased separately.
The receiver range is excellent, and while I have not measured it I have been as far as I was comfortable being from my rods and it still picked up great. The switch for the receiver is located on the top and I have not accidentally turn it off or on yet. If you are worried about it there is a case available that will keep it nice and safe!
So far I have been using them the better part of a year and have have not changed the batteries and they still seem to be going strong. I have been in some torrential rain, snow, sleet, and 90+ degree weather and have had no issues what so ever. Can’t ask for more than that I say!
Rain has no impact on the ATTs performance.
I will update again after a year with more thoughts about these alarms and to let you know if I have had to change the batteries yet!
There are lots of features that I did not have room to talk about here. Click the picture above to see them all!
Some love them and others…well, they love them a lot less. Whatever your thoughts of grass carp are, there is no denying that they achieve some very impressive proportions and can be found over much of the United States. They have been stocked in many waters for weed control and even small ponds can have 50+ lb fish, making them by far the largest fish available in many areas.
While this 40+lb fish is of course large it is nothing to how big this species can get!
Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is a native of the Amur River system in Asia, which also gives rise to one of it’s other common names, the white amur. It has been introduced nearly worldwide for control of aquatic vegetation, but this has not always worked as planned many different plant species are consumed and habitat for other fish species can be lost. Stocking of grass carp today is done with triploid fish that are not able to reproduce and are supposed to allow better control of vegetation. They are easy to distinguish from Common carp as they lack barbels and their mouth is terminal (at the end of the body).
Grass carp and common carp are easy to tell apart.
In the spring grass carp often try and make a spawning run up tributaries…even if they are triploid and will not be able to spawn. This is a good time to look for them below dams or other obstructions to upstream movement. During the rest of the year they can be found anywhere there is food, which in lakes is often in the backs of coves and in rivers is around back waters. Also I have done well with them even in the winter so long as it is not too cold – the fish pictured above was captured in January.
Normal grass carp (and humans) are Diploid whereas sterile grass carp are Triploid.
Locating a place to catch grass carp is normally fairly simple. As they are stocked in many waters, management agencies can normally direct you to waters that have them. If in doubt grass carp tend to be easy to spot while fishing as they will suspend just below the surface as they look for food. Even waters that don’t have a regular stocking program tend to have a few if it is part of a larger drainage because grass carp stocked in private ponds tend to escape and look for new homes. If you need a starting place to look for them check out this USGS page that has a map of the waters that are known to contain grass carp. This is certainly not complete, however, and the small pond down the road might have some 40+lb fish in it.
Looking for grass carp? Chances are you won’t have to go far! (Click the map to see full version)
Catching grass carp offers anglers a great deal of chance for personal expression as they can be caught in just about every way a common can. Grass carp are fond of feeding on the surface and will take floating baits under the right conditions. Bread is most often one of the best baits for this but chunks of bagel are tougher and will stay on the hook better. Another option is to feed them on pieces of bread and then use bagel or fake bread on the hook or hair. While this is the most exciting way to catch them I have found that it is more reliable to target them on the bottom using normal common carp rigs and often bait. Grass carp are known to enjoy eating fruity baits, and I have done well with pineapple, plum, and strawberry flavors. Often overlooked bait for grass carp are fishy ones. My PB grass carp was taken on a homemade boilie in strawberry and shrimp flavor and I have caught lots on cranberry squid and straight up squid boilies as well so it pays to keep your options open. If you are fishing in smaller ponds or at close range you can free line chunks of fresh fruit as well. My first grass carp fell to a chunk of canned pineapple!
Pineapple is a good bait for grass carp. Why is unknown as it is not a normal part of the diet of grass carp in the wild!
Rigs for grass carp can be any that you like for common carp but you may want to use a larger size as these fish have larger mouths than their common cousins. I have found a size 4 or larger to be just fine for all but the smallest fish. Grass carp don’t seem to be all that adept at ridding themselves of a hook so rigs don’t have to be as super refined – that being said, a good rig will always catch you more fish, so just make sure your rig turns over and is of course safe! I have found a snowman bait arrangement to work well with a blowback rig for these fish.
A combination of fruity baits often works well
A word of caution when using free-lined bait is in order as I have had grass carp swallow the hook…deep. Unlike their common cousins they don’t seem to necessarily get hooked when trying to rid themselves of the hook, so save yourself and the fish and pay close attention when using no weight. If the hook is really deep it is best to cut the line as close as you can to the fish and unless the hook is stainless or in a bad spot it will likely rust out and the fish will be fine.
Want to catch a fish bigger than your kid? Grass carp are often a good way!
And lastly here is a location tip from my own experience: if you are looking for a destination to catch big (and plentiful) grass carp (and some good commons too), check out the Congaree River and Santee-Cooper Lakes in South Carolina. This system is full of 40+lb fish and there are 60+lb fish to be had.
