Carp Articles - Gardner Tackle

Articles all about carp fishing written by our dedicated carp angler team. With a wealth of experience and skill, these articles will interest and help all carp anglers at whatever level of ability.

Carp Fishing – Big Carp Mind Set Part 2 – Nigel Sharp

Carp Fishing – Big Carp Mind Set Part 2 – Nigel Sharp

One thing I must say was it was a right buzz playing a fish in from 80 yards with the sky full of fireworks. In fact, I was actually in awe of the moment and that might actually be why it found the marginal weed and fell off after hitting my other line...

July 9th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Nigel Sharp Articles|

Carp Fishing – Unfinished Business: Things Happen For A Reason – J. R. Bartley

Carp Fishing – Unfinished Business: Things Happen For A Reason – J. R. Bartley

The excitement was building, and frankly I was going crazy waiting to get started. Doing the same thing, I elected to turn up before first light, see where the other anglers were and then find the fish. Low and behold the fish were doing their usual, showing long out in the middle...

July 8th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports|

Carp Fishing – My First 40 – James Hutton

Carp Fishing – My First 40 – James Hutton

The carp looked massive and had not been out for a few months, and the weight was a massive shock to us, and I was absolutely over the moon. It felt great to catch one of my target fish from the venue...

July 2nd, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports|

Carp Fishing – Good to be back – Ian Lewis

Carp Fishing – Good to be back – Ian Lewis

Finally, I was attached to my quarry. Leon came over and helped me shuffle into my waders and help pass my rod under the other as the carp powered out of the bay. I soon lent into the carp, with the tip held low I slowly put the brakes on it...

June 29th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Ian Lewis Articles|

Carp Fishing – Memories of St. Ives Lagoon – George Benos

Carp Fishing – Memories of St. Ives Lagoon – George Benos

St. Ive’s itself is a venue steeped in carp angling history, and is home to some stunning original big carp that have grown up to the 50lb+ bracket, a stock that also includes a few very elusive up and coming fish which have barely seen the bank. In fact, ever since I saw Dave Lane holding the awesome ‘Fat Lady’ I always dreamt about fishing St Ives Lagoon...

June 25th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, George Benos Articles|

Carp Fishing – A Brace To Remember – Darren Belton

Carp Fishing – A Brace To Remember – Darren Belton

Up on the scales she went 58lb 12oz, a new PB and to say I was elated would be an understatement. With the pictures done and the Ulcer Fish safely returned to her home, I sat back and tried to take it in. I did not have much time to do that though as a short while later Rob was playing his first Welly carp...

June 4th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports|

Carp Fishing – Into the Unknown – Jamie Martin

Carp Fishing – Into the Unknown – Jamie Martin

I don’t think she even know she was hooked, so I jumped up as quick as anything and then she bolted, and my reel went into melt down. Luckily, the fight was over quickly, as she didn’t know what had happened. I got her out and took photos and weighed her; 31lb exactly and I was over the moon. One target achieved...

May 28th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Jamie Martin Articles|

Carp Fishing – Custom Cork-Dust Wafters – Tom Oliver

Carp Fishing – Custom Cork-Dust Wafters – Tom Oliver

So following on from my last piece, in which I showed you how to produce your own custom cork-ball pop-ups, I thought this time around I should show you how I produce your own custom cork-dust wafters...

May 26th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Hints and Tips, Hints and Tips, Tom Oliver Articles|

Carp Fishing – Johnson’s Railway Lake – Wesley Coggeshall

Carp Fishing – Johnson’s Railway Lake – Wesley Coggeshall

The lake held around 35 to 40 carp with 9 of them going over 30lb, so a mega stock of old carp. In fact, all the Railway carp are very old historic fish and jet black in colour, so they are very special indeed and have been fished for by some great anglers over the years...

May 21st, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports|

Carp Fishing – The Horseshoe Diaries – David Gaskin

Carp Fishing – The Horseshoe Diaries – David Gaskin

With the rod quickly repositioned it was not long before the middle was away and lady luck was on my side, when one of the original Horseshoe linear mirrors gracefully slid over the net cord. I wanted to take advantage of the dawn feeding spell...

May 20th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, David Gaskin Articles|

Carp Fishing – Nothing To Be Angry About! – Dan Chart

Carp Fishing – Nothing To Be Angry About! – Dan Chart

Peering into the net, I could see it was another nice looking scaley banger! I called my mate Charlie over to help me out with the pictures (he had just arrived after his short journey from Bolton!). As we got her on the net Charlie recognised him much quicker than I did...

May 18th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Dan Chart Articles|

Carp Fishing – My Time On The Small Pond – Wesley Coggeshall

Carp Fishing – My Time On The Small Pond – Wesley Coggeshall

The stock is around 70 carp, with the biggest hitting 40lb at the right time of year and 2 others at around 35lb. All the fish in the pond have characters, and because of the variety of strains and the dark colour of the carp all make for an excellent photo...

May 14th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports|

Carp Fishing – ‘Non’ goes Carp Fishin’ – James Clarke

Carp Fishing – ‘Non’ goes Carp Fishin’ – James Clarke

Around this time last year, I managed to get a ticket on a very well-known water in Essex. The lake in question is only small in size, around 4 acres, but crammed with some very good looking and very big carp. Unfortunately, I only managed to get in around 25 nights but managed to catch a few...

May 12th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, James Clarke Articles|

Carp Fishing – 10 Post Lockdown Tips – Matt Eaton

Carp Fishing – 10 Post Lockdown Tips – Matt Eaton

Following the wind is often given out as blanket advice for locating carp but there are times when it applies and others when it does not. Early summer is, most certainly, one of those periods when it does...

May 11th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Hints and Tips, Hints and Tips, Matt Eaton Articles|

Carp Fishing – When You Least Expect It! – George Benos

Carp Fishing – When You Least Expect It! – George Benos

I had had a pickup and whilst the hooked fish was trying to make the sanctuary of the snags to my left it must have picked the line up on that rod! What a palaver, and by now I was sh*"£ing myself at the thought of losing my third fish in a row...

May 7th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, George Benos Articles|

Carp Fishing – Constantly Learning – Rick Golder

Carp Fishing – Constantly Learning – Rick Golder

Looking back on my captures in recent years, they largely fall into a few different categories. There are those where I have been plain lucky, those when I have gone with the crowd and caught, some that I have really had to work hard for, and then those from which I’ve learnt different things...

May 5th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Rick Golder Articles|

Carp Fishing – Custom Cork Ball Pop-Ups – Tom Oliver

Carp Fishing – Custom Cork Ball Pop-Ups – Tom Oliver

So why make your own pop ups and why use cork balls as opposed to a standard pop up mix? For me personally, there is nothing better than catching a fish on something you have lovingly hand rolled yourself. It also gives you the opportunity to take your hookbaits to the next level...

May 1st, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Hints and Tips, Hints and Tips, Tom Oliver Articles|

Carp Fishing – Dorchester’s Dream Linears – By Mark Betteridge

Carp Fishing – Dorchester’s Dream Linears – By Mark Betteridge

As I turned it on I was met with the sight of a big mirror carp just sat upright under my feet with a tiny mask of weed over its head and a 15mm pink wafter hanging from its bottom lip, so I hastily grabbed my net, that happened to be caught in a bramble bush due to setting up on dark!

April 30th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Mark Betteridge Articles|

Carp Fishing – Build up to The Big Common – Clint Bullock

Carp Fishing – Build up to The Big Common – Clint Bullock

After seeing The Big Common getting caught several times form out in the main body of the lake it appeared I needed to change my approach. In fact, I can remember one of the old members saying to me “bait heavily and The Big Common will come”...

April 28th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports|

Carp Fishing – Milton Magic – Craig Smithson

Carp Fishing – Milton Magic – Craig Smithson

Saturday morning was quiet, until around mid-day when I had a screaming take from the 30 zone! Wiggy heard the bite and strolled round just in time to net a good common along with loads of weed. It was not until we removed the weed that I realized that the common in the net was probably the biggest in the pond...

April 24th, 2020|Articles, Carp Articles, Carp Catch Reports, Catch Reports, Craig Smithson Articles|

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