mirror and leather carp · Cyprinus carpio

Common carp

A strong, wary bottom feeder and the centre of a whole style of long-session bait fishing.

Stylised illustration, not to scale.

Baits

Habitat: Warm, still or slow water with a soft bottom: dams, canals and slow rivers. They patrol margins, weed edges and baited areas.
Season: Feed through most of the year, with the best bites in warm months. Cold water slows them.
Best times: Dawn, dusk and through the night. Many carp anglers fish long sessions.
Tackle: A 12 ft rod with a 3 to 3.5 lb test curve, a 5000 to 10000 free-spool or baitrunner reel and 12 to 15 lb mono.
Hook: Size 4 to 8 wide-gape or curved-shank hook, tied to a hair.

Carp are introduced in South Africa. Most carp anglers return their fish, but the rules differ by water and province.

This site is not an official source. Check the current rules with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

Recommendations are pending review by a local angler.

Rigs

Gear