In one of my latest articles, I shared a detailed guide on how to catch carp if you are a beginner. Now, it’s time to discuss carp bait and their favorite snack. This topic is heavily connected to the water temperatures, natural food sources, and carp feeding habits in the body of water where you are fishing, so I’ll try to provide as many answers as possible to the question of what carp eat for bait.
What Do Carp Eat for Bait – Natural Baits for Carp Fishing
Natural carp baits can be divided into several different categories. Theoretically, they are a better choice than artificial baits in waters where carp have natural sources of food to maintain a healthy diet. Examples of such food are aquatic insects and algae which are full of natural amino acids. In other words, lakes, canals, and rivers with plenty of aquatic vegetation are waters where I use a natural baiting approach.
Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is irresistible to Cyprinidae species, from Cyprinus Carpio (common carp) to Tinca Tinca (tench). The key features of this bait are bright color and of course, sweetness. I use the store-bought one, directly from the can. Just pour out the liquid and you are good to go. Corn kernel can be placed directly on the hook or it can be applied to a hair rig if kernel is big enough.
Field Corn
I like field corn event more than sweet corn. Mostly because I buy a large amount from local farmers and I am preparing it on my own. This way I can experiment and use different aromas every time I go out. Also, field corn is a must-have ingredient in every particle mix. Unlike sweet corn, this one should be used only on hair rigs.
Tiger Nut
Tiger nut is excellent bait throughout the year. Again, taste plays a key factor and tiger nuts are full of sweetness and nutrients that can fulfill all the nutritional requirements of adult carp. However, when raw, they are very hard. They have to be prepared slightly differently than corn (if you are not using cooked and vacuumed nuts from the tackle shops). Also, keep in mind that tiger nut is banned on some waters and you can’t use it as bait.
Earthworms
Earthworms are among the most popular bait options in the world, and not just for carp. You can acquire them easily, you can put them on the hook easily, and they can be used everywhere and in every condition. Clear water, murky water, cold water, warmer water, pond, deep river, everything goes. The only potential problem is nuisance fish species that can get to the bait before the carp.
Maggots
Last on the list of baits that come from nature and don’t have any additives by default are maggots. These are basically insect larvae and they are something that’s in the natural diet of every carp. Just stick a bunch of them on the hook (I usually put at least 10) and I am guaranteeing a catch if carp is nearby. I admit, I never hooked larger carp with maggots, it was mostly juvenile ones, but still, this proved to be a very effective bait.
What Do Carp Eat for Bait – Artificial Baits for Carp Fishing
Opposite to natural baits, artificial ones won’t have such good results in rivers, but they will excel in catch-and-release lakes and ponds. Don’t get me wrong, they work everywhere, but I find natural baits more effective on rivers.
Artificial baits can also be divided into several categories and one of the best things about them is huge variety and buoyancy which allows you to target different water columns.
Boilie for Carp Fishing
Even though they are mostly made of natural components, quality boilies have to be produced by humans and they do have some chemical components, that’s why I think of them as artificial baits.
Carp anglers all around the world are using them because they proved to be the most efficient bait on carp lakes. This isn’t surprising because they can fulfill all of the nutritional requirements for carp and they are easily digested. In other words, with boilies carp have a good healthy diet while their intestinal tract doesn’t struggle.
Boilies are not used only as hook bait. They are also an integral part of every bait mix used to create spots where we want to have feeding activity. A bed of bait that consists of several boilie types is guaranteed to attract plenty of carp.
All in all, few, if any, baits are more favored by carp than boilies.
Artificial Corn
This fake corn is made of rubber or plastic and it resembles real corn. It can be bought in different colors, flavors, and sizes. You can use it in all kinds of waters, but from my experience, artificial corn is the best choice of bait for weedy waters. Simply put it on a hair rig so it is presented just above the weed water bed. You can also dip it in corn syrup (or any other aroma actually) to get that extra attraction from the nearby carp.
Oil Pellets
Personally, I never used pellets as a hook bait, but I always use them as part of my particle mix. Adding a bucket of pellets can be an extra feeding stimulant for carp, but for other fish species as well, so be careful in water with plenty of crucian and bream because they’ll also be drawn to the feeding spot. The good thing about pellets is that they are equally effective in both colder months and in summer when the water temperature gets much more comfortable.
Paste Baits
These are actually dough baits because they are made from the same ingredients as boilies. Basically, this is a raw form of boilie before they become round. You can form this paste however you want. This gives you flexibility when it comes to attaching this to the hook, feeder, or lead.
This type of bait is more popular in feeder fishing than carp angling, but it’s used a lot among my fellow anglers as well. So far, no one caught big carp, mostly specimens between 1 and 3 kilograms, but it obviously works and it’s worth trying it out.
Imitations of Various Feed Items
Today, thanks to modern technology, a variety of foods are available for purchase on shelves of tackle shops. From common ones like artificial maggots and tiger nuts to dragonflies and cheese, to dog biscuits. Of course, some of these are used in other techniques such as fly fishing.
I didn’t try every possible bait out there, but some of these have a good reputation in the angling community. It’s worth giving them a try.
What Do Carp Eat for Bait and How to Decide Which One to Use?
Now that we listed the most popular carp baits, let’s discuss how to decide which ones to use. I mentioned circumstances and situations where some of the baits from the list above can be used. But, there’s more to it.
Atmospheric factors such as air temperature and pressure, season, and time of the day are all crucial and should be considered when making the decision.
However, there are days when carp won’t take the bait, no matter what you do. That is the sole reason why I can’t give you a 100% precise answer on what to use and when. But, here are the tips that can help you narrow down to just a couple of baits instead of the wide range bait companies offer.
- Explore the Water and Experiment
If you are on a new water, you’ll have to experiment. First, try the most common baits and do a round of fishing in the morning and the evening. If you don’t get a bite, try alternative baits. If there’s still no action, it’s probably just a bad spot. - Create a Feeding Spot
No matter where you fish and what’s the water depth, the creation of a feeding spot will yield results. Logically, the type of food you use for feeding is the one you should use as a hookbait as well. The best way to create a feeding spot is by spodding or through the use of a bait boat. - Adapt Constantly
As the seasons change, so will the nature around you. What worked in the summer, maybe won’t work in winter months. Weedless lake bottom in winter will definitely have more flora in spring. You should think about this when you start preparing for your next fishing trip.
Conclusion
I believe that now you have enough knowledge about what carp eat for bait. Our favourite fish has amazing senses and a gourmet appetite. This means that attracting it won’t always be an easy task, that’s why feeding is one of the most fun aspects of carp fishing.
Good luck on your next fishing trip and tight lines my fellow angler. In the end, that’s what you’ll need the most in fishing.