Summer carp fishing with surface baits

The warmer weather is here, so on bright sunny days I love to catch summer carp with surface baits. It’s really exciting as you can often see the carp about to take the bait, then swirling away at the last moment. It can be frustrating but then, a few minutes later, another carp is swimming towards my hookbait and I’m poised to strike.

To attract the carp I use mixers as loose feed, which are dry dog biscuits that float. I like to bait up an area before casting in. I use a throwing stick to feed mixers until the carp are confidently munching on my free offerings. Only then will I cast my hookbait towards the feeding fish.

pop up bait — This trimmed down pop up sits nicely on the bend of the hook and is ready to go

I use a cut down pop-up boilie to mimic the mixers. They remain buoyant for much longer and I don’t need to change my hookbait too often.

I spotted some carp feeding confidently on mixers not far from the edge. The best way to catch summer carp with surface baits is to keep out of sight and free line a bait to them. The fish are just a few feet from the bank. It’s nail biting stuff.

Waiting for a bite

I cast my pop-up boilie to the feeding fish and waited for a take. There were several carp feeding on the free offerings and I was sitting on my hands waiting for something to happen.

The carp are mopping up the freebies, and after what seemed like ages, the line shoots forward and I strike. I’m into my first fish of the day and it’s a decent one too, happy days.

Catch summer carp with surface baits — I’m trying to keep the carp away from the underwater snags

My rod is bent double as I try to keep the carp away from the bushes and sunken tree roots. After battling for a few minutes I can see that it’s a decent mirror carp as it comes up to the surface. I get the net ready to land the fish.

It’s exhilarating stuff, getting the fish feeding confidently and catching them off the top. I love fishing in this way and I’m really happy with a big mirror nudging 20lb to start the day.

Keep your options open

I use two methods to catch carp on the surface, either free lining at close range or using a controller float to give me casting distance. With both methods I’m using trimmed down pop ups to match the mixers I’m feeding.

I use my Korum Opportunist rod and Korum Axis 4000 reel which is great for this style of stalking and using surface baits. The 8ft rod is ideal fishing at close range and in tight swims.

A short 8ft Korum Opportunist rod and Axis 4000 reel is ideal for stalking

A floating line is essential when surface fishing for carp. I use Korum Glide mono in 10 lb or 12 lb breaking strain. I create a short hair on a size 10 Korum Specimen hook tied with a knotless knot.

I’ve found a small size 10 Korum Specimen hook best for floater fishing
A Korum Surface Bomb is a great way of casting further out

A Korum Surface Bomb is a controller float that I fill with water to add casting weight. It allows me to cast past the feeding fish and gently retrieve the bomb, until my hookbait is amongst the feeding carp.

I prefer to use a 10 ft Korum Opportunist rod with a 2.25 lb test curve to cast the surface bomb. This gives me enough power for a long cast and controlling carp at range.

I’m really pleased with another smashing mirror carp, this one caught at range using the Surface Bomb controller float.

So two decent carp in just a few hours is a great way to spend a hot, sunny morning.

You can catch summer carp with surface baits. It’s exciting and great fun, so why not give it a go and be lucky.