What is the best rig to use for carp fishing?

You DO NOT want to have 20 lb. test. Carp are a smart fish, believe it or not, and are very very line shy. The carp that you do catch on the high lb. test are going to be the small carp (1-3 lbs.) and that defeats the whole purpose of using the heavy line! Use anywhere from 8-12 lb., maybe even 14 lb. test. NO higher. 10 or 12 would be ideal. You will see the more carp you catch on this lighter line than you would a higher pound test. I know this from personal experience. You don't need too stout of a reel. I use rods and reels that are sized for bass, and they do the job quite nicely. I use medium or medium/heavy rods and bass sized reels. You will hear a lot about the "Carolina" rig but i don't use it. It involves you slipping on an egg sinker to your line, tying on a swivel, adding a leader, and tying a hook. Probably is the best rig you can use. I just tie on a #2, or size 2, whatever you want to call it, bait holder hook and then i pinch on the largest split shot i can find at the store. Be sure to pinch it on good, use pliers if you have to, or even your teeth. I catch a lot of carp this way. A lot of people will say corn but i have had no luck with it at all. I use dough ball. Mine is made of peanut butter, bread, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Works really good. If you really don't want to make messy dough ball you can always just use plain bread. Mold the white part of bread around your hook, covering it all. This don't work as good as dough ball but will still catch you some fish. Corn and worms supposedly catch carp but once again i have never caught a carp on corn, or worms. (But i have seen my dad catch ONE carp on a worm, ONE carp. I've used a night crawler on the bottom along with my brother and dad and all we ever catch is bass or bullhead.)

I would say to go with a good stiff rod and some 20 pound test spider wire and a good stout reel. I personaly like to use a swivle and hook my weights to it then from your swivle tie about 2 feet of line with your hook a trieble hook would work good and some stink bait would work i'm a fan of chicken liver or hot dogs. Hope that helps your out..... PART 2. 20 pound test spider wire is about the diamteter of 8-10 pound mono line. Its a braided line which means smaller sized more strentgth. So why not have the stronger line?

use a treble hook with a piece of stink bait and set it on the bottom. If that doesnt work, just chum with bread or corn and float a bread ball about 2-3 feet under the surface..Have fun ----Hope this helps---

corn on a hook. Throw in a few handfuls when you arrive at your spot to chum them in.

You'll need a heavy line and rod and reel. Snake your line through a sinker with hole going through it. A treble hook is attatched to the end. Make sure the sinker is heavy enough to hold your line under water. check that the line slides easily through the sinker. cover you hook with bait and cast it out. No bobbers. Don't set your reel. The sinker will bring the bait to the bottom. Hold the line in your fingers to feel the carp nibbling. They will mouth the bait and move it a little before trying to swallow it. If they feel resistance they will drop it and try again, and again and again. When they feel no resistance they will pick it up and move away so none of the other carp can get the food. Set your reel. The line will aready be taunt. Set the hook and enjoy the ride. Baits, something to cover the hard hooks. They have very sensitive feel. They hunt by smell. They are omnivores. They will eat anything. Corn, peas, chicken livers, licorice, soap, Fat strips, Breakfast cereal dampened and formed into balls with anything added you want.. Bait shops have some pretty good stuff. They want repeat customers. Tallk to the guys who are catching carp at your spot. Look over their rigs, talk to them. Most fishermen are glad to brag and share some of their top secrets. Ask how they fish. Ask how they set up their rigs. I take a note pad and pen along to write it down. Then they really open up. Of course, then you should see me when I'm approached about my skills. I blab everything. This only touches on the beginings of carp fishing. Now it's time for you to do your homework. Don't forget to ask the people who are already out there how they do it in your neck of the woods er,a , lakes and streams.