9 Steps to Success in Carp Fishing

Develop a Plan:

A goal without a plan is only a dream. Write down the steps to achievement.

For me, setting a goal is inherent with developing a plan. I can't really have one without the other. If I do set a goal without defining a plan, then I'm really just dreaming. If my goal is to catch 10 carp during my next fishing session, it's just a dream unless I take some steps to make it happen (tie rigs, make ground bait, purchase hook bait, decide what body of water I plan to target, decide how much time I have to devote to the fishing session, etc.)

Always be Learning:

Learn what you need to know. If you want to catch more fish, then develop the necessary skills.

Read carp fishing forums and websites. Watch videos, network with other fishermen and read fishing magazines. When I learned that the Department of Natural Resources in my state publishes fishing surveys, I started reading them in detail. The DNR also provides a database of lakes with the prominent fish species most likely to be caught in those lakes. If I want to catch 10 carp in my next 4 hour fishing trip, I probably shouldn't target a lake that lists the predominant species as pike, musky, bass and walleye. I need to use sharp hooks, tie the rigs correctly, use appropriate reels, rods, landing nets, etc.

Take Decisive Action:

Pursue your plan to achieve your goal aggressively with single minded purpose.

If your goal is to be a professional baseball player, you practice hitting, catching and throwing. A lawyer reads the law and learns it in detail. A business man learns marketing, promotion, hiring and firing. To me, it makes sense that a  carp fisherman should learn to make ground bait, identify and purchase carp baits that will be more successful than others on a particular body of water, learn to cast accurately with minimal effort, reel in fish without over thinking the task, how to effectively tire a fish out sufficiently before trying to net it prematurely, and on and on.

If you have been fishing for 4 hours a day, try expanding the timeline to 6 hours and see if that improves the results. If you have been fishing the same location for the last 5 sessions with few results, then switch up to a new location. If you have been losing hooked fish with dull hooks, try ordering some new hooks, hook patterns, change the hook length, sharpen the existing hooks, etc. Doing the same thing over and over will probably not change the results significantly.

Focus on the Goal:

Prioritize the goal over the “nice to haves” and “want to do’s”.

If your goal is to catch 10 fish in your next 4 hour fishing trip then you have to make sure you are prepared. For me, that means organizing my fishing gear, packing it where I can find it, loading the vehicle early in the evening the day before I plan to go fishing, mapping out the route I plan to drive to the fishing location, fueling the vehicle, identifying the specific location on the body of water I plan to set-up, etc.

If I decide to forgo those things and watch television, or go to a party the night before my trip and leave those fishing "priorities" to a later time, then I risk 1) forgetting "must have" carp fishing items (I've forgotten bite alarms and bank sticks in the past), 2) wasting time with unnecessary stops for supplies (cream corn, fuel, food, ice, can openers and drinks are items I've had to stop for in the past), and 3) arriving late to the fishing location only to find someone else already set-up in my preferred fishing spot.

Always be Improving:

If the progress is not what you thought it would be, then do better next time.

If something about the trip doesn't go as planned, make a mental note (or better yet a written one) for avoiding and preventing a repeat performance on the next fishing trip. For me, that means finding those missing bite alarms, hangers, bank sticks, favorite ground bait flavoring, etc. and put them in a good location to ensure they are not forgotten on the next trip.

Be Persistent:

Hard work and grit can overcome lack of luck, talent and or money.

My time for fishing is limited, so when I go fishing I need to make it count. Just because there are sometimes obstacles to my fishing plans, that doesn't mean I should just give up or quit. For me, that means I can't always fish the more desireable lakes or rivers on a given day and I have to stay closer to home.

My dilemna often goes like this: 1) Should I risk a blank at Lake X because I can only fish a few hours and there are fewer (but bigger) fish in that body of water, or 2) Since I have blanked the last 3 sessions, should I go to a location that has more fish and increase my chance of multiple catches? or 3) Since it's going to rain, should I go somewhere that allows me to keep the vehicle closeby?

Re-Assess the Plan:

If things are not progressing as expected, desired or needed; decide if the plan needs to change.

If I don't get the results I want, then I change the plan and sometimes change the goal. I decide if the goal is realistic. I decide if the plan is effective as is or needs changing.

Re-Launch:

If you decide to change the plan or adjust the goal, then re-group and start again.

You don't fail in the pursuit of a goal until you decide to give up trying. If you blank a few times, keep at it because on that 4th or 5th trip you might catch a new personal best. But don't get me wrong, sometimes giving up can be the best choice in a given situation. If there's a thunderstorm with lots of lightning headed my way, a shady character hanging around that makes me uncomfortable, or there's a tornado warning in the immediate area; I don't risk short term success for long term pain. Catching a new personal best or breaking a streak of blanks is not worth the risk of being struck by lightning, encountering a tornado, getting frost bite, or endangering my personal safety.

Enjoy Your Successes:

When you achieve a goal, celebrate it and enjoy the results of your hard work.


My final thoughts -

I hope these thoughts help you or at least guide you into developing your own plans and goals for what you hope to get from the sport of carp fishing.

Sometimes I think we forget that just because we see others achieving success based on their efforts and financial investment, doesn't mean that we have to desire those same plans, goals and results. We can decide at what level we want to pursue the sport as determined by the time we have available, the money we have to invest and even where we live in the state or country.