5 Tips That Will Catch You More Carp This Spring

Spring is here! Which means we are entering one of the best times of year for big carp fishing, so grab your kit and get those rods out! In this article, we’ll explore some of the best spring carp fishing tactics and methods to help you put more carp on the bank during this productive season.

"The temperature is rising - it's time to go carp fishing!"

The spring weather might be a little all over the place, but don’t worry – water temperatures will now be slowly on the rise. Combine that with changing light levels and emerging natural food, and you have the perfect cocktail for those tricky big carp to make a mistake and end up in your net.

So, let’s not beat about the bush – here are some great tips from the One More Cast Team that will help you catch a whacker this season...

"Match The Hatch Can Kiss My A**"

Yep, you read that right. OMC Founder Ali Hamidi has said “do one” to 'match the hatch' hookbaits in recent years, and this approach can be even more crucial in the spring. You want your hookbait to be the first thing carp see and detect in the swim, so hopefully they nail it without hesitation.

Super-bright hookbaits are an obvious choice, but there are plenty of things you can do to pimp that hookbait up even further. Here are a few ideas…

"Bright is right in the spring"

Boost Your Hookbaits

Glugging up your hookbaits and loosefeed is a massive edge. Carp absolutely go mad for it, as underwater filming has shown, and it can certainly draw more attention to your rig.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match flavours either. Both the Paella Gravy and Nutty Sauce can really enhance a bait mix, cloud up the lakebed and bring extra bites.

Fill Your Orbs

Open up a world of hookbait possibilities with our Revibed Bait Orbs. These little caged beauties can hold just about any hookbait you can imagine and are incredibly easy to use.

Simply thread the Orb onto your hair rig or floss them onto a ring and stuff them with anything you like. Meat, paste, groundbait – you really can go wild with this amazing product and be totally different to everyone else on your lake. The carp won’t know what’s hit them!

"The Bait Orbs open up a world of hookbait possibilities" 

What’s The Right Colour?

Colours are an interesting subject and no doubt you’ll already have your favourites. A good rule of thumb, however, is to contrast your hookbait with the bottom you’re fishing over.

For example, a white pop-up will stand out massively over a silty bottom. A washed-out pink, however, often proves to be a firm favourite over clean gravel.

The main thing to remember with colours is to experiment. Water clarity, light levels and many other variables can all influence carp colour preference on any given day.

"Experimenting with colours can certainly bring extra bites"

Add A Topper

Making your hookbait stand out doesn’t mean you can’t fish a normal bottom bait boilie – just give it a little extra appeal.

If nuisance fish in your venue aren’t too much of a problem, try adding a tantalising topper of maggots to your hookbait using our Get Flossed Bait Floss.

If maggots aren’t your thing, try adding a half pop-up topper to your boilie. The added buoyancy won’t be enough to lift the rig completely, but it can help offset the weight of the hook. It also acts as a great visual trigger for carp to zone in on.

This process has been made even easier and more secure than ever with our Tweakers Eyed Bait Screws.

Search The Shallows And Sunny Spots

During the spring, carp are primarily looking for one thing: warmth. And they will travel to almost any part of the lake to find it.

This means they will often spend time in shallow bays, margins and on bars, as well as up off the bottom enjoying the rays of sunlight on their backs. They might not even have visited these areas during winter, instead staying in the deepest parts of the lake, which may still be where they carry out the bulk of their feeding.

Spring is therefore a great time to keep on the move and follow them around the lake. So don your OMC Otton Glasses and Splashleaf Camo Cap and get out there after them.

Take It Easy With The Bait

When you see carp showing all over the place in spring and appearing far more active, it’s easy to think you need to pile in the bait to catch them. Whilst this can sometimes work on certain hungry waters, it’s usually far better to take a cautious approach at this time of year.

Single hookbaits are a great choice when chasing fish around the lake. Carp have little reason to be suspicious of a lone boilie on the bottom at this stage of the season and will often investigate it without hesitation.

"A bright single hookbait (or pair of them) in the right place can get lots of takes"

If you’re not confident fishing singles and want to add a little attraction around your hookbait, a bag rig tied with our Fade Solid PVA Bags will present your hookbait perfectly in almost any area.

Use low 2mm diameter pellets or our dedicated Stick & Bag Mixes to get the bag tightly compacted for better casting, match it with a bright wafter-style hookbait and you’re ready to go. For even quicker and easier fishing with no hassle, check out our All-In-One Solid Bag Rigs, which come pre-tied and ready to go on short leaders.

"A Solid PVA Bag provides just enough attraction to get a bite without overfeeding"

For boilie fans wanting to try something a little different, our ChopStix PVA System will help you deliver a small parcel of chopped boilies around your rig – the perfect mouthful for a curious big carp.

"Try feeding a small bag of halved boilies with the ChopStix PVA System"

Come Off The Bottom

Searching the upper layers with Zig Rigs – particularly on deeper lakes – can be a huge edge in the spring. Even short Zigs 2–3ft off the lead can win bites in the toughest conditions.

Again, like many of the other methods mentioned, this is all about experimentation. It helps to know the depth of water in front of you though, so get that marker rod out!

Black foam hookbaits are a firm favourite with many anglers, possibly because they closely resemble natural food in the water or simply provide the best contrast.

Similar to bottom baits, tipping your Zigs with maggots or even worms can really supercharge their attraction, so get flossing again! If you want something that gives this appearance all in one, check out our new Zig Zombies.

"Zig Rigs are the best choice for intercepting sunbathing spring carp"

Be Prepared For Daytime Action

Perhaps more than at any other time of year, carp are incredibly catchable during daylight hours in spring. There are no hard and fast rules, and every water behaves slightly differently, but with carp more active and mobile during the day, opportunities for bites increase.

Be prepared to move with the fish and stay alert from first light until last light and you could enjoy non-stop action throughout the day – this really is the time to fill your boots.

"Day bites will become increasingly more regular in the spring months"

With this in mind, comfort is key. Changeable spring conditions mean it could be cold and wet one minute, then warm and dry the next, so good-quality clothing is essential.

Check out our awesome Clothing Range, which not only performs to the highest standard but will have you looking the nuts on the bank too.

There we have it then – what are you waiting for? Carp won’t be caught while you’re scrolling your phone. Grab your tackle, get out there and catch one!

"Have a belter of a spring - get out there and get catching!"

Journalist Chris Haydon joined the OMC family in the spring of 2024 after six years working for the UK’s number one fishing publication, Angling Times. He is a keen coarse and carp fishing all-rounder, fishing across the South West region, including the famous Cotswold Water Park.