These Tactics Caught Me A Huge Mirror Carp... Off The Surface! | Max Braby

OMC’s Max Braby has been in a rich vein of form recently, landing multiple 30lb-plus carp wherever he goes. While most of his captures have come from bottom tactics, the recent UK heatwave prompted a change of approach — and breaking out the floaters paid off in a big way!

With a few spare hours after work and no plans, I decided to dust off the surface rod and head down to the lake. Although the banks were quiet, conditions for surface fishing were far from ideal, with a much stronger wind than forecast blowing across the water.

Overcoming the Wind

To give myself a chance, I used plenty of Salmon Oil over the dog biscuits, sending them out via a Spomb at 100 yards. This helped to flatten off the surface just enough to make things work. I introduced the dog biscuits up-wind, allowing them to drift naturally into the zone where the carp were holding up — without spooking them by casting directly on top.

This tactic worked perfectly. After around 20 minutes of baiting, I noticed the fish beginning to take the mixers confidently. I waited patiently, then cast my rig well beyond the feeding area before slowly drawing it back into the zone. It didn’t take long before I had my first take — a beautiful mid-20lb mirror carp.

A Big Reward for Persistence

After that first bite, the fish backed off and stopped taking the floaters. But I stuck at it. Consistent Spombing over the next hour brought the carp back up in the water, feeding confidently once again. Repeating the same tactic — casting long and drawing the rig back into the swim — resulted in another solid take.

This time, it was a 36lb mirror carp — an incredible result for a short after-work session!

Tackle & Rig Breakdown

The key to success was keeping the bait going in and creating a slick with the Salmon Oil to flatten the surface, giving me clear visual contact with the hookbait.

Due to the crystal-clear water, I opted for a 10ft hooklength to keep everything as discreet as possible, especially as I was using a surface controller which the fish can often wise up to.

My setup:

• Hook: Size 6 Cassien Hook

• Hooklink: 10ft length of floating line, so the fish would not spook off the controller float.

• Shrink Tube: 1.6mm Simply Shrink Tube (to correct the line angle without closing the gape)

• Hair Rig: Short, with a trimmed hookbait to match free offerings

• Anti-Tangle Sleeve: Vitabitz 50mm, perfect for long rig presentation in crosswinds

• Mainline: Braided for strength and control in weedy conditions

Although a Size 6 Hook might seem large for surface work, I chose the Cassien pattern due to the size of the carp, the weedy lakebed, and the confidence it gives me when paired with braid. The wide gape and reliable hold of the Cassien never let me down.

Final Thoughts

This session really highlighted the importance of adaptability and consistency when floater fishing. By adjusting to the conditions and keeping bait going in, I managed to turn a tricky, windy evening into a memorable surface session — proving that sometimes, a spontaneous trip can pay off in a big way!

Article author Max Braby is one of the youngest members of the OMC Team, but don't let his age fool you - he's already an expert at catching big carp on a variety of methods. Max enjoys sharing his adventures with articles and high-quality photography.