The Secret To Catching 50 Carp Over 20kg In Just One Season | David Rosemeier
David Rosemeier takes a look back at his 2024 carp fishing season, a period when he managed to land a remarkable 50 fish over 20kg from a variety of European venues...
Carp fishing is a passion without restrictions. How often I go fishing each year, where I fish, which fish I want to catch - so many questions that each angler answers for themselves.
Some head to the massive lakes of northern France for carp, while others prefer fishing locally. For me, carp fishing is a process, a way to continually develop and expand my horizons. In recent years, I’ve gone on many trips abroad, chased carp in Central Park in New York, or fished at dozens of lakes across France, including the legendary Lac du Der.

2024—A Different Approach?
Last year, I decided to slow down. Though I planned to explore some unknown waters and booked some fishing permits at Lake Bled for the fall, my main focus remained on waters near my hometown and neighbouring France. By late March, I made a quick change of plans and set out on a three-week trip to southern France.

Spring Road Trip Through Southern France
Do you know the feeling when you start a fishing session and almost nothing can go wrong? You can't seem to make a mistake, everything just falls into place - that’s how it went in France. In just three weeks, I fished nearly ten waters and caught many large fish at each one. My very first French carp of 2024 was a hefty one, weighing over 25kgs, and many more followed in the days to come!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RIGS DAVID USES HERE.
Home Turf at the Gravel Pit
Spring carp fishing was also incredibly successful. I remember a weekend session in May at an unfamiliar gravel pit, I’d already had some success there in February despite the freezing temperatures, but the really big one hadn’t shown up yet. I decided on a strategy that would bring me many large fish in the coming months: the 'ambush tactic'. This relied on finding a strategic spot that the carp frequently pass by. Thanks to high-quality end tackle I can rely on 100%, I don’t have to worry about my setup or Rigs. If you are interested in replicating the presentations, check out my other articles on this site, but more importantly, pick yourself up these Best Carp Rig items...
- Lock Hook - You won't look back once you start using these.
- Tweakers Touch Me Up - Always with me and works a treat.
- Dazzlers Range - Simple to use with big mechanical benefits.

The Ambush Tactic
The spot I choose would be along a migration route, near deadwood, or beside a weedbed. I start by baiting twice. First, I use a classic 'bait pyramid', feeding particles and boilies in different sizes. For the second feeding a few days later, I fill my Buckets with 24mm boilies, which only attract carp. With this tactic, I initially draw all fish to the spot underwater, but afterward, it’s only appealing to carp.
On this session, I "ambushed" the spot quite literally. The first fish was immediately over 20kg, followed by five more 20kg-plus fish in the next few hours, including one weighing over 25 kilos - this tactic certainly works!
Target Fish in the Summer
My lucky streak continued into my summer carping. During a short overnighter, I caught one of my target fish, well over 20kgs. The fight in crystal-clear water with the sunrise will stay with me for a long time!
I spent the summer touring Norway and Sweden in a van. In Sweden, I quickly managed to catch fish in public waters weighing nearly 20 kilos - a remarkable result for those regions, one I’m quite proud of in hindsight. Have a watch of the film below...
The Season Finale
And the autumn fishing? It was just as successful as the rest of the season! It all started with a session on a well-maintained baited spot of mine. With an average weight of over 20kg again, I worked my way through half the lake’s fish stock.
One night, with a low-pressure system moving in, rewarded me with a beautiful mirror carp of around 22kgs and a massive fish weighing over 27kgs - pick the right conditions and big fish will come!


Bucket List: Lake Bled
Over the past few years, I’ve been able to cross many lakes off my bucket list. I’ve fished at a variety of renowned waters, but one was still missing from my repertoire: Lake Bled in Slovenia!
At the end of November, I embarked on a three-day Bled adventure, getting to know the lake from scratch without much prior information. On the last evening, three fish over 20kgs turned the trip around and provided the perfect conclusion at this stunningly beautiful venue.


The Christmas Carp
With so many big fish already logged in my catch book, I approached December at a relaxed pace. I had just two short overnight sessions to fulfil my wish of catching a Christmas carp.
The first night was calm and uneventful. On the second night, I timed the perfect weather conditions and placed my Snowman Rig on a tiny plateau. When that Rod screamed off with a full run in the middle of the night, I already knew I had hooked a good fish. Under the beam of my headlamp, a mirror carp of over 22kgs surfaced beneath my inflatable boat – the perfect finale to an incredibly successful 2024 season!
So, whilst I have shared a few tips with you that helped me catch some of these unbelievable fish, you might be still wondering, what's the real secret then? The truth is, there is none. You just have to get out there and have an adventure, the rest is just carp fishing...

Despite his young age, author David Rosemeier is already an integral part of the German fishing scene and has turned his hobby into his profession. David is passionate about the adventures he experiences on the bank and can always be found on the big waters in Germany and abroad.