Wondering about how to catch carp in Florida?
There’s no better way to do that than now! After all, with carp season amongst us, it is a practical skill to learn to make sure you bring home a great catch.
Unfortunately, there are so many confusing pieces of information out there on how to catch carp the right way. You may also find yourself overwhelmed with an abundance of advice from people and not knowing how to start.
So, let’s proceed to a quick background on carp – best lures and baits to use, where to find them, and how you can catch this tasty fish in your upcoming trip.
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What You Should Know Before Learning How to Catch Carp in Florida
The carp is a freshwater fish renowned for its fine, unique taste and meaty quality.
If you have always wanted to figure out how to catch carp in Florida, you need to backtrack a bit:
It is important that you realize key facts about this fish – its appearance, habitats, and behavior. This way, you can come up with an effective strategy to catch it properly.
Let us begin with the appearance of this fish.
First, it is a large fish with a heavy body. The body color has a brassy green hue on the top part while the sides are a little on the gold or bronze shade. Carp also has a yellow-white bellow and large scales all around its body.
This fish is very common in Florida.
You should also be able to find carp in other rivers such as the Ochlockonee and Apalachicola. The best places to find this fish are in dike fields, rocky outcrops, gentle banks, and sand disposal areas.
Since they prefer warmer temperatures, carp is very much available in Florida unlike in many other states.
Additional Facts about Carp
Spawning season usually begins when the temperature goes up to 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. They stay in small groups and remain in heavily vegetated and shallow areas in the water.
Carp feeds on animal and plant foods as it is a predominantly carnivorous creature. They also eat organic debris, insect larvae, and snails.
Most carp can live up to 12 years when left roaming in the wild. They can also weigh as much as 10 pounds.
In Florida, carp is a popular sport fish. They cannot resist certain baits including worms, bread crusts, canned corn, and dough balls. I will discuss more the best baits to use in a minute.
Best Time to Catch Carp in Florida
The most ideal time of the year for you to catch carp is in the summer.
Although you should be able to find carp any time and all year-round, especially in Florida and other warmer regions, summer is the perfect time to catch this fish.
You can easily spot them in clear water, particularly in the early morning. They are also very much active when the climate is warm.
During winter, they prefer to stay offshore. Once the shoreline gets warmer from the sun, they stay in the shallows to feed on plant matter.
Any place that has vegetation is a good spot to find carp. This is especially true if you are trying to spot a Grass carp. Among their favorite locations include grassy areas in the shallow water such as cattails and a few emerging blades of grass.
As for the common carp, this is available in muddy areas in the bottom part of the water. They look for critters and small bugs to feed on.
Read More: When Do Carp Spawn In Michigan? Fish the Right Time!
Great Tackles and Baits for Carp
As carp is generally big and heavy, you may want to use the right tackle to catch this fish. I recommend a spinning tackle and a baitcasting tackle. These are great choices when you want to ensure success in catching your carp.
Also, be sure that the drag system is excellent. You would not want to rely on cheaper options that will only cause you to lose your precious target.
Now, as for baits, there are a few that I would like to recommend. After all, the type of bait you use can highly influence your success in angling.
For the common carp, I prefer to use corn, doughballs, and small fruits such as cherry tomatoes and seaweeds. These are perfect baits that are irresistible for either the common carp or the Grass carp. Be sure there is a hard shell added in such as eggs, which you can add to your balls of fish meal. Hard shell is not a favorite of other fish species, yet the carp LOVES it.
Thus, if your goal is to catch carp, then you should definitely add this to your tackle box.
Next up, let us talk about lures.
If you want to be successful in catching carp, you can do away with artificial lures. The most important thing is that you know exactly how to work these lures the right way.
Grass or common carp prefers lures that appear as a worm or a small bug. You should use a soft plastic lure that tends to bounce on the bottom of the water. This way, your target will easily find it and become enticed by the appearance of your lure – something that reminds them of their favorite bites!
Here is a video that you may find helpful in case you are looking to catch carp in Florida:
Bottom Line
Learning how to catch carp in Florida is a fun and enjoyable thing to do. With the season just right for catching carp in this part of the world, it is best to know these smart tactics that will help you gain success during your fishing adventure!
