Carp fishing around South Africa is enjoyed in dams and lakes in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth and many other regions around the country. You do not need to be an expert to be able to catch these beautiful fish and neither do you have to have expensive rods, reels, fancy rig set-ups or any kind of secret bait. Stick to the basics when looking for the best ways to catch them and you will have a lot more success than getting wrapped up in the latest flavours and baits that some will swear by. In fact you can pick up a cheap rod and reel, tackle and bait for as cheap as two hundred rand and be set-up and ready to land some decent fish.
Amongst the best tips for carp fishing in South Africa is stick to sweeter baits in the warmer summer months and look for the more shallow and shady areas of a dam. A simple rig set-up can be bought from your local tackle shop that usually consists of a small cage with two hooks attached to short nylon lines on swivels. If you are not sure how to tie a good fishing knot then usually the guys at the tackle shop will be willing to help you get started and show you a few tips. Buy a good ground bait from the shop to be made moist with a little water and squeezed onto the cage to make what they call a “mealie bomb”.
There are a lot of different flavoured mealie baits to choose from including tutti fruity, bannana, strawberry and almond flavours, they are all good for catching carp so experiment with the varieties. Hooks obviously come in different sizes but here again ask your local tackle shop for advice on which size hooks to use in the area and make sure you get a sharp, good quality hook. Dams are becoming more and more popular for Father’s and Son’s and families to spend some time at in South Africa and what better way to enjoy your time at the dam than doing some carp fishing while you are there.