Carp are seemingly unattractive fish and were once called trash fish by fishermen. However, fishermen soon discovered that this common fish was not so easy to catch and that it was a good sport to fish for them.
A good post about the best carp fishing line is worth reading if you are a serious carp fisherman.
Fishermen soon found out that one of the best baits to attract and catch carp was sweet corn! But why do carp like corn so much? One reason is that they like the color of corn because it is brightly colored and that makes it catch their eye easily. Plus the carp like the smell and taste of sweet corn.
One of the best things about using corn as bait for carp is that it’s so easy to buy it. All you have to do is go to the grocery store and pick up a can of corn. And it’s cheap too! You can also put corn on your hook along with other types of bait for a double chance at catching the fish.
Corn is a great way for a beginning carp fisherman to get started in the sport since it is so simple, cheap and easy to use. All you really need is a can opener and you can use this bait fight out of the can. You can put several pieces of it on the hook since corn kernels are sometimes pretty small or as stated before, you can mix it with other baits.
Other types of corn bait used for carp
Besides canned corn, there are other kinds of corn you can use to fish for carp that also work. These include:
Special carp corn
There are special types of corn you can buy in a bait store to use for carp that’s much bigger and perhaps easier to put on your hook, but it costs quite a bit more than regular canned corn from the supermarket. It’s not really necessary to pay premium prices for the corn, as you can easily catch the fish with normal canned corn, but it is up to your personal preference.
The specialized corn for carps actually comes in several flavors such as maple, sweet pineapple, orange, toffee, mussel, strawberry and tutti-frutti, which could provide better attraction in some cases, depending on what the carp are hungry for.
Frozen corn
You can also use frozen corn to fish for carp. It costs about the same as a can of corn and one interesting thing is that you could put a couple of packs of frozen corn into your cooler to serve as a way to keep your drinks and snacks cold in between using it for bait, so it does double duty! Plus it’s lighter to carry around than a bunch of cans of corn.
Another advantage of frozen corn is it’s easier to stick to the hook and the kernels are more durable and thread better, as well as stay on the hook better than the canned corn does.
Feed corn
You can also buy bulk feed corn at a feed store to use to catch carp. It can be very cost effective if you plan on an all day fishing session. You have to do a little preparation to be able to use it for carp fishing though. However, it’s not hard to do this. Since the corn is dry and hard, you need to boil it prior to using it for carp bait. This makes the grain expand and soften up so it’s more likely to attract the fish.
First you have to strain the corn so there is no dust or corn cob particles in the mix. Then, soak the corn for about 12 hours in a bucket of water. Then boil it for about 45 minutes so it gets good and soft. If you can squish a kernel between your fingers then it’s done perfectly! One advantage of feed corn is the kernels are usually bigger than canned corn.
Next, drain the water off and put the cooked corn back into the bucket. You can then flavor the corn if desired. You can use flavorings like molasses or even Jello powder. Carp especially like strawberry flavoured Jelly! Now your corn is prepped and ready to go for your fishing session.
Ways to bait your hook with corn
There are several ways to use whatever kind of corn you choose to fish with. You can put a few kernels directly onto a hook, or you can use a hair rig or what is called a pop-up.
A hair rig is something that will let you put a few kernels of corn hooked onto a line and placed behind your hook. Then the carp will have to suck it in to get to the corn, so they are bound to be snagged onto the hook.
The pop-up boilie device lets the corn kernels get lifted up off the bottom of the lake, then it’s more noticeable to the fish. This way the carp are more likely to see it and quickly want to grab it, thus you snag your fish!
TIP: If legal in your area you can also sprinkle a few kernels of corn in the water to attract the carp prior to fishing for them. This is called chumming. However, be sure to check because this is not legal everywhere.
Other ways to bait with corn
If allowed where you are fishing for the carp, there are a few aids you can also use with corn to attract and catch the fish. They include:
Baiting Spoon
This is used to throw the corn into the water by hand and is great for fishing close to shore. A baiting spoon’s threads are made to match a carp landing net, so this is a great advantage for attaching it to the net to attract the fish.
Spod
This is a cylinder shaped like a torpedo that gets attached to the line and can be filled with the corn. You just cast them into the area and it dumps out the corn to attract the carp to your line.
Spomb
This is a device shaped like a bomb that splits open when thrown out into the water. It gets filled with corn, cast out and then the dumped corn attracts the fish.
PVA Mesh/PVA Bags
Yet another device to hold the corn and it can be used for longer casts.
All in all, this is how to use corn to catch carp. Happy Fishing!