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Mirror Carp, its habitats, characteristics, fishing methods and techniques.
Carp are generally considered a nuisance by North American anglers, they are highly prized as sportfish in Europe, as they are often excellent fighters. A growing number of anglers in the US are becoming interested in carp as a sportfish. Although flavor varies with the quality of the water from which fish were captured, their sheer abundance has made them an important food fish in some areas. Carp are presence in nearly all of our rivers, streams, and reservoirs. They are omnivorous (eating both plants and animals), their bottom feeding habits causing great destruction of aquatic resources.
A combination of understanding the fish and the techniques used to catch them will help you to hook more fish to the end of your line. Better knowing and understanding of the fish that you are trying to catch will make you a more successful angler, whether you are fishing for trout on a river or surfing on the beach or trolling on the open water.
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The Mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio), family Cyprinidae is a freshwater fish most closely related to the Common Goldfish (Carassius auratus), which was bred in China from the
Prussian Carp. Mirror carp are a type of fish, commonly found in the United Kingdom and Europe. They can grow in excess of 60lb - the last few British record fish have all been mirror carp.
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Description
The difference between mirror and common carp is both genetic and visual - biologically they are similar. The mirror carp was the first mutation of common carp, owing to two alternative genes, the S allele and the N allele. The genetic term for a mirror carp is "ssnn" (all minor). Common carp have an even, regular scale pattern, whereas mirrors have irregular and patchy scaling, making many fish unique and possible to identify by sight, leading to most carp in the UK over 40lb being nicknamed. This lack of scales is widely believed to have been bred in by monks in order to make the fish easier to prepare for the table.
The shape of a Mirror Carp is different to that of a Common Carp. Mirror carp are generally having a fuller and more rounded shape. Some Mirror carp are rounded in the shape of a dinner plate. A large swollen belly is not uncommon in larger specimens.
The colors in a Mirror Carp are dependent on the water in which it lives. Gravel pit carp can be almost black; Carp, which are found in clay ponds, can be a light gray or brown with large areas of red/Orange/Gold coloring.
The Mirror Carp is identified by irregular scales dotted haphazardly over its body. Anglers have subdivided the patterns of the scales into easily identifiable descriptive patterns. Fully-scaled Mirror Carps are completely covered in scales of different sizes. Mirror carp generally have a fuller and more rounded shape than Common Carp. A large swollen belly is not uncommon in larger specimens. The colors in a Mirror Carp are dependent on the water in which it lives. Gravel pit carp can be almost black, whereas those found in clay ponds can be a light gray or brown with large areas of red, orange or gold coloring.
Contrary to popular belief, Leather carp are not Mirror carp without scales; there is a distinct genetic difference. Leather carp are permitted a few scales; however, the dorsal row of scales is either absent or incomplete. Leathers also have reduced numbers of red blood cells, slowing growth rates. A perfect fully scaled mirror carp are completely covered in scales of different sizes.
Habitat and Habits
Mirror Carp prefer slow moving rivers and streams and warm lake habitats with abundant vegetation. They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal food items from the waters surface, from vegetation and rocks, and from stream and lake bottoms. Shallow sloughs and marshes, adjacent to stream channels or lakes, are preferred breeding habitats. Mirror carp prefer large bodies of slow or standing water and soft, vegetative sediments. A schooling fish, they prefer to be in groups of 5 or more. They natively live in a moderate climate in fresh or brackish water with a temperature range of 35 – 85 F. Mirror Carp will willingly survive winter in a frozen over pond, as long as there remains some free water. Carp can with stand summer water temperatures in the low 90's degrees Fahrenheit for short periods. Ideal temperature is 68 °F.
Fishing Methods.
Bottom fishing with dough, potatoes, mollusks (clams), maggots or earthworm, nightcrawlers. The common carp can eat a vegetarian diet of water plants, but prefers to scavenge the bottom for insects, crustaceans (including zooplankton), and benthic worms. When fishing for carp in a shallow lake or pond, use bread or corn. If your bobber fishing for them with the bait on the bottom allows the bobber to continuously go under until it doesn’t come back up. Carp suck the bait in 3 or 4 times before actually eating the bait. When fishing off shore you can use bells to tell when you’re getting a bight. Pole fishing is the No 1 method used by both the Match and pleasure anglers in Europe on fishing carp, it has become a most successful technique. Pellet and paste on the long pole or margin pole works best with sweet corn or banded pellet a close second. The pole should be fished 9-11 meters for best results. In the summer does not neglect an inside line, especially for margin feeding carp in the evenings.
Carp flavor varies with the quality of the water from which fish were captured; their sheer abundance has made them an important food fish in some areas. Carp are generally considered a nuisance by North American anglers; they are highly prized as sports fish in Europe, as they are often excellent fighters. A growing number of anglers in the US are becoming interested in carp as a sports fish.
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