Do big carp live alone?
Are large carp solitary or do they shoal up with other, smaller carp? And do you think they feed all over the lake or just in a couple of places? If so, have you any examples of this? Josh, Essex
Max Cottis says: “As a rule I don’t believe large carp are solitary, however I except that there will be some exceptions. Personally, rather than be alone, I think they prefer to move in very small groups of just one or two other fish and these aren’t necessarily always big fish they choose to move with. I remember one particular gin clear water I fished many years ago where the biggest fish in the lake was always seen with two smaller commons which I believe she used as insurance. Let me explain this in a little more detail...
“There were a couple of deep margin spots where you could introduce a few baits and observe the fish feeding. On one particular occasion I remember seeing her come into the swim accompanied with her ‘sidekicks’ and as they came across the bait, she just held back and let the two smaller fish start feeding. Only after they had picked up a number of the freebies and she felt that these baits were safe did she come in and ‘push’ the other two fish out and then start picking up the remaining baits one by one… a behaviour I believe she’d practised over many years as whilst she was a very rare visitor to the bank, those two smaller commons were caught regularly!”