Do carp have a favourite type of weed?

Question: Are there any particular types of weed which you think are more attractive to carp than others? Do you think this is due to natural food content, oxygen or simply because of the sanctuary it offers?

Jon McAlister: Good question!

Kev Hewitt: This is a very good question and without living under the water myself I cannot honestly give you an accurate answer. All I can say is that carp do like weed. It is no coincidence that wherever weed is most abundant in a lake, you can almost bet your bottom dollar that carp will not be too far away. As for which types of weed do they prefer, well, I have caught carp on, in or alongside all types of weed. However, I have caught more carp by fishing on top of silkweed. Not necessarily because carp like it the most, it is more of a case that I find it easier to present a bait over the top of silkweed. Canadian pondweed on the other hand is a little more tricky due to the fact it varies some much in length whereas silkweed is generally a lot flatter, like a blanket, hence why it is often referred to as ‘blanket weed’.

A brute caught on a Chod from thick weed.

Jon McAllister: I think carp like different weed at different times of the year for different reasons. Lets not forget they also eat the fresh shoots of certain types as the weed begins to appear in its infancy. On Vinnetrow and St. Ives Lagoon the carp love to hit the silkweed early on. In Vinnetrow they hit it hard for the huge abundance of baby snails. On Conningbrook I’ve watched virtually every fish in the lake eat the fresh shoots of that long grassy weed that some people call eel grass weed. Also, on Vinnetrow the carp rip up sections of the eel grass weed but I’ve not seen them close enough to know if they are seeking naturals in the soft sand or the shoots themselves. I think they’re after the naturals because that activity goes on longer than just in the early stages of the weed’s life cycle.

Once Canadian pondweed takes hold it can be proper solid and thick! And I reckon the fish feel safe in this weed, as they use the thick walls of it as patrol routes. Carp like an easy meal don’t forget, and as the Canadian pondweed takes force during the summer I think the carp don’t eat amongst it as much as they do when weed is sparse. So finding clear spots works so well at this time of year as the carp know where those clear areas are but presenting a line into some of these spots is really tricky as I’ve watched carp circle around inside these clearings checking for lines before dropping safely to feed.

During winter on Wraysbury I have observed carp sat on the lakebed amongst and tucked up underneath the dead Canadian for weeks at a time without moving more than a couple of feet.

Don't be scared of weed because carp love it

Elliott Gray: I don’t know all the science behind weed growth; I know the more common types by name but I couldn’t tell you the name of every one. I’ve always concentrated more of what type of weed it is, i.e. carpet like weed such as silkweed or the denser stuff that grows from the bottom upwards, like kelp or Canadian.

Carp certainly like to feed amongst silkweed but it offers no sanctuary. The likes of Canadian pondweed will form large beds, rooted to the ground and in situ for long periods of time. It is this style of weed that carp undoubtedly favour, it offers an abundance of natural food and a sense of security. Carp can and will spend long periods of time held up amongst large weedbeds and although they can be tricky to catch amongst it, it does offer a good starting point. The largest weedbeds will often hold the fish and targeting these areas can obviously prove fruitful. This style of weed provides patrol routes and carp will regularly follow particular paths, passing in between or along weedbeds as they go – again, it makes for good target areas.

The biggest weedbeds and last to drop down to the bottom in the autumn, often end up being good areas as the water cools, providing the last of the food and sanctuary. Look at Jon’s findings, they will hold up amongst the dead weed right through the cold weather. The key is that weed offers grub and safety, two of a carp’s favourite things.

The biggest carp from the smallest of spots, amongst a large and very thick weedbed.

Kev Hewitt: As I mentioned earlier, I find it easy to present a hookbait over silkweed, a Chod or a long hooklink with a critically-balanced slow sinking bait does the trick every time. I must admit I am not a fan of fishing solid bags in weed; I save those for clear spots. Jon, say you have found a number of fish in a large bed of Canadian, how would you go about targeting them?

Nailed!

Jon McAllister: Although there’s no doubt it does work, I wouldn’t use a solid bag either, I’m just not a fan of that tactic. If I found and observed a group of fish sitting above some really thick Canadian I would just watch them for a few hours to decide what they were doing. I’m sure you would see at least one break from the group, taking a particular route, only to reappear back in the same spot with the group. I’d then try and find somewhere along that patrol route, far enough away from the group not to scare them, where I could get a lead to bump down. Watching and observing carp from trees is something that even on some of the top waters you don’t see much of. I’ve caught plenty of really good fish from tricky waters by observing a carp’s patrol route around weedbeds and it can make things feel almost easy to be honest. The biggest thing I’d say to the readers is don’t be afraid of weed. Too many people out there panic before they even cast out into a weedy water.

One taken from a clear channel I found