Learning is an intrinsic part of our lives; whether it’s for recreation or as part of your education, becoming more knowledgeable on a given topic is of benefit.
This is because it allows us to not only be aware of all the information available, but in some instances, it allows us to improve on our skillset, e.g. better fishing techniques, etc. As a result, if you’re someone who wants to improve their fishing game, specifically their carp fishing, then education is key.
Below is a walkthrough to some of the best carp fishing resources currently available online.
Top 11 Carp Fishing Books
Carp: Location, Feeding & Bait, By Jon Wood
First published in 2012, this book is still a valuable resource to fishers. Written by Jon Wood, this publication covers many of the common questions fishers ask when it comes to carp fishing, such as baiting, fish behaviour, and so on.
As the title aptly suggests, the three main areas in which Wood does this is by covering location factors, feeding and bait, arguably three of the key components to fishers’ success.
Laid out in a concise, clear manner, this book is accessible to all ages and abilities. If you want to better your knowledge and skill, Carp: Location, Feeding & Bait is a good place to start and/or combine with your other resources.
Ali Hamidi’s Carp Fishing Masterclass, By Ali Hamidi
Another from 2012, this carp book is written to educate you on every element of carp fishing. Sporting 32 chapters, this is a hefty guide for any fisher to add to their collection, and will help you learn about all aspects of the sport.
Nevertheless, while a thorough read, the smaller font size might prove less than accessible to some readers. This however, is a small issue when compared with the amount of information you’ll be receiving it’s dubbed a masterclass on carp fishing (and rightly so).
Carp Fishing Science, By Jon Wood
We return to Jon Wood, this time in the form of his earlier book, Carp Fishing Science, which was published in 2010.
The beauty of this book is that it takes all the fishing science covered in various other books and gives readers the most important, useful bits. Not only does it save you a job of accessing all sorts of different resources, but it also means you get an accessible science lesson.
Despite covering a great number of topics, such as watercraft, biology, environmental factors, etc, this book is under 300 pages. Therefore, it’s an easy, concise read that you can return to whenever you need a refresher.
Carp Fishing Knots and Rigs, By Andy Steer
As far as quick reads go, this offering couldn’t be quicker, at only 60 pages long.
Even though it’s a short book, this 2016 published guide covers a total of 56 knots/rigs that are beneficial to improving your carp fishing gains. What is more, there’s illustrations that accompany each knot, meaning you have a clear guide to follow when out on the water.
This might be described as basic, but it has value for any skill of fisher, and is worthy of sitting on your bookshelf. Again, this is a handy refresher whenever you need one.
Fox Guide to Modern Carp Fishing, By Andy Little Et Al
This is one of the newer books on this guide, having been published in 2020. As such, it’s definitely one for all fishers, even if it covers topics you’ve read up on before; this is because information updates over time.
Written by three well known “gurus” of the industry — Andy Little, Ian Chillcott, and Ken Townley — they provide an internationally friendly resource on all sorts of topics, such as rigs, fishing tackle, pros and cons of equipment, and so much more.
The only potential pitfall is that it promotes a lot of their own products, which some may find off putting and dishonest. Nonetheless, the information within is still relevant, thoroughly researched, and accessible.
Carp Fishing Manual: The Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Better Carp Angler, By Kevin Green
Published 2014, this handy manual is a thorough guide to better understanding the different types of carps, where you can find them, different ways to bait them, and so on. A lot of readers highly recommend this book, and regard it as one of the best resources to have at hand when you go carp fishing. This is arguably because of the fact that not only does the book have concise, clear walkthroughs, but each section is illustrated too, thus ensuring you know exactly what you’re doing every time.
Discover Carp Fishing: A Total Guide to Carp Fishing, By Simon Crow
Only consisting of 220 pages, this might not sound like much of a guide, yet this book has received wide acclaim within the fishing community for how detailed it is. Much like the other titles on this list, this book covers different baiting techniques, how to make your own boilies, different carp species, and just as other examples on here, there’s illustrations to support the information. Please keep in mind that this book has been described as being better for British fishers, due to the language, etc.
Carp – A Handbook of Techniques, By Simon Crow Et Al
Unlike some of the other books, this title is made up of various magazine articles that have been published on the topic, and so there’s a lot of different authors to familiarise yourself with. What is more, this also means that the book has a lot of different approaches to carp fishing to explore, which some readers may find that other books lack. This title only consists of 230 pages, so it’s a quick read, yet one that will educate you thoroughly on the topic of carp fishing. Lastly, this book was published in 2016, so is newer than the previous Simon Crow title we mentioned on here.
Kung Fu Carp Fishing, By Adam Dailey-Mcilrath
This is one of the smaller books on this list, as there’s only 54 pages in total. In spite of its incredibly small size, Kung Fu Carp Fishing is widely praised for how it approaches the subject, mixing information with humorous delivery. Inside this title, you’ll find a lot of essential details about carp fishing, though unlike other books, it’s done with a martial arts twist to it. As a result, this book contrasts enormously to the other fisher titles out there, specifically those about carp fishing.
Eat the Enemy: Turning the Asian Carp Invasion into Healthy, Delicious Cuisine: A Complete Guide to Catching and Cooking Asian Carp, Including 50 Mouthwatering Asian Carp Recipes, By Joseph Classen
There’s a lot of books out there that discuss carp fishing, but few talk about what happens once you’ve caught your fish and taken them home; this is what Eat the Enemy does. The way this book combines Asian culture, heritage and fishing into one easy to digest format is arguably why the book is adored by fishers and readers alike. What is more, due to having been published in 2019, all the details in this book are up to date and presented in a modern way for a contemporary audience.
An Obsession With Carp, By Dave Lane
We end this guide to the best carp books with a fitting title: An Obsession with Carp, a book that perfectly sums up the passion that the community has for the sport. Over 300 plus pages, Lane discusses not only the way he baits fish, but also his personal philosophy to fishing as a hobby and lifestyle. It was published back in 2013, and so there’s some dated information in here, alongside the very personalised approach to the subject, which may divide some readers. Nevertheless, while there’s some issues throughout the title, the content is well presented, easy to read, and will help educate you to become a better fisher.
Conclusion
Carp fishing is no longer the niche hobby it used to be, and as a result there are a lot of fishers across the globe who want to better hone their craft. If that is something of interest to you yourself, then the above list covers some of the most accessible and popular carp fishing books available on the market today.