New to Carp, but not fishing.

[JoeXenn]

Hi all, just want to say hello and thanks for any and all info provided. Let me get down to it, I fish for almost anything that swims, anything from brim to bull sharks, and I want to get into Carp fishing. I have any and all rod types from ultra-light to heavy action.  I used to fish for Long Nose Gar and have all the tackle for that fish ie: circle hooks from size 2 and 4 to 1.0, I have up to 1oz weights and all sizes below. I have leader making material both fluorocarbon and steel cable. I am not unaccustomed to fighting large fish (my gar averaged 30-40 inches long). Any advice for someone who is in the New Mexico area on what I need to round out my tackle kit. 

[mrmud]

Hey 👋🏼, good luck in starting out with the carping. Over here we use relatively light tackle compared to gar fishing or shark fishing ect.

There's no need to use things like steel traces. They have really soft mouths so they have to be played a little more carefully. The teeth they do have (pharyngeal teeth) are back in they're throat and more like human molars for crushing food items so no need to worry about steel traces. The aim is to make your rig look as inconspicuous as possible under the water.

Rods are generally around 2.5lb - 3.5lb test curve

Size 4 - 12 hooks depending on size of carp we are targeting. Most lakes around the UK don't hold many large fish(fish over 30lbs)

Wide gape & curve shank being 2 popular hook types. Usually barbless or micro barbed so the fish has as little damage / stress as possible and can be unhooked / put back swiftly and safely after a pic or 2 if it's a nice one lol 

Hook lengths are usually around 12lb - 25lb and usually braid or fluorocarbon. Might want to go heavier if your fishing for 40lb+ fish.

Hope this helps. 

Would be cool to see a few mexican carp 

Tight lines

&

Wet nets