These surface fishing essentials will catch you more carp

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get your hands on a serious surface rod, and the Korda Kaizen Green Floater Rod proves that in spades. At 12ft and 2.75lb test curve, it sits at the higher end of what we class as floater rods, but that makes it perfect for casting a long way, particuarly useful on venues where you catch fish at range with big floats.

We found the rod really nice to use, it was both light and responsive, making it easy to strike into fish when you aren't using a float and have to hold the rod while waiting for a fish to take the hookbait. The durable Sea-Guide TDG rings will allow you to use braid or mono, depending on your preferences when floater fishing and despite its 2.75lb rating, it does feel a little more forgiving than that, which will reduce the hook pulls you can get fishing with smaller hooks.

If you regularly fish small waters, there are better rods on the market, but what makes these rods nice is you can use them for fishing on the bottom with your alarms too, so effectively you get two rods for the price of one!

While performance always comes first, you’d be forgiven for lingering on the looks. The Kaizen Green wears its minimalist styling well, matte black blank, discreet green logo, and none of the bling that turns a rod into a fashion accessory.

When it comes to locating fish a pair of polaroid’s cut out the glare from the water and help you see through into it much more clearly. They allow you to see if there are any carp near the surface that are willing to feed, they also help you see your hookbait much more clearly and finally, seldom worried about, is they protect your eyes from the sun which is of utmost importance. 

Lens choice is generally not considered but it can affect how visible the underwater environment will be. On lower light days where the water is cloudy it is recommended you choose an amber or brown lens to contrast the fish easier, whereas a very bright day with tap clear water a yellow or blue lens might be more appropriate.

It's important to keep the sun off your head and neck when fishing in the summer and this hat provides perfect coverage, whilst being light and comfortable.

Fully waterproof (8000mm) with a breathable (3000g) design, your head won't get too hot but should you experience a downpour or it falls into the lake it will stay nice and dry. Available in two sizes to accommodate all head sizes it is finished in a lovely digital camp effect exclusive to Nash, we must say it looks awesome!

The peak will also keep the sun off your eyes, which when used in conjunction with a pair of polarising sunglasses offers unbeatable ability to see below the surface, which can be vitally important when surface fishing.

We know how effective dog biscuits are for using as floaters but these floating baits from Sticky are way more attractive to carp. Available in 3mm, 6mm and 11mm, they are especially useful if the fish in your lake have been caught a lot on floaters as the food signals these pellets give out can instigate a feeding response from even the wariest of carp.

The floaters undergo a two-stage coating process, the first coating dissolving as soon as it hits the water for instant attraction whilst the second coating breaks down much more slowly. This second coating is high in oil which helps flatten off the area to make fishing in windier conditions far easier.

Even after all the coating has gone, if they last that long before being eaten, a high-quality floating pellet is left behind, so attraction is still being released into the area. There is also a dedicated hook bait available to complement the range.

There is something about bread that all fish, especially carp that they just cant resist. The only flaw using it as a hook bait is that it gets wet and falls off almost immediately. 

This clever little product from Nash is a hook-able silicone band that allows you to use bread in a way not possible before. Simply rip a piece of crust off a loaf and stretch the band around it to secure it to the shank of the hook. They are available in small and large, to allow you to tailor the size of bread to suit your angling. 

As the item eliminates the need to hook the bread, not only is all of the hook exposed to strike into the fish, the bread will stay on with even the most violent of casts and you will generally get 3-4 casts out of the same piece. Ingenious.

Why not give your floater feed baits a boost of attraction with the pure salmon oil from CCMoore. Not only does this liquid help prevent water ingress helping your baits stay buoyant and whole for longer, but it also gives off a massive slick of attraction to hold fish in the area without overfeeding them. This can be particularly useful when birdlife is attracted by large volumes of floating bait.   

As it is a pure oil, if there is any wind or ripple on the lake the oil will help “flatten off” the area to stop the feed and the fish drifting off too quickly. This can present opportunities to fish on the surface when many others wouldn’t bother. You can also dip your hooklength in the oil to help it float better.

If you want to fish on the surface at range, you will need to use a controller float. Whilst small controllers still have a place for longer distances a more streamlined, heavy float is required.

The Korda Interceptor is available from 5g all the way to 80g and at the heavier end, distances of over 100 yards have been recorded. They have a quick-change swivel allowing you to change floats over in an instant without setting up again so you can always adapt to the conditions and stay in touch with the carp!

Due to their low profile they don’t tend to catch the surface drift too easily so will remain where you cast them for longer periods of time. With their ability to be cast long range they can be cast past the fish and be gently reeled back into the shoal, which will reduce the chance of spooking the fish.

The hooklength is attached to a swivel that is pushed into the base of the float to create a semi fixed rig. The bulbous end creates a lot of resistance when pulled against by the fish, creating a bolt rig effect to aid hooking the fish, perfect if you lose sight of the hook bait or floater fish at night.

Due to the lightness of floaters, it is essential you have a catapult to get your bait into the lake if any distance over 10m is required. The design of the catapult is also worth noting to make sure you can accurately feed your bait to keep the fish in a tight area.

The generous wide gape pouch on the esp boilie pult not only allows you to get plenty of bait into the lake each time but it is also of solid construction. Most large catapults have soft pouches that can enclose around the bait and make feeding very inaccurate, with this solid pouch, loose offerings will be grouped far more tightly and accurately, whilst reducing the chances of it returning and stinging your knuckles. 

The elastic choice from ESP also helps deliver the bait with maximum accuracy and distance whilst lasting much longer too. Twin walled latex tube helps provide a controlled, powerful acceleration of bait through the air and whilst it may not sound ground-breaking, after you’ve used one you’ll realise how much better it is.

A floating mainline is an absolute must have when floater fishing. If your line sinks it can spook fish, cause your hookbait to be pulled out of position and it will be very difficult to strike and set the hook.

Kruiser Control is a low diameter floating line that can be used for both hooklength and mainline to save buying multiple spools. It has a low gloss profile so it becomes virtually invisible in the water and the limp, supple monofilament it’s made from will make casting easier, allowing you to freeline or use smaller floats if needed. It also enables the hookbait to present as naturally as possible to avoid suspicion from the fish.

It is available in 150m spools in 6lb, 8lb, 10lb and 12lb breaking strains and has been manufactured to provide some stretch to prevent hookpulls when using smaller hooks.

When fishing on the surface fish can inspect the hookbait with far more vigilance than they might otherwise do on the bottom, so everything needs to be in your favour and hook choice is important.

The floater hook features a slightly out turned eye to allow monofilament hook lengths to pass through whilst keeping everything straight and uniformed. The coating on the hook is made from an anti-glare Teflon that eliminates and shine being emitted which could spook the fish. 

With a super wide gape for their size and forged with XC80 Vanadium steel the hooks remain very strong even when used in the popular, smaller sizes. Available in size 6, 8 and 10 these hooks will cover any aspect of floater fishing and once you’re connected to a fish, you can have every confidence in landing it.

If there is one reel that can be used for almost everything it is the Daiwa Ninja Match and Feeder, and for the price they are unbeatable. Floater fishing is no different, and these lightweight reels are perfect for catching carp off the top.

Its smooth and effortless winding capabilities, coupled with the slightly larger spool to improve casting distances, just make them a really fantastic reel and their lightweight build ensures you can hold them in your hand all day with no fatigue in your arms.

There really is nothing we have found the reel to be incapable of. If you want a versatile and durable reel, then the Daiwa Ninja Match and Feeder reels take some beating in their price bracket and we still aren't sure if Daiwa have mistakenly priced these up, as they feel and perform far above what they cost.

If nuisance fish are a problem on your lake or you have difficulty keeping our bait floating on the surface, these new artificial mixers from ESP will be the answer to your prayers. 

The pack of 12 contains two sizes and colours of hook baits, one dark and one light to match your free offerings and to aid visibility. A clever little slot is moulded into the mixer to allow for easy, secure fastening of the bait to the hook whilst also ensuring it always sits perfectly upright in the water, increasing the chances of hooking fish massively. 

The baits can be infused with flavours and take on most liquids really well if you need that little bit of extra attraction and the rubber is soft enough to hair rig if that’s your preference.

Originally developed for keeping dry flies floating when fly fishing, this little tub of grease is a firm favourite amongst die hard floater anglers. When hooklengths have been exposed to the water for a while they inevitably begin to sink which can destroy presentation and spook wary fish.

Simply apply a small amount of this colourless, odourless gel onto your fingers and rub it up and down the line and it will float perfectly once again. Generally one coat is enough to last a full session but if not just repeat the process. One small tub will easily last a full seasons floater fishing and once you have used it, you'll wonder how you ever coped without it.

As we know, surface fishing usually coincides with summer meaning hot temperatures and intense sunlight. As most surface fishing is done in the heat of the day it is imperative you protect yourself from the harmful effects of UV from the sun. Whilst suncream is helpful it is better to block the sun out totally during the hottest part of the day and these garments from Korda are fantastic and keeping you cool and protected.

Featuring a long sleeve, high neck line you are sure to be shielded from the sun, with the Kamo finish keeping you looking stylish on the bank too. They are made from quick drying, lightweight material that will ensure you're kept cool but it will also dry off quickly, should you get wet.

Another fantastic reason to buy this clothing is 50% of all the profits raised from the sales goes directly to LENNOX CHILDRENS CANCER FUND, which supports families and children with cancer, a very nice touch from Korda.