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How to catch carp on the River Trent

James Rabjohns loves nothing more than targeting wild and elusive river carp. Following a great result, he outlines how he does it…

by James Furness |

Published on22nd December 2025 at 3.14pm

Nothing can compare to carping on large rivers – you never know what’s coming next! You could be miles away from your intended quarry, but tracking down the fish is all part of the fun.

Running water presents a multitude of obstacles that your average stillwater doesn’t. Variable flow, unknown snags, boat traffic, and you won’t find a manicured peg in sight. It all adds to the challenge.

The river is the last bastion of ‘doing whatever you like’ without any silly rules. And it’s a fantastic place to be – the sights, the sounds, the wildlife are all good for the soul.

THE BEST CARP RODS WILL TACKLE ANY RIVER CARP.

Location is key

In all carp fishing, location is crucial, but especially so on the river. Between the locks and weirs in each compound of water, the carp have free rein and, if you’re fishing at one end of the stretch, the carp could all be at the other, miles from your baits.

Just like their lake cousins, however, they prefer areas where they feel safe, such as overhanging trees, lily beds, bridges and moorings.

Targeting their preferred habitat can also mitigate nuisance captures. You’re less likely to catch a barbel in a deep margin or find yourself in the middle of a bream shoal. On the Trent, the carp will show themselves and can be tracked down with a bit of leg work.

CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE TO CATCHING YOUR FIRST RIVER CARP.

Simple but strong

If you fancy a crack at a river carp, the rewards are there to be had. I generally spend more time searching, prebaiting and planning than actually fishing. It suits my busy family lifestyle and maximises my chances when I do find bank time.

There are a few basic rules I stick to. First, I keep rigs and baits simple. For me, it’s either a Ronnie or a simple blowback rig. I use the Ronnie rig in really slack water areas. It’s a proven tactic that behaves just like it would in a stillwater, providing the strong hookholds needed for hard-fighting river carp.

The blowback rig, with either a snowman or bottom bait, comes into its own if I’m fishing an area with a little flow or in floodwater.

One thing that is a must is strong gear. You can’t simply clip a carp rig to your normal barbel set-up with 12lb mainline. The Trent is littered with nasty snags, so I opt for Sufix Advance 18lb line. It’s like tow rope (though you may curse this ‘benefit’ when the inevitable happens and you have to pull for a break!). Plus, it has the sort of abrasion-resistance needed for the aforementioned snags.

Very rarely is more than an underarm cast needed to clear the margins or get close to the nearest overhanging tree, so monster casting tools aren’t required. I use either 10ft or 12ft, 3lb test curve rods.

These are much better when playing carp under the rod-tip, while still having enough power to divert fish away from any snags.

Another absolute must is decent bankware. I fish semi-locked up, meaning the drag resistance on the reel is set as it would be when playing the fish to minimise the risk of them heading to the nearest snag. Decent butt grips or sturdy pods are a necessity to avoid the rod being pulled in.

HERE ARE THE ONLY CARP RIGS YOU'LL EVER NEED.

Priming swims

Prebaiting can be a massive edge when you’ve found a carp holding area. The best times I’ve found for this are late summer into autumn. Early in the season they’re very nomadic, and no matter how much bait you apply you can’t hold them.

I’ve had fantastic results using Dynamite Baits 18mm Complex-T, bulked out with tiger nuts. I don’t think the nuisance species switch on to the tigers like the carp do, improving your chances.

In winter, the fish have to swim to survive and so they must eat, meaning there’s no chance of them going dormant as their stillwater cousins do.

Of course, things can get tough during the cold months, but I have caught carp all through the winter by looking for small mild windows after a cold snap and generally scaling everything back.

CHECK OUT OUR PICK OF THE BEST BOILIES FOR CARP FISHING.

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