The Catch During Spawning

Dylan Cloete

Last Friday night, I headed out for a quick session by the river — just a relaxed evening under the stars, not expecting much. As soon as we arrived, we noticed the carp were in full spawning mode. The water was alive with movement, and I knew that usually means one thing — they’re more focused on love than lunch.

So we decided to take it easy. We lobbed a few lines in anyway, more out of habit than hope, and turned our attention to the fire and the food. It was one of those peaceful nights — just good company, the crackle of the flames, and the sound of the river flowing.

Then, out of nowhere, one of my reels started screaming. At first, I thought, no way. But sure enough, something had taken the bait and was giving me an unbelievable fight. The fish stayed deep and refused to surface. We were convinced it was a barbel — the way it pulled and twisted felt like pure muscle.

When I finally brought it up, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It wasn’t a barbel at all, but a strong, healthy carp — a proper little Warrior. That’s when I realized that not all the carp spawn at once; some of them are still happy to feed, even in the middle of the chaos.

Magic Baits Used:

Warrior Large Bleeding Floaties

Barbie Doll Small Bleeding Floaties

💡 Tip: The presentation in the photo will float as high as your hooklink allows. If you want more control, simply add a small split shot to your hooklink — that’ll let you fine-tune how much your bait floats.