The great thing about carp is that they prefer slow moving or still water. This is great news for your blood pressure, as the environment in which you'll be fishing is likely to be very calm and tranquil. Even if you don't catch anything, it's a lovely way to spend a few hours. Many enthusiasts have found so great a pleasure in this pastime, that there is a niche market in carp fishing holidays which will cater for the professional or novice's every need.

Carp are naturally gregarious, preferring to school in groups of at least six. A quiet and shady place with lots of plant life around is the type of environment preferred by carp. Being bed feeders, they are usually not easy to see from the surface. But you will know they are there.

There are many seasoned fishermen who have been seeking out the best spots for decades, such as George Barnes. "They love the dark and the quiet," he says. "If disturbed from their habitat, they may disappear and not return to the bed for days. They are easily scared, and a spot where four or five were landed on one day may be barren the next."

It has been known for fishermen to land carp of nearly fifty pounds; however, the average is not nearly this huge. The average carp landing tends to be around the three to five pound mark, meaning a huge degree of sophistication in carp fishing tackle is unnecessary, particularly for the novice. A simple rod and reel with 10 lb line should easily suffice when beginning carp fishing. When choosing your carp fishing tackle, don't underestimate the value of a good float. Buy the best one you can afford, because this will help you no end. As carp are easily frightened away, it is not a good idea to keep pulling your line in and casting again.

As carp are omnivorous and will try almost anything which comes their way, there is a huge range of carp fishing bait on the market. "I usually use a ground bait, lowered gently into the water," says Barnes. "Boilies or pellets or lobworm paste all work well. Once the fish are used to the introduction of these, they will be more inclined to take them from the hook."

"You must have patience for carp fishing. One day, you may have no luck with one type of bait, so it is essential to have as many different types of carp fishing bait in your bag as you can. Fruit flavour boilies or pellets can sometimes bring instant catches: on other days, you have to keep changing the variety of carp fishing baits before you get results."

Other equipment, along with the Thermos and sandwiches, may be deemed necessary by some. Depending on the time of year, you may need to bring a variety of hooks. This is where an extra rod can help. Sometimes it's best just to go with the simplest set-up rather than load up your best hook with the fanciest boilie bait or lug paste.

When it comes to the crunch, however, as people like George and thousands of other carp fishing enthusiasts will agree, you can load yourself up with all the fanciest bait and tackle you like, but if the fish don't feel like biting, they won't bite!. At the end of the day, the best thing you can take with you when going carp fishing is your patience!