Carp anglers are of a different breed than most people into fishing. To the average bass, trout, salmon, catfish, or sunfish angler, a carp is a “trash fish” that should be eliminated. To the carp anglers, carp represent one of the most hard-fighting freshwater fish, with a remarkable ability to survive all over the United States, offering a true challenge for real fishermen. In Europe and in other parts of the world, carp are sought over and cherished like the largemouth bass is in the United States. Many of the most effective rigs and setups have come from Europe, where anglers must adapt to catch increasingly-pressured carp. Thus, most websites on this sort of fishing are geared towards foreigners into carp fishing. However, carp angling is a growing sport in the United States, with many tournaments taking place, and a greater emphasis on catch-and-release of trophy carp. I have found a few carp websites directly geared towards United States anglers and here they are for you:
Carp Anglers Group (CAG)
Capr Anglers Group is one of the best carp fishing forums and websites available to the North American angler today. CAG’s forum has many, many members and its divided into regional sections, so it is easy to find fellow carp anglers where ever you may be, or information on local carp fishing hotspots. Forums members are incredibly helpful, especially for those just starting carp fishing. Carp Anglers Group also is a group you can pay to join, offering membership benefits in the form of discounts with many carp fishing store websites, a magazine (North American Carp), and other bonuses.
American Carp Society (ACS)
The American Carp Society also offers a membership and magazine for carp anglers. They have a forum with many members and loads of good carp fishing informaiton. However, there forum appears to be a little slower than the CAG’s forum, with less frequent posts.
Carp Fishing USA
This website is in a similar format to CAG’s and ACS’, but does not involve a membership/club association. It’s forum is the slowest of the three, but they still have really good information and photos of some truly amazing carp catches in the United States.
Big Carp Tackle
Big Tackle, based out of Oklahoma, is an excellent vendor of carp fishing gear and associated items for the American angler. They have pretty good prices on a lot of merchandise and have a huge selection of items.
The Bait Stop
Absolutely loaded with different types of carp bait, among other carp fishing items, the Bait Stop is a must-visit if you are looking to purchase doughbait, boilies, or all kinds of other baiting merchandise.
US Carp Pro
There are not many fishing magazines in the USA targeted at carp anglers and even fewer that are totally free. US Carp Pro is an exception to this, offering a free, high-quality online magazine that is easy to read from most web browsers. Unlike some others, it is not in a .pdf format, instead using the awesome YuDu online magazine website for access to its content. Definitely worth checking out!
