For Steven Su, owner of First Light Fishing & Tackle – a Burnaby shop specializing in fishing gear and supplies – one of the greatest challenges a fisherman can take on is carp. “Most people think carp are bottom-feeders, they are ugly and they are illegal to introduce as an alien species because people in the province only care about salmon and trout and pretty fish,” says Steven. “But carp are actually very smart and are actually the number one sport fish for angling fishermen worldwide. They are very popular in the UK, across Europe, across Asia, and they are gaining popularity in North America.”
Steven cites their heightened activity in the BC spring as one of the best times to fish for carp, particularly from the last week of March or beginning of April to about June. This is when carp are beginning to feed heavily in anticipation of spawning and swim in numbers that favour any angler.
Steven likes to head out on the water to fish for carp with a telescopic multi-piece rod and line, rather than relying on a rod and reel. “You only attach the line to the very tip of the pole,” he says, explaining the use of his gear, “and you have the line equal length as the rod length, so it’s a very exciting way to fish for carp or any other small fish. You really need to know how to play the fish and know the techniques.” Because of his enthusiasm for fishing carp and wanting it to be as successful in Canada as it is elsewhere in the world, Steven specializes in accessories that make carp fishing enjoyable.