By all means go specimen hunting, but don't run away with the idea that that is all that there is to fishing. Having blown my own trumpet, let's get on with what its all about. By far the most popular quarry today is the carp. Their magnetic appeal affects young and old alike and often the quest for a big carp becomes an obsession. Carp 'fever' has contributed to the breakdown of more than one marriage.
More books are available on the subject of catching carp than any other fish.
If you want to pursue this fish seriously, then I recommend you to read them, as space in this piece cannot do more than give a rough guide on how to catch them. Carp can be found in almost any type of water. Rivers, canals, lakes and tiny ponds alike, abound with them all over the country. In rivers and canals they can be hard to find as they tend to migrate up and down the river. Stillwaters provide the best chances of getting to grips with them.