Fishing Carp

[MikeDebner]

I can't say that I have ever fished for carp on purpose with a rod and reel but I am thinking about it. Yesterday my son and I walked down to the trap on Howard Lake and there were huge(20lb +) carp swimming all around. What do guys use for bait? I think that it would be fun to hook a few and let my son try to reel them in. Any advice? They are in 1-2' of water trying to get through the steel gate that was put up to stop them.

[canoeman]

Carp fishing can be a blast, i would start out with a typical bottom fishing rig. hook then 30lb (16") leed,Barrel swivel above that, above the swivel a 1/4 - 1/2 oz weight. I have had best results with canned sweet corn.



wait for the rod to twitch and rip it!! then hang on..

ive been getting my 6 year old nephew out in the spring chasing cats/carp and suckers.. it is a riot to see a little guy strugglin witha big fish..

[a10lbeye]

sweet corn works. chum a few hand fulls out in the area and make sure the hook point is covered with a kernal so they can't feel it....

[MikeDebner]

Thanks for the info guys. So you want the sweet corn laying on the bottom. What about a bobber? Or do you just wait for line tension when you rod tip starts bouncing? I might just have to give this a try after work one night.

[canoeman]

Double post ommited

[Brett Vegoe]

I've caught a lot on a small piece of Wonderbread, or other very soft bread, molded into a small ball covering the hook. Just let it sit on the bottom and wait for one to pick it up and start to swim off.

[MikeyRaymond]

I take some flour and garlic powder, and add some water to make a paste. Then spread that on the bread like peanut butter. Mold around the hook and cast it out and wait for the line to start peeling off.

[AllenW]

Uncle Josh's Carp Bait, easy to deal with and probably less messy.
Or kernal corn, green giants niblets seem to stay on the hook.

Rig is easy, think Lindy rig with a heavier sinker if current.
Toss out and either snug up line and watch for rod tip to start twiching or open bail and wait till line start feeding out.

Or use a rig that has the weight on the end and about 16-18" up from that a 3 way swivel and attach a 12 to 24" tag line with a hook on it, then cast in, reel up snug and watch for the rod tip to start twiching ..

Use a walleye rod if you want fun, maybe a bass rig if there's snags and such.

Lots of fun..

Al

[skeeterman]

Mike, all I've ever used is canned sweet corn, just like 10lbeye says throw a few handfulls out for chum and load the hook with the kernals. Toss it out there and wait untill one picks it up and swims off with it. It's perfect for my son we just grab a branch that had fallen down and make a y and stick it in the ground then let your rod lean on it and watch your line.. There's a little lake attached to lake phalen that was loaded with them we'd catch 6-7 everytime we went out there.

Has anyone ever tried them smoked!!!! Back in the late 70's my grandfather turned and old fridge into a giant smoker my Dad said gramps would smoke just about anything in that old fridge. I never tried it but Dad said it wasnt bad.

[MikeDebner]

Thanks again. Yes I have had smoked carp plenty of times. I have never smoked it but had it many times. Not bad at all smoked.

[Dan Wood]

we fished them a lot as kids, bread dough was by far the best. we usually added a couple kernals of canned corn on the hooks to top it off. Dough hooks have a little spring deal on them to help keep the dough on and from what I remember those helped.

[MikeDebner]

From some of the fish I saw I will have to bring a safety harness and tie him off the tree so they don't pull him in the water. I hope I can get out before this snow comes in.

[Dan Wood]

If they are over 20 lbs. I'll have to come over with my bow I'm surprised they are running up the creeks already, they won't be spawning until mid May at the earliest.. bowfishing doesn't open until May 1st unless they changed it.. I know that was the season but I seem to recall that it might of been changed. We usually don't find the big ones until well after that when they come in to spawn.

[MikeDebner]

There is metal grate in between Howard Lake and Mallard Pass. They are trying to get too Mallard Pass but can't get through the metal grate. When they start coming up in the back yard from Dutch I will invite you over for the killing. Same rules will apply to you as the neighborhood kids with pitchforks ...You kill them you dispose of them. We always know a few were left behind because the dogs come back up to the house smelling of rotten carp after rolling on them.

[AllenW]

Sounds like a carp party, little beer, grill a burger or two and shooting carp...have fun..

[J Tintes]

Hmmm... Mike I was thinking of checking it out and bringing Derek down there too some night. It would be a blast to young kids reel them in!

[Dan Wood]

yea the main reason we normally only shoot carp over 20 lbs... disposing of them is a pain in the a@@.. it is the law and they make great fertilizer, but a pain when you get a bunch..

There is metal grate in between Howard Lake and Mallard Pass. They are trying to get too Mallard Pass but can't get through the metal grate. When they start coming up in the back yard from Dutch I will invite you over for the killing. Same rules will apply to you as the neighborhood kids with pitchforks ...You kill them you dispose of them. We always know a few were left behind because the dogs come back up to the house smelling of rotten carp after rolling on them.