Well it was a good day, I got to test out my new canoe and the fishing wasn’t half bad either.
Back to the topic, I have been out several times this year trying to catch a carp. These fish are either smart or very picky, unlike other fish they really can’t be coaxed to strike.
I have used dough balls, corn, homemade baits, and several different hook/rigs in effort to hook one of these monsters creek fish. They are the largest fish in our local waters by far.
So I get out to the spot drop anchor, throw out my chum, bait up two poles, one with a peanut butter bait and the other with a hopped up dough ball and the wait begins.
I took my ultra light with 6lb test as a third pole to toss night crawlers catching whatever would bite to pass the time, after a while I decided to bait it with corn and let it sit as well and just relax soaking up the sun.
3 poles, 3 different baits, and a beautiful day. After about 3 minutes of relaxing my ultra light bent in half and the drag was humming like a pissed of rattle snake, I snatched up the pole set the hook just incase the dish didn’t do a good enough job on it’s own and no doubt I had finally hooked onto a carp, there wasn’t much I could do as far as bullying the fish with 6lb test basically just kept it away from the banks and down trees so it didn’t get me wrapped up snapping the line. After 20 minutes the fish was in the net 26 inches around 12lbs give or take.
It was a good fight and I let the fish go after a few pics, most people toss them on the bank to kill them, I figure they have been in the creeks for a couple hundred years they can’t be that much of a problem not to mention one of the best fighting fish we have if compared to a state stocked trout.
Well that is my fish story for today tomorrow I go for bass.
Be Safe
Eric G
well good for ya eekster …
… sometimes we catch what I call river chubs , they sorta look like a Carp , don’t get as large though .
Usually it’s when fishing for Smallmouth … they take the lure the same way and your not sure right away if it’s a Smallie or not … a 20" Chub this spring was one of them , but mostly avg. 14"-15" .
If saved for bait they are said to be perfect for Mr.Muskie or a Northern .
We used to catch Carp (and Cats) in the head waters of the tributaries that feed the bay . As kids we’d get dropped off for the day by parents , to hang out and fish from shore … let’s see , how to make the perfect doughball … ??? .
Often see lots of Carp busting the surface in our mountain rivers . I suppose they could be caught on a regular basis in those areas if one had a mind to do so … plenty of them !!
So , good for ya , you plan on trying for more in the future ??
always
I fish mostly bass and cats but always up for a lazy day of carp fishing. I think what you call river chubs we call fall fish, Silver fish semi bottom feeder mouth but will eat anything. I catch them quite often always a good fight as well.
I plan to hit one of out reservoirs tomorrow and try for some pike.
Be Safe
Eric
yeah maybe , sometimes ???
… could be Fallfish , maybe Creek Chub , other times one of the other Chubs (Bull Chub , River Chub) …
I have always just thought of them as Chubs , but there are differences . Sometimes these fish will have those bumps on thier foreheads with and a definate carp type mouth … other times they look more exacly like the Fallfish and Creek Chub .
But whichever , they take the lure like a game fish or Smallie … almost certainly need to be bumping bottom to hook one , and seems always they come off of rocks and gravel areas .
Take a look at the link , you are probably catching the same as I , different fish at different locations , but always seeming simular ??
http://www.vt.edu/efish/families/riverchub.html
I certainly don’t mind hooking one now and then , they just get on there while fishing for the Smallies in the rivers … nice filler inbetween !!
i am learning lol
Fallfish Semotilus corporalis are the ones I catch a lot.
I also catch those chubs with the bumps on the head apparently that is a male thing and happens when spawning. Who knew lol.
The fall fish are a good catch fight better that stocked trout at 15 inches. You are right they are good fillers in between to keep the fishing active.
Eric
Try this next time…
Strawberry Koolaid mix stired into 5 minute Quaker Oatmeal. HAS to be the 5 minute version in order to make dough-balls out of it. About 3 packages of the koolaid dumped into the round carboard can, mix it throughly, then dip out about a table spoonfull for each dough-ball. Dip into the water, count to 4, then squeeze together into a ball. Should make a ball about the size of a ping pong ball. Form it on a wire wrapped bait hook (about a 4/0) then cast it into a favorite Carp hole with about 5/16 - 1/4oz of slip weight on it.
Watch for the tip to bob up and down a couple of time…then grab the rod…a big one will rip it out of your holder before you grab it.
This was my brother-in-law’s and my formula for years.
I will try that…
I caught another carp yesterday, it was 28 inches about 9 lbs it was a little longer the one I caught last week but a lot lighter. This one was also Caught on the ultra lite.
Be Safe
Eric G
My cousin’s method…
… for catching carp was to fish for a long time and not catch anything.
Light a cigarette.
Watch his fishing rod get yanked into the water.
Been there
…done that…
with a string of profanities following immediately afterwards.
lol
I have yet to loose a pole “knocking on wood now” I have chased several into the water cat fishing on the susquehanna river.
I had to dive into a lake one time as well to catch A pole, almost lost that one.
I hooked into a huge eel the other night and let my friends boy reel it in, I thought for a second we lost the pole and the boy he got drug 3ft till he dropped to his knees lol, he got it in after I held the top of the pole so it wasn’t laying on the ground but the line broke when I tried to hoist it up a 3 1/2ft bank, judging from what we all seen of the eel everyone agreed the boy would have got a situation from the state for that beast. it was round as the base of a shovel handle and we seen about 2ft of the eel and there was plenty left in the water so we don’t really know the true size but it was the biggest one I have ever seen at least girth wise.
The best part by far was watching that boys face when I handed him the pole, I think the biggest fish he ever caught was 8 inches. So this was quite a shock for someone to hand him a pole with a large fish rather than catch it for themselves. He was fired up the rest of the night even though I let it get away.
Be safe
Eric G
Why on earth would you want too
Carp are considered trash fish on the west coast.
Carp are considered trash fish period
It’s not an east or west coast thing. They are just fun to catch,
Don’t tell carp fishers from UK
that carp are trash fish - unless you want a fight on your hands! One man’s trash fish is another man’s treasure.
http://www.carp.com/
Shimano is in on it too …
...... http://www.shimanocarpexpert.com/2008/EN/index.html
seems to be getting more and more popular these days
They are a very popular spor fish…
Over in the Uk I am not certain they eat them though. It is a growing sport fish over here as well. I am still not eating them.
Eric
Train the Carp
I have found through extensive Carp fishing, that Carp can be pretty much trained. What ever your bait is (I use canned corn exclusively) chum the waters, like you say. I usually start early in the year when they raise the lake. I toss the corn over a wide area and DO NOT FISH it. I do this several times (days) before I venture to fish the area. If Carp are not used to the corn, they might not like it so much. So get them used to eating corn or popcorn or whatever it is you want to use. At 33 cents per can, you can afford to throw a few cans in the lake early, until they get used to a free meal. After they discover they like corn, it is pretty much a slam dunk. Put about six kernals on a six hook with some split shot or any type of sinker and you are good to go.
the thrill of a lifetime!..
…