Converted to a Carp Fisherman

[bassjunky]

Over the years I have seen the guys lined up fishing for carp along the local rivers and such, heavy rods and a slipsinker and bait style presentation...it never really appealed to me so i steered clear. Over the past few years I have started to search out fish I had not previously fished for..

this spring i hooked into my first carp and man was it a battle, i was using UL gear and had to quickly lower the drag as it ran immediatly and oftern. Other then a 28lb salmon caught a few years back this was the longest battle I have faught..it was great and Im converted

Who else fishes carp with UL gear?

[hoythunter]

i fish for carp have for about 15 yrs now they are a blast i use an 11ft med/light rod with 6 lb testor a fly rod with spinning reel. as for bat i use either canned corn or that prepared carp bait you can buy it works great.  as for hooks i use 1/2 oz jigs

[pikemaster789]

I fish for carp with light gear. I usually dont go over 12lb test. I landed a 25lber this past weekend. I can post a pic later

[Skipper]

I fish for all kinds of stuff!!!

I do like to carp, but I use my big river catfish gear. The carp I have caught on lighter gear tend to get tangled in structure and break off. Those things are brutes! I use a 8' MH Uglystik with a 3500 Shimano Baitrunner reel. One of my local lakes is prime carp water. I prefer angling for them, but I see guys out there bow fishing allot too.

We are in the sucker run right now, carp start a little later in the year. The suckers don't get nearly as large as a carp, but there are allot of them!

[rgfixit]

I have a 2 pc. 5 1/2' light action I built for stream fishing. It a slow action and fairly stiff lamiglas blank.  My main pursuits are carp and smallmouth. I recently switched to Shakespeare Cajun Red 4 lb. I think it's going to give me a real advantage when I get that 15 lb'er on in the current.

The best is still carp on the fly. I had a good one on my 3 wt last year but the 1 1/2 lb tippet didn't hold up to the abuse. Normally I use a 5-6 wt. 7 ft that I built for carp. It's a bit difficult to cast distances but it roll casts a wf5f line beautifully.

The problem is, pooling pods of carp spook very easily with any disturbance, so, you need to find the feeding fish to be successful.

I recall spin fishing for trout one day and coming on a pod of feeding carp. I took a cast at them with a small white rooster tail dropping it well past them and working in front of them letting it sink  to the bottom as it passed. One slob moved in very aggressively and sucked it up. I'd never caught a carp on a spinner before and when I landed it I saw a small piece of green leaf on the hook. I had snagged a shread of timothy leaf on my back cast. I've used that method to some good success many times in warm weather.

Sweet timothy, maple leaf and even a tiny piece of corn leaf have all worked.

The most effective spinners seem to be the 1/64 oz. rooster tails with the tiny helicopter blades.

Fun stuff...wading a warm creek in summer catching carp.

RG

[freshfish]

I fish for all kinds of stuff!!!

I do like to carp, but I use my big river catfish gear. The carp I have caught on lighter gear tend to get tangled in structure and break off. Those things are brutes! I use a 8' MH Uglystik with a 3500 Shimano Baitrunner reel. One of my local lakes is prime carp water. I prefer angling for them, but I see guys out there bow fishing allot too.

We are in the sucker run right now, carp start a little later in the year. The suckers don't get nearly as large as a carp, but there are allot of them!

When do they bite the best?

[Skipper]

I find them early in the morning when they are wallowing like pigs, I then return veeeeery quietly a few hours later. Carp can be awfully spooky, so use your electric motor to come in.

I have never tried fly fishing for them, but I have heard that you can catch those wallowers on a fly. When they are churning and rolling in like that I have had very little success catching them on bait.

I have always had my best luck just after ice out or in the warmest water of the year. HA! that is the only time of year that I fish them though!

[freshfish]

If you use corn and spread a bunch out for bait, do you do it the night before, morning of, or just when you go?
I'm new to carpin and have heard you shoot corn with a slingshot to bait them in?

[Skipper]

It is unlawful to chum in Minnesota so I do not do it.

[panfishman13]

i just caught my first good-sized carp and it was a blast! next time i go i'm gonna have plenty of carp stuff instead of only a worm on a jighead.