Bear lake monsters

[filletedalive]

I know you’re coming in here to see some lake trout. Too bad. We had a beach day on the west side of the lake where the those monster carp troll the beaches.  Brought the catfish rods and Canadian night crawlers. Had myself a sore forearm the following day from those powerful fish. 

[Jig-fisher]

Nice!  Those are toads!

[JArner]

Very nice, any particular technique or just soaking a worm on the bottom? We go up there at least once in the summer, typically on the East side, and we see them all over.

[filletedalive]

No strategy for these ones. I knew trout was unlikely from the shore so it was just a heavy slip sinker, and 18 inches of leader with a whole night crawler. Just set it and forget it until the bells start ringing. Really solid fight from both of them. When they would get close they turned and swam 20 yards of line over and over again.

[Cowboypirate]

Those are some real nice carp. A night crawler or corn is my goto bait for them also. I wish we could chum them in Utah. I would love to at least use a pack bait setup as I believe it slides within the spirit of the law, but its so close to chuming that I have not used it in Utah. They are killer for carp.

[filletedalive]

What’s the difference between pack bait and dip bait for catfish?

[SkunkedAgain]

I know they aren't purty, but dang they do fight well... congrats on the mountain bone fish catch there... Later Jeff

[Cowboypirate]

What’s the difference between pack bait and dip bait for catfish?

IMO nothing. They both are designed to consolidate a semi solid bait around a delivery (and hook) system with intent that the water will break the bait apart (slowly for a dip bait and a lot quicker for a pack bait) and leave a sent stream and food particles to draw in your target. 

Where the argument come in is that a pack bait for carp that I am familiar with - loaded with a pack of dense, lets say corn with a binder, mix, is used to just hold the corn in a gob long enough to get it in the water and then to scatter corn around the area where your hair rig is. IE chumming, but you did not throw loose corn, you threw a consolidated gob out - not your fault it broke up - right? And it was on your hook to start with. Right?

Semantics in my mind. Its an argument about the size of the food particle that is breaking up and being scattered. I know people that use both dip baits and pack bait systems here in Utah. I see no difference or issue with either, but..........

[Wallows]

Carp from clean water are fantastic smoked! Just sayin! 

[filletedalive]

Carp from clean water are fantastic smoked! Just sayin! 

I need you to elaborate on this.

[TubeDude]

Carp from clean water are fantastic smoked! Just sayin! 

I need you to elaborate on this.

Carp from clean waters are a good food fish...period.  Their flesh cooks up firm and flaky, with little or no "fishy" taste.  Trout from weedy waters like Strawberry are worse tasting than carp from clean water.  The main problem with them is the bones...lots of small flesh bones.  

To process carp for cooking or smoking you need to first fillet and skin them.  Then you need to feel out the rows of tiny flesh bones.  Either cut them out...leaving strips of boneless flesh...or cross score them with a knife to help them soften during cooking.  I prefer the boneless strips method.  Time consuming to do it, but worth it...especially if others will be eating the end product.  Carp that are slow-cooked in the oven for a long time...or bottled...have the bones softened to the point they are edible...like canned sardines, etc.  Pickling also neutralizes the bones and makes a surprisingly good product.

A good story for ya.  While living in Sacramento I usually had smoked salmon and steelhead in my refrigerator.  My buddies would always raid my stash when they came over.  One afternoon I took my daughter fishing on Nimbus Lake...on the American River just east of Sacramento.  Good clean water.  My daughter brought in a couple of big carp...along with some nice rainbows.  I kept the carp and prepped them for the smoker.  The end result was pretty darned good.  So I put them in the "smoked fish section" of my refrigerator.  

You guessed it.  When the buddies showed up for Monday night football they hit the smoked goodies (carp) and snarfed it down.  They all agreed it was some of the best smoked salmon I had turned out.  Imagine the looks on their faces when I informed them that it was "bugle-mouthed" salmon.  To their credit, none of them ralphed on my living room floor.  And all but one readily agreed they had a new respect for carpkind.  The other guy just remained quiet for a while and left before halftime.  After that they were a bit more careful to inspect the smoked stuff before cleaning me out.

Carp is a heavy-fleshed fish...like catfish.  And like catfish it smokes up well...but takes longer than you would smoke trout or salmon.  And a dry rub salting and seasoning works better than a wimpy brine solution.  Stronger tasting wood...like hickory...seems to work better than lighter fruit woods or alder.  But it always a matter of personal taste...said the old maid as she kissed the cow.

[Kent]

An easier way to cook carp is the "fresh-pine-board method".

[filletedalive]

Imma have to try some smoked carp. Thanks for the great post and story. I loved the “surprise!! You just ate a bunch of carp!!” I could only imagine their faces lol.

[TubeDude]

An easier way to cook carp is the "fresh-pine-board method".

Just as good is the recipe for "carp-brick" stew.  Cook up a carp in a vegetable stew...to which you add a brick.  When it is done, eat the brick and throw away the rest.

[flygoddess]

Right on!. I literally target Carp. Fly fishing Spinning and Bow. They fight so NICE

[fishskibum]

i haz friends who smoke up carps

but my friends are an odd lot
thanks for adding to the list of places i need to poopfish
these canadian night crawlers
fed on tim hortans coffee grinds and poutine?
eh
whats not to like about large predatory torpeodeos putting deep bends in the sticks