Carp Fishing

[fishinTed]

Anybody Rod & reel fish for carp?
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[davetclown]

Is there any other way?
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[JoyRide1]

I'd like to hear what people use to fish for carp ... I've never caught one on purpose.
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[davetclown]

start with medium to heavy rigging. medium to heavy rod.

you will want minimum 12-14 pound test line with a reel with a good drag.

hooks size, number 4 or larger. half inch trebles work well up to 3/4 inch. you can go larger if your state allows it.

bait, worms - corn - cut fish or clam or shrimp - dough ball made from fresh wonder bread or breakfast serial or home made flower concosion.
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[theangler]

[size 2][size 2]Hello Guys,
Are you kidding Dave? []

Some of my fondest fishing memories as a kid are spearing those big beasts at night when they come up close to the shore. Also a lot of folks are starting to bow fish for them.

I know you have caught many big carp, what is the most common bait you pull them in on. My father in law swears by the dough ball mixture.[/size][/size]
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[davetclown]

Batteling a big carp is vary much like batteling a salmon.

when they run you have to have a drag that wont burn out loosen up or tighten up on you. the go for long runs, they may they can run 25 to 50 yards on a moments notice. If your drag burns out you may not be able to reel the carp in, if you drag loosens up the carp can run off with all of your line, and if your drag tightens up the carp can snap your line just like snagging the bottom while trolling a river.

there is no stopping a running freight train. and that is just what a big carp is when it desides to run.

here in south east michigan those of us who target carp want a bait that most other fish will leave alone even tho any bait will catch them. that bait is dough ball or corn, (there are no trout where the carp feed so you dont have to wory about an axidental dinner passing by scooping up your corn)

Last year I took my neighbor out spearing for carp, I only had one spear and he could not seem to tie in to a carp on line so he brought in 6 3-4 pounders I brought in one [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=4623;"]31 inch 15-20 pounder[/url]. entered in the 2004 Bigfishtackle 16 species photo contest. caught with dough ball.

that one was dwarft by the one I caught the year before which was 36 inches in lenth and weighted in at 42 pounds cought on a fly. Thats right a fly (streamer) you might want to take your fly rod the next time you go out to the flats and you see the carp running in and out, Fly fishing for carp in the flats of lakes and rivers is catching on. they seem to like dark yellow or brown or red streamers. You think spearing was fun wait till you get one on the end of your fly rod...

Both carp acheived state reconition for michigan one taking second largest for the year and the other taking third largest for the year. It was a bummer I did not make it out to target them this year...
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[Fishhound]

I use several methods.

(copied from my previous posts on the Utah board) Here's a couple of photos of carp from this summer - both are in the 9-10 pound range. One was a fly fishing set-up and the other an Ultra light set-up(4 pound test) with home made dough bait - from a float tube.

[size 1]Yes, It's my hobbie. Here's a photo of one(9 lbs 10 oz.) from about 2 weeks ago at my secret spot on UL. My set up in this photo is a Sage SLT- 4 weight/Ross Evolution #2 reel, with an Orvis weight forward floating line and an 8 foot hand tied leader(all blood knots except the tippet connection which is a surgeon's knot) ending with 20 inches of 5X tippet. The fly in the carps mouth is one of my hand tied nymph immitations(it really looks like nothing that naturally occurs in nature) made from the shedded fur from one of my hounds(I call it my Hound's Hair nymph) - so far, that fly(in sizes 14,16,or 18) has been able to catch almost every species of fish in Utah - with the exception of a few predatory types.[/size]
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[size 1]Sorry Dave - you don't need the big broozer gear for carp - just expect a long drawn out battle - carp are about the best fighting fresh water fish - Bar None - IMHO.[/size]
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[fishinTed]

I have found some great baits that work better than anything I have used

at carp anglers group they have a forum just for baits!!! kool!
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[theangler]

Hello,
FishHound,
Some great looking fish photos! On that light tackle you must have to settle in for a long ride. KEEP THAT DRAG LOOSE. Way to go!
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[Fishhound]

Hey theangler,

Wrestling with carp can be a "reel" drag !

When the one in that photo hit my slip float, my reel just started screaming. All I could do was holler right along with it. I let out my best rebel yell, hunkered down, and hung on as I was spun around in my float tube. The fish headed almost straight down and then out for the deep water. While on it's way, it drug my tube and it's passanger backwards a good 20-30 yards. Suddenly, the noise and commotion stopped as fast as it had started. I felt all alone. At that point, my line, about 40 to 50 yards of it, was all slack. I thought I had lost it.

Being somewhat disappointed, I reoriented my tube and was leisurely reeling back in the line when my slip float broke the surface around 10 feet in front of me. Then, it went back down ! Unbeknownst to me, the carp had turned back and was swimming right in my direction. I reeled like a mad man when I saw that happen. I knew the fish was on and would stay on as long as I could keep it there, and, my ultra light rod and 4 pound line were in for a "reel" battle.

Those were easily some of the best 15 minutes of my summer !
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[daymere]

well as everyone knows i like to hunt rough fish i bowfish with a recurve or crowsbow also love to hook them biggest i have caught is and 4 ft and weighed 100 pounds.but i have seen bigger ,have hooked them on nightcrawlers, corn ,doughballs with hair rigs,slimjims,shrimp,crwdads the small ones,and whiskyballs just dont eat them before getting in a boat,just about anything i tried worked,day or night.they are harder to bowfish at night but you dont have the crowds to deal with either just bring a couple of bright spotlights and a lantern.
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