Caught my first carp

[LCG]

Caught my first two carp today. 4 1/2 & 5 lbs, but what a fun fight. Now I see why people enjoy them so much. 

 

Won't be my last time that's for sure. Was afraid the gammy #10 octopus hooks would bend out from the fight but they held up awesome. Used a 6'10" MH-XF casting rod and some 50lb braid to a 15lb fluorocarbon leader and a 3/8 oz sinker. Simple corn on the hook and chummed the water with corn. Took awhile to get bit, but wow that was fun. 

 

Hope this helps anyone thinking of trying for carp. 

[soflabasser]

Congratulations on catching your first carp. They are a fun species of fish to catch and can fight harder than a bass since they grow to larger sizes compared to a bass.

[LCG]

54 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

can fight harder than a bass since they grow to larger sizes compared to a bass.

Best fight I have had yet, apparently they are commonly found in my area in the 20-40lb range. Can't wait to meet those ones

[soflabasser]

3 hours ago, Luke G. said:

Best fight I have had yet, apparently they are commonly found in my area in the 20-40lb range. Can't wait to meet those ones

What species of carp do you have in your area? We got plenty of 20-40 pound tripiod grass carp in the canal systems in South Florida and they are very fun to catch on 8-12 pound line. I like to use bread to catch them but they also bite corn, ficus berries, etc.

[Bluebasser86]

Try downsizing to very light spinning gear. I light to target carp with light spinning gear and 6lb test. Often have to use a reel that is what we'd normally consider too large for the rod though. Carp, as you now know, fight nothing like a bass. Make a decent cast with a reel that holds say 110 yards of 6lb test, then hook a 20lb carp, he'll dump that spool of line on you in no time. 

 

Carp have very soft lips, so they're more likely to rip a hook out than they are to straighten one. Those soft lips are also very sensitive, so it pays to use a thin, supple line to prevent the number of fish that blow your bait back out after the initial take. 

 

If you really want a challenge, try flyfishing for surface feeding carp. It's easy during berry "hatches". It happens around here especially when the mulberry trees along lake shorelines start dropping berries into the water and the water will froth from carp and catfish fighting over the fruit. 

[LCG]

6 hours ago, soflabasser said:

What species of carp do you have in your area? 

Here in Ontario, Canada we have common carp. Not the envasive  species. 

 

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Try downsizing to very light spinning gear. I light to target carp with light spinning gear and 6lb test. Often have to use a reel that is what we'd normally consider too large for the rod though. Carp, as you now know, fight nothing like a bass. Make a decent cast with a reel that holds say 110 yards of 6lb test, then hook a 20lb carp, he'll dump that spool of line on you in no time. 

I might just take you up on that advice. That sounds like a fun battle   

[Bluebasser86]

I was in a boat, so I was able to horse this one in pretty fast, but it was still quite the tussle on 6lb line. 

 

[Gundog]

Nice catch @Luke G.

[soflabasser]

9 hours ago, Luke G. said:

Here in Ontario, Canada we have common carp. Not the envasive  species.  

You will be surprised what fish are truly native to the area they live in these days. Mankind has spread many species of fish to new locations, including the common carp that so many people in the USA and canada enjoy catching.The common carp (  Cyprinus carpio ) is not indigenous to North America and was introduced from Europe where they where a non native species as well. 

 

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/profiles-profils/commoncarp-carpecommune-eng.html

[LCG]

59 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

You will be surprised what fish are truly native to the area they live in these days. Mankind has spread many species of fish to new locations, including the common carp that so many people in the USA and canada enjoy catching.The common carp (  Cyprinus carpio ) is not indigenous to North America and was introduced from Europe where they where a non native species as well. 

 

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/profiles-profils/commoncarp-carpecommune-eng.html

Very true. My understanding is that they were introduced to North America over 100 years ago and have thrived here since. 

 

The Asian carp are a very serious threat to the great lakes and my understanding is that various agencies have taken extreme care to put measures in place to prevent the spread of them. 

 

I figure the common carp is as native here as I am, since my family heritage is German/French someone is my family line came here from Europe a long time ago

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

8 hours ago, Luke G. said:

Very true. My understanding is that they were introduced to North America over 100 years ago and have thrived here since. 

 

The Asian carp are a very serious threat to the great lakes and my understanding is that various agencies have taken extreme care to put measures in place to prevent the spread of them. 

 

I figure the common carp is as native here as I am, since my family heritage is German/French someone is my family line came here from Europe a long time ago

 

 

Carp aren't "native" but neither are the largemouth bass that we all love so much to a large part of their current range.