a matter of perspective

[Russ E]

I was flipping through cable channels, while digesting supper, and stumbled across a show called monster carp on the world fishing network channel.

I usually don't watch this channel, but this title caught my attention. 

As a  Bass fisherman I was intrigued a show was dedicated to one of the most despised fish in America.

The show was based in England. They obviously hold carp at a higher status than most  Americans do.

I guess it depends on where you live and what is available.

To me a carp is a smelly bugle lipped trash fish. I am usually not to happy when I snag one.

Maybe I am a spoiled American, but I am just glad to Live in a country where carp are not the only option.

 

 

 

[ratherbfishin1]

8 minutes ago, Russ E said:

I was flipping through channels, while digesting supper, and stumbled across a show called monster carp on the world fishing network channel.

I usually don't watch this channel, but this title caught my attention. 

As a  Bass fisherman I was intrigued a show was dedicated to one of the most despised fish in America.

The show was based in England. They obviously hold carp at a higher status than most  Americans do.

I guess it depends on where you live and what is available.

To me a carp is a smelly bugle lipped trash fish. I am usually not to happy when I snag one.

Maybe I am a spoiled American, but I am just glad to Live in a country where carp are not the only option.

 

 

Dang, that took me a minute, I was picturing you flipping a jig through a waterway... I was like “how does that relate to digesting supper in any way?”?

 

Anyways, I agree with you, they seem like trash fish to me. Hard for me to imagine creating a show around it. We are probably just spoiled to have the best kind of fish (bass) swimming in most ponds, lakes, and rivers here. ?

[Team9nine]

There is a dedicated sub-culture of serious carp anglers here in the states. Their level of angling technology and specialization is on par with that of bass anglers. Carp, in general, are much "smarter" or more "aware" than bass are, and they are fun to catch when intentionally targeted. If you want to learn how to land bass on light line, free line some bread or corn on a local carp pond and find out what your equipment and angling skills can really handle. Once you learn how to whip 10-20 pound carp on your finesse gear and 4-6 pound line, no bass you hook is likely to ever scare you 

[Glaucus]

Every country/continent/region has its own sport fish. I'm glad ours is bass. The only other fish here in the US that I would care to intentionally target is catfish and crappie. Carp gross me out so much. Drum too. If I accidentally get one my body is repulsed to have to touch it. 

[Russ E]

23 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

There is a dedicated sub-culture of serious carp anglers here in the states. Their level of angling technology and specialization is on par with that of bass anglers. Carp, in general, are much "smarter" or more "aware" than bass are, and they are fun to catch when intentionally targeted. If you want to learn how to land bass on light line, free line some bread or corn on a local carp pond and find out what your equipment and angling skills can really handle. Once you learn how to whip 10-20 pound carp on your finesse gear and 4-6 pound line, no bass you hook is likely to ever scare you 

Some of my first fishing experiences were carp fishing in eastern Iowa rivers with corn and a mystery doughbait my grandpa used to make. We always had fun. Somewhere along the way carp has taken a backseat to other gamefish.

44 minutes ago, ratherbfishin1 said:

Dang, that took me a minute, I was picturing you flipping a jig through a waterway... I was like “how does that relate to digesting supper in any way?”?

 

Anyways, I agree with you, they seem like trash fish to me. Hard for me to imagine creating a show around it. We are probably just spoiled to have the best kind of fish (bass) swimming in most ponds, lakes, and rivers here. ?

Didn't notice until you mentioned it. I edited the first sentence to hopefully make more sense

[BoatSquirrel]

28 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

If you want to learn how to land bass on light line, free line some bread or corn on a local carp pond and find out what your equipment and angling skills can really handle.

Used to walk down to the floating docks in Ft. Loudon Lake behind Neyland Stadium in Knoxville and carp fish as a bored indigent college boy.  Better have your hand on your rod or a carp will ****** it right into the lake- seen it happen!  Then its game on and you will learn or else!

[thedilettantedad]

23 minutes ago, Glaucus said:

Every country/continent/region has its own sport fish. I'm glad ours is bass. The only other fish here in the US that I would care to intentionally target is catfish and crappie. Carp gross me out so much. Drum too. If I accidentally get one my body is repulsed to have to touch it. 

Salmon? Trout?

[Glaucus]

3 minutes ago, thedilettantedad said:

Salmon? Trout?

No.

 

I could target pike, muskie, and walleye too. Can't believe I forgot about them. 

[scaleface]

I love carp fishing . Spent many years sitting on a river bank , listening to the st louis cardinals , drinking beer and catching carp . My grandpa got me started . Thats him  on the left .

[scaleface]

I remember making carp bait with grandpa the night before . I think we mixed 1 cup flour , 1 cup oatmeal , 1 cup corn meal , 1 tbsp salt , 1 tblp sugar .  Mix it together with some water then make 2 or 3 pattys . Boil the pattys in water for three minutes , then cut into bite sized squares . Refrigerate until ready to go .  We made catfish bait too .  

 

Heres my mom catching a carp .

[spokey9]

I usually carry a slice of bread or 2 when I go fishing in any lake with big carp. If I'm having a tough day tgen I'm not too proud to toss out for a big gold fish lol. I like catching fish and for the most part I'll switch up based on what's biting for the day, whatever it may be. About the only thing that swim I won't target is trout in fly only waters. And that's only cause if you can imagine Harry potter drunk off his backside, while having a seizure waving his wand around...then you got a pretty good idea how I look trying to cast a bug stick

Edited March 1, 2019 by spokey9
fat fingers

[Heartland]

I spent a lot of summers on the banks of the Arkansas river with my little brother honing my skills by catching and fighting carp on zebco 202's and 33's.  Destroyed many a reel, prolific fighters and great fun to catch.

 

[WVU-SCPA]

When the mulberry trees start drop their berries the bass rods get put down for a week or 2.

 

Fly rod,  mulberry fly, and sight fishing for big cruising fish is hard to pass on.

 

 

[Ratherbfishing]

It doesn't matter to me if Carp SHARE a body of water with other species of fish but to me there's something awry if Carp are the dominant species.  But I'm not a fish biologist so what do I know?

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, WVU-SCPA said:

When the mulberry trees start drop their berries the bass rods get put down for a week or 2.

 

Fly rod,  mulberry fly, and sight fishing for big cruising fish is hard to pass on.

 

 

I have always wanted to try that .One time I put a mullberry on an ultralight and pitched it under an overhanging mullberry tree . That berry did not make it to the bottom before a big old carp had it . Talk about a fight .

[TOXIC]

Spent many an hour carp fishing.  And to top it off carp are delicious if you know how to cook them.  

 

https://www.joetessplace.com/

 

Joe Tess Place began as a neighborhood tavern in the 1930's. Ever since, the humble carp has been the driving force behind Joe Tess Place. Now a successful family restaurant in the tradition of friendly service high quality fresh fish, we since and transport our own fish for guaranteed freshness.

[Bluebasser86]

They're pretty fun to sight fish for or during the mulberry hatch if you can find trees that hang over the water. I managed to catch my first fly rod grass carp a couple years ago. They're very wary and have good eyesight so they're hard to get to take a fly, then they fight like crazy so they're hard to land once hooked. I use to sight fish common carp in creeks with small jigs on an ultralight. Most of them were less than 5lbs but even those pulled hard on 4lb test. 

[WVU-SCPA]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:41 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

They're pretty fun to sight fish for or during the mulberry hatch if you can find trees that hang over the water. I managed to catch my first fly rod grass carp a couple years ago. They're very wary and have good eyesight so they're hard to get to take a fly, then they fight like crazy so they're hard to land once hooked. I use to sight fish common carp in creeks with small jigs on an ultralight. Most of them were less than 5lbs but even those pulled hard on 4lb test.  

Yep,  not afraid to drop a pin when I come across a overhanging mulberry tree.

 

Geese can ruin an area quickly,  as they think that mulberry fly is for them.

[redmeansdistortion]

On 3/1/2019 at 1:01 PM, TOXIC said:

Spent many an hour carp fishing.  And to top it off carp are delicious if you know how to cook them.  

 

https://www.joetessplace.com/

 

Joe Tess Place began as a neighborhood tavern in the 1930's. Ever since, the humble carp has been the driving force behind Joe Tess Place. Now a successful family restaurant in the tradition of friendly service high quality fresh fish, we since and transport our own fish for guaranteed freshness.

I've never eaten carp, but I've heard they are great if prepared right.  One 'trash fish' I do enjoy is smoked sucker.  They're somewhat a delicacy up here in the north, but they're only good if you catch them when the water is still cold.  Once the water warms up the meat becomes mushy and they're better used as bait for pike and musky.

[slonezp]

You lowly "I only fish for bass" bass fishermen don't know what you're missing. Hooking into a 20-30lb fish is memory in the making. Salmon, carp, cats, pike, musky...all a much better battle than a little green fish. Only time I don't like the by-catches is during a tourney.

[Russ E]

36 minutes ago, slonezp said:

You lowly "I only fish for bass" bass fishermen don't know what you're missing. Hooking into a 20-30lb fish is memory in the making. Salmon, carp, cats, pike, musky...all a much better battle than a little green fish. Only time I don't like the by-catches is during a tourney.

while I target bass 99.9% of the time. I don't complain when I hook into a bonus monster Flathead catfish or buffalo.

When I started this thread it was was more out of curiosity than anything else. How a fish most Americans see as trash, is highly prized in Europe.

[slonezp]

4 minutes ago, Russ E said:

while I target bass 99.9% of the time. I don't complain when I hook into a bonus monster Flathead catfish or buffalo.

When I started this thread it was was more out of curiosity than anything else. How a fish most Americans see as trash, is highly prized in Europe.

I'm not singling anybody out. 

 

We occasionally mouth hook carp, drum, suckers, and buffalo fish. While I do consider these "trash" fish, the battle is well worth it. A 15lb cat will give you a run for the money, and a 50lb cat is nothing short of amazing (I didn't land the 50lb cat but got it to the boat 3 times before she broke off). Too many of us have tunnel vision when we fish. Catching a 40" musky during a bass tournament is downright depressing. Were I fun fishing when I caught her, my smile would be from ear to ear. Honestly, since I have, for the most part, stopped tournament fishing, I think I appreciate other species even more. 

[flyfisher]

i target carp pretty often on a fly rod and they are much more difficult to catch than a bass, without question.  The fight they give is ridiculous.  It is the only freshwater fish I have had take me into the backing on my fly rod and did so multiple times.  It also seems that when i see them eating on a river that smallies are right behind them picking up whatever they kick out in their rooting.  

they don't call the the golden bonefish for nothing...

[Bluebasser86]

To catch the carp, you must become the carp. Sight fished this sucker from my kayak. 

[Turkey sandwich]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

To catch the carp, you must become the carp. Sight fished this sucker from my kayak. 

Sounds like somebody got a free tow. 

4 hours ago, flyfisher said:

i target carp pretty often on a fly rod and they are much more difficult to catch than a bass, without question.  The fight they give is ridiculous.  It is the only freshwater fish I have had take me into the backing on my fly rod and did so multiple times.  It also seems that when i see them eating on a river that smallies are right behind them picking up whatever they kick out in their rooting.  

they don't call the the golden bonefish for nothing...

What patterns are you using? I've attempted this and failed miserably.