How do you catch Carp?

[MartinTheFisherman]

Hey BR,

 

I have been seeing some MASSIVE carp schooling on the river while I have been fishing for smallmouth. I decided to bring a saltwater spinning setup that has 40lb braid on it, I added a 1/2 oz weight and a swivel, then I tied a 2 foot 30lb braid "leader". I used a small size 8 hook with some fake floating corn attached to the tag line which was wrapped around the hook. I saw a carp and tried to cast near it... it instantly spooked... 

 

So how can I "sight fish" for carp?? 

[Choporoz]

I've snagged a lot of carp, but caught my first one last week -- with a Cut-R.   I didn't even know it was possible.  I had to beach my kayak to land the dang thing.  I can't imagine fishing for them intentionally.  Catching (or snagging) one sucks up to a half hour out of my bass fishing day 

[jimmyjoe]

   Regarding carp, the old people used to say, "If you can see'em, then you can't catch'em. If you can't see'em, then you can catch'em."  Don't know if that is true or not, but I've never seen anything to indicate that it's not.    jj

[soflabasser]

I have caught many carp on bread balls.

[scaleface]

I've caught bunches of  carp . I lost all the photos on my computer so I cant show the rig I come up with . I take advantage of the carps shyness and use a heavy sinker and a tight line .   Place the rod in a holder and just sit back , the carp does the rest . I use a treble with the barbs pinched down as a bait holder with a small octopus hook right above it . When the carp takes the bait , it feels resistance ,ejects the bait , the octopuss hook takes hold and the carp bolts . If not using a good rod holder the rod will be lost . If you want a picture of the rig I can make one up . Good baits are whole kernel corn and dough balls made from Wheaties cereal .

[RoLo]

 

Dad & I fished for carp with homemade cornmeal doughballs. Since that time though 

whole kernel corn has been found to be as good or better than tailor-made doughballs.

Pickup a can of "whole-kernel sweet corn" and some No.6 short-shank forged hooks.

Thread on about 4 niblets to hide the hook. Allow the bait to lie motionless on the bottom.

 

When carp are approached in shallow water, the only sign of their presence may be hovering puffs of mud.

But if you have the patience, they will likely return. To improve your chances, you can chum the area 

the day before carp fishing. Breakup stale bread into small pieces, and soak them in water so they'll sink.

It's okay to chum the flat, but when you're actually fishing, you want to target the edge of the flat

where it drops into deeper water.  I'm not sure how they measure the intelligence of a fish,

but carp are considered the most intelligent freshwater fish, and in Europe, they're treated as gamefish.

In short, carp are a joy to catch

 

Roger

 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

10 minutes ago, RoLo said:

 

Dad & I fished for carp with homemade cornmeal doughballs. Since that time though 

whole kernel corn has been found to be as good or better than tailor-made doughballs.

Pickup a can of "whole-kernel sweet corn" and some No.6 short-shank forged hooks.

Thread on about 4 niblets to hide the hook. Allow the bait to lie motionless on the bottom.

 

When carp are approached in shallow water, the only sign of their presence may be hovering puffs of mud.

But if you have the patience, they will likely return. To improve your chances, you can chum the area 

the day before carp fishing. Breakup stale bread into small pieces, and soak them in water so they'll sink.

It's okay to chum the flat, but when you're actually fishing, you want to target the edge of the flat

where it drops into deeper water.  I'm not sure how they measure the intelligence of a fish,

but carp are considered the most intelligent freshwater fish, and in Europe, they're treated as gamefish.

In short, they're a joy to catch

 

Roger

 

 

 

Geez...

What else is left to be said?

We can close this thread.

 

[Michigander]

If carp are like suckers, don't use a graphite rod, use a fiberglass. Fiberglass is less likely to transmit your vibration (movement or sound) to the line/bait.

[scaleface]

Twice I sat at a campground surrounded by other campers catching carp right and left while they blank . They would use the same bait as me but when I try to show them how to rig it they  their  reply was "I know how to catch carp"

[MartinTheFisherman]

Im thinking of going to a lighter set up to not spoke the carp when I sight fish for them, 10lb braid tied directly to a small size 8 or 6 with corn or bread. If i catch one its going to be a hell of a fight! 

 

Thanks for the help everyone! 

[N Florida Mike]

The only thing I can get a carp to bite is a big bread ball on a small , but strong hook. I caught a 32 inch one that way. I chum with bread for awhile til they come around...

I also snagged a 23 pounder with a treble hook. That fish was in the top 5 best fights of a fish in my life...

[TnRiver46]

On 6/1/2020 at 12:48 PM, MartinTheFisherman said:

Hey BR,

 

I have been seeing some MASSIVE carp schooling on the river while I have been fishing for smallmouth. I decided to bring a saltwater spinning setup that has 40lb braid on it, I added a 1/2 oz weight and a swivel, then I tied a 2 foot 30lb braid "leader". I used a small size 8 hook with some fake floating corn attached to the tag line which was wrapped around the hook. I saw a carp and tried to cast near it... it instantly spooked... 

 

So how can I "sight fish" for carp?? 

With a bow and arrow 

[Bluebasser86]

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

With a bow and arrow 

^ This is my preferred technique, but rod and reel carp are a lot of fun too. They'll actually very readily take a small artificial bait also. Flyfishing is a great way to get them to bite, and so are small jigs.

 

Most serious carp fishermen you see use very high capacity spinning reels filled with light pound braid and light fluorocarbon leaders because carp are very wary fish. Small, but strong hooks are very important and you can't pull too hard during the fight because you'll rip the hook out of their lips. Last one I caught on purpose was a couple years ago sight fishing with a few pieces of corn, weightless on a #8 mosquito hook, 10lb braid to a 6lb leader. I saw it rooting along the shoreline while I was in my kayak and cast in front of it a ways and just let it work towards the corn. It found it, set the hook, and away we went.

[TnRiver46]

The ones in the reservoirs where I live can be hand fed, and caught with bread or corn. The carp in the river shoals will move out of the way to let corn go by then  reposition. 

[galyonj]

On 6/1/2020 at 4:57 PM, scaleface said:

Twice I sat at a campground surrounded by other campers catching carp right and left while they blank . They would use the same bait as me but when I try to show them how to rig it they  their  reply was "I know how to catch carp"

Maybe it was opposite day for them, where they go out and intentionally not catch carp while fishing for carp.

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

The ones in the reservoirs where I live can be hand fed, and caught with bread or corn. The carp in the river shoals will move out of the way to let corn go by then  reposition. 

And in the right spot they're so thick you can dang near walk across them.

[TnRiver46]

39 minutes ago, galyonj said:

Maybe it was opposite day for them, where they go out and intentionally not catch carp while fishing for carp.

And in the right spot they're so thick you can dang near walk across them.

Like every restaurant on the water??

[galyonj]

Exactly like that, yes.

[TnRiver46]

16 minutes ago, galyonj said:

Exactly like that, yes.

I saw a waitress feed them mayonnaise one time, thank goodness I had already finished my food 

[galyonj]

3 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I saw a waitress feed them mayonnaise one time, thank goodness I had already finished my food 

Ugh. Mayo? No wonder carp are so disgusting.

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, galyonj said:

Ugh. Mayo? No wonder carp are so disgusting.

I like mayo but I don’t like watching carp it eat fresh out of a squeeze bottle 

[galyonj]

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I like mayo but I don’t like watching carp it eat fresh out of a squeeze bottle 

[Eric Matechak]

On 6/1/2020 at 10:46 AM, jimmyjoe said:

   Regarding carp, the old people used to say, "If you can see'em, then you can't catch'em. If you can't see'em, then you can catch'em."  Don't know if that is true or not, but I've never seen anything to indicate that it's not.    jj

there may be some truth to this. Catfish and Carp Youtube channel did a special on fishing for carp in the Susquehanna river with glass clear water and carp swarm all around them. I don't think he caught a single carp all day.

 

 

my go to carp rig is a fake sweet corn on a hair rig and a method feeder packed with a pack bait of Jello mix, panko bread crumbs, and sweet corn. That is 100% my favorite.

 

a less messy but less effective option is using Mexican masa balls. I like to mix Koolaid into the water as well as sweet corn kernels. The doughy balls last longer than the panko pack baits listed above but I find they catch less fish overall. They are a lot cleaner on your hands and your rod than the panko jello mix

[soflabasser]

On 6/1/2020 at 1:46 PM, jimmyjoe said:

   Regarding carp, the old people used to say, "If you can see'em, then you can't catch'em. If you can't see'em, then you can catch'em."  Don't know if that is true or not, but I've never seen anything to indicate that it's not.    jj

I have caught many carp in places with very clear water. Have lost count of the big carp I have caught sight fishing.