Carp...I need some help

[big c is very cool]

I live in Massachusetts and the Taunton River runs behind my house which supposedly has some carp in there. I have tried every bait there is and haven't had a bite. My mom is getting mad because i used all the bread. Then today i threw a piece in and the the things comes up to the top of the water and took it down. It was insulting > Any tips would be appreciated.

[Marty]

I certainly can't guess why you haven't gotten bites. Just a wild guess, but I wonder if it's clear water, that they see you and are spooked. If you think that's a possibility, then maybe try standing further away from the bank.

I have always used corn, that's as good a bait as any, in my opinion. My setup is spinning, usually with 8# line. I have a slip sinker or egg sinker about 12-18" up the line and a BB shot just below it to keep the big sinker in place. I fish with the bail open so the carp can pick up the corn and move off without feeling resistance. Once I see the line moving off, usually just closing the bail is enough to set the hook.

Before fishing, you can chum the water, which means throwing a bunch of the bait into the water to attract the fish, which in my case, would be a few handfuls of corn. I use frozen corn, less messy than the canned stuff.

Good luck. Carp on the end of your line are a lot of fun and for many of us, that's the one fish we encounter that really makes the reel sing.

[Laggyman]

When using bread, try making it float. The piece you threw was taken down on top, so the fish will probably ignore any subsurface food.  

I haven't fished for carp for 5 years or so, but the last time I did I just hooked big pieces of bread onto a hook and let it float. They would gobble it down quite quickly.

[mjhutch1116]

I agree with Marty everything that he said is exactly what I do when I am fishing for carp.  Make sure that you chum the water up pretty good but do not go overboard or the fish will never get to the corn with your hook in it.  Also I use a treble hook and load it down with corn then toss it right into the middle of the area that you chumed.  Sit back and get comfortable and just watch your line once it starts moving grab your rod set the hook and hang on!  Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Matt

[Dan:]

When using bread, try making it float. The piece you threw was taken down on top, so the fish will probably ignore any subsurface food.  

I haven't fished for carp for 5 years or so, but the last time I did I just hooked big pieces of bread onto a hook and let it float. They would gobble it down quite quickly.

Making the bread float is very important for me as well. I've caught carp under the surface and at the surface, it seems that sometimes they are just more agressive and willing to feed on the surface, and that is much more fun to hook them that way. It's tricky to get the breaad to float on your hook, but try to rip out the center of a slice of bread and fold it over itself twice and compact about 3/5 of it. That is, leave about 2/5 of the bread light and airy, don't squash it with your fingers. Then put the hook through the bread on the airy side, slide it up the hook, twist it around, and insert the hook again. This way you have secured the  bread, packed it enough that bluegills and other bream won't peck the bread off the hook, and you have enough airiness in the bread to allow it to float.

If you don't understand those directions, let me know and I'll try to take a picture of what I mean and post it.

Also, the chumming advice is very good as well. And make sure you don't move the line too much, I find that carp are pretty spooky.

[Vorlin]

Grass carp have been taking my bait that was meant for other fish. Small grass carp seem to line Fishin' Strips bloodworm... but it's kind of expensive. If corn and bread aren't able to do it for you, you can try that.

Vorlin

[Lady Bass]

               I am new at catching carp and I use corn 90% of the time.I did try strawberry powerbait but it didn't work.so try corn and good luck with that.

[bass109]

Carp fish can get confusing but its best to stick to the basics.

here's my 22lber.

[Syfer420]

the place where im moving in FL has a pond and this fish came out of it, the poeple that cought it said that they use a heavy weight with either bread balls or dough balls and this monster hit. To tell you the truth im not even sure that thats a carp lol but the people that coiught it said it was some sort of carp.

[bass109]

the place where im moving in FL has a pond and this fish came out of it, the poeple that cought it said that they use a heavy weight with either bread balls or dough balls and this monster hit. To tell you the truth im not even sure that thats a carp lol but the people that coiught it said it was some sort of carp.

Monster Grass carp, GREAT fish. 8-)

[Syfer420]

Thanks dood thats actually my bro him and his freinds said that was a grass carp, do they actually eat grass cause these guys said soomtimes they use that, but i dint want to say that not knowing if they eat that or even if it was a carp (thanks bass 109) Btw hers another pic this cooler wasss huuge but still didnt quite fit this fish

[bass109]

In New york i only caught baby size grass carp, but seen bigger fish like yours in midwest. Again thats amazing fish. Great job

[Syfer420]

tyvm!! and by the way great eye bass109 you identifed that fish just from his head

[bass109]

Fishing is my life 8-) Grass carp are not as easy to catch, a fish like that is, again amazing.

[bass109]

here's another carp 21lb

[FuzzyMonkey]

In Europe Carp Angling is HUGE they spend more on carp per year than we do Bass Here!!!

A tourney of 100+ anglers in Austin, Texas this April 06, A man was paid $250k for landing a 43 pound common carp (released)...

A Quick fact: Common carp were stocked on purpose ,when Ulysses S Grant was president, common carp were imported from Germany to raise by the federal fisheries agencies and distributed to several states in the late 1880s.

An over view of what is used to catch carp by "euro anglers", it should be noted that SOME of these ideas and tackle can be used on bass or steelhead gear

This is a rod pod where rods rest, with the line running through a bite alarm that beeps when the line moves out or toward you.

The alarms are adjustable for sensitivity, beep tone, and loudness so you can tell which rod has a bite plus a light that comes on when a take is detected--the little light feature is very handy at night

Reels are have a bait runner feature--basically a second drag that lets line come off the reel under tension with the bail closed--baitrunner tension is adjustable--it is engaged with a lever in the back and disengages when you start reeling.

Rods are usually long from 9-13 feet powerful butt sections to cast distance and soft tips for playing big fish close without hooks pulling out

The rigging is called a hair rig/bolt rig

this is how they are tied

a baiting needle is used to pierce a bait in this case a boilie-but corn or many other semi hard baits can be used this way

Then the back of the hair is draw through the bait

then the bait is snugged up on a stop

some tools and examples

Fish can take the bait without feeling the hook before its too late---it also is less likely for the fish to be gut hooked with this set up.

They do not feel the hook until the bait part is swallowed then as they feel the hook the fish try's to expel it and is stung by the hook--one of the reasons the hair is tied the way it is--to have the hook turn in as it is expelled, the fish bolts off and hits the fixed lead , driving the hook home!!! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz fish on

One of the best tricks is to use PVA ( poly vinyl alcohol)--they make webbing and bags just for fishing-- -which dissolves in water

Chum is put in pva and it is tossed out with your hook bait to draw fish in and keep them feeding

Sometimes when bites are faster chum is squeezed around a special sinker called a method feeder

With fish that can be huge a big net is a must light weight, these euro nets can be used with 1 hand--the net itself has no crossbar just two arms that are usually at least 40" long, fish slide over the bar less lip of the net & then lifted vertically as the net was not designed to lift fish horizontal like traditional nets

Fish after netting are usually placed on a padded mat--for 3 reasons--

1) to protect the fish

2) to calm the fish, they flip around less on a mat

3) many mats double as a weighing sling just loop the handle in the hook of the scale and subtract the weight of the mat--many times big fish are damaged putting the hook of the scale in a fishes gills

Chasing that biggest carp in the lake may take a few days--so in Europe they camp right on the water in fishing tents called bivys

One of the backbones of euro style fishing--is chumming--since you do not have the luxury of moving around looking for feeding fish--chumming is used to bring fish in and keep them in the area feeding

Here is a catapult

spods tied to the line and cast out--the nose floats and the bait falls out--better when the fish are at distance

Remote control bait boat--chum is placed in the center dropper hopper piloted out to place the chum bed

As you can see the whole bank fishing thing is as sophisticated as you want to make it--

Euro fishing offers a challenge to even the most hard core angler--

Many anglers may look down their noses at carp, if you try it a few times you will quickly get addicted to the powerful runs carp are known for. Few fish can rival even a 10 pound common carp for line stripping run after line stripping run--you can just imagine the fight of a fish of 20 pounds!

Eating smaller carp is an option, doing so may even help a lake produce bigger carp, but releasing the biggest ones to catch again -- many times you will recatch the same big fish again and again over several years--usually a little bigger each time

So where to get this kind all this kind of gear?

most of the stuff can be bought online.

if you want to learn more I am a member of the club "non for profit" that gets together carp fishing wing dings called "FISH-INS" lots of fun and the kids sure like it--the club is  at www.carpanglersgroup.com

hope this is helpfull

Fuzz

[liquidsoap]

Excellent info Fuzzymonkey!

[Tom Bass]

Great Post Fuzzymonkey and Welcome to the forum.

[FuzzyMonkey]

as a note--- a hair rig is a great way to rig a sluggo type bait 8-)

[bass109]

FuzzyMonkey, thats how carp fishing is at its finest. The best site for people who love fishing for carp in the States, my favorite is http://wackerbaits.com/ also a great choice would be http://www.royalcarp.com/Scripts/default.asp.

[BD]

Wow, that was a cool post and info. Fuzzy.

I hear they are real hard to catch, real smart etc etc, but I have caught 2 this last year on jigs. Saturday I caught a 6lb'er on a blue and black jig with a blackberry zoom jig trailer...........any idea why I keep catching them, when I am 'not supposedly' going too?? :-/

[BD]

I know why they use those mats too........yeah good luck trying to hold onto one.....slippery is not the word. Carp fight good too.

[FuzzyMonkey]

Wow, that was a cool post and info. Fuzzy.

I hear they are real hard to catch, real smart etc etc, but I have caught 2 this last year on jigs. Saturday I caught a 6lb'er on a blue and black jig with a blackberry zoom jig trailer...........any idea why I keep catching them, when I am 'not supposedly' going too?? :-/

a common carp will try and eat most anything when younger once they get over 20 pounds they are very hard to fool--as a note I caught a 5 pound largemouth while carp fishing,  reeling in a boilie this year--non target fish "happen"

a hot summer night carp fishing is a must do for everyone--giver a try some time

[volpster31]

a little trick ive always used with great success is if your using corn or doughbaits,strawberry jello is great stuff....if you use corn i suggest frozen bagged corn instead of canned..just thaw it & mix in the jello

[FuzzyMonkey]

nice thing about most carp bait, SMELLS GOOD!