Darn Carp

[catfishonthelake]

Can someone throw me a frickin' bone here and give me some help. I've caught a few carp in my life, mostly on mulberries and accidentally on topwaters, but I've been trying to give them a little more attention this year since I'm getting a little tired of bass fishing. I've been fishing 3 times so far this year at a lake in Union County, and the last 2 times, I've been able to see the carp rooting around, bubbles coming up, dirt clouds, jumping clear out of the water and even sticking their fins up like they're flipping me off. First time I was there I was using sweet corn and didn't get a touch. Last night I was using homemade strawberry carp bait and got a few pick-ups but no good runners. I'm using light line, light leader, light egg-sinkers, tiny power-swivels and small bait-runners, so I don't think that my system is flawed, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any other baits or methods for catching carp this time of year. Feedback appreciated. Have a nice day. I'm going striper fishing now.

[HerringKing]

Try no weight at all.

[TunaFinatic]

I use a carolina rig on one and a high low rig w only a low rig on the other just high enough to suspend the bait off the bottom. Some days one will rule and you can switch all your poles to that setup. If theres grass on the bottom the low rig will prob win but not always. My other thought was that you may be seeing grass carp as opposed to common carp or the carp just aren't eating off the bottom. I have a reservior by my house that has billions of carp that we catch all the time but some days you can see 20 floating around over your bait and they just wont eat that day. Mulberries are incredible for commons but I once read about natural cravings and sometimes they want oil and fat and sometimes their bodies want sugars etc. so cover two food groups and you should better your chances. Your setup sounds perfect, try somewhere else on that lake or another.

[AndyS]

Pizza dough.

[maddhatterr]

You can find some really good and easy recipes online if you google it....I'm not a carp fisherman but have often thought about it and once even made my own bait that never got used but there are hundreds of recipes out there online...and there all made with stuff you might already have in you kitchen.

[Wilson]

Generally when you see Carp all over spashing etc. it's SEX time. Wait till they all had their after smoke then it will be game on.
And for what's its worth fish 4 or 6 lb. line with no weight as Herring King said. Use a reel with a good reliable drag, and if you dead stick...like me, either loosen you drag lots or stake you rod to the ground:eek:

[tautog]

No weight, corn chum is good to get them in the mood. Sometimes a half a nightcrawler sightcasted to them works well when they are rooting around for food.

[Wilson]

No weight, corn chum is good to get them in the mood. Sometimes a half a nightcrawler sightcasted to them works well when they are rooting around for food.
Second the night crawler bagged more then a few on them.

[darrenflynn]

Chum it up, dough balls or corn kernels splashed with a little vanilla extract

[JOHN D]

i was in the same exact position as you, that was untill i got pissed off and broke out the old snagging hook

[Tommy]

I was talking to a carp fisherman on the Raritan last week, he was chumming heavy with corn and some sort of grain, but said he wouldn't fish till the next day. Then he wouldn't use a hook, but instead, some sort of hair plug, said it gets caught in their grinders(?) but it was soft and they would't feel it like a hook.
The a another person there said it was illegal to chum with corn, because it was hard to digest. Anyone hear of that?

[vinntastic]

Cornmeal,cinnamon,vanilla Extract,pm Me For Instructions On How To Cook A Real Carp Killer Bait That Stays On The Hook,cast After Cast,but Fresh Bait After Each Cast Is Best Bet...

[toggin10]

i use corn and nightcrawlers the nightcrawler work after it rains but the corn works all the time 4 me i also chum heavy with cream corn n kernel corn the digesting thing was only with trout going carpin in 3hrs will post how i do

[JoeLongo]

Generally when you see Carp all over spashing etc. it's SEX time. Wait till they all had their after smoke then it will be game on.
And for what's its worth fish 4 or 6 lb. line with no weight as Herring King said. Use a reel with a good reliable drag, and if you dead stick...like me, either loosen you drag lots or stake you rod to the ground:eek:


Nothing like a carp smash out session

[jmurr711]

chum heavily with creamed corn the creamed corn gets the scent out and also is only little bits then your whole kernels look more appealing think of chunking or chumming in the salt.The more often you fish the same spot the better the carp will start coming around there at the same time knowing food is coming. 3 foot leaders of 10lb flouro tied to a size 6-10 hook 1/32-1/2oz sliding egg sinker above the 3 foot leader NO SWIVEL just retie as the knot frays from the sinker. if the carp are chilling on the surface and jumping this early they could be amurs which i never caught seems a little early for the coms to be getting there freak on.

[tautog]

Amurs will eat at berry trees. We have caught them in SFl canals near berry trees on berry flies. If you catch some, ship these Philly salmon to JMurr.

[JOHN D]

Carp or no carp...that is just poor sportsmanship.
that was a joke, i accedently snagged 1 carp while bass fishing. and whats the deal with sportsmanship? we are all trying to have a good time, its not a contest so why judge a persons way of fishing? if it makes you happy, good for you.

[Jigsmith]

Sorry, but if you're snagging intentionally it is indeed poor sportsmanship. Just because carp are ugly doesn't mean they shouldn't get some respect. The fact of the matter is they are a very smart fish and fight hard. no need to break out the trebles.....ever.