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Last evening the two of us landed 5 and missed half a dozen more runs due to the idiocy of using too small a hook. We also got a good dozen and a half sunnies with the biggest being a hybrid of just about 10".
30" "torpedo" shape carp (we also took a couple of the shorter, heavier "freighter" types) - I hope I got the picture done right; I haven't done this in a couple of years.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...d=172877&stc=1
When you say "runs", are you leaving the bail open and the fish just take your bait and go?Quote:
Originally Posted by no1son
The bail is closed but the bait is on the bottom with a bit of slack line to the pole.
The bite happens generally one of two ways. Either the fish first nibbles and then takes in the bait and holds it or after the nibble it moves off. The moving off is the run, like when a pike takes a sucker and moves off before turning it to swallow. Frequently the carp will drop the bait on the first run and return to it, and then it is hook set on the second run. The oatmeal doughballs stand up to that much abuse, too. We did not have to wait last night. We see this response on the line and in the sensitive tips of the rods we use. The tasting bites are quite soft and it takes a line watcher to notice them many times. Hook set is either when the hold is not released or when the moving off takes up the slack. THEN we get the bolt with the carp turning on the after burners following the hook set. One a week ago ran for something like 60 to 70 yards or more on that first burst. Thats a real trip!
Our favorite place for this is along one of the walls bordering a barge channel. It is close to 10 feet down to the water from the edge and another 8 to 10 feet to the bottom. This is also an outside corner there that diverts what little current there is at that spot, so this is actually slack water fishing allowing the slack in the line which the fish takes up as it makes its first run or tightens out as it lays with the bait in its mouth. It may seem like we are allowing enough bite time so that we should be getting gut hooked fish, but the 1/32 oz jigs are always in the lips of the fish. An extra long handled net is definitely needed. Many of our fish come from right over the edge of the wall, with the doughball on the bottom right at its base and just a couple of inches of slack; so the carp can nibble without much of any interference from the rod and then show a tight line when sucking in the bait and holding it. We have probably not taken a carp under 4 or 5 pounds from this place and so far nothing over maybe 12 or 14 pounds, although there have been some bolts that just never stopped; so there are some bigger ones out there, but we do not see the smaller carp at all, not at this spot. The size 6 1/32 oz jig is the only weight we use and both that size hook and that amount of weight have worked pretty well.
Second tryQuote:
Originally Posted by no1son
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...5&d=1409924328
I catch a lot of 8-12# carp. It really depends on the venue, but I very rarely catch one below 5#. The little ones are fun, though, on light tackle.Quote:
Originally Posted by no1son
So 5 to 12# is a pretty standard adult size for average waters?
We have some ponds around here that produce a much smaller type of carp that is specifically sought after by some of the Eastern Europeans in this area. My guess is that those are Crucian carp or goldfish reverted to wild type. Quite a few of those who seek them will not take the larger type in place of the smaller ones considering them to be much inferior for eating. In conversations with some immigrants I have been told that "in my country" they didn't have the bigger carps only the little ones, which makes me think of the goldfish genus. These "little carp" lack the barbels just as goldfish in aquaria do.
As to type of carp, most pictures I see show a dark cast fish with dark fins. We see some of that coloring from time to time, but most of our carp have significant red in the tail and the anal fins. I'm wondering if that is regional.
I work weekends on 12 hour shifts, but my fishing partner has been doing real well "testing" his custom doughball formulas, all based on oatmeal but with some different added ingredients. Friday and Saturday afternoons gave him 9 landed carp, and nearly twice as many lost, with active strikes, broken tackle, busted lines, and a couple of bonus channel cats. He is having a ball!
It is for my waters but, as I said, it depends on the venue. I fished a lake in Indiana once where most of the carp I caught were in the 1-2# range. Still loads of fun!Quote:
Originally Posted by no1son
My guess would be goldfish gone wild or a hybrid.Quote:
Originally Posted by no1son
They are so much fun! Their lack of popularity never ceases to amaze me. My only explanation is people have bought into the "trash fish" nonsense.Quote:
Originally Posted by no1son
It used to be illegal to release carp up here, but it isn't anymore; so that takes care of one of the drawbacks. That used to be a real mess. Far too many careless/sloppy anglers just tossed what ever carp they caught back up into the weeds along the bank. There are a whole lot more catch and release fishermen around these days, too. Carp fit that type of fishing to a T.
Carp bite is definitely on already up here for 2015. Both carp and freshwater drum are taking crappie plastics in many of the warmer waters that are also holding crappies around here.
Haven't been able to get out yet. Hopefully ... this week!
Saw lots of carp taking the sun and moving but nothing has been biting up for the last couple of days.
Caught this one last night while cat fishing......
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...pszrvunirp.jpg
Hickory Smoked....had some for supper tonight with some fresh homemade goat cheese (Panier) and a big ice cold glass of goat milk...Mmmmmm!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...psirdrqu6p.jpg
it looks good, and i aint skeered!! :biggrin
Finally got out on my first carp trip of the year.
Only got two, but they were pretty nice. Big boy (about 15#) came on a float leger rig and 4# line. Also got a 12-pounder on a bolt rig. Corn was the bait.
Sorry, no pics. Did not have camera with me.