Carp fishing - please help

[npetersen]

We are stuck on land because of the wind and there is a pond right beside our cottage full of spawning carp. I thought I would try my luck but have never carp fished before. We have worms but will corn work better? What type of rigging would you use? I saw the picture of a rig Jerry put up for catfishes but wasn't sure if the same would be used for carp.

[admin]

Hey npeterson,
Here is the way I catch carp. Buy a can of corn, throw a handful in the area you would like to fish. 1 day before is best, but same day is fine. Now hook a single kernel or 2 on a small hook with a small split shot then an eggsinker about 1 ft away, then place a pencil float on the line. cast out just off shore where you chummed and reel in all the slack line, to the sinker until the float is just barely on the surface. Get a y-shaped stick and set your rod down and wait.. The trick is to get the float, just floating, so if you are in 3ft of water you may need to set the float 4 ft or so from the split shot. I do it this way since the carp will pick up the corn and feel no resistance, just the small pencil float sinking or moving slideways.. You can do it without the float, but leave a little bow in the line so the fish doesn't feel resistance. But I seem to miss more carp with this method and better hook-ups with the float trick. It's the same technique with and without the float, but I find more slack and more sensitive with the float. You can use worms as well, just not the whole worm, small pieces is all you need. You can use more than one hook as well, sometimes i use 2 separate hooks on a pickerel rig but flat on the bottom and try worms and corn at the same time..

[Simcoe's Fishy Tale]

Good luck, they didn't want to eat anything when I saw them doing that in the marsh a couple of years ago.

It is an amazing time, how they come out of the water and roll like that.
Take some video if you can.

Throw the tackle box at em.

SFT

[Bayliner]

To add to what SFT said about the spawning, years ago when we first bought the ole Bayliner, we were sleeping aboard one night at Port Whitby Marina. About 4 in the morning we were awken to something smashing into the hull followed by a big splash sound. I thought it was a drunk falling off the pier and hitting the boat. I went above deck to see and it happened again. It was the carp! It went on for a week or so but what a wild show to watch

[npetersen]

Thanks for the replies. I will do my best and let you know how we do.

[npetersen]

Well, my first attempt at carp fishing turned into my first attempt at bullhead fishing. I didn't have any corn so I used parts of worm and chummed with some dog food we bought to catch minnows in our minnow trap. I caught 2 bullheads in an hour but it was getting dark and cold so I called it a night. It was different fishing than what I am use to but still enjoyable looking at the carp jumping and bullfrogs croaking. I tried to get them on video but every time I was ready, they never jumped. Maybe the carp will bite another day.

[npetersen]

Here is one of the bullheads that I caught.

[admin]

Well you are on the right track. Unfortunately with bullheads in the water, the worms are less effective since the bullheads are more aggressive than the carp at finding the bait - especially at dusk.. But if you weed out the bullheads after a few hours of fishing the same spot you can start catching carp.. Just keep casting in the same spot. If you move then you have to clear out the bullheads all over again. The corn works better in bullhead infested waters since they don't like corn as much as they like the worms, and the corn will be able to stay in the spot long enough for a hungry carp to find it.. Also stand/sit away from the bank, carp are shy or fish a shoreline away from where you are standing.. I was planning on going out for carp this evening as well, but time ran out in my day..

[npetersen]

Thanks again for the great advice. Maybe I will get some corn and try again. What type of corn works best and please don't say the yellow kind?

[admin]

Use whole kernel canned corn. Throw a handful out in the spot you want to fish and then bait a hook or two and toss out in same spot... Then wait..

The canned corn should be good for 2-3 days or so, then it starts to go bad..
Just get those small cans in the grocery store 70cents, green giant or no name - carp don't care.

I went carp fishing today for a few hours and will post some pics soon.

[admin]

I went carp fishing for a few hours today. I still fished the bottom with worms. Basic setup was a small hook, 1/3 piece of worm, a small split shot and egg sinker. I did not use a float as an indicator since i was fishing deep approx 12 ft and the float system is only really useful when fishing shallow (under 4 ft). After landing about a dozen bullheads, I caught my first and only carp. Here are a few pics.

Still fishing..

[admin]

Carp

[Nish-fishin]

a friend of mine use to fish for carp using dough balls and it worked well, caught some huge lunkers with dough. He made them with just flour and water (no seasoning needed,,lol) put a hook through it and let them sit on the bottom. When the carp hit, they hit fairly hard, keep your bail open. He used to place a small stick on the loose line (on the ground) as soon as the stick jumped, set the hook. Just an idea and it did work. Also I remember a recipe from Red Fisher for carp,, just in case you wanna eat them. I dont remember it exactly, but something like, fillet the carp and when you cook them on a bbq, use a cedar board to place the fillets on, careful not to burn the wood, cook both sides of the carp, when its cook to your liking, throw the carp away and eat the cedar board.

[Bayliner]

Thanks Nish-fishin, I was just having my first sip of beer when I read the last line in your post.

Result : beer soaked keyboard

[Tailfin]

I have been using boiled potato's with great succses. Just cut into chunks about golf ball size, par boil the potato's until they're almost cooked (still a little firm). I use the smallest treble hook you can get, take the line and a chunk of potato, slice the line into it (like cutting cheese) about half way, then pull the line straight up until the small treble is imbedded in the bottom of the potato. Toss that out and relax. I've caught carp up to twenty lb that way.
Good fishing
Patrick