I've never fished for carp but plan on it this summer...so I've been wondering the same questions.
I hear that corn works really well. A buddy sent me his "secret recipe" for carp but I can't find it anymore. If i do find it I will post it.
Also, light line and small hooks are key as carp are extremely line shy (so I've been told....think trout).
I hear that corn works really well. A buddy sent me his "secret recipe" for carp but I can't find it anymore. If i do find it I will post it.
Also, light line and small hooks are key as carp are extremely line shy (so I've been told....think trout).
Yeah I agree I know what to use for bait and since my trip out today h e a general idea of where to go but would like specifics such as where they like to hide out and such and like Howell said the depths they like. Also I believe I know where carp go to spawn I a small river near me but do they eat while spawning? Also what's the benefit of a hair rig? What size hooks work best? I caught 3 small commons today but couldn't land any of them I got them all right up to the edge of the water but then they got loose. Would've loved to get a picture with one. So what's the best way to make the hook stay on better to Land them? Is t the size? I was using a size 8 I that too small? I'm pretty sure the three I got were out I dumb luck. I always thought carp fishing was child's play and anyone could do it... It seems to be a little more complicate than that... Any advice would be appreciated and if anyone wants to meet up in Lowell and fish the river and the canals eom itch me and Howell we would love the company and welcome the opportunity to learn. Thanks a lot in advance!!!
The best tips I can give are to check out some of the posts already floating around on this forum. You can also check various resources and videos like my website, among others. Carp fishing, like most aspects of the sport, is as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Learning more only increases your results and understanding this, often misunderstood species can lead to some fulfilling trips to the banks.
Lets start with baits;
Boilies, what are they?
Dough Baits
Particle Baits
Rigs...
The Hair Rig
Starting Carping
And for example here is a good video from last spring from the Merrimack river
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvDHX6MUvR4[/youtube]
Right, that's a good place to start. Maybe you know some of it, maybe you don't..but it is a good amount of info in one place and that is always a good starting point.That being said lets get to your questions as well.
You got it right, the spawn is gonna be on us soon enough. Once the water hits mid 40's they start heading to spawning areas and around 60 degrees will start spawning. These can be good targets early spring but once they actually start spawning forget it. The process usually involves 1 female to up to a dozen males competing for the right to pass on their stuff...and they are focused on the job. They will not eat while spawning, and many fish lose weight during this process..both sexes. Some from eggs and some from the energy spent without eating for possibly days on end. You can still catch fish in spawning areas, but most of them are younger or the odd not spawning, early/late spawner etc. Doable but maybe not the best bet for action packed days during the actual spawn. Not too mention all the bonus goo that fish tend to spurt when caught during this time...
The benefit of the hair rig is that it is designed to work with how the carp feed. Carp have phalangeal molars. These are basically hardened areas in the back of their throat capable of crushing all sorts of food items. The way in which carp feed, from any water level is too suck food items into their throat, crush/chew them up and swallow them. The hair rig works by llowing the carp to suck food items in while turning the hook down into the lip..when the fish swims off it sets the hook resulting in safe and secure hook sets. When a carp runs on my lines, I know it isn't going anywhere.
That said the hook pulls you mention sound more like your putting too much pressure on the fish at the bank. You cannot simply drag a large fish up on the rocks. You need a large adequate net for the job and preferably a mat to lay them on instead of the rocks which can cause serious harm to big fish. The common practice is to fight the fish until you can keep its head on the surface, then slowly pull it over the net in deep enough water that your not dragging the fish along the bottom, then raise the net upwards securing the fish. I hope that makes sense..heres a pic of what I mean...
Carp prefer 2-10 feet of water..however they can be found at all depths. They are a warm water fish and thrive in water temps of 60-80 degrees...though they can be caught in much much colder water..it is very tough though and not for the light hearted.
Someone mentioned above about light line. DO NOT USE light line for carp. Carp are line shy yes, but they are very strong fish and will break light line and tackle quite easily which just puts the fish in harms way later having to be dragging along line and hooks etc. There are better ways to camo your lines and rigs to fool them..most carp fishermen do not go below 12-15 pound test mono, though some prefer higher braids. Serious damage can also be caused to the fish by having to tire it out far more then necessary on light tackle. We have a responsibility to use adequate line and tackle for the job.
Anyway I am off for some coffee but I hope that helps a bit..hopefully we can get some time on the banks together sometime soon and I can show you some tricks...
Lets start with baits;
Boilies, what are they?
Dough Baits
Particle Baits
Rigs...
The Hair Rig
Starting Carping
And for example here is a good video from last spring from the Merrimack river
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvDHX6MUvR4[/youtube]
Right, that's a good place to start. Maybe you know some of it, maybe you don't..but it is a good amount of info in one place and that is always a good starting point.That being said lets get to your questions as well.
You got it right, the spawn is gonna be on us soon enough. Once the water hits mid 40's they start heading to spawning areas and around 60 degrees will start spawning. These can be good targets early spring but once they actually start spawning forget it. The process usually involves 1 female to up to a dozen males competing for the right to pass on their stuff...and they are focused on the job. They will not eat while spawning, and many fish lose weight during this process..both sexes. Some from eggs and some from the energy spent without eating for possibly days on end. You can still catch fish in spawning areas, but most of them are younger or the odd not spawning, early/late spawner etc. Doable but maybe not the best bet for action packed days during the actual spawn. Not too mention all the bonus goo that fish tend to spurt when caught during this time...
The benefit of the hair rig is that it is designed to work with how the carp feed. Carp have phalangeal molars. These are basically hardened areas in the back of their throat capable of crushing all sorts of food items. The way in which carp feed, from any water level is too suck food items into their throat, crush/chew them up and swallow them. The hair rig works by llowing the carp to suck food items in while turning the hook down into the lip..when the fish swims off it sets the hook resulting in safe and secure hook sets. When a carp runs on my lines, I know it isn't going anywhere.
That said the hook pulls you mention sound more like your putting too much pressure on the fish at the bank. You cannot simply drag a large fish up on the rocks. You need a large adequate net for the job and preferably a mat to lay them on instead of the rocks which can cause serious harm to big fish. The common practice is to fight the fish until you can keep its head on the surface, then slowly pull it over the net in deep enough water that your not dragging the fish along the bottom, then raise the net upwards securing the fish. I hope that makes sense..heres a pic of what I mean...
Carp prefer 2-10 feet of water..however they can be found at all depths. They are a warm water fish and thrive in water temps of 60-80 degrees...though they can be caught in much much colder water..it is very tough though and not for the light hearted.
Someone mentioned above about light line. DO NOT USE light line for carp. Carp are line shy yes, but they are very strong fish and will break light line and tackle quite easily which just puts the fish in harms way later having to be dragging along line and hooks etc. There are better ways to camo your lines and rigs to fool them..most carp fishermen do not go below 12-15 pound test mono, though some prefer higher braids. Serious damage can also be caused to the fish by having to tire it out far more then necessary on light tackle. We have a responsibility to use adequate line and tackle for the job.
Anyway I am off for some coffee but I hope that helps a bit..hopefully we can get some time on the banks together sometime soon and I can show you some tricks...
Jesus..50 pound flouro, bit over kill ain't it? I use 15 pound mono for all my fishing, with fish to 35 pounds in heavy tidal, rocky rivers... and I actually want to get into using some of the bio-degradeable lines coming out..typical mono can last a few hundred years sadly..some of the new lines will keep integrity for 1 year then start to break down and be gone, supposedly in 5 years. Not bad...
Why not braid? I don't like it due to rocky snags, but in weed some people swear by it. Yes, it doesn't have stretch..well actually some companies are making braid that does have a bit of stretch, and other hybrids that resist snags due to an almost mono coating.
I don't try to use above 20 lb due to the fact that if a knot fails or something gets snagged up..no way a fish is ever going to get break even 20 pound test prolly which will usually leave the fish tethered..50 pound test is a death sentence if a fish is wrapped around something that ain't coming out...with the lips of carp you'd never put 50 pounds of pressure on the fish without ripping the hook out of their lips anyway.
Not to mention how stiff and thick that stuff is.
Also I hope your not saying to connect the braid to the leader with a barrel swivel, then place a lead on the leader...would possibly lock your lead in causing a death rig so to speak for the fish in case of breaks at the braid end of the swivel.
While I am on fish safety..placing any fish on cloth like a sweatshirt or towel etc ruins the slime coat of the fish and greatly increases the risk of all sorts of bacterial infection and worse. You can get a cheap foam mat that goes under sleeping bags ( the blue or green kind) for under 10 bucks. Cut a 3 foot section and it offers much better unhooking whicle still protecting the fishes slime coat. Keep your hands and mat wet when handling and you can offer the fish a much better chance at not only survival but good health. Just because a fish swims away does not mean it is ok and our actions can cause all sorts of impairments for the fish later on or even death days later...
Why not braid? I don't like it due to rocky snags, but in weed some people swear by it. Yes, it doesn't have stretch..well actually some companies are making braid that does have a bit of stretch, and other hybrids that resist snags due to an almost mono coating.
I don't try to use above 20 lb due to the fact that if a knot fails or something gets snagged up..no way a fish is ever going to get break even 20 pound test prolly which will usually leave the fish tethered..50 pound test is a death sentence if a fish is wrapped around something that ain't coming out...with the lips of carp you'd never put 50 pounds of pressure on the fish without ripping the hook out of their lips anyway.
Not to mention how stiff and thick that stuff is.
Also I hope your not saying to connect the braid to the leader with a barrel swivel, then place a lead on the leader...would possibly lock your lead in causing a death rig so to speak for the fish in case of breaks at the braid end of the swivel.
While I am on fish safety..placing any fish on cloth like a sweatshirt or towel etc ruins the slime coat of the fish and greatly increases the risk of all sorts of bacterial infection and worse. You can get a cheap foam mat that goes under sleeping bags ( the blue or green kind) for under 10 bucks. Cut a 3 foot section and it offers much better unhooking whicle still protecting the fishes slime coat. Keep your hands and mat wet when handling and you can offer the fish a much better chance at not only survival but good health. Just because a fish swims away does not mean it is ok and our actions can cause all sorts of impairments for the fish later on or even death days later...
I was going to come in and add, but Blackstonecarp beat me to anything I could have added LOL.
Merrimack is great, I fish it from lowell to lawrence quite often, got my PB out of it last year.
Surprisingly as I've been quite lazy as far as doing anything on the computer is concerned lol...
