Carp are definitely not intelligent!

[beaverfan]

So running low on gas and needing to get out and fish I decided to go on a Carp adventure. So I took 2 of my ultralight rods down to this secret spot I found. I get there and I can see Carp swimming around all over the place. I tie on a hook and throw on a bread ball dangle it in front of a Carp that was right next to shore and fish on! I fished for probably 6 hours and caught probably 40-50 of them before I got bored and went home. What I ended up doing was casting one of my rods out and letting it sit and then I would sight fish with my other rod. Most fish came on the rod I was sight fishing with. However I did hook 3 VERY large ones out in the middle. I have never seen a fish that is no more than 2 feet away from me and looking directly at me while standing decide to hit my bait, and it happened over and over again! Average fish was probably 3-4lbs with a couple pushing the 10lb mark. Fun day but nowhere near the fight or intensity of a Steelhead.

 

[GraphiteZen]

(He's obviously full of it)

 

[TTFishon]

Carp are smart. Just give them a little time to learn.

 

[nwkiller]

i loooooovvvvve carping!!!! hell i just loooooovvvvve fishing!!!!!!

 

[beaverfan]

Carp are smart. Just give them a little time to learn.

In my book a 3-4lb fish that will sit there staring at you and then take your bait isn't a smart fish.

 

[beaverfan]

i loooooovvvvve carping!!!! hell i just loooooovvvvve fishing!!!!!!

While I would prefer some small stream Steelheading, any fishing is good fishing!

 

[GraphiteZen]

I sit there are stare at waiters and take their bait. Does that make me dumb?

 

[Finneus Polebender]

In my book a 3-4lb fish that will sit there staring at you and then take your bait isn't a smart fish.

Prob not fished much but fed lots they will learn after a bit.

 

[beaverfan]

It gets fished a decent amount. I ran into a guy who says he fishes a couple times a week during the summer and has for 15 years. I'm sure we're not the only two people fishing this place.

 

[TTFishon]

In my book a 3-4lb fish that will sit there staring at you and then take your bait isn't a smart fish.

They just don't know any better yet. Give it time.

 

[Drew9870]

It doesn't take much of a challenge to catch any fish that are "swimming all over the place". Kinda like Bluegill.

Let's see you pull one out of Clackamette Lake :lol:, being that they aren't intelligent, in fact, let's see you pull one out of most every body of water, I know of ponds and lakes that take serious knowledge to even know they hold Carp, let alone get one to sniff your bait.

Lol, obviously I was just being called into this thread. Yesterday was my day, 7 Carp and 3 Ducks -(the most unintelligent/greedy creature to exist, and count as fair game if they eat my bait.)

Fishing for hatchery fish isn't so intelligent, it's like hunting in a field stocked with farm raised Deer :wall: :lol:.

A couple of gentlemen from Europe used to come around this site, full of knowledge and tactics that people from this site would think are from the future, Rigs that hook the fish before it even gets a chance to exhale the bait, Rigs that would slay the Trout in the Hatchery puddles. But people drove them out of the forum by showing more hate than respect for the fish, and it's pretty obvious no one really has any interest in these fish. Why do you think I have never posted a report on this site? I would never give up the location of where I caught my 35lb PB, or even where I caught seven 8-10lbers yesterday, or especially the rigs and methods I use, otherwise, I would probably see fish laying on shore in the areas I fish. I've pulled Steelhead between 24-35 inches on shore like they were Bass, using 10lb Spiderwire Stealth braid, I use 15lb PowerPro for Leader and 50lb PowerPro for Mainline (many purposes for this ''ocean setup'') for Carp and never even pulled a 7lber up like a log, a Steelhead would be nothing more than a stick on this setup.

 

[beaverfan]

LMAO Ya Salmon and Steelhead are real easy to catch!

Come on seriously except for the 3 huge ones I lost I pulled them all in with cheap 4 lb test on a 4ft and 5ft ultralight. The fight was nothing compared to a 10lb Steelhead.

As far as your hatchery fish "theory" what you are describing would be fishing in a fish farm not a freakin river somewhere. You must have been catching some dark nasty half dead fish or something because everyone that I've caught put up some serious fight, one even jumped close to 5ft out of the water. Not that Carp aren't fun to catch but IMO they are nowhere near as hard fighting as fresh Steelhead especially summers. Now I'm not saying Salmon and Steelhead are any more intelligent than Carp but they sure seem to have better instincts, by the time there a few inches long they already know to avoid predators.

 

[GraphiteZen]

I have caught steelhead that were completely weak. I have caught carp that were unbelievably strong. And vise-versa.

 

[Drew9870]

Chrome Summers and Dark Winters, in crystal clear water, I have had some reach for the sky, and I have had some give a few nice powerful head shakes then come in like a stick, maybe 3 or 4 Carp I have ever caught came in like an oversize hatchery Trout, but then again, the Smallest Carp I have ever caught was about 6lbs.

All in all it's not the Salmon and Steelhead that are hard to catch, it's the river that is hard to fish, you can't expect to keep your line in one specific spot for the fish to smell your bait all the time, atleast not without losing a lot of gear. Your bait/lure is constantly being washed downstream, so it has to be casted at various distances and fished at various depths just to hope you land in the right pocket of water. Once you can ''read the water'' and match it with the right gear (sometimes at the right time), it's hard to come home skunked. I would rather be on a river fishing for anything native if I am not out fishing for Carp.

 

[TTFishon]

I have caught steelhead that were completely weak. I have caught carp that were unbelievably strong. And vise-versa.

Me too. One thing to note too. Most carp I've caught live in ponds without current. Think how much the current is an advantage for a fish. Even a five pound log puts up a fight in a river.:lol:

 

[Troutcatcher]

Carp are not weak, I have lost a rod to a carp before! All the carp I have caught have been from rivers so I don't know about lakes. They are not dumb like most fish, you need to have you'r bait laying on the bottom to catch the big boys. No way you can catch a carp with 4 lb line from where I fish at..

 

[OnTheFly]

So running low on gas and needing to get out and fish I decided to go on a Carp adventure. So I took 2 of my ultralight rods down to this secret spot I found. I get there and I can see Carp swimming around all over the place. I tie on a hook and throw on a bread ball dangle it in front of a Carp that was right next to shore and fish on! I fished for probably 6 hours and caught probably 40-50 of them before I got bored and went home. What I ended up doing was casting one of my rods out and letting it sit and then I would sight fish with my other rod. Most fish came on the rod I was sight fishing with. However I did hook 3 VERY large ones out in the middle. I have never seen a fish that is no more than 2 feet away from me and looking directly at me while standing decide to hit my bait, and it happened over and over again! Average fish was probably 3-4lbs with a couple pushing the 10lb mark. Fun day but nowhere near the fight or intensity of a Steelhead.

Somebody finally exposes the truth. Way to go Jay!:clap:

 

[autofisher]

Biggest carp I've ever caught was maybe 10lbs. It fought....for about 4 seconds.....not in a pond.....in a river. Biggest salmon I've ever caught was 25+ lbs. 45 minutes, boat hopping, and one hell of a sore arm. Biggest steelhead so far, 12 lbs. fought for 5-10 minutes and ran like a raped ape up and down the stretch I was at.

The best way I can compare the difference between the two....... compare a planter trout in a lake/pond to a native in the rivers. I refuse to work for the planters, just like I refuse to work for the carp. Just my two cents though. Everyone has their fish and water they like......

 

[lilsalmon]

I sit there are stare at waiters and take their bait. Does that make me dumb?

Depends on if they are tossing you bread balls....

 

[Finneus Polebender]

Have had 20-30 lb carp swim right under my toon guess how many 20 -30 lb carp Ive seen landed. Thats right the big doughnut , must admit though the only 30 lb salmon I ever caught put up one heck of a fight !