Carp fishing

[Chief Jim]

I joined the forum last week and have been reading through the archives. Some interesting tips and good info, but I have to take exception to one thread having to do with carp. Seems someone thought that the carp were cleaning up the waterways because they eat vegetation and that they should be returned to the water to continue their righteous cause.
Oh, contrare! I can't think of a more invasive species to screw up the natural order of things! Carp were imported from Europe bac about 1900 and have since invaded almost every major water in the this country. They are even worse than the Zebra Mussel and the Walking Catfish! And they don't really clean up the vegetation, they just muck around in the bottom and stir up the slit until the water is turbid to sustain most of the native species.
I grew up in the Midwest, not far from the Mississippi River and I have encountered carp all over the country. I can't think of a single place where they were ever considered a beneficial species. Okay, they tried them in Devil's Lake to get rid of the weeds. Result: the lake is still weed choked and the grass carp are displacing the other species.
But all is not lost. Carp can be made edible. Here is my favorite recipe for carp. Get one about 4-5 lbs., split it down the backbone and nail it to an oak plank. Then find a pile of aged horse manure and bury the planked fish for 2 weeks. Then dig up the fish and eat the plank!
Seriously, carp can be made somewhat edible by skinning the fish and removing the dark "mud vein" on either side, then filleting out the rest of the flesh. Soak the fillets in salt water for 24 hours and deep fry. Best served with hush puppies and lots of beer.
Chief Jim

 

[bassman503]

My uncle just came back from carp fishing at sauvie island. Gave us a HUGE carp. Dont know how to cook it tho. So i guess im gonna go with the deep fried thing.XD

 

[Anyfishisfine]

But all is not lost. Carp can be made edible. Here is my favorite recipe for carp. Get one about 4-5 lbs., split it down the backbone and nail it to an oak plank. Then find a pile of aged horse manure and bury the planked fish for 2 weeks. Then dig up the fish and eat the plank!

You owe me a new keyboard, this one has coke spit in it now.

 

[FishSlayer420]

Well said but they are really a fun fight on ultralight gear though.

 

[Chief Jim]

Well said but they are really a fun fight on ultralight gear though.

No question about that. I've been fishing with ultra lite gear and tangled with one of these bruisers. OH SON! I done got meself hung up wid Moby Dick! Yes, they can give you a real battle for yer money, but I still would rather do battle with a catfish or bass or something else that I might really want to eat.
Fact is, other than the catfish, which I believe to be one of the tastiest fish that comes from freshwater, I'd just as soon do battle with bluegill, crappie or yellow perch. Pound for pound, these little guys are just as real scrappers. In fact, if they made bluegills or crappie as big as carp, you would need ocean size tackle to land one!
BTW, in my younger days, I bowfished for carp in a drainage lake in the Mississippi River bottoms. We routinely boated 150 lbs. of carp in a single day (without making a real dent in the supply). Took them up to my buddies fish cleaning shack (he was a commercial fisherman) and we dressed them out, then we stuck a sign on the side of the road--"Boneless Catfish $.50 a lb.") We usually sold out in about an hour and had enough money to pay for the gas, lunch and beer for the next trip! It was a win-win-lose situation. We won having a good time, and the folks headed back to the city went home with fish. The only losers were the carp, but they died actually contributing something. BTW, if you think shooting carp with a bow in a moving boat is easy, you really need to try it. You're darned good if you hit one out of ten!
Chief Jim

 

[FishSlayer420]

I love shooting Carp with my bow its a good time thats for sure never tried it out of a moving boat though. That sounds pretty tough. You are right about the if Bluegill and crappie were that big you would need some heavy duty equiptment for that fishin trip. Bluegill probably fight the hardest pound for pound even though the biggest one i ever cught was maybe a pound and thats being generous.

 

[Drew9870]

Like I said, yes they do stir up mud and eat eggs if they happen to cross over them, but most of their diet is said to be mostly vegetarian, so they do help clean up some debris and algae.
The only fish I will bank is a Squawfish (leave for a raccoon, osprey, vulture, or whatever else smells it first, or use for catfish bait). I only bank Squawfish because they are no good and they are overpopulating, and they live off of fish. I believe they are native, but I just don't see any reason for them (maybe to control the Shiners, Suckers, and Carp), but they eat other fish as well.

As for Bowfishing, I would try it, but if I did it around here, I would make sure I had a good use for the carcass (not to eat:naughty, the Mississippi River would make for some good bowhunting, because it is basically a disaster for a fishery (3 different kinds of carp), there are all sorts of random fish in the Mississippi.

(its pretty much off topic)

What confuses me is when people are so concerned about baby salmon surviving and they bank most of the bass they catch, pretty much every fish eats other fish like Perch, Crappie, Bluegill (and the other relatives), Catfish, SALMON, Trout (especially Cutthroats). I bet anything if a Catfish came up on a nest of fish eggs, it would gobble them all up no problem, it's more Protein.

 

[Chief Jim]

Another Fishing Tip

Another Fishing Tip

You owe me a new keyboard, this one has coke spit in it now.

Sorry we don't warrantee keyboards. Check with your customer service department. Hope you can Hindu Indians!
But I will offer another fishing technique as partial compensation.
We all know that fish travel in schools so here is a fishing method developed by my father, who taught me to fish--and to tell a decent story.
Once you have discovered a school of fish, jump in a boat (makes no difference what kind, as long as it floats), move to the center of the school and wait for them to go to recess. Using a brace and bit (or a battery-powered drill, bore a hole in the water and drop in a plug of tobacco (Union Standard or Old Horseshoe are good brands). When they come to the top of the water to spit, smack 'em in the head with a ball bat! Works best on calm waters, but not recommended when ice fishing--too difficult to row the boat in ice. Check local regulations concerning the legality of using brace and bits for fishing or chumming with tobacco.
Hope this helps.
Chief Jim

 

[Troutier Bassier]

Your daddy dident tell ya that! I read it on NAFisherman! Its about catfish fishing. this guy throws fag butts in the water and when catfish come up to suck them in he whacks em!

 

[Chief Jim]

Your daddy dident tell ya that! I read it on NAFisherman! Its about catfish fishing. this guy throws fag butts in the water and when catfish come up to suck them in he whacks em!

I can assure you that I got that story from my Old Man and back when the only fishing magazines were Field & Stream and Outdoor Life, neither of which Pop read on a regular occasion. Pop was guiding fisherman and hunters in Michigan before guys like Corey Ford, Ted Trueblood and Robert Ruark were wearing long pants, and most of what was being published in the mags was old news to Pop.
Chief Jim

 

[fisherkaran]

What good bait, rig, and techniques are best for catching carp? I'm looking for a good fight...with a carp!

 

[catphish]

everyone knows that carp and crap are the same, right? Its just a spelling thing. I could go into story about how the word changed one day the first time a guy encountered a fella at his fishing hole, wondering what kind of fish he just caught, only to be assured of its quality as a food source. But you get the picture, lol. One he** of a fight tho..............

 

[Troutier Bassier]

If you think thats Disgusting, Did you know some Cat/Dog foods are made out of Horse Meat?

 

[FishSchooler]

Horses a farmed for meat in many places in the world... They used to eat dog in china too.

 

[catphish]

If you think thats Disgusting, Did you know some Cat/Dog foods are made out of Horse Meat?

whats wrong with horse meat? believe you me, if a horse goes down before its time, it goes down on the bbq!

 

[sirsnagalot]

i grew up eating carp... so i dont think its disgusting my family usually steamed them and then pour stir fried veggies over them and the sauce from the stir fry made them very tasty

 

[Drew9870]

Carp, Good or Bad?

Good
1. They eat plants that get out of control (algae, duckweed, hydrilla)
2. I am 75% sure they would feed upon a dead fish carcass Protein = energy (I know Fishmeal is supposed to be a good bait additive)
3. They suckfeed the bottom stirring up all sorts of plankton and other beneficial food for baby fish
4. They fight better and get bigger than any other fish that would inhabit a pond or small lake
5. Their offspring provides plenty of food for other species

Bad
1. They eat fish eggs if they happen to come across an unguarded nest, Eggs = Protein
2. They stir up mud (It's not like they rototill the bottom of a lake, turning it into, well, liquid poo.
3. Just like all fish, if they are given the right conditions (and hardly anyone angles for them), they will overpopulate, but I have never experienced this.

No I am not a diehard carp fanatic, I like to target the biggest species possible in a body of water. I would rather go catch fish I could eat anyday, but I live in Salem, so I have to go to Detroit or the Santiam River for something edible.

 

[Troutier Bassier]

Carp are one of the easyest fish to catch, all you need is Patience.

Here is my rig for Carp that I alwyas use.

Rod: I Use a Tiger Spinning Rod/Reel Rigged up with 65# Braided,

Rig: My rig is quite Simple. A Basic Sturgeon Rig.

Starting with a Sturgeon Slider, Bead, Swivel, Snap, Leader, Hook.

I use the sturgeon Slider cause the line can slide through easily and that will help later on. Then for the leader I Use Lighter braid that is Black, Its better then mono cause 100# Braided wieghs Less then 100# Mono, So its easier for the fish to pick it up. Then for the hook I use The smallest Egg hook I can Find.


Bait, Of course the magic bait is corn. But since I am Using a small hook I only need 1 Peice of corn.

Then I cast out with this rigged up and Set my rod down and Let a lot of slack out so the line isn't tight at All. And set my drag as low as possible. Then I Wait for a Bite.

The reason why I let out slack line is because Carp are A Very Senstive fish like steelhead and Trout. When they pick up the corn they usually give it one Big tug and then start running. If you dont pick up your rod after 15 Secs your carp will be Off. Cause they run Straight for the Weeds. SO be close to your rod when FIshing.



If you have any other Questions just PM me or Reply.

 

[FishSchooler]

I think 65 lb braid is way overkill...

 

[Troutier Bassier]

I'm sorry. I should listen to you. Your the Profesional Carp fisherman that Knows everything about carp.