Great common carp in Commenwealth today!!!

[youkay]

So, I've been fishing my local lake for carp since I found out about it without much luck, about 5 blanked weekends till today...

today was my best fishing day ever. I landed 3 very very nice common carp, 2 in the double digits. Changed my tactics and tackle a bit (got it as close to UK carping as possible) and hit the jackpot. Pictured is my first, the smallest of the 3 somewhere between 8-10lbs, gorgeous carp, guessing a virgin, pristine condition. Had a nice lady walkin the dog snap a pic

Heres a vid of my 7 min fight with my biggest YouTube - Monster Carp I wasn't prepared for!!! my biggest fish ever!!!

fish on!

 

[Anyfishisfine]

Nice fish!

I like the lady's comment on the video "you caught a fish... here?"

She probably hasn't seen the crowd there on trout stocking day

Do you find them easier to catch here than the UK owing to less pressure on them? I know they are very popular to fish for in the UK, not so much here, which is a shame.

 

[Troutier Bassier]

Is that bigger then the usual carp in the UK?

 

[youkay]

They are without a doubt the best pound for pound fighting fish on the planet. In England, carp fishing is probably the number 2 sport behind soccer. If any of my British friends saw that video I'd get hate mail for the way I landed it on the muddy gravel. Carp care is essential, they can live for like, 60 years and grow to 80lb+, they do a lot of good for any eco system bottom feeding rotten vegetation.

I spent a lot of money on some match gear imported from england but its really not the best time for float fishing so I decided to try and improvise quiver tip with a small lead... i've never seen anyone my entire life catch carp of those quality in such a short time frame. I've now concluded that using british methods to fish for carp - works spectacularly!!!

My new carp rod arrived today and im expecting the rest of my dedicated carp gear on monday, I know theres some 30lbers+ in commonwealth and I will get them If I were to method feed or PVA bag here they would just go bonkers

 

[youkay]

you don't really get usual carp - most fisheries in England are so over fished that anglers spend thousands on new gear, bait and methods to try and catch them. I've probably caught 10 common carp my entire life (1000 hrs invested at least), all considerably smaller, fresh stocked fish at a fishery. EU carp are probably the hardest fish in the world to catch - especially the big ones in france where most EU's go on holiday to carp fish. they are smart, smart fish who typically only get caught twice in a life time

Is that bigger then the usual carp in the UK?

 

[Troutier Bassier]

The only carp we have here are Common and Mirror carp. And Ive spent. probally 100 hours carp fishing this summer and Ive caught 10 something carp. 2 of which were Mirrors. So if you love carp fishing. You have come to the right place.

 

[youkay]

I'm hoping there are some mirrors in commonwealth, I've had common and small crucian carp from here so far. I heard there were some F1, leather and grass in other lakes around the area though grass carp are a PITA to try and catch lol

My target is common and mirror, just stunning fish and a joy to fight.

 

[SNDSLGR]

If I were to method feed or PVA bag here they would just go bonkers

Would you explain method feed and PVA to us? I have never heard either term.

Many around here consider them "junk fish' so it was nice to see you try and handle the fish with respect.

I dont know any techniques to try, but they net for carp on the Multnohma channel and get hundreds of them near shore. I have seen a 14' Valco come in so full the guys were riding on top of the fish and this is after only a few hours. Mabey a good place to learn for someone like yourself.

 

[youkay]

Sure SNDSLGR

The Two biggest techniques to carp fishing involves ground baiting, most of which I believe is not allowed in Oregon and Hair rigs.

The Europeans have developed tens of thousands of ways of delivering ground bait, you can google most of these and might know of some already but the most popular are:

Spods
Feeders (open ended)
PVA
Catapults / throwing sticks
Method feeders

PVA went big in England about 4 years back, its a disolevable bag/mesh that doesn't hurt a waters chemical balance. You basically load up the bag with ground bait of your choice, make sure some of the bait is on your hair rig hook bait, tie the pva bag tight and cast it out attatched to your hook. it hits the bottom and 30 seconds later your hook bait is floating in a nice pile of ground bait

Spods are like plastic pool toys for kids, a big rocket shape with a boyant bottom. you load the spod, cast it our, when it hits the waster the boyent end tips it over dispersing your ground bait.

Feeders are little plastic open end tubes with holes in, sandwhich your hook bait in a pastey ground bait, cast it in, wait 30 seconds for it to explode in the water and wind your hookbait over it.

Method feeders are by far my favorite and I will have some delivered on Monday. Its basically a lead weight that has ribs. used in place of a lead sinker, you make a stodgy (dough paste like) ground bait mix (method has its own type of base ingredient to help it bind, its called method mix / method ground bait) and squeeze it over your feeder, then you put your hook bait onto the pile and add another layer. The fish go nuts eating away as it disperses, your hookbait is right in the mix of your ground bait and carp go bonkers for it, easiest way to catch fish at the moment in Europe.

Just make sure if your carp fishing your using a hair rig (google it) your fishing the bottom of your spot and you can either tighten your line to the lead once you've cast for visual rod tip bites or hold the loose line and feel pulling on your hookbait. or you can go nuts and buy a rod pod, bite alarms, swingers etc etc. also, make sure you have a big landing net and either a unhooking mat or towl so you can protect the fish and get it back in good condition

 

[youkay]

Just got back from the best carp session of my life. Caught about 10 fish in the double digit range, one of them had to have been 15lb+ all in about 3 hours from 7:30-10:30am.

such beautiful fish in pristine condition and excellent fights

 

[Anyfishisfine]

I have a feeling you are just getting started. Hardly anyone here targets carp, so you have an endless supply of virgin fish to hunt.

But I bet this will get a few more people out after them.

 

[TTFishon]

Just got back from the best carp session of my life. Caught about 10 fish in the double digit range, one of them had to have been 15lb+ all in about 3 hours from 7:30-10:30am.

such beautiful fish in pristine condition and excellent fights

Nice catch! What did you use for bait today?

 

[youkay]

canned corn from safeway

none salted stuff, 1 piece on a hair rig. worked a charm, when i wasn't fighting fish I was none stop biting. I even caught one of the bigger ones I caught yesterday which was pretty shocking..

 

[Troutier Bassier]

No salt Added Del monte corn. Thats the only things that go on my hook

 

[tnffishman]

I have never targeted carp in my life. But have caught a few real small ones. How do those bigger carp bite? Is it a tap, tap, tap like a sturgeon or a real aggressive take-down?

 

[Troutier Bassier]

Its like a ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Thats the sound your drag makes when one bites. I just leave it in the Holder, Put some slack in the line and set the drag low, When I hear the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ I set the hook and reel.

 

[Whopper]

Since the fish was lying on the ground I'm assuming you're keeping it. I think most folks around here would probably use it for crab bait. Are you going to eat it?

 

[joesnuffy]

Welcome to Oregon and Welcome to OFF. If Carp is your ting you can fish for them all over this state. They are everywhere. Check out this thread from this summer on Carp.




Catch you later!

 

[beaverfan]

Hmmm. I live pretty close to Commonwealth, and fish it for stocker trout in the spring. I'll have to stop by and see if I can hook me a big carp.

 

[troutmasta]

I've spent Zero hours actually fishing for carp in my life, and probably caught 50+. It must be way harder in the UK. You really have planted carp?