They're fished by a variety of methods...doughball, boilies, corn, jugs, flies...but don't think that makes the big ones easy to catch, or even the small ones in clear water.
As a species Carp originated in Asia, where the culturing of Carp dates back to around 7 B.C., but in addition to natural dispersal they were brought to Europe as a food fish hundreds of years ago by the Romans, and in the mid to late 1800’s were introduced to North America where they spread quickly. Carp can now be found on every continent and in around 59 countries. Although primarily a warm water fish, Carp can be found in cool trout streams as well as lakes, ponds and rivers throughout any area in which they occur. They are omnivorous feeders, which explain why they are more often found in areas with weeds, mud or a combination of these than in bare bottomed stretches. However, Carp will school to sift large soft flats for food, alert to the slightest shadow or movement overhead. They are geared for bottom-feeding with an under slung mouth, but can often be seen sipping seeds or bugs from the surface. Their diet includes the proverbial “anything they can fit in their mouths”, so often said of more predacious species, but more accurately applied to the scrounging types. Berries, nymphs, crayfish, vegetation, seeds, worms, minnows, snails and more form their common diet.
Carp spawn when the waters warm in the spring, and some small ponds are kept continuously muddy by the amorous roiling of trios of fish, a female followed by two males through the shallows. The number of eggs laid varies with the size of the female, but a large adult can lay up to 2 million, which hatch in 3 to 6 days depending on the temperature. Small Carp are preyed upon by other fishes, but grow rapidly to a size which keeps them safe from most piscine predators. (Though I’ve heard that at two to three pounds they are excellent bait for Muskellunge and Flathead catfish.)
The group of Carp which most anglers picture when the name “Carp” is mentioned include the Common, Mirror and Leather Carp, all variations of Cyprinus carpio. Even the lovely and often quite expensive (up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for top show specimens and breeders) Koi is just another variation on carpio. Cyprinus carpio can be found at 10 pounds quite commonly, making it an excellent target for the inland fly fisher who wants to tangle with a big fish. In fact, the odds are good that if you can regularly find 10 pounders in your body of water, 20 pounders are in there too. Common carp may live in excess of 47 years and weigh over 75 pounds.
The all-tackle world record was landed in 1987 from Lac de St. Cassien, France, and weighed in at 75 pounds 11 ounces. [url="http://www.carphunters.com/Artikler/thaicarp.htm"]The Cambodian Giant Barb[/url] is considered the world’s largest Carp species, reputed to reach some 300 pounds! There are many other species of Carp, including the Asian Big-Headed and Silver Carps, currently causing serious concern as they head steadily toward the Great Lakes of North America after escaping rearing ponds along the Mississippi River during flooding. As evidenced by their worldwide distribution, Carp are survivors!
These are tremendously wary fish. Have you ever approached a muddy shoreline, only to see huge wakes rocketing away by the time you get to within 15 feet? Most likely they were Carp, alerted by your vibrations. In clear water, their excellent eyesight combined with their sensitivity to movement and vibration means you must practice moving very slowly and softly to get close. Normally, standing quietly on a muddy or sandy bottom between shore and the inside weed line for a few moments will allow the fish to resume normal behavior, rooting their way through looking for a meal. When standing completely still, I’ve had them literally go through my legs! A faster way to begin fishing for them is to find an active group and begin casting very lightly toward the fish that is closest to you. There has been some discussion as to which is quicker to strike, a cruising Carp or a sitting fish. In my experience, fish that are just hanging there are sometimes nearly impossible to get a positive reaction from, while the cruisers are looking for a bite, and more readily respond to your fly.
In general, due to the sensitivity and wariness of the fish, you’ll need to lead a cruiser by several yards to keep from spooking it. If you have picked out your target fish, which you should do for your best chance at hooking one, check out its path and respond accordingly. If it is following the edge of the weeds in 2 feet of water, cast 10 yards ahead to give your fly time to settle. (This is in reference to bottom fishing.) As the fish approaches within about 3 feet or so, give it the slightest of twitches. The Carp will see it, and if it looks good, will take. You’ll get takes in murky water too, so don’t bypass the chance just because of cloudiness. However, sight fishing for them is a real adrenaline rush. That’s hard part number one: getting the take. Hard part number two? Getting a good hookset. Carp have tough, rubbery mouths that require either a very sharp hook, a very solid hookset (maybe two or three) or both.
I have literally lost more Carp than I’ve landed due to a bad hookset or dull hook. It is really frustrating to have 30 yards peeled off only to have the hook come out, and I am far too acquainted with the feeling. Keep your hooks sharp! That should be a given with any fisherman of any type of approach, but few of us take it as seriously as we should, including me. Once you spook that Carp, it will probably spook the whole school in its fright, and even if they don’t all leave, you shouldn’t expect another hit for a while.
Hard part number 3 is just landing the beast! Fighting big Carp on a fly rod especially the first couple of runs, is similar to fighting someone standing there with a hand on the end of your rod trying to jerk it out of your hand. I have seen many bait fishers lose their rod by not paying attention while Carping when the fish hits and yanks the rod into the water! I almost lost one this way myself, but was able to chase the rod and grab it just before it hit the water, at which point the line snapped instantly. I’ve done fine with my 6 weight, but if you are specifically out for Carp I recommend an 8 with a leader based on the water you’re fishing, keeping in mind the suddenness of the first run. On average a 6 pound 4 or 5x tippet should do you fine unless there’s cover for it to use against you.
When a Carp takes your fly, you are already a step ahead because the rod is in your hand already, but don’t take that for granted. I saw one guy get his rod pulled from his hand by a Carp that he didn’t know had taken his nymph. He was able to grab it from the water though. After you set your hook, just let it run if you don’t have snags to worry about. Have your drag set correctly before you catch the first fish and don’t play with it during the fight unless you really need to. Set the hook and hold on. Let it run and when it pauses you can start trying to turn it. With smaller fish you will be able to move it, but once it hits 10 pounds or so, all you’ll accomplish is sending it blistering into a second attempt to reach the next time zone. This may happen several times before you get to see the fish, but after you’ve tired it out, your best bet is to try and beach it. Carp are very slippery, and even if you can hoist it up in your hand, you’ll probably drop it while removing the hook.
You also don’t want to try and lip a Carp because if you go too far into its mouth you’ll reach the crushing plates it uses to smash up clams and crayfish and such. I once did this with a fish of about 4 pounds, and while I didn’t lose a finger or anything, it was startling enough to put me on guard from that day forward. A larger fish could probably have done some real damage. If it’s a small fish you can pick up in one hand, you can probably unhook it without a problem. This is one of the biggest reasons I smash the barbs on my hooks: easy release. I don’t have to remove the fish from the water at all to get the hook out no matter what the size.
When you see Carp slurping at the surface, look closely to see what they are feeding on. You can often get them to take on the surface just by giving them what they are already feeding on. Floating seeds, floating bugs, bread pieces, they are all fair game. Toss an adult dragonfly imitation in the midst (lightly!) of some surface feeders and if you don’t spook them, you’ll find that more than Bass and Bluegills will smash a dragon. When Mulberries are ripe, you will always find a Carp or 2 (or a dozen) parked beneath a Mulberry bush that overhangs the water. They love those staining berries and I don’t blame them! I like to grab a handful for myself while I’m out there! When you find this situation, a fly tied to look like a mulberry is a killer. While this next method does brings some controversy, tossing bits of White bread to Carp in order to get them feeding on it, then casting a Bread fly is another great way to get them at the surface. Carp are an amazing fish, not given their respect widely in America probably due to their abundance.
However, in the UK Carp top the list of game fish, and rightfully so. They are hard to sneak up on, harder not to spook with a cast, fight like a Pit Bull dog, and according to many taste very good when taken from clean water or bought in the market. In addition, they present the best chance for an inland fisher in America to regularly catch fish on the fly rod that weigh 5, 10 even 20 pounds! Test yourself fly fisher… chase the “Golden Bone.”
Good flies include:
Rubber-legged anything
Bread fly (Deer hair packed and trimmed square or piece of yarn)
Mulberry (think waterproofed Sucker Spawn in Grape and/or Red)
Cottonwood Seed fly (A cdc feather or waterproofed marabou with a bit of Black dubbing at the end works!)
You can definitely catch Carp on lures too, particularly plastic jigs. Work a Crappie jig slowly across the bottom near feeding Carp and they will take note.
Check out Carpecarpio and some big fish!
Lotsa species of Carp
Common Carp
Mirror Carp(named for their reflective scales)
Leather Carp (Check out the skin)
Grass Carp
The above pictures courtesy this fine Carp site.
Beware the Big Head!
Jumping from the water
They get BIG!
You may think that only a few ethnic groups of the world value Carp as a meal, but try some of these recipes and you may join that group of Carp connoisseurs!
P.S. I thought I'd add my favorite Carp story. It was about 45 degrees out, very windy and raining. I was fishing a small city pond for bass, tossing a 4" Blue and Silver Rapala floater. I was just about to duck out of the cold when something broke water and created a White water wake from about 3 feet away from my lure! It was a wake more violent than any Musky, Pike or bass I've ever seen. It hit the Rapala and when I set the hook buried itself deep in the weeds. It too ka godd 7 or 8 minutes to get it to come out of the weeds, and after two more hard runs, I reeled in...
...a 9 pound Common Carp! Most amazingly of all, it had swallowed the Rapala completely. I picked up the fish, and when viewed from the side, the lure could not be seen, it was that deep in the fish's mouth! It took awhile to get that one loose, but it swam away strongly afterward. Carp rock!
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