Ford Lake

[MDH]

Heading out to Ford Lake with my brother in law and need some advice on Ford. We've done pretty well on eyes in the summer on blades and crawlers, but I am not sure how or where to target them now. I'm thinking up by the bridge at 94 but not positive. Is it any good for cats or bass right now? I don't care what we catch, just want to get some fish Sunday morning. Don't need any hotspots, maybe just steer me in the right direction. Thank you very much!

MDH

[shametamer]

i-94 bridge area may b an excellent choice yet.....what natural reproduction of walleyes (in ford)takes place further upstream in the huron and they filter down around now .smallmouth in habit the river, mostly undersize . the channel area there(either side of bridge) is some of the deeper water at that end of resevoir...failing there you might try the dam area(bridge rd.) south side of resevoir.dam, west to first bend ...if crawlers fail you..try minnow cranks in gold n orange.........

[NittanyDoug]

Thanks Shametamer. I'm the BIL that MDH is talking about. I think we'll try some jigging too. We went up to the bridge last fall. It's a little scarey getting up there if you're not in the channel, but then bam, the channel is nice and deep. It doesn't run the way I imagined it would. We've never been on the other side of the bridge. Can you go very far?

[shametamer]

depends on your boat..walkover bridge from factory, next bridge, water remains easily passable..but about 150/200 yards upstream from last bridge she gets gravelly and shallow..i never had a boat that drafted little enough to venture further....if ya hook any cats, let me know..i would be interested in knowing how they are growing and adapting since the plants! yeah watch the shallows just south of the 1-94 bridge..dem big ol bucketmouths hangout in the weed n dark water , along with trophy size buglemouths.....:lol:

[NittanyDoug]

In your opinion do you think harnesses with crawlers will work this soon? I've never had luck personally trolling ford but I've seen other slay them. Maybe I was at the wrong depth or something. Are you jigging the channel?

[Carpman]

I picked up a 6lb cat next to the boat ramp yesterday from ford and 5 carp to around 18lbs

[MDH]

Nice work on the fish Carpman. Would you be willing to show an American how to catch those carp? We fished out of Ford a lot and have caught a lot of walleye and a few cats. I'd love to hook into one of those big carp. My BIL is out there right now. I am at home with a severely sprained ankle so I won't be fishing until next week at the earliest. Good job and good luck!

Thanks,

MDH

[Carpman]

Sure ill show you,(Welcome to the darkside) we fish mostly from the bank, but im thinking of a tin can jon boat for this year to help with some hard to reach places.
I should warn you, most think Im from the future with my rod pod, bait runners and alarms :dizzy:

All the fish in this pic came out of Ford, I just put them back and fish for the fight that they give.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k195/mr_fitzz/WebIMG_0674.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k195/mr_fitzz/Webfish.jpg

Ill shoot you a PM when Im next out that way.
Kev

[shametamer]

6 pound cat/ darn thats encouaging..hopin see they take to the pond..catch her on your carp rig?

[Carpman]

Yep, I pickup the odd cat when fishing for Carp (mosty bull heads) Im trying to think what bait I was using when I got that Cat (It was a channel catfish from ford), I think it was on a Tigernut or somthing strange like that. It was a nice cat, I put her back but hear they are good eating.

I did see some guys trying to snag fish out at Ford, somthing I dont care to much for, The warden moved them on as I think its illegal to snag anyfish in MI??

[shametamer]

ya like fishin carp..locally from shore?..you try kent...or run down to pt. mouille at bottom of detroit river near huron r. dumping in.....yeah i guess lots of folk enjoy the cat as tablefare.....but i enjoy the fight and the fact they smack a trolled lure..with gamefish declining in size on Ford the cat is a welcome addition........p.s. ya might even try holloway for carp dern i've hooked a few good size ones trolling for eyes!..I'll keep you in mind i generally try to fish 60 or so places each year..never know when i might find you a honey hole!

[Carpman]

Everyone tells me pt. mouille for carp, ive got to get down there more, I have fished Eire park this year, but it was kind of early for the big carp to move in.
Im finding it hard to find deep water on Eire (From the shore) I can cast 125 yards with my gear!, but still cant find deep water.

Ive got a trip planed for June, Im headind to Kallamazoo then heading north, I hear storys of monster carp, and whats great Is knowbody fishies just for carp like myself.....So im hoping to have the best of time with the 30 and 40lb fishy friends.

[doox00]

I go carp fishing at allegan dam all the time, TONS of carp there, I use corn.

[SPITFIRE]

your rite carp man you have most of the fishery for that species to yourself. I find myself trying to fill my freezer with walleyes and pan fish most of the time. It is fun to fight those fish,i should take my kids down to belleville lake to let them fight one since its easy to catch them there.

[KI Jim]

Carp make for GREAT pullage! I have always just used bread crust for the-let 'em suck it off the surface!

Jim

[NittanyDoug]

It was pretty slow yesterday. I picked up one walleye. We had something huge on down by the damn. We were difting and it was coming up then it just dove under the boat and it bent the hook out.

When the carp are surfacing like that, are they feeding? Could you get one on top like that?

[Can't Touch This]

i dont know about on top but on ford i always carp feeding right next to shore and if you throw anything in their path its an instance hook up

[Carpman]

Its hard to get them off the top, They mostly roll in the morning, its better when you dont see them, it means they have there heads down feeding.
I was at Ford yesterday and had the best carp fishing ever, over 30 fish and missed around 15.

Take alook at the pics, it was hot but a great day.
Ive had afew PM's about the best way to hook them, they are not as easy to get as some may tell you.

The biggest tip I can give you Is to lookup and learn to tie the "Hair rig" You will hook into carp 90% better.

Heres alink to my photos from Ford yesterday (the first 20 or so)
http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k195/mr_fitzz/?start=all

[Can't Touch This]

Hey Carpman i was bass fishing out on ford yesterday and was thinkin to myself this has got to be a carp fishermans paradise, i mean it seemed every couplde of seconds one would jump or you see a school of 10 of them swimming around it was unbelieveable. i'm convinced it holds more carp than any other lake i have ever been too.

[Can't Touch This]

Oh and im pretty sure i saw you fishing from the park and you we fighting something big. Now i guess i know what it was.

[sigman]

CARPMAN Try the south end of the banna dyke for lake erie carp. They have a road off jefferson but I dont know the name of it. It comes to a dead end. They have a parking lot and you can walk out onto the dyke for miles. They also have a large fishing dock there also.

[Carpman]

Thanks for the tip sigman, I hear so many good things about the the banna dykes, its on my list of spots for this year.
Im finding the problem with fishing In MI (And im not sure its abig problem) Is that we have so many waters and lakes. On most waters Ive got the carp all to myself. If this was England you would have aton of carp fishermen and it would cost me around $30.00 aday to fish for them, I do love the USA and mostly MI, Its a great place to be and fish.

Can't Touch This,
I think I did see you, I remember one guy in a boat looking at me fight a nice carp, I was the 6ft 4in guy, fishing from a small point some way left of the launch.
Stop over next time on your way out, If I hook into one ill let you fight and bring it in.