Carp!

[subocto]

After work today I decided to try and hook some lunker bass in a local lake, as I walked down to the water I spotted something orange swimming in the deep water out away from the dropoff. It looked like an orange carp, like one of the chinese ones you see in fish tanks, and it was. I put my glasses on and realized there were about 30 large carp suspended and swimming about 3 feet below the surface out in deep water, all right around the orange one. someone must have released that orange thing and it grew! Have the carp spawned yet, is that what I was seeing? Ive never seen a single carp in the lake and all of the sudden there are like 30 of them right in front of me on the surface in 30 fow. Whats up with that? Insted of going for the bass i wanted to try and hook one of the bruisers so I tried some of my own ugly hex patterns and some egg flys placed softly right on top of them and they wouldnt budge, after changing a bunch of flys and spooking some of them I gave up. I have heard of some of you guys catching some big ones up on the grand. How can you get them without spooking them. maybe the water is too clear now to even try for them. I have also heard dough balls work? well after giving up on the carp, I managed a few nice bass that took bugs on the surface.

anyone know something about carp biology or fish catching techniques? :D

[Lunker]

If your lucky enough to find them surface feeding agian... Bring a loaf of white bread. Chum them with broken peices of bread ..not balled up ... you want them to float now. Then get your un -weighted, hooked bread peice ready to flop in front of them, fire when ready . Hang on tightly!

[YPSIFLY]

Lunker is right....wonderbread flies are awesome.

The gold one you saw coud have been a Koi that was released, or a "mutation". I have seen carp with gold patches, but never the whole body.

[Craig M]

My family had a place on Mitchell's Bay and we would see orange carp all the time. They are a heck of a good time to catch.

[subocto]

thanks for the advice. Ive heard one of my neighbors mention the elusive "koi" that I saw swimming in the lake, so that must be what it is. I must have thrown 10-12 different flies out to those fish yesterday, right on top of them, but I couldnt get any to even nudge them or pay them any attention. I dont think they were feeding out there, because not one of them ever broke the surface of the water, they were just sitting out there like 3-5 feet under water, maybe getting ready to spawn. Has anyone ever seen carp spawn? dont they do it right next to shore, and make some big splashes? anyways, thanks for the replies and ill report if I ever hook up with one of them. :)

[Beave]

Get a bow and shoot them. Stupid carp.

[Bangbang]

Originally posted by subocto
thanks for the advice. Ive heard one of my neighbors mention the elusive "koi" that I saw swimming in the lake, so that must be what it is. I must have thrown 10-12 different flies out to those fish yesterday, right on top of them, but I couldnt get any to even nudge them or pay them any attention. I dont think they were feeding out there, because not one of them ever broke the surface of the water, they were just sitting out there like 3-5 feet under water, maybe getting ready to spawn. Has anyone ever seen carp spawn? dont they do it right next to shore, and make some big splashes? anyways, thanks for the replies and ill report if I ever hook up with one of them. :)

Yes I have seen them spawn many times in very shallow water. They appear to be rolling all over each other.........and the water appears to be boiling. You will see lots of fins and tails. Some people snag them illegally. It is a great time to shoot them with a bow.

[Bangbang]

Originally posted by Beave
Get a bow and shoot them. Stupid carp.

Bass are real stupid too.......especailly when they are spawning. Ever fish just prior to the opener?

[Bangbang]

Originally posted by Bangbang
Bass are real stupid too.......especailly when they are spawning. Ever fish just prior to the opener?

Most fish are stupid.......you just have to find them to catch them. Now bear hunting is an entire different story. I have seen some very smart bears.....and not seen the smartest ones.

[Beave]

Nope, it'd be illegal.

Fished pink salmon when they were spawning once, you'd just keep dropping a little cleo spoon on their nose until they got pissed off and bit into it. Such fun for a 10 year old.

[Bangbang]

Just caught two stupid 13 inch Bullheads an hour ago.LOL Hey the carp seem to be educated ......have not even seen one this week!

[Neal]

Subocto~ Due to the Cool spring the carp have been spawning later than usual. In our bowfishing tournament it is common to have goldfish, gold carp, & german carp turned in. If they are actively spawning you will know it there will be several males thrashing over the usually larger female in the shallows.

Neal

[Bangbang]

Originally posted by Neal
Subocto~ Due to the Cool spring the carp have been spawning later than usual. In our bowfishing tournament it is common to have goldfish, gold carp, & german carp turned in. If they are actively spawning you will know it there will be several males thrashing over the usually larger female in the shallows.

Neal

I figured they would spawn late. Lookin for that big one. Fishin Wolverine Lake and Kensington. Do ya have any other waters you would suggest for the real Big One?

[Neal]

We get all of ours out of Saginaw bay with bowfishing equipment. I don't know about hook and line, but they're in there so thick at times you can practically walk on them. Our record carp in around 40 lbs.

Neal

[Bangbang]

Originally posted by Neal
We get all of ours out of Saginaw bay with bowfishing equipment. I don't know about hook and line, but they're in there so thick at times you can practically walk on them. Our record carp in around 40 lbs.

Neal

Do you know the length of that 40? Whe abouts in the Bay? How about the river? .are there any places to shorefish? I don't have a boat.

[timj]

Bangbang,
Lake Saint Clair also has a lot of carp & big ones, If fishing from shore try the anywhere along the spillway.
Stoney Creek Metropark also has big Carp in it.

[Bangbang]

What do you mean by "spillway"?

[Neal]

Bangbang~ There are plenty of places to fish along the Saginaw Bay coast line. I would suggest starting at Quanicassee (just e. of Bay City along M-25, you can them work your way up the coastline where their are plenty of canals and public accesses that you can fish from shore.

I don't know the length of the 40 pounder, I would guess about 30-35"

Neal

[timj]

The Spillway is an overflow that was built years ago to prevent the Cinton River from flooding-its probably aroud 3-5 miles long by 200 feet wide. It flows from a dam on the Clinton River all the way to Lake Saint Clair.
In the winter & early spring it contains steelhead & walleye.
Then as the water warms they move out & the Carp & Catfish move in.

[fishwhore]

I live near a small lake that has a nice bass population and I saw the "orange cloud" moving through the water for the first time two years ago. I figured that someone let their goldfish go and they have thrived. I actually caught one on a floating rapala once but usually they go for small flies or bread/crackers.
I can't believe that they have survived this long in a body of water that boasts some nice largemouth. I would not want to be a bright orange minnow swimming around a small lake that holds some 3lb bass! Not the best camo if you know what I mean. The herons and hawks are constantly grabbing them out but they still manage to grow and multiply.

[wolfgang510]

Anyone who has fished hard for Carp on a fly know's that they are anything but stupid. Actually the smartest fish I've ever saught after in fresh water. If the lakes I fish for them in didn't have thousands of them I'd never catch a one!

[ESOX]

I agree, Carp are pretty wiley. I have a heck of a time getting them to bite. Bass and Pike are a LOT easier to get a hit from.

[ManillaKilla]

bangbang - vets park in bay city is a good spot to shorefish for them on the river. we caught one there last year that was 35lbs. corn seems to be the best bait when fishing from shore.

[Mantas]

Kent Lake in Kennsington Metropark is also popular for carp shorefisherman. I've talked to some guys that were big into it where every bit of equipment they had was carp specific(including imported carp specific noodle rods imported from England).