First of all, welcome to the site. Second... fill out your profile so we can get to know you a little better.

And of course we like to catch carp. And releasing them is the ONLY thing to do... dirty stinking fish that they are... but they put up a good fight!

In fact, if you are near the Grand Rapids area, we will be having our 2nd Annual Carp Fest at some point... it was fun last year!

 

Carp fishing is huge in Britain. They'll go so far as to place a soft mat on the bank so they can put the carp there while they carefully remove the hook. Don't want to hurt the fish, you know.

 

I enjoy catching and releasing them hook and line! The only time they dont get releases is when I get them with the shaft! Bowfishing is fun too!

 

Catch and keep. We smoke the Carp that make it to shore and taken home.

 

I was introduced to flyfishing for "golden bones" four or five years ago by my now brother-in-law, and it's addictive. An added bonus is that, where I usually fish for them I also catch pike, bass and the occasional trout, all on woolly buggers or hex flies. I will keep a small carp once or twice a summer (for baiting crayfish traps). Other than that, they all get released.

Incidentally, a few years ago we were doing really well on carp on East Traverse Bay. On our way out one morning, we passed three bowfishermen, towing a rope with at least 30 carp on it. An hour later, I was casting to a big, tailing carp that sucked my fly up and put on a spectacular fight. When I finally landed him, there was a fresh, quarter-sized arrow hole in his back (you could see daylight through it). I was amazed to see that he was feeding shortly after getting hit with, and pulling loose from an arrow.

Carpe carpio!

 

If we could remove the Carp from out rivers, we would have better habitat for our native fish.
Carp are destroying the native fish habitat.

Yeah I know what they do in Europe and over there you also have to pay to fish sections of rivers.

Thanks to the tree hugger types over here we no longer chemical treat rivers to kill carp.

Smoke them or find a use for them on dry land.

 

Big carp are EXCELLENT fighters well worthy of pusuit, one of the smartest fish that swim. I fish for them after ice out every year because they are the first big fish to invade the shallows in spring and actively feed in such cold water. But I haven't tried the flyrod yet, have to put that one my todo list. Plus few anglers target them (I'm always the only boat out) and there are strong populations of big fish almost everywhere, certainly in West Mi. Tasty, too if you know how to prepare them. Carp are said to be the #1 sportfish of Europe and the #1 table fish of Asia.

 

Lakes with BIG carp in them that I've seen in W. Michigan:

Fremont
Hardy Pond
Croton Pond (torpedo sized monsters over 30 lbs easy!!)
Spring Lake and the entire Grand River estuary (especially the 6th street dam)
Battjes Park Pond (right across the street from my house!!)

And many more I'm sure but this is where I've seen the biggest concentrations of big fish.

 

Battjes Park Pond (right across the street from my house!!)

Ahhh! I know the area well having been a life guard many years ago at Lamar Park (when it had a swimming area) and teaching at Parkview Elementary in what might be called "downtown Wyoming Park".

As for catching and releasing carp I do it whenever I get down to GR and fish at our "top secret...know one else knows about it....never to be revealed" carp caper hotspot.....:lol: If you wanna discover this heretofore unnamed honey hole you'll have to attend next summer's Second Annual Michigan-Sportsman.com Capricious Carp Caper. Look for details in the Outings Forum sometime in late spring or early summer.

By the way, if you happen to have a Dryfly inflatable pontoon boat bring one of those to the Carp Caper. Last year Splitshot proved that using one was/is a wise move. Of course he's always coming up with some technique and/or gimmick to catch more fish....:lol:

Carp are here to stay, unfortunately, and unless you remove them from the waters you are fishing all you do by killing and leaving is the creation of a stinking mess. The odor of one rotting carp goes a long way.

I've always been surprised that more anglers who smoke fish haven't discovered carp. They are excellent out of the smoker. Or maybe it's just that smokers are using carp, but don't want the word out that the smoked fish they're serving up ain't no salmon at all, but rather carp....:lol:

 

Or maybe it's just that smokers are using carp, but don't want the word out that the smoked fish they're serving up ain't no salmon at all, but rather carp....

Hey lets keep this thread to one junk fish at a time.
LOL wink wink Ha ha

I use carp for bait( I don't transport them) and I know they are here to stay.
I hope that we don't give up on the battle to preserve what carp and other imports destroy.

 

Kirk,
What we need is a summertime Catfish Caper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Lakes with BIG carp in them that I've seen in W. Michigan:

Fremont
Hardy Pond
Croton Pond (torpedo sized monsters over 30 lbs easy!!)
Spring Lake and the entire Grand River estuary (especially the 6th street dam)
Battjes Park Pond (right across the street from my house!!)

And many more I'm sure but this is where I've seen the biggest concentrations of big fish.

You can add Lincoln Lake to that list. I've seen some HUGE ones in there!!!!! And I'm looking forard the the MS'r Great Carpfest of 2007!!!! Now that I've been "schooled" by Splitshot(Ray) to target every known species in that 6th street stretch, from Blue Gill to Walleye and WaterFoul(Mike) in hooking those fun to fight, ugly mouthed Carp.

 

Thanks a lot for the replies fellas, I have tried smoked carp and I enjoy it very much.
Maby later in the year I will see some of you all on the bank.
I am very interested in this 2nd annual fishing thingy that was mentioned, where could I find more info and who do i talk to?

My biggest so far is 32 lbs and would like to crack that this year.

This forum is pretty cool, I can not believe it took me till now to find this place.

Later,
Andy

 

First of all, welcome to the site. Second... fill out your profile so we can get to know you a little better.

And of course we like to catch carp. And releasing them is the ONLY thing to do... dirty stinking fish that they are... but they put up a good fight!

In fact, if you are near the Grand Rapids area, we will be having our 2nd Annual Carp Fest at some point... it was fun last year!

No problem, I have just filled out the profile. And thanks for the welcome.

 

I am very interested in this 2nd annual fishing thingy that was mentioned, where could I find more info and who do i talk to?

First of all the carp outings ain't no "thingy". A "thingy" is something else all together and we won't talk about that in here..........:lol: :yikes: :lol: (all in good humor of course.

As for the Second Annual Michigan-Sportsman.com Carp Caper '07 (I like long titles...:lol: ) will be announced in the Outings Forum Sometime in June. We try to get a feel of the Grand River's water levels, preferring to fish in low water.

I'm one of the organizers of this event as is GVSUKush who we call "Kush" cuz he can't spell hiz real name!!! :lol: (he'll get me for that one!!!)

 

First of all the carp outings ain't no "thingy". A "thingy" is something else all together and we won't talk about that in here..........:lol: :yikes: :lol: (all in good humor of course.

As for the Second Annual Michigan-Sportsman.com Carp Caper '07 (I like long titles...:lol: ) will be announced in the Outings Forum Sometime in June. We try to get a feel of the Grand River's water levels, preferring to fish in low water.

I'm one of the organizers of this event as is GVSUKush who we call "Kush" cuz he can't spell hiz real name!!! :lol: (he'll get me for that one!!!)

Great to here!!!
I look forward to attending the event.
What would a probable date (month) be?

Sorry about the "thingy" comment....The long title threw me off:lol:

 

i been fishing for carp most my 68 years the last few years went to the fly rod its a real chalange i release all of them that i catch

 

What would a probable date (month) be?
:lol:

July or August

 

i love to catch & release carp once a year a lake in Indiana has a carp fishing tournament to get rid of the carp in that lake other than that i just let them GO to GROW<<<I would love to find more carp tournaments to fish let me know

 

Having lived in WI for 7 years I can tell you that people who live on the Mississippi side of the state would call maglining carp as fighting words. Never ate one until I moved there. I know it is subjective, but I think they taste much better than largmouth.

Having said that, some of our lakes and rivers are over run with carp and the bow shooters do us a great service removing some of the excess.

Fly fishing for carp has come a long way in recent years, and most release their fish. Conservation is good too.

Because they eat some of the same food as perch, bluegills and trout, I usually remove the ones I catch but nevre stink up anyone's property in the process.

Some people probably won't like that, but such is life. The carp thingy last summer was a blast. It was easy fishing and dtg and I had a lot of fun just talking about the fish. Most people had a good time just talking to each other and some guys like Gomer fished hard while nagivating the entire area below the dam and did good as well.

Thanks again Kush for your hospitality. You are a fine host have a very nice family and hold your own fishing as well.

Whit is the expert on his home waters. What he was doing was holding a seminar on how to catch carp. Passed some of his knowledge along as well. Both Whit and I grew up fishing the Grand River downtown. Him on the West side, me on the East side.

We met on this site and know many of the same people and fished many of the same steams and rivers only found out more than 50 years later. Better late than never.

 

If you start up a "catfish caper",I would HAVE to go! All of my master angler awards are from big cats.I would be interested in the carp caper,too.

 

Yeah, I guess I'm in, since I'm hosting the thing:lol:

 

Yeah, I guess I'm in, since I'm hosting the thing:lol:

I was wondering when you'd chime or chirp into this thread Kush. The question is do you want to host us again at a post fishing feast at your place?

 

I was wondering when you'd chime or chirp into this thread Kush. The question is do you want to host us again at a post fishing feast at your place?

BYO carp fillets for the grill!!!!

 

I love catching carp on the fly. I kill them all. They are habitat destroying invasives. Garden looks great.