spring carp is on! (Full Version)

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joebaker79 -> spring carp is on! (4/5/2008 7:18:49 PM)

Just a few over the last two weeks then today on a new stretch of Chartiers I have never checked out I put close to 15 on the bank with 1 8 lb, 3 at 9 lbs, and an 11.5 lb beast!  Even the small ones went all 5-7 lbs.  The bigger ones were 27-30".  Dont remember ever getting into a better concentration of big big fish like that.  Feeding aggresively everywhere.  Noodle rod with 6 lb test and it was just like steelhead fishing, only 5 minutes away and no numnuts to deal with.  Used to do this a lot more but with the vegetation getting thicker and thicker every year at my favorite stretches the spring and late fall is the only time I bother anymore.  This is the time that these wary fish will take crawlers like bluegills but will also readily take wooly buggers and even soft plastics in small and realistic forms.  This fishing for me has always been a treat as its 5 minutes away and they are not molested by anyone but me.  If I wasnt in Indiana next weekend for steelhead fishing I'd gladly be carpin opening day instead of fishing for 10" stockies with pretty rainbows on them.  Drag was singing today. 



coolerfull1 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/5/2008 8:42:26 PM)

Overpopulated garbage fish.



CATMAN610 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/5/2008 9:34:59 PM)

I think it would be wise for PFBC to invest some time addressing the carp issue in alot of pa's waters, some places are overrun with them, and even thier growth is being stunted.



coolerfull1 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/5/2008 9:47:13 PM)

Carp have a purpose to an extent, but see the thread on the fisherie board about asian carp and the posts I made.  You'll see my point.



avidangler -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/5/2008 10:24:43 PM)

Back a few years ago the carp population on the allegheny reduced itself drastically.  Alot of fish were dying off from infection.  Everytime I headed out fishing I would see a dozen or so dead ones floating around.  They do serve a purpose.  The asian carp will be a true threat if they hit the inland waters or great lakes.  The normal carp is a hell of fighter and we target them with fly gear in the summer.  Nature will work its way out with the normal carp, the asian carp will have to be dealt with in a different manner. 



pheasant tail 2 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/5/2008 10:34:50 PM)

Joe,

Do you have red pick up truck?

PT2



donpgh -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/6/2008 2:43:16 AM)

When I was a kid, we fished for giant carp.  My grandfather would let them dry out for a few days - then grind them up & spread them in the garden for fertilizer.  He said they weren't good for anything else.



trouthater -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/6/2008 8:54:32 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: donpgh

When I was a kid, we fished for giant carp.  My grandfather would let them dry out for a few days - then grind them up & spread them in the garden for fertilizer.  He said they weren't good for anything else.



Strange! I do the same with the trout I catch, you should see my tomatoes!!



gizmos -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/6/2008 9:47:56 AM)

Regardless, fun is fun! Took daughters boyfriend out(newbie) yesterday and whacked carp and 1 nice cat. I think he's getting hooked! Set up a youngster and his pap,who were pullin zero, when we left. Hope that got things rollin for them.[;)]



Mountian Man -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 2:05:19 PM)

It's such a shame others don't give carp a chance before rippin' them out as a trash fish



mikeg -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 2:21:04 PM)

There ain't nothin "trashy" about a big fish that will run HARD!
Carp fishin' is a blast and brings back some pretty good memories with the old man!

I don't fish for them anymore (I think I may though) but catch them while bass fishing sometimes.

This one ran me donw to a few feet on the spool! And it was pretty small!

[img]http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/MikeKaraBlake/IMGP0667.jpg[/img]



flirod4evr -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 3:37:06 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mountian Man

It's such a shame others don't give carp a chance before rippin' them out as a trash fish

It doesnt help that they are some of the ugliest fish to swim in the fresh water. The only time I enjoy catching them is in the late summer when nothing is biting but little catfish.



kyler16 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 4:54:04 PM)

most of the people that call a fish trash is usually uneducated or is pretty much a worthless redneck. Education goes along way in knowing why a fish is in the ecosystem. Most of the people who dont like them are the ones who never hooked them on a 4wt fly rod.

Not all carp cause the problems that the ones in the mississippi are causing .... dont blame the fish Blame the jag off farmers who put them in their ponds not knowing that once it floods they release a plague to the fisheries.

As far as fertilizers... learn to compost. your tomatoes will do much better with vegtable matter then fish.



joebaker79 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 5:25:28 PM)

8-9 more today on crystal meth spawn flies and red san juan worms.  just a few on crawlers.  water cleared up and dropped, but packs of fish were in nice runs and it was very comparable to steelhead fishing. 

as for being garbage fish, i dont know what else i would catch out of chartiers creek upstream from the spillway in heidelberd (south of that is ohio river fish) that would reach 15 lbs.  there are some great smally spots on the creek but they dont seem to be affected by the carp.  its no trout stream either.  to me its some of the best action all year, skinny water stalking for big uglies on a noodle rod.  i spend tons of time catching those supposed real sportfish steelhead all year and to enjoy the spring weather with no one around and big herds of these fish making their "run" shouldnt be any less enjoyable to any "real fisherman." 

I spent the better part of Monday bass fishing and only got 2 fish.  1 was 5.5 lbs and 21".  Its the 7th fish from 5-8 lbs for me in the last 3 years....but would I rather have a 10 lb bass on my wall over a "trophy" carp...whatever that is?  No.  Of course my biggest carp is 35 lbs and she went right back to the water to continue to "ruin" that pesky Lake Arthur.....yep they sure have ruined that lake.  No 15 lb hybrids or 30 lb musky roaming around in their because of them. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder to beat a cliche to death.  I think they can be stunning fish with their gold and red on the tails.  I also have a bronze statue and an amazing chinese paper cutting of carp both from China.  I only have one piece of art that has a steelhead in it. 




Troutboy02 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 5:38:15 PM)

Joe, I have a few questions for you about Chartiers and carping.  Can you shoot me an email @ steelheader01@comcast.net?



psu -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 5:51:39 PM)

"most of the people that call a fish trash is usually uneducated or is pretty much a worthless redneck"
^brush up on your grammar before you go calling others uneducated.  Lets not let this thread turn to name-calling.


-Joe, you seem to know your stuff.  Do you size up your flies at all or stick with average 10-14's?



SPIKER -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/8/2008 6:05:42 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: coolerfull1

Overpopulated garbage fish.


That sorta reminded me of the human race.[;)]



joebaker79 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/9/2008 12:15:29 AM)

psu, i mostly use flies for carp when they are feeding.  spring, fall, and when water levels are up.  so i use all sizes from wooly buggers when they are hoovering in everything during or after a rain, or 14 nymphs in clearer water when they are feeding on the flats on the shallower end of the creek.  but i love carrying crawlers also.  all noodle rod.  i havent figured out jigs yet for them but its just a matter of the pattern.  have had them hit on minnows and even rapalas on the ohio so its all just timing.  the san juam worm was killer today and that was 1.5" on a 12 hook.  the crystal meth was decent size not small at all.  get out now because the vegetation is getting so thick the last few years on chartiers in the best spots that its tough to fish anytime but spring and fall.  in the summer ill stick to a good rain event when they are feeding in mere inches of water and you can put anything in front of them its just a matter of finding the tailing fish in the muddy water.  i used to be an expert at chumming but i dont have the patience for that anymore.  its the only thing sometimes that will make them feed in less than favorable conditions, clear warm water mostly in the summer.  like i said spring, fall, and summer during or after a rain event will be the times you will stumble on a feeding monster from 10-15 lbs that you will otherwise be watching swimming away from your offering most of the year.  of all the fish i caught today up to 8 lbs i spooked one out feeding on a rock ledge in less than 12" of water that was over 30", and if i would have been paying better attention and made the right cast he would have been just another beast laid out for a picture next to the rod. 



psu -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/9/2008 5:40:50 PM)

joebaker,

ALL the info is much appreciated.  Now I'm just gonna have to cruise some different streams in SC PA in search of these guys.  A 5wt should do the trick, except for some of those hogs you were pulling out, shouldn't it?



joebaker79 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/9/2008 9:33:07 PM)

you got me on the fly rod wt.  im a noodle rodder.  i use flies for steelhead on it under a float and for carp below shot.  mostly because for steel im using jigs 90% of the time and when im carp fishing i like to be able to toss various lures/tubes/jigs for smallmouths as some of my carp spots and local smally spots merge together.  if you are a real fly guy though dont be afraid to break out tiny tiny nymphs and other small flies.  yesterday i saw many carp raising up and inhaling bugs i could not see and the beadhead nymphs i put on they were not interested in, but i dont cary many, just a few for steel in erie once in a while.  these fish are damn interesting, the real giants will eat everything from shiners to a single maggot to a 5" rapala. 

as for sc pa, i dont know if you are near the Connodoquinet but that has some monsters in it.  and i mean freaking monsters. 



Marklu -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/9/2008 10:27:10 PM)

Chartiers has some really big carp.  I usually catch them closer to Cannonsburg dam (ie, southpointe/I79 area), but I saw some real HOGS hanging around behind the Home Depot in Bridgeville last summer so them KATS are everywhere! 

Personally, I would MUCH rather catch two to three 8-15 pound carp than limit out on stocked trout.  I'll admit that outside of a annual trout fishing trip with some buddies in Arkansas (White/Norfork RIver - Gene's Cabins) where we have a fish fry, I do not keep anything.  I get my fish at WHOLEY's.

~Mark




freshwaterdrumR -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/10/2008 12:58:48 PM)

I remember messin around one day on the river last year with my 5wt and hooking a carp. after landing it my arm was pretty tired so i called it a day, these things are a blast on a fly rod. There is a couple places on pine creek ive been wanting to fly fish for carp at.



pa1000 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/10/2008 4:05:14 PM)

does anyone eat carp? if anyone does how do they taste and can you post some good recipes?



outdrwriter -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/10/2008 7:36:57 PM)

Lots of people eat them. They sell them at the Asian market in the Strip District.

Check here for recipes or just Google "carp recipes"
http://www.bassonhook.com/fishforfood/carprecipes.html



accordbw -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/11/2008 12:16:07 AM)

I mainly fish for carp now and I used to fish for all species on a regular basis. I think a lot of people would be surprised how fun it is if they gave it a chance. WHen you fish you want to catch a large fish and when you fish carp when you get one on you are definately in for a good battle. When we start having fish ins for carp anyone interested in learning about them should come out for a good time.



pacarper -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/12/2008 2:11:11 PM)

Yep, I've been out as well the last few weeks catching some carp from the Shenango River.  I actually had my best day this year on carp back in in early Jan. from the river when we had a little warm up.  With the weather slowly warming up, this is one of the prime times of the year for carpin'.  While we're on the subject there is a pretty cool article on carpin' in the current issue of Field & Stream.  Check it our here: http://www.fieldandstream.com/article_gallery.jsp?ID=1000021371
As for flyfishing for carp check this out for more info.: http://www.fieldandstream.com/article_gallery.jsp?ID=1000014500



Marklu -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/12/2008 4:24:07 PM)

Carp AND Field and Stream???  I thought that was a real SPORTSMAN's magazine!  HA HA, take THAT pellet heads.

~Mark



BigOlPigs -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/13/2008 12:36:17 PM)

The US is one of the few countries where carp aren't fished heavily.  Carp fishing is huge in Europe. 
I got a great recipe for carp.
Get your carp cleaned and get all the bones out.
Lay it out on a piece of cardboard.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper on it.  Maybe some other seasoning you like.
Preheat your oven to 350 and cook the carp for 45 minutes.
Then take it out, throw the carp away and eat the cardboard.
Enjoy!



joebaker79 -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/15/2008 5:59:52 PM)

More big carp action today.  A couple handfuls of fish with 5 fish from 8-10 lbs and one just shy of 11.  Found a wide and shallow section buried way back from any easy access and there were more 30" fish than Ive seen in a while, most all active.  High bank made it easy to cast all the way across to feeders and leverage them in on the noodle.  Anyone who says carp dont jump have never drilled the hook into one in 15" of water.  Ive fished a lot of lakes and streams for carp and Chartiers never ceases to amaze me.  Almost a world class sight fishery outside of the great lakes shorelines.  Making long casts to big fish on big wide flats, light line, and a nasty bend in the noodle rod.  Damn fun.  Switching it up to WV bass tomorrow. 



burghwolfe -> RE: spring carp is on! (4/19/2008 9:33:17 PM)

Joebaker79,
Chartiers creek has quite a bit of acid mine drainage problems correct? I know there is a really nasty spot near Thoms Run Road. Am I correct in assuming that the pH just doesn't bother the carp population? i didn't realize that Chartiers Creek held such a population of nice carp. Maybe this will be the reason that I actually get my butt out there to check out the creek.



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