Late winter carping has begun

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joebaker79
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2009/03/05 11:06:11 (permalink)

Late winter carping has begun

A few weeks back when we had the last warmup I found about 50-60 carp at my local spot getting ready for spring spawning already.  Put 4 on the bank on corn...couldn't get any crawlers.  Tried some san juan worms and even yellow crystal meth but they were only taking the corn.  2 were 8-9 lb fish.  Taking a weekend off from Erie this weekend as we have some wedding events going on....but Saturday AM is looking reallly good.  My guess is fish will be feeding heavily.  Anyone else been stalking any yet?
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    D-nymph
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 12:02:25 (permalink)
    Scouting, not yet stalking for some new fly rod spots.  I think they may be in the same area as you have talked about in the past.  Maybe some Fishing Saturday afternoon.
    #2
    PghSmallie
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 13:15:28 (permalink)
    No kidding?  I think I have a decent spot for carp on a fly rod, too.  But I just assumed that it was way too early for carp.  I was looking through the Carp & Catfish Fishing hoping to get some ideas for fly fishing for carp.  I think I'll do some scouting myself.  Any flies work better than others?
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    D-nymph
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 13:40:10 (permalink)
    Yea, no kidding.  I don't have much experience with them, but have caught a few.  lighter flies, without too much lead, wooly buggers, etc.  Impressionistic flies that look a little bit like alot of things, but not exactly like anything, if you know what I mean.  Bigger rubber leg nymphs, crawfish patterns, big white glo bugs, etc.  The stealthy approach and quality cast is more important than the fly, I think.
     
    It might be early, but I need to get out for a few hours, and I don't have the time this weekend for central PA trout.
    #4
    joebaker79
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 13:57:40 (permalink)
    I noodle rod them so I will always throw crawlers before anything from now till summer.  They vaccuum them up like crazy when stalking them and that's what I'm after.  From now till June it's the best time to get fish in the 10-15 lb range.  In the summer you will have trouble finding bigger ones actively feeding except after a good rain event when seemingly all the giants come out to play.  I chum corn only when there is a good group that is not moving....like now when its still a bit cold.  This weekend will be a feeding frenzy with the water warming up good.  I have done well on anything white or yellow, imitating seeds or vegetation.  San Juan worms work good.  Mostly its about  finding feeding fish....present something delicately that even resembles what they like to eat and you're in business. 
     
    As for location I find new ones every year.  I know spots from Washington to almost Carnegie but there are stretches I have never even hit in between there.  8 years ago I moved here, started at a bridge, and went from there.  Some spots are a hike, others are not.  Either way, its the best fishing I've got within a 5 min drive.  I started doing this type of stalking for carp on Slippery Rock Creek in college.  When getting spooled by a 15+ lb carp on a trout ultralight I quickly learned I was going after the wrong fish.  I went back the next day with a better setup and a bag of doughballs and crawlers.  The rest is history.  I don't care what I catch them on as long as I am going up and down a creek looking for active fish and casting to them. 
     
    I would imagine some real hawg river run fish come into Chartiers towards the mouth in the spring but I've never tried.  There are some monsters below Heidelberg **** that are very catchable with the right amount of chumming.  I'm not a huge fan of hiking down somewhere to land a fish though it is fun to watch them from above take your bait. 
    #5
    jolie
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 15:42:21 (permalink)
    Yep, I'm carpin' too... carp have been more active these last few weeks.  after hours skunked looking for walleye/pike and other fish not quite ready to wake up... I'm looking for some action.
     
    a few carp gave me the fin the other day, and made me realize that at least under clear, cold conditions- it was going to take stealth and skill to catch.  tight lines, Jason
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    accordbw
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 21:18:05 (permalink)
    Never fly fished for them but my friend is big into it. Taking a simple piece of yellow foam and imitating corn works wonders for fly fishing as well. Chumming for carp can really increase your chances. The key is not too much but small amounts every so often. You will bring more and more carp into your area over a period of time and they will begin feeding less cautiously. We will probably be having another carp fishing get together at shawnee if any of you are interested this spring or if anyone just wants to learn more about fishing for carp just shoot me a pm.
    #7
    pheasant tail 2
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/05 23:20:32 (permalink)
    I have not yet been out carpin, I did someone fishing Chartiers Creek near the Iceoplex at Southpointe recently.
     
    PT 
    #8
    Mountian Man
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/06 00:04:56 (permalink)
    This year started carpin' since middle of Febuary

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    Veni Vidi Vici...
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    joebaker79
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/06 08:45:21 (permalink)
    The stretch behind the Iceoplex used to hold huge numbers of fish and I fished them for years. Probably caught them all once or twice. You'll find some fish there but it no longer seems to hold really large groups. Few here, few there. I've moved on to some stretches that hold grotesque populations. It seems to change every few years. I'll be going out today on a long lunch hour while working from home. Also found a new stretch yesterday I never even considered.
    #10
    pacarper
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/06 13:16:39 (permalink)
    For those that haven't seen these, check out these recent interesting underwater videos of carp:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46BAo4EedFo
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SqfccahqvU

    These were recorded way up north in the dead of winter, proof that carp are active and can be caught year round, although it can be difficult.  The trick is finding them in cold weather and that's not often easy, but a camera can help as seen in the videos.
    Now with it warming up some, catching them should start to become a little easier. 
    #11
    joebaker79
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/06 15:35:31 (permalink)
    I have caught carp in every month of the year. Some days are tougher than others....but finding them is more than half the battle. Find where they are grouped up than its just a matter of getting them to bite. A sunny afternoon even in freezing temps helps...and maybe some chumming.

    Today I caught 5 on my lunch hour with mostly all bruisers. I only fished an hour and it was not hard fishing. Many fish actively feeding. Saw one fish well past 30" but could not get him to take. Others took readily with the right placement. Broke the drag in on a new reel. Tomorrow will be even better.
    #12
    Mountian Man
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/07 03:48:56 (permalink)
    Need to catch one in January then I caught a carp every month.

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    #13
    joebaker79
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/07 14:02:03 (permalink)
    Killed em today. Every fish I saw was feeding. Easy fishing. Most fish 5-9 lbs with one at 10. Some fish were even starting to move upstream through quicker water. Fish now will pretty much eat anything you get in front of them without spooking them.
    #14
    D-nymph
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/09 09:03:24 (permalink)
    Skunked Saturday afternoon.  Saw 2 fish from far away, spooked them.
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    Loomis
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/09 20:38:41 (permalink)
    smashed em this sunday as well,  5 on the fly in 2 hrs.
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    2Bonthewater
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    RE: Late winter carping has begun 2009/03/10 10:23:58 (permalink)
    I missed a trip to the TULLY last weekend..........planned to be carp fishing.......maybe this weekend........for the past two years, I have hammered the fish in March.........they line up like soldiers........on their spawn run.....it is like fishing for steelhead............fun as all hell..................sometimes, life just gets in the way..........

    www.2bonthewater.com
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