Charles river

markb · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject: Charles river

Two fish before dusk tonight from the Charles river in West Roxbury. This 14 lber is my personal best now. Bread ball on a hook, with a 2 oz sinker for casting distance.

sd2 · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:09 pm Post subject:

Nice one!

englishcarpman · Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:03 pm Post subject:

very nice mark, i take it you got a scale now eh?
im gonna upload the one i pulled out of Elm Bank Saturday
http://www.mafishfinder.com/view_photo_details.php?id=24911&pid=0

My 13yr old nephew took this pic so thats why its blurry LOL

markb · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject:

8.5 lbs. Right after this I caught a bullhead. Also dealt with about 10-15 dogs coming to the water.

smokecity · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject:

15lb 8oz same location as you!!!!! got a state pin for it!!

trophykayaker · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:30 pm Post subject:

@ mark - how do you make the breadball stay on the hook. I tried hotdogs on hook, but when I cast the line, the bait comes off the hook!

markb · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:03 am Post subject:

I use the $1 loaf white bread, pull of some and squeeze it into a ball. Then put it on the hook until the point just pokes through. I've reeled them in after twenty minutes in the water a couple of times and found them still solid on the hook.

scoobystas · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:34 pm Post subject:

do you "chum" the area first??? Like throw lots of bread balls in a section where you've decided to setup?

I wanna hook a nice carp, just for the 'action' of a larger fish. What sort of sections of a river do you look for? Should the water be on the calmer side or faster moving?

thanks

markb · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:52 pm Post subject:

I dont' bait the area. I'm fishing at a point where the river widens out, so I'm casting far out towards the channel. I did try using a method ball this time, and caught my first fish with it. That's just a mix of food balled up around the sinker. Sinker hits the water, bait gradually comes off and attracts the fish. Then they hit the hook-bait. My other fish have all been on a single bait.

Most of the Charles is pretty calm. If the water is moving, they like to be out of the current, but on the edge. Same as stripers really - they like to save energy and wait for bait to be carried to them. A spot where a stream flows into the river is good. They like structure, like a lot of fish. Sometimes they're right along the shore. Best thing to do is just find a fishable spot and give it a try. There's carp all through the Charles, so it's just a matter of time before they cruise through wherever you are.

scoobystas · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:08 pm Post subject:

great advice, thanks man. Do you use a hair rig or just cover the entire hook with the bait ball?

Also, I've never really done any bottom fishing. How soon do you set the hook...by the time you know a fish is on, has the carp already swallowed the hook?

I've read that the hair rig prevents them from swallowing the hook and they are usually hooked right in the lip.

Thanks.

markb · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:16 pm Post subject:

I've tried a hair rig a few times, but all my fish have been with a baited hook. I tie a leader to a barrel swivel, and hang a bank sinker on a barrel swivel on the other side of the barrel, so that the line can move through the swivel. I leave the draw loose, and when they pick it up and turn against the sinker, there's enough resistance to drive the hook. I pick up the rod when I see the line running and snug down the drag and start reeling. There's no setting the hook - it sets itself.

They use a bolt rig, with the sinker secured to the line, but that would leave the sinker trailing from the fish if the line broke off between the reel and the sinker. I use a three ounce sinker.

Carp will pick up the bait and blow it out again, and you wont' know it. You just have to wait for them to turn and run and hook themselves. There's a lot of good videos on Youtube.

blackstonecarp · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:26 am Post subject:

skoda · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:34 am Post subject:

yeah charles is a really good spot for carp -

@ kayak what i do is i use a trebble hook and wonderbread
stick one hand in the water - so its lil wet take the bread and fold it in your hand and lay the hook inside like a piece of ham then fold it over like u have a hot dog in - compress it really nice to a ball

untill u feel a lil pinch from the hooks - it will caste nicely and stay on it for at least 30 mins or two cast

and just have it sit there - fish will take it and start going off - dont try to set the hook or he will spit it out - u see hes on when ur rod bends 180 degress and the boat moves

last week i had my buddy see his 40 lbs line rip at charles while going for carp and it took him 10 mins to get the wtf of his face

so there is some huge monsters in there

trophykayaker · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:42 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your replies skoda & mark. I love this forum, as you guys share a lot of valuable experience. Now I gotta put that to use Laughing

weldinghank · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:51 pm Post subject:

yeah I usually just leave my drag nice and loose, and just listen for the buzz and your good to go.

I also like to use bread, but have started to use corn every now and again.