where are some good places in the metro west area to fish for carp? and what is a good (and legal) bait to use? also, is it a matter of letting the bait sit on the bottom and just wait? does it get boring, lol.
never focused on carp before, but would like to give it a try to have some catching some bigger fish.
never focused on carp before, but would like to give it a try to have some catching some bigger fish.
come to waltham some night after work ralph, i have some old hot spots i used to go to in the past. on the charles.
i have and will always use good old fashioned wonder bread no crust . just a doughball on the bottom.
some use swim feeders 3-4 feet above the bait to draw them in and iv'e seen some float bait from the bottom.
we'll go i haven't been in a long time either.
i have and will always use good old fashioned wonder bread no crust . just a doughball on the bottom.
some use swim feeders 3-4 feet above the bait to draw them in and iv'e seen some float bait from the bottom.
we'll go i haven't been in a long time either.
I agree with Johnny, every carp I've caught has been on white bread, no crust balled up around the hook. We used to use frozen corn for chumming around the area, and putting a dab of vanilla extract on the bread ball to get some more scent on it. Not sure if that stuff actually helped, but I was never shut-out when I went carp fishing.
As for boredom...I usually bring along a couple of Vitamin P's
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/files/2010/08/pabst-blue-ribbon.jpg
As for boredom...I usually bring along a couple of Vitamin P's
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/files/2010/08/pabst-blue-ribbon.jpg
All the rivers have carp as well as most ponds and lakes except for the cape. The charles has carp everywhere but rarely exceed 20 lbs. Don't believe the bs stories of 30's. A lot of people see a 15 and think it's a 30 LOL. If you want a carp over 20 best chance is the merrimack from Lowell to the mouth of the river. The biggest carp are in tidal areas.
i'm familiar with that pond in millis - and I'll take you up on the waltham offer johnny. i think it would be cool for nicholas (and myself) to experience catching something bigger than 3 lbs, lol. i used to catch large salmon as a kid, but nothing really big since then.
what size / type of hook works the best with bread? also, (dumb question) do you put the weight at the hook to keep it on the bottom?
what size / type of hook works the best with bread? also, (dumb question) do you put the weight at the hook to keep it on the bottom?
I havent caught a carp in a long,long time but I grew up in Dedham and the charles and mother brook was always full of big carp.We would always use wonderbread balls on the bottom,no weight just cast the ball,or we would toss some bread out floating like you were feeding ducks and in no time the carp would be sucking the bread in.The biggest one I saw caught was by a friend and it went 28lbs.He entered it in the Tropicland Marina Derby.Not sure if that shop even exists anymore.Sprague pond in Dedham also is full of huge carp and back then atleast hardly anyone fished there.The Echo bridge stretch of the charles in Needham is a good spot as well.Indian lake in worcester is full of mirror carp also.
what size / type of hook works the best with bread? also, (dumb question) do you put the weight at the hook to keep it on the bottom?
I don't really know sizes of hooks, just go by what looks right and when I have questions, I go look at the wrapper or box, haha. I usually use regular long shank (not an offset worm hook) hooks about the size of a hook you would use for a 4" or 5" senko...Carp have small mouths. The rigs we used had a triple swivel....one to the main line and the other 2 with a 12-18" leader, one with the hook, the other with a big weight, 1oz or so.
Good Luck, they're a lot of fun once you find them!
Please don't use the triple swivels guys. Many anglers like to chase big fish..many anglers do not have a clue when doing so. Triple swivels create a "death rig" when a carp is hooked and the line is snapped. Leaving the carp to drag the weight around with no way of getting rid of it.
I have been carp fishing for years...in that time I have seen many dead fish, many beaten up fish, many deformed and diseased fish...a vast majority of which from bad angling practices. Too many people view them as trash fish and sadly do not give them any consideration when fishing catch and release. Bad fish care, handling and rigs will damage a fishery, any fishery be it bass, trout, carp, salmon etc.
I am all for people learning to carp fish, in fact you will notice through my posts as this and bedlem I fully support it. Only please use a bit of care and respect for these great fish.
I have posted a tutorial on the hair rig. (found here: http://www.mafishfinder.com/phpBB2/basic-hair-rig-t1658.html )
This is by far the best and safest hook set-up to use. Carp like to suck things in and the hair allows them to do so without putting the hook in their throat.
Also a basic rig and the only one really needed is a 15 pound mainline, with a sliding 1-2 oz weight depending on current and a hair rig. It should look like this:
If you really want to learn about carp fishing I would love to talk more and even meet up to do some fishing sometime. I love the sport and love to share it, but I am also a big advocate of good fish care and maintaining healthy fisheries. I will be working on the new video over the weekend...I did the first session yesterday and sadly had to document 3 badly beaten up fish, one with a treble hook embedded in it's throat, tying it's stomach halfway shut. All I ask is that those looking to carp fish, take a few moments to learn some practices as these fish are big, hardy yes, but not like handling your typical 2-5 pound fish.
For me info check out our site www.blackstonecarp.com , as well as pics and videos
you can contact me here, on that site or via my email erik@blackstonecarp.com. I really do like to fish and for anyone looking to learn about it I am always willing to talk or hit the banks.
I have been carp fishing for years...in that time I have seen many dead fish, many beaten up fish, many deformed and diseased fish...a vast majority of which from bad angling practices. Too many people view them as trash fish and sadly do not give them any consideration when fishing catch and release. Bad fish care, handling and rigs will damage a fishery, any fishery be it bass, trout, carp, salmon etc.
I am all for people learning to carp fish, in fact you will notice through my posts as this and bedlem I fully support it. Only please use a bit of care and respect for these great fish.
I have posted a tutorial on the hair rig. (found here: http://www.mafishfinder.com/phpBB2/basic-hair-rig-t1658.html )
This is by far the best and safest hook set-up to use. Carp like to suck things in and the hair allows them to do so without putting the hook in their throat.
Also a basic rig and the only one really needed is a 15 pound mainline, with a sliding 1-2 oz weight depending on current and a hair rig. It should look like this:
If you really want to learn about carp fishing I would love to talk more and even meet up to do some fishing sometime. I love the sport and love to share it, but I am also a big advocate of good fish care and maintaining healthy fisheries. I will be working on the new video over the weekend...I did the first session yesterday and sadly had to document 3 badly beaten up fish, one with a treble hook embedded in it's throat, tying it's stomach halfway shut. All I ask is that those looking to carp fish, take a few moments to learn some practices as these fish are big, hardy yes, but not like handling your typical 2-5 pound fish.
For me info check out our site www.blackstonecarp.com , as well as pics and videos
you can contact me here, on that site or via my email erik@blackstonecarp.com. I really do like to fish and for anyone looking to learn about it I am always willing to talk or hit the banks.
Thanks for the input Erik, from that pic, the rig looks kinda like a carolina rig? is that correct? seems easier than the triple swivel anyways...
Yes it is basically the same set-up. There are more complicated rigs out there, but I've found most waters here they aren't needed. Most carp will suck in many things then eject what they don't want to eat. The hair rig works simply by embedding the hook in the lips when the carp ejects the food..all too late realizing the trap. It is quite genius really, I wish I had come up with it
haha
Also fish a loose drag or open bail...while carp are not acrobatic, they can, and will, run hard and fast.