Any tips on catching carp in a river?

[MikeStaten]

Never fished for or caught a carp before.   However I saw a couple of big ones by my house on the river and figured my kids would get a kick out of catching that big a fish.  Any tips on rigs and bait to use for them?

[Buckeyes11]

Soak some corn in vanilla extract or strawberry jello. Chum the area couple of hours before u go.  Use a octopus style Gamakatsu with a barrel swivel and a small sliding egg sinker. 

[electricstart]

Can corn works  or what Buckeye said . 

[bucky]

Make some corn meal, you can add grape jelly, mulberrys, etc  Tip: open your bail and put a small stone on the line so when they pick the bait up you don't lose your rod and reel because they usually suck the bait up and run 

[Shug]

Aim low

[FishNHard]

caught 3 the other day after work at Deal lake this was the biggest i used just sweet whole cornel  corn.  my friend and i have caught them up to 20lbs in that lake ,both of us have got spooled a few times  lots of big cat fish to. It is definitely an over looked lake.

[Bucksnbows]

1 hour ago, MikeStaten said:

Never fished for or caught a carp before.   However I saw a couple of big ones by my house on the river and figured my kids would get a kick out of catching that big a fish.  Any tips on rigs and bait to use for them?

Rubber legged flies bounced lightly along the bottom as you strip back softly. But for the kids with spin gear, corn is great and I’d think a gob of worms may also do the trick. 

[jumpthestring]

Even wonder bread works.

[hammer4reel]

Hard corn boiled with strawberry jello mix  . Chum ahead of time , the scent slick really brings them in .

.find a mulberry tree dropping into the river , and use them .

like fishing in a hatchery .

there are also a few mulberry baits made for them .…

 

.

[MGHunter66]

Cornmeal with lemon extract, there is no equal. Then pound a couple of bell sinkers flat, put a barrel swivel on the line so it slides. Cast it where you see them cruising and that flat bell will stick where you cast it. Have fun

[MikeStaten]

Got one on corn.   My five year old had quite a fight with this one. 

[Kype]

canned corn. bread balls. or you can make your own. there are recipes all over the internet. 

i have caught my fair share of carp. and i found whatever you use,fly or bait, use a hook that will face UP once its landed on the river bed. your hook up percentage will greatly increase. 

scope the river out. look for them with good polarized sunglasses. look for mudd stirring up etc. carp are everywhere. i have found april and may are the best times to constantly catch them, summer it gets a little bit slow. and fall youll catch the bigger ones more often then the spring. 

[Buckeyes11]

1 hour ago, MGHunter66 said:

Cornmeal with lemon extract, there is no equal. Then pound a couple of bell sinkers flat, put a barrel swivel on the line so it slides. Cast it where you see them cruising and that flat bell will stick where you cast it. Have fun

I’ve used. Vanilla. Garlic. Anise. In my corneal dough baits. Never used lemon. Def gonna try it!!

[Gunsmoke]

3 hours ago, hammer4reel said:

Hard corn boiled with strawberry jello mix  . Chum ahead of time , the scent slick really brings them in .

.find a mulberry tree dropping into the river , and use them .

like fishing in a hatchery .

there are also a few mulberry baits made for them .…

 

.

 

I've done that and it works great.  Took my two girls when they were young after only fishing for Sunnies and took them for carp without telling them how much larger the carp are.  That went over well.  In my area around June 20th is prime.

[hunterbob1]

If you haven't seen them in the river before and you're seeing them now that's because it's the start of their spawn.

An underrated fighting fish when they got room  lighten that drag  they will run up and down that River.

Congratulations to your little man on his first, good going dad, sister's turn next

 

Edited May 28, 2022 by hunterbob1