Carp central

[dreamcatcher]

I thought I would start a thread here about the wondrous carp, and what better way to do it than with a couple of photos. I don't know about you guys, but I love catching carp! I especially like doing it on lighter, more responsive gear, but they will tax the heavy stuff too. They are another one of the so-called trash fish, but they are deserving of more respect than that! They are outstanding fighters, pretty smart(unless they are starving), make good cut bait, and are outstanding table fare! Yes, they are good to eat, AND they are good for you! Like Sparky says, cold water fish and hot grease is an unbeatable combination (he wasn't referring to carp when he said it, but the same rule applies ROTFLOL)!

Here's one I caught yesterday with my three year old. The fish bit a 5/0 circle hook on a three-way rig in heavy current. 13 and a half pounds was the weight on the fish. My largest fish of the year so far, and four pounds off my personal best of 17. I was going to keep it, but I wasn't in the mood to clean any fish. The next time, if there is a next time I will be having me some carp fillets. Does anybody know why they bleed like they do?

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g85/dreamcatcher3/Maycarp.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g85/dreamcatcher3/13andonehalf.jpg

[Fatkat]

Nice looking Carp! Almost as big as your sidekick, lol. They are alot of fun to catch, great fighters. :smile2:

[dreamcatcher]

Yeah, he didn't want any part of that fish...ROTFLOL!!!!

[Scott Daw]

i hooked a big carp on fly rod once accidently on purpose. man he spooled me quick before my 4x tippet snapped

[jholl949]

Hey, Vic!!
You left the price tag on that thing!! LOL

[dreamcatcher]

Hey, Vic!!
You left the price tag on that thing!! LOL


Yeah, I know Mike. That's how they come when you get them out of the fish truck! ROTFLOL!

[field989]

what did u use for bait,

i got this berkely(i think it is) and it is this corn stuff(like a dough bait) and it smells like creamed corn, and it has a picture of a carp on it lol
think it will work?

[Deltalover]

That sure looks like a nice place to fish! Nice catch! You have any special ways of cooking them?

[dreamcatcher]

what did u use for bait,

i got this berkely(i think it is) and it is this corn stuff(like a dough bait) and it smells like creamed corn, and it has a picture of a carp on it lol
think it will work?

Yes, I know the stuff you use from Berkley. I bought some of it last year, but didn't get a bite. LOL. When I fish specifically for carp I use whole kernel corn. I take a couple of handfuls and chum the area in front of my bank spot when I'm fishing a small stream. It will usually get me a couple of fish...

Yesterday's fish was caught using green nightcrawlers fishing for channels...

[dreamcatcher]

That sure looks like a nice place to fish! Nice catch! You have any special ways of cooking them?

Phillip it is a decent spot to fish. You wouldn't believe all the species of fish that are in that one section. People come down there to fish for walleye, cats, tiger muskies, and bluegill. As for cooking carp, I have no special way, but I'm told that smoked is the best way to eat them. I have had them fried as a kid and it was delicious.

[Deltalover]

When I was a kid my dad use to bake them with onions and tomatoes and it wasnt bad! They are quite a prize by many of the different cultures that fish our waters! Then, also there are the ones that just throw them on the bank to die :angry: I release mine unharmed these days!

[Derick]

so i was talking to a buddy of mine that used to live around where i do now, he was telling me about this pond, which is seconds from my place, where he used to fly fish for carp, so a couple of days i went out and managed to hook up with the fish in the photo, (if this link works, first time posting a pic) i went out tonight and only got one on but was unable to land it. hopefully i will be able to post some more photos soon!


http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/dlrich21/HPIM0532.jpg

[Sparky Larson]

Nice photo Derick! To some folks, it a lonely carp. To others, it is a worthy opponent.
Vic say, "fishing is fishing, all that swims in the water, deserves to go back in unless you are in the mood to clean it for table fare".
You live in a good area to catch some cats. So, go out there with some cut bait, shimp, crawlers, or any other bait of choice and get some photos of some cats.
Line yourself up with jross, he'll help you out.
Maybe, we can set a date, and all get down your way. to fish and meet one another.
Sparky

[hear_kitty]

Vic nice to see that you and your son got to spend some time fishing! And as far as him not wanting nothing to do with it in two or three years he will be trying to jump in and grab them for ya.

[dreamcatcher]

Derick, that is a great photo. Looks like one of those spots where you can pack the cooler on a 75 degree day with your favorite lounge chair, and totally relax. Beautiful scenery...

[dreamcatcher]

Vic nice to see that you and your son got to spend some time fishing! And as far as him not wanting nothing to do with it in two or three years he will be trying to jump in and grab them for ya.

That's what I'm hoping for Don...LOL

[dreamcatcher]

When I was a kid my dad use to bake them with onions and tomatoes and it wasnt bad! They are quite a prize by many of the different cultures that fish our waters! Then, also there are the ones that just throw them on the bank to die :angry: I release mine unharmed these days!

Phillip, it's hard for me to deal with any fish that's rotting on the bank, especially one that I could have eaten! I even throw goby minnows back in the water, but they are usually attached to a circle hook! ROTFLOL!!! The next carp I catch will be table fare unless I catch it too late into the summer. I'll let you know how it is...

[dreamcatcher]

Hey guys, I had a conversation with Don Lambert over the weekend about a carp spearing contest they were holding outside the Bay City area. Don can give you better details because he saw it first hand, but what he told me just isn't right. They were filling up 55 gallon drums with carp, dogfish,(and a few catfish bit the dust). I guess the contest was built around who could get the most weight?!?! The prize money was a couple hundred bucks, and afterwards these fish are just thrown out to rot!!!!:choler: :choler: :choler:

Now, I realize that many of us view carp as a "trash" fish, with much of this sentiment coming from the propoganda that surrounds other "more prized" species.

THESE FISH ARE NOT TRASH!!!! Here's a couple of reasons why:

(1) Although carp is an undesirable on the dinner plate in this country they maintain delicacy status in many countries around the world. Now ask yourself why this is the case. Do you think carp have achieved this status because of their bad taste? The taste of the flesh is not an acquired one, it is a taste that you should acquire. Don't fall prey to all this talk about a "mud vein." As brother Sparky would state, "There is no real magic about cleaning this fish." Cut away the reddish, brown meat from the top layer, and go about your business in preparing it like anything else. If you type "carp recipes" you will get many sites that give you different ways that you can prepare the fish...Don't fall prey to this propoganda!!! Carp is not only good to eat, but it's good for you. Some studies have shown that it's even better for you than catfish, for those of you that eat cats. It carries a little more fat than a cat, but it's higher in protein if I'm not mistaken. In these trying economic times you can't fall prey to heresay. Don't dismiss a valuable food source if you haven't personally tried it.

(2) The sporting quality of this fish on light to medium tackle is second to none!!! Why would you spear them when you can test your angling skills in an attempt to catch a monster carp on a #2, 4, or 6 hook? Carp are some of the smartest fish in freshwater, so landing a real trophy carp on rod and reel is no easy task. You would have better luck landing a monster cat in comparison. However, anybody can spear a fish that's swimming just below the surface in shallow water. Let me fair here in regards to the spearing if that's your flavor. If you're going to make good use of the fish, spear it. That's as fair as I can get...

(3) Lastly, if you don't want to eat it or target them on rod and reel, spear the fish and use it as cutbait for catfish. They bleed profusely, produce more oil than a bluegill, and they give you larger chunks of flesh to put on your hook. CATFISH LOVE CUT OR LIVE CARP.

What am I missing? I just can't see filling up barrels of fish just to let them rot. What is the value in that?

Does this type of activity go on where you live? If so, what is the reasoning that supports these events? Please give me a counter argument, because I'm not seeing the big picture here...

[teaysvalleyguy]

Vic that is not right brother. Sorry to hear about that in your home waters. I am very much a CPR advicator if you are not gonna eat it. Sad to hear.

[sal_jr]

Don got me on the nextel 2-way sunday night and told me about it too. I told him to call the DNR immediately and he said they were there already! And they were not doing anything about it!

I told him to call the local news- Channel 12, channel 25.... get the local treehuggers into the frey and watch the crapstorm unfold.
Why not- the so-called fishermen are wasting our good name as stewards of the water... as good conservationists. As good men and women- as good fishermen.

I figure that with the naiive public seeing barrels of dead carp dumped on the roadside, perhaps there will be enough outrage to create steeper fines for dumping or to discourage these guys from doing it.

Heck- go after the tourney director- see WHO got the money, what charity it is for, or if they went through the proper channels to secure a fundraiser or tournament with permits and such.

To me this is a waste. Carp are a great catch. I dont eat them personally, but maybe Ill have to give one a try. I have always just let them go when I got them.

HEY DON...

How did you do with your boy this weekend... You never got back to me? Where is the success story!?!?!?

[dreamcatcher]

Here's a link that deals with various recipes...

[dreamcatcher]

Let me try that again :)

http://www.idfishnhunt.com/eatcarp.htm

[hear_kitty]

Well this is the report me and my family went to quanicassee and spent the weakend at vanderbuilt park had a real nice time! 43 cats from two to ten pounds 17 carp from one to twenty pounds 5 dogfish from three to seven pounds two walleys four and seven pounds! there are fish every ware rite now the carp dogfish and gar and cats are on the spawn rite now! these guys up there shooting carp dogfish gar with bows are killing and i dont think this is any exaggeration fish buy the thousands to win a few hunderd dollars and this gos on every year i seen some carp that were thirty pounds if they were a pound what is the sport in this? I think this is a huge waste! If they want a contest biggest carp on four or six pound test on an ulralight rod and reel with no net!! now that is something to be proud of!!!!!!!! I would have took some pics of the fish that were shot but someone forgot to charge up the batts in the camera:beat_shot:

[sal_jr]

Don,

That pic better be on your wall next time Elena and I come out and visit, brother. What a heck of a great way to get the kid hooked! That's a dandy!

See vic- even the kid is outdoing us. We've got the curse of the frogwater fish: Sheepshead and dawgs!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll_eyes:

[hear_kitty]

I forgot the sheepheads to many to count if those flatties like sheephead there must be a lot of them in there glorie! went to the saginaw river could not throw a line in without a sheephead hitting

[dreamcatcher]

Those are some great pics Don. I especially liked the raccoon peeking behind the tree. LOL. What is it with fishing up there that's different than here? LOL.
I have been fishing for four nights in a row, and haven't even experienced a nibble. Fish kill? It still isn't going to stop me from going...

Sal, kids and women have a way of outdoing you every time. LOL. I think it's God's way of rewarding them for their lack of patience...

[hear_kitty]

vic what is up with the fince how deep is the water how do ya get the fish over it do you see the carp or here them rolling and other fish what is the water temp and !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sparky Larson]

I forgot the sheepheads to many to count if those flatties like sheephead there must be a lot of them in there glorie! went to the saginaw river could not throw a line in without a sheephead hitting

Those are great photos Don. It looks like your son is in his glory.

[hear_kitty]

A fine catfishing boy comming of age this is the next generation of catfishermen of our time!! and i hope it lasts for ever good luck my friend and son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dreamcatcher]

I just recently spoke to a fisheries biologist out of the Bay City office regarding these carp kills. In a nutshell, the fish out of the Saginaw Bay area contain high levels of PCB. Carp carry the highest level of these chemicals because of the fat they possess. The safe limit for PCB consumption is 2 parts per million(don't ask me to break that down in layman's terms). Carp supposedly exceed this limit by far, hence the abstinence for using it as a possible food soure. That was never a consideration anyway, because most people in the country prefer not to eat carp. This leaves one other option, which is not an option really, and that is to use it as fertilizer. The only thing that accomplishes is ingesting the chemicals in some fruit or vegetable form, unless the science states that the chemicals are synthesized in some way from the decomposed fish to the ripened crop. What do you say about this Kelly? You're the cell man here. In light of that fact, the biologist told me that the final resting place for a large portion of these fish are on someone's dump site. This is quite the dilemma, because the real answer rest not in the fish itself, but the contamination of the waters. That's another battle in itself, and the one that must be fought first...

The guy that I spoke to was very helpful with his information, and gave me a little history lesson on carp introduction. According to him, these fish were introduced to the United States in the 1800's to provide a cheap food source that was high in protein. This importing was a movement that was heavily backed by the politicians on Capitol Hill. These congressmen were involved in the transportation of these fish all over the country, so the breeding process could begin in earnest, and boy did it take off! In his words, carp make rabbits appear celibate in comparison! You all may know that one female can lay up to 3 million eggs, so his stance was that I shouldn't worry about what the archers take out of the waters. In those days, there was a favorable market for the new species, especially in the Jewish community. The funny thing about that is we already had a high protein food source here with the catfish, but catfish then was not the market giant it is today. The Jewish community eventually turned away from carp as a viable choice , and opted for whitefish instead. Once this happened, a once burgeoning market began to wane, and carp is where it is today - shunned by many, and only desirable to a very small niche market.

He did confirm my take that carp is a valuable food source, but you should check your local advisories for consumption levels. One to two pound carp are the most desirable for eating if you can find them in that size. As I informed him there is an education process that needs to start with these fish, because people need to stop killing them with extreme prejudice. The sad part about the fish kill is that the sentiment passes on to waters where the consumption is safe, which is where my soapbox is located. He told me that he enjoyed the conversation because not many people call him concerning the carp/catfish/dogfish population, but instead are swamping him with walleye questions. He also said that the fish kills have been going on since before he could remember, and that is the way the fishing laws have been since 1929.

"The way it's always been" my favorite cop-out phrase...

What are your thoughts?


P.S. Some other tidbits:

Flatheads are in the Bay and surrounding tributaries, but they are like looking for a needle in a haystack, or you just need to be educated on where to find them based on the structure they like. I like the options of the latter over the former

Wixom Lake holds large channel cats without a doubt. So does Sanford, Holloway and Mott Reservoirs...

The limit of why we can only fish with two rods is wrapped up in how many fish the waters around here and other states above the Mason Dixon line will give up. According to the biologist there are simply more fish to be had down south. Man, if that's the case why do I get skunked each time I go there? ROTFLOL. He also jokingly asked me, "You only have two hands right?" He obviously isn't tied into the law of averages. LOL. Great guy to talk to if you need some of that "nice to know" info. Give him a call at the Bay City office. His name is Jim Baker...

[hear_kitty]

CRAP SLIDES DOWN HILL! The answer that everyone is looking for is I DONT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THEY DONT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Derick]

i am really dissappointed to hear about the carp shoot, but am glad that vic brought it to our attention. i have personally never eaten carp, but i cant see justifing carp killing with the excuse that they taste bad, thats just horrible. i have been going "carp fishing" about twice a week at that pond in the picture in this thread, they are smart fish, a challenge, and loads of fun to catch, so much so that i cant stop going after the golden beauties, lol! its a shame to hear about the shoot though.