How many people have had luck using live carp?

[AZflats]

I am new to this, I have always used gills of various sizes when seaking flatheads. But recently have switched to baiting up with live carp on most of my rigs.

Who is currently using carp, and what sizes have you had success with?
~ Also, I fish for them in the afternoon with corn. What methods of catching them does everyone else use?
Thanks!

[channelcat_tracker]

yea i have success with live carp. the weight ranges from about 1 to 3 pounds. just crack the shell of the carp and set it out. most likely a hungry flatty will be in the area and give the bait a whirl. well i have to tell you that i dont catch too many carp yet i see a BUNCH of them carp!

[katfishhunter]

Hey those asian carp, or as we call them them jumping carp, is some of the best bait, live or cut, for blues and channels. Havent really got into the flat fishing. Dont know if you have them where you are or not but they are easy to get here, a real pain in the, if ya no what i mean. If you can find the small 3-6 inchers they are the best but any size cut up will do.

[AZrivercat]

I havent used too many yet, but like you I am starting too. Corn is my favorite way to catch them, I like to chum with most of the can and then save an inch or so for bait. Ive also caught alot of them on bread and worms, and even some on liver, shrimp, cut bait, and lures. Corn is the ticket though especially for smaller ones. I like to use as light of tackle as possible. They bite well at night too.

[AZflats]

Last week, I caught a 6lb flattie on a 12 inch carp. The bait was more than half the length as the cat...
~ I am convinced it does not matter how big the carp is... I mean who really wants to catch a fish that can't eat a 4 lb carp?? 12/0 big river hooks are big enough to bait up a large fish.

[tdpasser]

I'vs only gotten runs on chunk carp but I know it's only a matter of time for a live one to be taken. I don't use the 2-3lb carp because they seem too big but maybe your right about them bigger cats wolfing them down. It's getting harder and harder to get the little guys I think the babys are getting bigger. I know the carp meat put out a good sent because of the oily meat. I heard with chunk if you don't get bites in a while you can trim egdes of the chunk to allow for fresh sent with the same piece of bait.

[catfishjohn]

I've done pretty good this year on small(2-4") Israeli carp.They seem to stay alive for awhile and bleed a lot.

[AZflats]

Fished Bartlett last night: Only got one flatty and several channels.
* Big Flatt though.... 19lb.
~ Got him on a 12" common carp early in the evening.
~ Rig: 100lb power pro, 80lb mono leader, 12/0 big river, steel leader to 6/0 octopus stinger hook.

~ I was convinced this was my biggest flatt yet. Weighed him in the morning, ended up being under what I thought he was...

Picture attached..

* Had three other runs that night, missed 'em all..

Good times!

[tdpasser]

Thought I'd add the thread with the 11lber caught on a very bloody gill section on Monday night.

[Zonaman]

I'm going to try Bartlett this weekend and this carp thing has me intrigued but I've never fished specifically for them. I've got may corn, little trebble hooks, and shot. Do you fish carp on the bottom or suspended? What type of bottom and structure do I find them in? Apprecaite any advice.

[AZflats]

Carp are everywhere. Try coves. you will do alright.
Take care!

[SilencedMajority]

For carp, try the back or mouth of little coves. I bring two cans of corn and I toss one in, and about half of the other can in, to chum a small spot. There will be carp all around for hours. I just throw my cast net right on top of my chum spot and I'll pull out anything there. Or you can use an ultralight rig with a couple pieces of corn on a small hook to pull em out.

[Tym2Fish]

I'm going to try Bartlett this weekend and this carp thing has me intrigued but I've never fished specifically for them. I've got may corn, little trebble hooks, and shot. Do you fish carp on the bottom or suspended? What type of bottom and structure do I find them in? Apprecaite any advice.
You can chum for them using corn. Crumbled up bread works to put the scent in the water. I use no weight and fish on soft bottom with a piece of wadded up bread as bait. I also leave the bail open so that the pole doesnt become a projectile into the water. Fun as heck and easy to catch. A great way to get kids started if they are tired of the small blue gill thing.

[TIM HAGAN]

I have used live carp for sometime mostly in the summer & fall. When most all the herring and shad have moved out the carp seem to stay around the mud flat. And they seem to work great for the big blues i just had a 30.28 and 24 staurday nite off carp.

[thunderchicken]

I have used carp minnows for a long time and have had good luck with them. If you don't have time or the patience to catch them yourself some baitshops sell them. I prefer the larger ones so the little guys don't pester you trying to run off with it. The 3 to 5 inch ones seem to work good. I caught my biggest fish ever on one of them, a 42 pound flat although it was years ago. I'm sure it still works as well. Any live bait similar in size to a bluegill will get bit. Good luck to ya.
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