spring carp
 

so carp is one of the most recent fish that i've trying learning to target successfully. I've done ok and have some decent spots but i'm still hunting for that lunker! anyway, i saw what appeared to be some active fish recently and i've been told that spring is the best time to carp fish. I've done well other times with corn but these carp wouldn't touch the corn!

bottom line...carp masters...point me in the direction of some early spring cold, but warming water carp baits, please :confused:

thanks in advance.

Re: spring carp
 

I went through this last year and I found the most success with puffed corn with vanilla extract on the hooks after I chum with old fashioned oats and creamed corn on the lead. Once we got into summer plain sweet corn and pizza dough with sugar did better. I'm no expert but have caught a lot of fish since I've figured it out..

Re: spring carp
 

Just chum with straight oatmeal? I too myself have started targeting carp, I appreciate the insight man:cool:

Re: spring carp
 

Got twelve minutes to catch ten carp?....pm sent

Re: spring carp
 

No you mix the oaks with creamed corn and make a mixture

Re: spring carp
 

what do you mean by puffed corn? like popped corn?

Re: spring carp
 

I would always see these two old timers fishing for carp in the Hackensack river by the FDU campus parking lot. They would always catch big carp and they told me that their secret was putting duck sauce from the Chinese packets on the dough balls. I wouldn't have believe them until I actually saw it.

Re: spring carp
 

I fished a lot for carp in the Passaic as a kid. In cold water during the fall, winter and early spring, I caught fish on worms. When the water warmed up I would have success with corn. Fish always seem to be most active in the river after a rain when the water levels rose. Good luck!

Re: spring carp
 

It's a cereal. Don't know the brand off the top of my head

Re: spring carp
 

Chrisper,

Not sure about the different baits at different times of year but as a kid my parents would take us to the Delaware River to fish for carp and did very well in a number of areas. Look for slower moving stretches with less current and mud banks. The bait we used was the same year round. A cup of corn meal, a tablespoon of sugar, a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract and a couple tablespoons of strawberry preservatives. Kneed it into a big dough ball and use quarter size amounts with as little weight as possible. We used that and straight corn kernels and caught a good amount of carp and some real monsters, 30 to 40 plus pounds. Most of our carp trips probably didn't start until June or July so maybe colder water requires a different bait but summer and colder water in fall the baits I mentioned were awesome.

Good luck. Carp fishing is a great sport. Many people I feel frown on them but a carp puts up a very respectable fight. I've never eaten any and don't plan on it regardless of where it's caught but I've enjoyed some absolutely incredible days on the Delaware catching real trophy fish. There are fish in the Delaware I'm sure which would challenge the state record, just have to put in your time.

Dakota