Carps? Cats? - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

KBFISHING · #1 05-16-2013, 07:48 PM

If I don't have time to do a big fishing trip, I usually go to Lake Creighton in Middlesex because it is not far. It is a small lake with dam at the end. I usually fish by the dam because I haven't had much luck at the top. I mainly catch sunnies and sometimes bass. But I've started to see these huge fish leap out the water right in front of me. I try everything on them, worms, minnows, lures, power bait. I even hooked on a sunny but no luck. After seeing them more and more often and asking other fish men in the area, I've found out that they are either cats and carps. I personally believe for them to be carps because i see no whiskers and i found a dead one on shore. i really catch these guys because it would cool to have spot close to me that holds monsters rather than just sunnies.

tm1119 · #2 05-16-2013, 07:59 PM

Most likely carp. You can buy some sweet corn in a can and put a few pieces on a hook and try that out. Or for best results you can make a corn meal recipe that works very well. There's probably hundreds of them out there. Just google or youtube carp bait and pick one that seems the best to you.

lunkertaker · #3 05-16-2013, 10:13 PM

Yeap... likely carp. catfish usually dont jump like a carp.

On Spruce Run, have seen this scenario play out over and over again...big fish jumping and ya look and CARP...sometimes BIG CARP. I always carry my bow there just in case I see a good'un to get a shot on. Have seen some real monsters there, just never had that shot I've been looking for. Armed and ready when I go though.

Eskimo · #4 05-17-2013, 10:28 AM

Yup, definitely carp.

I haven't fished for them in a while. When I did, I used canned sweet corn. DelMonte has the largest kernel size. I would throw a few handfuls out onto the water where I was seeing them 'graze'. I dispersed the corn over a 20-foot by 20-foot area. Not enough to fill them, but just enough corn to get them grazing and focused on the corn.

Then I would bait a few kernels on a #6 hook and cast it out and wait for the big one. With time and experience, you will refine your locations and presentations.