Author Topic: Ice fishing for carp?  (Read 4418 times)

Offline FreshwaterPhil

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Ice fishing for carp?
« on: Feb 10, 2009, 12:28 PM »
I know many of you have probably caught incidental carp under the ice, bit I would like to target them. I know a spot that has carp in the winter, but I've read conflicting reports on what to use as bait.

I realize that carp get accustomed to what they are fed. I've caught dozens of carp on corn in areas where people use corn to chum the water with, other areas need fries or bread to get hits.

Some reports claim corn is the way to go in the winter, others say to switch to live minnows or protein based foods such as sausage. I've seen some footage of guys cathcing big carp on minnows under ice in the Richelieu river (Quebec) so I know it can work in certain areas.

Any of you ever try to target carp under ice? If you've caught incidental carp, what were you fishing with?

PS. I plan to target them in SouthEastern Ontario.

Offline eyesfishing

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #1 on: Feb 10, 2009, 12:36 PM »
I thought that carp hibernate in the winter because they can't take the low oxygen levels as well as other fish such as bluegills, perch, crappies, esox, walleyes...
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Offline brokenline

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #2 on: Feb 10, 2009, 12:51 PM »
they dont hibernate they just dont move around very muh and arnt very active. the cold water is what makes them slow and a low eater in the winter. it can be done! but will  take time.

Offline Madpuppy

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #3 on: Feb 10, 2009, 01:20 PM »
We don't icefish for Carp but we do trammel net them on the Missouri River and all I can tell you is we catch most of them in 3-5 foot of water. They tend to hang out on the sandbars in slow current on the river. I don't know about lakes or how their behavior would be affected by dead water. I have pole fished for them in the colder waters on the river and don't have much luck until spring warm up. Been fishing Carp for about 35 years and my Dad has for 60 years and it hasn't varied to much in that time. I have had best luck with corn or doughballs, if and when they will hit in colder temps. I guess a guy could give it a go, we have just always found it's easier to catch a couple hundred pounds at a time netting in the winter.
Good luck!!!
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Offline FreshwaterPhil

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #4 on: Feb 10, 2009, 01:29 PM »
The place I want to attempt is a flood control part of a smaller river. The carp are trapped there for the winter, as the entrance to it from the main river is only 18 inches deep and about 8 feet across. It is a sand/mud bottom with a uniform depth of about 8 feet during the summer. There are some crappie in their too, so I was thinking of using 1 line with small meal worms on jigs and the other for carp with a baitrunner reel. Unfortunately, Ontario has a 2 line limit per person, just up the road in Quebec they let us use 10 lines each.

I'm doing this for the fun, though I might keep a fish or 2 for some people that I know would appreciate them. Netting is illegal there.

Offline hauler

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #5 on: Feb 10, 2009, 01:46 PM »
Well I dont think this post will help much with what to use but it may motivate you to get out and try .....I was walleye and gill fishing and landed two carp....one on a minnow and one on a tear drop jig and waxie....I would see the fish on my vex then BAM....what a fight.




Caught on two pund fireline ......BARELY fit through the 6 in hole.....released to do whatever carp do ...lol

Good luck in your quest.

Offline Oldfart

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #6 on: Feb 10, 2009, 02:29 PM »
The place I want to attempt is a flood control part of a smaller river. The carp are trapped there for the winter, as the entrance to it from the main river is only 18 inches deep and about 8 feet across. It is a sand/mud bottom with a uniform depth of about 8 feet during the summer. There are some crappie in their too, so I was thinking of using 1 line with small meal worms on jigs and the other for carp with a baitrunner reel. Unfortunately, Ontario has a 2 line limit per person, just up the road in Quebec they let us use 10 lines each.

I'm doing this for the fun, though I might keep a fish or 2 for some people that I know would appreciate them. Netting is illegal there.

I would try stopping by everyday you can to feed them in small amounts of meal worms and corn. Get them used to it and then go cast into the spot you have been baiting. One small area, over and over.
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Offline FreshwaterPhil

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #7 on: Feb 10, 2009, 02:34 PM »
Hauler,

Great catch.

Old Fart,

I did think of it, problem is that the spot is one hours drive from my house and quite a walk from the closest parking. To make things worse, I have an 8" hand auger to drill through 2 feet of ice, so chumming is just about out of the question.

Offline iceman_phil

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #8 on: Feb 10, 2009, 02:35 PM »
Stop on by over here:

http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php

You should find all you need to know about ice fishing for carp.  I'm a Mod over there, so I can assure you the guys/gals would be glad to help you out.

Phil

Offline Alpinedirtfarmer

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #9 on: Feb 10, 2009, 03:48 PM »
they dont hibernate they just dont move around very muh and arnt very active. the cold water is what makes them slow and a low eater in the winter. it can be done! but will  take time.

Hey Brokenline, shouldn't you be studying? ;D

Offline Oldfart

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #10 on: Feb 10, 2009, 04:30 PM »
Hauler,

Great catch.

Old Fart,

I did think of it, problem is that the spot is one hours drive from my house and quite a walk from the closest parking. To make things worse, I have an 8" hand auger to drill through 2 feet of ice, so chumming is just about out of the question.
Not if you drill a few holes, push down some blocks of ice with corn and mealworms in it an come back in a week. The area will chum itself. ;)
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Offline rayman54

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #11 on: Feb 10, 2009, 05:43 PM »
i just have to ask,,,,,why carp??   when there is pike and walleye and lakers and steelhead and panfish and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

RAYMAN54,,,,,,,,,,,,,, :icefish:

Offline eyesfishing

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #12 on: Feb 10, 2009, 05:46 PM »
I got a perfectly reasonable explanation for you: because in some lakes, carp are the biggest fish.
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Offline rayman54

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #13 on: Feb 10, 2009, 05:53 PM »
I got a perfectly reasonable explanation for you: because in some lakes, carp are the biggest fish.

are these fish ediable?? i always hear carp taste like crap, i know they smell like it when i snag one while trolling for walleye in detroit river, i won't even let one in the boat after the first one i got.

RAYMAN54,,,,,,,,,,,,

Offline Madpuppy

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #14 on: Feb 10, 2009, 06:06 PM »
I think it depends on the water they come out of, here in Nebraska we fish them out of the Missouri river and they're very good eating. We have a Federal Refuge lake close to where we are called Desoo Bend and I will not eat them out of there.  :sick:
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Offline brokenline

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #15 on: Feb 10, 2009, 06:18 PM »
when m fishing by my self ill usually sset a carp tip up out.. the fisght like no other but suck to eat... unless they are small "under 17 inches"....i got some free time in class and got my homework done first then IS time..

Offline Oldfart

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #16 on: Feb 10, 2009, 06:36 PM »
are these fish ediable?? i always hear carp taste like crap, i know they smell like it when i snag one while trolling for walleye in detroit river, i won't even let one in the boat after the first one i got.

RAYMAN54,,,,,,,,,,,,
Don't have to eat what ya catch. Catching is the fun part. On a slow day if you pointed them out to me, I'd give it a try.... :D
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Offline Outdoor_Joe_26

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #17 on: Feb 10, 2009, 06:56 PM »
I think it depends on the water they come out of, here in Nebraska we fish them out of the Missouri river and they're very good eating. We have a Federal Refuge lake close to where we are called Desoo Bend and I will not eat them out of there.  :sick:



After seeing the stuff that comes out of the runoff tubes in the Missouri I won't eat anything out of it!  Desoto maybe once in a great while.  I have found that most of the fish I catch are fun to fight, and watch swim away.  And the ones at Long John Silvers are much better eatin!   ;)2
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Offline FreshwaterPhil

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #18 on: Feb 10, 2009, 07:56 PM »
Most of the waters around Montreal are polluted so eating fish from there more than once or twice a month is not recommended. I hate the taste of carp, I fish them for the fight, thoug I know some people that like them, and I'll keep some for them once in a while. Perch, walleye and even pike are kind of boring under ice, they get very lethargic unless they are really big, but that isn't usually the case.

Carp on the other hand, are considred small around here if they are under 10 lbs, so even a small carp will outweight and outfight any pike I would be able to target on a half day or even full day trip. I can catch a dozen on a good softwater day, usually average 12-15 lbs, some over 25 lbs. Still waiting for a nice 40 or 50LB hog, but I would need a 2 foot diameter hole to bring one that big through the ice.

Offline Outdoor_Joe_26

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #19 on: Feb 10, 2009, 08:37 PM »
Most of the waters around Montreal are polluted so eating fish from there more than once or twice a month is not recommended. I hate the taste of carp, I fish them for the fight, thoug I know some people that like them, and I'll keep some for them once in a while. Perch, walleye and even pike are kind of boring under ice, they get very lethargic unless they are really big, but that isn't usually the case.

Carp on the other hand, are considred small around here if they are under 10 lbs, so even a small carp will outweight and outfight any pike I would be able to target on a half day or even full day trip. I can catch a dozen on a good softwater day, usually average 12-15 lbs, some over 25 lbs. Still waiting for a nice 40 or 50LB hog, but I would need a 2 foot diameter hole to bring one that big through the ice.

I'm always up for a good carp run!

Check this link out it may be able to help you.  Has some depth info and bait. 

http://www.nefga.org/forum/nebraska-fishing-forum/19917-ice-carp.html
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Offline Madpuppy

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #20 on: Feb 11, 2009, 07:26 AM »


After seeing the stuff that comes out of the runoff tubes in the Missouri I won't eat anything out of it!  Desoto maybe once in a great while.  I have found that most of the fish I catch are fun to fight, and watch swim away.  And the ones at Long John Silvers are much better eatin!   ;)2
Maybe in Omaha, I'm upstream from there. The Missouri is one of the cleanest bodies of water around these parts, if you're not going to eat fish out of there I wouldn't eat them from anywhere else. The river has fresh water to filter out and dilute any pollutants. Desoto has been filled with goose crap for so many years that the fish that come out of it are yellow. I catch carp and catfish in the Missouri and clean them at our local boat ramp cleaning station and have guys show up that have caught fish at Desoto and I can tell them where they were fishing before they open their mouth. Any body of water is going to collect pollutants of one form or another, it's all relative to how fast the body of water can rid itself of those pollutants or dilute them that I look at. The Missouri has millions of gallons of water that go by every hour and it takes a lot of parts per million to make fish unsafe to eat. If you live in Omaha Joe that's where you're drinking water comes from. I've been eating fish out of the Missouri for 40+ years and my dad has for 70 years and we feel pretty good aside from the fact that we're both a little overweight ;D 
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Offline FreshwaterPhil

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Re: Ice fishing for carp?
« Reply #21 on: Feb 11, 2009, 08:36 AM »
Outdoor Joe, thanks for the tip, I checked out the page, guy is recommending bread. Funny enough, I posted this to find out what bait's work better in winter, seems like everyone has a conflicting story, and instead of narrowing my choices, I now have more ideas.

The common denominator seems to be a light set up that would allow the fish to gulp and run without resistance.

Anyway, thank y'all for the tips, I keep you posted as I start attempting to ice some carp.

 



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