Targeting Carp

[wabashaw_plumbing]

Saw some decent sized carp in the local honeyhole this summer. Never tried targeting them through the ice. I’m familiar with the summertime techniques, ie corn on a hook. Has anyone tried catching any of these fish through the ice? I bet they could do some damage to a trap that’s normally rigged for trout, and I can only imagine how they’d be on a jigging rod. So are there any tips? Chum with cat food? Corn on a weighted hook? Use a cusk trap? Don’t even bother?

[meatandmetal]

I have only speared them or shot them with a bow. Might be tough through the ice.

[Gunflint]

I have only speared them or shot them with a bow. Might be tough through the ice.

Me too, but whacking them with a bow might be fun through the ice if it were shallow enough.

[Teamrustyhook]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you're aloud to use corn as bait in New Hampshire, something to do with the kernel not breaking down and blocking the digestive tract of the fish. Also cusk traps are only to be used in certain lakes.
All that aside it would probably be a lot of fun on a jigging rod but you might need more than an 8" hole... Give it a shot and let us know how you make out

[wabashaw_plumbing]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you're aloud to use corn as bait in New Hampshire, something to do with the kernel not breaking down and blocking the digestive tract of the fish. Also cusk traps are only to be used in certain lakes.
All that aside it would probably be a lot of fun on a jigging rod but you might need more than an 8" hole... Give it a shot and let us know how you make out

Corn may be used for bait in NH waters. From the FAQ section on the F&G website:



However, you may be right in the hole size. Some of these fish are rather large. I’d hate to hook into a big one and not be able to land it. Maybe I could drill two holes side by side. It’s curious that we have such large fish in local ponds and most people seem uninterested in targeting them.

[merk42]

Cut a nice big square hole with your chainsaw so you have some room to move and land a powerful fish. A gaff might be in order as well. Could be kinda fun. Carp, if in clean water is a good eating meaty fish... If in backwater muck, good fertilizer...

[whitewing]

Forget the gaff- see pg. 11 in the digest.

[merk42]

Sorry about the gaff. I guess they are ornamental... to hang on the man cave wall!

[fishermantim]

Corn may be used for bait in NH waters. From the FAQ section on the F&G website:



However, you may be right in the hole size. Some of these fish are rather large. I’d hate to hook into a big one and not be able to land it. Maybe I could drill two holes side by side. It’s curious that we have such large fish in local ponds and most people seem uninterested in targeting them.

The corn issue was probably started because of 2 issues.
First and foremost, people were probably leaving the empty cans when they left.
Second, maybe some unlucky angler who wasn't catching squat thought it was unfair for a corn baiter to catch fish when they couldn't?

I'm glad that the F&G site has been diligent with some of these odd topics. I had to ask if I could use a submerged light for fishing at night.
They are legal to use, based on the reply I got from the NH F&G.

[zwiggles]

Trout struggle big time to process corn. I’ve seen several just stuffed full of kernels, it can’t be good for the fish and I won’t use it for that reason even if legal. If you’re going to use it as bait please don’t poor the whole can down the hole when you’re done with it.

[Hottuna5150]

Trout struggle big time to process corn. I’ve seen several just stuffed full of kernels, it can’t be good for the fish and I won’t use it for that reason even if legal. If you’re going to use it as bait please don’t poor the whole can down the hole when you’re done with it.

X2 I've seen bows absolutely bloated full of em.

[wabashaw_plumbing]

Trout struggle big time to process corn. I’ve seen several just stuffed full of kernels, it can’t be good for the fish and I won’t use it for that reason even if legal. If you’re going to use it as bait please don’t poor the whole can down the hole when you’re done with it.

No trout in the little muck pond where I’ll be fishing, so no worries, but who would waste perfectly good corn? Just like night crawlers and red fins, eat whatever you don’t send down the hole.

[Gunflint]

No trout in the little muck pond where I’ll be fishing, so no worries, but who would waste perfectly good corn? Just like night crawlers and red fins, eat whatever you don’t send down the hole.

and the mousies too...

[800stealth]

No trout in the little muck pond where I’ll be fishing, so no worries, but who would waste perfectly good corn? Just like night crawlers and red fins, eat whatever you don’t send down the hole.

Waste not, want not....

[zwiggles]

I have seen a few videos of big carp being caught through the ice on spawn bags/eggs. The guys in the video seemed totally shocked it happened, but figured it might be worth mentioning. Also I have zero experience with carp.

[PikeKing23]

Look up hair rigs. You'll want to use them.

[wabashaw_plumbing]

Look up hair rigs. You'll want to use them.

Interesting! I’ve never even heard of these before. Looks promising!

[Teamrustyhook]

Cut a nice big square hole with your chainsaw so you have some room to move and land a powerful fish. A gaff might be in order as well. Could be kinda fun. Carp, if in clean water is a good eating meaty fish... If in backwater muck, good fertilizer...

How do you prepare them to eat I've always thought of them as trash fish... What water would you eat then out of? Only place I know of is the Merrimack River and I wouldn't eat anything out of there... As far as corn I guess it's not illegal but maybe best to keep it away from trout ponds

[merk42]

My aunt would cut the fish into steaks and simmer them with onions and other vegis like carrots, cellery, salt and pepper, bay leaf etc...
After its cooked she let the fish stew/soup cool down and the liquid gelled up. We ate it as cold fish or warmed up. It was good. We only ate the ones caught in brackish tidal rivers. I would limit intake of fish from any of our larger rivers, but i have eaten them out of the Ct river... one a year...no more...

[Gunflint]

I traveled to China at times.

Carp is EXPENSIVE in China and a "show off" meal at a high-end restaurant to impress guests.

The restaurant that served it at a dinner I attended baked an entire Carp whole (it was cleaned and had no guts, etc, but the head was still there, like gutting and gilling a trout).

It was served on a platter and one would pick at it with chop sticks.

Actually tasted good. Only time I have eaten Carp.

[HWeber]

Smaller the better and only in the winter/ spring.  I've smoked a lot of them,  it's edible nothing great but not bad

[merk42]

My mother and father's familes in Europe would go out of their way to find and serve carp, it was highly sought after meal. We also kept the fish alive until cooking. Sometimes overnight freshening the water often. We went fishing with a big tub to keep them alive... Once caught a 33#er. Let it go, we like littler ones.