Ice spot paid off big today

[FreshwaterPhil]

Spot I first fished on ice many years ago paid off nicely today. 36.4 lbs carp, my biggest of the year so far.



Increasingly, I've been using the hardwater season to learn more about my open water season spots, as I no longer own boat, I mainly fish from shore or my float tube, none of which require electronics. This sort of combo keeps paying dividends year after year. Just thought I'd share.

Water temp up here still warm at 59F, doubt any of my spots freeze up before December, as this is the warmest water temp I have recorded since I started logging my outings back in 2008.

[grababrewski]

Very nice, looks like a strong tug expecially from shore!
How heavy gear are you using?

[SLAYERFISH]

Wow Phil,  That thing is huge!   Cute too!

[iceman260]

Wow that thing is huge, nice job Phil.

[zcm_82]

Very nice 

I haven't caught that many carp this year, and the few I have caught have all been small. None of my usual carp spots paid off thus year; caught a lot of catfish in them instead 🤷‍♂️

[FreshwaterPhil]

Very nice, looks like a strong tug expecially from shore!
How heavy gear are you using?

Yes, they pull like heck, and still fishing for carp from shore, dock or pier is the way to get it done.

I'm geared up for big ones, rods I have vary from 8 foot bigwater ugly stik to 12 foot carp rods, depending on where I fish. As I mainly fish the St Lawrence river, I use a good 40 to 50 feet of 80 lbs mono as a shock leader to avoid line cuts do to tons of razor sharp zebra mussels that coat the rocks, backing is a few hundred yards of 50 lb braid. Reels in the 50 to 65 class.

Not much fight when you catch anything under 10 lbs, but the tradeoff is being to able to handle the trophies that are my primary target.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Very nice 

I haven't caught that many carp this year, and the few I have caught have all been small. None of my usual carp spots paid off thus year; caught a lot of catfish in them instead 🤷‍♂️

It happens. I lost one of my favorite carp spots this year, after it was overrun with invading tench. They moved in on all the bait I was feeding to draw in the carp, and along with channel cats and redhorse suckers, I just figured I'm better off spending my time and energy in more carp productive waters.

Always need to keep making new spots, as countless of my once amazing spots have deteriorated, changed ,or become unfishable over the years.

[zcm_82]

It happens. I lost one of my favorite carp spots this year, after it was overrun with invading tench. They moved in on all the bait I was feeding to draw in the carp, and along with channel cats and redhorse suckers, I just figured I'm better off spending my time and energy in more carp productive waters.

Always need to keep making new spots, as countless of my once amazing spots have deteriorated, changed ,or become unfishable over the years.

I love catching redhorse, they're actually my primary target a lot of times when I'm river fishing. We have shorthead, silver, black, and river redhorse locally.

One of my goals the past several years had actually been to beat the state shorthead record. It had been 3#14oz for a long time, but someone bested it a year or two ago and it's 4#13oz now. I came within ounces of 3#14 several times, but I don't see myself ever clipping into a 5 pounder, so I kinda gave up on that one 

I just kind rolled with the catfish this year. I didn't seek out new carp spots; just went back out to those spots with catfish rigs and bait. Never boated any whoppers, but I got a lot of decent channel cats.

[FreshwaterPhil]

I love catching redhorse, they're actually my primary target a lot of times when I'm river fishing. We have shorthead, silver, black, and river redhorse locally.

One of my goals the past several years had actually been to beat the state shorthead record. It had been 3#14oz for a long time, but someone bested it a year or two ago and it's 4#13oz now. I came within ounces of 3#14 several times, but I don't see myself ever clipping into a 5 pounder, so I kinda gave up on that one 

I just kind rolled with the catfish this year. I didn't seek out new carp spots; just went back out to those spots with catfish rigs and bait. Never boated any whoppers, but I got a lot of decent channel cats.

Interesting. We have a few redhorse species, but I don't pay much attention to which they are when I catch them, they are always by-catch of targeting some other species. I've caught them over 6 lbs before, quite sure they were river redhorse. Channel cats here typically range in the 6 to 12 lbs range, have come some on boilies pushing the 15 lbs mark. More fun that redhorse, but still not comparable to carp of the same size.

[zcm_82]

Interesting. We have a few redhorse species, but I don't pay much attention to which they are when I catch them, they are always by-catch of targeting some other species. I've caught them over 6 lbs before, quite sure they were river redhorse. Channel cats here typically range in the 6 to 12 lbs range, have come some on boilies pushing the 15 lbs mark. More fun that redhorse, but still not comparable to carp of the same size.

Yeah, I've caught some nice sized river redhorse, but those are protected here. They have to go right back into the water, and there's no record for them. I've SEEN some silver redhorse that I know would beat the state record, but never managed to hook into one over about 5 pounds.

I agree carp are the best fighters pound for pound... I'm just lazy and catfish are a lot easier to catch on the main river I fish  I catch a lot of catfish in the 3-6# range, but very rarely anything over 8. They're in there, though. They do an annual catfish tournament on that river, and there are always a few 20+ pound fish taken every year.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Yeah, I've caught some nice sized river redhorse, but those are protected here. They have to go right back into the water, and there's no record for them. I've SEEN some silver redhorse that I know would beat the state record, but never managed to hook into one over about 5 pounds.

I agree carp are the best fighters pound for pound... I'm just lazy and catfish are a lot easier to catch on the main river I fish  I catch a lot of catfish in the 3-6# range, but very rarely anything over 8. They're in there, though. They do an annual catfish tournament on that river, and there are always a few 20+ pound fish taken every year.

All redhorse protected in our region as well. Probably due to presence of the copper redhorse, which only exist in a couple spots within the zone. I've seen river redhorse probably pushing the 10 lbs mark here, think the biggest I've landed was close to 7 lbs.

Quebec doesn't keep any fishing records at all, so everything here is just hearsay.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Another nice one this morning, this 29 lbs fatty was the second of back to back carp that hit within the first 20 minutes of my session at the same spot. Excuse the gloves, was headed to a meeting straight after I was done.

[guthook1]

How did you get it through the hole?

[FreshwaterPhil]

How did you get it through the hole?

42 inch landing net did just fine 

I've fished for carp on ice before, double tens or triple eights work fine, some people use ice saws to cut rectangles.

[DowneastPescador]

Congrats on the huge Carp. I have been trying to get one on fly in a shallow clear pond for a while. They are spooky as all get out!

[FreshwaterPhil]

Congrats on the huge Carp. I have been trying to get one on fly in a shallow clear pond for a while. They are spooky as all get out!

Thanks. I've sight fished for them before in smaller waterbodies. Few things to know.

1) Stay far out of sight, or wear camo if there is tall grass or shrubs to get closer to them.
2) When they are cruising, they generally aren't feeding. During feeding, you'll see them "vacuum" bottom, bodies at angle with snout pointed down.
3) When you see them feeding, gently toss a few kernels of corn or dougballs a few feet away to see how they react.
4) I don't fly fish, but I'm guessing something matching that fished very slowly on bottom should do the trick, unless they a sucking down flies or bugs from the surface.

[wheelchair_iceman]

nice one

[icefishman]

Do you eat thems there carp??

[FreshwaterPhil]

Do you eat thems there carp??

Not usually, especially not the big trophy sized ones.

Last spring, I decided to completely debone one and attempt into cooking something palatable. Ended up with roughly 1 lb of flesh from a 9-10 lbs carp. Even less after trimming away darker meat before cooking.

Did half over log fire with steak spice, other half was breaded and deep fried. BBQ ended up tasting like a fishy steak with softer texture, flesh was same color as red meat. Deep fried ended up a bit better, but not a fish I'd bother with trying to eat again.

I've tried baked, smoked and stew in the past, all were horrendous to my taste.