Carp in Lakes

[fishuhalik]

I was wondering how you guys usually go after carp in the lakes? I've only fished the 'sippi, and the 3-10lb carp are fun, but it's looking like if I wanna get into some decent fish I'm gonna have to hit some lakes. What depth do you usually start at this time of year? I live in Plymouth and was thinking about starting my search at 'tonka. I've seen some monsters cruising around in that lake. I don't have a boat and would be going from shore/fishing piers. Any suggestions on where to start?

[MplsFisher]

I fish for carp in the metro lakes and do really well. Find a good spot from shore that doesn't get too weedy but isn't too deep; maybe 6 feet at the most this time of year. I chum with canned corn by crushing it up in my hand and tossing it as far as I can. I use a small hook (size 6 or 8), a small sinker with 4 kernels of corn and cast to the far end of where I chummed. If there's a muddy bottom, you can tell when the carp come in because you'll see a bunch of bubbles come up in a slow-moving line. It's the carp rooting around on the bottom. Don't chum too much - you don't want to fill em up.

Also, the carp seem a lot more skiddish in lakes, so I like to be really quiet and try not move around or cast too much.

[fishuhalik]

Do you ever have much of a problem with sunnies pestering the corn? That's the main reason I haven't ventured onto the lakes yet, I figured the sunnies would drive me nuts

[MN BassFisher]

I tried this method yesterday in a canal in which I saw a small carp being caught from. I have yet to catch a Carp this year so I tried a few sinkers and a smaller bait holder hook and hooked on some kernels of corn. I chummed around my hook. I didn't catch a carp and the sunnies didn't bother me at all. But I did catch some Yellow Bullhead. In fact one of the biggest ones I have ever caught. It was still FULL of spawn so I played her quick and released her to the water. I wanna catch a CARP!!

[HuskerBen]

I fish for carp in the metro lakes and do really well. Find a good spot from shore that doesn't get too weedy but isn't too deep; maybe 6 feet at the most this time of year. I chum with canned corn by crushing it up in my hand and tossing it as far as I can. I use a small hook (size 6 or 8), a small sinker with 4 kernels of corn and cast to the far end of where I chummed. If there's a muddy bottom, you can tell when the carp come in because you'll see a bunch of bubbles come up in a slow-moving line. It's the carp rooting around on the bottom. Don't chum too much - you don't want to fill em up.

Also, the carp seem a lot more skiddish in lakes, so I like to be really quiet and try not move around or cast too much.

That's exactly how I do it. I have found that sometimes it's good to pre-bait a couple spots with corn, so that if one spot isn't producing, you have another spot ready to go. It's also good to let a spot settle down a bit after catching a couple. They'll be back, but it might take a while.

[MplsFisher]

Do you ever have much of a problem with sunnies pestering the corn? That's the main reason I haven't ventured onto the lakes yet, I figured the sunnies would drive me nuts

I do get pestered by sunnies, but once the corn makes it to the bottom they tend to leave it alone. If they hit on the way down, I reel up and re-bait.

I was out last night and I caught this nice ~18lber.

[fishuhalik]

Hey mplsfisher, what kinda depths are you focusing on later in the year? I know they stay pretty shallow right now (under 6'), but what about mid-summer? Weed edges, pockets in the weeds, ?

[MplsFisher]

I find the carp in the same spots all year, at least in the metro lakes. When it gets really hot, I just fish the deeper edge of the spot. I think since they are bottom feeders they stay shallow, since the deeper water doesn't have as much stuff to eat.

You can definitely catch them in the weed edges and pockets, but it is almost impossible to land a 10lb+ carp covered in milfoil unless you're using a heavy catfish or musky rod, but that takes the fun out of it for me.

Sometimes when I'm not catching them, I just walk around loudly until I spook some in the shallows. Then, I chum and stay quiet for 20 minutes or so. They usually will come back to the same spots for a few days.

[Sportsman4Life]

2) You can only have corn on your hook. Any loose kernels in the water is not legal. It is considered chumming. If the DFG agent wanted to give you a hard time, he/she could write you a ticket for both chumming the water AND feeding ducks and geese with corn.

Just found the above info.... so now I'm curious???

[MplsFisher]

I've never had any problems with the DNR while chumming and I can't find anything in the regs about it; where did you hear this? Hopefully I haven't been breaking the law this whole time...

[fishuhalik]

Chumming with corn is one of those "grey areas". The regs state that no chumming is allowed, but some argue that law is pertaining to chumming w/ some form of meat, some argue that it's stating that you can't throw anything in the water to attract fish.

[MplsFisher]

I'll ask the CO next time he stops by. I do know that in Minneapolis you will get a ticket for feeding the ducks, so I avoid chumming when they're around.

[fishuhalik]

Seriously? I take my son out feeding ducks & geese all the time.

[CarpKing921]

I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for chumming or feeding the ducks. Its another law thats not needed and no one pays attention to.

[MplsFisher]

The Minneapolis Park Police threaten to ticket for duck feeding, although I've only seen them warn people and not actually write tickets. I think they might be trying to crack down since the geese/ducks impede the paths on the city lakes. It's too bad because the feeding usually attacts big lazy carp.

[sanka]

Chumming is defined as using ground up fish parts. Corn is not chumming.

[fishuhalik]

Chumming is defined as using ground up fish parts. Corn is not chumming.

That's what I thought!

[Muddog]

Quote:

Chumming is defined as using ground up fish parts. Corn is not chumming.

Bingo! You can not return any fish parts to the water. I do remember a guy from the DNR saying that if you are baiting with corn to aggressivly you can get sighted for littering!