Fall Carp Tactics?

[JeremyCampbell]

How are you guys catching Carp in the Fall?

Also, Am I correct to think that the odds of catching one will be lower in the Fall vs Spring ?

Saw around six of them in a group today on the river while fishing for crappies. One came up to look at my bobber so I switched setups and used a off set hook and crawler with a sinker but no bites or interest.

[mainbutter]

Correct. I get them in the fall, but it tends to be lots of lookers. There is a river spot on the cannon river where when there are low water levels in the fall, right around 11AM or so I have been able to sight fish for carp. I'm well above the water but can see them when they swim towards the shallower part of the banks and out of the main current. I'll set my bait and watch the ones that look, watch the eaters, and watch the ignorers. There is plenty of looking when there are obvious feeding periods (never predictable when it will happen, though "late morning" and "late afternoon" tend to be decent), followed by plenty of slow times where the fish just hang out in the current. and don't do anything regardless of what I present or how.

TL;DR: Yes, it's slower than the good fishing you get after the spawn is done and they are back to feeding.

[pushbutton]

Hooked into a couple dandies but could not land, the last few days on untipped flu flus.....fishing for crappies. Tons of this particular lake fly floating recently , and would attribute it to that. Actually have never even seen one at this particular place before. Similarly, have seen more than usual on camera, but all cruising higher in the water column, and doubt soaking a worm on the bottom would not be effective. In the past, have seen them starting to school up in basins at this time of year. Threw the box at them with no results......

[JeremyCampbell]

Tried again today but this time I brought my own crawlers instead of borrowing one from the guy next to me.

Believe it or not, there were about a dozen Carp in a group, some looked just freaking huge.The weird thing is , the crappies took the crawlers instead of the carp.Never had that problem trying to keep the crappies off

Well there were some crappies anyways, didn't meen to amplify the "trying to keep the crappies off" part.

[CarpO0101]

my hands are itching to wet the line for last two weeks - the water here in minneapolis are two slow not much happening i check out few places i normally go . yeah seems it get toughf in fall.

I didnt try but read float or free line on surface with bread on hook works when they are on surface ..

I read somewhere here ... Cannon Lake has tons of carp or is it cannon river ? Anyone familar with the area can give me pointers for shore fishing area's there just some pointers i am not asking for your secret swims ..

if i get a chance i may head out to cannon lake tomorrow -

any info be much appreciated.

[Stick500]

I found a small school with a couple real whoppers cruising around below the dam coming out of Normandale Lake (Ninemile creek)- the water's real shallow and I could see right where they sitting

started by tossing big crawlers into them- all I got was some big bluegills

then I tossed some corn in and baited up with that- still nothing

I imagine this particular bunch has had a lot of anglers try to catch them over the summer, but you would think at least one of them would have slipped up

I'd say they are done biting in those particular conditions right now

anyone, feel free to give them a try and report back!

I fished them today with a sunny day and around 60 degrees- got there about 5:30

[OnAFly]

Yeah, I've never gotten a carp to eat past October 1. I think it's time to hang it up until April when they start eating pre-spawn.

[mainbutter]

You know what's weird, they sure seem to stop biting in MN, but there are vids of people ice fishing them out east on youtube.

*shrugs*

I've always had a slowdown in september and no luck from Oct-April.

[JeremyCampbell]

Thanks guys

[OnAFly]

You know what's weird, they sure seem to stop biting in MN, but there are vids of people ice fishing them out east on youtube.

*shrugs*

I've always had a slowdown in september and no luck from Oct-April.

Like many other situations, there's probably something that works somewhat consistently, but no one has figured it out in MN...or at least its not widely known. I'm not even sure where they school in the cool/cold water period. If you can figure that much out, you could probably determine, through trial and error, what they are willing to eat since they have to eat something in those 5 months.

[StillwaterAaron]

There are areas that I will target them October and November with good results on a crawler bite. Just spend time looking for where they are feeding. Time of day is very important also.

Mid day will be better than morn or eve.

[JeremyCampbell]

These Carp are still not interested.Seems crappies and bass take it before the Carp even have time to sense it.

To see if I could replicate there food some how,I looked for Flys or any visible insects in the area the carp are grouped in but didn't see anything obvious to go on.

Il keep at it and report if I catch one.

[GeluNumber1]

I actually caught a carp yesterday at the Allen S King plant. Hit half a crawler on a size 8 circle hook. So maybe they just need a warmwater discharge to stay active later in the year.

[Stick500]

catch anything else at King Plant Gelu? sheepshead, cats, etc.?

[JeremyCampbell]

Gelu - Ive heard about carp in those warmer discharges but havnt really explored too many. If you dont mind me asking, was there any timber, muddy like bottom around?

I did catch one this Fall but it was a week or so before I made this thread,Little one from a drainage pond.Bobber,jig, crawler.First time I've caught a carp on a bobber.Usually I use some kind of bottom rig when fishing Carp.

The bobber was turned sideways a little and I believe the jig was set where it was just barely dragging on the bottom.

Any other Carp recently caught in this season change?

Il post a pic of my one and only Fall carp so far.lol

[StillwaterAaron]

The discharge is all rock.

As far as fall fishing it can be great but you have to find the right location.