Your Favorite Carp Bait

[Coleman]

So, what's your guys' favorite carp bait? I know that some of you guys don't want to tell some of your mixes, but lets hear some good ones. Mine is:
Corn Flakes, Flour, couple eggs, some water or milk, glue, sugar, and some strawberry extract. Lets here yours.

[Walleye_GFA]

Wheaties, molases, brown sugar, creamed corn, and enough flour to hold it all together, BUT NOT BE HARD... as mushy as will stay on hook... (also a very tasty snack !!!)

Wally

[Coleman]

That's a good idea. A fish bait that you can also eat yourself. I think you better patent that mixture as soon as you can. Good idea. I might have to try it out.

[Toad]

Self-sweetened, boiled field corn is by far the #1 producer of big carp. Boilies and garbanzo beans work great too.

[Aquaman01]

What's a boilie?

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[Toad]

Nope, not puffed corn. Boilies are a type of hardened paste bait-- shaped and sized like a marble-- that come colored and flavored in different varieties.

If you do a bit of digging into sources of different carp info, such as the Carp Anglers Group HSOforum, you'll find that boilies remain a prominent bait option among the most serious carp fishermen in the world, particularly Europe, where boilies were first introduced. While you're looking at that HSOforum, take time, too, to learn about a rig called a "hair rig." Again, revolutionary, and absolutely deadly on carp.

Pretty cool, I think, but carp angling can be every bit as simple or complex as the pursuit of bass, trout or walleye. And if a guy really wants to tie into this carp deal in a serious way it'd be a good idea to check into European systems for taking these unbelievable sportfish.

Back to baits, though-- fish softened (boiled in water in a stock pot), self-sweetened field corn and you'll never go without catching carp. May need to do a bit of feeding (chumming) to get your carp accustomed to corn, but once they're used to" eating it, whoa!, it's carp time in a big way. Enjoy your fishing.

-a friend called Toad

[deadeye]

I'm to lazy to make my own carp bait just kidding I just don't have a recipie. Anyway, usually I use some uncle josh sweet corn carp bait and a little chunk of nightcrawler. That is what I got my biggest one on so I am going to stick with it. ><>
deadeye

[Walleye_GFA]

I think he is talking about latge puffed cannned corn, it is called HOMINY in some places... should work great... big and stay on hook...

Wally

[Aquaman01]

My only carp was on some Berkely Carp Bait that I bought as a gag-gift for a buddy in Florida, but then thought twice when I checked the weight and postage rate. It smells like strawberry extract and baitfish. I use it in my minnow trap, too and got a couple of crawdads.

My son has caught two carp, both on crawlers. Keep 'em coming guys - I'm gonna take the family to the carp-trap at Buffalo soon for some fishing (I know - no sport taking fish froma barrel, but it's good practice and a fairly sure way to put a 2 & 4 year old on fish) and need advice - I'm very new to carp-fishing, but will do plenty 'cause them babies battle!

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[Toad]

Probably the easiest place to get it is at your local feed (livestock) & seed stores or coops. Farm stores often carry the stuff, too.

-a friend called Toad

[EBass]

Thanks Toad, I want to try this out. How long does it take to boil? Like hours.

Does anyone use salt along with sugar?

Thanks again,
Soon to be Chef EBass

[EBass]

Hey Toad,
Where can you buy field corn? Like Cub Foods? And how long do you boil them?

I saw something like you were talking about on an In-fisherman show last year. I wished I paid more attention.

Thanks,
EBass

[Coleman]

Ebass, just go buy some regular field corn. It keeps it's shape better and is harder to stripe of the hook. Once you have the corn, get a large pot and fill it up with water. Not all the way up, but get it up there. Get the water to a boil then drop the corn in and as much sugar as you want. You can even add some real flavor extract for a little more snap. Boil the water untill the corn is soft, but still firm. Then what I do is put the pot in the garage for 5-7 days and let the sugar water fortify the corn with it's sugary goodness Then you're ready to go.

[Lunker]

I fish carp quite a bit(although I just got a boat so it may be less often now!), and have found it really depends. I've caught carp on homemade dough baits, but have never found a recipe that is strong enough to stay on the hook long or in hard current. Then during the winter I caught all my carp on corn(warm water culvert) and since ice out I've caught them all on crawlers. I'd say bring corn and worms, unless you have a recipe that is good for staying on the hook. And don't make the baits to big, even the big carp have small mouths.

[Guest]

oatmeal dough balls with kool aid

[EBass]

Coleman/Lunker

Thanks for the tips. I'll be going to the feed store shortly.

EBass

[Coleman]

One way to keep the dough on the hook is putting it in some cheese cloth. If you have ever fished for Salmon you know what I mean. They just put salmon eggs in cheese cloth and it works like a charm. This will work in heavy current and also preventing the smaller fish from stealing your bait.

[hydro]

Guys,

Don't bother with all the trouble of going to a feed store and using "field corn", just go to the grocery store and buy a can of whole kernel corn, the cheapest on the shelf. It's pre-packaged bait at less than a dollar for more than you can use in a day, and will produce as well as anything discussed yet on this thread.

[Coleman]

The thing is hydro, teh canned corn is very soft. It falls of the corn while in heavy current. And smaller fish can just rip it off without a problem. If you're in lite or no current with no runts around, then use canned corn, but otherwise go for the field corn. I get the stuff for free because my dad's buddy is a farmer.

[hydro]

Coleman,

I've never had too much of a problem in current, just stab the kernel through the top and thread it on the hook. I have also found that I seldom catch anything but carp when using corn, even when smaller fish are around.

When I fish carp in the current I use a three way rig with a dropper to a flat sinker and a #4 carlisle hook loaded with corn. Keep your line tight and set the hook as soon as you feel a solid pull. If you wait, the carp and your corn will be gone.

Ps. Try just below the dam in Clearwater, just east of St. Cloud. The water is up and it should be good fishing there for a while. Fish the break between the current and the eddy on the south bank.

[Toad]

Ok, guys, sure canned sweet corn works, particularly for small carp. But not only does it tear more easily off the hook than softened field corn (maize), but large carp-- specimens over 15 pounds or so-- rarely eat it. I agree that small carp-- 2 to maybe 10 pound fish-- will go for the canned stuff in a big way, but fish it side-by-side against maize in trophy carp water (Mille Lacs and other lakes) and you'll soon be putting the Jolly Green Giant aside.

As for cost, you can get a 50 pound sack of dried field corn for $5 to $8-- should last you awhile .

Large carp often prefer harder food items that they can ingest into the back of their mouths to "chew" with throaty pharyngeal teeth. This explains not only the effectiveness of maize, but also of hard baits such as the European boilie-- essentially a sweetened paste bait that's "boiled" to harden it.

A final tip on rigging baits for carp. Learn to tie a hair rig and use a bait needle. We've talked about hair rigs and bait needles here before. (Should be able to find info here with a search.) The combination of these elements-- maize, hair rig, bait needle-- will immediately double your big carp catch, including the number of fish you hook to begin with. And if you get a chance, you really should get up to a lake like Mille Lacs sometime. A 30 pound carp hooked in shallow water remains one of the most amazing experiences in freshwater. And May's the time to do it!

There's "game" in all fish!

-a friend called Toad

[Coleman]

Hey Toad, have you ever heard of Krafty Katchers based out of a European are? I don't they're around anymore, but they were huge about 6-7 years ago. I bought some of their such before they left the market and it worked awesome. Amazing stuff. Later

[Fisher Dave]

I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong in this forum. Alot of the success rate of carp fishing depends on location. I have been an avid carp angler for a long time and what works well one place, often doesnt work for squat in another. I have come up with some pretty scary baits in time I made myself. Some have worked well, others not at all. One reipie I used that consisted of bran flakes, oat meal, molasses, strawberry pop, and a little corn meal .. that recipie would bring the carp in short order, but they would immediately spit it out after inhaling it. I'm glad I was in a situation that was sight fishing or I would have never known.

Just for the record, all of my largest carp have coincidently come on canned sweet corn with the largest being well over 40 lbs. I have several over 30 lbs that have come on sweet corn also. I have only caught one fish over 30 on anything else .. a nightcrawler. Maybe i'm a poor baitmaker? Could be, but the sweet corn is productive at some locations.

Most of these fish were caught at Lake of the Isles, and a couple out of Calhoun.

[Toad]

Coleman,

Yea, too bad that Krafty Katcher isn't around anymore. Several companies have tried to bring Euro tackle to the US-- most without much success, including a company called, literally, Euro Tackle. Two moderately successful companies-- Class Tackle and Wazp-- both previously offered great stuff too.

Guess it must be time for a trip to England to buy tackle, eh? Otherwise, get some friends together and put in a big order from a company like Gardner or Essex Angling, then split the big $hipping costs. Either way, take a look at a few of these European carp-related websites sometime. Really interesting how they approach their fishing; loads of good ideas for American carp anglers as well.

Fisher Dave,

Those are great fish-- 30s and 40s. Have any photos of the 40s? Sure be fun to see a few of those fish. Anyway, way to go on those fish!-- sounds like you're a seasoned carp angler. Wish we had more good carp water up here (Brainerd) like you guys.

-a friend,
Cory Schmidt

[This message has been edited by Toad (edited 05-05-2003).]

[jasonk]

Toad:
I went up to Mille Lacs last summer(August) for carp and didn't catch a thing. I use the Eupopean system, long rods, rod pod, hair rigs, etc. Would you care to share any Mille Lacs location, timing, and technique tips? I would really appreciate it, Jason Kerkow