Your Favorite Carp Bait

[vern]

Bump-for Muskieboy46.

[Toad]

JasonK,

Some of the best spots on Mille Lacs are associated with feeder creeks, especially those that pour into shallow bays. If possible, set up your "carp camp" right near the inlet or on the point (rock spine) at the mouth of the bay. Some of the best of these lie on the southeast and southwest corners of the lake (should give you a pretty good clue as to "where" ). Think of spots where carp might frequently pause to feed, while filtering in and out of a bay.

Problem is, by August (when you fished it), many of these fish will have spread back out into the big lake where they're nearly impossible to pinpoint. So now's the time to go-- prespawn to postspawn (May & June)-- when carp will be shallow and hungry. Chumming is absolutely key, also, because you need to get the fish used to eating what you're fishing with. And this can take time, the conditioning, that is. Might have to spend one outing simply offering chum, only to return the next day and start catching fish.

Finally, consider "popping-up" your bait sets (hair rig and corn or boilies). This simply means adding some manner of float inline with the bait to rise it off the bottom a few inches. Popping-up makes your bait stand out from the bottom, as well as from a slick of chum, which makes it easier for carp to find.

Hope you get a chance to get out soon! Let me know how you do.

-a friend,
Cory Schmidt