preferred carp bait

[sightfisher]

I recently moved to the area from Pittsburgh. Out there doughballs are the most popular bait; especially amongst the 'paylakers'. I can't say that I've heard of any pay lakes out here, especially those where you pay to fish for one of the most glorious fish around, The Cyprinus Carpio. Everyone there has there own secret recipe usually containing some of the following: wheaties, mapo (quick oats), peanut butter, cornmeal, cherry pop, stawberry pop,strawberry jello, flour, sugar, vanilla, bread, even cooked kielbasa. Recipes can be very well guarded, paylake tournaments can literally mean thousands of dollars to guys each summer. Corn seems to be a good 'go to bait' here especially in the rivers. I'm sorry if this question has been beaten to death, but what favorite baits does everyone have? corn, worms, doughball, flies, bread, boilies, marshmallows, meats, cheese? And under what conditions do you prefer to fish them?

Anyone read the "Fly Casting for Gold" article in In-Fisherman from March? It talks of some great fly tactics for carp, especially about reading their activity levels and visual movements in the water.

[Fisher Dave]

I keep it simple.. In the rivers I use mainly nightcrawlers, lakes I do fine with corn.. once in a while I go on a binge and squeeze a dough ball out of a peice of bread.

I have tried making a few different dougballs in the past.. I have had limited success with them. The recipie has to be just right for them to be affective. I have sight-fished with them to try them out.. I can get them to bite them, but they usually spit them out just as fast. I figured its probably a little too much flavor.. can opener is easier, and the recipie is usually just right.

[ZapBranigan]

Corn is simple. But I had better success with just putting a capful of sweeteners in the corn. get it at any grocery store. Best for me was Anise (liquorish) but good is imataion Maple or peach or strawberry. just a capful to a regualr size can of corn seams to draw them in from farther away. they pick up the bait and hold it longer also. Give it a try. It's still simple.

[Lost]

Cottonball soaked overnight in creamed corn. Add some anise oil or other some kool-aid with sugar in it.

[poutpro]

what really seems to attract them, for me anyways, is a nice sharp arrow. They seem to stick around when I use these, and they won't let go of it.

[Carp-fisher]

Hey Zap,

That was a good tip about using a cap-full of anise extract with corn. I tried it out today on Lake Minnetoka with good success. I've fished for carp off and on for about 15 years and corn seems to be the most consistent carp bait for me. I've experimented with a variety of doughbaits, but corn always seems to catch as many, if not more, and is cheaper. One of the better doughbaits I used to make included anise exract and that seemed to be a pretty decent bait. Carp must have a sweet tooth(gum) for black liquorice!

[MossBoss95]

When I would fish the 2 dams at black dog powerplant I would use quaker oats. I would go out and buy a can for 2$ and take a hand full, and while in hand squeese it in the water untile it makes a consistant ball. Tear off a little and form on your hook. Worked great.

[Raptor271]

Somebody told me you couldn't use corn as bait. I hope that isn't true. Anyone know for sure?

[freebledsoe]

If you can't use corn as bait, I've been in the wrong for how many years now...

PoutPro, love the comment on how they really stick around with your method!! LMAO

[megger8]

I've used crawlers as well when fishing the river however when fishing lakes, they don't seem to be too fussy and have been known to bite frequently on waxies. Stink bait works good too if you can stand the smell on your hands - poutpro-that was hilarious-great humor

[Matt Johnson]

Pete Riola showed me a few tricks on making dough balls. I like dough balls because you can fish them without a weight because they have decent casting abilities. They need to be almost like a paste so they stay on your hook and then they weigh a bit more too. Oatmeal, corn syrup (or other), maybe some corn, you can really put whatever you want in it. Put it all into a bowl and mix it up and let it sit outside in the sun for a few hours. The sun will dry it up a bit so it's not so sticky and compact. Then you take a small amount, maybe the size of a nickel or so, and smash it onto a plain Gamu, size 6 or so (I believe) hook. Then dip it in the water and it will regain its stickiness and it will stay on the hook. Now you have a nice little weighted ball of dough that can be cast a mile. And, when a carp grabs the bait it won't feel any resistance. The best part about this is that it rarely gets hung up on rocks and such, and that's very nice when you're fishing a river system or by a dam where rocks are everywhere. It's also a very cheap, inexpensive way to catch carp, suckers and catfish. All you need is your dough and a medium-heavy action open-face rod rigged with some 10-12 pound test. So, grab a walleye rod and the bag of dough with a few hooks and you're on your way!

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson