Winter tactics for carp

[onemore]

Are there any carp enthusiasts that target carp through the ice?

I have heard that schools of fish will stay near their fall and spring feeding areas over the winter and that once they are located catching them is not very difficult.

Is this true?

Does anyone have any good winter tactics for Carp?

[bubster77]

i would be interested to find out also. If someone could say if they will bite through ice and summer bait would work id really appreciate it. I was thinking of hitting a lake up this weekend that is full of them in summer and spring.

[fishinaddict]

Not sure where u live, but in iowa we can snag em. Find small ponds off of the rivers that are still open and snag away. Got 5 today doing that, had a bunch more on. My friend got over 100 two winters ago doing the same thing

[blastandcast]

I caught my first carp through the ice yesterday on a crappie minnow with a moon glow jig. I thought I had a large eye on but to my surprise it was a 10lb carp. Fun fight, I guess they do bite in the winter. Bebe Lake Wright County.

[onemore]

That's encouraging. I've been catching bass, panfish and pike but no carp yet.

[uwecsteeple]

We caught one today while ice fishing the Mississippi on a pink ratso. Funny thing was that we only had 6" holes so the fish got stuck!!! We pulled the jig out of his mouth and then sent him back down under the ice.

[onemore]

That is crazy.

[gotcatfish]

I bet a guy could get into them in the 2 backwater lakes off of hwy 41 in chaska. They are north of the 41/169intersection about a mile on the left. I fish them in the summer and they are absolutely loaded with carp. May have to take a drive back there soon and check it out

[erickol]

Check out this link. This guy has got it dialed in.

http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=27374

[Grant]

anyone know how a guy would rig a tipup for carp?

nothing like the ultimate in passive fishing... sit in the truck with the heater on, playing watch the flag!

[Carp-fisher]

I found a good article here:

http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/icefishingcarp05.html

[erickol]

Yeah, Scott wrote that article...the same guy from the other link with the THIRTY pound ice caught carp. Thanks for the article link. Good stuff. I am for sure inspired to ice fish carp on my waters. I have never seen anyone ice fish for carp in MN, although I did find an empty can of corn on the ice when I was out fishing the other day. I dropped my waxie down that hole for a while, just in case...but no carp. I think I'm gonna ask the CAG guys what scents tend to be more effective in catching cold water carp. Some one suggested a few this fall, but I forgot! Maybe we need to make an ice fishing boilie recipie! Small boilies hair rigged for very light biting winter carp.

Anyone know where to find winter carp in a lake? Do they cruise breaks or hunker down in holes?

Does anyone remember a few years ago when some teenagers went through the ice on Minnetonka? I seem to remember someone claiming the weak spot on the ice was caused by carp.

Anyone know where on the lake they went through? If so finding out what the topo map of that area looks like might answer some questions about schooling winter carp.

[Grant]

I was going to quiz him more specifically on presentations and techniques- registered for CAG, but am still waiting on rights to post. Waiting to see what happens there.

[erickol]

Pretty cool group of people. After about nine months of reading and participating.... I think I will cough up for membership dues this spring. Increadable amounts of knowledge. Just reading the rigging, baits and techniques tutorials is an education. There is a great carp fly swap in progress right now, lots of events marked in the calander all over the country (and Mexico and Canda). I might even try to get out to South Dakota for the Prairie Challange. I have never fished in any sort of thing like this, but thought it would be a blast to see what folks are fishing what methods. I know there are lots of thirty plus pound carp where I fish, but I also know I have not gotten out of the low to middles twenties in weight.

I started fishing hair rigs last season, got a working knowledge of basic rigs and am starting to get beyond just corn on a size four hook (not that I don't catch tons of fish on plain corn!) and think Mixing some of this stuff around should get me on the right track for winter carping. Now I just need to get a sonar! I think that will be KEY in locating winter carp.