Detroit River Carp Fishing

I've been writing this carp fishing blog for almost 8 years. It's never had a big following or large numbers of readers. But I am grateful to the small number of regular readers and casual carp fishing enthusiasts who do stop by from time to time.

I enjoy fishing. I live in Michigan and fish from shore, so carp are a natural choice. There aren't many freshwater fish in Michigan that grow larger with the exception of sturgeon and muskie/ pike.

Some may say that catfish belongs on the list too, but I place catfish in the 3rd tier by size along with common carp. Across the board, the carp I catch are bigger but I agree that catfish in certain locations grow pretty big and their weight can rival carp (or possibly even surpass carp).

Here are a few photos from today's efforts on the Detroit River. I caught 8 carp today including a 23 pounder.

I'm often asked about places to fish on the Detroit River. Luckily, carp are readily available throughout the river.

Find a place along the river that provides public access along the shoreline. Public parks are a great place to fish for carp in the Detroit River.

There is no need to cast out into the main river. The current is so strong that your bait would drift unless you use a very heavy lead (like 8 oz. and greater). 

Identify a current break. Cast your bait into water that is 5 to 10 feet deep, which is only a couple feet from shore in many locations. I literally fish 1' from shore in a few locations when pier fishing along the river.

You don't need alarms, pods, or anything unusual. If there's a railing, lean your rod against it and loosen the drag. 

Do bring a heavy duty net built strong enough to lift a 20 pound fish from the water and over a tall railing. A traditional carp net isn't designed for this, so consider this before heading out. If you're fishing along the shore where there is no railing a light duty Euro-carp-style net is fine.