Urban Carp Fishing in May

Let's talk about knots. I have a reminder based on an experience I had on Saturday.

At one point while fishing on Saturday I had to tie on a new in-line lead. The scissors I've been using have become progressively dull and while trimming the excess braid it took a few attempts. That caused a fraying on the braid and it was cut shorter than usual. (I typically leave an 1/8" or so.)

I should have cut and re-tied but I wanted to re-cast quickly since the fish were biting.

To shorten this story, I hooked the 6th fish, fought it awhile and reeled in the line with no fish, no hook and no lead.

Three possibilities I can think of:

1) I hooked a pike or small muskie 

2) My lazy knot tieing caused the knot to slip a little and ultimately fail

3) Something like a razor blade or lawn shears magically appeared in the water between casts and snagged me causing a cut-off

I lean more towards #2. 

Learn from my mistake, double check your knot and leave a little extra in case it slips.

Here are some photos of fish that did manage to land in the net.

Personal Best Detroit River Carp

I've been focused on catching a new personal best Detroit River carp this year. In fact, for the past 3 years, I've been on a quest to catch big carp from the Detroit River. My goal of 30 pounds is now within reach.

In early summer of 2021 I landed a 26 pounder. Yesterday I bested that carp by a pound and a half! 

Out of the thick, morning fog, and in 34 degree temperatures, this 27 lb 8 oz entered the landing net. 

This fish took the hook bait timidly at first, but immediately bolted for the main river channel once I tightened the drag on my reel and lifted up on the rod.

A few minutes earlier we landed this nice catfish.

You never know what you might catch when fishing the Detroit River. There are good chances to land any of about 15 to 20 species of fish with catfish, carp, walleye, sheepshead, silver bass, perch, rock bass, smallmouth bass, pike, muskie and more are readily available. 

I met a gentleman who caught a 7' sturgeon while catfishing from a popular public pier. The gentleman stood 6'6 and the sturgeon was significantly longer (taller) as lay next to it. 

Note: If you do catch a sturgeon carefully land it and return it to the water quickly. Targeting sturgeon in Michigan has regulations governing that activity. Become familiar with those guidelines.

Detroit River Carp Fishing

I had the day off and took the opportunity to catch a few carp near snags and current breaks on the Detroit River. 

The river continues to surprise me. I've fished it before a few times each year, but after concentrating on the river a lot in 2021, it has demonstrated its' worth as a carp fishery. 

There are other places where the carp might congregate that increases a chance at bigger fish, but the numbers are definitely available and we've had two at 26 #'s, a 24 # last year and a few others over 20 #'s this year so the chances of bigger fish are there too.

I ended the day with 6 carp landed. The largest was almost 20 pounds (19 lbs. and 11 oz.) and the next largest was almost 19 pounds (18 lbs. and 10 oz.). 

The value of the 50 pound braided fishing line I use demonstrated itself today. This particular location is a popular public park. There are lots of snags consisting of orphaned perch, walleye, crappie rigs, and others. The 50 pound braid allows you to muscle the carp rig through the trash and break the lighter monofilament line. 

In the slack current spots where the carp like to hang out (and I like to fish) the river deposits tree branches, sticks, tires, etc. Those obstacles can lead to frustration for carp anglers, so when river fishing it pays to have a mindset going into it that you will lose some tackle.

My first two casts ended up in snags and line break offs. The novice me would have been so angry that I sulked and complained the entire day ruining the fishing experience for everyone present. The more experienced me simply moved those two rods further down the shoreline to different locations and snags were no longer a big issue.

There are carp fishermen who avoid snags like the plague. There are others who actively seek them out. I'm someplace in-between at this point.

It's difficult to lose $5 per cast to break offs, but I will trade 6 fish for $10 every time out. However, I really need to be on the lookout for some weights that are more environmentally friendly for fishing near snags.

Chucking lead into the river and breaking off is not too good for the environment on a long term basis. I know "everyone does it", but I'll do my part to help if I find suitable substitutes.

8 Tips for Detroit River Carp Fishing

After a slow outing last weekend fishing from shore on the Detroit River, at a different spot, my expectations for today were hopeful but realistic. Luckily, things improved. 

On the hottest day of the year, so far, the carp bite also heated up. I ended a 7 hour session early with 13 fish and a new Detroit River personal best at 26 pounds. The better fish were in the first 45 minutes and they got smaller as the temps heated up.

The fish above is my new personal best from the Detroit River. At 26 pounds, I am very grateful to catch such an out-of-the-ordinary large carp from this river spot.

The fish had obvious signs of recent spawning activity with some redness, minor injuries and two missing scales. This river warrior was very leery of being netted as well and is one of the most difficult to net I have seen in several years of carp fishing.

The Detroit River provides many options for catching some large lifetime best sized fish from walleye, sturgeon, muskie, carp, sheephead, pike and more.

I'll also add some 8 tips and observations about fishing the Detroit River for carp to help make your carp fishing efforts more enjoyable and successful:

• Average size of Detroit River carp are not very large. 
• Based on my catches the past 6 years, 12 to 14 pounds is the average size for this area. 
• The river fish in this area will wreck you pretty quick if you're not paying attention. 
• There are snags and some decent current in this particular park. 
• Fishing the river requires an acknowledgement that some tackle will be lost and some hook pulls will occur.
• Some rookie fishermen will snag you because they try using 1/2 ounce leads and don't police their lines very well.
• I'd budget 15 bucks a session on lost hooks, leads, swivels, fake corn, etc.
• You use twice as much pack because to catch numbers you need to recast fresh pack every 25 to 30 minutes.

Michigan Carp Fishing in May

What a difference a day makes (or a cast can make, or a specific cast location in my case). 

I started out fishing the shallower water, thinking it would warm faster in the overcast skies. Casting in close to shore wasn't producing any bites, so I started trying different locations in the swim - near, far, middle.

We had a very slow morning until about 1:30 p.m. By that time I'd worked all three rods toward a seawall and it paid off. I caught a single small fish and packed up all but the rods and bank sticks. While organizing the trunk, the welcome familar  sound of the alarms pierced the silence. I caught a second fish!

I actually packed up to leave again and caught 5 more carp (had to drag it all back out). It was very worth it. 

I also got a new Personal Best catfish that actually fought much like a common carp. 

Total haul: 5 carp and 1 catfish.

A 4 year old boy at the park was admiring my catches. In the park with his mom, he came closer to see the fish each time we landed one. 

His mom went to the car and retrieved a Snoopy rod. He was actually pretty good at casting it. I think we recruited a future carp fisherman. I hope I'm around when he hooks his first carp!

I made this carp and catfish collage with Pixlr

Update 6/11: I learned recently that my digital scale needed new batteries. That first fish registered 19 pounds. It seemed bigger than that at the time. After seeing my scale needed batteries, it seems to confirm my suspicion was correct. I am guessing it was around 23 to 24 pounds. We will never know for sure.

Michigan Rouge River Carp Fishing

I love fishing local Michigan Rivers. Some of the urban rivers around Detroit are my favorites.  Thousands of people drive by these locations daily unsuspecting of the monster sized fish that swim there. 

There are several rivers that feed into Michigan's St. Clair - Detroit River - Lake Erie chain. All of them are home to a healthy common carp population.

Saturday brought sunshine and common carp. I ended up with 8 fish, but one skeedaddled before I got a photo. 

The biggest fish was a mid-teener (16-17# or so). There was a very active bite until the cold front arrived.

It was a good time, netting, baiting, photoing, releasing. Once or twice I actually hoped the fish would slow down a bit. I love days like that.

16# common carp

This fish will grow much larger and eventually
fill out it's bulk and size to match that long tail fin.

I'm not quite sure why I was making that silly face.
While posing the fish, it tried to wiggle itself free.

Lake Erie Season Opener Fish In

Here are some pictures from this past weekend's carp fishing event hosted by the Michigan Carp Anglers. The cold temperatures and overcast skies slowed down the bite a lot. More periods of sunshine throughout the day would have definitely added to the total fish count. 

I feel very fortunate to have caught the lone fish during the event.

Thanks to the carp fishermen who participated and others who stopped by the say hello. It's always good to put a face and meet our fishing friends from the Michigan Carp Anglers Facebook group.

Habanero Boilies Catch Carp

Homemade habanero boilies simply work. Catching common carp, buffalo and catfish with something you make at home, is rewarding and fun. The boilie recipe below is one I've used for a few years to catch fish in Michigan. 

With spring just around the corner, it's the time of year that I begin preparing baits for my first round of carp fishing sessions in April and May. Having a good supply and selection on hand helps with pre-baiting campaigns. I also use these boilies year-round in my panko pack bait mix.




Don't worry if they aren't perfectly round. The carp don't care.

Habanero Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup soya flour
2 cups semolina flour
1 cup milk powder
1 cup protein powder
1 tbsp salt
5 eggs
2 tbsp condensed milk
1 1/2 tbsp fish oil
6 habaneros
3 jalapenos
Add a little food coloring of your choice.

Directions:

• Cook the peppers in a small amount of olive oil first, then blend with a hand blender.
• Mix in eggs and food coloring. Then add to dry mix.
• Form boilies and boil for 2 minutes.
• Let dry on a cooking drying rack. Freeze.

When it's time to go carp fishing, I pull a a bag from freezer, empty from the plastic bag into a cotton bag or simple brown paper bag. The boilies will thaw quickly at room temperature. By the time I reach my fishing spot, they are usually reading to use. Even it they are still a little frozen, they will thaw in the water anyway.

A word of caution is in order...

If you have never used habanero in a recipe, be careful. You should probably wear some plastic gloves when handing them and, whatever you do, don't rub your eyes after handline these hot peppers. Also, be aware of whatever you touch may end up with residual capsicum and a transfer can easily occur to skin, eyes, ears, nose, lips, and other sensitive areas that you definitely want to avoid. 

Cooking habaneros in a ventilate room is also recommended. Turn on a fan. Open a window. You will thank me later, I promise.

11 Steps to Start Carp Fishing

Even if you've never fished before, you can learn how to fish for carp and get started carp fishing with a few simple steps. I will teach you how to catch carp with corn in a pond, lake or river.

Carp Fishing Tackle

1. Buy a fishing rod

An inexpensive medium action rod of 8' to 9' will be affordable to get you started. A few ideas to help you research include these possibilities:

• Ugly Stik GX2
• Whuppin' Stick (I have 2 of these myself that I use as "travel rods")

2. Buy a fishing reel

You use almost any reel and make it work by loosening the drag, but for beginners a baitrunner reel will be highly desired. Some potential choices:

• Okuma ABF-55 (I started with 3 of these myself)
• Penn Fierce II
• Daiwa Regal

There are other choices that will work just fine. Almost any 5000 - 8000 series reel will work. 

3. Buy fishing line

Monofilament is inexpensive to get started (15# test), but braided fish line works better for me (50# PowerPro). With less "stretch" braided line provides more control once you hook a carp.

4. Buy the required hooks, swivels, leads

A size 4, 6 or 8 hook will work, but if putting the corn directly on the hook size 2 or 4 is likely a little better. I use a size 8 swivel rated at 20 pounds or better. A "bolt rig" is great, but you can use a regular "smooth" or "flat" lead with some bread molded around it and tuck the hook lightly in the bread making it easier to cast. 

I prefer an inline lead. Fox brand makes leads that are available online. Sizes from 3 oz to 5 oz will provide for waters ranging from calm lakes to flowing rivers.

5. Buy a suitable landing net

You need to get a net capable of landing a 15 pound or larger fish and hoisting it up without breaking. I recommend a flat bottom Ranger brand net with rubber coating (available at some Dick's Sporting Goods stores). My favorite is a Tournament Series muskie net with the 84" telescoping handle. Big nylon nets are cheap, but will cause more harm to fish. Focus on a rubber coated net with a smaller opening in the webbing no larger than 3/4".

6. Use a yoga mat or old pillow stuffed in a trash bag to lay the fish on for unhooking

When you get more serious you can buy a padded landing mat from an online carp tackle vendor for $25 - $35 that works well.

Carp Fishing Bait

7. Buy a can of corn and a baiting needle

You can put kernels of canned corn directly on the hook and catch fish, but learning to tie a "hair rig" is fairly easy and very effective. You can improvise instead of using a baiting needle with various crafting or needlepoint items. A baiting needle will save you a lot of frustration.

Boiling "field corn" aka "deer corn" and flavoring with salt, cayenne, anise or vanilla is a step up from canned corn and field corn stays on the hair rig or hook easier. There are also commercial flavored baits available online such as those offered by Trilogy Carp Baits and a few others.

Use a pot big enough to make chili in. Fill it 1/2 full of field corn and the rest with water. Add some salt. Add some cayenne if desired. Cook on medium low heat until the corn puffs up. Check for tenderness and continue cooking, adding small amounts of water until tender. It's truly easy as heating water. I mix this corn in my pack bait.

Or, you can also try to make homemade boilies.

8. Buy some panko bread crumbs or oatmeal

I like to buy this in bulk at Gordon Food Store near my house. You can get 3 pound bags off the shelf or order 25 pound bags for bulk purchases. I usually by 50 pounds at a time (2 bags). I use this as a base in my pack bait (aka ground bait). 

You will need a wetting agent like syrup or cream corn. I prefer cream corn from Aldi. The cheaper the price, the better.

9. Mix in some boiled bird seed

I usually buy this at Wal-Mart in 10 pound bags. Boil it on the stove top in a pot until it expands and softens up. Store the boiled bird seed in resealable bags and place in the refrigerator.

10. Use some deer attractant powder or peanut suet

This is a "secret" tip that I've giving you as a reward for reading my blog and taking an interest in carp fishing. A little goes along way, so you can use a cup or less of each. It will also help "bind" the pack bait better.

Carp Fishing Rigs

11. Learn to tie a knotless knot aka "hair rig".

YouTube is a good place to learn how to tie a hair rig for carp fishing. You can make it complicated or keep it simple. I prefer to use my main line braid for my hair rigs also, but you can also use different rig tying materials or shrink wrap to make the rig stiffer and help prevent tangles when casting.

North American Carp Angler has some knot tieing tips from time to time in the magazine as well.

Conclusion

This shopping list may sound a little "pricey". But taking into consideration the savings you get from bank fishing as compared to fishing from a boat, it's really a nice bargain. 

For many, fishing is a great way to unwind after the work week. It’s a meditation and a popular destressor allowing you to get off the couch, out of the house and into the great outdoors.

By learning to fish for carp, you can save $80,000 right out of the gate. A new bass boat runs $30,000 more and add another $50,000 for a new tow vehicle. And that's before you put any fuel in the boat or the truck!

By shore fishing, you are ahead of the game before you even start. And, it may save you on a psychologist's bill down the road. :-)

As an alternative to buying new gear, consider shopping around at yard sales or borrow from a friend to "try before you buy," and save money.

You can get started with a little or a lot of money. It's up to you.

(I also wrote a How to Catch Carp blog post you may enjoy.)

Disclosure: This post contains links to products sold by affiliate companies. If you decide to purchase a product, I may receive a small commission. The decision to purchase is entirely yours.

Fall Carp Fishing in Michigan

I fished for 7 1/2 hours today, but could have probably still been catching as I write this if I wasn't fishing alone.

This spot has a huge weed bed that runs from about 20 feet to 150 feet off shore. You have to cast out past the weeds and then fight the fish through the very thick weeds. It's a good workout. Of course you end up losing about 30% of the fish.

In the past I've pulled 25# and 31# carp from this spot including another 7 or 8 #'s of weeds.

I managed to land 10 fish (the most ever from here) ranging from about 3 pounds up to 20 pounds (18 pounds was the next largest). But perhaps best of all I landed a nice little mirror. It's my first mirror from here.

The bigger fish seem to head elsewhere in the afternoons, so it pays to be on your game from the jump. There is heavy, heavy boat traffic here in the traditional boating months. It's a spot I only fish a couple times a year if it's raining or too cold for comfortable boating.

It's also a good spot for blanking.

This session is a great example of the need to be prepared when you go carp fishing. You really need to be on your game to consistently land carp. It can make the difference between a great, enjoyable day and a day filled with frustration.

Recasting quickly can increase your catch rate dramatically. At one point the action was so fast that I literally couldn't keep rods in the water.  Fish move in shoals, so if you catch one there are likely others nearby.

You need a process for landing the fish, capturing the photo, releasing the fish and recasting without wasting time or energy. Doing this when fishing solo takes some pre-planning and preparation. Taking the time to do it can help you catch many more carp throughout the year. If you catch 200 carp and being organized helps improve your results by a 10% rate, that's 20 more chances to land your new personal best. 

2nd Carp Fishing Trip to New River Spot

This time of year I schedule vacation time on Fridays to take advantage of the carp fishing conditions. The cool weather seems to spur the carp to "put on the feed". As the natural food sources begin to decrease, the carp seem to be more willing to feed on baits provided by fishermen.

This spot has only yielded 2 carp (and 7 catfish) so far, but this 19 pounder was a welcome addition to the tally.

I pixelated the background on this picture out of courtesy to a fellow fisherman. It's a spot I scouted 4 years ago with Linda while we were traveling, but never got around to fishing. I mentioned it to a friend last year, who fished it in October 2019. He absolutely killed it there with numerous fish greater than 20 pounds and a couple over 30 pounds. 

For the investigative types reading this post wondering where it is, I can tell you it's not the Rouge, Detroit or Raisin rivers that I have frequented in the past.

Koi/Carp Hybrid Catch

Two years ago today I caught this koi. It is an ogon variant of some type that has likely hybridized with common carp. It's the first and only koi for me.

2 Detroit River Common Carp

I caught two more common carp at the Detroit River today. The "Strait" aka Detroit River, is one of my favorite carp swims.

The fish in this particular location run on the smaller side of about 11# or less this year. I did catch one just shy of 17# three weeks ago, but other than that one....mehhh.

Today I used my usual panko packbait with Cherry Blast flavoring and the Trilogy flavored hook bait.

Huron River Carp Fishing

I live near the Huron River. It's a short, convenient drive to fish there whenever I am short on time. This spot is seasonal and is not open year round. It opens around Memorial Day and closes in October (or maybe a little earlier). It's usually a good summer spot, but has been very, very weedy in 2020.

Here are a few Huron River carp I caught in 2018 in a very good summer fishing spot.

A couple of years ago I had the best carp fishing day of my life in this spot and landed more than 35 common carp in a 9 hour day.

I don't often grow tired of landing too many fish, but that day I was hoping for a reprieve a couple of times. Landing 35 fish by yourself, re-baiting, recasting, etc. in light rain and 90 degree weather will wear you down just a little.

Fins Up Carp Photo

I caught this mid teens carp recently

I love it when the carp, camera, lighting and my ability to correctly pose a fish while keeping all those variables in check come together to achieve an intriguing photo like this one.

I have found that rather than taking photos in direct sunlight, it's best to find some shade. The shade helps filter out some of the harshness that causes fish to turn "white" or become "blotchy". I have developed a huge dislike for "blotchy" photos recently. But best of all, they are entirely preventable with some prior planning (and a little luck).

Recipe for Coconut Boilies

I have another homemade carp boilie recipe to share.

Coconut Boilies

Dry ingredients:

I roll into sausage rolls and cut (chop) with a knife.

1 cup soya flour
2 cups semolina
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup soya milk powder
1 cup protein powder
1 tbsp kelp powder
1 tbsp salt

Wet ingredients:

5 eggs
2 tbsp coconut cream
2 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp coconut essence
1 1/2 tbsp fish oil

Directions:

Combine wet ingredients, mix thoroughly and then mix in dry ingredients.

Roll into boilies. Boil for 2 minutes.

Dry on a cookie drying rack.

Store in Ziploc bags and refrigerate.

Finished chops, drying 

2017 Winding Down

I had the day off of work on Friday, but with temperatures in the low 20's I did not head out to my planned fishing spot as planned. The air temperatures remained in the 20's the entire day, so I didn't get to do any fishing on the Veteran's Day Holiday either. Major bummer...Last year I landed my current personal best of 29 pounds 2 ounces on Veteran's Day.

2016's best

With the winter slow down on the way, it's a good time to start making a shopping list for carp fishing items you need for next year. With fishing slowing down, sales are the carp equipment retailers slow down also. This provides an opportunity to pick up some nice merchandise for "sale" prices.

If you need carp rods, reels, landing mats, nets, etc. it's a good idea to keep any eye out on websites like Carp Kit and Johnson Ross Tackle to see what items they may have on sale. You can pick up some name brand items for very good prices if you keep an eye on their websites.

And it's not just the higher dollar items that go on sale either. If you need hooks, flavoring, fishing line, etc. you can buy them for 50% off (or better) sometimes. I've purchased Korda Wide Gap hooks for 50% off multiple times.

I have also been able to purchase 50# braided fishing line at Cabela's for 50-60% off in the fishing off season as well. I like to go in January. They often have fishing line at very good discounts.

Happy shopping.

Four Carp for Fall Weather Pattern

Fall fishing can be hit or miss. The cooler nights with temperatures nearing 32 degrees takes a toll on water temperature in local rivers and lakes sooner or later. The cool water slows down the fish, which slows down feeding and, therefore, eventually puts the brakes on fishing.

It's still possible to catch carp, but it takes considerably more effort, time and prior planning.

Yesterday weather yielded strong winds and temperatures in the mid-40's for a high with rain headed from west to east toward my fishing location. There were two very short periods of sunshine and the rest of the day was overcast.

My strategy for cooler weather is to use less bait, recast more often to keep fresh bait in the water, using brand new hooks for every session to increase the odds of hooking up and watching the rods very closely.

I have found that fish bite softer in cool weather, so a sharp hook helps a lot. If the fish are biting aggressively, you can get by with a hook that's been used for a session or two, but I prefer to increase the odds in my favor as much as possible. The cost of a hook runs me about $0.69 each for the Korda Wide Gap hooks I use. That seems like a small price to pay versus running the risk of a "blank" aka "not catching".

Here are some pictures:

This one's a little scrapper for sure. This little guy did not want to be captured in the net AT ALL.
It took a while to land him.

This carp was very healthy looking.

I love the scale pattern on this one.

I've actually caught this fish previously. I can only speculate, but the missing lip indicates to me that it may have been hooked before. It kind of looks like the upper lip may have been pulled off, which can happen if the drag on the reel is set too tight, if treble hooks are used, or for a variety of other possibilities.

This fish is built for future growth.

This fish has been through some challenges. The missing scales and overall condition of the fish indicates the fish has been in the thick of trouble in recent weeks or even days. While I can't say for sure what caused the scrapes and scale issues, I can say the fish was a healthy swimmer. I found the darker head coloration compared to the rest of the body scale colors fascinating.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can get in one or two more days of fishing next weekend. If the high temperatures drop into the 30's this week, I may be out of luck for 2017. I'll be on the look out for a warm water discharge in the meantime to help extend my fishing into the winter if possible. If you know of a warm water discharge (a place where the river or lake doesn't freeze in winter), please let me know.