Trakker EQ 42" Carp Landing Net

My struggles to find a reliable carp landing net are well documented on the Michigan Carp Blog. I've also written about it extensively on the CarpAnglersGroup.com forums.

Few things in carp fishing are more important than the landing net, but it's the weak link for most beginners starting to catch carp. It's understandable. Carp fishing isn't cheap. It takes different equipment to land 12 - 15 pound carp than it does to catch 1 - 2 pound bass and crappie; and that equipment isn't something you can pick up at the typical discount big box store around the corner.

Many online store fronts selling carp equipment have a "budget" landing net for sale in the $30 - $40 price range. I've bought those and others up to $70 and they didn't get the job done for me.

My next carp net is going to be the Trakker EQ 42" carp landing net pictured below.

From Trakker Products the 42" EQ Landing Net

Selling for around $130 it's outside of the low budget price point, but it could actually save you money, time and frustration in the long run. Buying quality never goes out of style either.

Basic Carp Fishing Gear on a Budget

This time of year a lot of the fishing equipment web sites place items on sale that offer the opportunity to save some money. Whether for Christmas promotions, clearance, inventory reduction or a last ditch effort to implore some who haven't quite been able to pull the trigger on a purchase due to the various price points it really doesn't matter because it's a nice opportunity to pick up some of the basic equipment to help you get started fishing for someone more experienced to accumulate some gear to get a spouse or child started out in carp fishing.

There are a lot of opinions about what is "basic" gear. My basic might be a $40 reel and $40 rod, but there are others who believe a "basic" rod and reel cost upwards of $300. The list below is my suggestion and my opinion for how to started carp fishing with a minimal cash outlay.

LW 60 reel for $24.95
Black Phantom Classic rod for $29.25
GSP Black Alarm for $18.95
Unhooking Mat for $14.95
40" Landing Net for $39.95

For approximately $220 plus shipping, you can have two rods, two reels and two bite alarms and the basic items needed to catch, land and release carp effectively. I picked items that are all available from www.bankfishingsystems.com so that you only have to pay for shipping once. You can mix and match from different sites, but you will need to take shipping into consideration.

Of all the items on the list, the weakest link is the landing net. A quality landing net is essential to ensure that carp are landed and released with the least amount of stress for the fish. But I will offer a warning - you will need to be careful with the landing net and pick up the fish by-the-net and not by-the-handle. If you don't you will have a high probability of breaking the net the first time or two you use it and then you will have started your new hobby off with a huge disappointment. (I speak from personal experience on this topic.)

For slightly more money, you might opt for a Wychwood Signature 36" landing net priced at $81.49, a Sonik SKS 42" two piece landing net for $94.95 or a Trakker 42" EQ landing net for $120.99. (If I buy a new landing net at some point, I am going to buy the Trakker model.)

Lastly, I'd suggest buying a few cans of flavored corn/maize from either World Classic Baits or K-1 Baits. A can of the flavored corn will last you for 4 or 5 weeks of fishing easily. You don't have to re-bait with new corn every time you cast. I've caught multiple fish on the same few kernels of corn many different times.

• Keep a lid on it.
• Keep it out of the direct sunlight.
• Refrigerate when storing the corn at home.

It will last several weeks this way and you won't need to keep purchasing more and paying more shipping costs.

Whatever items you decide to purchase, please try to relax and have fun learning a new hobby. I hope you find it as enjoyable as I do!

If I can help you in any way, just ask.

New Carp and Catfish Book

New Sonik Carp Fishing Reels

Update 11/22/14 : UPS delivered the reels 3 days after I placed the order at Carp Kit International.

I have been shopping for new reels for a few months. I started carp fishing with some inexpensive Okuma ABF-50's. I used them for two seasons and decided to move up to something a little better. I considered the Okuma Trio and Epixor. I like Okuma a lot, but I was hoping for something a little better.

Many may wonder why I didn't consider Shimano or Daiwa. I have nothing against either brand. Shimano is out of my budget range and most everyone I know has Daiwa reels, so I wanted something different.

Carp Kit International had a promotion today for 20% off all reels. I took advantage and purchased 3 of the Sonik 6000 FS bait runner reels. Here's a description from the website:

A superb new bait-runner style reel, with a super smooth trouble free operation and sleek black cosmetics. Supplied with two spools, they feature S-curve Oscillation for even line lay, instant anti-reverse, front and rear drag, balances twin handles, thick Aluminium black bail arm, Titanium coated anti-twist line roller and a 4.6:1 gear ratio, which recovers a full 87cm/34 inch of line per turn of the handle.  

• 5+1 Stainless Ball Bearings
• High Strength Composite Body/Rotor
• Instant Anti-Reverse
• S-Curve Oscillation for even line lay
• Line Recovery Per Turn of Handle - 34inch/87cm
• Balanced Rotor
• Balanced Twin Handle
• Titanium coated
• Anti-Twist Line Roller
• Thick Aluminium black bail arm wire
• Free spool feature
• Sensitive sealed drag
• Gear ratio 4.6:1
• Supplied with 2 graphite spools, capacity of mm/m 0.30-460 0.35-340 0.40-260/lbs/yds 15-375 18-340 22-225.
• Reel Weight - 460g

Sonic 6000 FS photo courtesy CarpKitInternational.com

I got 3 reels for $258 with shipping included. The Epixors would have been $220 and change with shipping included.

Now I just need to spool them up with some Power Pro braid.

Huroc Park Flat Rock Michigan

I was tempted to fish today. The sunshine was almost too good to pass up, but with 34 degrees and wind I couldn't pull the trigger on it. So I did the next best thing...I went scouting for carp fishing spots to try next spring.

A lot of people I know fish the Huron River in Flat Rock for carp. I haven't tried it, but it's on my list for next year.

Here are a few pictures I took today:

A view from near the dam

A likely fishing spot with acceptable space for landing fish

A view toward to dam from the bridge over the Huron River

Huroc Park is the Huron River Community Park in Flat Rock. There are always several people fishing. The 34 degree temperatures didn't deter the 8 - 10 people fishing this area today throwing spinner baits into the fast moving water just past the bridge as it falls over another smaller dam.

I have no idea how deep it is up toward the dam, but I've seen plenty of videos on YouTube that demonstrate this area has a plentiful supply of average sized carp available.

My Lessons in Carp Fishing Supplies

I'm sure many who are just starting to learn about carp fishing make many of the same repeatable mistakes I did in the beginning. Having some experience fishing for bluegill, bass and catfish in farm ponds as a teenager, I had no idea what type of equipment that I would need to consistently land 10 - 20 pound carp in a hassle free manner that wasn't too hard on the fish.

An average sized carp in Michigan

My first mistake was making the assumption that I could use bass tackle to catch carp. I headed out the local big box store and purchased a 6 ft. light action rod and inexpensive spin casting reel.

I tied on a method feeder, hair rig and mixed up some oats. And I went fishing. Luckily I didn't catch anything because it would have most assuredly broke off and left me in a lurch.

Next I bought a medium/heavy action 10 ft. rod and a bait feeding reel. This was definitely a step in the right direction, but still a little off the mark. I actually caught 10-12 carp on this set-up, but lost twice that many to hook pulls. The rod was fine for casting out 3 or 4 oz. leads and method balls, but the stiff action was a little too aggressive for the tender mouthed and lipped carp.

Next I purchased an inexpensive net advertised as a carp net. The very first carp landed with the net broke the net in half.

I purchased a bunch of boilies as bait. A bag of boilies will last a long time for a beginning carp fisherman.

I didn't start out with bite alarms. They are not needed and I consider them more of a nice to have item.

At that point I had spent more than $100 on my initial carp fishing items.

I now know that I'd my first purchase should have been a high quality net. I also now know that you can't get good one for less than about $70 -$90. The better ones are in the $150 - $200 range.

Next I should have prioritized the purchase of a rod capable of casting 3 or 4 oz. lead and method balls; but with enough play to gently fight the fish without yanking and jerking the hook right out of the carps mouth within seconds of the initial run. Several acceptable rods are available for between $40 and $60.

Thirdly I should have purchased a bait feeding reel. A basic reel to do the job costs in the $50 range.

Fourth and fifth, I should have purchased a carry sling and landing mat. This helps ensure the fish is not dropped or mistreated during weighing and picture taking process and that the fish is safely returned to the water to live another day to be caught by another carp angler. These can be had for about $25 each.

For bait, I should have stuck to plain old panko and cream corn for the method ball; and then an inexpensive flavored maize for the hair rig. I have caught 140 carp this past year on flavored corn and about 6 on a boilie. I do spend more on panko and cream corn that I'd like, but you can't catch the fish if they are not attracted to your hook.

Adding all those figures up for three rods and reels, bank sticks, fishing line, bite alarms, etc. uses every bit of $600 if you buy everything new. (Acceptable bite alarms can be purchased for less than $20 each.) Buying used equipment puts the bill down in the $300 range to start out. At this point, after 2 years of carp fishing I've spent about $1,000 on equipment and supplies.

Can you spend less and still catch fish? Yes.
Can you spent much more than that? Very easily.

For me it's money well spent because I love getting outside and catching big fish from bank without a boat. I'd much rather catch a 20 pound fish than a 2 pound fish any day of the week.

Quantity vs. Quality

It's an age old problem.

Quantity

Do you buy something inexpensive that will get the job done, but has to be replaced quite often, or buy something significantly more expensive that will last much, much longer? A comparison might be buying a Fiat vs. a BMW or a Hyundai vs. a Mercedes.

Do you buy something of good quality like a Seiko or Citizen watch that is moderately expensive, or do you buy something of very, very good quality like a Rolex or Tag Heuer?

For me those comparisons align well with some of my theories of fishing for carp.

Do you use an inexpensive, but effective bait for catching carp like Panko and corn, or do you fish with boilies and a concoction of particles? Both catch fish, but some feel it's a matter of more fish vs. bigger fish.

Quality

There's another variable  for carp fishing that makes this scenario a little more interesting - are you fishing in a habitat that has big fish? If the answer is yes, then fishing with inexpensive corn will still catch big fish.


Another way of looking at it -

Would you rather catch 10 or 15 fish with the chance of one or two big fish or catch 4 or 5 fish with one or two big fish?

I know which option I prefer! More is always better in my book.

Election Day Carp Session

I had the day off work, the weather offered 53 degree temps, 25 mph wind gusts and a 60 percent chance of rain by midday.The forecast for the weekend is miserable with predictions of sleet, rain, flurries and a mix of all three with falling temperatures, so by all indications this just might be my last opportunity to catch carp in 2014.

I had lines in by 7:30 and my first fish on the bank by a little past 10:00. It was a nice 21 pounds and 9 ounces. I had more fish by 10:30 and even more by noon. Then the flood gates opened and I had several more fish before I had to leave at 2:15 because it was beginning to rain and I needed to go do my civic duty and vote. I caught several fish consistently in the upper teens and another topping the scales at exactly 20 pounds.

Here are some pictures. My photographer had to work, so I did the best I could with the timer on my cell phone. It's the first time I tried using it, so pardon the odd angles and poor lighting in some of the photos.

My window to the carping grounds this morning. When I took this picture it was still relatively calm.
A little later in the day there were 25 mph wind gusts with 1 foot white caps.

My first fish today weighing in at 21 lbs. 9 oz.

It's s blurry shot with the timer on my cell phone, but not too bad considering the low light levels.

 

My second fish today weighing 6 lbs.

Close-up

Third fish weighing 11 lbs.

Upper teens

Same fish, posed with the cell phone timer

Upper teens

Fifth fish of the day

I lost a fish before this one to a hook pull, but luckily there were plenty of others today.

I think I kind of like these types of poses after all. Fins up.

20 lbs. on the button. This one was a fighter for sure.

I fought this one with a real light drag to be sure I could land him.



18 lbs. and my last fish of the day (possibly 2014).

It couldn't have been a better day of fishing. I caught other fish, but these pictures posed on the landing mat are pretty boring. I will spare you those and just say that the action was good today and if it hadn't started raining, I probably could have caught more than 20 fish today.

And I still made it home by 3 p.m. to vote!

In October I set a goal to catch a 30 pounder before it turned to cold to fish. The 30 didn't come, but I gave it my best shot for sure. I have fished twice a week for the past 4 weeks catching fish ranging from 4 pounds to 26 pounds 6 ounces (my new personal best).

November Carp Fishing Session

I fished today and it was woefully slow going. I didn't have a bite until 10 a.m. and didn't catch the catfish until 11 a.m. (weighing 10 pounds). I hooked two nice fish I couldn't land; caught these little 4 pounders on a double run; and caught 1 more just like these as I was packing up to leave.

10 pounds 3 ounces

Double trouble; 4 pounders

Now I know where not to fish, if you want to catch trophy sized carp.

Power Pro Spectra Braid - 1500 yards of 50 lb Green

 

At Cabela's this line sell's for $152. Ebay has it on buy-it now for $109 today. Here's the link if you are interested: 50 lb Power Pro

Maybe It's Time to Find a New Fishing Spot

My reward for trying something different

Two weeks ago I plotted out a plan for four fishing sessions on successive weekends. My primary goal with the sessions was to establish a new personal best carp weight before the winter weather arrives.

For me, finding above average sized carp is not a simple thing. I've learned that you can't keep doing the same things over and over, hope for the best and  expect different results. If you want different results, you have to do new things; or do old things in a better way.

I have a favorite venue for carp fishing that is a 25 miles from my home. I've fished that spot roughly 20 times this past spring, summer and fall. My biggest carp from my normal spot weighed 23 lbs. My wife's biggest fish from that same spot weighed 24 lbs. Logic dictates that if I want to catch a common carp bigger than the biggest I've ever caught before, I needed to change spots, change bait, or attract bigger fish. I made the simple and easy-to-execute choice and went back to a spot that I fished earlier in the spring that yielded my current personal best of a few ounces shy of 25 pounds.

It was on the same lagoon near Lake Erie. I used the same baits, flavors, tackle, etc., but changed the location within that lagoon. And as you may have guessed by now....it worked!

My normal spot was beginning to see quite a bit of carp fishing pressure and in my opinion that fishing pressure slowed the bite a little bit. If four or five anglers are fishing the same spot over and over using the same baits and flavors, the fish might wise up a little and start to avoid the bait presentation. I have no idea of knowing for sure, but my theory makes logical sense to me. Someone else may shoot a hole in my theory, but it's a good a hypothesis as any other I've had lately.

I fished the opposite side of the lagoon in two spots that aren't as easy to fish because they require a 5 minute walk from the parking lot, there is no rest room and the mowing/tree trimming is not maintained as regularly. It's inconvenient, but I know from the past that the fish seem to run a little bigger on that side of the lagoon.

Overall average size from those spots for the past 4 sessions was close to the average size in my normal spot, but there were some big fish sprinkled in; two I couldn't land and one that I did. The one fish I landed weighed in at 26 pounds and 6 ounces besting my prior personal best weight by almost 1 1/2 pounds.

So the next time fishing slows down in your normal spot(s), it might be time to find a new one. It worked for me this month. Maybe it will work for you too.

Berkley Trilene Big Game vs. Braided Fishing Line

Here's an update to my testing of Trilene Big Game monofilament compared to Power Pro braided fishing line.

I've been fishing with 50 lb. braided fishing line for two seasons of carp fishing. I've had success with it and developed strong confidence in the braid. Between snags, boaters running over my lines, and general wear I've gone through 1,200+ yds. of line this year. Priced at $24.99 per 300 yds. I've spent more than $100 on fishing line so far.

In July I picked up 900 yds. of Trilene Big Game 15 lb. for $3.97 on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods. My thought at the time was to experiment with the possibility of saving money with monofilament compared to braid. I'll add that I would have preferred to buy 20# Big Game, but they did not have any available.

Quote from my blog post in July:

"Let's see...should I spend $100 on fishing line or $3.97? That one's easy...if it the performance is similar."

As year two winds down, I'm ready to report on my results for the testing here on my local Michigan lakes. Specifically my goal was to validate whether or not I can justify the extra expense for the braided line going forward.



Power Pro priced for $27.99 locally

Trilene Big Game purchased for $3.97 locally.

My testing started with several sessions in late summer at Ford Lake in Ypsilanti. The Big Game performed o.k. at Ford Lake and I landed a few carp in the 12# to 14# range.

As the year continued and bigger fish moved into the lagoon I fish near Lake Erie it provided a better opportunity to see how the Big Game would hold up. For the past three sessions I've hooked a lot of carp on the mono. I've landed carp in the 12# to 22# range on the monofilament during those sessions.

To be completely honest, I wanted to Big Game to match up well with the Power Pro so I could save some money. But in my personal experience the Big Game falls short for carp fishing compared to the Power Pro.

The biggest disappointment I had with the Big Game was a snapped line while trying to land the biggest carp I've hooked all year long. The line didn't fail at the knot and the failure wasn't caused by an abrasion. The line was over-taxed with a big carp and the carp was more than 15# monofilament could handle under extreme conditions. Yesterday I lost another smaller carp in the 10# range from another line break. Maybe 20# Big Game would have been more appropriate for big Michigan carp, but I didn't have 20# available.

For full disclosure I have broken Power Pro during the casting process due my own mental mistake and one other time several months ago while fighting a fish, but I suspect that time was due to an abrasion and not due to the size of the fish.

I am not a professional fisherman, so someone with more skills than I may have had better luck with the monofilament. For me the choice of monofilament vs. braid comes down to my own personal confidence in the line. With a new personal best on the line I don't want to worry about the line failing and losing the fish. I want to feel good about my chances of landing "the big one" and for me that means I'll be sticking with 50# braid.

I have a tip for those who find Power Pro more expensive than you think it could be. There are alternative braids that will work equally as well for carp or catfish fishing.

A Great Session Near Lake Erie - Great Weather and a New Personal Best Common Carp

Luckily I had the day off of work because the weather was very unseasonably warm today here in Southeast Michigan. After several days of cooler weather last week and falling water temperatures, temperatures in the upper 70's were bound to lead to some interesting chances to catch some carp. The carp did not disappoint.

The action started early with a few average sized fish. About 9:30 a.m. I hooked into a solid fish on my left rod and the fish crossed over the middle and right rods before doubling back to under the middle rod approaching the net. Everything was going very well to that point. The fish was tiring and Linda had the net in perfect position. To that point I hadn't really seen the fish yet, so boy was I surprised to see it approaching the net. It was the biggest fish I have hooked all year! Come on new PB!

I loosened the drag a little because the fish was spooked by the net. He struggled right and then back left into the netting zone. The fish hovered over the net, but was so big the tail wasn't quite in...and then it happened...yep, the dreaded hook pull. But at that point the fish was obviously tiring because Linda said, "don't worry, I can still get him." The fish didn't realize it was no longer hooked because it continued to hover in the water for several seconds. Linda pull up on the net, but the tail wasn't quite in yet. Somehow the fish eluded capture and we both were super, super bummed. I am pretty sure the fish was a 30+ pounder. The head on my Ranger net is 34" and the fish was bigger than that by several inches. So for the next couple of hours we relived the moment and discussed how to do it better next time; hopeful to get another chance at a quality fish. The next chance eventually came around 2:30 p.m., but the fish was a several inches shorter and a few pounds lighter.

Here are some pictures from today's session:

5 pounds

5 pounder posed

6 pounds

8 pounds

11 pounds

12 pounds

13 pounds

14 pounds

17 pounds

26 pounds 6 ounces, and my new personal best common carp

The release of my new personal best

Carp Fishing Slideshow

Created with flickr slideshow.

Difference in Fishing and Being a Fisherman

For most of my life catching fish I simply threw a line in the water and hoped for the best. When I started carp fishing I had to make adjustments to that carefree approach in the name of catching more carp.

I like to study and learn new things, so fishing for carp is a no-brainer for me. A worm on a hook won't produce many carp and certainly not on a consistent basis. So I've had to learn ways to entice the carp to eat the bait I'm offering. For illustration, consider an example from yesterday's session.

I was fishing with three rods and had landed multiple fish on my left rod and right rod, but none on the middle rod at midday. So when re-baiting I took notice of the hair rigs, hook lengths, etc. for clues. I noticed that the hook length on the middle rod was about 1 inch shorter than the hook length on the other two rods that were producing all the carp. I switched out the shorter hook length with a 6" rig, re-casted and hopefully waited.

It didn't take long.

I caught the biggest fish of the session 90 minutes later on that middle rod.

22 pounder caught on 15 pound test Berkley Trilene Big Game monofilament

So many of my winter weekends will be filled with reading, watching videos and strategizing new ways to improve my fisherman skills vs. buying the newest, shiniest, latest and greatest tackle and just fishing. I want to learn to use what I've already got more effectively. Lucky for me Michigan winters provide plenty of time for that as we wait for things to thaw out each spring. But I think time spent strategizing and learning will pay off big time with more carp in future sessions.