Big Carp Fishing on Detroit River

Today I spent my last day of Friday 2021 vacation time carp fishing on the Detroit River. From here on it's Saturday or nothing fishing-wise (fingers crossed its not raining).

The potential for catching big carp in the river requires carp fishing equipment that's up for the job. I used my 12' rods, reels with 25 pounds of drag pressure, carp fishing hooks, and 50 pound braided fishing line.

Despite being prepared to catch big river fish right out of the gate, I had a couple of mix-up's to early in the morning where I didn't perform well resulting hook-pulls. (For anyone new to catching carp, a hook-pull is just like it sounds - pulling the hook from the fish's mouth.) I was trying to steer the carp in snaggy shallow water, which wasn't the best choice. From that rough starting point, we changed fishing strategy and began walking the fish downstream a little ways to deeper water. It worked. We had no more hook pulls.

My third fish wasn't a carp, but rather a good-eating-sized catfish we didn't photograph. The remaining fish from today are in the photos below.

The first carp we landed was a hard fighting fish with a deformation that is stunting his growth quite a bit. The fish looks much bigger than it weighed on my scales (22#'s), but it's convinced me to replace my 7 year old Rapala scale from K-Mart.

The second fish weighed 21#'s. The third fish isn't looking like a carp (to me). I think it's a  hybrid goldfish variety.  The head is more buffalo than carp to my eye, but goldfish hybrids are becoming pretty common locally.

Given the free time, and good weather, I am sure there are much bigger carp to be caught from the river. Low to mid-30#'s would not surprise me at all, but the vastness of the river makes it a daunting task if shore fishing.

The weather is beautiful this week. I hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy it.

Detroit River Common Carp

The Detroit River provides numerous fishing opportunities to catch a variety of fish ranging from small to large and everything in-between.

Walleye, perch, white bass and small-mouth bass sure do get alot of focus locally, but there are many other fish available to sports fishermen who like catch photo and release fishing. Sturgeon, gar, muskie and pike are available as well, but a highly under-fished variety is the ciprinius carpio aka "The Common Carp".

It's the largest, most accessible, reasonably easy to catch fish available in the river. 

A medium action rod about 8' long, a 4000 or 5000 series reel spooled up with 25 # mono or 50 # braid will make it easier.

If fishing from an elevated position like a pier or dock, a net with an 8' handle and 30" or larger hoop will help a bunch as you lift the typical 10 to 15 # carp out of the water. I use a flat-bottomed Ranger tournament muskie net, which works well.

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.

Vacation Day Carp Fishing on Detroit River

I caught this one early on my vacation day. The carp in this spot are slow to bite and seem to give up early with little activity after 9:30 a.m.

Fall fishing can be very good at times, especially in lakes. When water temperatures fall back into the 50's at night, it seems to spur a return of better than average carp fishing prospects.

NBY-S18 Speaker for Fishing

I recently purchased the NBY-S18 speaker for $27 on Amazon and a couple of 16gb USB drives from Walmart for $5 each. 

This combination will provide hours of bankside music at reasonable prices. I have used the speaker for several hours at this point and the results are very good.

I have lots of CD's and now I can easily take them along while I fish.

My Continuing Struggle With Rude Boaters

The trials and tribulations of a carp fisherman (continued)

I headed out fishing this morning at O' Dark Thirty to one of my favorite fall fishing spots. The park supposedly opens at dawn, but after a few phone calls to the city offices, police department, and (after pressing zero), the Oakland County Dispatchers office who actually logged a non-emergency call to the local police station, frustration ensued. After wasting 2 hours, we gave up and headed to a second location 20 minutes away. 

We set up to fish and kept noticing boats rolling into the parking lot. If you guessed that I had another run in with a group of boaters, you're right. I confronted one who ran over my line and beached his boat about 20 feet from my rods. I let him know that either I have the worst luck with boaters or boaters in general are out to get me. He didn't apologize or anything, which seems to be typical of the boaters I've run across. 

On the way out of the park I ran into the DNR Officer. I explained what happened and she promised to make a visit to them and talk about it. I explained to her that I expect careless behavior from young, inexperienced boaters, but these guys were retired folks, experienced boaters, and driving antique boats. Bottom line, they should have known better.

Yours truly on a happier day of fishing

I would like to see more respect from boaters towards shore fishermen. Sometimes I get the feeling that boaters look down upon and consider shore fishermen "lesser" somehow. I can only base this view on how I have been treated by boaters. I am sure not all boaters fall into this category.

I am continually surprised and confused by the actions of boaters on lakes that I fish. My impression of the reasons someone decides to buy a boat in the first place have been turned on their head recently. I have always thought that a boat is purchased to fish out in the water, away from shore, but time-and-time again I see boaters actually beaching their boats on the shoreline rather than piloting them out in the actual body of water that they are designed to navigate. 

My suggestions and observations for boaters from a non-boater point of viewpoint:

• If you launch your boat, then enjoy your boat out on the lake away from shore. 
• I see little need to launch a boat and then immediately land it on the shore. 
• When you are out boating, be on the look out for people fishing along the shoreline.
• There is zero need or reason for you to land your boat along the shoreline within 20 feet of shoreline fishermen, yet I continue to see it done over and over, time and time again.

For boaters that continue doing these things, I can only assume that you really do have some type of vendetta against shoreline fishermen.

• Do boaters automatically assume they are superior because they are driving a boat?
• Do boaters see themselves at a higher social level, or as members of some "wealthy" group?
• Do boaters assume that shoreline fishermen are somehow in a an inferior social class or of lower financial means because they choose to fish from shore?

If that is the case, I'd be willing to compare my savings and checking accounts, 401K balance, HSA balance, mortgage account balance, automotive loan balances, and annual income with any boater that does feel this way. I am sure you might be surprised.

In a nutshell...please DO BETTER.

Best Carp Fishing Hooks

Looking for the best carp hooks? 

I highly recommend these G-Carp hooks from Gamakatzu. I have bent several hooks, but never one from Gamakatzu. 

I tied up 10 hair rigs recently and at one point there was blood on my desk. It was from these hooks. 

They're sharp and they're just plain good. I think they are the best on market, but I've also used Nash carp hooks successfully as well.

The best fishing hooks are not cheap. But then, you wouldn't trust heart surgery to the low cost provider would you? 

I know it's a stretch comparison, but for those of who fish regularly, losing a potential new personal best because a cheap, inferior hook bends during the fight might cause a few heart problems. 

Detroit Downriver Carp Fishing

This Labor Day has been very, very good to me. We didn't catch Diablo today at the Detroit River, but...after discussing that catching a triple is unlikely from this spot, guess what happened...yep, a triple - 3 on the mat. 

One of these photos in the collage is of the same fish twice (unless I actually caught 9), but after landing 8 carp and 5 of very similar size and shape, they begin to look a like. 

The largest fish today weighed 13#, but it was a fun day and weekend of carp fishing. 

Zebco Dock Demon for Carp Fishing

In this age of bigger being better in carp fishing where 12' and even 13' rods are the norm, I have been interested in doing some testing and videos using smaller equipment. Inspired by a recent video by Catfish and Carp on YouTube, I am going to try to catch a carp using a Zebco Dock Demon (or similar) from Walmart. 

I would love to see others try it too and share the experience here in the comments below. The only rule I will follow - the rod and reel combo must cost less than $15.

Stay tuned.

Detroit River Carping

The Detroit River offers some great fishing opportunities at many public fishing venues. Public parks and piers provide access to the river where you can catch species from catfish to carp and bass to walleye; from musky to sturgeon and everything in-between. My favorite little known catch so far - a River Carp Sucker.

I spent some time this morning fishing a spot on the Detroit River that has seldom produced carp for us. But whether you call it luck, skill, or persistence the results improved today. 

There are other spots nearby that have also produced some catches, but based on my personal experience you may fish one day and catch; and fish another day and not. 

I think river fish tend to travel more and move around more than fish in a lake might have a tendency to do. And wind direction definitely plays a big part in the odds of catching carp from the Detroit River. 

My largest carp in the photos below weighed more than 21 pounds. 

If you decide to try fishing the river, aim for a day when the wind is low and slow. We ended up leaving around 11:15 a.m. along with most everyone else. 

This is a quick, hit it, get it and go spot apparently because no one was catching anything after 9 a.m.

Mid Teens Carp

Small, but scrappy

21 pounds

If you are looking for a camera, look around for a used Fujifilm 12 megapixel pocket sized point and shoot. It's better than many phone cameras and it saves your phone battery. You can buy them under $100 if you shop around.

Detroit River Ghost Carp

2021 is finding my carp fishing efforts focused largely on the Detroit River. These efforts date back to 2019 and 2020 when I started fishing the rivers nearby more and more. 

My efforts to fish public lakes near my home have become frustrating with boaters and jet skiers.

But I've caught some nice fish this year in the Detroit River at 3 different swims, which is rewarding. There are a few other Detroit River swims on the list for later this year as well. 

Here's an interesting fish from earlier today. I wish I'd thought to photograph the head from the top, but I did not.

Detroit River Carp Fishing for Lower Stress

"I don't need therapy, I just need to go fishing." I get mine most Saturdays, from April to early in November. 

Forty-six million people can't be wrong.

There are actually fishing therapy programs popping up across the country. 

I caught these carp today from the Detroit River.

I am speaking generically about therapy. Please consult a professional if you think you may need therapy or counseling. 

Fishing has provided me a powerful way to unwind and de-stress after a work week. It's difficult to successfully catch fish while angry. Trust me, because I have tried many times.

There are so many details involved in successfully catching fish that a calm and cool approach is needed.

Fishing usually occurs in nature, in peaceful surroundings, which has been a source of meditation for me. My blood pressure reduces just thinking about fishing. Sitting by the water adds a calm that is sometimes difficult to find sitting on the couch.

The next time you are stressed, try tieing a few fishing rigs. It's difficult to tie a fishing rig while anxious, upset or uptight. In my experience, the act of rigging baits for fishing forces me to become calm and very "Zen".

Kids Carp Fishing Event in Ann Arbor

Here are my pictures from the Reel Fish Reel Fun event today at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor.

It was a nice event. We arrived early. We conquered rain. We conquered wind. We conquered some strong fighting Huron River carp and shared carp fishing with some interested, studious, excited kids who hopefully left the event with some new knowledge and appreciation for what is one of the most accessible, largest average size, and strongest fighting freshwater fish available to the average angler in the Ann Arbor area.

We met, networked, swapped fishing stories and tips with some other local carp anglers. If you haven't hosted or participated in this type of kids fishing event before, I'd urge you to try it. It's an easy way to get more involved in the community and pay it forward.

Budget Carp Rods and Reels

I caught 10 carp today using what is probably the most economical combination of carp rod and baitrunner reel available on the market - the NGT Carp Stalker rod and Okuma Carbonite baitrunner. 

I haven't priced them specifically for purchase but after a couple of Google searches it appears you can get the combo brand new for $60-$65 not including shipping costs. 

The rod's 2.0 test curve is fine casting 2 oz. leads and packbait up to 40 yds. The reels were spooled with 30# braid and were able to do the job okay-ish. The reels are rated at 12#s of drag pressure I believe, which might be enough in clear, weedless, and snagless lakes and small rivers/creeks. The reels show their weaknesses quickly with heavy weed and/snags such as submerged tree branches. I had to apply manual drag with my hand to help compensate while fighting several fish today. 

I would rate the rods as "good" for an economical price. They are decent stalking rods. I would rate the reels as "fair", due to lack of drag pressure while fishing in heavy weed beds.

This combination is a decent option for a kids' setup or quick hit and go sessions.

How to Catch Carp Fast Fishing Video

Almost anyone can learn to catch carp FAST with a little effort and planning.

Kentucky Afield recently featured a segment about carp fishing. Carp fishing guru Erik Taylor hosted the filming crew from the TV show at his home lake.

Erik demonstrates pack baits, hair rigs, fighting, and landing common carp, which are gaining notoriety as a worthy sport fish.

Check out the video online. It's a very good representation of modern day European-style carp fishing.

Steps to catching carp:

1. Get a suitable rod and reel: Almost any medium action bass fishing rod 7' or longer will work to get you started.

2. Find a body of water with carp: Spend some time reading the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website. There is a section that allows you to search by water and by species. While you're there read the fishing regulations.

3. Do a web search for "how to make method mix for carp fishing"

4. Search YouTube for "how to tie a hair rig"

5. Mold your method mix around a  2 oz lead. 

6. Cast your bait into a spot close to shore that is at least 5 feet deep with signs of carp. I like to cast out about 30 to 40 feet.

7. Loosen your drag completely so it free spools allowing fish to run with the bait.

8. When you hook a carp gradually tighten the drag as you reel in the fish.