Gar and the common Carp

[bassboys]

What are the best techniques to catch these fish? They have been proving that I can't catch them. I am using wrong bait, hooks, or something....have no idea.

What do you do?

[heath19]

All i have ever used for carp in the little bit i have fished for them was nightcrawlers. Just fill a hook full of them and throw it out on the bottom. I know there are some dough baits that work good and corn works good to but ive never used it. For gar i couldnt tell you a go to bait...ive caught them on all kinds of bass baits but i know they sure do like a minnow under a bobber if you find a spot with a bunch of them. Good luck!!

[Fishaholic]

If your looking to catch some carp just for fun, like chris said, nightcrawlers work great!! Ive also used corn, and marshmallows. Theres more advanced recipes for the serious carp anglers, but I like to get ahold of a couple out at our campground fishing off the bank, they put a heck of a fight!!! as for hook size, just small 1/0 2/0 or so J hooks or circle hooks!!

[gofish]

my boys and i have a ball with the gar on surface/sight fishing.take a small shallow shad rap,pitch it about 3 ft ahead of one cruisin the surface.twitch it slightly to git theyre attention,when they git bout a ft or so away twitch it again.when they eat it and you set the hook be prepared to duck!even using braid we only hook 1 out of 3 or so but if you miss em theyll hit again and again.

cut bait works well on the bottom but you need a hook with a large eye and some trotline material (nylon twine) attach a 3 to 4 inch piece of line to the eye of the hook and fray it out good.if you dont hook em the nylon gets wrapped in theyre teeth.

[DaveIN]

Very good points! Thank you......

[Soupy_1us]

What are the best techniques to catch these fish? They have been proving that I can't catch them. I am using wrong bait, hooks, or something....have no idea.

What do you do?

Most of the time in my parts we use dy-no-mite.. But , you city folk can't get by doing that...My break out some winders or something.

[dipper69_2000]

Most of the time in my parts we use dy-no-mite.. But , you city folk can't get by doing that...My break out some winders or something.

now soupy :confused0068: don't go teach'n them young'ens unsafe practices lol..... when we was young and just wanted to have fun we would use the nylon braided anchor rope about 5 inches long and unravel (fray) about 3 inches hook the unfrayed end to a stout hook..and use a split shot just heavy enuff to help cast. now mind you this is sight fishing. cast just in front and twitch like mentioned b4..... let the gar swim off a bit and just reel do not set the hook the braid will tangle in there teeth. the hook is only a means to attach the cheap home made lure...ppsst dont cut up your dads or uncles anchor rope for this or it will be a week b4 u get to go out again after they find it :confused0024:

[Soupy_1us]

Yeah ,dipper69 is right, I forgot to tell you little ones out there... Do not try this at home or without adult supervision.... ( you can come and get me or gofish to help ya)

[gofish]

shoot soupy....all 3 of my boys know what quarter sticks are used fer .....just let the young uns learn em lol

[ash]

what dynamite?? :)

[Mickey and Jim]

As for catching gar look up nylon rope lure on the web. And for the carp check out this site.

http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/

[DaveIN]

Thank you for the site!

When I was young I would spent some summers at my GrandParents cabin on the Greenfield bayou a tributary of the Wabash River in Praireton, IN. There were 10 cabins along this strip with mostly retired folk. All during the week everyone would put just about their catch in live baskets and on Saturday we would have a massive fish fry. My what a varied fry it was. An ole boy living in the cabin next to us was a retired railroad man. He would catch carp and put them through a three stage, three week cleaning process in horse troughs. First week, first trough, second week, secound trough and etc changing the water each time. Each Saturday he would take the carp out of the third week trough and prepare them like you would cod. Man o man that was good eats! You just cound not tell the diff between the carp and cod!

[dipper69_2000]

oftened woundered if i was not getting served carp over cod in some shady restraunts lol....... now i am really woundering:confused0024::confused0068:

[Mickey and Jim]

One of the biggest carp processing plants is in Iowa.

[Mickey and Jim]

This is a good read on carp.

http://www.big-river.com/br.story.a.html

[DaveIN]

Thank you for the great article!

[bassboys]

Thanks alot for all the help and info. Sorry I haven't replied back but been fishin' every day. Haven't caught any carp or gar, but a lot of stripers and white bass, a few cats.
I will let you know when we catch one or the other.....it will be our first gar and/or carp.

[gofish]

caught a few decent gar over the weekend here on cutbait,2 a lil over 4ft long

[DaveIN]

Did you eat them?

[gofish]

aint ate gar since i was a young un...nope theyre still in the water lol

[bassboys]

Yeah, I heard they were mostly bones....not much meat.

[DaveIN]

HERE (http://www.bassonhook.com/fishforfood/garrecipes.html) are some Gar recipies.

Been some years, but, if fixed right, not bad,,,,,,,,,,

[bassboys]

Hey all. Dad is taking us to Ky and Barkley Lake for the weekend.
Keep your fingers crossed we catch some good ones!!!!

[dipper69_2000]

wow what a trip good luck guys let us know how u do

[DaveIN]

You are luckyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Take a lot of pictures...................

[gofish]

go git em boys!

[bassboys]

Hey.....Sorry we haven't replied yet. We did pretty good. Caught 4 large mouth, 5 crappie, 3 blue gills, and 4 yellow bass. We didn't keep any, so dad took us to Ponderosa and we got our grub on!!!!! It was a fun day.

[dipper69_2000]

Hey.....Sorry we haven't replied yet. We did pretty good. Caught 4 large mouth, 5 crappie, 3 blue gills, and 4 yellow bass. We didn't keep any, so dad took us to Ponderosa and we got our grub on!!!!! It was a fun day.

lol at got the grub on u boys fitt'n in here just fine..sounds like ya'll had a good trip. thank you for keeping us informed

[gofish]

sounds like ya had a busy day.way ta go!.......feel bad fer ponderosa though......bet ya wiped em out lol

[Ðe§perado™]

Try Fiberglass.

[troutrageous1]

Any fish are good fish as far as I'm concerned. Sounds like you had a ball 'boys, thanks for the update.