# Carp!!!



## Dave Ash

Another set up with my rod pod.










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## Waif

TK81 said:


> I started Carpin the Thornapple back in the early 70's. Here's one I got below the powerhouse in Middleville in 76. Doughballs, lawnchairs, and Ernie if there was a Tigers game that day.
> 
> View attachment 201698


Ernie H. is missed....especially his voice!
We used to fish above you a ways..I'm not sure if below or above the next dam at the moment..I want to say below but no where close to it.
A creek goes in below the next dam and carp were seen in it during summer on occasion which was interesting as it is quite shallow.


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## Dave Ash

I just got done watching a video my close friends made of fishing across the pond and here in Michigan. Its a bit long but well worth the time on a cold day with not much going on. Gives you a different perspective.

The guys did a great bit of camera work and editing, the quality is better than most fishing shows on TV.


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## 357Maximum

Dave Ash said:


> I just got done watching a video my close friends made of fishing across the pond and here in Michigan. Its a bit long but well worth the time on a cold day with not much going on. Gives you a different perspective.
> 
> The guys did a great bit of camera work and editing, the quality is better than most fishing shows on TV.



THANK YOU for that, what an excellent and enjoyable ride. It is just plain awesome to see them four young men enjoying themselves and appreciating what most simply do not like that. I caught myself smiling all the way through the video. The more carp videos I watch the more I think one of them bite indicating rod holders is in my future. I currently rely on clickers to wake my butt up while night fishing, but that electronic gizmo sure looks impressive. 

Really like the comment about the "nuisance" channel cat. It's all about perspective I guess and I found that "nuisance" part entertaining. I spent a lot of my life and money dedicated to the channel cat. Even have a boat specifically geared towards the whiskered ones. The beauty of my home turf is that I can appreciate both species at the same time. Thanks to an outside perspective in the form of an exchange student early on in my life I appreciate the "lowly" carp. Much appreciate that experience and the perspective it brought with it. This video brought back some very fond memories of them days, thank you for the link.


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## mbirdsley

Dave Ash said:


> Another set up with my rod pod.
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Why do you keep your rods parallel to the ground?


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## Dave Ash

There are a couple of reasons. In the case of this picture I had the lines "back leaded" which is a small weight chipped on the line that pins the line to the bottom. I had some kids with not so great casting ability come down and set up 10 feet away. 

Doing this also can keep fish from swimming into the line which scares them away. 

It can also be helpful if it is very windy.


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## 357Maximum

mbirdsley said:


> Why do you keep your rods parallel to the ground?


Now that Dave has answered I will share why I do the same thing occasionally. I find that it takes a lot less "pull" to get line off the reel with the rods parallel with the water. The fish is less likely to feel resistance that way. With a light set clicker on a baitcaster or baitfeeder type reel this can make a big difference, especially for light biters like suckers and such.


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## Dave Ash

Here is a monster caught by a member of Michigan carpers.


Fish like this are my reason for fishing carp!


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## Dave Ash

Carp season is not far away!

I can't wait!


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## 357Maximum

Dave Ash said:


> Carp season is not far away!
> 
> I can't wait!


I caught a pair of 6-8 lbres from a Saginaw R tributary on Tue. One bit a crawler and the other bit a piece of lead and plastic. One rolled in and the other actually put up a good tussle. They were not the fish I was looking for at the time, but I thanked them and sent them on their way anyaway.


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## junkman

Man with the weather the way it is I'm starting to feel carpy.


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## 357Maximum

junkman said:


> Man with the weather the way it is I'm starting to feel carpy.



You are not alone. My favorite local spot needs some shelf ice to go away and I am there.


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## junkman

How heavy of gear you guys using?I use an ultra lite rod with 4 or 6 pound test and a small circle hook.


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## 357Maximum

junkman said:


> How heavy of gear you guys using?I use an ultra lite rod with 4 or 6 pound test and a small circle hook.


I normally use the same medium weight/ fast action 6 and 7 foot rods I use for channel kitties with 8 lb mono. I will occasionally use 9 foot steelhead rods or a 12 foot noodle if I really need to "wing it" out there. My favorite spot on my local river I only need to cast about 20-30 yards so it really does not matter. The neighbor kid that goes with me occasionally just uses WalMart 6.5 foot ugly stick lites and he has zero issues landing the big copper colored beasties. 8 pound test on a slip sinker (egg/pyramid/no roll) or a standard 3 way rig with a long leader (for the muddy bottom areas) is all I use. I have not gotten into any of that high fallutin European style stuff yet, but them electronic bite indicators look right cool. I toss out a few handfuls of creamed corn for chum and bait is the noble nightcrawler from my yard threaded on a plain ol size 6 or 8 straight shanked baitholder hook. Carp fishing can be as fancy or as utilitarian as you want it to be, that is the beauty of it. My largest carp to date has been 38 pounds and it was caught on 6lb test using a standard light action 6 foot crappie fishing rod. I did have my hands full with that rig however.


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## junkman

I think hand lining would be kinda fun to try sometime.


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## Dave Ash

I use 12' 2.75 tc fox rods with either 15# mono for close range fishing. 

For longer range I use 12' 3.5 tc fox rods with 50# braid.

I will also use the braid if I am fishing in a swim with a lot of snags.


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## Dave Ash

The mono reels


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## Dave Ash

The hands down number 1 rig for carp.

The hair rig!


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## Waif

Dave Ash said:


> The hands down number 1 rig for carp.
> 
> The hair rig!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Never seen or heard of it...
Interesting use of a dropper off a snell to a no hook bait.
The split shot I would be apprehensive about , unless padded so not to damage line into a weak link lower than knot strength..


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## Dave Ash

I have never had it break at the shot. It is not pressed on hard. In this version of the rig the hook baits were boy ant the shot keeps the hook bait jus up up off the bottom and wafting around.

The way the rig is tied it turns the hook 90 degrees when the carp tries to spit it out, causing the hook to catch the bottom lip 99% of the time. I have yet to gut bomb a fish on the hair rig.





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## junkman

Thanks for the link.Whats in your chum?Or is it a tightly guarded secret?


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## Dave Ash

Nope, No secret.

This week it will be: 
20# of boiled field corn
5# of boiled piegon feed
6# of canned sweet corn


I boiled most of the filed corn today. It is sitting in a bucket in the garage I added the sweet corn in as well to soak up the juices. I will boil the pigeon feed tomorrow. Once it is boiled I will mix it all in the bucket in garage and go chum it out.

The big question I get asked is why boil it. Although my opinion differs from many X pats. I boil it to make it soft and bring out the starches. There are many guys that believe that throwing using dry corn can damage fish as a whole as it swells up after thrown int he water. Boiling it first is believed to prevent this possible damage because the particles are already swollen to full size. 

Here is a video from one of the guys from CAG about prepping particles.


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## junkman

I was looking at the DNR consumption guidelines for fish today.In Houghton Lake you can actually eat more carp than walleye.


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## john warren

can catch them on basic gear. and don't over look them as table fare. do a little research and try a recipe or two...you might just be way surprised at what you have been passing up.
carp used to be served in all the finest restraunts,,until the poconos resorts started promoting trout to sell their vacation packages


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## junkman

I have tried it and it was good.I will only eat small ones.It seem like I always end up catching big ones.So very few carp dinners for me.


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## LSSUfishmaster

I feel like most fish taste good if you have an open mind and like the taste of fish. Bowfin is good if you can clean it boneless. Gar is the next "junk fish" I want to try eating. And Ive heard buffalo is exceptionally good too.


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## junkman

LSSUfishmaster said:


> I feel like most fish taste good if you have an open mind and like the taste of fish. Bowfin is good if you can clean it boneless. Gar is the next "junk fish" I want to try eating. And Ive heard buffalo is exceptionally good too.


Two years ago I was served sheepshead.It was very good.


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## bounty hunter

Go to your local pizza joint and by raw doe place ur hook in the center of a golf ball size doe ball chuck it out free spool


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## Wolverick

I used to love catching carp on my ultra light rod with four pound line on it. It sometimes would take forty minutes to bring in a twenty pound fish. Kent Lake had a ton of really hungry fish with sweet corn on a number four hook being the preferred method.


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## Jeepfisherman

Love carp fishing! Got this one yesterday, first fish with my niece. As far as rigging, I must say I have decent opportunity to fish them, so I have a line in the water most of the time I'm working in the yard and have tried all kinds of method. I've seen the fish commit tenfold better ever since I switched up from a plain baited hook to a euro style boilie rig. I don't even use boilies, I thread a rubber power egg on, but the rig style made al the difference in the world for them not feeling the hook and spitting it out. Last year my best evening of fishing was 14 fish in about 5 hours. Fun way to spend the evening passing a bent rod around to the kids!


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## droptine989

Got this one jigging for eyes today


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## Corey K

LSSUfishmaster said:


> I feel like most fish taste good if you have an open mind and like the taste of fish. Bowfin is good if you can clean it boneless. Gar is the next "junk fish" I want to try eating. And Ive heard buffalo is exceptionally good too.


http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/wild-chef/2013/07/why-you-should-pass-buffalo-fish-0

Now this isn't from Michigan, just a thought on the Buffalo fish. They are very hard to catch, most of the time. I've snagged quite a few on accident in the Flint, Titt, and Saginaw Rivers. I've also shot a fair share with my bow during spawning times. I used to see them for sale at Meijer, I haven't looked anytime recent though. They do fight very well, I compare them to a Quillback Sucker in terms of catching, I've only landed a handful of each that bit my crawler.


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## LSSUfishmaster

Corey K said:


> They do fight very well, I compare them to a Quillback Sucker in terms of catching, I've only landed a handful of each that bit my crawler.


 I remember catching quillback often out of the Chippewa river when I was kid. My uncle lived on the river near a giant deep hole. Also one of my first experienced with carp! Fun times.


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## Corey K

LSSUfishmaster said:


> I remember catching quillback often out of the Chippewa river when I was kid. My uncle lived on the river near a giant deep hole. Also one of my first experienced with carp! Fun times.


Oh yeah, I've donated several rods from high banks fishing from carp when I was little...You will have to let us know how the Gar taste, they are very fun to catch as well. I've landed 2 that bit hard lures, and my have some Buddies that catch them on the Bullet sinker/rope rig. They fight better than Pike, very bony. I'm sure they are edible though.


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## LSSUfishmaster

When bow fishing season rolls around Ill have to see if my friend can throw a couple on ice for me.


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## Dave Ash

Got my new bite alarms ready to go!!


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## junkman

Dave Ash said:


> Got my new bite alarms ready to go!!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Nice!


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## Dave Ash

Got me a bait H of hook baits soaking I glug. Can't wait to get out!


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## raisinrat

Give me jar of tiger nuts and I am a happy camper this time of the year!


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## Dave Ash

Tiger it's have never really been my thing. I carry a pot of them whenever I am out just in case, I should try them more




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## Duck-Hunter

Took the fiancée out the other day and assisted her with landing her first carp. Caught it on a 9' med lite with 6lb test. This spot the carp are cookie cutters all around 10-12lbs. Needless to say she is hooked and loves it. We went out a couple times last year with little to no luck. We will be doing a lot more carp fishing this summer. Gotta get her used to fighting big fish before salmon and steelhead fishing!


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## DuckHuntersWife

❤


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## DuckHuntersWife

Did I do this right??


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## Duck-Hunter

Yes you did! @DuckHuntersWife Your first post was successful lol


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## Dave Ash

Here is a teaser from my next article being posted in the nations largest carp magazine!


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## Dave Ash

Got out today for 5 hours no real fish using very big baits (24mm)

4 dirty catfish!


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## Tom_Miller

Dave Ash said:


> (24mm)
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> 4 dirty catfish!


Hey now....I like them there catfish.


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## Dave Ash

A catch from a while back.

I can’t wait for spring!!!!


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## Dave Ash

The 2018 season kicks off soon!!


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## mfs686

Dave Ash said:


> The 2018 season kicks off soon!!


Can't wait. Just started fly fishing for them last year. Lot's of fun on my 7wt. Fly box is re-stocked and ready to go.


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## Downsea

I caught 2 that had to be about 20lbs below the damn at Wixom lake walleye fishing 15yrs ago. That was some kinda fun!


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## Dave Ash

Roll on spring!!


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## Dave Ash




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## Dave Ash

I know I have been a little quiet this year but I figured I would share some photo’s.

As always if you want to learn more about carp fishing reach out via pm. I would love to help you make memories catching monsters!


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## Dave Ash




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## Waif

Some stout specimens there Dave! Congrats/well done.

( Don't Carp swear with their eyes?...)


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## MIfishslayer91

Here’s one from Sunday


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