Help With Carp Fishing At Hamilton!

[fishfight]

I have not been getting any luck with carp in twice I have been to hamilton this year, once in may and another in june. Water was at 55 degrees when I was there last time. I used to aim for them around end of APril, but it seemed to get tougher every year.

I went to desjardine canal and then to harbour where the old rusty ship used to be( it was moved and no longer there). To my surprise after, i spoke to those around me , they were not getting any luck either.THere was no one at the canal when I got there by 1pm, I have never fished the skyway bridge area, but another friend tried a month ago and also got skunk.

I also went to GTA humber river area 4 times this year, witness at least 15 Carp in one pool on my last trip just 10 days ago, threw my regular rig in front of them , they just swam and investigated around it, never left the spot , and still no luck after 2 hours of trying. I kept on going back since I could visibly see them jumping everywhere most times I was there, they only gave me false hope, yet not able to hook up with any of them, very frustrating since I was successful two years ago. I tried, through determination, even when it was raining on my last trip, hoping to try with a different weather conditions, and just realized how stupid it could get , my body soaking wet at that conditions. I promise to never go back again few times, and yet my dumb determination or stupidity kept on wanting to one more time.

I was using corn and bait feeder combo , packed with mush bread, maple syrup, corn, oatmeal, and corn starch (to semi-harden the dough.) Then chum the area with corn as well. My bait on hair rig was with corn marinated with pineapple and maple syrup scent. I never tried sausages, or worm. Not sure if the bait feeder might scare the fish off, since i used to catch them two years back at hamilton without the feeder. But my buddy was out fishing me with the feeder two years ago.

If one sees bubbles moving in straight pattern under water within 5-8 feet deep, is that a clear indication that there are carp feeding on that spot?

I have lost my Carp fishing mojo as of now. The last time I caught one was two years ago. Where 7 years ago, it used to be amazing, then my Carp fishing started to get less in numbers every time I aim for them every year. I got skunk last year fishing 4 times for them, and still have yet to get one this year.

Joshua

[smerchly]

I don't know what to say Joshua , this has been my best year for carp , up to about 3 weeks ago , getting 10 -12 carp on the best days , rarely getting the old eroo . Can corn and boiled maize on the hair has been the best rig for me , but others have done well by threading 5-6 kernels of can corn on a hook and either a sliding or fixed weight . Last year I used puff corn with oatmeal / cream corn ball and did well . The Niagara River has some good carp fishing including the whirlpool ....I remember seeing a post here which showed some guys catching carp at the pool...on corn. I hope you find your mojo .....

[Gnfshn]

I have been having a good year in the harbour on the fly rod with olive leech patterns down 12-15 feet.

[ron4blues]

Don't give up! I find the harbour can be fickle on bright days, because the fish will move to deeper water offshore. But some areas will still produce. Try the boat launch area at Bayfront Park. Or head the other way over to CCIW. The canal usually has carp, but if there's a strong current (like after a rainfall) you might not be getting your bait deep enough, and of course the current will just sweep your chumming efforts away. Those little man-made islands along the western end of the Harbour will often hold fish and it is easy to fish as there are few obstructions. Just remember that the water between the islands is very shallow, but between the shore and the islands is sheltered and prime fish habitat.

[fishfight]

My bait feeder is made of stainless material, maybe it scares the carp away, I never used them until two years ago, and was successful catching carp then without them, just sinkers on hair rig. But my friend's bait feeder was black in color, and he outfish me fishing just side by side. I even added some tiny foam material from float swim tube to make the lure float on the hair rig, I assumed i have upgraded my setup, but no luck so far. When I was still inexperience at this Carp fishing many years ago, I was doing better.

I just spoke to another friend an hour ago who fish the skyway bridge area, he and those around him gotten skunk three times this year. He was there just last week. He said the carp were surfacing many times or just close to shore, so does the visible fish at humber river were floaters or close to shore, I never used float to aim for them, should I even bother?

Do you aim for carp at night? I used to have a blast at desjardine at night, and that was more than 7 years ago, they were a lot of carps then, and on one occasion . the carp almost took my friends rod when he went for a pee, i caught the rod in time, 2 more seconds and it would have been gone. I did check the numbers of fish collected and posted on the board at the gate of the trap, so far the numbers were less every year, so does bullheads numbers were down . The gobbies or bullheads were not there either to steal my presentation a month ago .

I plan to go back to hamilton soon, and also aim for sheepheads at night with glow spoon, so I can hit two birds with one stone. I landed couple sheeheads around 5+lber with non glow spoon 3 years ago, right before dark. I also fish for sheeheads on a boat, at Pickering Nuclear power plant warm water discharge area, at night, using GLow spoon, and it was a blast catching 10+lber sheepheads, But hard to find a calm, less windy day at lake ontario, can be dangerous high wave most times. We never went even once last year, because it was hard to find a 5km NOrth wind day the entire year, the wind had change for the worse in most cases before it gets dark. I would want to fish for sheepheads any day if I could find a school of them. Compare to bass fishing, Fighting sheepheads is like fighting bass on steroids. The security were also very strict, we cannot park our boat or anchor down. There was a sandy section there that we anchor down few times, and I waded on water, since it was 80-90 degrees warm, yet the sheepheads were active to my amazed. I was wondering when they ever get cooked! Water felt so hot, it felt like pins and needles, or the radiation has started penetrating my skin.

[fishfight]

I have been having a good year in the harbour on the fly rod with olive leech patterns down 12-15 feet.

Can you explain further? I assume carp will only take scented bait, was your olive leech pattern scented? Was the lure at the bottom or you were retrieving them?

I witness someone landed a carp with a rapala diver, and the lure was outside but hooks was inside its mouth. But based on my personal experience using lures that had caught them, I caught numerous of them through accidentally snagging their tail or back while aiming for bass.

[ron4blues]

Carp will take flies and lures if presented properly. No need to add attractant. Like most fish, carp are opportunistic feeders, and if something that looks edible presents itself, they'll go for it.

[Snags]

If one sees bubbles moving in straight pattern under water within 5-8 feet deep, is that a clear indication that there are carp feeding on that spot?

That could be an assortment of things ... any fish that would be putting their snout through the mud, turtle, alligator, scuba diver, or a beaver passing wind while swimming.

[Snags]

Can you explain further? I assume carp will only take scented bait, was your olive leech pattern scented? Was the lure at the bottom or you were retrieving them?

I witness someone landed a carp with a rapala diver, and the lure was outside but hooks was inside its mouth. But based on my personal experience using lures that had caught them, I caught numerous of them through accidentally snagging their tail or back while aiming for bass.

A carp will sample anything, edible or not, they will try to eat it.

I have caught carp on:

• Doughballs
• Worms
• Corn (straight out of the can)
• Minnows
• A silver quickfish - The carp came out of nowhere and crushed it while I was reeling it in
• Berkley flavored strawberry junk
• Plastic worms

It all depends on the environment and how hungry they are. Carp treat the water as one giant buffet and they sample everything, but every now and then you have one of them make a beeline straight for what they want ignoring other foods in the water.

[gunner-2]

Carp fishing has been the same for me lot's of fish but no takers i can't figure it out the channel cats have been the

same way i would get good hit's bending the rod right over i grab my rod then they are gone no hookups . tried last night

carp were all over the surface all over the place but no takers

[Flyjon]

Can you explain further? I assume carp will only take scented bait, was your olive leech pattern scented? Was the lure at the bottom or you were retrieving them?

I witness someone landed a carp with a rapala diver, and the lure was outside but hooks was inside its mouth. But based on my personal experience using lures that had caught them, I caught numerous of them through accidentally snagging their tail or back while aiming for bass.

We flyfish for carp without scent on our flies. I typically like to look for actively feeding fish and try to bring the fly accross/thru the feeding window of the fish.

[YoungYakker]

I am in the same boat. No carp for me this year. I lost the mojo and have been targeting channels and bullheads. They appear in large numbers and sizes for me so hey as long as I am fighting a fish I am happy. Might try again during salmon season when the cold water comes back. But for now ill catch what bites. Mind you im referring to the Niagara area. In the bayfront area there are so many amazing spots I want to try in the kayak. If you have a boat and can anchor down for the carp then I would say use a boat.

[fishfight]

A carp will sample anything, edible or not, they will try to eat it.

I have caught carp on:

• Doughballs
• Worms
• Corn (straight out of the can)
• Minnows
• A silver quickfish - The carp came out of nowhere and crushed it while I was reeling it in
• Berkley flavored strawberry junk
• Plastic worms

It all depends on the environment and how hungry they are. Carp treat the water as one giant buffet and they sample everything, but every now and then you have one of them make a beeline straight for what they want ignoring other foods in the water.

Wow, kwikfish as lures for carp! Always something new to learn. No wonder this fishing hobby so addictive and complicated to master. Bass,pike and trout loves the kwikfish action. Now carp as well, I have to stock up.

[fishfight]

Carp will take flies and lures if presented properly. No need to add attractant. Like most fish, carp are opportunistic feeders, and if something that looks edible presents itself, they'll go for it.

Will carp chase after darting/eluding baitfish the way predatory fish like bass or pike chase after their prey? Or they only chase after slow moving lures because the opportunity was there where the lure presentation was slow enough moving in a straight line, for the fish to have an easier meal?

I never used any lures on carp , nor even attempted to try ,due to lack of understanding on their wider feeding habits. Since the norm was to use corn, worm, etc...Most of us just follow the norm. I am actually very patient in casting and retrieving, only coarse fish to rest if necessary.

While hoping for catch Sheedheads right before dark, since I heard from locals that they do catch sheepy at the mouth of credit river, I landed a 1lber silver bass on my first cast, outside the entrance of credit river, mississauga last week, cranking using spoon, It was a surprise to my amazed, tried casting for another hour and no more bite. Then I tried for carp again for two hours. I Saw lots of bubbles moving in straight pattern 15-25 feet close to shoreline, that persisted me to try that long, but eventually gave up. No one else was fishing on many spot I have been venturing in humber or credit river for the past months. So two hours max was my tolerance level for carp fishing lately.

Too many anglers fighting for fishable spot is not good for us, but no one fishing on past known fishing spot ain't good either, a tell-tale indication that fishing has not been great days before, or locals would be going back again to try their favorite honey hole.

Albert Einstein made a quote once " Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". I am going insane then on this carp fishing.

[smerchly]

When we fished L.Moodie years ago , we used to have fun catching carp in the shallows using a small mepps spinner with a bucktail .....slow retrieve, just enough to keep it off the bottom . Maybe using a fly under a float would be the ticket ( crappie style) . We also used corn under a float at CDP in the shallow pond . The carp would nibble at the suspended corn and we would set the hook when the old style red & white "bobbers" moved ......missed a few but caught enough to plant a smile on our mugs .

[ron4blues]

Wooley Buggers and damsel or dragonfly nymphs will catch carp (as well as bass, catfish, perch and just about anything else). Lots of other patterns work too, including crayfish. I don't see a reason why other lures wouldn't work for carp. In fact, my daughter once caught a nice 10 pound carp on a spoon! If you don't fly fish, try a jig tied like a bugger and fish it slow. You'll surprise yourself.

[jordanl]

When we fished L.Moodie years ago , we used to have fun catching carp in the shallows using a small mepps spinner with a bucktail .....slow retrieve, just enough to keep it off the bottom . Maybe using a fly under a float would be the ticket ( crappie style) . We also used corn under a float at CDP in the shallow pond . The carp would nibble at the suspended corn and we would set the hook when the old style red & white "bobbers" moved ......missed a few but caught enough to plant a smile on our mugs .

Smerch, in clear water fishing a float and basic nymph can be great. Most basic nymphs and flies will work. Great for cruising carp in marinas.

[gunner-2]

came across this

[ron4blues]

Gunner, those flies are awesome. They're basically a damsel nymph but tied Clouser style to keep the hook point riding up. They'll produce, and not just for carp!

[gunner-2]

Gunner, those flies are awesome. They're basically a damsel nymph but tied Clouser style to keep the hook point riding up. They'll produce, and not just for carp!

they look cool

[Gnfshn]

Can you explain further? I assume carp will only take scented bait, was your olive leech pattern scented? Was the lure at the bottom or you were retrieving them?

I witness someone landed a carp with a rapala diver, and the lure was outside but hooks was inside its mouth. But based on my personal experience using lures that had caught them, I caught numerous of them through accidentally snagging their tail or back while aiming for bass.

Actually never use scent with flies. The carp can be very aggressive and generally grab the fly as it drops between twitches. I am not near bottom but getting suspended fish - each day can be different with fish depths so you need to try adjusting to see what works. Some days very small drab flies work but other bigger and rubber legged flies are best.