TODAYS BOAT RAMP ADVENTURE!

I really really wanted to go fishing today but I don't get out on the lakes on holiday weekends. So this morning I got all my running around done and then packed me an ice chest and went to the boat ramp to watch all the fun as the inexperienced and just plain drunk try to load and unload their boats. While walking the banks I noticed a lot of really big Carp spawning in ultra shallow water. That's when I got the crazy idea that I should probably try to catch them (Keep in mind I have never fished for Carp before in my life).

So get back in the truck and drive home to get some fishing gear and any bait I think they might eat, rigged up a couple of rods threw all my tackle and bait into a makeshift tackle box (a Walmart bag) and away I went for my first ever Carp fishing expedition of my life.

I got to my spot and saw a couple of 10+ pounders in about 1' of water and tossed my bait to them and they ignored it. At this point I think I might be in over my head trying to catch these suckers. So I switched bait and tossed it out again but this time cant see any fish. About 2 minutes later my line starts to swim off so I set the hook and the fight is on! I did this for the next 2 hours catching 9 or 10 Carp all over 10 pounds. It was crazy fun!!! Anyone that tells you Carp aint fun is lying! Even on 17 pound line they take several minutes to land.

This was an extremely highly traveled area so I don't want to post any of my really good pics that some of the spectators took every time I hooked up with a fish. I will say I think everyone watching enjoyed it as much as I did. Met one really nice lady from Brazil that took several pics for me and was in awe that fish that size were up so shallow. I gotta admit I didn't expect to catch squat either. One big ole dude told me I was fishing too shallow and the fish are out deeper. About that time I set into a 10+ pounder and he knew he had stuck his foot in his mouth. LOL!

Had a blast!!! May do it again tomorrow if I don't get rained on to much.

What bait did they take?

Noodle

FYI That is a Bugle Mouth Bass

Great pics. Carp are hard fighters and fun to catch.

Congrats on the catch. They are fighters.

I love catching big carp in shallow water. Good fun right there.

I just had a can of mixed veggies. Put some variety on the hook and they are bound to take it.

Went back at dark and caught 3 more big ones and two turtles.

Carp fishing is a blast! I may do some myself at my dad's place tomorrow.

When I was a kid the Fort Worth Anglers club would have a Carp tournament at Marine Creek. Great Fun. Get some Cottonseed Meal and mix it with some Whole grain Wheat bread in the water you fishing. Unravel a couple cotton balls and mix into the dough ball to help hold it on you hook.

Great day I'd say.

As long as it tugs the line it's fun. We used Wheaties with water and mashed into dough balls.

Believe it or not but they are good eating!!! The secret is to can them using a pressure cooker & you can eat the bones and all. We used to call them Red River Trout. You can make patties out of them once cooked and it's hard to tell the difference between the carp & real salmon out of the can. They are fun to catch.

Great pics!

Carp can be fun!!

No pics of Brazilian lady?

What we would call dough bait.

Big Red and cornflakes, mix up and make balls. I’ve heard it works.

That had to be a really fun day .,

I did a ton of carp fishing on the San Gabriel back in my teen years. I suspect more folks would fish for them if they knew how good they fight

was a largest carp contest in Austin a few yrs ago, big fish paid $100,000.00

They are fun to bow hunt

Is it wrong to admit that may have been my first thought when I found them up shallow?

Dough balls works fine.

Yep, that is George Washington’s carp dough bait recipe. Wheaties, just about any dry cereal will do. They eat the carp out of the in Europe.

I too didn't realize how great they fought until I caught one that was about 25-30lbs while catfishing this weekend. Definitely a fun fight on light tackle. I was pretty surprised when it sucked down bloodbait under a cork. Thought I had a big blue for a minute then realized from the fight it definitely wasn't a cat.

Yes it does. My wife prefers to catch carp over anything. I like to bass fish but she will sit on the bank all day catching carp.

Some people say it's good smoked.

I bet that was a blast catching those big carp!!

Also, I am still amazed to see how many people cannot launch or load a boat without it taking them at least 10-15 minutes. It is just mind boggling really.
I can launch my boat in under 5 minutes and load it in probably less by myself at the lake in most circumstances.
All I can say is please practice backing a trailer at home until you can do it right before going to the public ramps! lmao

OH, and when it is dark...…...turn your damn healights off when on the ramp so that other people can see what they are doing backing their boat in instead of being blinded by bright lights angled up at you!

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!! And it aint just the weekend warriors that are guilty of that either. When I use to fish tournaments you would see it happen at every single event and those are guys that should know better.