MoCarp

No, I turn them all loose, I have tasted a few a guy from our club that lives in Warsaw who smokes some, IMHO they tasted as good as any Trout I have Tasted. But then again I turn almost all fish I catch loose. every couple of years I keep a walleye or two, or some big sunfish/Crappie from some strip pits in Kansas, but even those I almost always turn loose too. Most of my fellow Club members turn loose the biggest ones to get bigger, I have had fish I have caught more than once, usally a little bigger each Time. if a guy was to fix ones to eat fish of around 5-7 pounds would be the best size, they should be skinned like a cat BEFORE they are filleted, remove the dark strip, be warned even filleted they have a floating row of bones sorta like a pike, some pull these out with a pliers, then that is smoked. I have fished and caught alot of all kinds of fish, and the speed and power of a carp are bested by none, not even Hybrid Stripers, some guys are really getting into flyfishing for them, stalking them on wadeable gravel flats like bonefish in the gulf..those who have caught both say the carp is simular in fight to a big bonefish. one I learned how to bank carp consistantly its a lot of fun, and not at all easy especially for bigger fish. you done need all the fancy euro gear a bass rod and something to chunk 2 oz of lead to make a bolt rig work and your set. the key is learning to tie a hair rig properly and setting up a bolt rig some where I posted on here a bit about euro gear, check it out on the rigs if you want to go sometime PM we always are bringing newbees to fish but I warn you--its VERY addictive Mo

have not posted as much of late been doing more fishing here is a pic of a 'shoals low teen by forum member Wayne a few weeks back as well as a couple from near Butler Missouri a nice 15 pounder from memorial day and ( my 1st)a rare full scale mirror This week end with another forum member Jim M it had unusually large fins. it weighed just under 11 pounds. you guys need to give this a shot,usally when all the traditional gamefish slows down carp fishing is at its best!!

The small carp smoked are very tasty, flake off the meat and mix with cream cheese tastee! Smaller (under 6-8 pounds) taken out of our clear ozark lakes and streams are good eating if you know how to get past the bones--the larger and older the fish they get a scank taste to them, that has fueled their rep for a nasty meal Mo

By your re-telling --the fight you described is typical to a carp..they will rip line off at speeds few ever get to see..the only other fish that is as fast is a hybrid. That wounderful run and the sound a reel makes at full sing is exactly why I fish for carp--it is unreal how much fun these fish are and with the right gear and know how you can catch them consistently, Its no wonder they are the most popular sportfish in Europe We use 12 foot euro style rods that are as light as a quality fly rod and a joy to fish with--usually 20 pound test is standard and needed. --the CO told me of a 42 In Bull Shoals he witnessed back in march...with 10-14 pounds being avg size. if you want to feel that kind of fight again--shoot a Pm as we are always introducing folks to this growing sport "euro carping" (this is an open invite to anyone on the board that wants to give this a try) Cheers Mo

it may be some new prefab fish attracting structure--for lack of a term concrete trees as far as other things--waste water treatment and or rural water developements I can't see much more unless its a lake shore property by outs by it being vague makes me suspect Mo

That could be a very bad thing or a very good thing, most likely land buy outs in some areas or spawning reserves off limits to fishing. ether way Its a Pr thing to deal with the ruination that the Taney project will bring--think about it, buy out via eminate domain and Taney becomes a bass pro controlled project--the new allowing of eminate domain laws for private projects is a hotbed issue right now--and to think someone will invest 1 billon on taney with out the political will to control it is silly prep yourselves boys it could be really bad if it goes that way--I really hope I am wrong on that mo

Can't see them doing it at the rock on bass

when you want to get your kid on a fish let me and Jim-M know we can-put you on some peaceful places on some carp and catfish very close to Springfield--nice thing about our kind of fishing--the kids can play and have a good time and get for real when the fish is on the rod! we would love to get several kids at a time so all of the would have the fun of landing a big ol fish! usally one time and you have a fisherman or girl for life!!! nothing like kids n carp huge smiles, great quality time cheers Mo

Here are some Lumps caught at the very swim locations

BULL SHOALS on The White River ! Missouri CAGI on June 24th Come to Missouri and get your Lumps on June 24th This swim is a cool to cold water swim, where water temps run a constant 59-65 degrees it is a wide riverine Environment that can be still like a lake, or a river with ample current depending on water releases. Usually most swims 5 oz of lead will hold in this mostly gravel and chunk rock bottom even with heavy flow. Small boilies and corn are the baits of choice --method mix and pack baits work here as well Bank access is good, as most swims can be driven almost to the waters edge, lending itself well to anglers who are less mobile. this will be a evening till morning event to avoid the heat and more fish are caught at night that daylight in this very clear water venue there are also 2 camp grounds and a motel within shoutin distance, and bring a jacket. it gets cool at night even in the heat of summer Accommodations are plenty in Forsyth as well as greater Branson with rates for any budget. Branson is where many family friendly things to do are available, shows, silver-dollar city and surrounding Tourist Attractions. Great carp swims are available in addition to the CAGI location... so come early and or stay after Forsyth is close to Arkansas boarder as well as a reasonable drive from Kansas and Oklahoma If you have questions please contact me or go to www.carpanglersgroup.com hey lilly have room for a few that week?

We have had a couple of carp fish-ins there-- some good fish in there--if not a tad urban as far as crowds Mo

is still water a warm water discharge lake? mo

Saturday ,Set off to meet a friend & a new CAG member that I have only conversed with via another forum--Another Saturday and its pouring rain again!!!----We need the rain, but I wish it only rained from Tuesday to Thursday and only from 10pm to 5am!---but as always,just when its my days off! I was supposed to meet up around 1:30 that afternoon --but thought we would be rained out-- called Jims house and he was already gone fishing!----so I when to the feed store and bought some feed for future carping, came home ate lunch with the wife trying to talk me out of a soggy day fishing into a day of honey do's.. just then the phone rang Jim said "where are you!" ahhhh great timing!.. .It seems the new member Wayne was already there! even in a pouring rain!--I think he just might make a carper!!! Tossed my stuff in the truck and headed down-- Was heading to a new location Jim had found, Knew basically where it was, but had not been to this swim before I was keen to have a look, since Tablerock Lake was on my list of best places to grow huge carp, but due to the Ozark topography its is extremely hard to find bank access that is suitable for setting up on, Jim spent a great deal of effort and gas to find this Beautiful location. Here is a few pics as you head in to the location--Typical Ozark beauty the swim is located on and through a chunk of Mark Twain National Forest and people camp there--if anyone wants a place to bivy up--they can do so at this swim, also some fine deer and turkey hunting lots of food here--crawfish, insects, and millions of small clams can't wait to fish on a hot summer night Here is Wayne with into his 1st carp hooked on a hair and bolt rig--baited with corn and a maple pea Wayne is a seasoned angler with a lifetime of fishing experience--and is just now going for carp seriously, most of us can relate to that... Jim as always ready and capable as a net man. The fish was spunky and made several runs taking line-for several yards---seems he did not want to go into that net, and would rip off a run as he would get close and see us. YES! a low teen (11 1/2#) his first Euro style Carp! Wayne even has this posing for a pic down! till next-time cheers! Mo

Great story, I can't wait to catch my 1st fly rod carp!!! Mo

Welcome john!-- whats cool about the whole thing is the name "highway cone" how fitting! I love it!!! Mo

A few of us "Euro" style Carp Anglers will be on a new swim on Table-Rock--its been chummed up a bit over the last few weeks. We would be pleased to have company if anyone is so inclined, it would give you an opportunity to see this kind of fishing, gear and such bring your kids as this is absolutely kid friendly! will start 1p.m. or so and fish till we get tired of fishing. nice thing about this is you can drive right next to where you want to fish-- great for those who are a little less mobile Just shoot a pm to me or jim m on how to get there Cheers Mo

I agree with Jim --just crusing carp are tough to catch--but if the are Tailing they usally have senced something good to eat--it could be numerous silt organisums--it could be the root of some long washed in plant " chuffa nuts from turkey food plants" or some left overs from a shore lunch sandwich but if you can see them they can see you and they usally will not hit a thing--if they felt a hook before many call them the golden bone fish for good reason--aproach them like stalking bones and you might just have some fun! Mo

Hunters Friend Resort, Branson has a "Tails n Scales" turkey hunt & bowfishing shoot April 24 - 30 --so I imagin one may see hundreds dead fish, just look for the holes, wish they wouldn't dump the deadfish nilly willy as it stinks to high heaven-- what ever happend to you kill it you eat it? Mo

welcome lots of good folks on this forum Mo

If you want great fishing out your back door any of the lakes in the ozarks--but if outher quality of life issues come into play "like being close to great medical care" then if you draw a circle of 50 miles starting from the western most city limits of springfield to just east of joplin you are with in a reasonable drive of several lakes. beaver, tablerock, bullshoals, stockton, grand lake, norfork, truman, lake of the ozarks--enough to get you started--then you have numerous rivers and streams--and the often overlookd small community lakes or kansas strip pits where does one even start Mo

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/artic...03_FinallyCarp/

its a homeland security thing I bet..afraid some wacko is going to back up a tanker and pump it in ether way--we need more access not less, in fact we should push for more improvements if they have a problem with 4 wheelers--than restrict them--not fisherman My 2cents Mo

Tried some New chum and it worked great-- in a 1 pound oat meal box fill it 2/3 with dry corn chops place in a big pot and cover it at twice the depth of the corn chops with water, put in a table spoon of sea salt bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes while stiring often turn of heat and stir in a small bottle of McCormics Vanila Butter Nut or Tutti Fruity LET COOL---the add oatmeal till its dry enough to make into base ball sized balls with out making your hands sticky--toss out where you are fishing and it will draw them in, when fishing slows--toss more in when using this, boil some whole corn and flavor it the same way "no oat meal" and use it for hook bait Mo

"West on Hwy 52 Butler City Lake?" Same lake --no camping but overnight fishing is allowed, rod & reel fishing only, no firearms allowed--has given up the last 2 state record yellow perch nice place Mo

Met some folks at a small city water supply lake with big fish potential, that a state Biologist told me about, they where pumping in water from Truman Lake & that should make them active, and they where doing a bit of crashing and jumping when I got to the lake at Daylight Saturday morning, Jim/Mo had already set up and had banked a low teen before I had arrived so it looked promising, before I could get set up Jim caught more--drat! I am not even in the water yet!--oh well many a time Jim has played "net boy" for me! Here is an average fish of about 11 pounds (Jim looks sour 'cause I told him to look English ) and One of about 10 pounds for me, all of the fish we caught where males, all but one came on corn, the lone non-corn was on a pop-up boilie Mo a few more pics