Carp Fishing

[Wayne SW/MO]

San Juan Worms seem popular. I can't really advise because my luck sucks when it comes to hooking them.

I might add when they are in vegetation in the spring and raising Cain they are spawning, don't waste you time, bait or fly. You can often catch some away from the action on bait however. If they are in the back of a weedy cove moving a lot of water, fish out in the cove away from the spawning.

[michigan man]

Carp love mulberries too. Find a mulberry tree overhanging the water in midsummer when the ripe berries are falling in the water, and you'll find lots of carp feeding on them. Caught many by using the berries as bait on a single hook under a bobber set 12-24 inches deep.

[charliehorsejigs]

If they won't bite when they are spawning, use a heavy rod and a very sharp, large treble hook and snag them. When you hook one in the tail or side you will be in for one heck of a fight. Especially if you hook a large one. We used to go to a dock on Grand Lake named Shadow Rock when i was a kid that they had hung bait bags around. We just lowered weighted treble hooks near the bait bags and raised and lowered them until we felt the hooks connect to a fish. We caught a lot of carp and buffalo. We also broke several rods that weren't heavy enough to fight them. After you clean your carp, cut into chunks, put in jars and can them in a pressure cooker. They make a great substitute for salmon patties.

[Sac River Jim]

our neighbor lady took every carp i caught and canned it it was really good that way. we made our dough balls bout the same way as everyone else with wheaties / strawberry soda pop but we used a splash of vanilla extract too. she would can pumpkin seed perch if i brought her enough of them.

[Wayne SW/MO]

When I was a kid anise was the "secret", but after a couple of bottles and no increase in catches we abandoned that idea. We did really well on soured field corn. All you needed to do was beat the coons and squirrels to the waste ears, soak the kernals for about a week until it soured and go fishing. I still chum with corn when I'm serious about catching them.

[wuteversbitin424]

Soured corn is great for chuming cats along with range cubes but if I'm not mistaking isn't it illegal to chum in missouri. just sayin,don't want anyone to get in trouble

[Wayne SW/MO]

It has been awhile since I checked into that, but I don't remember running into any problems. I know the MDC suggest chumming for grass carp. I think the rules for their areas are different then statewide however.