Experiences with Carp on Ozark lakes

[BilletHead]

   Mr. Blacknoseddace,

While never going out to target carp on purpose I am always keeping my eyes peeled for the opportunity. I have caught them on small buggers and like you crawfish patterns. Last Summer while way upriver looking for some holdover hybrids I spied some rather large grass carp in schools. I had just tied on a smaller grey over white clouser with bead chain eyes. Cast it ahead of one of these schools of fish. Actually had one chase it, check it out on the pause and turn off to join his buddies. I quickly followed up with a clouser swimming nymph in orange brown color. Clear water and this fish made a six foot run to take it,

  

After the long battle in the section of the river the rest of the school wanted nothing to do with me a second time,

BilletHead

[blacknoseddace]

an experience to remember, what a fine looking fish!

[BronzebackWarrior]

Caught a 15 to 20 pound carp last week on tablerock ,  was sleeping off an overnighter on the pontoon  with a 2  doll flys rigged 1 foot apart, suspended off the bottom, out of rod holders , half conscious i heard drag hissing , had an arm tiring 20 minute fight , thing went right, left,  under dock, everything but jump. tried 1 man netting it couldnt pull it off . took it all the way around from  the far slip of the dock and under the dock cable to shore where i unhooked it from the mouth, tried to hoist it up and examine my catch at eye level,  but it flopped intensely out of my grasp, i laughed for seconds afterwards as it swam away , wake up calllll      ,     carp and me have a connection   when i was 12 me and a slightly older  cousin were paddle boating around a cove on table rock  trying to catch bass but mostly catching blue gill , i decided to bait fish   a  small half dead bluegill, god knows how on a  hook and the thing got snagged on something hugggge, it was  pulling us around in the paddle boat my cousin coaching my drag for me haha and paddling with the fish .  luckily my rents and such were on cocktail cruise to come back seeing us fighting a large fish.  they grab the old  video camera and a net .  prominently having   cell phone with quality  cams were like 5 to 7  years away  my grandpa who i still fish with to this day netted the fish which was a 20 pound carp foul snagged in the fin. i fought that fish for an hour at most, 40 mins at least . and its all recorded on vhs lol.   really hooked me on fishing to say the least.   to mention also oc i had a estimated 10 pound carp hit my top water and give me a good fight on the meramac  , freaking carp , thought i had a bronze to remember that day ....

[Johnsfolly]

I have only caught and landed common carp on bait. I foul hooked a 15-20 lb common carp below the dam at Truman lake last year on a small jerkbait, but popped the hook right at the bank after a 10 minute fight. The two largest common carp that I did land were 9+ and 13+ lbs on 4# test line in the small 3/8 acre pond at my work place. They were very spooky and I had to make really soft casts just in front of them with a tiny split shot and red worm on a #12 hook. Once hooked they fought all over that little pond. I have never looked at them as a trash fish after that. I would love to go after them with a fly rod, especially a nice grass carp like Billethead's. They just look like a fish that can really fight with that slender body shape.

[blacknoseddace]

37 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

I have only caught and landed common carp on bait. I foul hooked a 15-20 lb common carp below the dam at Truman lake last year on a small jerkbait, but popped the hook right at the bank after a 10 minute fight. The two largest common carp that I did land were 9+ and 13+ lbs on 4# test line in the small 3/8 acre pond at my work place. They were very spooky and I had to make really soft casts just in front of them with a tiny split shot and red worm on a #12 hook. Once hooked they fought all over that little pond. I have never looked at them as a trash fish after that. I would love to go after them with a fly rod, especially a nice grass carp like Billethead's. They just look like a fish that can really fight with that slender body shape.

I've caught some Buffalo below Truman Dam while fishing with spinning gear for Hybrids and Walleyes. If you accidently foul hook one they jump like crazy, same with the big gars in there. Talk about a fight! 

[blacknoseddace]

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 8:14 PM, MOPanfisher said:

with a tough hook and a small grasshopper

A hopper huh?  I'll have to try that.  Yesterday I was out on a Missouri River Levey and the hoppers were thick.

[blacknoseddace]

Hit the water for a couple hours this morning. Actually had a snapping turtle eat my fly. Thought it was a Carp because the silt cloud distorted my view.