As the range of people fishing ranges from one end of the spectrum to the other, so does fishing tackle. People fish with everything from a spool of fishing line with a weight and hook attached, to tens of thousands dollars of equipment including a boat, sonar, mapping equipment, and high dollar fishing rods and reels. Not to mention at least one hundred dollar plus net to get their fish from the water into the boat with a camera or two to record it all.

20 year old Zebco rod and reel in action

Carp fishing can be as simple and inexpensive, or as complex and expensive as a person chooses to make it. I prefer the simple and inexpensive end of the scale. I do not tie up a lot of money in any of my Carp fishing equipment. Though half the family thinks, one float tube, two kayaks, and a dozen rods and reels are a little excessive to catch fish I do not even eat. In my case the tube, kayaks, rods, and reels make fishing more fun, not more expensive and are shared by the family too.

Starting with rods and reels, Carp and fish in general do not care whether you have a ten dollar garage sale outfit, or a balanced rod and reel from a premiere rod maker. What matters is having a Carp put your bait in its mouth. A surprising number of very large fish are caught and landed by small children on their favorite cartoon character fishing rod selling for under twenty dollars. Big fish on cheap equipment is not the norm, but it happens more than expensive tackle makers want you to believe.

I have two main rods and reels I use most often. One is a Carp rod and reel, the second is a spinning rod and a spin cast reel which are not made for each other, but they work, and satisfy my requirement for inexpensive rods and reels.

My spinning rod is made for a reel that hangs down, but my spinning reel gave out. My twenty year old Zebco spincast reel, which is stil working as well as new, is made to sit on top of a rod, but the rod broke. A spincast rod has a horn, almost like a trigger, where you place your index finger. It gives you added control and helps you hang on to your rod when a big Carp is on the line. The correct rod for the reel was broken by a feisty Carp, or maybe old age and a big carp. The reel is now pushing twenty years old. This awkward system works for me, and is cheaper than buying another rod or reel.

For fishing line, how strong a line you need depends on where you are fishing. Fishing where there are no rocks, logs, or other debris on the bottom, an ultra light outfit, perhaps even four pound test if fine for most Carp fishing. Generally though you want a rod and reel with at least an eight pound test line. Your rod should list the proper line strength, and the reel may have a recommendation too. If you are fishing around rocks and brush, you may need a much stronger line and heavier duty rod and reel. Of course if heavy duty is all you have it is fine too.

When I use my spinning rod and spin cast reel, I tie a light cord to my fishing rod. Because most reels have an always on drag and once a Carp hooks itself and panics if the rod is not tied to something it is in the lake and out of sight and reach. Fortunately over the years, I have only lost two rods and reels. I have seen more disappear when people I was fishing with where not paying attention to their rod.

When fishing for any species of fish with a rod and reel, and probably in commercial fishing too, it is important to know a few things about the fish you want to catch. Like we humans, fish have their likes and dislikes. There are endless species and subspecies of fish in the world. Most species of fish with the exception of being salt water or fresh water fish can tolerate a wide range of environments, the same as we humans. It may not be what we prefer, but we can tolerate vast extremes in our physical world.

Certain fish enjoy being in warm water filled with plant growth, other fish prefer rock. Some fish prefer flat shallow water, and other fish prefer a few feet of shallow water close to the shore line, and a sloping drop to deeper depths beyond that. Some fish prefer overhanging brush to hide under; other fish prefer low handing vegetation to hunt around.

It is the same with temperature and sunlight. Some fish thrive in cool to deep waters, and other fish need sunny shallow water. Most fish are adapted to daylight, and use the day time to forage for and capture food. Other fish of course have decided that the night time is the right time, and are dormant during the day, becoming active as the sun goes down.

Food sources are another determining factor when fishing. Knowing what food the fish you wish to catch prefers, is a determining factor in where you will do your fishing. Some very big fish are hooked and landed by young children, who don’t know that certain types of big fish hunt for food close to the waters edge in hopes of a small animal falling in the water. Other fish forage in the depths where the type of food they prefer lives.

How all this relates to my rule of three is simple. Once you decide what three things are most important to you in your own life, you know then determine how those effect the fish you want to catch. Fishing now becomes much simpler. The top four needs on most people’s lists are food, shelter, temperature, and lifestyle. Think of lifestyle as where you hang out, or what you like to do with your free time.

Of those four things if you learn enough about any three of them and how they apply to the fish you want to catch, you are on your way to becoming a respected fisherman. The general unaware fisherman walks up to a body of water, puts some bait on the end of their fishing line and casts as far to the middle of the lake, river, or pond as they can. Obviously they have not bothered to learn much about the fish they want to catch.

It may be where their bait lands is a underwater island, the water is two feet deep, and the fish they want to catch prefer deep water. Or it may be they are out trying to catch a species of fish that prefers being active opposite of when the fisherman is out fishing.

It may be they are fishing in water that is too warm, cold, turbulent, or still for the fish they want to catch. As the saying goes five percent of the fisherman catch ninety-five percent of the fish. I am guessing about five percent of the fisherman are the total amount who took some time to learn about the fish they want to catch.

Which type of fisherman do you want to be? Find out what three of the top four needs are for the fish you want to catch and use your knowledge to decide when and where you should be fishing using what type of bait.

I will happily wait until the day actually gets here because there is always a lot of life to enjoy between this moment and some moment in the future. It is even a possible I won’t be around when the day actually arrives, so I choose to enjoy each day while I wait.

As I have mentioned before in other posts, remembering that I am mortal, makes each day special. Even those days when everything seems to go wrong or against me. Sort of like a bad day fishing when everything is perfect. Except the fish are not biting, and out of nowhere a breeze starts.

Then in what seems like a moment, the wind is gale force, and the sun is hidden behind dark rolling clouds with lightening streaming from them…mostly towards me. Even those days are happy enjoyable days. I was fishing, enjoying a beautiful day, and now I have a front row seat for a little of natures springtime fury. Almost a special show created for my viewing pleasure.

Looking for happiness is a lot like fishing. Maybe looking for happiness should be fishing for happiness, because in essence that is how it is done. I have never found happiness laying on the floor next to my bed in the morning. Nor have I found happiness waiting outside on the porch, or waiting quietly anywhere else.

If I am not happy, I go out and fish for happiness. Unlike the movie that coined the phrase, “Build it and they will come”, happiness does not happen that way in real life. When I fish, I fish in different areas around the lake. I fish in one spot for a bit, and if nothing happens I move to another spot. If I catch a nice fish at one spot, I may stay fishing right there longer in hopes of catching more fish.

What is funny, is for me, the type or size of fish really does not matter. Happiness is the same way come to think of it. I don’t go out and work and sweat for a record piece of happiness. I find that I am happier when I find situations that make me happy throughout out my day.

Perhaps I really do fish for happiness, one little piece at a time, all day long. Happiness, like fishing takes a little initiative, but it is well worth the small effort it takes to be happy. In my experience same as fishing, if I try a little happiness, the rewards I receive are more than I expect most of the time.

If you wake up tomorrow and are feeling a little blue, take my suggestion. Get out there and fish for a little happiness. Happiness is out there waiting for the patient fisherman.

Like other outdoor people who are starting to have had enough of winter and want spring to get here quickly, I too wander the sporting goods stores and sporting goods sections of stores. Unfortunately even that small fishing fix is short lived. My fishing rods and reels are in good shape, and there is not much in the way of new tackle.

Reading the online want ads of the sporting goods section is not helping. There are used rods, reels, boats, and motors for sale, probably by desperate sellers, but I don’t need any more equipment.

I read the fishing web sites, wishing spring would arrive a few days faster. I also think about where I would enjoy fishing this year. Those pictures of really big fish don’t do a lot to satiate the need to have a fishing rod in my hands with a fish at the end of the line.

I used to think of being able to go to the west coast and do some ocean fishing. I was able to go a few times. Fishing for Rock Cod, and Ling Cod in three hundred feet of water was hard work. The five pound sinker needed to get and keep the squid we were using as bait on the bottom did not make it any easier. It was a lot like work actually, as the Rock Cod never survived the trip up from the bottom. I only caught one Ling Cod.

I was able to go once in the summer on a half day trip and we fished for Sand Bass – I think they were called. They were a blast to catch and I remember limiting out on them. I also caught a number of Barracuda. They are about the same as Northern Pike, and about as mean as Musky in fresh water fishing.

I enjoy the way ocean fish fight! One little three or four pound Sand Bass gave the fight of a much larger freshwater fish. The fish were much more aggressive when taking the bait too. There was no little tap, wait ten seconds, tap, tap. It was always smash, grab, and run.

Of course losing fish big Barracuda was a little frustrating. I think I have a nice fish hooked. It suddenly feels like it is really big because it just became really serious about putting up a fight. Then the line goes limp, and I would reel up a fish head with no body attached.

Eating all that fish afterwards is the perfect end to a great day of fishing. The Barbecue would be going with thirty or forty pounds of fish on the grates. Family and friends would be over drinking a cold beer or two, laughing, and thinking about the meal that is only minutes away.

I never thought almost fifty pounds of fish would be eaten by twenty-some people, but all the fish would go somewhere. I was always sure I didn’t have more than a slab or two myself. I couldn’t have eaten more than a pound or so…but it would all be gone.

Freshwater fishing is a lot different. On most days it is hoping that I can catch enough fish to make one meal. I miss Crappie fishing in Minnesota. There was nothing better than everyone getting a limit of spring Crappie, big enough to fillet, and having fried Crappie and a cold beer for dinner. With enough Crappie left over for a sandwich or two later in the evening, or the next morning of course, probably with coffee, because all the beer would be gone.

I seem to have all my fishing thoughts written out. I can see my bag of fishing tackle, and my rod a few feet away. Perhaps it does not help having my fishing equipment where I see it every day. I am better off than a friend though, who took some wild life biology classes some years ago.

He loves to bow hunt deer. He found out out from his studies that deer in the southwest have about a thirty year peak number cycle. He became sad when he mentioned that the last peak cycle was ten years ago. He said with his eyes almost starting to water and that almost undetectable crack in his voice, that he won’t be around to hunt the next peak of the cycle.

Sometimes mortality is hard. My ocean fishing partner is no longer around, so memories of ocean fishing may be all I will ever have. On the bright side someone felt sorry for me and gave me some elk meat. It was very, very good, there was no beer though…. Only a few more weeks now and I can be at the lake thinking about the monster fish I will likely never catch. And that is okay.

Not exactly restricted to Carp fishing, there is an article in the works about thickening sauce with some Carp centric flavoring. If sauce or gravy making is an area you always wanted to know about, but were scared to ask, it will be published on the next site update of The Carp Times.

It is a great site, and still on the ground floor with a lot of good ideas to become a Carp fishing site with something for everyone. Even if you have never been Carp fishing, fishing at all, or choose not to Carp fish, it is worth checking The Carp Times to see what is going on in the fishing world. There is also a Q & A, if you have any Carp fishing questions you may have your question answered there.

In finishing, for my own and other great Carp fishing related articles, see you over at The Carp Times.

August 5, 2008 Edit:

After chatting the admin at The Carp TImes and sharing thoughts about The Carp Times, I have decided to publish Carp fishing articles here and The Carp TImes will link to them. The time involved in managing content on fast changing site such as The Carp Times is a lot more time and effort than anticipated. Hopefully this will reduce some of the load of the administration of the site. Thanks.

I love to catch Northern Pike. They are not much fun to eat because they have so many bones, but they are great fighters and a challenge to catch. Bass are the same way. However any Bass over a few pounds starts dropping swiftly on the taste scale. I love Trout, but they suffer a few problems of their own. Firstly, there are no wild Trout left that the average person has any real access to. The second problem with Trout is taste. Once a Trout goes over about twelve inches the taste starts to go south pretty quickly. Not to mention that trout are fed pellets in hatcheries until the day before when it was released into the pond or stream it was caught in.

For freshwater game fish that leaves Crappie which are outstanding, both catching and eating, but not available to everyone. Other panfish taste really good, or not so great depending on where they are caught.

Carp on the other hand are rarely eaten unless one is really hungry, or when I lived in Minnesota the springtime before they once again became mushy and their taste goes off. Most people, myself included fish for the sport rather than the eating, so does it really matter what fish is being caught as long as it is fun to catch?

I don’t think the type of fish caught really matters that much. I watched a lot of Bass fisherman fish hard all day long this week and land maybe one or two small Bass that really were not worth keeping. I watched a group of three people tonight Cat-fishing. Between the three of them they had two fish, perhaps eight pounds of Catfish. Not bad, but they had been fishing almost four hours, or twelve man hours of fishing time.

I on the other hand was able to measure my fish today by tens of pounds. I landed seven Carp, the largest of which was around ten pounds. The other six Carp were around or over five pounds each. Not bad for an afternoon of fishing. Leaving out the other seventeen people I counted fishing and catching nothing, who do you think had most fun today, the group of three or myself?

I think fishing for Carp wins hands down! Carp fishing takes a skill level equal to any one showing up at a lake with a fishing rod and reel can master. Carp fishing is cheap when you compare the cost of Carp fishing with the cost of catching other fish. Today I spent $0.86 for a can of whole kernel corn. I damaged or lost four hooks, for $0.60 (ten hooks for $1.46). I almost forgot the sinkers. One sinker, at about $0.17 (when I bought it years ago).

A Bass fisherman fishing from shore, is using some type of artificial lure, at $5.00 or more per lure. The Bass Fisherman needs many different types and colors because of the nature of Bass fishing. To be a productive Bass fisherman means that someone fishing from shore is casting into underwater cover, ie, stumps, brush, and weeds, or a combination of those. I have lost many dollars worth of lures on a day of Bass fishing and had nothing to show for my losses.

So for cheap fishing entertainment, with the biggest bang for each dollar spent, you can’t go wrong with Carp fishing. It is cheaper than Bass fishing and much more fun than catching hatchery trout the state planted in the pond or stream two days earlier.

Happy fishing!

A few minutes later a family showed up and set up next to me. Normally I would not mind, but there was only about twenty feet of what I thought fishable water in front of me, and they were staking claim to half of it. The lake is huge with miles of shoreline, and they have to park right where I am at. Oh well, fishing was slow there anyway.

I always laugh when someone is fishing with me in a non trout lake. When they learn I want to fish for Carp, they look with a disdain usually saved for the most awful of odors. You want to fish for Carp, why? That is the usual question. Because it is the most fun, and most action you can get at almost any lake is the usual reply.

A good example is when I was fishing at Sumner Lake recently. There were two of us fishing for Carp, an two others who wanted to catch Channel Catfish. The fishing started out lopsided, it was Catfish one, Carp zero. I was starting to wonder if maybe I should put on something a catfish would find appealing.

Then I got the familiar tap, tap, tap, of the rod tip. Of course, I knew what was coming next. After a few minutes of a tough fight I was unhooking about an eight pound Carp. The two people fishing for Catfish tried not to look to excited, it was only a Carp after all.

A few minutes later my partner was reeling in a large sucker that put up quite a struggle before slowing slowing down enough to be netted. It was now Carp two, Catfish one. The Cat Fisherman were holding firm, but it was hard for them to hide their excitement. Catching hard fighting fish is a lot more fun than watching your fishing rod do nothing while you cook in the sun.

A few hours go by, and it is now Carp five and Catfish one. The Cat Fisherman can’t take it any more and ask, how do you fish for Carp? They take off their stink bait and put on some whole kernel corn, cast out, and wait for what they hope will be some throbbing rod, reel drag screaming action.

One of the two hooks into a hard fighting fish and lands a very big Sucker. My partner reels in another nice Carp. The two Cat Fisherman can no longer control themselves, they are barely containing themselves waiting for their turn to hook into a big Carp that will make their heart beat and their blood race.

One of the greatest things about Carp fishing is what you do not need to fish for Carp. All you need is a rod and reel, sinkers, hooks, and some bait. I am no Carping expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I have more than my share of fun catching Suckers and Carp. Put a light sinker on your line, tie on a hook, check your knots, and you are all set. It gets fancier of course, but this is all you need to have serious fishing fun.

For bait all you need is some cheap white bread, or canned whole kernel corn. Thread two to four pieces of corn on a small hook, size six to ten. I like Salmon egg hooks the best. If you are using bread pull off the crust and feed it to the ducks if there are any around. Take the white part of the bread and make a marble sized ball tight around the hook.

Cast it out, distance does not really matter, but try not to fish in weedy areas as Carp are mostly bottom feeding fish so you want your bait where the fish are, not floating above them on weeds. Ensure the drag on your reel is set right or you will end up breaking your line and losing a lot of fish. Remember the fish is on the end of your line and likely not going anywhere, but losing a hooked fish is a chance you take.

One final word of advice, imo, Carp make more rods and reels disappear into rivers and lakes than any other fish. I suggest holding on to yours, or tying a light cord on to your rod, and tying it off to something that can not be pulled in. Have fun!

On to the fishing part…if you have not interest in fishing this post is not for you. If you enjoy fishing read on. The oldest had a fishing outfit, but it was geared more towards big bass which is not a fish he is likely to be fishing for in the local fish ponds where he lives. They are stocked with trout in the winter and catfish over the summer.

So what was there to do but find him a nice light weight trout spinning rod and reel. Almost fifty dollars later, he had a spinning outfit I would not mind owning myself. There is no close by trout fishing for him here, so he had to wait until he went back home to really try it out. It will be a while before he appreciates what he now owns though, as he doesn’t have much to compare his new outfit with.

Because there are no trout close by here, and fishing is generally spotty at best anywhere I could reasonably take kids to, I decided I would fall back on an old standby fish. I love to fish, it doesn’t matter what the species as long as it is catchable. I wanted both of them to catch the biggest fish of their summer, so I took them fishing for Carp.

If you have never fished for Carp, think of smart Bass with extra low gears. They are not dazzling top water fighting fish, but they are true powerhouses and fight until they are exhausted. You can catch them on almost anything, though they are mostly vegetarian. Canned corn is what I used this week as it is cheap, easy to bait with, and works well with kids.

Everything was set the first day out, except the fish. Almost four hours of fishing and it was Carp one (won?), and us zero. The second day of fishing was almost a repeat of day one except there were a few bites that did not get hooked or landed.

Day three looked like it was going to be a no fish week when the oldest had a bite. I coached him along and he landed about an eight pound Carp! He was one happy fisherman! I thought I was going to have to find some rope and tie him to something to keep him from floating away he was so bubbly and excited!

I went out for day four today, by myself unfortunately, as the kids have gone back home. I netted four Carp, and hooked six total. My biggest was about fifteen pounds. Once I hooked it and realized it was a HUGE Carp, I checked the time. Almost seven minutes later I had one big Carp halfway in my net. It was just too big to fit into the net I use! I imagine I brought in between thirty and forty pounds of fish today and it was a blast!

There were two men who showed up right after I started fishing today. They were fishing brush and other pockets for Bass. They had each been fishing a few hours, and were still waiting to catch one Bass big enough to keep. One of the men arrived at the spot I had moved to later in the day, after five hours of fishing he was still looking for an elusive Bass dinner. I guess it is fun to fish all day for Bass, but Carp are a whole lot more fun and not as hard to find.

They took a tole on my rods though. Not a big deal as they were inexpensive rods to start with. Two rods have bit the dust this week. One Carp pulled the reel out of the reel seat, and a second Carp snapped a guide eye. It had been a while since I fished for anything but trout, and I forgot what pure horsepower does to old fishing gear.

So it was a great week, and a great time for the three of us fishing. If you have never fished for Carp, you might want to give it a try. They are smart, and fight like crazy, and are present in almost every body of water around where you live. A cheap but sturdy rod and reel, a can of whole kernel corn, hooks and sinkers, and you are all set. Plus a license if you need on where you live. You can probably fish all summer for less than dinner and a movie on a friday night.