Color test

[Mike]

I went out on Lake Linganore for 2 hours this morning planning to test some lure colors. I tied the same square-bill crankbait on each of 2 rods, one chartreuse and the other natural sunfish (mostly green). The water was stained with 1'-2' visibility. I altered between the 2 rods as I fished and the chartreuse lure out-fished the sunfish lure 6:1, all large mouth. I assumed the chartreuse would do better given the water clarity but I've never done a controlled experiment with identical lures, rods, and conditions.

Then the crazy thing happened, a carp chased the chartreuse lure to the boat. I tossed the lure back out to the same spot but it fouled. I snapped the rod tip a couple times hoping to unfoul the lure, and as I did, the carp hit it on the surface. This thing towed my Moken around for 15 minutes. Anyone else catch carp on topwater poppers, or crankbaits?

carp.jpg

[MrT]

Carp , usually bottom feeders but like you said they will surprise you, caught several on a jig w/ curly tail but atleast i bounce it on the bottom but your carp is exceptional.

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[Cowpokey]

That's a good size carp. They are fun to catch. I've caught them on poppers with my fly rod, but it was during the big 17 year cicada hatch back in 2004.

Edit add: Also, carp often eat stuff on the surface, usually in the evening is when I see them slurping on top. I would imagine bugs or seeds, never really investigated.

[Mike]

Also, carp often eat stuff on the surface, usually in the evening is when I see them slurping on top. I would imagine bugs or seeds, never really investigated.

From what I've read, I think they're breathing. When the oxygen levels in the water get low they suck air at the surface. I've tried catching them when they're doing this throwing little lures but they spook easily. The whole school disappears and pops back up 20 yards away.

[DanMarino]

Mike, cool test with the color of different lures. Firetiger certainly works better for me at Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge reservoirs. White also seems to work better too.

Nice carp. I have yet to land one.

[Cowpokey]

From what I've read, I think they're breathing. When the oxygen levels in the water get low they suck air at the surface. I've tried catching them when they're doing this throwing little lures but they spook easily. The whole school disappears and pops back up 20 yards away.

I've seen them do it on Rocky Gorge and Tridelphia here, and back home on the Missouri River in South Dakota, none of those waters had a lack of oxygen that I know of. Back home they'd be in the middle of the river in the evenings over 40-50 feet of water. There weren't any seeds floating on the water there, so I'm guessing it was bugs. I've read that carp eat mulberries and and cottonwood seeds on the surface, but never actually witnessed it. They are spooky rascals though, that's for sure. I've got a couple flies I'm going to try for them, they look like a little puff of cotton. I'll try to find the recipe this evening, I got it out of Hatches magazine IIRC...if nothing else, I can take a picture of one of them that I tied and post that.

[Turtle135]

That is pretty aggressive behavior for a carp. I wonder if they are starving for a food source?

I have caught them on crankbaits in the winter on the upper potomac (a situation when food is scarce). I have also caught them with a fly rod when they were slurping bugs in eddies on the Patuxent River between Tridelphia and Rocky Gorge.

[buzz]

I've read that carp eat mulberries and and cottonwood seeds on the surface, but never actually witnessed it.

Carp will eat algae and aquatic grasses off the surface too.

[Cowpokey]

Carp will eat algae and aquatic grasses off the surface too.

Ah, didn't think about that...good to know. There were big chunks of something (algae?) floating on the surface at Tridelphia last weekend, the size of small pancakes. Didn't see any carp around it though.

[DanMarino]

on the Patuxent River between Tridelphia and Rocky Gorge.

My home water!

[Mike]

That is pretty aggressive behavior for a carp. I wonder if they are starving for a food source?

I have caught them on crankbaits in the winter on the upper potomac (a situation when food is scarce). I have also caught them with a fly rod when they were slurping bugs in eddies on the Patuxent River between Tridelphia and Rocky Gorge.

I hadn't thought of that. I've been fishing there for over 10 years and never caught one before so you got me wondering what 's different this year? Frederick County is building a new bridge, right in the prime carp habitat where you can see huge schools of them late in the day. I haven't driven that way in weeks and forgot about it. I just checked and they started driving pilings last week so maybe the fish are displaced and foraging unknown waters.

I've read that carp eat mulberries...

That I can confirm! I have a mulberry tree in my backyard overhanging the lake and the carp just hang out there waiting for the mulberries to drop. I even mowed my grass right up to the lake this weekend and the carp didn't spook, they just stayed there, perfectly still. The mulberries are fat with juice so when they fall, they sink and the carp vacuum them up.

[Cowpokey]

So the carp wait for them to hit bottom, then suck them up?

[Mike]

So the carp wait for them to hit bottom, then suck them up?

Yes, in my case they're in 12-18" of water and the berry sinks down and gets eaten. The berries will slowly rise and barely float if there's no carp around.

[Cowpokey]

Thanks for the info. Now I gotta find a mulberry tree hanging over water.

[Mike]

Thanks for the info. Now I gotta find a mulberry tree hanging over water.

The one I caught this morning was hanging out with a few others under overhanging bushes and vines. Not sure about mulberries but there was honeysuckle and some small red berries. Good luck!