Does anyone ever target carp in the winter?

[Stick500]

I'm a newbie to this winter spearfishing deal, but I was wondering if anyone ever goes after carp instead of pike in a winter spearhouse? I know that carp congregate in huge schools during the winter but I am under the impression that these schools are typically in the deepest part of the lake.

But what about some of the shallow lakes? Is it possible to set up a spearhouse and have a carp spearing rodeo for a day in some places? Since it's winter, the flesh should be excellent for smoking. Just wondering if any of you guys have ever heard of anyone doing this or if you've accidentally hit on one of these schools.

[highlife4me]

I've never caught one in the winter. Seen them on camera a few times but they are never interested in my baits. It's like they never even notice them. Caught many sheepshead but never a carp.

[Gordie]

I have never seen a carp in the spear hole but I have caught a few on the minnesota river thru the ice some years back.

The first on that I hooked into I was jiggin for eyes and I thought I had a state record on and what a fight it gave then seen the big gold carp thru the hole. not an eye but a fun battle it was and yes it bit my line. I was useing a pimple and a minnow head.

[Jameson]

yes, sorta.

I don't specifically go looking for carp, but spear every one I get a chance to. After a few years on a lake I have an idea when and where I might find them. My best has been 7 carp in a day, done it twice. That number doesn't compare to the barrels of carp the bowfisherman produce, but it's still fun

My plan is to move my house tomorrow to where I have had previous luck with carp this time of the winter. Hopefully things pan out. The lake does have a 30 foot hole, but I set-up in 6-12 feet, with 6 usually being better for carp. They seem to be interested in a decoy a lot like pike, but are spookier, and seldom STOP for a look see. It is cool when a school of carp come through, and than just like duck hunting ya got to pick out one and aim for that one, not flock shoot.

A carp spearing rodeo will probably never happen where I am. Once I hit one, the school spooks away for a while. Might not be long, but could be. To get 7 carp, I would have to throw the spear a minimum of 10 times. Misses happen with carp. Throw in a couple of pike on the day, and the result is throwing the spear 12 times. 12 spear tosses is way funner than just 2 spear tosses in a day.

As far as HUGE schools of carp...I've not seen them on the lake I spear, but once during late winter a couple of years ago the carp did thin out the ice and made a carp-hole in the lake ice. I moved my house 20 yards away from it, and had only moderate success. Their was no way to set-up directly on it with out pontoons. Usually on that lake they seem to swim in singles and smaller schools hugging the shallow shoreline.

[BehindtheHead]

around here you can get alot of carp. there hard on a spear though. usally any noise like vehicles or drilling your spear hole will spook the big schools away but if you wait a day or two they will come back.

the most i have ever got in a day is probibly 6 or 8 but if they start swimming through i will usally leave the house.

they can be fun to spear though.

[glenn57]

nope, i dont. they are hard on the spears!

[MJ1657]

I bent the tines on my spear on one today.

[Stick500]

thanks for all the tips- I've got a pretty tough old-fashioned spear so I'm not too concerned about bending it up!

[terrible_fisherman]

I see carp in the same areas I see pike in this area. Biggest was a 36 lb carp that my cousin and I got a couple years back. I hit it in the tail as it came across fast and then he stuck it in the head. Even with two spears in it we barely got it up the hole but it was fun.

[Laska]

mj you have that lazer cut right? should bend back to normal, I bent some tines on a carp last year, bent back fine and still works great!

[MJ1657]

I stuck it with my spear which isn't laser cut. I bent it back into shape.

The laser cut I bought was for Mollie and her family.

[Laska]

ahh I c, well its huge by any standards!

[MJ1657]

I was excited about it. It's the biggest fish I have ever caught or speared by a long shot.

A nice pike would satisfy me alot more but it was fun.

[merkman]

I see carp in the same areas I see pike in this area. Biggest was a 36 lb carp that my cousin and I got a couple years back. I hit it in the tail as it came across fast and then he stuck it in the head. Even with two spears in it we barely got it up the hole but it was fun.

That sounds like some excitement!!!

[terrible_fisherman]

My laser cut gets bent on pike too sometimes depending on angle and size. They are pretty easy to bend back and they still work fine.