Size 6 is sort of a standard for carp. Sometimes you might go up to 4 or (rarely) 2, but a good quality 6 will be about right most of the time.

You can buy a long-handled net with a soft mesh bag at Academy for about $16 bucks. I think the brand is Ranger.

How are the carp in the photos you're referring to being held--vertically or horizontally? Almost every fish that weighs more than a few pounds will be healthier if you hold if horizontally. You can lay the carp down on soft grass or a padded unhooking mat while you take the hook out, after which you can hold it with both hands under the fish for a photograph or to release it.

Carp can stay out of the water longer than most fishes, but I'd try to get them back in the water within two or three minutes, especially in the summer when the oxygen level in the water is lower.

nice fish if you think the grasser fought wait till you land a common! nice fat fish...welcome to the not so dark side anymore....

6. Lol.

Remember, common carp have very small, soft mouths. I rarely use any other size then 6, and never bigger then a 4.

Holding a carp ( Or any fish you plan to release ) is safest for the fish when you hold the horizontally, one hand under the pec fin area, the other towards the tail.

Number 6 hooks here as well. Almost never anything bigger than a 6.

caught a 45 pound buff with a number 6 hook. they work just fine

also caught like a one pound carp with the same hook, so no worries

OK, I had some size 4 hooks and they do seem to work better. I will pick up some size 6 hooks next time. Thanks again everyone, for the help advice.

This weekend, I caught 2 small common carp in the 5-7# range and had another grasser on the line, this one considerably bigger the 13# grasser of the weekend before. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to weigh him since I didn't have a scooping net and he snapped my line like sewing thread when I grabbed the line to pick him up. This one fought much harder and I really thought I tired him out after a 25 minute fight, but I guess I was wrong.

I have since gone out and bought a net...another beginner lesson learned.

Miscellaneous:
---------------
*Now that I have cought a few common carp, it's interesting to see distinct differences between the grasser and common carp.
** these were all caught on sweet corn
*** I caught a crappie on sweet corn while reeling in.

Nice fish Al! Congrats.

Yeah, once you have seen a few it's very easy to tell the difference between the traditional common carp and the white amur.

Sorry you didn't get to land the big one, but I think you'll pull a huge fish out of there soon!

Very nice work!

sounds like you are HOOKED!

where are you from? you should link up with one of us sometime

Good job!

Way to go.

Nice work.

Yea, I definitely caught a case of the fishing fever...I seem to grip for it every day now. With a 7 month old my time is pretty limited, so most of my sessions are usually only 1 or 2 hours, but with some planning it can be longer.

I'm in Coppell, a suburb of Dallas.

I'd definitely love to soak some up knowledge of some of the more experienced anglers on here some day.

Caught me another 11# grasser yesterday on a size 6 hook. Yay for small hooks, they really work!!! Also properly weighed him in my new net. Woohoo, no more snapped lines.

Will post a pic tomorrow.

Dang! I am still waiting for my first grasser...

In Coppel huh? That's pretty nearby some of us, we'd be happy to help you find out how big the grassers in that pond get sometime...Hehehe.

Bring her to the Kids' Carp event on Saturday. She needs to learn how to catch carp as soon as possible.

The photos, as promised. (Had to use phone camera that day)

Hey, besides common and grasser carp, I'm still waiting for everything else. I wouldn't mind catching one of those Buffs sometime soon.

On Tue I saw a very dark, nearly black carp with brown spots in the shallows swimming by...it almost looked like he had camo gear on. Anyone know what that might be?

nice!!

what net is that?

That Pond? I don't know what you're talking about. Hah!

Nearly black carp with brown spots... Interesting.

Could be a koi... Coloration tends to be thrown off while submerged. That sounds like a really nice pond!

Suuuuuure. Lol. I've only had one Amur so far...28lbs. Would love to add some more to my catch log lol. Trade you a pond trip for a buff trip...lol. ( As if I could actually guarantee buffalo lol. )

As for the camo fish, if you're sure that it's a carp, and it's got spots, it's probably a koi.

you must keep trying and catch that camo fish

you see, it already has a nickname!!! lol