Hi everyone,
can anyone give me some tips for catching carp from Town lake this time of year? Like what swims, distance. I don't have a boat so will not be able to get to some places. Is it worth trying under bridges? I have had a terible problem with weed 2nd half of last year, will that start to thin out in the winter?

Also, I have never caught a buffalo, do they need a different approach? I have been using a bolt rig with probably 6inch lead to hook with a hair rig with Scopex boilies.

Any information would be great. I would like to meet some of you carpers down town lake, I bike down there a lot though hardly ever find anyone carp fishing. Do you all fish out of the way places?

Kindest regards,
Kevin

Lengthen the lead to 8 - 18 inches, Buffs are coming on boilies lately. I caught a 46 at the bamboo swim over christmas, right below the new condos. Also I hear Pleasant Vally is doing well.

Ohh, and invite one of us to fish with you... We're good luck

Hi Somethings,
Sorry I do not know anyone in this forum, though I will be a regular now. Thank you for the information. Is there anytime of the day that seems to be better? Let me know next time you are fishing and I will come down and meet up with you guys. Week days are better for me.
Kindest regards,
Kevin

Morning and night as well as the solunar periods will produce. I'm working on a few things in my fishing to help land them more consitently during the day. I plan another trip up there in the next month or so. I'll let you know. Maybe you can pre bait and assure that we catch some nice fish. Great thing about this forum is that if you post an invitation to the bank, you're bound to get a fishing partner. Keith lives up there and has been known to fish a session or three. He joined me for a couple of days on Town right before christmas.

That sounds like a great plan, let me know where I should bait up. I have about 20lbs of scopex at the moment. So let me know what you think we will need and where to put it. What do you do about the 10pm park regs? I have found that I usually catch about 1-2 hours after dark though that was earlier in the year near the "playground swim" (a few hundred yards east from the homeless swim) I have blanked miserably the last few months though lol
Kevin

What 10PM reg!? I understand the need for the regulation but I've found that it is not enforced for the average joe. They know why we are there and the appreciate us. Its rare to get run off. I'd love to have a go at the Gazebo swim soon. Fishing has been rough on Town. Like I said, lengthen the hooklink and see if that improves your catches. Also scale down your rig. Smaller baits, finer hooks and maybe try flouro hooklinks or mono.

I agree with everything somethingsmellsfishy says except the lengthening the hooklink. He is fishing a bolt rig not a running rig. the hole purpose is as soon as the carp sucks in the bait he feels tension and bolts off. I have had better luck with shorter hooklinks fishing this method. I also like flouro or mono hooklinks over braid.

Great advice guys, when i meet you I will tell you my carping experience. In a nutshell it's been a while though I used to fish with some well known English guys. Bolt rigs with short dacron hooklinks was the thing then. Hey I used to catch good commons on lunchen meat lol.

I have fished a lot of France though didn't know there were any "lunkers" here in Austin which is shame on me as I have been here a tad over 7 years. Beat me up at will. Looking forward to meeting you guys.
Kevin

PS are running rigs better than bolts these days?

I prefer a bolt or a shocker.

I've always fished shorter hooklinks as well. But right now, do yourself a favor and put one long one out. I didn't believe it either until that was the rod that caught. Not just for me but for Scott as well. Something about the winter bite right now is calling for longer hooklinks. The suggestion came from Tal who fishes Town daily

You've been here 7 years and you didn't know there were 40lb+ Commons and 60lb+ Buffalo in Austin?

Lol, sorry, you're a regular now so we gotta rub it in...Of course, I've yet to catch anything anywhere near that size but hopefully near the end of March...

Hi Starless,
I didn't even consider it until I saw the ACS tournament on the news, I thought I had left carp behind in Europe. What can I say except I missed the whole start of the Town Lake craze. It was only maybe 5 years ago when I checked for the TX State record and it was only 20 something pounds. Anyway I am here, got me gear and ready to pull out some lunkers. Looking forward to meeting you guys soon.
Kevin