Thought some of you guys might want a look at some BIG fish we've had from the bank latley. Yeah, you mave have seen them again, but I might as well post then once more!

Pictures in order of smallest fish to largest fish, ranging from 13lbs to 26lbs!


Bret's 13lb.


Zack's 17lb.


My 18.5lb.


Zack's big 26lb!

Starless:
nice fish, i am even more impressed, that you marked out the background, to protect your spot.
hope you enjoy some good beer over the holidaze.
dont overlook Coors Banquet Beer

Thanks Butch! Yeah, it's Zack's spot, and while carp fishing may not be a big sport in the USA ( Yet ) there are enough of us that Zack wants to keep this particular spot VERY secret. So on pics with backgrounds other then dead grass, lol, he asked me to blank out the backgrounds.

And don't worry, I got plenty of good beer lined up! Hehe.

we took a guy sand bass fishing, on the Brazos.
as a child and young man, he spent time in France. he went nuts about the carp & big gar sunning themselves.
i had a trout hook, he took a butterfly carcass & tried to catch them. not for him that day.
i would guess ?

Do you guys ever eat Carp? I have heard they taste like mud??

I also heard if prepared right they can taste pretty good?

Yeah Butch, I love catching sandies, but they just can't compare to the size and power of a big carp!

3z, no, we don't eat them. But yes, when properly prepared they can be a good tasting fish, but I would stick to the fish under 10lbs for best taste. They have a lot of bones, so they can be a pain to clean unless you pressure cook them. I have eaten them smoked before and enjoyed it.

Dragon,

I guess the thing I envy about you the most is that: 1. You have the time to pursue carp. 2. You have found something that 99.99% of the people in this country would never dream of doing and have made it enjoyable.

Please don't get me wrong..I live and breath fishing. I think chasing carp would be a hoot, I really do. My time on the water is so sporatic and preceous i would never dream of spending it on rough fish.

Mudshark

Nah, no offense at all Mudshark! Well put.

I hope you get the time to come out and chase some big carp with us one of these days. We would be MORE Then happy to spend a day or just a few hours on the bank with you, and try and get you into some big fish!

I'm curious though, why not spend your time chasing rough fish? Prefer soemthing you can eat? Carp are actually VERY edible, they just have ALOT of bones, and can be a real pain to clean.

Buffalo are actually delicious eating fish, though I'd not recommend eating them over about 20lbs. I personally eat them at 10lbs or less. They are pretty boney as well so I don't keep them often.

Drum however...Drum are a rough fish, and are incredibly easy to clean, and very, very good. Sort of like a giant crappie! Yum.

Of course if you're more of a bass guy, then no, it's hard to replicate a day spent catching fish after fish! I personally chase sandies pretty often myself, but if I'm going to spend a while on the bank then I'm all about the fight!

That's why I love carp, not only do they get nice and big, but they are one of, if not the strongest and hardest fighting fish in freshwater!

And I'm addicted to the sound of screaming drag! Lol.

I used to be into bass fishing but got tired of the whole scene. I don't want to be looked down upon for wanting to keep a few fish to eat so i got back into catfishing. its cheaper and I think a heck of a lot more fun.

I have eaten just about anything that swims, taste is mostly in the way you clean and prepare them.

Mudshark

Mudshark,

A roughfish is only a matter of perspective. In the late 1800's & early 1900's even as late as the 1960's Bass fishing was considered rough fish.

The trout & fly fisherman used to think of us Southerner's as brutes for fishing with short poles & catching bass.

It's only been until recently (the past 40-50 years) that bass fishing has been more widely excepted. However, if you talk with a die hard northern fly fisherman about catching bass, you may catch him rolling his eyes.

I used to catch carp all the time at my Grandparents place on Lake of the Ozark where he'd bait them with corn every morning. Talk about a good time! Wow, it brings back some good memories. Not bad for a fish fry either & don't make my grandma prove it, because she will.

Mudshark - Yeah, I have no problem with people eating fish. I have eaten almost every single species I've ever caught, including drum, carp, buffalo, and bullhead.

I prefer to return the larger fish of certain species to the water, be it bass, cats, carp, buffalo, etc. I don't think the really big ones tastes as good, and they are hard to clean lol. Plus, I like watching them swim off hehe. And I'd love another chance to catch them while they're even bigger, and I'd love to let others catch them too!

But just a personal preference. I've eaten some of my biggest fish ever lol, but I try not too these days, and only keep the small ones myself.

Fishin' Dude is right, it's all in perspective. And Carp do make good eating fish!

My time is pretty precious, too, so when I do fish I want to actually catch something. I've spent a lot of time flinging lures without getting a bite, but since I figured out how to catch carp (thanks, JW) I've had three outings in a row during which I've caught at least ten fish (averaging about 8 or 9 lbs) in just a few hours. I enjoy catching bass, but nothing outfights a carp, pound for pound.

ha yeah there were some signs in the back ground that would give that spot away its one of the only places in the DFW metromess that I have found that will produce large fish on a regular baises....didn't want to stick them on a public forum quite yet....there is still a 30lb fish to be caught from there I want to be the one to do it and its a totally undiscovered pristine little park...

if i may ask what kind of bait do you use to catch carps if you dont mind saying have you ever hooked a grinell fish i think that is how you spell it we use to catch them in the marsh down bye houston man they put up a very nice fight thx for your time

"Dedicated to the promotion, education and camaraderie of carp anglers in the great state of Texas"

Well, you guys are doing a good job. My mindset,along with a few other Texans, has always lumped the Carp into a 'non-sporting' category...

Since reading some of your post, things that've been mentioned have clue'd me in to Carp as sport fish - ordering equipment from overseas, the number of species, and the enthusiasm you guys seem to have. Good Job

As kids, we messed around and caught a few with QuakerOatmeal (and Big Red soda or red Kool-aid), would just make a
dough piece and squeeze on to hook (any hook).

It was ok. I still need to satisfy my primordal instincts and hunt for Bass.

It's obvious your soul likes the outdoors - thanks for the info.