How to recognise it
- Heavy-bodied, with barbels (whiskers) on both sides of the upper jaw.
- Brassy green or yellow to golden brown or silvery, with a yellowish-white belly.
- A dorsal fin of 17–21 rays, and a heavy toothed spine at the front of the dorsal and anal fins.
- Other names: German carp, European carp.
Habitat: where it lives
- Ponds, lakes, streams and rivers; tolerates a wide range of conditions. Not native: it comes from Europe and Asia and is now everywhere in Texas.
Habits: behavior, spawning and growth
- Grows fast and lives long, over 47 years. Commonly 12–25 in and up to 8–10 lb; the Texas rod-and-reel record is 43.13 lb.
- Can spawn several times a season, from March to September.
- Fights hard and makes long runs.
Where and when
- Almost any pond, lake or river. Carp find a baited (chummed) area fairly quickly.
Bait and lures
Live and natural bait
- Canned or frozen sweet corn
- Boiled field corn
- Dough balls and oatmeal-based pack baits
- Bread
Why these baits work
- It's an omnivore and usually won't strike a lure, so baits like corn and dough fished on the bottom work best.
- Scattering a few handfuls of corn draws carp to your spot and keeps them there.
Rod and reel setups
Grouped by lure fishing (artificial baits) and bait fishing (live or natural bait).
Bait fishing
- Rod
- Medium action, at least 6 ft (8½–12 ft is better for big fish)
- Reel
- Spinning or spincast reel with a good drag and 100+ yd of line
- Line
- 10–15 lb mono or braid; a slightly lighter mono or fluorocarbon leader
- Hook & rig
- A size 4–8 hook with a short "hair" loop off the bend; the bait is threaded on the hair so the hook point stays bare. Egg sinker and barrel swivel above the leader.
Source: New York DEC: Carp fishing
- Rod
- Medium action, at least 6 ft
- Reel
- Spinning or spincast reel with a good drag
- Line
- 10–15 lb mono
- Hook & rig
- An egg sinker, a barrel swivel, a short leader and a size 4–8 bait hook covered with corn or dough.
Source: New York DEC: Carp fishing
Tips
- Chum with a few handfuls of corn, and add more every half hour to an hour.
- Leave the bail open (or the button pushed) with the rod in a holder, so a carp can run with the bait.
- Set the drag properly and take your time: carp make long runs. Land it with a net.
- A hair rig also makes release easier, because the fish isn't hooked deeply.
On the table: cleaning and cooking
- Flavor depends on the water it came from (TPWD).
Step-by-step cleaning, keeping fish fresh and eating safely are in the handbook.
Size and bag limits vary by state, species and lake. Current limits: Texas (TPWD); elsewhere, your state's fish and wildlife agency. Check before you keep a fish.
