Why carp are misunderstood and a lot of fun to catch

Carp are probably the most misunderstood fish in our local water. I’d venture a guess that the common carp is the most disliked fish that swims.

Why? Many people dislike them because they label them as ugly.

Come on. They are fish, not beauty contest competitors. Are any fish truly beautiful?

It’s not my argument. Carp are lumped in a group that a lot of people consider “trash fish” and that isn’t true. True, I don’t know anyone who eats carp, but I catch-and-release all species. I will tell you that carp are incredibly fun to catch and it’s a shame that more people don’t try to catch them.

When I talk about carp, I refer to the common carp. Goldfish, or koi, are a type of carp, but not part of my discussion. The notorious invasive species of Asian carp that live in rivers and are known for jumping like aquatic acrobats don’t count, either.

These fish aren’t part of my discussion because they don’t eat bait, just plankton and aquatic plant life. You can’t fish for them. Many ponds hold huge carp that swim leisurely around the surface of ponds. These fish are grass carp that grow to massive size but won’t bite on bait, just plants. For our purposes I’ll stick to the common carp.

Carp are great to fish for because they will bite at times that other fish will not. During the traditional “dog days of summer,” wouldn’t you rather be doing battle with something on the end of your line rather than just killing time getting a sunburn? Carp bite consistently during all of the open water months.

I will bet you any money that a kid will choose to catch a carp rather than a bluegill if offered the chance. Small carp fight harder than big bluegills, to be sure. Don’t discourage kids from catching carp. Let them have fun.

I used to run a fishing derby for Boy Scouts and we targeted carp because the kids found reeling in the feisty carp to be more challenging than any other easily caught fish.

My Scouts were catching small carp, maybe 10 inches or so. That was fine for the derby, but it’s not the size most people target. A 1-pound carp fights harder than a 3-pound bass. A 5-pound carp fights harder than an 8-pound-bass. A 10-pound card fights as hard as a 20-pound northern pike. Who the heck acres if the fish is ugly?

I’m fairly sure that the huge carp are available in larger numbers than that of more prestigious fish. Carp are often slammed as being a dirty water fish, They are available in all water. They do stir up the water in lakes and rivers as they dredge up the bottom looking for food. On the other hand, the biggest carp that I have ever seen were swimming on the top of the water in Lake Michigan and that is some of the cleanest, clearest water I have ever seen.

Carp fanatics use some very exotic equipment and techniques. You can spend a lot of money on carp gear, but it isn’t necessary.

The easiest way to catch carp is to attach a weight and a circle hook to your line. Take a can of cheap, generic corn kernels and scoop out a quarter of a cup. Toss it into the water where you will be fishing.

Thread a few kernels of the corn onto your circle hook and cast it to your spot and wait When a carp decides he is in the mood for a corn dinner, be prepared. You are in for an adventure.

• Daily Herald Outdoors columnist Steve Sarley can be reached at sarfishing@yahoo.com.