Targeting late season carp

[Jimmy_1]

Howdy

I'm hoping to try my hand at late season carp fishing next weekend.

Tons of work and renos have limited my time on the water this season. That and deer season is here.

I'm planning to target that at my usual spots.

My question is, and please don't laugh, do carp change their "tastes" over the season along the canal?

The reason I ask is that they scavenge so in the spring they would be scavaging for likely different things than in the fall.

Will trusty corn and jello based boilies still work? Or should I think something different.

[LeGrand]

Sweet in Spring and Summer, spices in Fall and Winter.

But still eat everything presented to them. Were you going to pre-bait your area?

[LeGrand]

Try this recipe:

Cut the hot-dogs into pieces about 1 inch long and put them in a small ziplock bag. Pour in about 2 table spoons of the anise extract and add one teaspoon of garlic salt. Leave to soak a few hours or overnight, the place chunk on hair-rig.

[Jimmy_1]

No I don't plan to pre-bait.

I fish a section of the canal.

I'm lucky enough to drive it at least twice a week on my way to a class.

I noticed a lot of minnow activity from my car window last night around the old bridge near the Royal Oak.

They were hopping everywhere.

[RJ]

Jimmy. You should 100% be baiting. If you pass by an area a couple times a week it would take 5 minutes to pre-bait an area. Carp are one of the smartest fish in the water. You throw feed regularly and they will constantly be around that area looking to be fed.

There's a reason why the fishing at Long Sault has slowed a bit. I bet 5% of the bait that used to go in is what goes in now. With Jeff selling the hotel it just isn't happening anymore.

RJ

[rex.stpierre]

I fed carp on the Ottawa three nights in a row at 5 pm... 4 lbs a shot (which isn't much)

When I went today, I landed 4 good carp in 3 hours, 15, 17, 18 and 19lbs... I also landed 3 channel cats.

My chum was sweet corn, fruit juice powder, oatmeal, breadcrumbs, chocolate flavour and garlic. I can roll it in a ball and throw it.

I caught them all on a hair rig with sweet corn...tiny no name stuff that I am not too fond of... But it did the job...

I have fished this spot without chum before, I would get an odd carp and a few catfish, chum made a difference today.

So you can't go wrong with sweet corn and yes, chumming is good...

[LeGrand]

There you go. Proof in the pudding.

Pre-baiting is a good attractant.