Carp Fishing Hotspots

[The Silence]

I remember growing up and taking a can of corn and heading to the river/lake to have a blast just fighting carp for fun. I know they're pretty much everywhere, but I thought some of you guys might have some ideas for some better than average places in the Ames/Des Moines area. Thanks.

 

[CurtisWalker]

Ada Hayden in Ames or hickory grove southwest of Colo... Catch one every time I try to fish for them using canned corn

 

[AIRASSAULT]

We used to make our own dough balls and use them below the Burlington St spillway in Iowa City and catch 10 pounders left and right. I think it was more during their spawn. Ive seen people pull them out left and right below Saylorville dam.. The hmongs were filling walmart sacks with them.. lol

 

[HorseDoctor]

Been a few years since I did played that game, but below the spillway where Big Creek dumps into Saylorville was always a good place for carp and a can of niblets. No problem getting someone to take them away either so you're not littering.

 

[bigbuckhunter88]

Trappers and the zoo/places with birds of prey would gladly take them off your hands.

 

[Booner]

I remember growing up and taking a can of corn and heading to the river/lake to have a blast just fighting carp for fun. I know they're pretty much everywhere, but I thought some of you guys might have some ideas for some better than average places in the Ames/Des Moines area. Thanks.

The ville, big creek slide or any low head dam is littered with the things right now.

 

[Daver]

We used to make our own dough balls and use them below the Burlington St spillway in Iowa City and catch 10 pounders left and right...

Although it has been a number of years since I did so, we also used to slay the mighty carp monsters right in the same spot with doughballs...strawberry jello based on a slip sinker rig with tru-turn hooks.

You CAN'T set your pole down when fishing for the old bugle mouth bass when they sense that strawberry jello. Repeat...you cannot set your pole down!! Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Fishbonker]

Try any place where a waste treatment plant dumps into a river. I did this in Iowa City years ago (30ish) with the kids. Non stop action with big fish. They didn't care that it was carp, they were catching fish!

 

[AIRASSAULT]

Although it has been a number of years since I did so, we also used to slay the mighty carp monsters right in the same spot with doughballs...strawberry jello based on a slip sinker rig with tru-turn hooks.

You CAN'T set your pole down when fishing for the old bugle mouth bass when they sense that strawberry jello. Repeat...you cannot set your pole down!! Don't ask me how I know.

Thats the same we used. It had strawberry jello and cornmeal and some anise in it I believe. Stayed on the hook very well. I remember sometimes we would just get a little "fiddler" nibble and you set the hook and they damn near rip the pole out of your hands.