OK, I'm giving in. My local lake has a school of about 30 carp. They circle my pontoon boat constantly, inspect my bass bait without ever biting the worm, spinner or powerbait. I've actually drifted my baits and lures right up to their mouths. So now I've joined this forum to figure out how to take one of these beautiful fish. They are aprox 12" to 24". I have read about the whole pre-baiting and special baits and riggings, but is it not possible to just float the right bait to them and get a strike? Seriously, I'm bouncing this stuff off their noses!

You absolutely can drop a snack right on their nose! Try flylining(just hook and bait) some goodies to them and see what they respond to. floating baits I.E. pieces of dry dog food, marshmallows, popcorn, breadcrust or other and see if u can get any takes...You will probably have to be very quick to set the hook as soon as the bait is inhaled. They can determine if its a trap and eject the bait in the blink of an eye, so be ready and good luck. Let us know how you do...

Thanks for the tips...I'll let you know what happens. I wonder if they are so friendly because no one fishes for them. They must see the many bass pulled out of the lake however. Perhaps that's different. We have a two rod permit here in Oregon so I'll continue to pitch into the branches for bass while drifting some of your suggested baits to the over-sized goldfish.

hey carp i had this problem to it sux to see carp the size of my pb bass look at a hook and laugh. try to keep in mind that unless there starving there mostly scavengers and bottom feeders and my prey will swim the same path 2 or three times looking for something on the floor, so learn the path drop some fresh yellow sweet corn on the path and get ready to pull up as soon as they suck it up.

bernduffy wrote:
OK, I'm giving in. My local lake has a school of about 30 carp. They circle my pontoon boat constantly, inspect my bass bait without ever biting the worm, spinner or powerbait. I've actually drifted my baits and lures right up to their mouths. So now I've joined this forum to figure out how to take one of these beautiful fish. They are aprox 12" to 24". I have read about the whole pre-baiting and special baits and riggings, but is it not possible to just float the right bait to them and get a strike? Seriously, I'm bouncing this stuff off their noses!

Your problem might be that you are so close to them that you are spooking them and they will get shy of taking bait, I would try moving your boat 6 feet or so away from them, throw out some sweet corn, put sweet corn on your hook and cast it to the same spot you chummed and wait