It’s the start of a new year, 2025, and it’s quickly becoming the “year of the rabbit” for me. I’m starting to go down the rabbit hole of carp angling. Each year, each season, and each fishing trip offer new perspectives and angling ambitions—we often set goals for ourselves, as anglers. “This year, I want to catch this. Next season, I want to catch that. How will I target x, y, z species?” On and on it goes…and grows. Sometimes, it’s because we know what’s fun to catch. Other times, it’s because of how challenging the catch may be. The latter definitely applies to carp angling. They may be common, but they are tricky to take. However, once you’ve battled this often dismissed species, you’ll be hooked on carp.
My last fish of 2024 was a nice common carp. It was a bit of luck that got me on the fish. It was skill and patience that landed it. Had it not been for lack of a landing net, I probably would have brought three more carp to shore for examination, pictures, and then release—one of which was massive, and got off the line before I could safely scoop him (or her) up with my hands.
On a sun bright, crisply cold December afternoon, my family and I decided to go for a hike along a set of trails that wind through the upper Severn River. I usually bring a fishing rod to make a few casts whenever we go hiking. On this trip, I took a 6′ light spinning setup, ideally suited for perch, pickerel, etc. Smaller fish. I will note that I have actually taken a carp on this exact setup in years past. Not by design, but rather luck and circumstance. The rig is spooled with 10# braid and a 5′ section of 8# flourocarbon leader.
Having hiked down the gully into trails that wind along the river’s edge, we stopped here and there to make a few casts with nothing to show for the lazy afternoon effort. I spied the far end of the cove, bathed in full sunlight. The last hour or so of light hitting a south-facing stretch of shoreline. We hiked that way. Nearing a particular spot that has excellent angling access, I gently approached the water’s edge.
A couple footsteps more and something stirred in the shallow water. Another footstep, and stirs become splashes. Suddenly, I stood before a school of fish sunning in this shallow water. Sizable fish. Seeing the tips of their auburn tails, immediately I thought carp. Possibly gizzard shad. But likely carp. I know carp frequent these waters, but usually spring through early fall. I’ve never observed them here in cold, frigid December.
With a school of fish in front of me, but completely unprepared to hook into a carp, I tried my hand. Carp are finnicky bottom feeding fish and without a proper carp setup—long rods, baitrunning reels, hair rigs, boilies, and/or bait—I reached into my panfish bag of tricks and selected a small 1/8oz ballhead jig and tipped it with a 2″ soft plastic stinger. I’ve accidentally caught carp on this lure before. And it would get me a few hookups this time around, too. Bounced gently, slowly through the school, the lure was picked up by a couple willing fish. The fight to shore was on, and with my light gear, these fish had no problem ripping drag in their attempts to flee the scene.
As mentioned, I also did not have a landing net with me; so banking one would be very challenging. Of the four hookups, I managed one on the bank for a photo op. The others played themselves off the line, which is well and good, because honestly, the chore of getting even one fish up and out of the water sans net was very difficult. These are generally 10-pound-plus fish.
Upon reflection, I couldn’t get the thrill of a heavy carp peeling drag out of my mind. I felt hooked on this fish. And so, the end of 2024 gave way to 2025 and, perhaps, a brand-new angling pursuit for me—carp. I’ve jumped down the rabbit hole; there’s gear to be bought, baits and techniques to consider, and seasons ahead with the hope of landing these brutes.
See y’all on the water again, real soon!
