Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2021 - 27

line selection, I lean
on the heavier side-
15- to 20-pound
monofilament line
is my go-to. When
fishing for carp in
low and clear water
during the summer,
I switch to 12-pound
fluorocarbon line
as a leader, and
30-pound braided
line as my main line.
Carp can be " line
shy " , as its eye sight
is quite impeccable.
A sturdy rod
The author with a carp caught while river fishing.
to regularly catch Common Carp in excess of 20- to
30-pounds. I prefer to target Common Carp within
Pennsylvania's rivers because the average size I catch
tends to lean towards 30 pounds.
Common Carp have predictable habits, which is
advantageous to anglers who are choosing to target
these fish. Common Carp are a schooling fish, so
where you find one, you will often find many. Look
to find large, deep pools in rivers or slow backwater
eddies in the fall and summer months. Carp are
typically bottom-feeders, so this fish species chooses
to school in slower sections of water, where it can
comb the bottoms of a river with its mouth to
consume prey.
When fishing for Common Carp in the spring,
I target deep riverbanks with overhanging bushes.
Common Carp are often found near the bank and
in backwater areas of rivers in the spring during
spawning. This is a spectacle to watch and can also
be heard. Common Carp frequently leap out of the
water and thrash about when spawning. I have even
seen carp slide out onto the riverbank. In addition, I
target riverbanks with overhanging bushes, because
some bushes may be dropping berries, which carp
eat. These berry bushes may be hidden gems for
anglers to discover.
As far as bait selection for Common Carp, it is
nothing overly complicated. Common Carp love
nightcrawlers, dead crayfish, hellgrammites, and
corn. Chumming for carp with corn is also effective
in rivers, as many may be familiar with the practice
typically taking place in ponds and lakes. For fishing
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is a must, and I
often choose a
medium-heavy or
heavy spinning rod.
Secure your rod
in a rod holder, as
a Common Carp's
initial run after being hooked can be powerful. I have
witnessed several fishing rods fly off of boats or docks
and into rivers as a carp surges away with an entire
angler's fishing setup. Take this advice with serious
consideration, and keep your rod secured as you wait
for that initial bite.
When you hook a large carp in a river, your
natural reaction may be to loosen your bail and let
the fish run. This will not work as it does in lakes or
ponds. Letting a carp get down river of you is never
a good idea, because it may be brutal to try to reel it
back upstream. Instead, opt to use heavier line paired
with a heavier rod. This will grant you more control
to maneuver the carp out of the current and into
your net.
A unique opportunity to note for fly anglers,
who may want to get in on the river carp action,
is the annual white fly hatch that occurs on many
Pennsylvania rivers. Common Carp will rise to
consume the masses of spent adult white flies that
land on the river's surface. Target slow pools, where
you see carp rising with a mayfly cluster pattern. You
may get lucky and have a carp take your offering.
Fishing for Common Carp within Pennsylvania's
rivers is an underdiscussed and underappreciated
endeavor. While Common Carp may not be the
most sought-after fish species in Pennsylvania, I will
argue that large river carp may be one of the hardest
fighting species we have in Pennsylvania's rivers.
Grab a sturdy rod, a can of worms, and hit the river.
A Common Carp is waiting to challenge you to battle
in the river's currents.
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2021
27
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2021

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