Welcome to Week XLVIII of 'Fishing Parkland Shorelines'. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I'll attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don't have access a boat, a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish.
When we think about sport fishing walleye, trout, perch and even the maligned pike come to the forefront of discussions over a beverage when the snow is on the ground, and we are dreaming of the first tug on the line to mark a new season.
Carp are not likely a fish to garner a mention at all.
Yet if we were in Japan, or many parts of Europe the carp would most certainly be in the conversation.
And it probably should be here too.
In terms of fight once hooked, pound-for-pound a carp will put up a greater battle than our beloved walleye, and even a pike which as predators follow lures in and often strike so close to shore the fight with the fisherman is a short-lived one.
For local fisherman the carp is also a fish that is easy to go after since the Qu'Appelle Valley lakes, such as Echo are habitat for the often big fish.
So they are close and feisty but how does one fish specifically for a Canadian carp?
Well fisherman and author Tony Benham offers up a tonne of ideas in his recent book 'Carp Fishing In Canada'.
I must say the book caught my attention pretty quickly based on its subject matter. It was intriguing just to delve as deeply into carp fishing as Benham takes readers.
"I've loved carp ever since I was a kid and a big one nearly pulled my rod right into the river," he told me via email interview. "That carp set in motion a life-long passion for sport fishing and I've gone on to love fishing for anything with gills, fins and a tail. Carp are still my favourite species. The book is a tribute to this passion."
In fact Benham reiterates his passion in the book, stating "But, dead seriously, if I had to resign myself to chase just one species for the rest of my life - hands down, it would be the carp."
And it is a love affair easy to keep simmering as the carp is found all over Canada.
"The fact is, Canadian carp are at home just about everywhere - even in colossal rivers like the Niagara and the St. Lawrence, where they thrive in tremendous currents down to surprising depths and grow to huge proportions of 40 pounds plus! I believe there are much bigger fish that haven't been caught. Carp also inhabit mid-sized lakes, ponds, and rivers from British Columbia to Eastern Canada," describes the book.
The book adds internationally the carp is found in most places.
"Globally, from the Americas to Eastern Asia and Australia, many freshwater fish species fall under the general moniker, carp. Here in Canada, two species offer a ton of fun for sport fishermen. The largest and most exciting of these species is the common carp which includes a fully-scaled variety and a rarer. Partly-scaled cousin often called a Mirror Carp. There are also smaller sporting members of the carp family - common goldfish."
As noted earlier in some countries the carp is revered.
"Recorded history suggests carp species were farmed as a food source as far back as ancient China and Japan. Fresh-fish seekers in central and western medieval Europe also farmed carp, starting with aristocrats who introduced common carp to their estate lakes in the 15th Century - a practice that was then adopted by fish-farming monks and other private and municipal water operators after that," details the book.
" Another global aspect of carp that must be mentioned is that no other fish in history has commanded greater cultural fanfare, especially in the orient, but also in Europe and North America - for example, highly popular koi body tattoos and other carp-centric artwork. In Chinese culture, the carp is a symbol of strength, courage and triumph over adversity. This imagery dates back to ancient Chinese legends and often ties to mythology involving dragons which are virtually always depicted with carp-scales and whiskers."
So what does Benham hope to accomplish with the book?
It's simple enough, he wants to have anglers in Canada think about carp as a sport fish.
"I'm most excited about the book's potential to showcase the world-class sport-fishing carp offer for young anglers," he said in the interview. "Many kids don't have access to boats and road trips but they can target big carp from shore with simple baits and tackle close to home. And carp fishing is a great way for youngsters to become skilled anglers."
Benham said in carp fisherman face a worthy adversary.
"Most places, carp still have an almost sinister reputation as big, bad, unruly creatures that are difficult to hook and nigh impossible to land on light tackle. All true," he said. "They are fast, smart, powerful and elusive. Despite their often bad press, they are a superb sport fish. And they are right across the country with big carp spots just minutes from many Canadian anglers."
For those unfamiliar with carp, the book describes them well.
"Common carp are broad-shouldered, heavy-bodied fish with big, searching eyes set widely upon their head. They have large fins on their back and belly and a powerful, slightly forked tail. They also have an unmistakable, rubber-lipped kisser with two nostril openings between their eyes and two short whiskers, or barbells, on either side of their snout."
As for how big carp might get, the book said that is really a bit of an unknown.
"To me, there are several issues with generalizing about how big carp are in Canada. The first issue is that, simply due to its big-bodied physique and spirited performance, any carp over 20 pounds presents itself as a formidable giant! So, when I hear a casual angler say they got a 40-pounder at the local pier, I take it with a grain of salt. I've no doubt there are lots of 40-pound carp to be caught in Canadian waters and so some of these claimed could be true. But I also know it's easy to guess a big carp weighs more than it does, especially for anglers who only see them and catch them now and then. Like other powerful, broad-bodied sport fish such as bass or salmon, only a well-calibrated scale can verify a weight claim."
But, as large fish they fight hard.
"Carp typically engage in battle as if it is their final reckoning. A classic carp escape tactic, especially in rivers, is to blast down the bank and then head straight to shore in an effort to embed themselves in over-hanging tree limbs or other snaggy cover.
Delightfully, nearly every carp you will ever catch will unleash a last blast of fury just when you think it is ready for the net. It's good planning to back off your drag and brace yourself for two or three more strong runs as you work the fish near your rod tip. Then, as it rolls and slows, net the carp carefully - and pause to appreciate what a magnificent creature it is, notes the book.
And the book does a detailed job of explaining how best to go after the biggest carp. Benham covers tackle, mixtures to make carp baits, and techniques to employ to entice them to strike. You might occasionally hook a carp in the Qu'Appelle Valley now as you fish for walleye, but after reading this book you can make the carp your primary prey.
Asked about fishing carp in Saskatchewan, Benham said it is not a destination he has fished yet.
"But I'd love to," he said in the interview. "I hear there are some terrific carp spots there. I must admit, despite countless hours I've logged fishing for carp in Canada, I've never done so outside of Ontario. That's simply because there are so many great carp spots within an hour of my home near Toronto. To date, my trips to Saskatchewan have been up north for species or types of angling I can't access here at home."
So where is Benham's favourite carp hole?
"My favourite carp spot is wherever I happen to be as long as my bait is in the water and there are carp around," he said. "Seriously, the best carp spots are the ones closest to where you call home. Most anglers know local spots where carp hang out even if they haven't fished for them yet."
Benham said if you want big carp, look to big water.
"A carp can grow very big even in a small pond or a shallow creek," he said. "But, I'd say generally, as with other sport species, the bigger the body of water, the better the chance of bagging a giant. So there is rarely a need for a long drive to catch carp. I vary my spots depending on the size of fish I want to catch and the type of tactics I feel like using."
Again the author shares his favoured tactics in great detail in his book.
While tactics vary, Benham did offer some simple general guidelines for a new carp fisherman.
"Take some time to better understand the fish and good rigs - then go after them with the gear you already have," he said in the interview. "I talk about carp behavior and target locations in Chapter 1. Then I cover some great tactics, baiting strategies and optional equipment in chapters after that.
"A neat thing about fishing for carp is they can be caught on simple baits you already have in the fridge or pantry and on spinning or bait-casting gear you already own. The key is figuring out where carp tend to hang out and how they behave in your location. They are incredible adapters!
"As I cover in the book, you can catch carp in a range of cool ways from simple, self-hook bolt rigs to high-finesse float and quiver-tip set-ups that can help you take fish in tough conditions. The trick is picking the right tactic for the situation."
And baits are a key too.
"I also suggest keeping your baits simple. Worms are great. But, hands-down, my two top carp baits are sweet corn and white bread," he said. "Both these options are superb carp attractors plus they are cheap and as close as the corner store. I cover other great bait options in Chapter 7 - including crumb mixes that draw carp into an area and get them feeding."
Of course I had to ask what is the biggest carp the author has caught. It's a question fishermen are obligated to ask one another.
"My biggest carp is just under 40 pounds from Lake Ontario. I got it on sweetened field corn," he said. "I've got some other giants but I've not broken the 40-pound mark with a fish I've actually weighed on a good scale. It's easy to eye-ball a big carp and call it a 40-pounder when it only weighs 25. Like other large species such as pike, muskies and catfish, any carp over 20 pounds is as much an animal as a fish as it gets so thick at the shoulders and broad across the back. A true 40-pound carp is an amazing creature.
"My most memorable carp aren't just the giants. For example, I recently caught a power-house 10-pounder on my center-pin float-rod in a little creek 20 minutes from my home. It hit a bit of sweet corn drifted through a pool under a float - and burned off 20 yards of line like a big river rainbow trout! At one point, it tore through the limbs of a fallen tree and I thought it was gone. But my tiny hook and light leader held. My hands were shaking and sweat was running down my face as I netted the fish five minutes later!"
With carp fishing close at hand, this really is a book for local fisherman who rally to the thrill of a good fight with a worthy adversary. I know I'll be at Echo Lake this year with them first on my mind.
You can order the book at www.carpfishingincanada.com
