Going on a carp hunt: How to catch local giants on rod and reel near Boise
In all my years of fishing, I’ve only tried to catch carp a few times. I usually catch a couple by chance each year, when they unexpectedly slurp a bass lure. And I once targeted them with a bow-and-arrow, which was a fun and unique fishing experience.
Many local fisheries are loaded with carp, including some absolute giants. So, on a whim, my buddy Jon and I set out to answer the question — what would happen if we actually tried to target these tankers?
After spending a couple sessions fishing for giants, here were our findings:
Lighter is better
Without investing in specialized carp tackle, I wasn’t sure of the best gear to use. On our first trip, I brought two heavier setups — a medium-heavy rod paired with 16-pound leader that I’ve used to catch steelhead, flathead catfish, tiger muskie and ocean surf perch; and a heavy-action rod with 20-pound line. Jon, who loves to fish with light tackle, packed lighter rods with 10-pound line.
During our first session, I caught a 6-pound carp on my medium-heavy setup, while Jon caught several bullheads on his rods (when bait fishing for carp, it’s helpful to double your odds by using a two-pole permit). My heavier rod went untouched. For our next outing, I resolved to downsize my gear.
Stealth is key
My biggest takeaway from this carp hunt was how differently these fish behave compared to predatory gamefish. Bass are famous for their aggressive strikes. Trout will smash a Rapala so hard it nearly pulls the rod out of your hands. Even panfish are much meaner than you think! But carp are incredibly shy. They spook at the slightest movement, and if one picks up your bait, they will drop it the second they feel any weight or resistance.
After some trial and error, we determined the best tactic was to fish just the hook and bait (dough balls) without any bobbers or weights. Fish still dropped the bait if our hook set timing wasn’t perfect, but with this method, we started catching more carp (and a bunch of pesky bullheads, too).
Playing the long game
Jon wound up landing two nice carp, an 8-pounder and a 12-pounder. For our second session, I switched to a medium-action bass rod rigged with 10-pound leader. I felt a little outgunned considering there were 30-pounders in the area, but the setup was much better for working with light bait and tackle. I caught a 10-pound carp on the bass rod and then, ironically, broke off a big fish on my medium-heavy rig. But the disappointment didn’t last long — within minutes, I hooked into a giant on the bass rod.
Carp are incredibly strong. With broad shoulders, stout tails and a torpedo-like build, they put up an extraordinary fight. I kept my drag loose to avoid break-offs, and this giant took more than half the line off my spool as it powered down the shoreline. I held my breath as it swam dangerously close to some fallen trees, but luckily, it stayed snag-free.
From there, it became a tug-of-war. Other than sturgeon, there aren’t many fish in Idaho that can match carp for sheer weight. I gained 10 yards of line, and then the fish would take 30. I’d gain 20 back, and it would take 50. The battle lasted 15 minutes — but carp don’t have teeth, and they don’t jump much, so if you take your time and avoid snags, your chances of landing the fish are good.
Finally, I slid my oversized net under a huge, multicolored carp. It measured 32 inches long with a massive girth, weighing over 20 pounds. My giant carp hunt had reached a successful conclusion! I’ll probably do it again one day — it was more fun than I had anticipated, and it’s fairly simple if you want to give it a try. The Snake River, Lake Lowell and local ponds are a few good places to start. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.
This story was originally published September 11, 2023 at 4:00 AM.