Goose Spanker

I was wondering what temp the water has to be for carp to move into the shallows and start spawning?
Also do they prefer any type of bottom better than the other? Where do they like to spawn at?
thanks in advance

wingchaser_labs

Carp spawn typically gets going into a full spawn once the water temp reaches 64F and goes till 86Fbut they can be found long before the water reaches that and after that. Carp will stage like any other fish by moving up into those warmer water areas before it gets to the required temp. and will move in and out of these areas by night andday with slight temperatures changes before the temp reaches 64. Like any other fish they wanna spawn when they can so the shallows are where they head early and move out to deeper water as it gets warmer spawningmany times... As far as where to find fish. Staging before the water warms up they can be typically found in weeds and along weeds line off of points, channels, bays, lakes... They are typically prettyslow and nathalgic at this time.Once they get to spawning or pre spawn they can be found cruising these same areas, small river and creek banks along grassy and wooded structures, up in shallow bay and inletswhere itmay be a little weedy or even just mud bottom (muddy areas make it tough as you can't see them very easily but some great shooting can be hadin muddy bays too), flooded grassy and wooded areas are some of the best during spawning... Best target areas to get started are flooded areas with grass and small structures, and weed beds (some times they like to layin real thick weedbeds and sometimes they like it with real thin weeds with more open water... The biggest thing is to just get out there and find them. They can bein one spot one day and in a completly different area the next or they maystay in an area for a week. When we shoot tournys we get out the day before to scout usually and find the fish and kinda figure out what patterns they are using at that time and where they are going at verious times of the day. Even by doing this weve had carp in full spawn one evening and the air temp stayed warm all night so they spawned all through the night and we showed up to win us a tourny the next mornin and most of the fishhad moved out and never came back even in the afternoon so we knew they had finished their spawn there. Ended up finding the fish cruisin and stagging on deeper weed beds in another area.In that situation the water warmed upso they moved deeper.Well hope some of this helps. I'm tired of typing. haha.Good luck and shoot em up. WCL

P.S. great sig but I'd have to add a boat to my price as well. haha

carpsniper

Very nice explanation, WCL. I really glad you typed all that and not me. LOL

Goose Spanker

wcl
Thanks alot that was an excellent explanation. That should really help alot. Hopefully i can hit the spawn right and really cleanup. Good point about the boat. your right.

goose

Johnny b

Just remember that you can shoot them year round. Not just during the spawn. That is like the rut. Just the best time. Go wackem and stack em

wingchaser_labs

Argeed about shooting them all the time. Have to check your regs though. Not all places can shoot them year round. We are closed in WI from March 1st till April 20 th in certain areas. Reason is to let the native fish like the buffalo, who have a good commercial market around our area on the river, have successful spawns. Doesn't interfere with the carp spawn though because buffalo spawn at much colder water temps than carp. WCL

TROPHYHUNTER25

i start to see them when temps are in the mid 50's