# Carp and LM bass, buddies?



## meanstreets (May 22, 2009)

I was at the Marsh park pay lake in Fairfield a couple of weeks ago and saw an adult sized bass shadowing a carp in shallow water near the shore as the carp was foraging along the bottom. The bass would swim close behind as the carp moved to another spot. I have seen this several times before also. Anyone have an idea what is going, if anything?


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## AbuGarciaFan (Jun 21, 2010)

i saw 2 bass follow a good size carp a couple weeks ago and also thought it was strange


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## Buzzin (Jun 22, 2010)

I have no real idea, but carp are skiddish maybe you found a bass who wanted an extra pair of eyes and ears expecially if its at a pay lake! Ive came close to having to change my pants from walking up on some monster carp!


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

I don't mean to side-track the original post. And yes, I've seen the same thing many times. My guess would be that the bass was using the carp for some type of cover. Maybe the bass could hide behind the carp and dart out and feed on prey when they least expect it. That's just my guess... Knowing how opportunistic a bass is.

But I've got to add that an over abundance of carp is not good for the bass species. Whether they are buddies or not. Too many carp cause havic on bass reproduction.

The carp stirr-up a lot of dirt and mud and silt. And this causes sedimentation that can interfere with the fragile bass spawn.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

I've seen smallmouth doing this in a stream. Something about the carp disturbing critters on the bottom...easy meal for the bass.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Mushijobah said:


> I've seen smallmouth doing this in a stream. Something about the carp disturbing critters on the bottom...easy meal for the bass.


I agree. I would thick a large carp would scare the heck out of crawdads if it can scare the heck out you.  A carp of descent size would spook everything out from under rocks and such as it forages.

It ain't exactly batman and Robbyn, but a team that works for the smallmouths belly I would say


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

we actually had days that we would follow the carp on the ohio river while smallmouth fishing. those smallmouth would hang right with the carp and eat everything that got stirred up by them. it didn't happen everyday, but we tried it every trip. it was a nice little pattern to get on in a tourn.


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## CARP 104 (Apr 19, 2004)

This is an interesting thread, I can say that I have never seen this happen before. I don't fish clear water often so that is my guess as to why I haven't witnessed it.

My guess is that bass are using the carp as a mobile piece of cover. Most bait-fish probably do not dart off upon seeing a carp, giving the bass a good opportunity for attack. Also, carp are large fish and probably move the smaller rocks around on the bottom causing crawfish to dart out, which the bass will pick off.

This is very interesting...what exactly are the carp doing when the bass are following? Are they just slowly swimming along the bottom sucking up food? Is it usually one bass per carp, or more? What time of year is this?

Thanks for the post!


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## meanstreets (May 22, 2009)

I remember seeing this only in the summer months in the daytime when there weren't any other fish that shallow. The carp was working along the bottom, foraging. My thoughts were along the lines of what several of you said about the bass waiting to suck up crawdads, but I never had the patience to watch for an extended period of time. 
Maybe it would be possible to drop something on the bottom ahead of a duo if you happen to be fishing a soft plastic craw?


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

i have seen this quite often. more often are 'gills following carp and
feeding on what the carp stirrs up. maybe the bass have learned (or always knew) carp feeding = gills feeding = "Me" feeding on 'gills!


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