# ?????



## boonecreek (Dec 28, 2006)

just started fishing eastfork (dead stick,in ). see a lot of carp rolling, thinking looks like fun. do in need to use a floater or fish the bottom. i,m us,ed to fish the river ( ohio )caught a lot there, but i fish on bottom in the river. and what a good bait.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

I haven't spent much time at East Fork Lake, but I have had some success in the headwaters at the boat ramp off Twin Bridges Rd. However, I have only been there earlier in the year (April through May), before the spawn. All the fish I have managed from there were under 15 pounds, but that isn't to say there aren't larger, especially since I haven't been there in three years.

There are a lot of buffalo in that lake, and schools of buffalo have a tendency to push the carp out of the feeding area. I only say this because I have friends (other carp anglers) that hate buffalo because of there sliminess and that they don't fight as hard as a carp (or so they say, since I haven't landed a sizable buffalo).

Creating bed of free offerings that you place your hookbait on will greatly increase your success. Doing this will attract multiple fish and allow you the potential to land one after another. This can be accomplished by putting in canned sweetcorn a little bit of a time, or using boiled feed/deer corn, which is more economical. At short range this can be done by hand, but greater distances can be had by using a catapult (a slingshot for carp fishing), baiting spoon (a scoop on a pole) or a spod (a rocket shaped device filled with bait that you cast out on a spare rod to deposit bait at a distance).

Another way of doing this is to fish with 'the method' or packbait. Method mix or packbait are substances that you mold around your sinker or hookbait that breakdown into pile around the bait within a few minutes in the water. These are not dough baits, but more of a moistened (not soggy) cereal, since they are usually grain based. A simple recipe to get the feel for the right consistency is oats pack. After you are comfortable with oats you can start to experiment a bit more with other ingredients from the grocery or feed store (Tractor Supply is a carp anglers best friend).

To make oats pack you will need a canister of old fashioned oatmeal (not quick/instant), a can of creamed corn, a palm full of kosher/sea salt, and some flavoring (optional). Empty the creamed corn into a bucket, add salt, flavoring, and mix together. Then add the canister of oatmeal and mix until it is all coated. Now seal the bucket for 10-15 minutes to allow the oatmeal to absorb the liquid. It should be pliable enough to squeeze (be sure to wet your hands first and squeeze several times) a golf ball sized lump around your sinker or hookbait so it will endure the cast, but still breakdown within a couple minutes of hitting the lake-bed. If the oats will not pack tight enough to cast, try grinding them up between your hands to break up the oatmeal flakes.

As far as hookbaits go there are limitless options. Sweet corn is works but is a bit on the delicate side. Using a hair rigs will allow you to use a wider range of items, like boiled field corn, or chickpeas/garbanzo beans. When I fish with method/pack, which is most of the time, I use plastic (fake) corn.


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## boonecreek (Dec 28, 2006)

thans for the time. been a great help. and last but not least, where do i get plastic corn.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

I use Enterprise pop-up sweetcorn quite a bit. Even though this floats, the buoyancy is really only enough to neutralize the weight of the hook, making it easier for the fish to suck up. I order most of my specialized carp tackle from Big Carp Tackle, but you could use bit of foam, like cut up earplugs, with similar results.


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