Carp Fishing in Alberta

[MAKSYM]

Hello!
Does anyone knows a good place to catch carps in Alberta?
Thank you!

[HowSwedeItIs]

Seems like there are a lot of Prussian carp in the reservoirs around Calgary, but that is a far cry from mirror carp fishing you see in Europe, still might be fun to throw a line in

[the11fisherman]

The lower stretches of the Bow River is infested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSIKkCrJ2v8

[TROLLER]

Have not been myself but am told Dewitts Pond west of Airdrie has a bunch of the little buggers as well.

[lds]

Originally Posted by the11fisherman

The lower stretches of the Bow River is infested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSIKkCrJ2v8

What is the lower stretches?

[the11fisherman]

Originally Posted by lds

What is the lower stretches?

Basically the Bassano Dam down. Especially Bow City to to where it joins to the Old Man River to Make the South Sask., but since it is connected to the south Sask, I'd assume you could catch them in the Old Man also and all the way down the SSR.

[THERICARDO]

Originally Posted by the11fisherman

Basically the Bassano Dam down. Especially Bow City to to where it joins to the Old Man River to Make the South Sask., but since it is connected to the south Sask, I'd assume you could catch them in the Old Man also and all the way down the SSR.

Bait ban on Bow would make Carp fishing tough as hell I would think?

[Mr Flyguy]

Originally Posted by THERICARDO

Bait ban on Bow would make Carp fishing tough as hell I would think?

The 2017 regulations guide (top of page 58) states that bait is allowed on the Bow from Bassano Dam downstream to the SSR.

[the local angler]

i think he meant IF that section of the bow was bait ban. even though you can get them on the fly rod but its a challenge which i am going to tackle this year.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by the local angler

i think he meant IF that section of the bow was bait ban. even though you can get them on the fly rod but its a challenge which i am going to tackle this year.

They should be willing I would think. Hope you slay em

[the11fisherman]

Originally Posted by THERICARDO

Bait ban on Bow would make Carp fishing tough as hell I would think?

That is exactly why I specified below the Bassano Dam. If you look at the fishing regs as previously states, you are allowed bait below the Bassano Dam. I really don't understand why everyone tricks themselves that the upper portion of the river is the only existing part of the river along with its rules.......

[Fishslayer99]

They are difficult to catch...corn seems to be the go too.

[graybeard]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

Have not been myself but am told Dewitts Pond west of Airdrie has a bunch of the little buggers as well.

2016 season:
I was out there last season and I witnessed some new Canadians, 10 people fishing with 12' poles, pulling them out like crazy. All 4"- 6" long.

They were using a doughy concoction with lots of garlic mixed in. They then roll it up to the size of a pencil eraser.
They don't cast it out like normal fishing but more placing it out about 15' and waiting......very successful.

[the local angler]

yup i saw that too and i did join the crazyness and brought my 11' float rod to set up like theirs and i am amazed at how well this method works. so i started to watch youtube videos on how the Europeans do it out there for roaches, brim and such. we even experimented to making our own dough baits too and after a few trials also got it figured out. but the problem is the fish you get is mostly in the 4-6" range like graybeard said, not a whole lot you can do with them since they are incredibly boney as hell. but incredibly fun to catch cause they are like perch they bite all day long. maybe we need more birds of prey lol

[RavYak]

Only prussian carp and the odd pond with grass carp. No common carp in AB.

[graybeard]

In speaking with one of the fisherman, he said that they eat them however, more often than not, they dry them and use them for fertilizer in their gardens.

[the11fisherman]

Originally Posted by graybeard

In speaking with one of the fisherman, he said that they eat them however, more often than not, they dry them and use them for fertilizer in their gardens.

Fish is a great fertilizer for sure. I used to throw all my fish guts and heads into my garden to help it grow. Only problem though is that once I was pulling a carrot and it snapped off on me. I decided to dig down and see why it had snapped. Well....it snapped off where it has grown through the eye hole of a large burbot head that I had buried who know when.

[Mattchat12]

there are a few private lakes in Calgary that apparently have grass carp. Haven't been able to get any access to them tho so I couldn't tell you size or numbers. I imagine they wouldn't get much pressure so I'd look into it

[moonyrat]

Any carp fishing near Edm?

[Joe Quiroga]

Originally Posted by Fishslayer99

They are difficult to catch...corn seems to be the go too.

Must be, friend and I caught quite a few fish down around Hays and we never saw a single carp. Oddest thing was a 25" sucker.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by moonyrat

Any carp fishing near Edm?

Nope.

As hinted at carp fishing in AB is pretty much limited to Prussian carp in southern AB or the odd pond with grass carp(most of which are private but might be a public one or two).

Have to go to Last Mountain Lake in SK for carp, probably closest real carp fishing.

[Strikemaster]

There are Koi and goldfish in Lacombe Pond St.Albert. The Koi are decent size. Not Carp but close.

[the local angler]

i thought there was an article that said they used some sort of chemical to eradicate them? from lacombe pond?

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by the11fisherman

The lower stretches of the Bow River is infested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSIKkCrJ2v8

cut them in half and toss them in the river to feed the sturgeon

[Strikemaster]

Originally Posted by the local angler

i thought there was an article that said they used some sort of chemical to eradicate them? from lacombe pond?

Maybe I have not been there for a while.
Also heard Grandin pond by the condos has schools of goldfish.

[ak-71]

They can be tasty and not bony if properly cooked.

[becks]

Originally Posted by moonyrat

Any carp fishing near Edm?

and gold fish

[Mackinaw]

Originally Posted by Fishslayer99

They are difficult to catch...corn seems to be the go too.

Very easy to catch .... dough balls, sweet corn, liver, worm balls. Best way is bow fishing.

Mack