Field Notes: Consider the carp as hunting season returns

As September inches toward October, sportsmen and women are grabbing bows and guns and returning to the fields. Maybe it's dove hunting that has you sitting on a five-gallon bucket with a fidgety 10-year-old, or giant Canada geese have coaxed you into the cattails with an equally anxious retriever. I'll bet that some of you — maybe a lot of you — are trimming limbs and checking tree stands while imagining a big buck is spying while charting its own secret agenda. While hunting seasons have opened, it isn't time to put away those fishing rods. As the weather cools, a lot of fish begin feeding hungrily as they instinctively know that leaner months are coming. Perch and walleye are being boated in Lake Erie, and eastern lake-fed rivers will have steelhead pushing their way upstream. But you don't need to drive far to have fun. Inland lakes, farm ponds and streams all offer a lot of fall fishing opportunities. Bass, crappies and bluegill respond well in the fall, and catfishing during the evenings can be very productive. Smallmouth fishing in streams mimics many trout techniques, and there's nothing more relaxing than taking a wading walk while casting into pools. One fish that's too often neglected is the lowly carp. Sometimes called an invasive species, it isn't — it was invited. Transplanted from Asia and Europe, they were stocked across the nation by state and private interests during the early 20th century. Efforts to correct that mistake fell flat due to the carp's resilience and adaptability. It probably should be considered an exotic "native," sort of like a brother-in-law that takes up residence in the basement. Carp can become very active in early fall, feeding on aquatic dwelling larval insects, worms and other edibles it dredges up with its barbel snoot. My father, brother and I had great fun wrestling these muscle-laden fish to the net. A few times, especially when fishing along rip-rapped reservoirs, my dad would catch my brother by his belt as a big fish began winning the tug of war. Dad usually tossed the fish back but, being a product of the Depression, would still bring an occasional carp home. He always claimed that when preparing carp, there were three important elements: how they were cleaned; the cook's experience; and the last decent meal you can remember. If you think catching them is as easy as tossing in a hook, you're mistaken. Despite their size, somewhere in their little fish brain, they know that they're part of the minnow family. Sure, they're the largest of the family, but they must still have that "survival by flight" entrenched in their genes. This means that carp can be easily spooked. If carp played baseball, they'd be the sluggers. There's no bunting or bumping bait for them; when they find something they like, they swing away and run. That eat and run technique better have you ready. More than once, I've gone wading when an unwatched rod fell victim when a big one pulled its grab-and-go lunch performance. Keeping the reel's bail open will help prevent losing a good rig. Carp will feed aggressively until the water cools, beginning about the end of September. When that happens, use larger baits to make them believe that their efforts are worthwhile. By this time, they don't want to use much energy to feed, saving it for surviving the leaner months ahead. What about baits? Every carp angler has their secret formulas. Bottom rigs using commercial dough ball, cornmeal or boilies work. Boilies are a hardened ball of eggs, protein powder and your choice of baking flavors. Canned corn is also a favorite. Carp can be caught on the surface using baits that float such as dog food, floating bread pieces or goldfish crackers. I once checked a guy that used garbanzo beans soaked in some secret elixir — or was it the fisherman soaked in some secret liquor? Anyway, he laced corn and those beans on his hook and caught fish. You can also use a fly rod using aquatic worm and insect imitations. I know a couple guys who do well in the Blanchard River. It's not as flashy as Alaskan salmon but still a lot of fun. While I hate giving away secrets, my dad had some favorite dough ball recipes that I'll share. • Strawberry Killer: 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 or 2 teaspoons garlic salt. Bring ingredients to a boil, then add: 1 cup cornmeal, ½ cup flour, ½ package strawberry Jell-O. Cook until mixture thickens. Pour onto waxed paper, flatten and cut into squares. When cool enough to handle, roll into balls. • Corn Dough: 1 can whole kernel corn, 2 cups cornmeal, 2 cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons sweet corn syrup. Empty corn and juice into large mixing bowl, add cornmeal and mix thoroughly. Add sugar, vanilla and sweet corn syrup and mix again. Add flour and knead by hand. Adjust flour as needed. • Old-Timer's Carp Dough: 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup or anise, 1 cup cornmeal, ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup flour. Heat ingredients, except flour, in a pot over a medium heat while stirring constantly. Add flour until it becomes difficult to stir. A whole grain dry cereal can also be added to thicken. Sardines and the packing oil, nightcrawlers or limburger cheese can be added to create a catfish version. If you decide on one of the catfish varieties, consider an outside cooker or you'll learn why so few Old-Timers are left. Popular ingredients that can be substituted in recipes include Chex, Corn Flakes, Wheaties, biscuit mix, brown sugar, tuna, miniature marshmallows, bacon grease, fruit-flavored sodas and Jell-O mixes. All should be refrigerated, and most can be frozen and thawed for use. "Smoked carp tastes just as good as smoked salmon when you ain't got no smoked salmon." – Patrick F. McManus Along the way Since the fall of 2020, 11 Ohio wild deer have tested positive for CWD, a fatal neurological disease, and all were from Wyandot and Marion counties. In response, a disease surveillance area was established in Hardin, Marion and Wyandot counties. An earlier hunting season has been established to slow the spread of CWD by lowering deer concentrations within the disease surveillance area of Hardin, Marion and Wyandot counties. Archery hunting begins today, and an early gun hunting season will take during Oct. 8-10. Ohio's statewide deer archery season opens Sept. 24. CWD sampling within the disease surveillance area is required for all deer harvested from Oct. 8-10, Nov. 5-6, Nov. 12-13 and during the entire seven-day gun season (Nov. 28 to Dec. 4). Staffed sampling locations will be available during the seven-day gun season at the addresses below: • Big Island Wildlife Area Headquarters, 5389 Larue-Prospect Road West, New Bloomington. • Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area Headquarters, 19100 County Highway 115, Harpster, • Wyandot County Fairgrounds, 10171 Ohio 53, Upper Sandusky. • Rural King, 233 American Boulevard, Marion. • Hardin County Fairgrounds, 14134 County Road 140, Kenton. • McGuffey Conservation Club, 6950 Township Road 55, Ada. The following regulations apply within the disease surveillance area: • The placement of or use of bait to attract or feed deer, as well as hunting deer by the aid of bait, is prohibited. • The removal of a complete carcass or high-risk parts from the disease surveillance area is prohibited unless the carcass complies with deer carcass regulations, or the carcass is delivered to a certified taxidermist or processor within 24 hours of leaving the area. Additional information on carcass regulations and a complete list of certified processors and taxidermists can be found at ohiodnr.gov/cwd. Outside the seven-day gun season, hunters should use self-serve kiosks for mandatory sampling. Locations are available at ohiodnr.gov/cwd. Instructions are provided at the kiosk. Those with questions can call 419-429-8322. Step outside • Today: Black Swamp Bucks Fall Classic; 4-8 p.m.; Hancock County Fairgrounds, 1017 E. Sandusky St. Tickets are just $10. Food, live music, games, raffles, prizes and bid items of guns, outdoor packages and more. Prizes, guns and ammo winners every 10 minutes. Tickets available at the door. Kids age 12 and under get in free. • Today: National Hunting and Fishing Day Celebration Free Youth Event; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; UCOA, 6943 Township Road 243. There will be plenty of activities for the kids to keep them busy followed by the annual kid's fishing derby. All kids must be accompanied by an adult. Public welcome. • Today: Early deer archery season in Wyandot, Marion and Hardin Counties opens. • Tuesday: Six-week Fall Trap League; 4:30 p.m.; UCOA, 6943 Township Road 243. Public welcome. For questions or to sign up, contact Kevin Thomas at 419-722-5063 or Sandy Thomas at 419-722-2441. • Sept. 18: Whitetail warmup 3D archery match; registration opens at 8 a.m.; Field and Stream Bowhunters, 11400 Township Road 109. Contact Harold Spence at 419-423-9861. • Sept. 24: Ohio's statewide deer archery season begins. • Sept. 25: Nostalgia 50-bird trap shoot for vintage shotguns; traps open at noon, program begins at 1 p.m.; Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Township Road 186, Forest. Eligible shotguns include: Winchester models 12, 97, 101, Super X1; Remington models 10, 11, 17, 31, 32, 3200, 870, 1100; Browning Superposed, A-5, Double Automatic, B-2000; Ithaca single barrel trap, 37, Parker and LC Smith single barrel trap and any side-by-side. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com