Looking for the perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for the tough-to-please angler on your shopping list?  Or maybe you just want a great read for yourself.  

Let me help!  

Get a copy of Carp Fishing In Canada by Tony Benham.  It is very good.  

Believe it or not, I've always had a fascination for carp and carp fishing.  Part of the reason is that there are no carp in the lakes and rivers around home here in Northwestern Ontario.  So, there is the "exotic" factor.   

The other reason the fish intrigue me, however, is that every time I've gone carp fishing - usually somewhere in southern Ontario - I've had so much fun, catching giant fish.  As a matter of fact, I've always come away from those trips wondering why so many anglers don't take advantage of the spectacular fishing on their door steps - among the best carp fishing opportunities in the world.  

I mean, honestly, when was the last time you caught a dozen of more fish in the 20-, 25-, even 30-pound plus class that fought like demons when you hooked them?  And you don't have to drive hundreds of miles to find the finest action, nor do you need a boat.  The best fishing is almost always right from shore.  

When I've mentioned this to friends living in carp country, they invariably tell me the biggest reason they don't target the gorgeous behemoths living on their door steps is because they don't know how to get started, given there is a fair bit of mystique around the fish.  

Well, with a copy of Carp Fishing in Canada stuffed in your tackle bag, you've lost that excuse.  

Indeed, I sat down with Tony Benham recently, who wrote the book, and picked his brain on a whole number of things carp related that I'd like to share in this blog ... and in part 2 to follow.  

"I grew up along the banks of the Grand River in Cambridge, Ontario in the 1970s," Benham told me, when I asked him how he got started fishing for carp.  "For me, that was a blessing because I was obsessed with fishing and the Grand had everything from shiners and sunfish to big pike and smallmouth bass.  Back then, the Grand was also synonymous with carp.  On a sunny day, we could often see them from up on Main Street bridge – as long, dark shadows down below, gliding across the bottom like sharks in the cloudy, knee-deep water.

"I quickly learned that carp had an almost sinister reputation as big, bad, unruly creatures that were difficult to hook and nigh impossible to land on light tackle.  That was all I needed to hear!  I fished the river virtually every night after school pursuing bass, pike and, increasingly, carp.  I've loved carp ever since because they are big, fast, powerful, smart and elusive."  

When I asked Benham if he didn't find it a little ironic, that anglers will routinely drive three or four hours to go fishing for walleye and bass, maybe catch a few fish in the two or three pound range and think they've had a great day of fishing, when they could have caught many more and much bigger carp staying much closer to home, I was intrigued by his answer.   


"I totally get it," Benham said, noting  he does the same thing all the time.  "The road-trip tradition goes with the passion of being an avid multi-species angler.  And catching even a few nice fish in beautiful surroundings with good friends is awesome.  But, what I do find surprising is that more anglers don't target carp locally in between these road trips for other species.

"I certainly do and it has not only made me a far better angler, it's allowed me to spend more time on the water hooked up to big, smart, hard-fighting fish.  Plus, I'm often home in plenty of time to cut the grass and enjoy a barbeque with the family.  That's a pretty good deal!

Indeed, but if it is such a great deal, why, I wondered out loud, have Canadian anglers missed out on the great carp fishing opportunities for so long?  

"That's an easy one, to answer," Benhan chuckled.  "Here in North America, we're blessed with some of the best freshwater sport fishing in the world.  Trout, salmon, bass, walleyes, pike, big muskies - you name it!  Plus we have access to endless public waters and spectacular locales.  So, culturally, it's not surprising that North American anglers have focused on indigenous species.  But carp are another incredible sport fish that add to our long list of options.

"I'm most excited about the world-class sport-fishing opportunities carp offer for young anglers.  I'm talking about kids who may not have access to boats and road trips.  But they can target carp from shore with simple baits and tackle close to home.  In fact, I get a kick out of how many fellow fishing addicts admit they caught the sport-fishing bug from a big carp that nearly pulled them into the pond when they were a kid!  That raw thrill is still what fishing is all about for most of us, isn't it?  

"As a matter of fact,"  Benham added, "I wrote the book as a tribute to the fish that galvanized my love of sport fishing - and I’m still incredibly passionate about carp nearly four decades later.  But, despite its appeal to fans like me, a carp is still an often misunderstood and under-rated sport fish here in Canada.  I hope the book shatters some myths and provides a great point of entry for anglers just getting into carp fishing as well as some fresh insights and ideas for anglers who have already caught carp fever."  

In my next blog, I'll tell you more about what Benham has to say about carp fishing in Canada, as well as detail some of the simple tackle and rigging options that he recommends.    

In the meantime, if you're interested in a copy of Carp Fishing In Canada, it is available at select tackle shops and book retailers, but the easiest way is ordering it on-line:  www.carpfishingincanada.com