White whale

Been flinging lots of lures on the Tualatin. Occasional bass and pikeminnow. The only frequent happening is a sighting of a monster carp. Just a hog. See him rooting around and rolling.  Usually in the same 1/8th mile stretch of river. Sometimes a few feet from the board. He's become my white whale.

I know bread dough and corn get them to bite. Same with goofy fluffy flies that I am incapable of presenting. No bait or soft plastics allowed on this stretch of river, though. But I must catch this guy. Not sure why, but I have a strong draw. He's massive, and looks like fun on ultra light.

So, gents, how does one catch a carp whilst obeying the restrictions? Any magic lures in your tackle boxes?

I always catch em when I'm fishing for something else.  Just pretend you don't want to hook him and that will probably work. 

May not be seen as sporting by some, and I don't see it being how you roll,  but snagging is legal for carp.  Sight casting a weighted hook at finning carp can actually be fairly fun DAMHIK

Saw some of those beasts today.  Everytime I see a nice-sized one I can't help but want to catch it.  They've got some shoulders! My best tactic to offer would be simply a worm on a hook, but since you mentioned you can't use bait, I don't know what to tell you.  Maybe try a worm-looking fly pattern slathered in some kind of pro-cure scent.    Good luck and be sure to get some pics if you get that beast board-side.

I can tell you from years of eating lunch on the docks at Fern Ridge lake that carp are crazy for fried chicken.

This may sound too weird, but a Dutch friend and grad student at the UofO in Eugene was a carp fanatic. His preferred bait was a piece of lightly boiled potato, still warm, under a very subtle slip bobber that was adjusted to suspend the potato just inches off the bottom. We kept the potatoes in towels wrapped in foil to keep them warm. The carp went nuts for this. I had to see it to believe it. Don't boil the spuds until they begin to get mushy. You want them firm.

Perhaps a large black Woolley bugger or some steelhead jigs? How deep is the water? You can always put a fly under a float that allows the line to pass through. Like the clear plastic ones you can half fill with water or a steelhead float.

They didn't "Catch" the White Whale in Moby Dick.  They harpooned it! Granted that didn't work out so well for Ahab but...  You can legally do the same.   Fashion yourself a lance with a harpoon tip (aka halibut poon tip) and go play Starbuck on a SUP! Then turn it into crab bait for a tasty dinner upgrade!

I have a feeling that ya'all are about three posts away from mentioning compound bows.

May not be seen as sporting by some, and I don't see it being how you roll,  but snagging is legal for carp.  Sight casting a weighted hook at finning carp can actually be fairly fun DAMHIK

I grew up in Upstate New York and used to do my "sight casting" for carp with a bow and arrow.  I haven't double checked but I believe carp are legal to bowfish in Oregon as well.  I would think a SUP/bowfishing could be your unique contribution to the sport.

Brian

Looks like I was trying to submit my bow story just as andyjade was worried that I would.

I used to catch them in the parking lot of Novell on 7 wt fly tackle. They are a lot of fun - strong beasts.

Sight casting was the best producer, and for a lure - we used what looked like a big brown stone-fly nymph with rubber legs (self-tied). The fly looked a lot like a cockroach. They would chomp it right as it hit bottom, but a well placed cast was also mandatory.

Once hooked, be careful trying to land them first go, they usually have 2 or 3 runs in them. They'll look docile but when you go to grab them they'll spit on you with their gross looking mouths and then proceed to tear line.

I've also caught them in the Columbia with different spinners while trying to hook up with Coho.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Carp and bass will go for the greasiest/cheapest  hot dog slice about 1/2" thick.

Regular sightings in the same area? getting closer to the board?
This old albino may be a good omen.
Relationships between fish and man are more than just the stuff of legend.
Before jumping into the Hawkeye cos-play, you could try hand feeding it.

Hmmmm, again, Spidey makes wise...