Carpe Diem Deux

[Steve-0]

After work today and before the Treat and Trickery, I had a couple of hours to fill. Hmmmm....what to do? Go home for yard work? Don't think so.

Grabbed some gear and bait and skedaddled off to the little pond below Midas and kidney. Being new to me, i wasn't sure of anything about it except it looked pretty featureless and no visible structure. Just a park pond.

Tossed in a bait on the west side and not ten minutes later a scrappy little 5 pounder was in the net. This guy bent the rod and did hs best to stay free. Snapped a couple pics and on to the next one. I moved about halfway down the pond so I could cover the whole thing with ease. The south end looked fishy and carp do leave tell tales now and then. Bubbles or bow waves are a dead giveaway.

Tossed out another vanilla dough bait and set my rod down to wipe my hands better and watch the pond surface for fish signs.

BIG ROOKIE MISTAKE! I haven't done this in a while. I was looking to the right and my rod and reel go ripping through the grass to the left down the bank and the rod tip was just at the water's edge when i covered the few yards in seconds before something was getting wet. WHEW!

Grabbed it, set the hook proper and this guy burned drag for 15 yards. Nice little tug of war went on for two minutes and a 6.5 #er was in the net. Had to call it good and get on home to zombify my kiddos for halloween.

Other nice thing about this little pond besides being 10 mins from the house is the river is right on the other side of it. Always a carp and bigger ones to be found cruising the the valley's riparian hiway. May be wetting a line there again in the morning. Not many warm days left this year.




[signature]

[flygoddess]

Nice Carp! I am looking to get a scale, what do you suggest. Their mouths are pretty rubbery and not sure on lip grabbing scales. A net scale could work though.
[signature]

[catfool]

I picked up a digital scale awhile back for about 20.00 that works great. You can zero out the net and go from there or with the big hook on it get inside the gill. Well worth the money.[fishin]
[signature]

[The_Red_Leaker]

Awesome! Glad you got into a few of them and it is nice to have the river only a few steps away.

I tried a new pond this morning for a few but the wind was too much. Had a couple discernible bites but I'll try another day and hopefully report on a another local option to wet a line.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Hey carp whisperer, have you seen or checked out the lake/pond just south of Novell in Provo? It is just east of I-15 near the University offramp.

One of our former members worked there and mentioned molesting carp on his lunch hour. But he has since transferred to California (I think). I don't think it is private but maybe someone else on the board knows.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[Steve-0]

[quote flygoddess]Nice Carp! I am looking to get a scale, what do you suggest. Their mouths are pretty rubbery and not sure on lip grabbing scales. A net scale could work though.[/quote]

Some folks use the boga grips with a scale built in. My scale is analog with self drawn Sharpie lines at 5# increments so I don't need glasses to see the small #'s in standard and metric right next to each other. I subtract the net weight. Even my net is carp dedicated. It is the Cabelas large collapsible one from the flyfish dept. i remove the shallow black trout net bag and replace it with a 30" deep mesh laundry bag minus the drawstring. Fits well with some fitting and I extended the hose between the jaws. With those mods it will handle 20#ers plus with ease. Have done that a few times. Not too crazy about injuring any fish I intend to release and kill quickly those I harvest.

TD - Have yet to try that pond but have seen a bowangler shooting at carp near there.

Tried fishing today but the sand storm was too gritty for me eyes after about an hour and tumbleweeds seemed to be magnetized to fishing line???
[signature]

[Steve-0]

Weighing a fish, somewhat awkwardly posed when the guy with the camera snapped the shot. 40" , 23#'s.
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Perfect. That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
What fish is that, that is 40" long and only 23lbs?
[signature]

[zman2]

we need to talk
[signature]

[Steve-0]

That would be fine....... as long as I may plead the 5th....... and not incriminate myself .......too often.[]

Pleading the 5th on the above fish.[sly]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

I still got to get me that set up. I had that same collapsible net, but it exploded the beginning of the year. Too big of Carp.
The Popcorn fly works



[signature]

[Steve-0]

Nice fishies! Bet that popcorn fly is a bugger to cast well. Okay, maybe for me it would be.[]

The red net I had ( it grew legs and left me) was very recognizable and the DNR guys at Bountiful Pond called me by that moniker.

Hey "red net"! I'm sure that's what they were saying and not "redneck".[:/]

Anyway, DNR kept a good vigil on anglers there - been a while for me - and would check me every time. They always said " yeah we know you're good, but if we don't check you, then the folks just over there will whine about it".

We had a good relationship and one even did the photo opps of me with fly rod in mouth and carp in hand. Then he told to not release the carp. I gave it to a young latino boy watching me catch it. He ran off screaming "granpa! granpa!".

So after that red one was so loved by someone else that I no longer possess it , I bought another, dismantled it and replaced the black shallow net with the white ( now grimy gray) one that I had on hand.

So far so good up to 25#s. I always dip and lift the net but only far enough to ensure the fish is deep into the bag. Then I pull it forward enough to then grab the crotch or the net arms or the handle real close to the 'Y' crotch before lifting the fish. That's how it has worked well for me.

I rinse it well from carp slime, collapse it, then sling it vigorously to remove as much water as I can, then roll it up til next time.

I'm happy with it.
[signature]

[zman2]

tell me more about this carp fly I would love to try it
[signature]

[albinotrout]

[quote flygoddess]
The Popcorn fly works[url "http://[/quote]"][/quote][/url]

With or without butter? [:p]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

They are sweet nets. Easy to pack. I was getting several 32 to 36 inch carp that were just to much. Tried to lift with the handle and plastic and springs went flying.
Now I use the measuring type although they are moot point as I usually just scoop head then grab tail.
Fly is pretty easy to cast, No different than an indicator which is also what I use it for. Only way I know how.[cool]
[signature]