Slow Day Today

[Jig-fisher]

Willard is a gamble no matter what time of year you go. Not much happening today except for this big one that liked my flig.

[Muskyon46]

Willard is a gamble no matter what time of year you go. Not much happening today except for this big one that liked my flig.

Great day to be out not so great to be out fishing. Boy you wasn't kidding about that carp. I didn't say to much but I was with Jeff. Nice meeting you out there

[MrShane]

Bendo!!

[Jig-fisher]

Willard is a gamble no matter what time of year you go. Not much happening today except for this big one that liked my flig.

Great day to be out not so great to be out fishing. Boy you wasn't kidding about that carp. I didn't say to much but I was with Jeff. Nice meeting you out there

I should have introduced myself, sorry my bad. Good to meet you too.

[SkunkedAgain]

Well at least you got a bite today... Man as Matt was saying all I caught was a stern warning from the park ranger for having a fire extinguisher out of date and a few other things... Since noone was there today we got to have the thorough going over, closest I've been checked in years, from insurance, license, park pass, AIS boat inspection, fishing license.. man I got the once over... Good thing it was windy at the time so we didn't miss too much fishing... guess it's a good thing to get checked once in a while, I didn't know my extinguisher was out of date... It still showed a full charge, but it was a year past expired... my throw preserver was also not up to par, so I guess I better go get some new boat gear... I thought I was all legal and so I wasn't too worried when he flagged me over, but after while I was starting to think I was going to jail... ended up just warnings luckily.... But that's where my luck ended today, my electric motor wouldn't work for some reason, it was crazy windy, like winds that kept coming from multiple directions, probably up to 10 mph at times, it was rough and hard to fish, but even when it would smooth off I still couldn't get a fish to bite... Was fun to go with ya Matt and nice to see Paul, Ira and Curt on the pond... Well that was three strikes on Willard without a fish I guess I'm beat... Later Jeff

[wiperhunter2]

Willard is a gamble no matter what time of year you go. Not much happening today except for this big one that liked my flig.

Wow, that was a big carp, bet it put up a good fight. Good seeing you out there Paul, now that I know what your boat looks like, I'll remember it next time.

[TubeDude]

Splendid specimen of a toothless golden walleye.

If it's ever a question of being totally skunked or at least getting to do hand-to-fin combat with a buglemouth...well, I'll always opt for the tugs...no matter what species.  Hey, I'm a fisherman.  Got no pride.

[lavaman]

Pat, what about an infamous mudcat? I get it, tugs are tugs, but I just as soon get skunked as to bother unhooking a worthless mudder. Just my .02 cents of course.

[Jig-fisher]

Splendid specimen of a toothless golden walleye.

If it's ever a question of being totally skunked or at least getting to do hand-to-fin combat with a buglemouth...well, I'll always opt for the tugs...no matter what species.  Hey, I'm a fisherman.  Got no pride.

So true! I'm not ashamed, and proudly post pictures to boot. Love it when the fish are heavy and the drag is singing.

---

Bendo!!

It sure did! Love it when the rod doubles over in the rod holder. Even better when it starts to throb with a big fish on the end of the line.

[TubeDude]

Pat, what about an infamous mudcat? I get it, tugs are tugs, but I just as soon get skunked as to bother unhooking a worthless mudder. Just my .02 cents of course.

"Mudcats"  (bullheads) can be pestiferous...when they grab the bait or lures intended for other more glamorous species.  But there are a whole lotta anglers around the country that learned to fish by hauling in a bucket full of "mudders"...and who still have a soft spot for them.  

And, like all catfish, bullheads are often (wrongly) considered to be "trash fish"...living only on stinky stuff and not being good table fare.  Actually, any species that lives in unclean water or dines on "flavorful" food can develop adverse smells or flavors...even trout or bass from some waters.  Catch them from most of the clean water habitats in Utah...of reasonable size...and they can be mighty toothsome.
  BLACK BULLHEADS.pdf (Size: 459.28 KB / Downloads: 14)

[JazzyM]

Pat, what about an infamous mudcat? I get it, tugs are tugs, but I just as soon get skunked as to bother unhooking a worthless mudder. Just my .02 cents of course.

"Mudcats"  (bullheads) can be pestiferous...when they grab the bait or lures intended for other more glamorous species.  But there are a whole lotta anglers around the country that learned to fish by hauling in a bucket full of "mudders"...and who still have a soft spot for them.  

And, like all catfish, bullheads are often (wrongly) considered to be "trash fish"...living only on stinky stuff and not being good table fare.  Actually, any species that lives in unclean water or dines on "flavorful" food can develop adverse smells or flavors...even trout or bass from some waters.  Catch them from most of the clean water habitats in Utah...of reasonable size...and they can be mighty toothsome.

Doggone it T.D. There you go again making my mouth drool

[TubeDude]

Sorry for the hi-jack.  Just wanted to make the point that "When you're not with the fish you love...love the fish you're with."  And I think the OP agrees with that.

By the way...although carp is a 4 letter word in Utah, these fish can be good eating too.  Gotta prep em right and deal with the bones but properly cooked they can be incredibly edible.  Millions of other folks around the world can't all be wrong.  I've eaten it several ways but if you get the fish from a reasonably clean watershed it works well in many recipes.  When I lived in Sacramento, I replaced my customary stash of smoked salmon and steelhead with some freshly smoked carp before my buddies came over for TV football.  They hit the smoked carp and pronounced it to be some the best smoked salmon I had produced.  Go figure.

[Kent]

Pat, what about an infamous mudcat? I get it, tugs are tugs, but I just as soon get skunked as to bother unhooking a worthless mudder. Just my .02 cents of course.

+1

[catdaddygar]

I call them tackle testers.  

[Jig-fisher]

I've caught uncounted numbers of carp over the years, and still have not kept a single one for eating. I've been wanting to give it a try, and actually thought about trying it for once when I caught this one. Caught out of Willard, very cold water this time of year, and the catfish are really good eating out of there. But the fish was so big it wouldn't have fit in the cooler. Maybe some time in the future, and with a smaller specimen.

[MrShane]

Carp:
First joy- The fight they give.
Second joy- Seeing the blood line in the water as they swim away after having a fillet knife run through them.
#Making more room in the water for sport fish.

[dubob]

In Germany, you can get carp in restaurants and carp streams are leased specifically to catch and cook them.  In Asian countries they are one of the most eaten fish.  As Pat said, if properly caught, cleaned, and cooked, they are very good table fair.

And if you really want a treat with NO bones, try this:

Pickling Carp and Sucker - TASTE TEST

The pickled suckers I used to eat in Michigan were some of the very best pickled fish I ever ate.

[TubeDude]

Carp:
First joy- The fight they give.
Second joy- Seeing the blood line in the water as they swim away after having a fillet knife run through them.
#Making more room in the water for sport fish.

Although I play devil's advocate regarding carpkind, I ain't no carpophile.   In truth, I seldom release one "unharmed".  Complimentary gillectomies are routine.  But I also stab, club and stomp plenty too.  I do not believe in releasing my catch unharmed so that others may enjoy future sport with a carp.

[Mildog]

I won’t go into long version of story, but one fishing trip some “buddies” put a carp in our boat livewell when we had met up for lunch on the shore at lake Powell. So we decided we would turn the joke on them!! I carefully filleted and deboned the carp cooked it seperate of the other fish in case it might taint the rest. We slid the plate of fried carp out on the table with the other buddies unaware!!! We sat back and waited for crazy reaction! Those two just kept eating piece after piece, no reaction. The other two of us started laughing , they thought it was because they had gotten us on the sneaking the CARP into live well! We told them and they wouldn’t believe it. I told them to look out the window of the trailer where I had displayed the filleted carcass on the front of their boat!! Laugh on them! They said, well it tasted great, we all ate some and it was darn good!! With that being said , I have not kept or eaten one since , but it was actually quite good!!