05-15-2007, 05:42 PM
A quick half day trip yesterday. I arrived about 11 AM at the carp ponds. I left about 2:30. Lots of fish around. Many more feeders this time. I think the spawn is winding down. I didn't see nearly as many paired and aggressively grouped fish this time. The flat was full of fish when I first arrived and I was immediately rewarded with a little five pound fish.
[inline ca-8r.jpg]
I let the fish take off in its initial run to see if I could get it out of the area and not spook the rest of the fish. It cooperated nicely, tearing out in the opposite direction of the pull of my rod. (Biologists say that carp give off an alarm chemical when stressed that alerts fish in the area that something is up and causes them to stay away. I have found this tactic helpful when I'm fishing a limited size area and want to keep fishing it.)
Soon after that action I layed my offering in front of a moving mud area (indicative of a feeding fish) and saw the little Palsa indicator twitch ever so slightly. I immediately set the hook and the shallow area exploded. I had no opportunity to direct this fish. In fact I sought only to try to control it. It took off like a torpedo away from the area with me hanging on for dear life.
From my viewpoint, here's the hookset.
[inline ca-1r.jpg]
And here's the run. Seconds after this shot I was well into my backing.
[inline ca-2r.jpg]
After a lengthy tug of war where the fish made two other runs, each less spectacular than the first, it began to tire.
[inline ca-3r.jpg]
The fish took my Weigh Net scale down to the 12 pound mark. I laid the tired carp on some soft grass and snapped a quick shot.
[inline ca-4r.jpg]
Then carefully released it to give me some fun another time.
[inline ca-6r.jpg]
As much as I would like to have continued the action, this fish had spooked the whole area. They were all gone. I checked several other areas that sometime hold fish but there were none in sight. The rest of my time was spent looking at empty water. What is it that signals fish in the entire lake to move out of the shallows at the same time?
I did have one other take, though I didn't spot it first. This fat bullhead decided he wanted in on the action.
[inline ca-7r.jpg]
All in all it was not a spectacular day (boy am I getting spoiled when I say that taking a 5 and a 12 pound fish is not spectacular!) but it was very satisfying. I made it back home in time to take care of some business and check my email before bedtime.
[cool]Oh, and for Pokymon - I did
when that little bullhead took a liking to my fly.
For those of you who love tackle (what fisherman doesn't) here is a shot of my entire carping gear. (Just add a good set of sneakers and some sunscreen.) Minimalist, to be sure. Your tube, toon, boat, canoe, or kayak becomes your transportation system to the flats.
[inline ca-9r.jpg]
z~
[signature]
[inline ca-8r.jpg]
I let the fish take off in its initial run to see if I could get it out of the area and not spook the rest of the fish. It cooperated nicely, tearing out in the opposite direction of the pull of my rod. (Biologists say that carp give off an alarm chemical when stressed that alerts fish in the area that something is up and causes them to stay away. I have found this tactic helpful when I'm fishing a limited size area and want to keep fishing it.)
Soon after that action I layed my offering in front of a moving mud area (indicative of a feeding fish) and saw the little Palsa indicator twitch ever so slightly. I immediately set the hook and the shallow area exploded. I had no opportunity to direct this fish. In fact I sought only to try to control it. It took off like a torpedo away from the area with me hanging on for dear life.
From my viewpoint, here's the hookset.
[inline ca-1r.jpg]
And here's the run. Seconds after this shot I was well into my backing.
[inline ca-2r.jpg]
After a lengthy tug of war where the fish made two other runs, each less spectacular than the first, it began to tire.
[inline ca-3r.jpg]
The fish took my Weigh Net scale down to the 12 pound mark. I laid the tired carp on some soft grass and snapped a quick shot.
[inline ca-4r.jpg]
Then carefully released it to give me some fun another time.
[inline ca-6r.jpg]
As much as I would like to have continued the action, this fish had spooked the whole area. They were all gone. I checked several other areas that sometime hold fish but there were none in sight. The rest of my time was spent looking at empty water. What is it that signals fish in the entire lake to move out of the shallows at the same time?
I did have one other take, though I didn't spot it first. This fat bullhead decided he wanted in on the action.
[inline ca-7r.jpg]
All in all it was not a spectacular day (boy am I getting spoiled when I say that taking a 5 and a 12 pound fish is not spectacular!) but it was very satisfying. I made it back home in time to take care of some business and check my email before bedtime.
[cool]Oh, and for Pokymon - I did
when that little bullhead took a liking to my fly. For those of you who love tackle (what fisherman doesn't) here is a shot of my entire carping gear. (Just add a good set of sneakers and some sunscreen.) Minimalist, to be sure. Your tube, toon, boat, canoe, or kayak becomes your transportation system to the flats.
[inline ca-9r.jpg]
z~
[signature]
dle for fishing. My new paddle is so light I can paddle with one hand and hold my rod for trolling. I did miss the super control offered by handsfree style fishing in my tube. Nothing beats a tube as a fishing machine. I am going to go back tomorrow but with my tube. We discovered the place held jumbo perch and amazing crappies. With the tube I'll be able to do just what I want. Later I'll probably bring the yak and tow the tube as the reservoir has a long arm which would be a long kick in the tube. Tomorrow though I want to concentrate totally on the fishing as those crappies have got me excited. We only got two last time out so I want to spend the day trying to figure them out. One problem is that on the brochure for this conservation area it suggests "please use non toxic lead". It does not say that lead jigs are banned so I don't know exactly what to do.I don't want to get busted by a C.O. but I can't imagine fishing for crappie without my lead heads. Any suggestions? My other alternative is to use my full sink line with my flyrod but i know crappies like the action of a rising and falling jig.