One of my goals is to land a 30 Lb carp in all lower 48 states and DC. I’ve now managed; Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire , In 2015 I added 2 more, Tennessee and Vermont,
My first serious session for the year in Tennessee finally gave up a 30, which I failed to catch on the previous 3 trips to the now famous Dale Hollow.
All my fish that week ( and there were several) was caught on CC Moore Live System 18mm boilies tipped with Ambush Yellow corn soaked in Betalin.
This fish was definitely a special one. Out of all the fish I’ve ever caught it ranks there at the top. Also verifies what a special place Dale Hollow is. If you haven’t fished this lake yet, you need to get there at some point. The great folks at Holly Creek Marina can help with rental Jon boats and massive pontoon boats to ferry you out and back.
Next on the list was a 30 on the nose from Vermont.
We truly struggled to get a few in the net. Since they weren’t cooperating I switched to a chod rig fished at range with a CC Moore Dairy Cream (Hi-Vis Pink) and felt very fortunate to get this one and scratch VT off the list.
I hope to scratch a few more off the list in 2016 and also want to wish everyone out there a great year of carp angling as well.
After pictures of some enormous carp from a lake not too far from home peeked my interest I was soon loading my truck with all the essentials, X3 Predator Rods paired with Baitrunner Aero GT’s packed into a military barracks bag, purchased from a local surplus store. My tartiest bit of tackle is a Solar Sod Pod purchased from the late Jack Rowe with green Technipeche buzzer bars paired with a myriad of bite alarms on them with at least one of them not working. More likely two were not in working order, but that was fine because it made me appear as though I had alarms which are way tartier than quiver tip rests in the front. As for bait I had multiple 5 gallon buckets which I stole from my job at a deli years earlier loaded with maize and boilies; made from dog food base mix which I took from my parents dogs all flavored from the original Rod Hutchinson Scopex, which came in metal canister that almost too much resembled spray sunscreen. This was also going to be a long session so food wise I was well prepared with a baker’s dozen or so of hard boiled eggs wrapped in a grocery bag, a few bags of Combos Cheddar Cheese pizza bites, and for some reason multiple packs of Rolos and of course absolutely no water.
Lots of old gear in this photo from 2002!
After 3.5 hours of blasting Motorhead, Bad Brains, New Order and other loud, energetic and drive inducing music I arrived at the meeting destination; Walsh Boat Landing on Lake Austin. This was 15 years ago. While I had been carp fishing a couple years prior to this session this was real carp fishing and pure bliss.
I was met by David Moore, Brian Nordberg and Al St Cyr all of whom had the look of anticipation and frustration in their eyes as our game plans were ruined by a concoction of flowing Hershey’s chocolate milk mixed with Hydrilla water in front of us, rather than the calm clear waters I was told about by Brian. Many who are new to the sport of carp fishing or to those who simply do not care may not realize that carp exceeding 20lbs in Texas were pretty much unheard of in the late 1990’s and at the age of 18 I had reserved myself to the unfortunate fact that if I were to catch a 20lb+ fish it was going to have to be east of the Mississippi and north of the Mason Dixon Line. I envied the likes of anglers such as Nigel Griffin, Pat Kerwin, Scott Osmond and Quid Blankly whenever a copy paper 12 page issue of Carp Anglers Group arrived at my home. I was sure to see one of the above mentioned brandishing a 20-30lb fish until an issue arrived showing David Moore and Brian Nordberg with multiple high 20’s and fish to the mid 30’s from the now renowned Town Lake, Austin Texas. This rush is what had me packing a dozen hard boiled eggs into grocery bags and grabbing whatever I could eat from a gas station just to be there and possibly get my dream fish within the state of Texas.
A prior Common PB, and float caught common PB on the Mat from 2001.
Between that session and the current day I have had a few hiatus’s from the sport, mostly for self betterment (education, other hobbies) so I cannot really say I have always been as productive and dedicated as I was then, or as I am currently. In that span of time much has stayed the same such as you can still catch carp on Scopex flavored maize anywhere in this nation, but you are also able to get all the gear you desire without having to re-appropriate items intended for other types of fishing. Now rather than stuffing Cabelas Predators into a military barrack bag I now place my Century’s into a designated holdall actually intended for rod; amazing. There’s also never been more animosity between anglers as there is now. Feuding anglers fighting for clout via Instagram and Facebook is the new norm. ‘Likes’ and praise by others whom nobody has ever met takes precedence over the zeal for capturing fish. Upon those first Town Lake/Ladybird Lake sessions just to meet another carp angler was cause for celebration.
A Smallmouth Buffalo From the late 90’s
Two weeks ago I received a similar invite as I once had on my parents’ home phone 15 years ago. This time it was Ryan Daniel, Zach Testa (who I also remember from those copy paper CAG days), David Moore and myself at a new lake which was not too far from home and once again with a tip off on some large fish. This time around the music was the same, my haircut a bit more conservative, the food somewhat better and certainly a few upgrades to tackle. Our first night Ryan and I met David and Zach in the luxury carp van and shortly thereafter set up our bivvy to sleep, until a bow fishing boat in the distance pulled up on a nearby boat ramp. Ryan and I flew around the campground somewhere around 1am searching for the bow fishermen all knowing their kills would be morbid yet revealing of what this lake may produce. The disturbing results included a common carp we estimated to be in the mid 30lb range. It’s unfortunate to have to base potential on the site of enormous dead fish; however it gave me the confidence that this will be a water I’ll be having some nice fish from in the near future.
As a contributor to Big Carp News this is my introduction and while it might be a bit nostalgic I feel that there is some validation in all the reminiscing. As with most carp fishermen I am inundated with stories, but would rather keep things from here on out in the present unless asked otherwise.
The Seeker Marker Float from Gardner is one of the many choices available, but it is not just any old float - it offers excellent cast-ability, visibility, and a price tag under $10.
As many will know I’m primarily a short session angler fishing 4-6 hour sessions plus a few overnights. In the past decade I’ve fished only two week long tournaments (Baldwinsville & Big 5 Carp in Romania) plus a just a handful of multi day sessions. So it was with some trepidation that I made the commitment to fish the 100 hour long 2015 CT CARP Open Tournament this past October. What follows is simply the tournament seen from my perspective. As I hope you will learn it goes beyond (certainly in my case at least!) any hopes of winning and is more about my experiences and the fun I had taking part.
Over the years I’ve been involved in helping the Fisheries folk at Connecticut DEEP understand more about the opportunities to develop carp fishing in our State. In addition to supporting catch & release record claims for carp and a recent regulation change to allow the use of three rods they have embraced the idea of turning, in their words, ‘Trash to Treasure’. This simple statement underlines a commitment to introduce more anglers to carp fishing in Connecticut and to promote the catch & release of larger specimens. As part of this commitment David Moore, founder of the Carp Tournament Series, and myself approached Pete Aarrestad, Director of Inland Fisheries, with a proposal to host a carp tournament on the CT River. There were some key aspects that would need to be reconciled to ensure the tournaments success which in particular required securing permission for anglers to fish allocated swims with bivies etc for the duration. The enthusiasm and support given by Pete, Bill Gerrish (Senior Fisheries Biologist) together with their colleagues at the CT DEEP Fisheries division along with help from State, local towns, police, park and other authorities was simply incredible. This coupled with the professionalism of Kathy Kelly – Ori and the team at CTS would ensure the event ran like clockwork.
The Count Down…
Two weeks to go and I’ve barely had time to even think about the tournament. I’ve heard about how other competitors bait and tackle preparations are in full swing wtih several local CT anglers and even some from out of state looking at prospective swims, to check depths and so on. A state of panic descends and I look over my tackle to see if I even have enough leads, rigs and other bits and pieces to last beyond my usual sessions of 4-6 hours. An order to Big Carp Tackle hopefully covers the several gaps I’ve noted and then a phone call to K-1 baits and a reassuring chat with Mihai & Bogdan ensures I’ll have plenty of their new Concept fishmeal boilies on hand. While boilies will be my preferred bait choice I figure that it will be prudent to have several gallons of maize on hand to ‘feed off’ any large shoals of smaller fish. So 50lb of maize goes into soak and 24 hours later I’m boiling batches and loading them in to 5 gallon buckets with some ‘special’ additives for added attraction.
One week to go and David Moore rolls into town. He is kept busy on the usual attention to detail for the tournament and working with Bill Gerrish to finalize & mark swim locations. My first view of the swims is two days before the tournament when I get a chance to make a quick sweep but still have no time to plumb depths etc. However I do look carefully at any swims I don’t think I can fish alone and look up others on Navionics charts to get an idea of depths and contours. After 20 years of living and fishing in CT I’ve tried to help David with suggestions for swims together with input from the likes of Mike Hudak & friends but perhaps more exciting is the number of new swims that have been discovered or made available through access to State land!
Two days to go and its 6am Saturday morning. I meet Pete Aarrestad at the Channel 3 news studio. We’ve been invited to talk about the tournament and our 5 minutes of fame just before the 7am news flashes by. Thanks to the wonderful world of on-line media the moment is captured and spread across Facebook etc for anyone (everyone?) sleeping in or watching other channels.
The Draw.
In spite of introductions and good humored banter everyone seems more than a little edgy. We are all gathered in the meeting room at Cabelas making small talk and while some feast eagerly on the snacks thoughtfully provided by our hosts others like myself feel sick to our stomachs with nervous anticipation. We line up to sign in, complete the waiver and acknowledge that we’ve read the rules (which as it transpires not all did…). Once the sign in is completed we sit to hear a couple of words from CT DEEP Fisheries folk, key sponsors and finally David highlighting key rules including any last minute changes such as the minimum weight (22lb) to qualify toward the Big 4 Fish… Did I mention checking the rules????
My second draw attempt…
The procedure starts with each individual angler or team pulling a number to determine the order of the peg draw. The tension grows and finally the peg draw starts… each Team or Individual draws two pegs and then have the option of choosing one or returning both and going to the back of the line for a second and final chance. When my turn comes I pull pegs 7 & 8 – Hardly a choice! I put both back and like several others go to the back of the line for another go. When my turn comes around again I pull pegs 6 & 34. I know 34 is not a swim I feel comfortable fishing alone due to its steep and rocky bank while peg 6 in East Hartford actually won the last tournament 5 years ago for the Jackson brothers. So decision made and peg 6 it is!
Day 1 (Columbus Day).
LT: 9.33 AM HT: 2.06 PM (2 feet)
LT: 10.02 PM HT: 2.29 AM (2 feet)
The truck is already packed so I’m up and on the road at first light. Fishing does not start until 10am but I’m scheduled to talk to a local news channel at my swim so want to get everything set up ahead of time.
At first light I see a few fish, presumed to be carp, topping on the far bank but as the sun comes up the activity ceases. The CT river is tidal all the way to Windsor locks a few miles north of Hartford and since the water is beginning to drop I choose to put out only a few chopped boilies (to stop them rolling away) and a couple of Spombs of my maize ‘soup’ mix until I can figure out if there are actually are any carp in the area.
City of Hartford from Peg 6
A cameraman along with reporter Sujata Jain from WFSB Channel 3 News arrive just before 9am so the next 40 minutes is taken up finding some decent camera angles, scenic views of Hartford and talking about carp tackle and the tournament. It’s good to see carp fishing get some good exposure and recognition!
Finally its 10am and the tournament is on! While three rods are allowed here in CT the out going tide makes it difficult to hold bottom even with 5 oz leads so I chose to minimize any risk of tangles and only fish two rods. As the day progresses the alarms are ominously silent and my time is spent reeling in every half hour or so to remove the large amounts of weed and grass that continually collects on the line despite using back leads. The long Columbus day weekend coupled with warm fall weather has resulted in a lot of boat traffic churning up the river & dislodging weed and debris (so don’t blame it on the carp!). As the day continues several carp groupies appear and find the picnic table I’d reserved for laying out rigs etc a convenient spot to hang out… Oh well! I’m always happy to chat about carp fishing but I’m also trying to stay focused on keeping my lines clear and plan ahead. Fran Slasinski, a longtime friend and the section weigh marshal, stops by and it’s good to chat and get an update on what’s happening at other pegs. Apparently not much yet… Oh well! I’m always happy to chat about carp fishing but I’m also trying to stay focused on keeping my lines clear and plan ahead. Fran Slasinski, a longtime friend and the section weigh marshal, stops by and it’s good to chat and get an update on what’s happening at other pegs. Apparently not much yet…
Weed was a problem…
As darkness falls the carp groupies disperse and I’m left to prepare for the night ahead. There have still been no carp caught as yet along the East Hartford section and only a couple of small fish from the Charter Oak section on the west bank just a bit further downstream. As a result I trickle in only a few more baits rather than ‘filling it in’. I eat early, heating up a home made chicken curry, before settling down to get some sleep in anticipation of more action through the night. Unfortunately this being East Hartford I’m soon awoken by the sound of loud bass speakers thumping. It appears that this river side street is where the local kids like to hang out in their cars. As the night draws on the kids finally head home and a couple of police cruisers make re-assuring sweeps in the early hours. Meanwhile my alarm receiver remains ominously quiet and my only activity is to get up and check my lines, clear more weed and make several cups of tea.
As daylight and light rain greet me I’m already resolved to take advantage of the tournaments ‘move’ option. There has been no fish activity in over 20 hours and only a couple of smaller fish in swims down river. Plus the amount of debris coming down river and fouling my lines is proving extremely frustrating! The key question is where should I go? There are several ‘open’ swims that look like attractive propositions. I make a short list and determine to get in place in plenty of time to secure my chosen swim when it opens up at noon. Disaster – I have a dead battery! Are you kidding me? One of the carp groupies kindly comes to my rescue with a set of jump leads but with the long days ahead I’m forced to make a detour and get the battery checked before going on to the next swim. Almost 90 minutes later I’m back on the road with the same battery but now fully charged… I must have left something switched on overnight – duh!
A call from Mike Hudak in Peg # alerts me to a swim at Harbor Park in Middletown opening up. I’m not sure why anyone would give it up as it has produced some excellent fish in the past. Now I’m really facing some tough choices. Do I go with Harbor Park or perhaps another Middletown swim or go for somewhere idyllic but unknown like Hurd State Park? I arrive at Harbor Park and talk to Mike and Chris. They are beginning to catch but mostly only at night. I’m hugely torn then learn that Pannayotis, the only other angler at Hurd, has been getting into some nice fish. so that’s it – Decision made I’m on my way! As I drive by I see Mike Hudak bent into a fish. If I’d known that fish would weigh 33 lb I might just have turned around!
The 33lb fish Mike landed as I left Middletown!
Hurd State Park – Peg 40
Hurd State Park sits alongside the CT River and is usually only open for single night camping for boaters during the season. Thanks to the State and the DEEP we’ve been granted unique access for the duration of the tournament. Setting up in my new peg I’m struck by the peace & tranquility of this beautiful location. It is truly a privilege in being able to fish here.
The banks are built up with local Portland stone blocks. This was in an effort to raise the water lever and make the river more navigable through the treacherous Sears shoals at this point. My swim has a stone peninsula that sticks out about 75 feet into the river just above Hurd Brook (which is barely a trickle due to the summer drought). The main current flows just off the tip and leaves a protected area in its ‘lee’. The tide is ‘in’ when I arrive and the margins look way too inviting not to toss a bait in immediately. I grab a rod, bait up with a handful of maize and go about setting up the rest of my gear. Only 20 minutes later, while I’m pruning back some of the vegetation and over hanging tree branches the Delkim bursts into song and I’m into a very hard fighting fish. Luck is with me and I slide the net under a stunning common but at only 20 lb 8oz its just short of the 22 lb minimum needed to get me on the scoreboard. After almost 29 hours it’s my first fish and hopefully a promising sign!
Shallow margins
As the tide recedes I discover that the margin spot is soon uncovered and was probably less than 2 feet deep at high tide where I hooked my fish. It’s a firm sand covered in a thin layer of silt but shows signs of freshwater clams and mussels.
As evening approaches I have two rods positioned on the edge of the main current while the third is held in reserve until the tide comes in and once again covers the margin area. However I take the opportunity to wade out while there is just a few inches of water to drop some scoops of maize in strategic margin spots in preparation. I also trickle in some bait just off the main current every half an hour to encourage carp coming up stream to hopefully linger a while.
Since high tide is not due until after midnight I’m not expecting much to happen until around 10pm. So I settle down to enjoy the stunning sunset with a very nice, homemade, chicken curry and a couple of pints of Guinness to wash it down!
Day Three – October 14th
HT: 12:47 AM (2.4 Feet) LT: 7:31 AM (0.4 Feet)
HT: 1:03 PM (2.8 Feet) LT: 8:06 PM (0.2 Feet)
The night delivers several more fish but unfortunately they are all between 18 and 21 lb and still not big enough to get me a place on the leader board. The dawn breaks with a stunning sunrise but my optimism slowly wanes as the day passes by with very little action other than a couple of quite large catfish.
As the sunsets I’m finally into a hard fighting fish and I’m sure this one will finally put me on the leader board… but at 21.14 it misses (yet again…) by just 2 oz! Only one more fish comes before midnight, a low teen that I slip back immediately.
Just under…
The End Game…
Attention to detail is critical when choosing which rigs to use and especially making sure they are tied correctly. If you are missing bites or dropping fish, especially during a tournament, then something is not right! If you want to learn more about rigs then take a look at my “Understanding Rigs I, II & III” series here on Big Carp News. The top three rigs in the photo are based on Frank Warwick’s ‘go to’ rig using a long shank PB hook in size 4 or 6 with a shrink tube hair aligner and PB long shank line aligner. A 9″ Hook link made with 25lb PB Jelly Wire with the coating stripped 1/2″ behind the line aligner. The lower two rigs are set up for fishing maize with Enterprise pop-up large corn kernels. The rig is made with a #4 PB Anti-Eject hook with a ‘shot-on-the-hook’ bead (note the bead should be positioned at the bend just below the hook point and not as shown the photo) plus a PB short shank line aligner. A 6″ hook link tied using PB Skinless creates a super stiff link to help kick the sharp end away from the lead or method feeder. In both cases a figure ‘8’ loop was created to slip over a Speed swivel clip which is covered over to keep it in place with an anti-tangle sleeve. You can always substitute your own choice of hooks and hook link material but don’t try and save a few cents when buying end tackle. It amazes me how some folk will spend hundreds of $$$ on rods and reels but then go ‘cheap’ on hooks, line etc. These rigs are simple to tie and incredibly reliable. I very, very rarely drop a hooked fish.
Preparation – Ready baited rigs
Day Four – October 15th
HT: 1:28 AM (2.4 Feet) LT: 8:08 AM (0.4 Feet)
HT: 1:43 PM (2.8 Feet) LT: 8:47 PM (0.2 Feet)
I settle back into my bivvy until woken at about 3:30 am by my receiver mirroring a screaming Delkim somewhere in the darkness. As I know I’ll need to clamber of the rocks into the water to net the fish I’m already prepared by wearing my chest waders and cleats. After picking up the rod and winding down into a fast running fish I grab one of my head torches (always have a spare) from my pocket and switch it on. The reflective tape on my landing net plus a couple of marker posts stand out in the darkness, the latter to show my ‘safest’ route over the rocks to the water edge. After an initial long run I maintain steady pressure and work what feels like a better sized fish against the current. Finally the fish is framed in the light from the head torch and I breathe a sigh of relief as its golden flanks are surrounded by the net on the first attempt. There is no doubt this will fish will finally get me on the leader board and my scales register 24.02. I slip it into a sack and make sure it is carefully tethered out of the main current but in an area that won’t leave it high and dry at low tide. Thanks to the quick change swivels on my PB leaders the rig is quickly swapped out for a freshly baited one and cast back out. I catapult out more boilies and loose particles & feed before settling back in a chair by the rods. No sooner have I sat down when the same rod screams off and I’m into another fish. This one weighs just over twenty pounds so goes back but as it swims off another alarm screams out. This time I have to clamber out of the water, grab the rod and back in again. A slow steady battle ensues and I’m quietly confident this is another one for the leader board. At 26.02 lb it too goes into a second sack to await the weigh marshal. Three more runs produce a couple of fish just under 22lb and a high teen that must have been on steroids as it never stops fighting – even in the net and on the mat. As dawn breaks and the tide ebbs the action ceases and I’m finally able to grab cup of tea and a quick nap.
At last I have two on the leader board!
David Moore arrives to weigh my two fish and I’m encouraged to see that not only do my own and his tournament certified scales see eye to eye but neither fish has lost any weight after 5 hours in the sacks.
The day passes with just a couple more fish under the 22lb cut-off. Meanwhile Pannayotis at Peg 38 a couple hundred yards upstream continues to produce some nice fish including a solid thirty that puts him in a tight battle for 3rd place.
Day Five – October 16th
HT: 2:09 AM (2.3 Feet) LT: 8:48 AM (0.5 Feet)
Plenty of Natural Food
Just before dawn I’m awoken by a solid run. The river is shrouded in a mist. As I’m about to enter the water I’m aware of something cruising along the surface and at first think it might be an otter. A loud ‘slap’ quickly followed by another and then another reveal it to be a very large and apparently rather aggressive beaver. It is clearly upset at my presence and repeatedly swims toward me before slapping its tail and diving underwater. After hearing about a fly fisherman who was bitten in the thigh (almost fatally…) by a beaver while fishing the local Farmington River I’m now quite wary of them! Ethan one of the weigh marshal’s appears and while he keeps his torch trained on the beast while I nervously slip into the water to net the fish. The fish is a mid teen and I quickly release it. As I make it back to the shore my second rod goes off and is followed moments later by my third. The usual panic ensues along with some considerable confusion as the lines seem to have somehow become entangled. I finally manage to reel in one rod but find its attached to the other via a small pike that has somehow become wrapped up in both lines. I manage to release the pike but untangling the mess of lines with a carp still attached to one is almost impossible. I make a quick decision and like a bomb disposal expert cut what I hope is the correct line. Luck is with me and I manage to land another fish of about 12 lb as well as the rig from the cut line.
Around 11 am I’m videoing a large Coastguard launch headed down river and throwing out a massive wake. Suddenly one of my rods arches over and line streams off against the baitrunner. The fish continues to power off downstream taking 50, 60, 70 and almost 80yds of line before I can eventually stop it. I ease off the pressure and true to form the fish turns and slowly begins to swim back up stream. I manage to recover a lot of line just as the first waves from the launch crash into the bank. The fish turns and surges off again as wave after wave rolls in against the shore. As I turn the fish once more another wave throws a huge clump of weed against the line and the rod is pulled down sharply with the sudden extra weight and then springs back… the line is slack and the fish is gone. I’m gutted. As always it’s the fish you don’t see that feel the biggest. River fish invariably fight hard and this fish was no exception. But it just ‘felt’ big from the get go. I’ve caught plenty of fish to well over thirty pounds from the river to know that this was probably up there… I park my disappointment and frustration so that I can re-rig and put the bait back out hoping desperately that the incoming tide might still throw up a couple more fish.
As I pack my gear away I keep willing one of the rods to go off but as the minutes count down everything stays ominously quiet. The clock on my phone rolls over from 1:59pm and that’s it, it’s all over. So I finally wind in the rods, break down the nets and pod and load them into the truck. As I drive back towards Hartford and the presentation of awards at Cabela’s I have some time to reflect on the past 100 hours. Of all the fish I caught only two counted so I was never in contention for a front runner spot for the BIG FOUR or as it turns any of the other prizes (Big Fish, Big Mirror or Big Fantail). In the end I more than enjoyed this tournament especially being able to fish such an extraordinary spot on the Connecticut River. So much so that I’ve already entered for next year!
Winners & Award Presentation.
Presenting Craig with the Big Fantail Award
At the awards presentation everyone entered had a chance to win some great prizes generously donated by the various tackle sponsors in a free draw before the overall tournament winners were announced. A Cygnet rod pod and a pair of Diawa rods were among the most sought after prizes together with a host of bait and other items. Huge thanks go to Cygnet, Tracker, Diawa, Big Carp Tackle, Saxon Tackle, Nash & CC Moore for supporting the event.
The $ 100,000 prize for the capture of a new CT State record carp went unclaimed. I was actually surprised as there seemed every chance that Mike Hudak’s 43lb 12oz record from 2012 could come under threat during the tournament… who knows maybe next year!
2015 CT CARP Open Winners
Big Fish Winner: Norbert Samok/Miguel Perez (NY) 36 lb 06 oz – $3500
Big 4 First Place: Norbert Samok/Miguel Perez (NY) 124 lb 06 oz – $3500
Big 4 Second Place: Chris Chiodo/Derek Shibles (MA) 119 lb 01 oz – $2000
Big 4 Third Place: Attila Horvath (NY) 114 lb 13 oz – $1000
Big Mirror: Mike Hudak/Chris Gastringer (CT) 27 lb 2 oz- $500
Day 1 – Norbert Samok/Miguel Perez 36 lb 6 oz
Day 2 – Chris Chiodo/Derek Shibles (MA) 32 lb 12 oz
Day 3 – Attila Horvath (NY) 32 lb 9 oz
Day 4 – Craig Welch (OH) 33 lb 2 oz
Thanks & Kudos
Once again a huge thank-you to everyone who helped organize and support the 2015 CT Carp Open. In particular the tournament sponsors & partners, Ted & Sally Carrier, Pete Aarrestad, Bill Gerrish and their colleagues at CT Fisheries & DEEP, Craig Mergins Assistant Director of Community Relations & Park Operations for Riverfront Recapture, The Cities of Hartford, East Hartford, Cromwell, Middletown, Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau ,State Parks officers and the State of Connecticut, local police and DEEP enforcement officers, David Moore, Kathy Kelly-Ori and the dedicated team at CARP Tournament Series, Cabelas, Andy Nicholls at Fishing Factory 3, Volunteers & Weigh Marshalls, Competitors & Supporters some of whom drove hundreds of miles to take part, the many folk who stopped by and chatted and as always the ever patient news and camera crews from local media outlets who helped provide excellent coverage of the event.
For more information plus entry details for the 2016 event visit: Carp Tournament Series
It is with great pride that I can announce that I am now part of the Gardner Team. Gardner Tackle kit is top quality and I can really get behind it and feel good showing it to other anglers as I have been using it for years and know it to be top end gear that will put fish on the bank. It is awesome to be backed by a company that has a full range of kit that can be relied upon to perform and I can’t wait to see what I can do with it during both specimen and tournament angling, and of course I’ll be sharing the details on what I do!
Can’t wait to get catching!
Gardner Tackle has been in the tackle business for over 35 years, and is one of the original carp tackle companies. They have continued to improve and refine their products, with the result that their line up today includes simply some of the best tackle out there, and they are by no means done improving. If you have not tried Gardner Tackle, you are really missing out!
I remember the first pack of “real” carp hooks I got growing up, they were Gardner (Talon Tips if I recall correctly) and I was so excited to get them. I can still remember tying up rigs with them, and then only using the rigs where I thought there was little chance of getting a snag and losing them! In the intervening years I acquired many Gardner bits of kit, everything from rolling tables, to baiting needles, to even more hooks (I really like the Mugga range), to the ever useful Bait Bomb – all proved to be quality made and well thought out. (The Bait Bomb could use some sort of homing device however – how I lose them I’ll never know!)
All the gear I am/will be showing is available through Big Carp Tackle, so continue to watch Big Carp News for more articles on this superb tackle, and also check out the Gardner Tackle website for more info on products, details and tips on tying rigs, and other useful information.
A fish on the mat – the reason I use Gardner Tackle
It’s been a funny year, weather wise. After a brutal winter with over 100 inches of snow in the Northeast it’s an understatement to say I was not looking forward to the coming winter season. The Farmers’ Almanac prediction didn’t help but as November came to an end the weather stayed stable and mild. By the middle of December I found myself looking at the long term forecast to see if I could squeeze in a session in Upstate New York over the Christmas Break. As luck would have it, after consulting with my wife and finding out she was working we decided to hold the family Christmas on December 24th and I made plans for a 48 hour session on the Seneca River.
Catching a Christmas Day carp is something I had already ticked off the list so I set myself a target of catching a 20lb+ fish which I felt very confident of achieving even though the locals had informed me the area was not fishing particularly well.
A Christmas Day carp from 2012
After enjoying festivities on Christmas Eve I set the alarm for 5am but have to admit I turned it off and got up at 8am. After a coffee I set out on the 290 mile journey and after only a brief bathroom stop I arrived just after 1pm and began slowly setting up. A little background information on the swim I had chosen as I have fished it a few times in prior years. It is a well known area and the carp are generally fished for regularly by a mixture of both serious carpers and the more casual anglers. As such the carp know they are being fished for and in my experience do not usually feed hard during the daylight hours unless you can get them into a competitive feeding mode.
A fish caught by creating competition
Rather than rushing to set-up and get the rods cast out I first set about baiting up my swim. My approach was two fold. Firstly I made up a ground bait mix consisting of liquidized bread, beet deer feed, canned sweetcorn and creamed corn as a binder. I initially baited a spot in 9 feet of water with a dozen ground bait balls with my intention to see if this would attract the smaller fish. On this spot I fished one rod with a 10mm white chocolate pop-up.
Ground bait mix to attract active carp
My second spot would be a boilie only approach with an initial 100 baits spread out in a line between my remaining two rods. With this approach the key to getting a good hit of carp is to bait consistently and regularly after every take or capture. In this case my plan was to re-bait with 10-20 baits after every fish (if I was lucky enough to capture any carp). I was hoping to pick out the bigger fish by using only 20mm+ boilies with the only extra attraction being a high attract stick mix.
An attractive stick mix and boosted hook baits
After baiting up my areas I slowly set-up my rods and tied up some new hook-links. I also set-up all of my carp safety and camera equipment as if I did catch I wanted to make sure that the carp had a short stay on the bank. All of the rods were cast out and after eating a nice chicken stew I retired to my car just before dark to try and grab a short nap which may seem strange but I was confident that once darkness had descended the carp would feed and sleep may be hard to come by. I only had to wait an hour or so before one of my boilie rods absolutely ripped off. After a decent scrap the first Christmas carp was in the net and at just over 23lb’s my goal was achieved with the first capture.
Christmas Day Twenty
After sharpening the hook to a sticky point I recast the rod and deposited another 20 boilies over the top of the area. Another 30 minutes or so passed before the same rod signaled another carp and another nice low twenty. Using 20mm+ boilies and big hook baits seemed to be attracting the larger carp and as the ground bait rod was quiet I was hopeful the smaller, more numerous carp would not make an appearance.
Second fish…..second twenty
Over the next few hours this process was repeated with several more solid twenties and a few doubles making an appearance. After each capture I would rebait with 15-20 boilies over each spot and would also make sure to check my leader and hook-link as usually the area had weed and zebra muscles which can easily damage your end tackle and result in lost fish. I would also check the hook point of the rigs and in most cases would spend a minute or two sharpening them to a fine point. It’s easy to miss out some of these steps when you are tired or catching lots of fish but it definitely results in more fish on the bank. In this session I had a total of 19 takes and due to the durability and quality of my tackle, combined with being meticulous with the hook points I landed every one of them.
A solid fish with lamprey damageA fat boilie eating machine
The action continued through the night and only slowed down when the temperatures dropped into the 20’s resulting in frozen nets, mats and slings. During this time I unhooked many of the fish in the net and released them without pictures or weighing them, in an attempt to get back into my sleeping bag ASAP. Any pictures were taken with a self timer and only resulted in the fish being out of the water for a minute or two which is very important as the temperatures drop as the carp’s gills can freeze once the temperatures are below zero.
A picture before everything froze!!
During all of the action there were times when I had double takes and in once case all three rods went in succession! It was during one of these occasions while I was netting a nice upper double fish when one of my other rods signaled a take. I quickly secured the net and picked up the other rod to connect with a fish that did not want to cooperate. After several minutes I finally got it into the net and it was a very long and lean common that looked around the thirty pound mark. I quickly released the other fish and weighed the bigger carp which pleasingly went 30lb 6oz. Happy days, a Christmas Day thirty.
Big carp equals happy angler
Once the sunlight appeared the action stopped which is not uncommon during the winter on this particular section of the river. This gave me a chance to grab a few hours sleep and gather my thoughts. Originally I had planned to fish two nights but with the hectic action of the first night and rain scheduled for the second night I decided to pack up and head home to watch some Boxing Day Soccer. It might seem strange to drive nearly 600 miles to fish for only 20 hours but the Seneca River really is worth the travel, especially when you get it right.
That’s a question Steve Broad (editor of UK Carpworld magazine) posed to me while we chatted at the Zwolle back in February 2015. Carpworld’s International section had just carried a picture of Daniel Slaby’s stunning 56lb 4oz common caught from a lake in Michigan. Steve mentioned he had also received photos of another 50lb plus fish purporting to be the new USA carp ‘record’ and it was this which had prompted our discussion.
Daniel Slaby’s stunning 56lb 4oz commonAdam Cieplik 53lb 8oz common
Unfortunately there is no easy answer. In many respects we, as carp anglers, have barely scratched the surface of the extensive & often vast waters over here. When I moved to New England and Connecticut in 1994 I was simply overwhelmed by the number of places that held carp. Only a few were being actively fished by just a handful of expats and some dialed in local guys. We simply didn’t have time to scout them all out! In fact it took me almost 15 years to fish a 160 acre water barely 20 minutes from my home because there were so many other options to chose from. In those heady days an upper twenty still created plenty of excitement but it wasn’t long before a few of us found some waters that would consistently produce thirties and even a very occasional forty. This size range is still typical for many waters however a few areas have been ‘discovered’ that produced some truly exceptional fish in recent years. While some reported captures and weights have been rightly questioned over their accuracy there are now several authenticated captures of some stunning mirrors approaching 50lbs and a handful of commons that have come close to or even broken the magical 50lb barrier.
Pawel Salomon 55lb 6oz
However we have still not seen anything approaching the size and numbers of 50, 60 and even 70lb plus carp that appear on a weekly basis in the European angling media. There have been no formal stockings (with a few exceptions of some escaped or transplanted Israeli carp raised for live bait) since carp were originally distributed through out North America in the mid 1800’s. At that time these early introductions were intended to be bred and raised to feed the rapidly growing population but poor aquaculture practices and a preference for other food sources soon saw people grow tired of the idea. Since then carp have spread through out North America and become naturalized in many river systems and adjacent lakes. These wild fish are almost entirely dependent on natural food sources so are rarely found in the sizes or stocking densities typical of many European waters. Even with the growth in European and other styles of carp fishing in North America over the past decade I rarely, unless planned, encounter other carp anglers and usually find I can have an entire body of water to myself.
One man’s trash is another mans treasure…
Unfortunately the carp’s amazing ability to spread its range through floods and interconnected water ways has resulted in it being labeled ‘invasive’. Although after 200 years, and as has been applied to other introduced species like the brown trout, ‘naturalized’ is a more accurate term. If you combine this spread with a remarkable ability to survive polluted or altered waterways as a result of the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century then it is no wonder that the humble carp became the scapegoat for the demise of native species of fish, water plants and even wildfowl. Even in more recent & supposedly enlightened times several state fishery bodies continue to blame carp for increased turbidity and loss of vegetation while other environmental factors such as agricultural run-off and increased silting from water abstraction or dams remain overlooked.
North America possibly has a larger biomass of carp then the rest of the world combined. The culmination of decades of misinformation and their supposed impact on the environment has lead to open warfare on them in many USA states. Almost 1.5 Million pounds of carp were landed commercially for sale as food or fertilizer in 2013 alone and the state of Utah has already removed more than 13 million pounds of carp from Utah Lake in an attempt to return to its once ‘pristine’ condition. However it’s worth noting that this lake was impacted by the damming of the Jordan River in 1872 (shortly before carp were introduced) and suffered significant water abstraction, pollution from raw sewerage effluent until the 1950’s as well as industrial and agricultural run-off since. Even the claim to carp ‘muddying’ the water in has been subject to question as the shallow depth of Lake Utah makes it prone to wind & wave action stirring up the silt. So it’s no wonder it is no longer pristine or able to support anything other than the remarkably hardy carp!
In most states commercial netting operations together with spearing, snagging and shooting with bow and arrow are all legal methods of ‘fishing’ for carp further serving to denigrate its status in many folks eyes.
Bowfishing…
California bow record at 67.40 lb
Retail hunting and fishing giant Bass Pro Shops once again sponsored the US Open Bowfishing tournament in June of 2015. This three day event centered around their store in Springfield, Missouri where 275 teams of 4 persons took to the water at night in boats equipped with high power lighting to spot & shoot fish in up to 5 feet of water. In addition to various sponsors prizes there were also cash payouts for the biggest 20 fish killed including $5,000 for the biggest fish and a $10,000 side pay out for a state record. As the outcome focused on the biggest 20 fish it was estimated that each team will shoot & kill between 40-50 big carp which means they will be slaughtering a staggering 12,000-14,000 specimen fish from just 5 waters. At the previous tournament over 32,000 pounds of fish were killed in just one night. This is just one of many tournaments that take place every year around the USA and since bowfishing literally ‘targets’ the biggest fish the impact on a potential record fish water can be devastating. The biggest carp killed was a 60.8 pound grass carp and the overall champions 20 biggest carp weighed 393.66 pounds winning them $25,000.
USA Record Carp?
Paul Hunt’s 50lb 9oz St Larry common
As for the official recognition of a USA national record carp the simple answer is that none exists. Each of the US 50 states maintains its own list of record fish. Some like Oregon, New Mexico and Maine do not even recognize carp while others do not draw a distinction between fish caught on rod & line or those killed by other methods such as spearing or bow-fishing. In many US states claiming a record requires the fish to be killed or transported to an official weigh station which for responsible catch & release anglers is simply a non-starter. While traveling the world in search of big carp Tony Davis-Patrick (‘Globetrotter’) captured a 52lb common while fishing with the legendary Bernie Haines on the St Lawrence river back in the late nineties. Amazingly Tony’s fish would still hold the record today had it been claimed . Fortunately forward thinking states like Connecticut have responded to our requests for a change in regulations to allow potential records to be weighed at the place of capture on certified scales and the claim submitted together with independent witness statements and photographs. That bold decision has allowed two records to be claimed by catch and release anglers since 2011 including the current record caught Mike Hudak’s 43lb 12oz common from the Connecticut River in 2013.
USA State Carp Records:
Matt Janiszweski with his 53lb common
The biggest carp on any state record list is a 75lb fish caught by Curtis Wade from Pelahatchie Lake in Mississippi back in 1963. Unfortunately there are no photographs or details to determine if this fish was actually a Cyprinid carp rather than a grass or Big Head carp (which are known to reach weights in excess of 90lb). There are three other state records which have carp listed in excess of 60lbs. These include a 67lb 10oz 47” long common which was killed by bow & arrow in 2011 from C.J. Strike Reservoir, Idaho; a 61lb 8oz common which was speared by Dale France in Wolf Lake Michigan in 1974 and lastly in Virginia the records show a 60lb common was killed with an arrow from a private pond in 1970. There is also a remarkable You Tube video that shows what looks like a large, very spawn bound mirror caught (then released) on rod & line in Idaho that was claimed to have weighed 65lb although there is no official verification of the weight. States like Wisconsin even have two sets of records. One for rod & line (57lb 2oz) captures as well as other methods such as bowfishing (59lb 2oz). One of the more recently authenticated big carp was that killed by a bow-hunter in California in 2013 and weighed in at 67.40 lb.
Idaho ’65lb’ Mirror Video
Unofficial Records…
The Carp Anglers Group of North America maintains a list of ‘unofficial’ catch & release records that have been reliably verified by its members. Since these fish have been caught & released most will never be documented as official state records. However as this list grows it will serve as a more up to date and likely more accurate indicator of the true size of common and mirror carp being caught on rod & line in North America.
Perhaps one of the most striking aspects of the official state record carp data is the number of 50lb plus carp (blue and red colored areas) that have been caught or killed the in states bordering the Great Lakes and the connecting watershed rivers via the Illinois such as the Mississippi, Wabash, Ohio, Missouri and Tennessee.
The growth in catch & release carp fishing in North America is still in its infancy by comparison to the recent rapid growth in Europe. In the past few years however the number of carp anglers has probably more than doubled in the United States and Canada. The result has been more waters discovered and at least six 50lb fish landed in just the past couple of years. However it is worth noting that three of those six came from the same location in NJ and are most likely the same fish. That leaves just three other documented fifty plus fish from PA, CA and MI. A recent Facebook discussion on where to find 50lb plus carp highlighted several of these areas and also sparked much speculation on just how big carp in North America might grow. As with all things fishing related be ready for a few surprises as the number of carp anglers grows steadily in the next few years!
Food for thought…
While North America hosts some huge expanses of water such as the Great Lakes it is worth remembering that size isn’t everything… A small 3 acre ‘pool’ in Great Britain produced two British records before the mass baiting era became fashionable and helped carp grow way beyond the natural biomass. Dick Walker’s 44lb and Chris Yates 51lb (1980) commons came from the legendary Redmire at a time when most other waters rarely gave up fish half those sizes. It is also worth noting that while everyone talks about the huge amounts of bait going into waters in Europe, that can potentially help carp grow bigger, the most recent UK record caught in January 2106 of 68lb 1oz (from 20 acre Cranwell Lake) was only ONE pound heavier than the previous record caught in 2008. Food for thought when thinking about searching out the potential big fish waters here in North America.
Record Payouts!
The 50+ from the CT River.
Owner of Big Carp Tackle David Moore has been involved in hosting some of the earliest catch & release carp tournaments in the USA. These include the World Championships held on the mighty St Lawrence River won by Lee Jackson & Ian Chilcott in 2011 and Tim Paisley & Steve Briggs in 2005. In 2006 Al St Cyr fished one of David’s tournaments and won $250,000 for landing a new state record from Lady Bird Lake in Austin Texas. A year later Al was broke having reportedly spent it all on wine, women and travel to fish exotic places…
In October 2015 David will be organizing a 5 day tournament on the Connecticut River that includes an optional entry for anglers to win $100,000 if they land a CT state record during the event. About 15 years ago a 50lb common was illegally taken and killed (see photo) from the river so the potential vertainly exists to beat the 43lb 12oz current Connecticut record. If it is broken it will be interesting to see if the winner can match St Cyr’s record spending achievement – watch this space!
December 2016 saw yet another fifty added to the North American list. This stunning 55lb 11oz common was caught (and released) by Luis Montes in California.
Luis Montes with his 55lb 11oz common
As of February 19th 2017 the ‘bar’ has been raised even higher… Luis Montes posted photos of this incredible 62.04lb California common he caught and released. It is certainly one of the biggest ever common carp ever to be caught in North America.
Current World Record… Updated Feb 16 2016
When I first wrote this article I simply did not believe a common carp could reach more than about 70 – 75lb in North American waters. There has never been a properly documented fish of such weight being killed or captured over here and little evidence to suggest that a carp of such proportions could attain such a size without the right conditions and a lot of food (i.e. bait) going into the water. However the recent posting of a 43+ Kg (95lb) common caught by Dutch angler Vincent Keetman has certainly given me pause for thought. This stunning fish was caught late last year from Lac du Der in France about 130 miles east of Paris. What makes it particularly interesting is that this is not some small, heavily stocked syndicate water but a very large, publicly accessible man made reservoir of some 11,680 acres created by damming the river Marne in 1974. So while I’m still not convinced that a fish this size might ever exist in North American waters it does not stop me from dreaming…
In the meantime the World current record still stands at 105lb 13oz from Euro Aqua in Hungary caught earlier in 2015 by Thomas Krist from the Czech Republic…. Such a ‘well fed’ venue might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it does serve to show how big carp can grow.
You only have to see a photo like this posted on Facebook with a carp lying on bare ground or being held up by its gills to see the passion that is generated toward better handling and fish care. The problem, as I’ve discovered recently, is that too many carp anglers don’t look beyond the fish care basics of a good sized net or an unhooking mat.
So what else do we need to think about to improve carp safety?
Rigs & Tackle
Every angler needs to think about the consequences of breaking their mainline while playing a fish or if it runs into a snag. If the fish is left trailing a hook link, leader and a long length of line then it can get tangled in structure. If it is lucky it might pull free of the hook and survive – possibly with a nasty mouth injury and disfigurement. However this situation is complicated further if the lead still remains attached creating a so called ‘Death Rig’. This is especially the case with in-line leads or running leads if they cannot slide up the leader and over any mainline connection.
Unfortunately I’ve witnessed some anglers connecting their leader to the main line with a regular or link clip swivel. As a result there is simply no way that a lead can pass over the swivel and come free should the main line break. So the likely result is that the carp is condemned to dragging everything around while it suffers a lingering death. Even a loop to loop or knot connection should be carefully checked to make sure the lead (and any anti tangle sleeve or tubing) can pass easily over the connection in the event of a break off. And always keep an eye on leadcore leaders as after a while they can become worn and the frayed ends have the potential to ‘bunch up’ preventing a lead coming off easily.
The tragic outcome of a ‘death rig’…
Leads should be on a lead clip or able to slide up and down the leader / mainline. NEVER, EVER tie or knot your lead to the mainline or hooklink. And never, ever glue or bind the tail rubber to a lead clip to prevent an accidental release or to simply save losing a lead… If you want to stop a lead coming off the clip when it hits the water then simply feather the line coming off the spool toward the end of the cast and then stop the line just before it hits the water. That way the lead will stay well forward on the clip and you’ll also minimize the chances of the hook link getting tangled. Alternatively wrap some PVA string or tape around the tail rubber but never, ever ram it on tight. If you loop to loop your mainline to the leader as I like to do then make sure the loop knots allow a lead or lead clip to pass over them easily in the event of the mainline breaking. A ‘Perfection’ loop is a relatively easy loop to tie and is ideal as it creates a small knot and you can trim the tag end once the knot is seated properly.
A ‘Death Rig’ – The swivel and split shot stopped the lead coming free…Simply horrible… No Excuse!
Do’s & Don’ts
Always make sure your lead can slide off the leader if the mainline breaks.
Do not place a swivel, split shot, bead etc between your lead and your main line.
Lead Clips are designed to ‘drop’ the lead – do not glue, tie or ram the tail rubber in place.
Learn to tie the correct knots for attaching mainline and leader.
Test it out before you cast it out – Simple really!
Snag Fishing
When fishing near snags it is vital to stay close to your rods at all times and tighten up your bait runner. Allowing a carp to simply run into snags because you were 50yds down the bank chatting or sleeping in your bivvy is unforgivable. When you get a take grab the rod immediately, keep your finger firmly on the spool to stop the fish taking line against the drag and start walking backwards to ease the fish away from the snag. In most cases the fish will begin to ‘kite’ away from the snag and you can ease the pressure off the spool drag and play the fish as usual. It is amazing how much pressure you can apply in those first 20-30 seconds and it is all about being confident in your tackle and your technique!
I prefer through action rods with test curves of 2.50 – 3.00 rather than heavier, fast taper distance casting rods. You can actually put a lot more pressure on a carp headed for a snag with these lighter action rods without risking a hook pull. Always check your main line and leader for any cuts or abrasion before each cast or after landing a fish. Top brand name hooks rarely break or straighten while playing a carp but I still like to test one from each batch just to be certain.
And remember that it is vital to make sure your rigs, leader and mainline connections are always tied so they will ensure the carp can rid itself of the lead and cannot be tethered by long lengths of line etc.
Hint – If you are new to snag fishing or not confident in applying pressure in those vital early seconds then avoid fishing too close to snags until you’ve gained some practice & experience. A few Spombs / Spods of bait close to the snag will get the fish interested but then start extending your baited area further out (say 15-20yds). This should entice the fish further away from the snag making it easier and safer to fish for them.
Safe Tackle Options:
I really like the new PB Products ‘Hit & Run’ leaders that use the novel X-Safe lead clip. Instead of the leader being ‘knotted’ to the hook link swivel it passes through it and actually connects to the X-Safe Lead clip. In the event of the main line breaking the leader will simply pull through the swivel leaving the fish with just a hook-link to rid itself and no trialing lead, leader or mainline. The ‘in-line’ lead shown is coming out soon while the lead clip version is available in pre-made leaders or as components to make up your you own rigs. Brilliant!
I particularly like running rigs over ‘bolt rigs’ when fishing snags. The indication, especially with drop backs, is far more sensitive and you can often set the hook before the fish has ‘bolted’ giving you precious moments to avoid them reaching a snag. The Enterprise ‘Snag Safe’ rings work a treat for a running rig lead attachment. I’ve found they do not ‘accidentally’ drop the lead like many lead clip arrangements but ensure that the lead will pull free if it becomes ‘snagged’. The large ‘ring’ also ensures that it will pass over any normal leader to mainline connections in the event of a line break.
Next month I will put together a more detailed article on tying up shock leaders and rigs – stay tuned!
Quick release
Carp are remarkably hardy beasts and usually seem none the worse for their brief encounter with the non-aquatic world. However I’ve witnessed some pretty thoughtless behavior when it comes to weighing and photographing fish. A little forward thinking and planning makes all the difference.
Firstly – Do you really need a photo or weight? Sure go ahead if it is a PB or particularly big or good looking fish. Otherwise why not simply unhook it in the net and then release it? Oh and never, ever hold a carp (or any big fish) by its gills or suspended from a ‘Boga Grip’.
Are you ready? There is no point hauling the fish on to a mat if you are simply not set up and ready to take photos or weigh it. The latest Retainer slings are ideal for keeping a fish in while you are getting everything together. Unlike sacks they help support a tired fish in an upright position. However don’t take too long getting ready otherwise your tired fish can become a very lively handful on the mat. Always make sure the fish is kept out of direct sunlight and in sufficient water depth. While we are talking of mats some are simply inadequate for the job. If they do not have sides or a cover then a fish can easily slide off even on the shallowest slope. Ideally they should also have carry handles that makes it easier to move the fish to and from the waters edge.
Wet & Cool. Have a bucket of water ready to pour over the fish to keep it cool and help wash off any debris. Avoid letting the fish lay uncovered in direct sunlight.
Weight a minute! When weighing big fish I would recommend a tripod, weigh bar or at the minimum a T-bar for the scales. Simply trying to hold the scale body (which will give a false reading) or hold onto the small hook on top will likely end in tragedy. And before you lift it up make sure the fish is safely ‘zipped’ into the weigh sling to make sure it cannot ‘fall out’
How low can you go… Avoid lifting the fish above knee height when moving it or taking photos. Better still stay on your knees. This minimizes the risk that should the fish suddenly flap around then it can be quickly lowered back on to the mat without the risk of it falling and suffering a potential fatal injury. Holding the fish at chest level for a photo while standing up or trying to carry to or from the waters edge is liable to end in disaster (for the fish) and have your behavior rightly ridiculed when it’s posted on Facebook!
Carp Fishing TV – Mark Pitchers shows how to handle carp and return them safely:
In summary – make sure you are properly prepared for photographing and weighing that prize capture. That way you can minimize the time the fish is out of the water and return it with the least amount of stress to it and yourself.
Grass carp
The fact that grass carp (Amur) can easily out grow common carp here in North America reaching fifty or more pounds makes them a desirable target. Unfortunately their sheer length and size plus a tendency to fight more in the net or on the bank can lead to all sorts of problems. As a result I’ve seen too many photos of grass carp (like the one below) with bloody gills, missing scales and torn fins.
Grass carp are very susceptible to poor handling!
If you are going to target grass carp and especially big ones please go properly prepared! A large, small mesh net together with an appropriately sized (i.e. B-I-G) landing mat are essential. I now chose to keep my fish in the water and carefully ‘float’ the fish out of the net on to a giant Chubb mat. I also rarely fish alone for these monsters as an extra pair of hands to assist with handling and weighing ensures they can be released with the minimum of stress or possible damage.
Finally… Keep it Clean!
One area that is rarely considered is the proper washing of mats, nets, sacks and weigh slings. This is critically important especially if you fish more than one water. There are numerous fish diseases (Carp/Koi Herpes, Spring Viremia of Carp (SVC) and so on) as well as other organisms that can easily be transferred on wet or contaminated nets etc. These diseases can have devastating impacts on not just carp but other fish populations while invasive plant and other organisms can be equally damaging. Always wash and dry your nets etc before going to fish another water. If you cannot thoroughly dry nets etc for a minimum of 24 hours then simply soak everything in a dilute cholorox solution before rinsing with clean water. Not only will you be protecting your fishing but will also help to avoid unpleasant smells in your car or truck!
Don’t Leave it Trashed!
While I’m on the subject of carp carp care please also think about your surroundings and other wildlife.
Take home all your trash (it’s easy to carry a couple of trash bags).
While waiting for a run why not remove any trash you find left by others?
Dispose of fishing line carefully. Birds and other animals can easily become tangled in it and die – often slowly and painfully.
Pick up any spilled bait. This will prevent insects, rats, skunks, ducks etc hanging around the swim.
Do not cut down bank side trees or vegetation unnecessarily.
If you take the time to keep the bank side clean and free of trash it will help to encourage others to do the same. It will also help improve the image & reputation of carp anglers if we are seen to be cleaning and protecting the environment.
This might look comical but these rings are deadly…An outcome of discarded fishing line…
Nicely bagged up… But why did it get left behind?
Copyright: Iain Sorrell & Angling Solutions LLC
Disclosure: I’m not a sponsored angler but I am involved in selling fishing tackle. Any recommendations I make are the result of personal experience and preferences gained over many years of trial and error. If I like a product (even if I don’t sell it…) you’ll hear about it and if I don’t you won’t. Simple!
As I have written about many times before, fishing for me is about family, fishing with friends and having fun. For some it’s a weekly card game at their house, for others, a game of pool down the local pub. Whatever the chosen medium, it is often the just excuse to spend some quality time together.
My brother Peter and I were always close as children, he being the older by a couple of years. When my fishing addiction started I was but 9 years old. Fishing was something Peter never was interested in. He accompanied me on trips to Stanborough Lakes, our local day ticket water. Though he did not fish himself he would keep a watchful eye out, to make sure I did not fall off the bank into the water and made it home on time.
As we grew older, as with many siblings, our interests and circles of friends diversified and I did no longer needed a chaperone. The years passed, we finished school, acquired jobs, bought houses and both got married. The mayhem of our busy lives took over and our work was all consuming. Though we lived but a few blocks apart we rarely spent any time together except for a quick night down the pub, a meal out at the local Chinese or dinner at our mums. I moved to the USA and we now live on two continents, almost 5000 miles apart.
With modern technology, telephone, internet, video conferencing, social media, my brother and I have been able to stay in touch on a regular basis. Ironically we perhaps talk more now than we did when we lived together. We have seen each other a few times over the last decade and a half, a couple of trips back home to the UK for me and for Peter out here to Colorado. However the trips are always a stress filled chaotic jumble of travel, trying to fit in seeing all the family and friends, a few meals out together, perhaps a movie. We never really had any quiet time just for the two of us.
It had been over three years since my brother and I had last seen each other. This May we were presented with a rare opportunity. My brother was coming out to Denver for a business meeting. He managed to schedule arriving early so we could spend some time together. Peter has been a huge supporter of my CarpQuest endeavors, he even produced the title sequences you see on all the videos. Knowing how much I would enjoy his company on the bank side he offered to come out on a session with me, to be a part of CarpQuest in person.
Now as Peter had never fished before in his life the pressure was really on – not only to get some carp landed but to help my own brother catch his first ever fish! A few days before his trip our conversation was rampant, as was the obvious excitement for both of us. Once Peter arrived in the USA, and after but a day of rest from his travel, we had the SUV overloaded with all the fishing gear and were to depart.
We got up at an ungodly 3am for the long drive north to Adams County Fairgrounds. I had chosen this lake for a variety of reasons. The venue was not usually crowded on a weekday and we were hoping to film some content for a CarpQuest episode. The Fairgrounds, whilst I would not call it a runs water, can really produce the fish on a good day. The carp have a reasonable average size for Colorado, in the mid-teens with the potential for a 20 lb’er. With a short walk to the swim the Fairgrounds would be a good place for Peter to get his first experience of fishing for carp.
Dawn at Adams County Fairgrounds, CO
We arrived just before dawn to give us the best chance to see a few fish showing early, highlighting the areas to target. Our efforts were rewarded, along with a stunning view of the sun rising from the east, we saw a few fish jumping and rolling off to the left of a peninsula. We unloaded the SUV and hauled it around to a suitable spot. Peter had asked to fish with all the entry level NGT tackle I had for guests so I got him setup with a couple of rods and we got them cast out to where we saw the showing fish.
For this session I had decided to go with particles and sweetcorn as bait, simple but previously effective at this venue. With Peter perched eagerly in his chair I got my rods out to the right of his spot and we both sat back to enjoy the morning.
Peter Finney, relaxing in his chair and enjoying a morning of carp fishing!
The hours drifted by. There was only a light wind with the sun making rare appearances from behind the clouds above. The earlier signs of carp activity did not translate into any action. We spent the quiet time chatting but I knew, what we were needed, was a run and a carp on the bank. After a couple hours, with no signs of action, I decided to move us down the peninsula.
Adams was more an afternoon bite water and I wanted to get us setup at the new spot, in position, ready for prime bite time. It was not a long walk and we had everything relocated, lines cast out again within 30 minutes. Peter was quickly realizing that fishing for carp is not as easy as it looked on the videos. There is a lot of time spent waiting, and waiting, and waiting! Noon passed us by and we had a snack on some sandwiches.
Soon after lunch the weather turned with dark storm clouds moving in to our north and south. This was actually good as this venue also fishes a lot better in poor weather. With a few drops or rain striking the umbrella we started to see fish showing out in the lake, right on top of our spot. I had high hopes it would only be a matter of time before we had fish-on!
Just before 1:45 pm my left hand rod had a screaming run. Picking up the rod the strong fighting fish peeled off line against the drag, 20 yards, 30 yards, 50 yards, before it finally stopped. I could tell it was a big strong fish. Given this was our first carp of the session the pressure to get it on the bank was high.
Slowly I worked it in towards the bank with a few big swirls visible on the surface. Peter went to get the net as we entered the final phase of the fight. With the prized fish 20 yards out from the bank the rod snapped back and the fish was off – the hook pulled. I was gutted. Hours of waiting, finally a run, a carp on and it was gone.
Of all the fish I have lost, over the years, this one really hurt. Not only had I lost the fish but I could see the disappointment on Peter’s face. I was pretty sure he thinking he was not going to see a carp at all before we went home for the day. I hoped this would not be the only run of the session!
I got the rod baited back up and cast back onto the spot. Thirty minutes later I had another run on the same rod. I played this one in much more carefully, slacking off the drag as the fish neared the shore. Peter grabbed the net and the carp obliged and swam in. To say we were both overjoyed, would be an understatement.
John with a 33″, 18 lb 10 oz common carp.
I look at look in the net and could see it a long, slender, common carp – a great first fish for Peter. The fish measured in at 33″ and 18 lb 12 oz. We were both elated at our first capture. We returned the carp to the water and got the rod cast back out again. With our first fish landed we really wanted to get Peter his first carp. It was time for some victory coffee!
As I was filming a brief coffee making segment Peter’s bite alarm let out a piercing tone and he was fish’on. He played the fish in gently, surprised when he felt the power of the fish. They don’t call carp the “World’s Greatest Sportsfish” for nothing! For his first ever fish, I must say, Peter reeled it in like a pro with a look of real determination on his face.
I grabbed up the net. As the fish came close in to the shore I got it landed. Relief, exultation, joy, we both laughed. Peter had his first carp in the net – job done! Peter got to hold his first carp with a huge smile on his face. Though not a monster fish the 28″, 14 lb 10 oz common had put up a great fight for him.
Peter with his first ever fish, a 28″, 14 lb 10 oz common carp.
We finally got to drink that victory coffee and were now not only Brothers in Arms but Brothers in Carp!
As we were finishing up the victory coffee the session really came alive. Peter soon had his second common carp on the line and in the net. This time it was a real feisty 29″, 15 lb 8 oz common.
Peter with his 2nd fish, a great 29″, 15 lb 8 oz common carp
We had barely got Peter’s fish back in the water when my rod took off with a great run, a real screamer. A beautiful 33″, 21 lb 4 oz common was in the net without delay. The session was on fire!
John with his 33″, 21 lb 4 oz common carp.
All the fish in the session were falling to the same bait and a simple rig made from Ambush Tackle; #6 Wide Gape Teflon Hook, a short line aligner, 10″ hook link to the anti-tangle sleeve, safety lead clip with a 2 oz weight. I really like to keep things simple, especially when taking people out fishing for their first time.
For baits we were using sweet corn, on the hair, popped up with a single piece of plastic corn – this was paired with an oats & panko pack bait flavored with CC Moore’s Milk & Nut Crush. Effective, simple and got the job done nicely!
Peter’s 3rd fish, fins-up, 14 lb 8 oz common carp.
Peter was unstoppable, soon he had a great looking 29″, 14 lb 8 oz common in the net, what a great fish and his 3rd for the day.
The rain storm intensified and I hoped it would stay off us long enough to get a few more hours fishing in. Sadly, the Colorado weather did not cooperate. I could see a few flashes of lightning in the distance. Whilst I do not mind fishing in wind and rain, once the lightning starts it’s time to get those rods broken down and take shelter.
As the session came to end we started to pack away the gear. Peter was obviously not yet done for the day, his bite alarm sounded again. With the rain now pelting down, thunder ringing out above, Peter reeled the fish in. We quickly got it in the net. The last fish of the day, Peter’s 4th of the session, was a real surprise as well. A fully scaled mirror carp.
Peter’s 4th fish and best of the day, a stunning 32″, 22 lb 10 oz fully scaled mirror carp.
At 32″ she weighed in at an impressive 22 lb’s 10 oz. This was the first mirror carp I had seen come out of this venue in over 60+ captures. I strategically forgot to tell Peter at the time he had actually beaten my PB mirror, which was 18 lb’s! Not only was this a great looking mirror but it was also a Colorado Master Angler award fish for Peter !
Though the first 8 hours of our session had been uneventful the final 2 hours had certainly made up for it. Peter was beyond happy with his first ever fishing trip. He had banked 4 fish, with a PB common at 15 lb’s 8 oz and a PB mirror at 22 lb’s 10 oz. I was very proud, he had fished like a seasoned pro and put some great fish on the bank for his first time out.
As we finished packing up in the storm, Peter remarked, “Now I understand why fish for carp, why you do it!”
We spent the whole drive home chatting about the session, Peter’s excitement was still overflowing at his captures. We both agreed, in almost 50 years, this was the best day out we had both had together.
Over the past few years I have taken many anglers fishing for carp for their first time. This trip for me was the most rewarding. I not only got to spend the day fishing with my brother. We had talked more to each other than we had in decades. We also caught some beautiful carp together.
Peter and John, Brothers in Arms, Brothers in Carp!
A few days later, after Peter returned home to the UK, he contacted me to ask what tackle he would need to take his daughter out carp fishing for her first time. Perhaps, in years to come, she will one day embark on a Quest for Carp of her own, with her children!
Sometimes, all it takes is the commitment to get out there, spend time with your family and get your lines in the water. If you catch a fish, that’s great, if not, you still get to spend quality time together. I would highly recommend not waiting almost half a century to do it, like we did.
Here is a link to the Special episode of CarpQuest we filmed during the session.
