One More Carp Tale....

[FisherMOM]

[#0000ff]Here's my story.... But, just for the record, don't enter it in the contest. I won once.... thanks for my tool. And man, I didnt have it on me when I caught these fish....[/#0000ff]
[black][size 4][/size][/black]
[black][size 4]One More Carp Tale........ (the next FISHERMOM article)[/size][/black]

[black][size 3]After a Saturday morning breakfast in July, I set the left over grits aside. I was going to throw them in the creek for carp chum later on in the day. When that time came, I grabbed a package of stale bagels, the grits and my fishing rod and headed upstream. The creek was very high and fast and I really didn't have too much confidence in catching a carp. I pinched of a piece of bagel, about 1/2 inch, and mashed it onto the hook. Then I added some grits on that. After I wiped of my hands with a papertowel, I tossed my line in the water, just upstream a little from my target. [/size][/black]

[black][size 3]The current was swifter than normal and brought my bobber back downstream to be just in front of me. I left the bail open and set my baitcaster down. I figured I would find a large "Y" shaped stick and set my rod up so I could watch it from camp. [/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]After a few minutes of searching in the weeds, I spied a Sumac tree near the shore. That looked as good as anything, so I broke a large branch off, about 4 feet long. I trimmed the leaves off and stuck the branch into the ground... there, all set, time to grab my fishing rod. I reached down to get it, while at the same time searching for my bobber. Doggonit, the current must have sent my line down stream and pushed it into the shore, because I didn't see it anywhere. Oh well, I'll just reel it in and cast it back out then go back to camp. As I locked the bail I felt some weight and saw my bobber zoom towards the middle of the creek! WOW! Carp must like grits and bagels for breakfast![/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]I screamed for David and the family to come and watch.
Everyone came to the creek's edge, even the dog, to watch.
[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]It was actually an uneventful fight, except for the moment when I slipped on the flooded bank and landed in the water. BUT, I didn't let go of my rod. In about 5 minutes time, or less, I ended up landing a carp that was about 24 inches long. It was a real nice specimen of a fish, but not what I had in mind, I wanted bigger! After a bunch of pictures, I let it go.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]My step mother in law, Jean, is up from Mississippi visiting and decided shortly after, that she would give carp fishing a try. She had her husband's rod and reel in hand, and asked for some bagel. Her and Celeste went to the spot and fished. I decided to take the camera down for a picture, but Celeste decided to go back to camp. Jean and I talked instead, while she would toss the bagel in, let it tumble downstream, take it out, and toss it in again. She had a sliding sinker that kept bumping rocks, she said, and it kept making her think a fish was on. As we were standing there she said "I think there's a fish on there.... Susan, there is a fish on there". I just stood there and watched her line, I couldn't see any movement, until it decided to try to RUN downstream. THAT was when I realized that Jean's drag was real tight and either her line would break, or she was going swimming. [/size][/black]

[black][size 3]I am NOT highly educated on rods and reels. My drag has always been on the end of my spinning reel. So she is holding her rod and I am trying to find her drag. I think Jean decided to NOT go into the water, and she handed me the rod and said "Here, here, you take it." Oh my, I was embarassed, maybe I should have just let her alone, but she insisted she didn't want to do it. [/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]Once I had the rod and reel in my hand, and she had my camera in hers, I found the drag wheel, and loosened it up. That is when the struggle between me and the killer creek carp began. By this time, Jean had yelled for her camera and everyone came running again...haha, kinda like dejavu! [/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]I had to climb into the creek up to my thighs in order to control this fish. My feet were sunk in the mud, and that helped tremendously on my end. This one was NOT a little bity 24 inch carp. David had to keep yelling at the dog, she wanted to be in the water with me. And I kept asking Jean.. "Are you SURE you don't want to do this." She just kept laughing, taking pictures, and saying, "No, you go right ahead!" [/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]Everyone, except Jean, kept questioning if there was a fish on because the carp was out about 50 ft downstream, and would not budge. After about 5 minutes of this, I slowly began to bring it in. A few times I slowly muscled it into coming to the surface and give us a glance. Shauna, my oldest daughter, asked if I wanted my net. I laughed and said "No honey, my trout net won't do us much good, I can only hope to tire this big fish out". As I got the fish closer to me, I still couldn't see it, but I guess it saw me, because back out it went. Again, I slowly brought it to shore. As it got coser, everyone offered to hold my fishing rod, but I just couldn't manuever my way comfortably to get it to anyone. Thankfully, the carp was tired and I managed to guide it into shallow water and grab a hold of it. [/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]The fish measured at 31 inches long and had a 19 inch girth. On a fish calculator from [/size][/black][url "http://findthefish.com/fishweight.htm"][black][size 3]http://findthefish.com/fishweight.htm[/size][/black][/url][black][size 3], it was estimated to weigh just over 15 pounds... and I don't doubt that one bit! [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3][black][size 2](Susan, Jean, Celeste and the carp)
[/size][/black][/size][/black]
[size 3][/size]
[black][size 3]Thanks Jean for letting me land it..that was one HECK of a ride!!![/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]


[black][size 3](More pictures will soon be posted at my website... [/size][/black][url "http://www.thefishermom.com/"][black][size 3]www.thefishermom.com[/size][/black][/url][black][size 3] )[/size][/black]
[signature]

[aquaman]

man thats a big carp bigger then anyone i have gotting to date i like fishing them with 4# line don't think that bad boy would have been caught on such lite line in a flowing stream though
[signature]

[tubeN2]

That was a really nice catch FisherMOM. Those carp can be fun and put up a good fight as well. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
[signature]

[DanielJRioux]

Good story and nice fish! You outcatch me any day!
[signature]