A step back in time-CARP FISHING

Haven't carp fished in way too many years & decided to try this state park lake today. It's a secondary lake, does not see hardly any use and requires a 15 minute walk in to access. You can see from my set up, strictly old school, none of the tactics used today that guys picked up from across the pond. Cooked up a batch of yellow cornmeal and headed out. Almost forgot how good it sounded to hear that drag screaming on a hard, long run. Good time with a half dozen caught. Water was really murky due to recent heavy rains & most fish you couldn't see till right at shore. Was getting ready to grab the net on what I thought was a pretty nice fish when up popped that snapper's big head. Wouldn't have been too surprised if I had been using softshells or a nightcrawler, but sure was with that cornmeal. I told him he wasn't getting in my brand new Ranger landing net & cut the line as close to his mouth as possible. I was using red Gamakatsu #2 short salmon egg hooks and could see that hook right in the corner of his mouth or he probably would have cut my line. A day that brought back a lot of good memories from days gone by. Thanks for lookin!Attachment 405027Attachment 405028Attachment 405029Attachment 405030Attachment 405031Attachment 405032Attachment 405033

Sounds like a good change of pace

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Sounds like a good change of pace

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Jack,
Sure was, except for the snapper!

Thanks for a good story and pictures. Guess the snapper has to eat too.

Love to fish for carp!

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Originally Posted by moonrunner

Jack,
Sure was, except for the snapper!

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Definitely are some fiesty critters

I saw at least a dozen floating dead last week after the bowfishermen came through. Saw some a month ago at a marina cleaning off the bottom of the boats.

I wish I wouldve written down Grandpa's recipe. It has cornflakes, cornmeal, strawberry jello, vanilla, and thats really all I remember. I made it once. Took it to a lake that when the fish feeders went off there were some many carp they turned the feeder on its pontoons. I started catching fish. Soon some other fisherman arrived and watched me throw one back. Pretty soon one walks over and asks "You no want", I said no, he replies "can we have"? The rest of the time there were there as soon asI would hook up one of them would go stand by the water. They would land and unhook it for me. They took somewhere between 22 and 26 carp I caught. Then a dad showed up with two young boys no older than 5 or 6. I would hook one and hold the rod so they could reel. They had a ball.

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Originally Posted by zummy

I wish I wouldve written down Grandpa's recipe. It has cornflakes, cornmeal, strawberry jello, vanilla, and thats really all I remember. I made it once. Took it to a lake that when the fish feeders went off there were some many carp they turned the feeder on its pontoons. I started catching fish. Soon some other fisherman arrived and watched me throw one back. Pretty soon one walks over and asks "You no want", I said no, he replies "can we have"? The rest of the time there were there as soon asI would hook up one of them would go stand by the water. They would land and unhook it for me. They took somewhere between 22 and 26 carp I caught. Then a dad showed up with two young boys no older than 5 or 6. I would hook one and hold the rod so they could reel. They had a ball.

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zummy,
They are a blast to catch, no matter how old you are. I looked high and low for my old recipes and came up empty so I am just trying to come up with a few from memory. Still have all my old gear, just needed to replace my landing net. The big ones can test your equipment so it pays to have something up to the task if chasing them on a regular basis.