Long version
Brings back a memorable day in July in 1985 on the Saint Lawrence in Cape Vincent. It was a rainy and very windy day and i decided to leave the boat on the trailer. I sat on the old concrete dock at the boat launch fishing with an ultra light spinning rod with 4lb mono, small hook and a worm. I was catching lots of sun fish, and blue gills. I got the usual tap on the line and set the hook and off she went - burning drag. It was at least 10 minutes until that fat tail came out of the water and I finally knew what I was fighting. It was a BIG Carp. It kept making long runs and I got down to so little line left, I could see the base of the spool.
It was probably close to 1/2 hour until I got the fish in. A teen aged boy climbed down on the rock and grabbed the carp and brought it up onto the dock. I weighed it - drum roll : just over 31lbs.
I let the fatso go and have never forgotten that amazing battle.