MyFishFinder Forum
MFF US Northeast => Massachusetts => Topic started by: bogtrotter on Sep 17, 2021, 08:51 PM
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This evening, the 20-something year old son (Kyle) of one of my fishing buddies took my younger son and I carp fishing on a local pond from about 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
The weather was partly sunny (at least till the sun set) and mild (upper 60's), with just a touch of a breeze.
I started out as the "goat" of the evening (and not in the "Greatest Of All Time" sense) when, after casting my line into the water, I put my rod down and leaned it against a guard rail and got distracted by something else.
A few minutes later, my rod simply disappeared as a big fish dragged it over the rail and into the water . . . never to be seen again.
Fortunately, I had another rod with me, so after setting it up, I resumed fishing and was able to reel in a small perch and a couple sunfish.
Continuing to fish a while longer, I eventually felt a strong tug, and commenced a lengthy (5 minute) struggle to land what proved to be a sizeable carp, with any assist from Kyle (who netted it for me).
After bringing the carp firmly ashore and past the guard rail, I measured the carp (22") with my son's tape measure and weighed it with Kyle's digital scale, which read 7 pounds and 14 ounces.
This was by far the largest fish (not merely carp) that I have ever caught, and certainly made up for the rod and reel that I lost earlier in the evening.
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Congrats on your PB carp, if you get into chasing them you will find that that is only a mid-sized fish... Reminds me of losing a rod, like that when I was a kid visiting my grandparents in FL. My grandfather ended up putting his old scuba gear on and worked over the bottom of that back bayou until he found that rod, Sadly the fish was no longer on... A lady that lived on the canal was flipping out as she was always seeing alligators out there!. Thanks for bringing up a great memory and hope that yours will be as good!
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Oh, believe me, I realize a 7 pounder is only a mid-sized fish.
I recall there was a gent on the old MAAnglers site from the Boston area - - I forget his username, but recall his real name was Norm - - who would target nothing but carp, and regularly posted pictures showing some of the monsters that he'd hauled out over the years.
But I'm still excited because (a) the carp I caught last night is still the largest fish that I've ever caught (by weight) thus far and (b) the carp on the NW Housatonic have been eluding my son and I despite our best efforts to catch them.
The night-fishing aspect seems to have been what made the difference yesterday.
If my experience on the NW Housatonic is any indication, carp are surprisingly wary, and have pretty good vision.
Although the spot I was fishing last night was similarly shallow, I think the fact that it was dark helped - - I couldn't see the carp when he struck (and, indeed, until the last few moments before I landed him), and presumably he couldn't see me either.
I've never been a big fan of night-fishing (and really haven't done much of it since catfishing on the CT River nearly 40 years ago), but based on last night's experience I may have to revise my attitude on that score.
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Good account! Congratulations!
Carp are a ton of fun. I’m addicted.
Here’s a couple from this morning.
(https://i.postimg.cc/nCfHp2JZ/158624-DD-9034-4-A72-B396-FB31-D30-B0-D11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nCfHp2JZ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/PNx6NndQ/39-E7-A0-A4-1-A5-B-467-D-9751-09105919666-C.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PNx6NndQ)
The first one was big. My met is 24” from tip to handle. It was all of 28” and 20#. Second one was smaller but still heavy.
Those were from the Erie Canal near my home.
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Way to go Jim.
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The first one was big. My met is 24” from tip to handle. It was all of 28” and 20#. Second one was smaller but still heavy.
Those were from the Erie Canal near my home.
Holy Toledo, those are some sweet looking fish!
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Way to go Jim.
Thanks! I'm still pretty pumped.
My son wanted a crack at them, so I took him and one of his buddies back there this evening, but it proved to be a slower night.
My son had a smaller one (about 15" long) on his line, but lost it just as he was trying to net it at the shore. (To be fair to him, the shore line was kind of tricky to haul a fish up on, and his friend and I were just a little too far away to get there in time to net it for him).
There was a larger group further down the shore that we saw land a carp that ran a little over 6 pounds, plus a foot long bullhead, but that was the only other action we saw all night.
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When I fix the lower unit on my small boat I can take you guys to some serious carp spots in CT. Not uncommon for me to see 20lb carp swimming around.
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Try daybreak instead of night. I find they’re more active.
This morning from 6:30 to 8:30.
(https://i.postimg.cc/sBhgQ1fS/22380614-516-F-4-E24-8723-7-A22-E531-D5-FF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sBhgQ1fS)
(https://i.postimg.cc/1V9mjHGc/234-DB4-AB-8211-40-A1-A828-E3-C428723-C44.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1V9mjHGc)
(https://i.postimg.cc/BtgQ1r3h/8989-B8-EA-58-CC-461-A-A262-158-B3458-ECA8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BtgQ1r3h)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jCKS2spw/AF2-B3-B41-1-F7-E-4329-AA8-E-345354319-FED.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jCKS2spw)
Mind if I ask what you’re using for bait/chum?
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Nice carp. Saw some monsters today.
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Nice job and congrats Jim!
I live 1 minute from one of the best carp fishery in the USA. 30 and 40lb carp. Mix of common and then some mirror as well.
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Nice work Jim. Somehow I don't think I've ever landed a carp. Matt and I tried in the spring but the carp weren't all that active at that point.
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Bait runners when carp fishing...
I prefer horizontal rod holders or racks to hold my long carp rods, I wouldn't even trust the rod holders that stick in the ground.
Congrats on the carp. Carp fishing for my has been very exploratory. I've enjoyed learning rigs, and tactics.
You can keep it simple, or make it the most complicated of any species. Fun either way!
(https://i.postimg.cc/VdL1GqLZ/IMG-20200501-183531-487.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/VdL1GqLZ)
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Nice work Jim. Somehow I don't think I've ever landed a carp. Matt and I tried in the spring but the carp weren't all that active at that point.
We will get at them again..
unfortunately with the move, the spot i took you too will no longer be half a mile away..now more like a half hour ugh..
need to find a new pond in the Lancaster area to fill my void
I have been on google maps, studying the area. I am most interested in finding a new bait pond to continue filling my tank this winter. lots of water and lots of fish, just gotta find good access
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Just got another bait runner and set of method feeders. Looking seriously at a rod pod.
This is almost as bad an addiction as woodworking.
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My best one was 19lbs on the CT river using buddies long rods, hair rigs, ect ect ect. Good sport for sure. Would prefer to get one on the fly thst seems exciting.
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My best one was 19lbs on the CT river using buddies long rods, hair rigs, ect ect ect. Good sport for sure. Would prefer to get one on the fly thst seems exciting.
Nice! Carp fishing is in my blood. My parents are from Poland and carp fishing there is highly prized. As a kid growing up here in RI, we would carp fish all over the state. Once I got a bit older and the salt filled my veins, we kinda gave up carp for the most part. 33lbs is my largest but I have seen them over 40 and even a few close to if not over 50.
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They go hard in Europe for those funny looking critters. My cousin sent me this from visiting his wife’s family in Sweden:
(https://i.postimg.cc/p9T7FR57/6923-A523-F2-C0-4-C8-B-8-A26-04-BA15038-BDC.png) (https://postimg.cc/p9T7FR57)
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They go hard in Europe for those funny looking critters. My cousin sent me this from visiting his wife’s family in Sweden:
(https://i.postimg.cc/p9T7FR57/6923-A523-F2-C0-4-C8-B-8-A26-04-BA15038-BDC.png) (https://postimg.cc/p9T7FR57)
They go hard here too. One of my buddies is what id consider an expert. All he chases most of the warm water season. Me I prefer stripers...since they are cold blooded killers.
However, there is/was a guide in CT who postwd a video from a lake 20 mins from me...smashing big carp casting corn on a spinning rig. I have since found where those fish roam but havent tried his technique.
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The Big 4 starts oct 1st through Nov.
If your serious and into carp this is the carp superbowl. Its nation wide, 4 regions in the USA, Mexico and Canada are region 5.
(https://i.postimg.cc/K1zRk68H/20181020-081419.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K1zRk68H)
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(https://i.postimg.cc/SXc2kWsS/20201015-053250.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SXc2kWsS)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Xphp52BN/20190515-053436-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Xphp52BN)
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Ah forgot you were a carp killer too Bass to mouth. Real sick mirror carp.