ccmtcanada Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Well, Bly and I almost didn't go out tonight considering they were calling for 30 to 50 km/h winds, but by 8pm, the winds seemed to die down a bit so we hurriedly put everything together and head out the door. Bly keeps saying "I think we're forgetting something", but we press ahead. We get to our spot and start unloading and I look around and say "Ummm...where are the rods?" LOL. She unpacked the chairs and other gear and it took me over 1/2 hour to make the trip home and back again. We had our lines in by 9:30...a little later than normal, but that's ok. After about 20 minutes she has one on....and promptly lost it...bad hook set. Re-load the feeder, put a fresh boilie on and back in the water. Suddenly, her rod bends right over!! This fish goes ballistic and after about 20 or so seconds she feels her 20lb power pro leader snap!! She's a little disappointed, but still wants to fish. She ties a hair rig in the dark and quickly tosses her line back in the water. She then proceed to land 2 smaller carp in the span of about 1/2 hour. So, here we are...she's hooked 4 fish and landed 2....I haven't had anything yet. It's getting late, so after she lands her fish she begins to clean up while I leave my line in the water. I feel a pick up....drag is peeled from my baitrunner, but I'm patient and don't set the hook right away. Rather...I slowly apply pressure to the line and I feel my feeder move a bit. I leave it sitting there in case the fish is still around. I'm determined not to get skunked tonight. Suddenly, my line takes right off and the fight is on. I feels small as it's not fighting that much, but as soon as it got to the net, we saw it was a big one! This one measured 36.5" (an upgrade for the tourney)....girth was 25" and it weighed 28 pounds!! A new PB weight for me. I still have yet to break the 30 pound mark...thought for a bit this may have done it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hey.. if you're gonna keep posting them things I'm leaving! lol A brute Cliff! Now about leaving Carole alone in the dark..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hey.. if you're gonna keep posting them things I'm leaving! lol A brute Cliff! Now about leaving Carole alone in the dark..... LOL Wayne.... She can take care of herself. Oh yeah...and there was someone already down there that we knew...and it wasn't dark yet.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfville Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Way to go... haven't tried bottom fishing for carp for a few weeks now, can't wait to do it again and glad to see the action is back on. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congrats on the PB Cliff - that's a huge carp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnny Bass Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congrats on the personal best! It must have put up a great fight. That sucks aqbout the gas but lucky you weren't too far away from home. I have a cousin that forgets something every single time we go fishing! And we have to turn back! But if I am more than 1/2 hour away I tell him forget it! Why is she using a 20lb PP leader?? I've never heard of anyone using PP as a leader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congrats Cliff! That's a beautiful looking brute! Carole doesn't look too happy after she finds out that her 2nd carp was a small one too lol. The bigger carp doesn't seem to put up such an acrobatic fight, they seem to just hold their ground out in the water and not move much. JohnnyBass: Alot of carpers use braid as the "hooklink"(leader) for several reasons ... 1) little/no stretch, helps drive the hook into the fish when it takes off on the hair rig. 2) snaggy area/area full of zebra mussels, helps with abrasion resistent ... 3) thin diameter on higher lb-test, less detectable by the fish. .... Although flurocarbon can also achieve the same with abrasion resistent, the lb-test carpers use are usually too thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted July 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congrats on the personal best! It must have put up a great fight. That sucks aqbout the gas but lucky you weren't too far away from home. I have a cousin that forgets something every single time we go fishing! And we have to turn back! But if I am more than 1/2 hour away I tell him forget it! Why is she using a 20lb PP leader?? I've never heard of anyone using PP as a leader. Thanks Johnny.... What Victor said about the PP applies, but we also use it for a different reason. Since 99% of our carp fishing is at night, visibility of the line doesn't matter. We use 30lb test for the mainline and 20lb for the hair rigs. We also use 9 foot surf rods...there isn't a lot of bend in them, so we have to apply lots of pressure to them to keep them on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnny Bass Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 (edited) Congrats Cliff! That's a beautiful looking brute! Carole doesn't look too happy after she finds out that her 2nd carp was a small one too lol. The bigger carp doesn't seem to put up such an acrobatic fight, they seem to just hold their ground out in the water and not move much. JohnnyBass: Alot of carpers use braid as the "hooklink"(leader) for several reasons ... 1) little/no stretch, helps drive the hook into the fish when it takes off on the hair rig. 2) snaggy area/area full of zebra mussels, helps with abrasion resistent ... 3) thin diameter on higher lb-test, less detectable by the fish. .... Although flurocarbon can also achieve the same with abrasion resistent, the lb-test carpers use are usually too thick. You'll still get the stretch when setting the hook, no? Obviously you dont tie direct and tie to a swivel....... If you tied direct, the braid would cut right through the mono. Mono is more abrasive resistant than braided line. Also you don't really need heavy line to catch carp.When I targeted carp, I used 6 lb test only. The problem is that if I hooked a real big one? The line after would start looping, so I had to change my line a lot. I guess everyone has different preferences. I just found it odd thats all. Then again, there were no Zebra muscles at the time. Edited July 3, 2008 by Johnny Bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 OINK, OINK ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 You'll still get the stretch when setting the hook, no? Obviously you dont tie direct and tie to a swivel....... If you tied direct, the braid would cut right through the mono. Mono is more abrasive resistant than braided line. Also you don't really need heavy line to catch carp.When I targeted carp, I used 6 lb test only. The problem is that if I hooked a real big one? The line after would start looping, so I had to change my line a lot. I guess everyone has different preferences. I just found it odd thats all. Then again, there were no Zebra muscles at the time. Hey Johnny, The way that the hair rig works, is that the heavy weight drives the hook into the fish's mouth when they take off. Usually a "hook set" is not really needed, just a slow sweeping motion would be good enough to drive it deep into their mouth. With the setup we're using (feeder packed with method mix and sometimes 1-4oz weight), we need the heavier line to cast these rigs. Of course it depends where you're fishing, but if I'm fishing at a swim where bigger fish are common (15-25lb average), I'd prefer using heavier lines just to avoid losing the fish as well. It's kind of like, you can also use 6lb test to fish for muskie but most won't do that. As far as the mono vs braid, I might be wrong but it seems that the zebra mussels cuts up mono pretty easily. People use 50-80lb PP for their hooklink up at the St.Lawrence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Beauty fish bud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinall4s Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congrats on the 2 that Bly got, sorry about the ones that got away. And a BIG CONGRATS to you cliff on your PB. Keep up the great fishing you two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarzan's Jane Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Very nice...congrats....met someone the other day who told me that there is definitely carp where I fish and to use french fries...I just am too chicken still to try it...one day I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnsled Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I guess I should have left the grass cutting and laundry for another night and given you a call. CONGRATS on the PB Cliff, what a pig, and to you as well Bly on your 2 smallish ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbayboy Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congratulations Cliff, nice fish (well for a carp I suppose ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bly Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 You'll still get the stretch when setting the hook, no? Obviously you dont tie direct and tie to a swivel....... If you tied direct, the braid would cut right through the mono. Mono is more abrasive resistant than braided line. Also you don't really need heavy line to catch carp.When I targeted carp, I used 6 lb test only. The problem is that if I hooked a real big one? The line after would start looping, so I had to change my line a lot. I guess everyone has different preferences. I just found it odd thats all. Then again, there were no Zebra muscles at the time. Hey Johnny When I first started carp fishing, I was using 6lb mono on a 12'6 rod (my trout set up). After landing a few 25lbers on that, I realized that it was taking a long time to get the fish in and IMHO putting too much stress on the fish and the gear. I enjoy fishing for carp but there was no way I was going to ruin my trout gear to do it I then switch to a heavier but shorter set up that I had and heavier mono. Worked alright but in the more productive locations, I was losing more fish than I was landing and as you mentioned, the loops. I needed a stronger line to be able to apply more pressure to keep the fish away from the many obstacles.....logs, shopping carts, docks to name a few. Clerk at the local tackle shop gave me some PP to try since visibility does not seem to be an issue with carp. Worked very well with fewer lost fish. I also began using a spring feeder with my presentation, needed a lower lb leader to prevent the loss of a feeder with every break off. Tried a mono leader, was alright but the PP was again the better choice for me. Thus, the boring evolution of my carp gear LOL I still lose a carp now and then but usually due to a bad hook set or as with my second fish last night, drag was too tight. I often choose line based on the type of fish I am targeting with special consideration as to where I will be fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Congrats on the PB Cliff. You two are the dynamic duo, no doubt about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bly Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Very nice...congrats....met someone the other day who told me that there is definitely carp where I fish and to use french fries...I just am too chicken still to try it...one day I will. Try it, you just might like it Don't feel "chicken", you are cheating yourself. Don't set the drag too tight, keep a good grip on your fishing pole and the worst that can happen, you get spooled. Carp are fun to catch and a good way to get more comfortable "fighting" bigger fish. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 NIIIICE fish cliff.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 BEAUTY! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Wow, that thing is a monster Cliff. Good for you. Heavy suckers aren't they. Now you're gonna have to wash your shirt Joey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunkerbasshunter Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 huge carp.. ...its been 15 years since i tried to carp fish, but with fish that big i may have to start. cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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