hammercarp Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Everyone has been having a great time fishing a local creek this spring and some good fish have come out including 6 mirrors. I had heard that there were some real monsters hiding out under the bridge there and when I checked it out sure enough I saw a big fish. I knew I had to try for it. Now the bridge is not a swim to be treated lightly . It is full of lots of nasty stuff . There are submerged logs, 3 inch re-rod sticks out into the water, there is a ton of branches that the beaver stuck in there as a winter food supply and other stuff like an old rug and even articles of clothing. I put my faith in my Ambassadeur reel and Ugly Stik rod to handle my appointed task, Which was to haul one out from the front of the bridge and away from all the nasty debris. Next I had to decide where to set up. I chose to place my modified Fox Stalker pod about 20 yards upstream from the bridge. This gave me a straight line from my reel to where my baited hook was. I wanted to be able to put upward pressure on the fish as soon as possible and get it to fight on the surface. If it got it's head down and used the current it would haul me under the bridge where I was sure to get cut off. I was also depending on the pulling power of packbait to draw the fish to the front of the bridge where my plan had a chance of succeeding. My first attempt was yesterday and I landed two fish with one in the teens. This was very encouraging. Today I set up and it was not long before I got one about 8 lbs. This was followed a little while later by one in the mid teens. I was getting a lot of bumps, twitches and short pulls and I had noticed that both fish had been hooked in the upper mouth. I had had some discussions with Andrew/MACOMAN from The Match Anglers Club of Ontario about how puffs behaved in current so I decided to change things up. I used 17 lb Berkly XT for a hook link and made it about 4 inches long. This a much stiffer that the XL. A little while later I had a strong pull and I set the hook vigorously. Not quite a Texas Whip but with some force. I immediately felt the weight of the fish and heaved on the rod. The fish rolled on the surface and I saw I had a good one. I started to play the fish and to back up along the bank upstream to get the fish out of the danger zone.The carp then headed for a submerged log that juts out from the front of the bridges foundation . I heaved on the rod and the fish turned away and then moved out into the middle of the creek. Now I was in open water. Oh boy Oh boy it worked . Eventually I got the fish to the wall and into my net. I was surprised by the weight as I hauled it up the 6-8 ft and over the wall. and onto the bank. I uncovered the fish and I knew I had a very very good fish here. I was pleased to see my Owner #02 wrapped right around the bottom lip. Perfect! I laid the fish out and it measured just over 39 inches in length and 29 inches in girth. I weighed it and the scale read 40 lbs. My sling weighs a little less than a lb so I had a new PB of 39 lbs. I went back and sat down to relax for a while and enjoy the warm sunshine. I thought about the hikes I had taken along this creek as a kid. Tomorrow, Good Friday was a traditional day for going on a hike here in Hamilton when I was a boy. I had even caught fish in it on a bent pin and willow gad. Fifty years later and I am still having fun on it's banks. I set up again and I got one in the teens. I decided to pack it in and so I went home. I would like to thank Mr. Tom Brooks for his help and CAG for the wealth of angling knowledge it made available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spincast Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Wow - thats a beast! Great report and congrats on the PB.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dozer Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 PIG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burtess Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Awesome report, and a fantastic fish!! Burt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walleye'm Fishing Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 What a hog! Congrats on the PB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pike Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 By that account, you earned that fish Lorne. Congratualtions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishindude Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Holy moly! Way to go Lorne, what a brute! I'm goin' carpin' as soon as I get me one of dem baitrunners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
googie Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 such a great report Very nice fish Lorne. Congratualtions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCLT Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 killer fish man, killer fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 All I can say Lorne is... WOW !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Nice! That is one BIG minnow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Float Buddha Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Congrats, that's an amazing fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimace Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Congrats on a massive fish. I bet you couldn't fit that thing into a sleeping bag. Beast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leecher Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Awesome hammercarp Congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live2fish85 Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Congrats Lorne thats a beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 nice catch lorne... glad you were able to haul her out of that minefield you were fishing... thats a PB that wont easily be beat... good for you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammercarp Posted April 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 Thanks guys. And now for that 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 HOLY COW nice fish Lorne! Congrats on the new PB! I'm still looking to break that 30 mark. Gotta get it done this spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosebunk Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 That is a big solid carp dood! Congrats on the PB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopheraaron Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Very nice fish there, even more so for a creek! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Solid fish Lorne, congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 A true giant, wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limeyangler Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 congrats on the PB...what a piggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnsled Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Awesome fish!! Congrats on the PB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esoxansteel Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Carpus Maximus, a great specimen indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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