Have you ever spent time long enough at a lake and wondered what beasts must be swimming around in there? But what is it about the specific lake that haunts your dreams and fuels your desire? What deep desires do you need to fulfil in your carp fishing ? I know one specific friend of mine that was so driven to land a 20lb mirror and accepted nothing less - he eventually got his mirror. Can I say that I was happy for him because he stopped talking about it ... LoL. He knows who he is.
For me, fishing for different species makes me wonder about the contours below the water. The ages and stages of the fish. I once found a 2x2m concrete slab near an island with the echo sounder and prodding pole where birds were nesting not 30 meters from the bank where I placed my baits for catfish-the results were crazy. But this is a carp fishing article so let's continue. It was in the middle of winter around 1995 - I baited this lake with handfuls of boilies everyday in the margins for about a month often spending time watching the water. One specific area was on a descending sandbank which I made specific target of mine. The session arrived and we set-up. My friend fished open water and I concentrated my efforts on this sand bank and the island. In those days I fished handmade 2 piece carbon rods I had designed and my ever faithful Fox Microns. The first day passed and nothing, the morning of the second day into the session the sandbank gave it's secret away when a fish crashed the surface in 3 foot of water. I placed a single 20mm cream boilie dipped in almond and Lavender Essential Oil on the spot with no freebies...and waited.
Night came and after dinner we settled in talking about possibilities. The Fox Micron suddenly broke the winter cold with a screaming take and I forgot how cold it really was when I hit the rod. After an epic battle in open water we landed a 36lb common - the only fish of the session and a fine specimen. My hands were frozen after I sent the fish back to the depths from whence it came. Perhaps I should add that my friend at the time I fished with hasn't really spoken to me since that session - can't really say why but if a carp or any fish is the cause of a broken friendship..I'll choose fishing.
Anyway that lake has since produced some of the best carp I'd ever caught and gave me some of my best memories in specimen carp fishing.
To this day my captures evolve around the guys I fish with and the friends I've met along the way - some have left and most have stayed, the real friends. the one's I share photo's with and the one's I share a great session with no matter who gets onto the fish - It's good too see friends get a bend in their rods.
What about you - your friends? Are they carp anglers or just coasting along for the ride?
That's carp fishing
Get out there - fish smart - fish hard.
Till the next time.
For me, fishing for different species makes me wonder about the contours below the water. The ages and stages of the fish. I once found a 2x2m concrete slab near an island with the echo sounder and prodding pole where birds were nesting not 30 meters from the bank where I placed my baits for catfish-the results were crazy. But this is a carp fishing article so let's continue. It was in the middle of winter around 1995 - I baited this lake with handfuls of boilies everyday in the margins for about a month often spending time watching the water. One specific area was on a descending sandbank which I made specific target of mine. The session arrived and we set-up. My friend fished open water and I concentrated my efforts on this sand bank and the island. In those days I fished handmade 2 piece carbon rods I had designed and my ever faithful Fox Microns. The first day passed and nothing, the morning of the second day into the session the sandbank gave it's secret away when a fish crashed the surface in 3 foot of water. I placed a single 20mm cream boilie dipped in almond and Lavender Essential Oil on the spot with no freebies...and waited.
Night came and after dinner we settled in talking about possibilities. The Fox Micron suddenly broke the winter cold with a screaming take and I forgot how cold it really was when I hit the rod. After an epic battle in open water we landed a 36lb common - the only fish of the session and a fine specimen. My hands were frozen after I sent the fish back to the depths from whence it came. Perhaps I should add that my friend at the time I fished with hasn't really spoken to me since that session - can't really say why but if a carp or any fish is the cause of a broken friendship..I'll choose fishing.
Anyway that lake has since produced some of the best carp I'd ever caught and gave me some of my best memories in specimen carp fishing.
To this day my captures evolve around the guys I fish with and the friends I've met along the way - some have left and most have stayed, the real friends. the one's I share photo's with and the one's I share a great session with no matter who gets onto the fish - It's good too see friends get a bend in their rods.
What about you - your friends? Are they carp anglers or just coasting along for the ride?
That's carp fishing
Get out there - fish smart - fish hard.
Till the next time.
