hammercarp
Well-Known Member
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 when I arrived there I was disappointed to see two trucks and a work crew. set up at the entrance. I stopped on the side of the road and watched them for a while. I decided to fish it as they were on the opposite bank and I wouldn't be in their way. 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 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!
You are captured.
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 got the fish wrapped in the sling and walked upstream to where I could slide it into the water.
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 all his help and CAG for the wealth of angling knowledge it has made available.
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 when I arrived there I was disappointed to see two trucks and a work crew. set up at the entrance. I stopped on the side of the road and watched them for a while. I decided to fish it as they were on the opposite bank and I wouldn't be in their way. 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 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!
You are captured.
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 got the fish wrapped in the sling and walked upstream to where I could slide it into the water.
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 all his help and CAG for the wealth of angling knowledge it has made available.
