My First Small Mouth Buffalo

I have been fishing a venue that is known to have a supply of small mouth buffalo. Everyone I know who fishes for carp has caught one there, but I had never caught one -- until today.

I caught this nice 10 pound small buffalo at mid day on Sunday.

Michigan small mouth buffalo

Small buffalo in sephia colors

Saginaw River Carp Anglers Group Fish In

We headed to Saginaw on Saturday in search of big Michigan carp and a new personal best common carp. This social event provided a nice orientation to the river in advance of the CAG Regional in early May 2015.

During last year's event I caught 3 carp and a pike so hopefully with a little practice I can do better this time around.

My goal for Saturday was to catch a lot of carp and in the back of my mind I was hoping to catch a new personal best weighing in at more than 26 pounds to provide a new personal best.

I caught 2 carp and a catfish on Saturday.

My first fish on the Saginaw River near Bay City in 2015

My third fish (second carp) in the range of 15 to 16 pounds.

I didn't get a new personal best, but the weather was excellent and I enjoyed fishing with some of the Michigan members of the Carp Anglers Group. We'll be back in Saginaw in early May for the Regionals. I hope I can sort things out a little before then and catch some more fish.

Fishing With Bow and Arrow vs. Killing Fish for Fun

Follow-Up 4/12/15:  In case anyone is wondering what ever became of the letter I sent the DNR back in March I am sharing an update. I am still awaiting a reply to my e-mail. I don't know how long those types of things usually take, but I honestly expected a note back by now.

I can only guess that it's because there aren't many people writing them letters along the lines of mine. For anyone that enjoys carp fishing even half as much as I do, please consider sending your own e-mail to the DNR and let them know that there are those of us who enjoy carp fishing just as much as others enjoy killing them with bow and arrow. It would be a shame if all the big carp are exterminated and all that's left are the run of the mill 8 - 10 pounders.

It might make more sense to limit the killing of carp with bow and arrow to those below 10 pounds and preserve the larger trophy sized carp for those like us who carp fish for the enjoyment that comes with catching the once-in-a-lifetime fish weighing 25, 30, 35 or even more than 40 pounds.

It's something to think about.

Original post from 3/21/15:

Some may wonder about the title I chose for this post. The point of the title is to draw attention to the difference between fishing and killing.

In my opinion, fishing includes catch and release; and catch and eat. However, my definition for fishing does not include killing fish for entertainment, killing fish to use as fertilizer, killing fish to discard them on the bank after you return to the boat ramp, or discarding them in the trash can in the parking lot on your way home.

I have been following a conversation about shooting fish with a bow and arrow in a Facebook Group that I follow closely. I sure will be glad when the weather warms a little more and everyone can get outside on the bank and do some fishing because the arguing and name calling is getting a little old.

I headed out for a few hours this morning to fish and things were pretty slow. There is still some ice on the water, so the water is bound to be cold. There are fish being caught, but they are few-and-far-between right now. But it's nothing a couple weeks of 60 degree weather wouldn't cure.

The conversation over on the Facebook page inspired me to write a letter and send it to the DNR. I have included a copy of it below. If you have always wanted to write a letter, but didn't have the time; feel free to copy and paste the words below and modify them for your own use. You can e-mail the letter to DNR-Fisheries@michigan.gov.

Hello,

 

I am writing to ask a question about bow fishing. 

 

I am an avid common carp fisherman as are many of my friends. I have been wondering for a while whether there are limits to how many fish bow fishermen can kill each day. Are there any actual limits? Are there any actual regulations that bow fisherman have to follow when they kill fish?

 

I have seen pictures of bow fishermen with more than 30 common carp killed in one day. I have seen people locally shoot a boat bottom full of carp and empty the fish into a trash can. I am guessing that since they placed them in a trash can they were not planning to eat them. I completely understand killing fish to eat, but I do not understand shooting fish and discarding them like trash.

 

I realize that many people do not regard carp as worthwhile, but their viability as a sport fish is highly underrated. I have caught many bass in my life and I've never experienced catching a bass that compared to the experience of catching even a small carp. Everyone that I have helped learn to fish for carp have told me the same thing.

 

There seems to be a lot of animosity between those who are serious carp fishermen and those who are avid bow fishermen. I am sure the two groups can peacefully coexist, but I feel some improved communication is in order.

 

Perhaps the common carp's viability as a sport fish could be acknowledged by the DNR in some way. They provide a multitude of angling opportunities in Michigan. They are one of very few fish that can be consistently caught from the shoreline without a boat in good numbers and with average size in the 8 - 12 pound range by even inexperienced fishermen.

 

Not everyone who likes or wants to fish has a boat. Not everyone who fishes aspires to catch bass, crappie and walleye. I urge the DNR to take a look at indiscriminate killing of common carp for the soul purpose of killing them to discard on the bank ,near the boat ramp, or in the trash can. I would encourage the DNR to consider implementing some rules and regulations for fish killing. I also urge the DNR to discourage the posting of pictures to social media and other websites that promote the indiscriminate killing of common carp.

Sincerely,

Brian Pearcy
Belleville, MI

First Fish Caught in 2015 (and 4 more)

Yesterday was the first very nice day we've had in 2015 on a weekend and I waited all week to get out and enjoy it. I was hoping the warmer weather would help with the chances of landing my first carp in 2015. With water temperatures hovering near 48 degrees, my hopes were high.

I landed the first fish shortly after 8 a.m. and another after 9 a.m.

The third was landed in the early afternoon and then two more between 4:30 and 5:00. It was a nice day on the bank and the sunshine certainly helped a lot.

Started the day with this little guy

Landed this 20 pounder about an hour later

Waited several hours for the third fish

This one sounded the middle alarms about 4:30

This one made the left rod scream just before 5 p.m.

It was a wet swim, but pretty productive after all. The muck boots were a must have for this spot.

It was must first time using butternut flavoring and it did not disappoint. Overall the flavor was very productive with bites throughout the day, 6 fish hooked and 5 landed.

World Classic Baits Order Arrived Today

My order arrived today via USPS. Some don't use dip, but I am a believer in it. Even if it only improves catch rates by 10%, I think it's worth it. If you catch 100 fish; 10 percent is an extra 10 fish. Using that analogy, my 140 fish last year would have been 126 fish without using the dips. That may or may not be true, but I'm not willing to take the risk!

World Classic Baits Order

I have been holding off on placing an order for carp bait supplies while checking out different options. I could not resist any longer and placed an order with World Classic Baits for supplies for upcoming sessions.

I have been using pineapple and 4 season flavors successfully for a couple of years. This year I am going to add peach to the mix and try the new 3D selects as well.

I'll report back on how it turns out after a few sessions.

A Favorite Picture from Last Fall

I put a 16 pound brisket on the smoker this morning a little after 6 a.m. I had hoped to do some fishing today, but changed plans to make some of my favorite barbecue based on a lack of readily accessible open water. With the warmer temperatures last week and this one; next weekend is looking pretty good to do some carp fishing. I plan to scout some areas tomorrow. For anyone who wants to fish with me next weekend, drop me a line and let me know and we'll see what we can work out.

While we're waiting for next weekend, here's a picture of a nice fish I caught last fall near Lake Erie.

This one was very close to 20 pounds

 

Firing up my faithful insulated upright water smoker
for a brisket cook today

WKORN and the Carp Hound Videos

Ruler of the Ramp 2015




Inaugural voyage of the Carp Shark 2015.



Cool dad and the 31 pound grass carp

How to Tie Carp Rigs

 

The video from Fox might give you some ideas for tying up some carp rigs while we wait for the ice to melt.

Looking for New Carp Fishing Rods?

Hurricanes from ResistanceTackle.com
 

If you are thinking about purchasing new carp rods, but don't want to break into your savings account to do it check out the prices Resistance Tackle has this weekend on their Willow, Hurricane and Lightning carp rods.

The Willow is on sale for $78.75

The Hurricane is on sale for $83.99

The Lightening is on sale for $65.99

I have owned 4 of the Hurricane 3.0 test curve since late spring 2014 and have fished them steadily. I really like them.

From the Resistance website:

They are slim, light, responsive and have Fuji fittings throughout. They are an absolute pleasure to play fish on and that’s a fact! Their unique power progressive curve loads seamlessly along the rod length when casting and delivers a crisp tip recovery. This adds yards onto the casting abilities of the average angler.

I agree that purchasing these rods helped with my casting immediately. I was using entry level rods in 2.5 and 2.75 test curve. The 3.0's gave me more confidence and improved my casting from the first time I used them. I typically fish with 2 oz. leads with pack and estimate that I can consistently cast 75 to 100 yards. I don't have the technique needed to cast much farther than that, but for the venues I fish I don't really need to anyway.

If I were buying new rods today, I'd buy the Hurricanes again.

Carp Fishing Weather

It's beginning to look like carp fishing weather, finally. Yee haw!

Forecast from Weather.com

It might be one more week before I can get out to find some access to open water, but it's definitely getting closer.

Nash Zip Sack for Keeping Carp



I placed an order for some supplies from Big Carp Tackle tonight. I got some saucer back leads for a couple of venues I like to fish that have some boat traffic from time-to-time, some hangers for my alarms, and a keep sack for those times when I manage to catch a big fish and need to hold it temporarily until I can find someone to take a photo of it.

I decided to get the keep sack in case I manage to catch a 30# someday when I'm fishing alone.

Photo courtesy of Nash Tackle
 http://www.nashtackle.co.uk

2016 Austin Team Championship for Carp

http://www.austincarpangler.com

The 2015 Austin Team Championship concluded yesterday, so now is the perfect time to beginning planning to attend next year's event. Linda and I flew to Dallas a couple of weeks ago and the round trip tickets cost $900 for the two of us. I think driving would be more affordable, but I'm sure it's at least 4 days round trip to drive vs. 1 day for a flight. Maybe the best strategy is for a couple of teams (4 people) to car pool there and share transportation expenses.

I've not attempted to mail fishing equipment for a tournament before, but I am guessing it's not cheap. I'm guessing $75 to get it to Texas and $75 to get it back to Michigan. I'm not sure what insurance for the shipping costs either, but if it's another $25 then just getting the equipment there adds $200 to the plane tickets and we haven't added lodging expenses yet. I am guessing hotel costs would add another $600 or so to the total tally. We're now approaching $2,000 a trip to the 2016 ATC from my house in Michigan.

I priced out the same trip renting a car and driving instead and my guesstimate is $1,000. Now that' getting a lot better.

If anyone reading this has made the trip to the ATC and cares to share the costs involved (I'm sure I've left some out), please do share your thoughts.

Relating Carp Fishing to Scientific Complexity Theory

I have been reading the novel Shantaram since early 2014. It's an interesting novel based on an Australian's travels and experiences in India. In a recent chapter the author went to great lengths to equate lives becoming more complex to good and suspension of complexity to evil. I barely understand the philosophy behind it, but a few Google searches later and the fog is beginning to clear.

This theory equates to carp fishing, just hang in there with me a while longer.

Science has proven that as cells evolve they absorb more energy to sustain life. Wall Street has proven that in order for corporate stock values to continue increasing over a number of years, companies have to continue to grow; and growing often means merging with other companies, adding innovative new products, etc., which adds complexity to operations. Having children adds complexity to a household. Entertaining visitors for a few days in your home adds unforeseen complications in day-to-day household activities including meal planning and entertainment.

When I started carp fishing, I used one fishing pole, one net, and one basic bait. Then I added other rods, reels, nets, equipment, and other nice-to-have, but not absolutely necessary equipment like bank sticks, alarms, etc. Adding all this extra complexity to carp fishing, adds cost to the hobby.

In my quest to find the perfect rod, reel, bait, etc. I have spent significant amounts of money on items that I rarely if ever need; and rarely if ever actually use while fishing.

I have 8 rods, 6 reels, 3 nets, 7 alarms...you get the idea. I have spent about $2,000 on carp fishing supplies, equipment and trips in two years.

A popular bait company I purchase items from periodically used to have only a handful of products, but they continue to add new items annually. Their product line of ground baits, flavored corn, additives, dips, boilies, etc. has expanded significantly in the last 2 seasons and numbers more than 100 individual items at this point.

Another carp fishing equipment provider I shop with occasionally has 15 or 16 kinds of nets, 20 kinds of alarms, 5 kinds of bank sticks, and on and on...

All these newly developed choices each year might help us all catch more carp, but do we really know for sure? Or are these new products and choices just confusing us and enticing us to spend more money on a relatively simple endeavor - catching carp?

This is an oversimplification to be sure, but there are guys and gals across the country catching plenty of carp on a consistent basis using basic rods, reels, and cheap corn from Wal-Mart for way less than the $2,000 I have spent. They don't use $300 rods, $200 reels, remote alarms, $150 nets, $100 carp cradles, etc.; but they still hook and land carp.

Purchasing the latest-and-greatest is the American way of doing things and it's the epitome of capitalism, but other than stimulating the economy and pocket books of various bait companies and equipment retailers; what does it really accomplish?

• Make us feel more confident when we fish?
• If I outspend my bank mate, am I guaranteed to catch more carp? 
• Make us look better on the bank when our friends see all the new stuff we bought?
• Impress new comers to the sport?
• Or does it overcomplicate the issue at hand?

Here's an example of what I'm referring to:

A popular carp equipment retailer in the U.S. is currently selling a carp rod for more than $700. That is ten times the cost of an entry level carp rod from another popular carp tackle retailer.

• Is the premium rod going to catch 10 times the number of carp? I am confident the answer is no. (
• Are there people who will buy that rod to have the latest and greatest rod on the market? I am sure there are a few that will.
• Can you imagine the mark up on that premium rod compared to the entry level rod? I think I can.

Buying the entry level rods leaves plenty of money to buy everything else you need to go carp fishing. The counter argument is that if you spend $2,100 on three rods they might be the last carp rods you ever purchase. But I might be able to fish the rest of my life with entry level carp rods and never spend $2,100 on them. I can probably buy new rods every 2 years and still keep it under the $2,100.

Complexity theory might make sense for science, stock investing, brain surgery and the like; but the theory doesn't hold water for me with regards to carp fishing. I am going to keep it simple and keep it affordable.

As I plan purchases for the upcoming fishing season, shunning complexity theory will probably save me $100's of dollars this year and several $1,000's in future years.

Michigan Master Angler Award Program

The Michigan DNR has a neat program to spark interest in fishing throughout the state called the "Master Angler Program". Here is some specific information from the website:

2015 marks the 42nd 'birthday' of Michigan's highly successful Master Angler Program. Launched in 1973 to better recognize anglers who catch unusually large fish, the Master Angler Program began with just 19 species of fish eligible to win distinctive Master Angler shoulder patches. In 1992, the catch and release category was established. Today, more than a quarter-century later, the Program has expanded to include 50 various species for which anglers may compete for honors. The list of catches eligible for recognition ranges from such seldom-caught species as the northern hogsucker to the commonly sought yellow perch and walleye. At the end of each calendar year, recognition certificates are awarded to anglers entering the top five fish in each category

One of my goals for 2015 is to catch a 30 pound carp and submit it for consideration in the "Michigan Master Angler Program". Judging from some of the past award winners, a 30 pounder with 35 - 36 inches of length would probably qualify for an award.

Here is a link to the 2015 application: Master Angler Program

The waiting game