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| This pike took pineapple flavored corn during the retrieve. |
In nearly the exact same spot on the river 5 years later I caught another one.
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| This pike took corn on a hair rig. |
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| The corn was flavor was Cherry Berry from Trilogy. |
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
It's Not a Carp, It's a Pike
Five years ago I was carp fishing on the Saginaw River and caught a pike while fishing for carp.
In nearly the exact same spot on the river 5 years later I caught another one.
In nearly the exact same spot on the river 5 years later I caught another one.
Final Results and Pictures at the 2018 Carp Anglers Group Midwest Regionals
After a great weekend fishing at the 2018 CAG Midwest Regionals, I'm now back at work.
Over the course of the 3 day event, I caught some fantastic carp and even a pike.
My largest two fish were 33# 2 oz. and 28# 2 oz. I caught 12 common carp and 2 catfish.
Thanks to World Classic Baits for sponsoring the Big Common trophy and also Trilogy Carp Baits for providing a bait package.
All of my fish were caught on Trilogy Tournament Corn as hook baits and I used World Classic Baits anise flavored boilies in all my ground/packbait mixes.
Here are a few highlight pictures from the weekend.
Over the course of the 3 day event, I caught some fantastic carp and even a pike.
My largest two fish were 33# 2 oz. and 28# 2 oz. I caught 12 common carp and 2 catfish.
Thanks to World Classic Baits for sponsoring the Big Common trophy and also Trilogy Carp Baits for providing a bait package.
All of my fish were caught on Trilogy Tournament Corn as hook baits and I used World Classic Baits anise flavored boilies in all my ground/packbait mixes.
Here are a few highlight pictures from the weekend.
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| 33 pounds 2 ounces |
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| My favorite carp photo |
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| The 33# fish early in the morning prior to the official weigh in |
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| Big Common Trophy from World Classic Baits and bait package from Trilogy Carp Baits |
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Day 1: 2018 Carp Anglers Group Midwest Regionals
On March 4th, 5th and 6th, we attended the Carp Anglers Group Midwest Regional Tournament in Bay City Michigan on the Saginaw River.
Friday afternoon had wind gusts up to 65 mph and sustained winds at 35 mph. Practice and prebaiting was not really possible. You could have surfed some of the waves on the river.
Saturday morning provided fantastic conditions on the river. It was glass smooth for the first hour or so.
I was fortunate enough to catch a common carp tipping the scales at 33 pounds 2 ounces. It's the largest fish I've caught on the Saginaw River and 2nd biggest carp I've ever landed. Here are some pictures.
Here are some other fish I caught on Saturday.
We only weighed fish at 20 pounds or bigger. I had one at 19 pounds 10 ounce and another at 18 pounds 9 ounces. If they had only eaten a little more last week those fish might have made the cut. :-)
Friday afternoon had wind gusts up to 65 mph and sustained winds at 35 mph. Practice and prebaiting was not really possible. You could have surfed some of the waves on the river.
Saturday morning provided fantastic conditions on the river. It was glass smooth for the first hour or so.
I was fortunate enough to catch a common carp tipping the scales at 33 pounds 2 ounces. It's the largest fish I've caught on the Saginaw River and 2nd biggest carp I've ever landed. Here are some pictures.
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| 33 pounds 2 ounces |
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| I love this picture. |
Here are some other fish I caught on Saturday.
We only weighed fish at 20 pounds or bigger. I had one at 19 pounds 10 ounce and another at 18 pounds 9 ounces. If they had only eaten a little more last week those fish might have made the cut. :-)
Monday, April 30, 2018
My New 2018 Personal Best at 37 Pounds and 7 Ounces
The local Michigan guys know that I've been hoping to catch a 30# fish for quite some time.
I think I might be one of the last of the local carp angling club crew who hadn't caught a fish of 30 pounds or greater. The absence of the magic 30# carp has much to do with the waters I fish as anything else. The convenient water near me just doesn't seem to produce many big fish at this point.
Four years ago I had one in sight but the net person zigged instead of zagged; and it literally became "the one that got away". I've had a 29# fish once since then. I was fortunate enough to improve upon that fish and increased my personal best by 8 pounds and change to a whopping 37 pounds and 7 ounces.
I could tell the fish was special when it was still 50 feet from the bank and knowing that; I got really nervous as it approached the net.
This water has produced some 30# fish in the past, but none in recent years. This fish was completely unexpected and much bigger than any fish I know of caught on this water in at least 2 years.
When I have more time, I may be able to adjust some of the over exposure in these photos to bring out more of the details in the fish. The trouble with fishing in bright sunlight is the difficulty taking pictures in bright sunlight. It's kind of a bummer when you catch the biggest fish of your life.
Posing a fish like this is also not easy. It was heavy to hold it up properly and kept wanting to lean backwards. I did manage a few shots to give the fish the justice it deserves.
Here's an example of how posing affects the pictures of the fish we capture. The fish is heavy and I'm having trouble keeping it perpendicular to the ground. It's tilting backwards about 60 degrees and compared to the picture above you can see how different the outcome is.
I think I might be one of the last of the local carp angling club crew who hadn't caught a fish of 30 pounds or greater. The absence of the magic 30# carp has much to do with the waters I fish as anything else. The convenient water near me just doesn't seem to produce many big fish at this point.
Four years ago I had one in sight but the net person zigged instead of zagged; and it literally became "the one that got away". I've had a 29# fish once since then. I was fortunate enough to improve upon that fish and increased my personal best by 8 pounds and change to a whopping 37 pounds and 7 ounces.
I could tell the fish was special when it was still 50 feet from the bank and knowing that; I got really nervous as it approached the net.
This water has produced some 30# fish in the past, but none in recent years. This fish was completely unexpected and much bigger than any fish I know of caught on this water in at least 2 years.
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| 37 pounds and 7 ounces; my new personal best |
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| Look at that tail. For reference the mat is 36 inches long. I didn't have a tape measure, but I am guessing almost 40 inches. |
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| What a tail span |
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| This fish was very long and very dense |
When I have more time, I may be able to adjust some of the over exposure in these photos to bring out more of the details in the fish. The trouble with fishing in bright sunlight is the difficulty taking pictures in bright sunlight. It's kind of a bummer when you catch the biggest fish of your life.
Posing a fish like this is also not easy. It was heavy to hold it up properly and kept wanting to lean backwards. I did manage a few shots to give the fish the justice it deserves.
Here's an example of how posing affects the pictures of the fish we capture. The fish is heavy and I'm having trouble keeping it perpendicular to the ground. It's tilting backwards about 60 degrees and compared to the picture above you can see how different the outcome is.
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