Fishing Today, and a Surprise

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

I got out today to fish for awhile. The weather was great though there was a northeast wind and a blue bird sky day.

It's a small lake on the Eastern Shore of Maryland but not too far from home. I managed to land two 13 inch bass.

**sigh*** BUT, knew there was a "but" huh? In some heavy cover in about four feet of water I hooked a MONSTER with a Rattle-Trap. He stripped line off like there wasn't a drag at all and pulled me all over the lake, literally. Nothing I could do to stop him so I followed him and tried to hold on. After about ten minutes I knew it wasn't a bass but couldn't guess what it was except for maybe a huge Catfish, or snapping turtle, or scuba diver. After exactly 29 minutes, and whinning about how my hand and arm hurt, etc., I got him to the side of the boat. It was a HUGE carp and he was hooked in his side. My brother managed to get hold of his tail and I pulled the hook (just one barb of a treble) out of his side and he went on his way. I couldn't fish for awhile as my arm was convulsing. My brother and I both estimated this fish to be in excess of thirty pounds, easy. Anyway, after years of fishing, both salt and fresh water, I have NEVER had a fish pull me around like this one did. He was one tough Hombre'.. This was on a Medium Billy Westmorland rod and Regal 2500 reel with six pound test.

This was the second time I have hooked a carp while bass fishing but this one was much bigger and stronger. He made my day.

Sorry if this is long but I had to vent about this..



Bill

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

It's just fun ain't it!!



TOXIC

 

[Bill McElroy]

Vent??...That's a great tale!!! I've hooked some monster carp before too....w/crnkbts, twin tailed grubs, and tex/rig'd worms! Never on 6lb line before though....that could be a line class record!! (Don't look it up though,..then you'll REALLY be p-o'd if you would've onwed a new record and didn't even realize it!!..ARRRGH!!!!)



Do it again!!!



Mac

 

[Staci Matheis]

Dang, Bill! Did you by any chance take a picture? (Probably not. rats.)



I've done a LOT of Mississippi River fishing over the years but the biggest carp I've ever caught have been several in about the 12-14# range..... Heck of from those on 12 to 17# test..... I can't even begin to imagine a 30#'er.....



Neat!

 

[David Hunt]

Go Bill!



When you hook a carp, they just pull like the dickens.

We have them at Anna and they come into the 4-5" water by my dock and they are huge! I will try to get a picture of them this year. 1/4 of them sticks out of the water. When you tap them with a lure, they shoot out of there like a rocket!



david.....

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

David,

Have you tried to catch any? Sounds like a blast!!!!



Bill, nice fish and a good story man.



Carlos

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Yea, it is fun Tox and that's why I go out there.



Mac, you didn't NEED to remind me of that and I am NOT going to look it up



ME, I "always" (except for today) take a camera with me

I don't know that I could have held it steady anyway...



David, "pull like the dickens" is an understatement. This guy PULLED!!! As for shooting out like a rocket, when I first started fishing rivers on the eastern shore years ago I would cast a lure into the shallows, usually a spinnerbait, and the water would explode! I thought I was in Bass heaven until one of the "explosions" swam past the boat and was nothing more than a huge Goldfish



Thanks Carlos, this was one great experience and I enjoyed it thoroughly..



Bill

 

[Larry Harp]

Bill, you're going to have to change your alias to Carpman. LOL



I'll never forget when I was a kid the kid next door came over all excited about the fish his dad had caught while he was Crappie fishing. He had it the bathtub, a Buffalo that had to go 30 or 35 lbs. Dang thing filled the bathtub. That was back in the stoneage when everybody brought home everything they hooked.



Harpo