anadromous
Posts: 1951
Joined: 11/16/2006
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I fished the west branch of the susky today. I was throwing a 3 inch yozuri pin minnow with good success. The smallies hit it as soon as it broke water and the fall fish(along with a couple trout) tagged it on the retrieve. This now goes a bit haywire. I pitched the pin minnow into a log pile and let it slowly sink about a foot, when I began my retrieve,I turned the reel handle and felt a bump an flicked the wrist to set the hook. When I did the fish went nuts and I thought for just a second that I hooked a 20plus smallie, but as line ripped of at a feverish pace, I realized it was a carp. The kayak was literally being pulled down river and I was grinning like a butchers dog. I figured I must have snagged him because I never in my life hooked a carp on a hard bait or rubber for that matter. After a solid 10 to 15 minute battle he got me into another log pile. I could not put enough heat on him with six pound test not to mention that the kayak gave ground every time I pulled on him so he went where he wanted for the most part. As he went under the log I thought the line would surely snap. It didn't. I could see him burrowed in bramble and I also saw I had him hooked in the mouth I managed to get my paddle down to him and prod him until he got twisted and turned out of the mess.Lady luck shined. He bolted back out to mid river as I pushed of the log with the paddle and got the yak pointed at him. Down river we went again. How long can this go until he breaks me off? He headed for another log pile but this time I tuned the drag a bit more and put a ton of heat on him and the line. I figured I didn't have any thing to lose...I fought hard, he fought hard so be it if it breaks. Finally I got him close to the yak and he rolled somewhat sideways and I slowly reached for his gill plate and got my fingers in and clamped him. I removed the tail trebles from the inside of his lip grabbed my throw away camera and snapped a couple of de-liars. I figure he was somewhere in the early 30's inch wise and I am guessing in the late teens for weight. I got his picture with my rod across my lap and held him against the rod and my knees the best I could as I snapped photos. When they develop I should get a pretty accurate measurement. I was elated! Stunned a bit by the bite but certainly blessed to catch him on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. I was alone but still hooped and hollered a bit. I then removed a few feet of abrased line, retied my rig and began a slow paddle around the corner. As I broke around the bend two herons went off their high perches. I could hear air rush around their wings as they headed down river as they always do...they will wait again for me to get an "uncomfortable" distance from them before they fly off again. They are prehistoric looking, terradactyl like and remain cautiously indifferent to my presence...the carp is like like that, they let you get just close enough to admire them and then in a cloud of silt they defy your arrival. On this day he decided to entertain a guest...and entertain he did.
< Message edited by anadromous -- 8/22/2008 12:36:50 PM >
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Out of character carp... - 
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