I hope this edition finds everyone healthy and enjoying the up and down summer weather. Here in the North East of the country we have had several weeks of hot and humid weather which with it brings a high barometric air pressure; not the best conditions to catch carp. I’m not much of a hot weather fan anyway so I prefer to put in the hours at work and look forward to the small windows of time where stormy weather comes through and the fishing conditions improve. I also bank the hours at work and with the family so I can take time off when the opportunity arises.
In this online edition we have several CAG reviews, with Spring contests such as the Big 4 and Essence of Carping as well as news on new CAG State additions and a couple of regional events. We also highlight the upcoming CCC which will once again take place on the Hudson river. For feature articles we highlight a great event that takes place in upstate New York and introduces the younger generation and we also have arti-
cles featuring anglers highlighting sessions and tactics.
As always we rely on our members contributions and I want to thank everyone; both past and present who has contributed to this magazine over the years. Without your input the magazine would cease to exist.
Hope you all enjoy this edition and as always, if anyone would like to contribute; please send any communications or materials to naca@carpanglersgroup.com
Dean Brookes Editor in Chief
There is a lot happening at CAG! We just completed another great Spring BIG 4 event, are looking forward to the Junior International Carp Tournament on the St Lawrence River later in July and already getting sign-ups for the 2021 CCC on the Hudson River near Coxsackie NY in September. We also have a new CAG homepage, a leaner and more navigable forum for members only and best of all a tremendous upsurge in new members!
One area that continues to concern me is the assertion (seen recently on some T-Shirts and forum discussions) that common carp (Cyprinus carpio) are a ‘non-invasive’ species. Invasive refers to a non- native species that causes environmental impacts or detriment to local native species. We need to be very careful as carp (along with other fish species in the USA including LMB, Rainbow trout, Brown Trout and Asian carp variants such as silver & big head) can be considered ‘invasive’ in some areas. CAG continues to push hard for better protection of trophy sized carp (primarily from bowfishing and stocking transfers from wild waters) but we also need to recognize that in some states there are localized issues that require management, often as a result of large populations of smaller carp. If we insist on using the ‘non-invasive’ terminology then we are very likely to alienate ourselves from State fishery and other organizations which may impact our efforts to protect trophy fish. Instead we must focus on highlighting carp angling as an enjoyable and rapidly growing sport, our continued desire to see protection for trophy carp waters (where they usually co-exist with other trophy sized fish species) and promote catch & release trophy carp angling as an economic benefit for local businesses.
As a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting trophy carp and welcoming newcomers to catch & release carp fishing we truly rely on the dedication and support from all our volunteers. My thanks, as always, to our Directors and State Chairs for all that you continue to do for this amazing group. If you would like to be a more active participant then please feel free to reach out to me as we are always looking for more help!
Iain Sorrell CAG President
A 1/4 page advert starts from as little as $45 and includes a live link to your webpage or become a Business Supporter and get a Full Page advert in each NACA plus a web banner link on the CAG Website and Forums for only $300 / year.
For more information email us to naca@carpanglersgroup.com
New Appointments!
CAG is delighted to welcome three new State Chairs.
Domenic Firestone – State Chair Pennsylvania
Domenic is one our youngest recruits. He is not only eager to share the fun of carp fishing with others but equally enjoys learning more about this great sport.
Erik Taylor – State Chair Kentucky
Erik recently worked with local fish & wildlife to film a segment on carp fishing for Kentucky Afield that has already had over 17K views!
You can see it here! https://www.facebook.com/KentuckyAfieldTV/videos/801279000749895
Laine Dillard – State Chair Florida
Originally from Alabama, Laine now lives close to the only common carp fishing in Florida and is making the most of the excellent opportunities!
Welcome Domenic, Erik and Laine and thanks for becoming the latest in a long line of great ambassadors for catch and release carp fishing in North America!
CAG members are invited to submit photographs that capture what is unique and exciting about carp fishing in North America.
Each month the winner will receive a special prize plus recognition for two runners up.
The photos do not have to be of someone holding a fish (this is NOT a Trophy fish competition) but they should be recognizable as being related to carp or buffalo fishing in North America and should reflect the capture of a special moment.
The ‘essence’ of carp fishing in North America might memorialize a remarkable scale pattern, someone’s first carp, a group of friends fishing together, a spectacular sunset, time of year or perhaps a dramatic background or landscape.
The judges will be fellow members who should pay particular attention to the subject matter and composition and not just the photographic or editing skills. In the event of a tie or any disputes the CAG BOD will be the final arbitrator.
Each month we’ll announce a winner and Award a prize or voucher (worth $100) with the winning photo appearing in a forthcoming NACA magazine as well as the CAG Forum Site and Facebook page. The top 3 will also receive CAG Medals.
The Rules:
The entrant must be a Full CAG Member & the owner of any copyright to the photograph.
An entrant may submit a maximum of TWO photos only in each month.
The photograph must have been taken in the submission month (final date for submissions is 24 hours after the end of each month)
All fish photos must demonstrate appropriate carp care and catch & release
Each submission must include the following details:
1. The type of device (e.g. camera or phone) used.
2. The date the photo was taken.
3. Location (nearest Town and State).
4. Your Name
5. Photo Title (e.g. Mirror Magic, Waiting for the Bite etc)
Entries should be submitted to the “CAG Essence of Carping Competition” under the appropriate “Month” below.
Entrants agree that CAG may use or display a submitted photo on the CAG website and Social Media resources.
APRIL WINNERS
1st
- Michael Huffman
2nd - Kirk Suedmeyer
3Rd - Joseph Venable
MAY WINNERS
1ST - (MO) Carper - Kirk Suedmeyer
2nd - Jerome Moisand
3RD - Michael Huffman
1ST
- Daniel Swartout
JUNE WINNERS
2nd (TIE) - Nathan Head
2nd (TIE) - Robert Michalik
3RD - Dave Pickering
2021 CAG Carp Classic
Saturday September 25th
Location: Hudson River, NY
Peg Locations*: Coxsackie Riverside Park, Dutchmans Landing & Catskill Point
Friday Sept 24 2021
Meet and Greet: At the Pegasus Restaurant from 5:00 pm
A Bar-B-Que will be available in the parking lot 4pm-8pm!
The Dinner, Awards & Raffle will be held at the Pegasus Restaurant
Pegasus Restaurant
10885 St. Rte 9w, Coxsackie NY 12051
http://www.pegasuson9w.com 518-731-9200
The Peg draw and Scale Certification will be done at CHRISSY’s Diner. 11830 Route 9w, West Coxsackie NY 12192. The only red light in Coxsackie turn onto Rt 385 (Mansion St), pull around behind the building to the large parking lot.
They will be open for breakfast @ 6:00 if anyone wants to grab a bite before the fishing starts. She will also make lunches to go!
Certification will be from 6:00 to 7:00. Peg draw @ 7:00.
If your coming to the meet and greet on Friday you can also get your scale certified then.
Local Places to Stay!
Holiday Inn Express 518-719-1999
Best Western ... 518-731-8300 800-528-1234
21b Motel …… 518-731-2721
* Pegs subject to final confirmation
2021 CCC Awards
The awards will be consistent with the CCC tradition:
- The North American Champion trophy will be awarded to the angler with the four fish with the greatest total weight (big 4)
- Additional trophies will be given to each section winner (big 4). In case of ties, see the rules in the previous post.
- The North Amerian Carp King Jeweled Belt Buckle will be awarded to the angler catching the single heaviest carp.
In addition, we will have Special Awards for the angler landing the First Fish, and for the angler catching the Biggest Combined Total-Weight.
CAG Raffle
Pan Handling for Carp in Florida!
Iain Sorrell
In the midst of the pandemic and on a cold Connecticut April morning we handed over the keys to the new owners of our home for the past 18 years and headed south to live in SW Florida. While I eagerly looked forward to some new adventures chasing Everglades saltwater species like snook, tarpon & speckled trout I also knew that there are no common carp locally. In fact the nearest common carp were only to be found some 480 miles north in the Florida Panhandle!
My last carp in capture in April 2020
It had been a l-on-g 14 months since I caught my last carp on April 17th 2020.
My plan had been to head to the Florida panhandle in early Spring once I’d been vaccinated but I also knew that fishing the Apalachicola River was very much dependent on water releases from the Lake Seminole.
So I’d ear-marked some dates in April & May, got the carp gear dusted off and put together some baits ready to go as soon at the conditions were favorable.
Local Angler with 12-14’ bamboo pole
Sadly the weather didn’t co-operate and my plans were thwarted by high water levels and out flows. I really wanted to put 4 fish on the CAG Spring BIG 4 leaderboard and as the June 15th deadline loomed on the horizon I checked the river conditions and contacted local angler Laine Dillard for an update on the fishing.
After some messaging back and forth and Laine’s promise of a home made chicken tikka marsala ‘The Stage’ was set! In no time I had the truck loaded with anything and everything I might ever need and set off Northwards.
The journey was relatively easy and after about 7 hours drive I crossed the Apalachicola River and turned on to a dirt road to check out and bait a swim I planned to fish in a couple of days’ time. Several local anglers were sat there with 12-14’ long cane poles (which very much reminded me of UK match fishing poles) fishing for ‘bream’ which in the southern stats is a generic term for bluegills, sunfish etc.
Rather than show my ‘hand’ I decided to postpone baiting up and headed further down river to meet up with Laine.
After negotiating some windy and ‘unmarked’ back roads I finally found the spot for the night. We set up on the outside of a wide ‘hair-pin’ bend in the river that will one day become an oxbow lake. A nice back eddy over a gently sloping sandy bottom to a ‘shelf’ some 40 yds out (beyond which the main current runs), makes it ideal for baiting up and intercepting cruising carp.
Laine kindly put me on a prime position and after ‘leading’ around to check for any significant features or snags I picked a likely spot and started mixing up a favorite method mix of regular oats, Vitalin, dried molasses and creamed corn. The rigs were my simple go to for most US River systems. A 3oz in-line lead on a 24-30” sinking leader attached to a quick clip swivel to allow easy changes of hooklinks. A 3 – 4” hook link with a #6 SSBP beaked hook (to avoid gravel or stones blunting the point) tied with 25lb sinking braid.
For baits I use almost any 12 – 15mm barrel wafter or a combo of sinking and floating grains of
Enterprise imitation corn on the hair tied so the bait just hangs below the bend of the hook.
Simple but effective rigs!
The Apalachicola River
I molded a fist sized method ball around the lead and cast out. On most rivers I usually avoid fishing more than two rods. In my mind it simply avoids too many lines in the water and the risk of getting tangled up while playing a fish.
About an hour later the Delkim on my left hand rod beeped a couple of times and then signaled a steady run. After a spirited battle I was holding my first carp in over 14 months, my first fish of the Spring BIG 4 tournament and my first ever caught in Florida! At 17lb it wasn’t going to win me any prizes but it really didn’t matter. I was absolutely cock-a-hoop!
Laine and I both had a few fish before the bite tailed off around midnight. In need of sleep I wound in my rods and serenaded by crickets, tree frogs and several Barred owls hooting and sqwarking in the surrounding trees soon nodded off.
My first carp in over 14 months
At around 5am I woke and with very little light pollution looked up to see a star filled sky. Such are the joys of being in the country and far away from city illuminations.
I molded some method around the leads and cast out, waited a couple of minutes before winding back in and repeating once more. This ensured there was some ‘chum’ in the swim and I settled in confident we’d see more action as the dawn broke. It wasn’t long before a few fish began rolling in and around the baited area.
After a minute of so the line began to move again and as I wound back down was relieved to be clear of the obstruction. This fish clearly felt quite a bit bigger and turned out to be my first Florida twenty at 25lb 12oz.
Like many of the fish we caught this common bore some scars and tail damage possibly from encounters with gar or even alligators.
A steady run had me on the rod in a flash but it felt like the line was rubbing against something and even though I could feel some steady thumps from the fish the line become stuck fast. Instead of pulling for break I stripped off some line and let everything go slack and kept my fingers crossed.
We continued fishing until around noon when a freshening wind and the sound of thunder plus an increasingly ominous weather radar persuaded us to pack up for the day. After a stop at a local supermarket and bite to eat in a nearby cafe Laine headed home and I drove to Snead and the appropriately named Lake Seminole Inn for a well earned rest and to ride out the storm.
My new PB Florida Common at 25lb
Laine with a gorgeous fin perfect common
Lake Seminole Inn was an ideal place to stay
Woodruff Dam
Once the storm finally petered out around 7pm I made the short drive down to the swim I had planned to fish near the Woodruff Dam to bait up.
The steep sand banks are mostly tree lined and well grooved by the rain run-off. The main river flow appeared to be running from an outlet on the dam along the far bank but just above my swim and about 40yds out was a significant upwelling of water. I’m not sure where this water comes from but it certainly helps create a significant eddy with water moving ‘upstream’ towards the dam. I plumbed the depths and discovered the river bank dropped straight off into 12’ of water! Since carp often follow the margin contours it was an easy choice on where to bait up! A 5 gallon bucket of Cattle Range Cubes mixed with sweet corn and Sweetcorn Particle Syrup was tossed in about 30 yds ‘up-steam’ as ‘chum’. I sat and watched the water for a while and it wasn’t long before fish began to crash on the surface. I was really looking forward to fishing tomorrow!
Chum Mix - Cattle Cubes, Sweetcorn and a ‘slow release’ syrup
An early start saw me parked well before first light and carrying gear down to the swim. Once again I baited up with more of the ‘chum’ I’d used the night before and it wasn’t long before fish soon began crashing in the swim.
I had barely put the rod in the pod after my first cast at 6:30 am when it roared off and I was soon battling a strong fish. I was actually a little disappointed as a low double came into the net. It had fought like a much bigger fish and, as I was about to find out, this would be the norm for the rest of the day. I recast and just managed to get the second rod out before the next run. By 7am I had landed 3 fish all low to mid doubles. My tally at 7:30 am was 5 fish with the biggest running at 16lb. When you hook & battle hard fighting fish almost directly under the rod tip in 12’ of water it puts a lot of strain on your arms!
As the action continued unabated over the next few hours I decided to fish just one rod. Almost as soon as I cast out I would get another run! The temperature and humidity climbed steadily with the morning sun and I was soon drenched in sweat.
I could only manage 4 or 5 fish before having to wind in and sit in the shade to rehydrate & recover for half an hour! When the runs come thick and fast like this it is often fun and informative to try out different things.
So I fished with & without method, tried every flavor of wafter I had with me, a couple of pop-ups and then finally just two grains of imitation corn. And still the runs kept coming! At one stage in the early afternoon the fishing slowed and so I put out the second rod only to have two simultaneous runs! After some rod juggling and somehow managing to avoid any tangles I successfully steered both fish into the net.
By 4pm I’d had enough! The final tally was 31 fish which considering the frequent breaks could have been way higher if I’d hadn’t been totally exhausted. Even though the fish were mostly low to mid doubles (plus two low twenties) they battled furiously. I lost only 3 fish. One to a hook pull and the other two to being cut off on a snag.
A 21lb common from below the Woodruff Dam
After a much-needed rest and something to eat I headed back down that same evening (once another storm had passed through) to bait up ready for a couple of hours and a final session with Laine the next morning.
Just as on the previous day fish were crashing over the baited area and it wasn’t long before we both had fish on.
Although not as fast and furious the action continued steadily and by 9am it was time for me to wind in, grab a quick shower at the motel and then get on the road for the journey home.
It had been a truly memorable experience fishing the Apalachicola, catching my first carp in over a year as well as my first Florida carp.
A big shout out to Laine for helping me plan this trip and pointing me to a couple of very productive swims. If you are headed to this area be sure to contact him.
A nice fish to finish the trip!
Laine with solid 24lb common.
A local stray making friends
I can recommend the Lake Seminole Inn in Snead. It is just 5 minutes from the Apalachicola River and the Woodruff dam. A nice clean room with the key essentials – comfortable bed, shower, hot water, desk, fridge, TV, microwave & internet. Not bad for $50 + tax per night. You can park directly in front of the room which helps when keeping tackle etc in the vehicle overnight. There is also an ice machine on site.
The banks are very sandy (a mix of very fine to quite coarse grains) and it get’s absolutely everywhere! A soft brush helps remove it from tackle, feet etc and will limit the amount you end up taking home with you in your car or truck. It is also essential to thoroughly wash reels, rods, nets etc. I also ran a vacuum over my alarms to prevent them getting damaged.
The river also holds some big blue cats
This Is the Carp Anglers Group
John L. Torchick
Four elements have been mentioned as inherent to the Carp Anglers Group. They are friends, fellowship, food and fish. The first two reflect the foundation of the group. Someone made the comment that a friend is a stranger you haven’t met. There are three that have had an influence on me.
Willem van Schalkwyk, extended an invitation to fish with him at Kingston, Tennessee in October 2012. I was totally new to carp fishing, knowing only what I gleaned from the CAG website. After arriving at the boat ramp under Interstate 40 and making the introductions, Willem called school into session.
First on the list was the mix of instant grits, quick grits and creamed corn. The exact proportions were necessary for the mix to stick together when cast on a gripper lead and then break down properly. He demonstrated the latter by dropping a small ball of grits mix in the water next to the boat ramp. He watched it break down rather quickly, meeting his quality standards. I still have a photo of the grits.
The rods, reels, rod pod, alarms, back leads, mat and weighing sling were all new to me. I had fished for many years but never saw anything like this. Again, he patiently described each item, and what it was for and how it worked. He cast out the rods, turned on the alarms, set the back leads, and sat back. During this interlude, he stated that people from Europe fish this area due to the big carp. An alarm notified us that we had a run, interrupting our reverie. He graciously told me it was my fish. My first three official carp weighed exactly 33 pounds. I was hooked and addicted, all at the same time.
The next day, I discovered I could start off with tackle I already had, but the bug bit me, causing a tremendous reaction. The result was an accumulation of Euro style tackle- rods, quality baitrunner
reels (courtesy of Willem), rod pod, unhooking mat, net, weighing sling, tripod and an assortment of terminal tackle. I joined CAG that same month. This first bank session was the basis of an article written about the Euro style of carp fishing, appearing in Fur-Fish-Game, March 2020.
How many of us would have friends that live in different cities or states? Just after I joined CAG, I was on the old forum and corresponding with a fellow in Georgia. A few threads and posts resulted a friendly rapport with Barry Shildneck who is the Georgia state chair. After some time, we decided to fish together and if my memory is correct, we first met here in Tennessee. He has shared lots of carp fishing lore which tips heavily in his favor as he has fished for carp for about 50 years.
Our past emails and personal meetings on a bank somewhere had us sharing a lot of our background. We keep in touch on a regular basis with the latest emails about various and sundry things.
Just after meeting, he graciously shared his recipe for grits packbait, or as Barry calls it, forever grits as it doesn’t ferment like canned corn-based mixes. Other recipes from Barry and other CAG members are printed and kept in a file for quick reference.
I think Tony Locke and I met at one of Barry’s fish-ins a few years ago. Tony has taught me what is termed as “the Queen’s English.” Sharing colloquialisms relative to the Americans and the British has been an education in itself. When we started fishing together, both in Georgia and Tennessee,
Tony introduced me to feeder cages and quiver rods. Since this was new to me, it opened a new way to catch carp. I don’t have a quiver rod…yet. He was, and still is, very patient to describe his tackle (kit), what he uses and why he uses it. Cages, DIY and bought, have been added to my carp fishing wagon.
Tony has been intrigued by a local venue, catching lots of fish including carp, buffalo, catfish, bluegill, two log perch and one yellow bass. The last two fish were caught on a feeder cage!
These times together have forged a friendship that has been built over the years and I anticipate that this will continue to grow. Sharing past experiences in education, family and fishing sets a common bond for us.
A prime example of CAG members stepping up to the plate was a recent post. Aniq Sajjad said his son had a lightweight rod and wanted to reel to complete the combination. Several CAG members offered a reel or recommended a good reel for him. CAG members stepped up to fill a tackle inventory.
How many who are reading this have asked questions on the members’ Facebook page or the forum? How many have willingly shared their expertise and experience on the forum, on the FB page or while sharing bank space? I try to view as many posts as possible as no one is immune to learning something new. An old dog can learn new tricks. If I had a dime for each question and answer, I could retire in outrageous luxury and build my own carp lake.
Each person I met in the past was a stranger to me at first, but the first meeting developed into some type of friendship, either on the bank somewhere, through the CAG forum and Facebook page. Their names and what they have shared will remain for a long, long time. Carp fishing, friends and friendships go together like cake, ice cream and hot fudge topping. OK, I just had to mention the fourth part of carp fishing- food.
Each time I have shared some bank space with others, I learn something new. I also try to pass along what I have learned. Once, a question was posed to professional golfer, Lee Trevino. The question revolved about winning a certain tournament. He declared that even if he doesn’t win a tournament, he makes friends and that makes him a winner every time. Even if I don’t catch a carp, I guess I’m still a winner, too.
Yankee Challenge
Sam Williams
On June 26, the Carp Anglers Group held the Second Leg of their Yankee Challenge Carp Competition on the Hudson River at Selkirk. The two teams, one from Connecticut and the other New York States.
New York Team
Scoring was done on a points system computing both the number of fish caught and the total weight of the catch.
The New York team, led by Dan Swartout’s two carp weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces and 5 pounds, 9 ounces end up the winners with notable catches for the New York team including Mark Rakitovan’s at 18 pounds 5ounces and Brian Vedder’s at 18 pounds 4ounces
Connecticut Team
Dan Swartout with a nice common
For the Connecticut team, Brian Santos caught his personal best common at 21 pounds,1 ounce, and Steve Clow at 20 pounds, 6 ounces.
Brian Santos with a PB
Points were deducted for catching a catfish and the Connecticut team had the misfortune of catching a total of six!
Steve Clow with a nice twenty
Karl Pulaski with a small river common
The Top Ten Winners received Gift Vouchers to spend on the tackle of their choice with our long running supporter Big Carp Tackle.
Each Regional Winner won a Photo Plaque.
The winner of the Big Common was Ryan Munn with a magnificent beast of 43lb 12oz, while the Big Mirror honors went to Adam Tomlin with a beautiful fish of 28lb 6oz. Each received a prize of $150 voucher from Orient Tackle To
I f irst saw Dan Sw art out on a f ishing app, I'v e seen his capt ures. He had great shot s at dif f erent angles. I m et him on Oct ober 22nd at t he N Y f ish-in at Dut chm an's Landing. To m e he is a t rue A m erican F isherm an, He has t he m agic t ouch and cat ches all dif f erent species of f ish.
A nd t he reason I'm here is because t o m e you're a unique angler, you'v e got t he k nack , w herev er you do you cat ch, w hat ev er it is, St riped Bass, crappies, sunf ish, Musk y and carp w herev er you go, and you're also a f un charact er. So m y quest ion is, how long hav e you been f ishing?
Dans r eply:
I
' ve been f is hing s inc e pr obably w hen I w as f ive year s old, w hen I w as able to hold a r od, , and I ' ve been doing it ever s inc e, I enjoy it and it jus t s eems to get mor e and mor e intens if ied eac h year that goes on
S a m ’ s Qu e stio n wh e re y o u 're f ish in g a sp e c if ic sp e c ie s wh e n y o u sta rte d ?
Dans r eply:
w hen I or iginally s tar ted at s uc h a young age I mean it w as mor e of an adir ondac k thing s o per c h, panf is h and lar ge mouth bas s . And, I ' ve been f is hing f or c ar p, I ' d s ay 30 year s and my pas s ion f or that has gr ow n over the year s .
S a m ’ s Qu e stio n
S o wh e re d id th e id e a o f c a tc h in g c a rp c o me f ro m?
Dan r eply:
J us t being dow n on the s hor eline you know one day and I w as f is hing f or c atf is h, w ith a Nightc r aw ler and all of a s udden I got this big tug on my line and it took of f like a r oc ket And all of a s udden, I ' m f ighting and 15 minutes later, it' s jus t by the s hor eline and I looked dow n in the w ater I w as jus t amazed by this thing, I mean it w as gigantic it w as all gold, and I landed it and f r om that day on I w as jus t like w ow I c ould f is h f or thes e things , ar e they her e or is it jus t a f luke, you know w hat I mean w hen I r ealized that they w er e in our w ater s ys tem but it' s like hell im f is hing f or this thing.
S a m ’ s Qu e stio n :
h o w d id y o u le a rn a b o u t d o u g h b a lls, f o r e x a mp le , wh e re d o y o u g
tc h c a rp ?
Dans Reply:
Dough balls I lear ned f r om the inter net, I w ent on ther e, looking f or dif f er ent w ays of c atc hing the c ar p.
Sam’s Question:
Was there anybody else who inf luenced you to catch carp as well?
Dans Reply:
I did have a buddy of mine, his name w as Bill J enkins
I s at dow n w ith him You know w hen I w as younger and s tuf f like that, he pas s ed a lot on to be about the c ar p. He w as the s ame w ay you know dough balls c or n c or nmeal f lour, s tuf f like that But to r eally get into it mor e, I mean, I w ould s ay I w as r eading up on inter net w is e, and magazines
Sams’s Question:
Where did the idea of using a method f eeder come f rom?
Dans Reply
I think w hat happened is I r ealized that I w as us ing homemade dough balls and I w as us ing c or n and s tuf f like that And to me, I mean I w as n' t happy w ith the s ituation I w as in bec aus e I w as n' t us ing the Hair r igs I w as us ing r egular tr out hooks , and I f eel w ith thos e hooks w er e w r apped in dough, you w er e not getting a pr oper hook s et. I f eel like a lot w er e being hooked a little bit too f ar in the thr oat and I w as n' t happy w ith that s ituation. So I dec ided to s w itc h up tac tic s , and I c ame
ac r os s that hair r ig and I ' m f as c inated by the w ay it w or ks and how it is c aught ins ide of the mouth. And I s ay I s tar ted doing that I w ant to s ay maybe 15 year s bac k about w hen I s tar ted r eading up on it bec aus e they w er e s tar ting to get popular I exper imented a lot bac k in the day, w ith jus t r egular br aid, And I w ould jus t tie my ow n hair r igs and they w or k per f ec tly f ine And to be hones t w ith you. We didn' t have s topper s over her e like you know w hat I mean like the s topper s that you put on, s o don' t s lide of f So w hat I w ould do is I w ould f ind a ver y long piec e of har d gr as s and then I w ould s nip of f a ver y f ine piec e of it at the bottom of the r oot bas e and I w ould s lide that thr ough that thr ough the loop on the end of the hair r ig, s o the boilie w on' t f all of f you know, and then eventually you know, I s or t of r ealized that hey I c an get thes e things , w ith time but I mean I w as n' t r eally getting into the s topper s and all that I ’ m ac tually jus t now tr ying to exper iment w ith Ronnie Rigs and D r igs w ith s w ivels and I mean that' s all new to me I ' ve been doing hair r ig s tr ic tly mos t of the time, and then maybe putting a s plit s hot on the bottom of it if I w as us ing a popup. But mainly mor e of a method f eeder, you know, and I ' m ver y s uc c es s f ul, you know I love
Sam Question:
How did get interesting with CA G
I ' ve alw ays been f as c inated by Bar r y How ar d. Bar r y, I bumped into him a c ouple times on the r es er voir, and I ' ve hear d about him ar ound tow n and I w ant it to be r eally bad but s eem like I w ould be in a s ituation w her e I w as s omew her e els e. He w as s omew her e els e. And I knew that he is a Dir ec tor of CAG or he, you know that he w as r unning the CAG s tor e and I hear d about it. And then I think I s aid to Br ian Vedder about at one time, and Br ian s aid, Well, w e' r e in this gr oup, and you' r e mor e than w elc ome to s ign up and join, and I w as like, All r ight, w ell I ' ll give it a s hot, and Br ian and I w er e dow n at Coxs ac kie boat launc h having a s es s ion.
And I w as blow n aw ay by this guy. Well, I f inally got the meet and I w as jus t blow n out of the w ater by the guy. You know w hat I mean w e talked f or an hour or s o about how he' s f is hing over the year s and it w as f unny bec aus e he s ays oh, I ' ve hear d s o muc h about you too.
I ' ve been w anting to meet up w ith you als o. And you know w hat I mean, las t time I mean it w as jus t c ool it w as jus t like you know w hat I mean. I pr obably s ay, betw een Br ian and Bar r y, I mean they intr oduc ed me to the CAG. And I w ent one night on Fac ebook and I s tar ted s c r olling thr ough and I w as like w ow thes e ar e my guys thes e ar e, thes e, thes e ar e my people, you know w hat I mean w e all w e all s har e the s ame pas s ion.
And that' s w hen I s aid okay I ' m gonna join this gr oup, I did and I ' m happy that I did bec aus e I ' ve met a lot of gr eat, gr eat people along the w ay you know I ' ve been the one that w e had dow n in Oc tober 22nd 2020 f is hin I mean that blew my mind, that w as like, it w as aw es ome to all get together and s ee that I ' m not the only one that s har es the pas s ion like w e all do. And I love that.
Sam question
Can you explain on your approach to photos and your short v ideos of your captures? Did you ev er think about photographing ev erything, or has it just been recently, I mean lik e, when a f ishbrain app came along it was easy, you tak e a picture of yourself
Dans r eply
Yeah, I ' ve alw ays photogr aphed my f is h, no matter w hat they ar e. s o that w ay I c an go bac k in time and be like w ell yeah I w ant to s ign that date or w hatever I w as n' t, I w as n' t taking photos w ith the app I w as ac tually taking photos and then f ixing them up like I ' ve done w ith your photos
I ' ll edit it dow n and s tuf f like that and then I ' ll pos t them on c er tain s ites , you know, but I ' ve alw ays been into photogr aphy I mean that' s been a pas s ion of mine you' ve s een it w her e I ' m like it' s all about the angle, you know, w hen you w er e doing the video I ' ll be that one day, Br ian. Give him the phone w hen he know s w hat I ' m talking about
Can you explain what you were wanting. I k new B rain was trying to get the photos and v ideo but wasn't getting it, how you wanted to come out Can you explain what you were trying to achiev e?
Dans Reply:
I w ant you to f eel like you' r e r ight ther e on the s hor eline w ith me taking that photo. I w ant you to f eel like you' r e s tanding r ight ther e w itnes s ing that f is h c ome out of the w ater I ' m holding it ther e f or you to s ee T hat' s w hy I tr ied to take the angles of the s hots that I take.
Sam Question
Can you explain the quick pop up surprise v ideo?
i have the c r adle and f lip of f f lap the c ar p c omes out, bec aus e I w anted the audienc e to s ee them and w e' r e w atc hing it to be s ur pr is ed like w ow, w hat' s he got it ther e, he' s dumping w ater in ther e What' s he gonna pull out today, w hat I mean is it gonna be a mir r or ?, c ommon? Or a ghos t c ar p ther e?. I t' s kind of like, s us pens e, like oh my god he' s opening up the c r adle, w hat' s that, w hat' s he got
I ns tead of jus t tur ning on a video and her e I am holding the f is h. T her e' s r eally no build up to the s us pens e of the thing, I w ant to br ing that tr ue beauty of that f is h r ight to you, I w ant you to s ee that I don' t w ant you jus t s ome blur r y, dr aw n out unf oc us ed photo and be like oh it' s jus t another r egular c ar p to ac tually be up and c los e and and br ing out the detail and ever ything of that f is h. I t makes you f eel like you' r e r ight ther e, that' s w hy I take the photos I take I w ant you to f eel like you' r e the c amer a man like you' r e the one holding that c amer a you took that s hot
Sam Question
L ast Question f or you. I 'v e been f ishing with you f or a f ew times together Out of nowhere you come out saying E shhhk a Cahboshk a then all of sudden bang your rods goes of f What's the magic words mean?
Dans r eply
I ts jus t a w ay of talking to the f is h gods talking to all about s ending me that big f is h, I t' s an I ndian c hant
Take a Kid Karpin’ Tournament
By Bill & Diane Markle
Our 3rd annual Take a Kid Karpin’ Event was held on June 26, 2021. Having an event like this was a dream of mine ever since Jerome Moisand held the CAG Take a Kid Carpin’ events years ago.
After several smaller events over the years, in 2018 the Wild Carp Club of Central New York hosted the Jaden Ruble Take a Kid Karpin’ Event, which drew over 50 kids at Longbranch Park near Syracuse.
The event that year was simply a fun fishing day, in memory of a club member’s daughter who had loved to carp fish. At least half of the kids at this event landed a fish, with the help of club members, on the Seneca River that day. We also had information on all kinds of fishing, environmental information, and crafts for the kids. While we were happy with the inaugural event, we knew that we could improve it the following year.
In 2019, we changed the format to an actual tournament. We moved to another location within Longbranch Park, with less poison ivy and a bank that was easier to navigate than the previous year. We planned for the same in 2020, but Covid put a stop to that. We’ve continued the format for 2021, and we make minor changes each year as we learn more about what works and what doesn’t.
Each team of 4-5 kids, aged 7-16, is placed with a Wild Carp Club of CNY pro who sets up prior to the tournament start. The pro ensures that each kid takes turns fighting fish.
We pre-chum the venue on the Thursday and Friday ahead of the event with about 200 pounds of cooked corn in a 600-foot stretch of river. Winning teams (gold, silver and bronze) are determined by total weight.
There are also medals for biggest fish (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and biggest mirror carp. All anglers get a medal for participating, and each angler gets a certificate with their biggest fish listed. This format seems to work well, and this year each of the 27 kids landed a fish. The largest was 28 pounds 8 ounces, and the smallest was 5 pounds 7 ounces.
We also serve lunch (about 100 hot dogs!) and have some snacks and treats, as well as drinks, available throughout the day. And we still have all kinds of information available, a lawn casting game, and alternate activities (coloring, crafts) for younger kids who get bored.
The emphasis for the day is on fun. We try to keep things flexible, so teams and pros can be adjusted during the day to ensure everyone has a good experience. Just to add to the excitement, we drew an angler’s name at the end of the day for a Baby Yoda Lego set. It was quite a hit!
We had two sponsors for the event this year –Ripper Nutrition, and Cerio Law Offices. We also partnered this year with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, who had a representative there to share information on mental health resources that are available for all ages. Our club is hoping to take part in the Syracuse area Out of the Darkness Walk in October and is raising money for Team Jaden from now until then, to support the AFSP’s mission.
Suicide Prevention Information - https://afsp.org/
This event could not happen without the help of many Wild Carp Club of CNY members, most of whom are also CAG members. Also, a huge shoutout to my detail-oriented wife for organizing most of the stuff that didn’t take place along the bank. We’re planning to spread out the work a little more efficiently next year – delegating was something of a challenge without in-person club meetings this year!
If anyone is interested in holding an event like this, I would be more than happy to answer questions or share my experiences. I can be reached at bmarkle60@gmail.com .
Dave Pickering, RI State Chair
In RI we run a lot of our own state tournaments. One of our most popular tournaments is our RI CAG Spring Big 3. We run this tournament from April to the end of June. Our members who want to take part enter their biggest carp for each month. We add the weights up for the three months and that becomes the point total. All fish must be caught in RI waters and all carp must be released in good shape. The top three winners are given engraved medals purchased by CAG.
Our RI CAG Big 3 Tournament has recently ended, and as usual our guys and gals entered some pretty impressive fish. The leaderboard was really shuffled around in June as Tom Perron, one of our most steady big fish guys, moved up from 4th to third with a 15 lb. 9 oz. mirror. Jeff Henderson also made a big move from 5th to 3rd place by catching an impressive 24 lb. common. Our leader all along, Brian Savage, remained in 1st place with a big 19 lb., 6 oz. mirror.
The top three finishers will receive engraved medals purchased by CAG. The final standings along with the weights of the fish are listed below:
1st
(Gold medal)- Brian Savage - 31/10 + 23/11 + 19/6= 74/11
2nd
(Silver medal)- Tom Perron- 13/2 + 16/2 + 15/9 =44/13
(Bronze medal)- Jeff Henderson- 20 + 24 = 44
4.- Laura Mitchell- 15/13 + 19/2 + 8 = 42/15
5.- Manny Dias- 16/8 + 24/8 = 41
6.- Eddie Taylor- 15
&How to Use Them! Back-Leads
By Iain Sorrell
Back-Leads are a very useful addition to a tackle box but they need to be used carefully and with a good knowledge of what is between your rig and your rod tip! In their most basic form they are a weight that, after casting out, can be clipped onto and slid down the mainline to keep the line close to the bottom.
Here are just some of the ways they can be useful:
• Counteract Undertow & Rig Drag.
• Stop Braided lines floating up and hanging in midwater.
• Keep line away from the rig end while Margin Fishing.
• Prevent Fish Spooking off lines.
• Pin line down and avoid tangles with your other lines when playing fish.
• Help prevent weed, leaves and other debris catching in your line.
• Avoid boats or other watercraft tangling with your lines
Typical Back-Lead Scenarios
Shallow water fishing.
If the area you are fishing is very shallow (3-4’) then a back-lead can help to keep the line pinned to the bottom so as not to spook fish roaming around the swim. Just use as light a back-lead as needed.
Boat traffic
A back-lead can be invaluable if you have problems with boat traffic. They can help overcome effects of wave action from wakes or worse lines getting caught in a motor prop. However you should be careful as a back-lead close to or under the rod tip can easily smother effective bite detection!
Surface Debris
When weed, leaves etc are drifting down river or blowing across the surface of a lake it can be a nightmare. A strategically placed back lead can help prevent this debris catching in the line.
Avoid Spooking Fish!
Carp can easily be spooked by swimming into lines in the water or seeing them close to the feeding area and hook baits. Position a back-lead to keep lines away from fish.
Avoid tangles with multiple rods.
A back-lead can also help when you are playing a fish by keeping the other lines pinned down to avoid tangles. This can be critical in shallow margins.
Margin fishing.
One potential issue when fishing deeper margins is having the line going almost directly down from the rod tip to the hook bait.
A small back-lead positioned a few feet back from the rig can help avoid carp patrolling the margins from tripping over and being spooked by the line.
Keep the rod tip pointed towards the back-lead and rig to ensure the best possible bite detection.
Undertow.
On larger waters even a moderate wind can create significant surface drift and corresponding underwater currents (undertow).
These currents can easily drag your lead & rig (especially when fishing at longer range) from the baited area.
A back-lead will help pin down your mainline (remember most braided line floats and is especially vulnerable) and reduce the chance of it creating line drag.
Types of Back-Leads
Flying Back Leads
These small conical shaped leads usually come with an inner & outer component & a small rubber bead. Each has a slot to allow them to be placed on the mainline (with the wide end towards the hook) and then rotated to keep them in place. The rubber bead is placed on the mainline before connecting to your swivel or leader and is designed to protect the knot. When you cast air resistance causes the flying back-lead to slide back up the line so it lands some 60-80% from the overall casting distance of the lead and hook rig to help pin the line to the bottom.
Running Back-Leads
Like a running back-lead they are attached to the line after casting but are also attached to a rod rest or other bankside retainer by a retention cord.
When you get a run a clip on the back-lead releases so there is no risk of them getting caught up etc.
As the back-lead is attached to a separate cord it allows them to be retrieved.
There are also some novel variations on the captive back-lead system like the Poseidon Anglesport
Multi Back-Lead System that allow you to adjust the height of your submerged mainline so that it will lift the line clear of weed beds or other obstructions.
These come in a variety of weights and sizes and are designed to be attached to the line AFTER casting out.
A large loop with a clip allows them to be easily attached to the mainline and then, by holding the rod up high, they can be slid down and away from the bank.
Running back leads should always be able to detach from the main line should they get caught in a snag or thick weed.
Captive Back-Lead
An Adjustable Back Lead is ideal for holding line above margin weeds.
Key Tips:
A flying back lead can help pin the line down near and out of contact with feeding fish in & around your rig, especially in shallow water.
A significant line angle down to a back-lead will inhibit bite detection. Always keep the rod tip pointed toward the rig with the tip, backlead and rig in as straight a line as possible.
Back-Lead Clips
Available from various tackle manufacturers these plastic clips allow you to create your own back-leads.
In deeper water minimize the angle between the rod tip and the back-lead by sliding it further out and away from the bank. This will help improve bite detection.
If a back-lead is not set up correctly a fish may kite or swim into a snag before it triggers your alarm. Always watch your rod tips for any line movement or changes in line angle!
And most important of all… You must know what’s in front of you!
It is no use threading on a back-lead and then running it down straight into a weed bed or snag.
Also they will not work if the line is being pulled down over a raised area between your rod and the rig or worse a zebra mussel coated underwater ridge!
So if you haven’t used back-leads before I hope this gives you some insight on how and when to use them and if you already have some then perhaps it this has given you some more ideas. Tight lines!
North America’s Longest Running Carp Organisation with a Dedicated Mission:
• To gain acceptance of the carp as an exciting and challenging sport-fish.
• To become better carp anglers, assist others and encourage them to join us.
• To treat the carp with respect, promote the release of trophy-size carp & encourage others to do the same.
• Most of all: Go fishing, Share with others, and have Fun.
As a member you will also be adding your voice & support to help CAG continue its efforts to work with State & other organizations to increase the recognition for carp as a sport fish to benefit the angling community
Member Benefits Include:
• Full CAG Forum Community Access
• Quartely NACA Magazine*
• Member Benefits
• CAG Apparel & Merchandise
• Fish-Ins, Events & Competitions
• New Member Tackle Pack *inc Printed Full Color Special Edition
/
Surface Fishing – A forgotten Art
By Dean Brookes
surface caught carp from the 90’s!
With the summer heat and humidity in full swing at the moment I find myself much preferring short sessions or night fishing. As I’m originally from the North of England I am not a lover of the sun, in fact I prefer the winter, which might sound strange but then again I’ve been called much worse over the years!
One tactic that seems to be very underused in the USA is surface fishing. Now many of you I am sure have used bread; either floating or sinking to stalk and catch carp.
I also utilize this method and have caught carp to over 40lbs doing exactly this as it’s a great technique to catch carp that are cruising or feeding in small groups. I’m sure some of you have even used dog or cat biscuits to catch carp off the surface, but I’d bet very few of you have ever used floating pellets!
An orange Koi carp that couldn’t resist floating pellets
Why use pellets? I have to go back to the early 1990’s when I was happily catching carp on bolt rigs and boilies. I was visiting ‘The Anglers Workshop’, which is owned by Kev Baines, who builds rods and generally gives out sage advice. He is also well known for telling you where you are going wrong!
In this case, he was asking why myself and my fishing partner were wasting our time sitting behind rods. He then proceeded to show us a large bag of floating trout pellets and over the next few hours described how they were best employed. Fast forward to the following week where I saw first hand exactly how effective they can be in the right situation. Let me explain.
A 30lb+ grass carp that inhaled a surface bait
Pellet Choice
Originally I was using floating trout pellets, approximately 4mm in diameter. However, I have used various sizes over the years to see if their effectiveness differs.
I have found that if you use solely larger sizes (8mm+) the carp will feed very similar to how they do with mixer biscuits; they will come up for one or two baits and then drop back down to cruise around. With the inclusion of 4mm and smaller pellets the carp eventually come to the surface and then stay on the surface! They basically swim around with their backs and mouths out of the water, sucking in the pellets.
A dog biscuit is a popular method to catch carp on the surface
I would be quite happy to fish with trout pellets, but I have found a much better and cheaper pellet that is easily ordered from a grain or feed store.
There may be other makes but my own personal choice is Purina Aqua Chow Pellets.
They are available in sizes from 200 to 800 and I generally order two sizes and then mix them up. Price wise they usually retail for $30-40 for a 25lb bag.
Purina aqua chow pellets come in several sizes and I like to mix them up with small and large
In a typical 2-4 hour session I will use around 2-3 gallons of pellets, but they are very versatile and you can add them to method mixes or scald them with hot water and form them into paste; I have also blended them into a powder and used them as a base mix for fishmeal boilies!
A cracking double figure Koi that was pre-occupied on surface pellets
Enhancing your Bait
The pellets on their own are excellent but if you want to give them a boost or if you have any duck weed present a simple dousing in oil will really help. Personally I use hemp or sesame oil. I will also add liquid/flavor to the pellets on occasions and a personal favorite is Spotted Fin Finamino. With the oil added the duck weed will disperse and if you have any wind on the water you will also be able to create a flat spot where the bait is located.
Feed Them before you Fish
Once the carp are up on the surface, cruising around and feeding heavily I am then happy to start fishing for them.
This does not mean that I will stop baiting. It’s almost impossible to overfeed the carp with these pellets and a bucket of 2-3 gallons usually sees me through a session.
I will keep up the baiting every 2-3 minutes and if I see the fish slow down I will increase the feeding! I will even continue feeding as I am playing a fish and it is not uncommon the see fish actively feeding next to a hooked carp as they become preoccupied.
On occasions when a fish is close in I will freeline a bait to them without feeding as you can sometimes get an instant result. However, when using the pellets correctly I am attempting to create competition amongst the carp and more importantly, confidence. If the fish are feeding warily they are much, much harder to fool.
The best way I have found to feed the pellets is with either a catapult or a throwing spoon. I will set myself up in an area where I can get the pellets to drift; this usually means you want to be on the back of any wind that is blowing. I will then feed them in regularly, every 2-3 minutes. This may go on for an hour or more until I get the feeding response I am looking for. It’s very tempting to cast in as soon as you see the fish feeding, BUT if you do you will most likely ruin your chances of catching more than one fish.
Pellets, oils and a selection of hook-baits
After regular feeding the fish are much easier to catch, demonstrated by this unique koi carp
After you have landed a fish you may notice the feeding will decrease. Be patient and resume the feeding and in most cases the fish will resume their activities each time.
Equipment Needed
You can certainly use whatever carping equipment you currently have, but I would recommend scaling down. Generally, you will be fishing lighter lines and using smaller hooks, so a soft through action rod will be ideal.
It does not have to be 12 feet in length and in fact a 9-10ft rod is ideal as it can also be used as a stalking rod. You also can scale down your reel size as there is no need for reels that hold 200-500 yards of line.
A medium sized reel and 10-12lb line, depending on the situation
My own set-up consists of a couple of different options, based on the size of fish I am targeting. For larger fish I will use a 2.25lb rod, coupled with a 4500 Shimano bait runner or similar sized reel, whereas for smaller fish (under 20lb) I will use a couple of different rods (8-11 feet) which are very soft and have test curves of between 1-1.5lb. I will also use much smaller reels that hold about 100 yards of line.
Line wise you will want to use mono-filament as the added stretch is a major help when playing fish on lighter set-ups. Again the breaking strain depends on the size of fish you are targeting but most times I will be using 8-10lb main-line and a 6-8lb hook-link. With the hook-link I will be using a fluro carbon for the added invisibility; just make sure you take care over your knots as fluro carbon is not forgiving if you kink or damage it.
With hooks you will really need to scale down, but make sure you still choose a pattern and make that is very strong. I used size 8-10 hooks, usually Fox Arma Point SSBP’s.
You will also need a float of some description, unless you are fishing within 15 yards of the bank. Fox, Korda and Nash all make good models and you can also use bubble floats. I will set these up, inline style with a float stop to keep them in place.
They also will aid with hooking the carp if they take the bait positively as they have some resistance to them. With a float I will use a hook-link of 4-8ft, depending on the size of the rod.
Hook-Bait Options
This is where it can get complicated!! My choice and style of hook-bait will be very much dependent on how confident the carp feed and if they are wary of bigger hook-baits. Generally your hook- bait will be bigger than the feed so the carp can be more cautious when taking them.
You can choose to hair rig a plastic imitation bait, a mixer biscuit or even a cut down pop-up. If you do hair rig your bait I would recommend that you mount the bait tight to the hook as in this case you do not want separation between your hook and bait; in fact, you want your bait and hook to go in at the same time. When I am waiting to strike, as soon as I see the hook-bait disappear I know the hook is inside the carp’s mouth and this I will hit into the fish, hopefully hooking it.
A couple of options for surface floats to increase the distance you can fish at
In some cases the fish will suck in and blow out your bait before you have chance to strike or they may simply approach your hook-bait and then abort the take or back off the bait. In this case the fish knows something is wrong and most likely sees the hook.
My approach now would be to side hook a bait and trim it down to mimic the actual feed. However, remember that you also need to see your hook-bait otherwise you are relying on the fish to hook itself!
This fish took a cut down boilie
Other Necessities
Without a doubt make sure you have a decent pair of polaroid glasses, which will help you both see the carp and also see your hook-bait. A peaked hat or baseball cap will also help you vision. Stay off the skyline where possible, but more importantly be stealthy. Do not stamp around the bank and make slow deliberate movements.
I have been within a foot or so of feeding carp and not spooked them, even when moving but sudden noises or movement will see them disappear. Another little trick you can use is to grease your line with a small dab of vaseline which will help it float and thus make controlling the float and hookbait much easier.
Another koi that fell to floating pellets What ‘s better than watching your quarry take the bait. It’s definitely a great opportunity to watch and learn and even if you are not that successful you’ll learn a lot from just observing.
