Surprise fish

[Backdoc]

My brother in law came down for Easter and wanted to try kayak fishing. He fishes a lot so it was just the kayak that was new to him. We put in Saturday on the Cecil side of the Susquehanna and were doing well with hickory shad. Water was stained and fast but very fishable. The hickories cooperated. I had heard the DNR was hot and heavy in the area so we limited our gear to 2 inch white twisters on cheap wire hook 1/8oz jig heads. Worked great for the hickories but I was surprised he managed to land this on that jig with 8lb line. I tried some of my favorite shad darts and shad flies as droppers but they only wanted white twisters. bobscarp.jpg

[yakscientist]

My brother in law came down for Easter and wanted to try kayak fishing. He fishes a lot so it was just the kayak that was new to him. We put in Saturday on the Cecil side of the Susquehanna and were doing well with hickory shad. Water was stained and fast but very fishable. The hickories cooperated. I had heard the DNR was hot and heavy in the area so we limited our gear to 2 inch white twisters on cheap wire hook 1/8oz jig heads. Worked great for the hickories but I was surprised he managed to land this on that jig with 8lb line. I tried some of my favorite shad darts and shad flies as droppers but they only wanted white twisters. [ATTACH=CONFIG]21246[/ATTACH]

That's a nice carp! They're an underrated fish in MD at least, very hard fighters, and very abundance, for better or worse. A couple of years ago when we were doing fish tissue collections in the Anacostia River (aka America's Ganges), we kept rolling monster carp, some were easily 4 feet long.

[Backdoc]

I agree. I posted the picture on Fishing Maryland FB page and got ridiculed for catching a filthy carp. It was a great fight and a good catch for a first time kayak fisherman.

[yakscientist]

I agree. I posted the picture on Fishing Maryland FB page and got ridiculed for catching a filthy carp. It was a great fight and a good catch for a first time kayak fisherman.

People are idiots. Probably the same guys who have a 50k bass boat with a 250 outboard on the back because they need to do 60mph to get to their favorite bluegill hole on the other side of the river. We kayakers do it low and slow, and typically catch fish all the same.

[Big Mike]

Nice carp - one of my favorite memories was catching a carp while smallmouth fishing on the Potomac. At first I thought I'd hooked the mother of all smallmouth but after 5 minutes of constant pullage I knew it was something different. Agree that it's a vastly underrated game fish. Who doesn't want to catch a 15-20 pound fish on light tackle?

[Mark]

Nice carp - one of my favorite memories was catching a carp while smallmouth fishing on the Potomac. At first I thought I'd hooked the mother of all smallmouth but after 5 minutes of constant pullage I knew it was something different. Agree that it's a vastly underrated game fish. Who doesn't want to catch a 15-20 pound fish on light tackle?

That's a good memory. I have one too but it ended in frustration. I was at wading Brunswick catching SM bass on the fly. I worked my way across the river and on the far shoreline I saw a large school of carp not swimming but stationary facing into the current. I change flies or lures infrequently during outings but on that occasion I went through darned near every color and form of fly I carried and I could not interest those carp at all. I literally dragged flies within inches of their noses and they would not bite. I'm impressed when anyone hooks one!

[hookmeup]

Carp are freshwater bonefish only ALOT bigger! Enjoy them immensely!

[bignose]

If one believes in reincarnation, I'd like to be reborn as a carp fisherman.
I snagged a moose of a fish two weeks ago, and had forgotten how hard they pull!

[kevinfry]

If one believes in reincarnation, I'd like to be reborn as a carp fisherman.
I snagged a moose of a fish two weeks ago, and had forgotten how hard they pull!

Bignose, you don't have to be reborn.....you can just identify as carp-fisherman

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[Mark]

If one believes in reincarnation, I'd like to be reborn as a carp fisherman.
I snagged a moose of a fish two weeks ago, and had forgotten how hard they pull!

Not me. I've been frustrated enough this spring trying to catch regular species. In my next go round on earth I'd like to pursue an easier fish to catch!

[nhunter344]

Carp fishing is where I learned about drag settings. My grandfather used to take us and set us up for carp while he fished for rock bass. Being a smart a$$ 10yr old, I figured why should I take forever to land these fish and let them peel off drag. All I need to do is tighten the drag down all the way and land them in no time.

First hookup after my genius idea and >PING< goes the line. Cue lightbulb illuminating over my head.

[yakscientist]

One of my friends lost a rod/reel combo in liberty reservoir while shore fishing for carp. He had tightened the drag a little too much while it was just sitting there, waiting for a strike. He was far away from it when it hit, and it started bouncing along the ground towards the water. He told them to, but the girls he was with refused to grab it because it scared them, and in it went. Never to be seen again.

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[bignose]

Bignose, you don't have to be reborn.....you can just identify as carp-fisherman

Y'know, the funny thing is, as I get older and somewhat more limited physically, the thought of bringing a folding chair, a couple of rods and holders, and a can of corn to my local community ponds, (that are fun of carp) may not be worst thing to look forward too. Just put a couple of bells on the lines so not to let my fishing interfere with my "meditation."

[kevinfry]

Y'know, the funny thing is, as I get older and somewhat more limited physically, the thought of bringing a folding chair, a couple of rods and holders, and a can of corn to my local community ponds, (that are fun of carp) may not be worst thing to look forward too. Just put a couple of bells on the lines so not to let my fishing interfere with my "meditation."

I've found I get way more reading some when I use bare hooks.....no distractions

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[bunnielab]

I went through darned near every color and form of fly I carried and I could not interest those carp at all. I literally dragged flies within inches of their noses and they would not bite. I'm impressed when anyone hooks one!

There are some monster carp in the C&O and I have had a similar experience, throwing every lure I had at them, then even trying everything within arms reach that I could get to stay on the hook. I even hit one in the nose with a dough ball made from a Powerbar and it didn't even react.

However, it looks like something managed to catch these two;
https://s12.postimg.org/qw0sg53yl/20...7_18.19.50.jpg

Found them at BT this afternoon.