# Tanks and Torpedoes - In search of giants



## Captain Ahab (Jun 29, 2008)

We are idiots - fishing idiots! Man, I heard that phrase so many times the past few days I am seriously considering getting it tattooed on my forehead (it would be an improvement I think).

Jake and I spent Thursday evening baiting up a spot for carp fishing. Jake made a strange brew of maize and mulberries Thursday afternoon. The plan was to prepare this bait to then chum a large area to attract the giant carp and put them in a feeding mood. Visions of thousands of carp roiling around the chummed area filled my head. Jake boiled about 5 gallons of the maize and mulberry mixture using his “pop pop’s” giant stainless steel pot on an outdoor burner. The small was strange to say the least – kind of like rotten corn and mulberry wine gone bad. I knew the carp would love it!

That evening I elected myself chief chummer and wading idiot as I went out into the lake dragging a bucket with about 45 pounds of the heady mixture. I proceeded to wade up to my armpits while liberally chumming the waters to attract the fish. We then went bass fishing at a different spot where I caught one bass and Jake lost a really nice fish in a blowdown.

Friday morning I got up super early to check on the results – when I arrived at the pre-baited area I found the water smooth a glass and numerous signs of fish activity; carp were jumping in the bait zone which is what I hopped to see. No fishing that spot yet as we were waiting for another round of chumming that evening.

Friday night and Mr. Fish calls to say he is one the way to meet us at the spot and was bringing his special carp chum to add to the mix. I arrived a little early and set up one rod to see if the carp were indeed feeding. About ten minutes later the drag does off and I hook and land a smaller carp in the 5 lb range. Things are indeed looking good.

Jake show up and we kill time BSing and bitching about what is taking Mr. Fish so damn long to arrive. My rod goes off again and I pull the hook on another carp after a brief fight. Still no Mr. Fish!!!!! He was due to arrive at 8 pm and it is now 8:40 pm and we are speculating on what happened. My rod goes off again and I land one in the 9-10 range.







Jake gets my second rod out at this point and proceeds to set up in hopes of getting one. Still no Mr. Fish. I get another run and after a longer fight lose another fish. Jake gets nothing. We call is quits around 9:30 and wonder where Mr. Fish went. We look around the water for him to see if he went elsewhere and see only the suicide deer running in front of vehicles.

Saturday morning – 5 am – Mr. Fish calls to say that his car broke down last night but that he will be there for the Saturday carp marathon Jake and I arrive at the spot at 5:30 am and set up. We have a thermos of coffee, chairs and magazines (no National Geographic – too may words). I wade out and freshen the chum patch and we start fishing. Now Saturday at this spot turns out to be a freaking ZOO! We have all sorts of floating vehicles running into our lines, people wading and swimming their dogs all around us and a general bunch of annoyances. I fish until 8 am with nothing. M r., fish demonstrates his long casting techniques putting a two ounce sinker over the horizon with his 12 foot carp rod. Really cool to see.

After I leave Mr. Fish gets two carp and Jake looses on when his leader parts. Additionally, after Jake leaves Mr. Fish has some idjit in a Jon boat run right through his lines trolling crank baits – the guy in the stern starts screaming he has one and Mr. fish screams back that he snagged both his lines. Mr. Fish wins the tug of war that ensues but tangles his lines so badly that he gives up and leaves around 1 pm.

Jake and I return around 3:30 pm and Jake finds a guy swimming his dog right through the spot! We set up anyway thins time adding a huge beach umbrella for shade. After about 45 minutes it starts to thunder and a down pour commences. We leave our lines in the water and take shelter in the car until the rain stops. Of course, as soon as it stops raining the humidity goes into overdrive and we sit as sweat while our lines remain as still as death.

More dogs swimming a short distance away and we both declare that we are idiots for fishing this spot. At this point we gave up all hopes of catching anything decided that we are now people watching. Soon thereafter another bass boat rolls up and crosses our lines. Then a few kayaks, then another boat and then some more kayaks. Highlight of the evening is either the guy in the kayak who rowed all the way up to our lines to rig up a fishing rod and then turned and rowed back the way he came or the crack head with the fly rod. This guy was wearing goonie boots and jeans and wading in about 6’ of water while unsuccessfully trying to cast his fly rod like a spinning rod. He would attempt a cast – splash the lure about a foot in front of him and then use the very loud fly reel to retrieve his bait. 

Towards evening I got one run and landed a larger carp. Jake got nothing.






We will be back for more!


----------



## Waterwings (Jun 29, 2008)

Nice catchin' on the ones you got! Sounds like y'all had a heck of an adventure 8) . I know how frustrating it is when someone brings their dog(s) (mostly Labs here) to "play" in the water where you're fishing. It's not the dog's fault, it's the idiot on the other end of the leash.


----------



## Captain Ahab (Jun 29, 2008)

Waterwings said:


> It's not the dog's fault, it's the idiot on the other end of the leash.



Thanks WW

Leash - I wish they used a leash - I seriously wished for a wrist rocket to shoot stuff at the owners. i love dogs so they are safe - but hate people so they are targets!


----------



## Waterwings (Jun 29, 2008)

:idea: Just thought about something. While you guys were sitting around under the beach umbrella drinking Mai-Tai's, you could've been taking pics for the Summer Photo Contest. Any wildlife out there (besides the dog owners)?


----------



## Captain Ahab (Jun 29, 2008)

Waterwings said:


> :idea: Just thought about something. While you guys were sitting around under the beach umbrella drinking Mai-Tai's, you could've been taking pics for the Summer Photo Contest. Any wildlife out there (besides the dog owners)?



Does Jake count as wildlife? :lol:


----------



## Waterwings (Jun 29, 2008)

:shock: :lol:


----------



## FishinsMyLife (Jun 29, 2008)

Awesome report. Mr. Fish wins the tug of war, LMAO!


----------



## Zum (Jun 29, 2008)

Sounds like you have alot of patience...nice fish


----------



## mr.fish (Jun 29, 2008)

Besides the lack of a more consistant bite, I had a blast. I finally got to cast, and land 2 carp on my new 12ft euro style poles, along with the nice view of country. Thanks to Jake for the baiting, and preparing of what was suppposed to be amuch more non stop bite, but what can you do. Hopefully, it's a better bite next bait.






13lbs





14lbs


----------



## jkbirocz (Jun 29, 2008)

Despite the carp skunkage, I still had a lot of fun just sitting around talking. I am used to intense fishing with constant casting, not just sitting there doing nothing the whole time, it was a nice just to sit there for once. Of course it would have been a lot better catching a few fish, but I will save that for the next time. I will continue to chum, although I may try to look for a different spot, with less kayak and dog traffic, but that is going to be pretty tough. 

Your pictures came out great Mike, I like the action shot =D>


----------



## little anth (Jun 29, 2008)

that sounds funny as hell you guys need a fishing show. lol  :lol: 


good job guys =D>


----------



## jkbirocz (Jun 30, 2008)

I spent my day off from work and hit the spot that I baited again lastnight. Fished from 2 till 4 alone, then Dave joined me, followed my Ethan a little later. I felt like I was babysitting my baitrunners, making sure they did not cry. I did catch a pretty sunny while I waited, and also started carving a fish from driftwood. 

A little after 5, I headed home to grill some ribs and steak for my dad and I, then headed back to the lake. Ethan hooked into a huge red eared slider turtle, luckily it was only hooked right in the corner of the mouth, so she was good to go. A while later one of Dave's rod starts screaming and a few minutes later he landed a nice carp that weighed either 11 or 12lbs.

:x I want to catch a damn carp at my super chummed spot


----------



## Jim (Jul 1, 2008)

Nice report guys! Carp kings for sure! :beer:


----------

