Now that was a nice day of fishing! Options

[Jerome]

For one night, one day and one more night, it poured rain on our neck of the woods... Today, the weather was very cloudy but apparently no heavy rain expected, so I thought that it was time to get some fish...

45 minutes of driving, I arrive at "the spot", and the water is VERY high and the current strong. Anyway, I give it a try, but it becomes quickly obvious that the weeds drifting make fishing impossible from this spot.

So I took a walk, but the current is strong everywhere and the weeds unavoidable. I finally settled on a tiny opening, with a pipe (I suppose a rain outflow), and decide to fish very close to shore, with the top of my rods deep in the water. My reasoning is that the current is less strong close to shore, plus the pipe is probably sign of muddy stuff going to the water, so the carp must be there.

Smart reasoning? Nah, truth is I was fishing in the only possible way to avoid the weeds, and this was a complete shot in the dark, and I wasn't believing one second that would work... <_<

Here is my set-up...

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[Jerome]

So I waited half an hour, and this was "obviously" rather hopeless. My left rod started to drift because of some underwater weeds, and I thought "ok, screw it". So I spent the next few minutes getting rid of those weeds, dismantled the rod, and came back to the other rod. Which suddenly came to life! I couldn't believe it!

And I landed this nice looong fish. I quickly re-casted, and it didn't take long for me to catch another one! What is going on here? Sounds exciting!

Since I had to walk quite a bit, I was fishing VERY light. No extra stuff like landing mat or net or rod pod or any of that stuff. Just two rods and some oat meal + sweet corn! (sorry, Bill, didn't use your boilies today!).

So to land the fish, I was pulling them in this small area and unhooking them in the water while they were angrily splashing me!

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[Jerome]

3 hours later... 13 runs... 9 nice carp landed... 2 missed... and 2 catfish! What a day!

One of the carp I missed actually made it to this small landing area, but bolted, the line ripped on the concrete and broke... I ended up fishing with a single rod for most of the session.

One of the carp took the bait seconds after I casted, I didn't even have time to put the rod on the floor!

Two of the carp were obviously 20+, and maybe another one. Yes, I had a scale, but nothing to put the carp in, so... no weighing, no witness, you just have to trust my eagle eye...

Here is one of the biggies. Which had a second hook in its mouth. And nope, not one of mine, I don't use this pattern... This fish was quite thick!

Now who will give me a weight estimate for this one?

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[Big Carphuna]

Looks perhaps 23.

Nice session. I was thusly stuck with one little un..

[grasscarphunter]

Well done Jerome !!

[pmk00001]

Nice one Jerome, its extra special when you don't expect to catch anything.

[Carpaholic]

A very pretty fish whatever the weight. What did you estimate?

[Jerome]

A very pretty fish whatever the weight.  What did you estimate?

It was quite thick, I'd say 24/25lb. But the wizard of Oz said "23" based on the pics, so he must be right... <_<

I actually caught two of this size, and a 3rd one which was probably a 19lb 15oz... Quite a day!

I fished again today, but a completly different spot (local pond), I was well prepared, I know fish come there, the spot was prebaited several times including early this morning, I had all my Euro stuff, and... I got skunked of course!

[Big Carphuna]

Jerome,
Might very well be near 25lb, but remember, I said my 19.8 the other day was a 20+, but the damned scale didnt budge..
That spot is under 4' of water right now. Only catfish yesterday.

[Shawn Woerlein]

NICE fish Jerome!