Brad
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Posts posted by Brad
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I can bring a kayak to paddle out and place any chum day of the event if it is needed. I also have a Yeti 65 for drinks if someone needs a place to put them.
If anyone has snack suggestions I will gladly supply some.
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17 hours ago, Jerome said:
Is this picture legal for the Big4? Just checking... ?
Jerome, I find this picture appalling and in poor taste. Where is the brioche bun and tartar sauce. Maybe a dash of hot sauce.
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On 5/31/2018 at 7:46 AM, (MA) redcoat said:
I'm not seeing the map? Just a bunch of numbers and letters..........76e2bce3.................etc.
Iain
I found this one, maybe it will work for you?
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http://carpanglersgroup.com/ldb/LiveLDB/LEADERBOARD.html
That is the link copied from my URL if it helps.
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I am not sure there is a breakdown by region registered by anglers. When I click on Live Leaderboard in the header here on the forum page, it provides a drop down to select the Spring Big 4, then I can sort by Big 4, Big fish, etc. But nothing by region.
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If using instant rice as called for in most rice packs, boiling would likely negate the packing ability of your pack. Rice pack with ketchup typically sits for at least a day, in which time the instant rice absorbs and becomes soft, no risk for the carp from that. I know that at times when making it without ketchup, heating the liquid is done to assist in the process, but for it to pack hard and cast and break, it will take some tinkering. I am speaking to rice from a pack bait perspective.
As for the binder part, I believe that the softened rice acts as its own binder in most pack recipes that are for rice. Sticky rice and an oatmeal binder may delay breaking, or it may work just fine.
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Pre-spawn gets the biggest potential fish and they are eating heavily to prepare. However, I have a hard time getting enough prespawn fishing in, and heavy fall carp are nice. I fished during the spawn yesterday and honestly lost count of how many carp I had. None of the big girls from the prior weeks, but a lot of blazing fast, feisty males from 8 to 12lbs
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On 5/9/2018 at 6:35 AM, SeanStone said:
Quick question....my printer appears to be low on color ink and is printing the logo in blue instead of green. Is this an issue? Thanks in advance.
I am not an authority on this, but mine is black and white and in the past black and white has not been an issue, so I imagine your off color printing would not either.
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6 hours ago, Spoon said:
It's great to see you are fishing again Brad. Your fish all seem to be healthy and unmolested. Hope this water can give you some commons even larger than your 25#.
Here's to hoping!
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A Tennessee carp not from Dale Hollow? They are out there. Maybe not as many, or as big, or as lacking in scales. But it is closer to home.
This year I decided I would make it a point to put time in on some local waters to myself, after not fishing for carp at all in 2017. I started out a week ago hitting up a local huge lake. We are talking average depth of 75 ft, 200 miles long, 800+ miles of shoreline, high clarity in the water, etc. Well that lake was not kind to me. After baiting it up, I went there to see my bait was untouched. Now I know the lake has carp in it, a bass fisherman caught one on a crankbait that went 27lbs. Well after a few hours of nothing, and knowing they ignored the corn I prepared was so much love and care, I packed up and went to a fall back location. An unbaited spot that I would hopefully catch a low double digit fish or 2. I had fished the spot 1 or 2 other times for carp, and they are in there. But I wanted something big.
So to the new location I go, using my panko pack. This is Panko I had left over in a bucket since I last fished Baldwinsville in 2013 I guess. It even had some added protein of grain weevils from the great grain beetle infestation of 2017.
After setting up, it was not long until fish started to show. Clearly this "secondary spot" was going to be worth a bit more of my time. All in all on this day, I would have 7 fish, 4 over 15lbs. 1 that was 18lbs 8oz and another 21lb 8oz. These numbers are close to their weights as I did not have my tripod so things get a tad bit shakey.
Here is the 21lb 8oz fish and its attempt at flopping away.
This is the fish that went 18lbs 8oz. I am still working on my GoPro pictures, but having the Hero5 Black that has voice command for burst is great on a solo trip when no bystanders take a picture for me.
So clearly after the success of this trip, I knew that for the Big 4 contest I would be returning, and that I would also need my weighing tripod! I had always assumed this lake was all 8 to 15lb fish, and with luck I might hit 20lbs every so often. This one trip I hit 20 and came close on another.
So yesterday to kick off the Big 4, I took a day off work. I was going to fish this lake from 8am until around 4pm. Yard work still has to be done, dinner, etc. But I had high hopes. I started the day rather quickly with an 11lb 2oz common. Not huge, but it was a quick start. Then nothing. Nothing for a long time. I lost 2 fish close together, they never really had the hook set on their runs and the turtles attacked the coconut crème boilies with ferocity. I had also forgotten my paylake stands at home and much like when running euro style, everything has a purpose, the same for a paylake style. Free running baitcasters with the clicker on does not function the same as a fixed stand that the rod stays in when the fish hits, and the weight of the rod helps drive it home. Luckily my wonderful wife brought me the stands around 1pm, and the day took off. I would have a double run with a 19lb 14oz carp coming on grits flavored with RW Red Peach and vanilla butternut corn topped with 2 fake pieces, and another fish at 15lbs on the grits and a puff.
The rest of the day, the mighty puff and paylake stand would prove to be the method needed to bank the fish. I will have to tinker with euro rigs to see if I need a flexible hook link, stiff, no boilies, etc, but for the time, why mess with what is working.
21lb 4oz
The final fish of the day came around 3:50 pm. My grits were running low and I did not want to mix a new batch just to toss it out soon. As I gathered and consolidated my gear, my right hand paylake rod rose in its stand, let out a few clicks, then a screaming run. When I hooked this fish, I had spectators. They were gathering to see what I had. As I got it to the shallows it rolled broadside and I knew it was over 20lbs. I thought it may even be high 20s. Upon landing and lifted it out in the new, I knew I had a solid fish. It would weigh in at 25lbs 10oz.
It was a great day on this rather new water for me. I am excited with the possibilities this lake holds. I will be back to it. forget the huge lake nearby, this one will have my focus.
Most of these fish brought to you by the mighty puff and grits.
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Here are some non Dale Hollow Tennessee carp from a lake I am now shifting my focus to. Although I would love to return to Dale Hollow, fishing locally has its perks and own challenges.
I will just post the pictures in here and do a write up on the main section. Needless to say, yesterday was a good day on the water. I took the day off to start the Big 4 in good fashion, and I have no complaints.
11lb 2oz caught on a paylake rigged puff with panko pack
19lbs 14oz and then a 15lb 0oz caught at the same time as indicated by the clouds behind me. The 19lb 14oz came on grits pack flavored with RW Red Peach (my go to spring flavor and pack) with RW Vanilla Butternut corn and a few fake pieces of corn to make it stand out a little
The runt of the day at 8lbs even on the red peach grits pack with a puff
21lbs 4oz on red peach grits pack and a puff
As my day was winding to an end, I had committed myself to leaving at a set time. 5 minutes prior to leaving, this 25lb 10oz fish came on the red peach grits pack, and again the puff. This is my biggest fish from this lake, and I am not sure anyone else has targeted carp on it. On my 4th carp centric trip here, the weights and potential keep increasing, as does my success as I learn the bottom structure better and work to identify some patterns.
25lb 10oz
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I will keep an eye out for a new date. I had obligations this weekend, but if its on a free weekend, I will make a point to take the trip down there and meet some of our southern neighbors.
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What a pig! Sometimes it just takes 1 fish to make a day very special. That fish has the frame and room to put on a good bit more I do believe. Well done!
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I am signed up! Now lets see if some fish are onboard!
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As long as there is nothing on my calendar for the date chosen, I will be there. I can drive a good distance as well, I live a good ways from most places so I am used to it.
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There are grass carp in the Alcoa pond. Large ones at that, but during the summer catching them can be iffy due to poor recovery post release. I have landed a few pushing 20lbs there, I have also lost 1 that I can confirm appeared over 30lbs, and another that never came close to being landed.
I have also had a large grass carp from Kefauver before. I can't recall the exact weight, but it was my PB grass carp for a while.
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Welcome to the world of carp fishing in East Tennessee. We have so many prime waters, and so much uncharted areas to add to that. I certainly have slacked off in my angling over the years, but if I ever want to wet a line, there are a number of places I go to.
I don't know that it has reopened yet or ever will, but the Ft Loudon dam, lock side was always a place to catch real numbers. Had some 30 + fish days of fish from 5 to 19lbs. Above Fort Loudon near the marina has yielded 1 20lber for myself and lots of others in the smaller range. Watts Bar dam on the lock side can fish great in the fall, but it takes some prebaiting to get the fish there. If you venture out to Knoxville, near the riverboat can bring good top water action. For pond fishing, Alcoa has a duck pond near the school that has produced over the years with decent sized fish for the body of water.
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Thanks Dean for continuing the events in such an excellent fashion!
Congrats to all the winners!
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However I suspect I lost about 3000 possibly. Just one of those things
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Shame! Shame!
Yeah I think some was lost in the upgrades, how much I do not know. But I think I lost some, how much I do not know myself.
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Some very nice fish showing on here. Now if only I could find one!
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Tennessee gained a transplant from Pennsylvania.
Thanks all. Was certainly good to be back out.
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The grassie was not from Kingston.
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I cut my fishing teeth as a child in a city pond near my house, luckily I had parents who did not feel concerned at the prospect of me leaving the vicinity of my house to pursue blue gill, bullheads and whatever would bite. That whatever sometimes included carp. Over the years I would go from bass to catfish, then catfish to carp. If fishing is a addictive, blue gill is the first hit and carp is where I have wound up.
So after being reinvigorated to do some fishing by Spoon, I loaded my car a week later to get out and do some fishing. I went somewhere I have never been and had no expecations of what I may find. As I hauled my stuff to the spot, and sat the paylake rods and reels on banksticks with euro alarms (tackle tarts cringe!) and mixed my grits and baited my hairs (forgot the puffs at home that day) I was able to sit and observe. Sitting at this new spot felt familiar in so many ways. Taking me back to days on the small ponds of my original town 20 years ago.
As I sit there, I really have no expecation of size or type. I figure a handful of 5 to 10lb carp would make for a busy day of small fish. I was still dealing with the aftermath of a home break in and wasted the morning sorting things out. They took no fishing gear thankfully.
After about 35 minutes of daydreaming, it was so rudely interupted by my alarms and the clicker on the Carp Master reel. As I set the hook I could feel I had a decent fish. After a short fight and a wade into thick mud I finally had the carp in the net. Immediately I knew I had an upper teen, maybe even larger. The scales would confirm, the fish was over 20lbs. I cannot recall the exact weight, somewhere between 20 and 22lbs, but that is because it would not be the biggest of the day!
After rebaiting and recasting numerous times trying to figure out the water, I finally sat back down to resume taking in the October sunshine. A first fish over 20lbs, that is always good for a new water. The next run I had was nothing like the first. It started with a small drop back. Then a slight tug and nothing. Fast forward about 5 minutes and the reel was absolutely screaming. As soon as I set the hook, I saw a big black tail come out of the water. I thought it was a catfish doing its normal near surface spinning. But then the fish sunk down and tore off with anger. Now I am pacing the bank trying to work an angle on whatever I have hooked into. Finally after much coaxing I get it near the bank to see what I am really encountering is a carp of the grassie kind.
Having caught more than my fair share of grass carp I know the longer he fights in the water, the less of a beating I will take on the bank. I also know that regardless, a beating on the bank is going to happen. it always does. I could also tell that this was no small grass carp, it was going to be a PB. I had no idea how big until I had him netted and had to lift it up. Now I haven't hit the gym or rolled on a wrestling mat in a long time, but I know heavy when I feel it, and this fish was heavy.
As I get him to the mat I set about weighing and photos. Still sorting out photos with a new phone and fishing solo. Well the dial on the Reubon Heaton scale went past the 6 o'clock position. Coming to a rest at 36lbs 4 oz. There is no true trophy shot as grass carp can kill themselves in a fight, and I had 10 seconds from activating the camera on the phone to kneel, take the carp from my travel sling not made for this huge fish, and strike some sort of a pose without being tale slapped.
After that I recasted, I think. Really I don't recall. I was so content with the fish and the day that I was just taking in the moment. It was a great birthday trip. Rest assured, this water has not even come close to seeing the last of me. If on a first trip I catch a 20 and a 36lber, I can't imagine what comes next.
The Rules
in 2019 CAG Spring Big4
Posted
I like Jeromes suggestion here. I also like the change in having some timeline to encourage earlier uploading, not waiting until the very end to unveil the big fish that have hit the bank. Although I suspect some of the late posting is to allow them more opportunities on the big fish if it it is a well known area that may draw more competition if big fish are showing early.