barbelfloat
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Posts posted by barbelfloat
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It's a way of catching carp while they are suspended in the water column by using a small buoyant foam or rig. I've never tried it myself but I think it'd be a cool technique to learn since not many use it including myself. It'll give u an advantage during the summer or winter when the carp aren't actively feeding on the ground or surface. Might even come in handy during a tournament when the bites are tough to come by.
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As for locations where you can fly fish for them in the shallows? Carp are everywhere in Northern VA. The only place I have not been able to catch a single carp is Burke Lake in Fairfax County but besides Burke, you can look for carp in all lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and tributaries. To locate them you can walk around with polarized glasses or even better if you have access to a boat, that'd be more efficient. A lot of fly fisherman are using boats to target them now I believe.
Here's another pic my photographer friend took of sunbathing carp. I'm not sure of the exact location but I believe it was in the shallow waters of the Potomac River in Alexandria. You know those series of bridges near Route 1 under the 495 beltway? If you can find parking somewhere, I think near that area would be a great spot trying to fly fish for carp. I'd bet snakeheads are also abundant there as well.
Anyways, don't be intimated. Carp are truly everywhere and you just need to spend a few hours actively looking for them.
Good luck!
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Hello Matt and welcome. Most of us are UK/Euro style bait anglers but I believe that carp fishing is carp fishing despite the different techniques one uses to catch them. I think it's too cold now trying to catch carp in the shallows because I'd guess the carp don't favor the clear and cold shallows this time of year but next spring it will be perfect for this because they will be all over the shallow areas bathing themselves in the sun and eating. Carp show themselves readily by jumping clear out of the water during this time. And wherever the food is where carp will be. Carp have a diverse diet eating anything from plant matter to fish and crustaceans. For example, I don't know if you were in the Northern VA area or if you're old enough to remember when we had that huge cicadas hatch but if you were, carp ate a lot of them and I heard that cicadas were a good bait for them, especially on the surface.
And a lot of times I saw carp eating off the walls of the tidal basin in Washington DC when I used to fish there a few years ago. There's a lot of food near the wall with snails, freshwater shrimps, fish fry, etc. Here's a few pics I snapped a few years ago.
This one was sun bathing himself during low tide.
But I read that sunbathing carp are difficult to hook and what you want to find are tailing carp. I've seen tailing carp but unfortunately I don't have any pics of it. Carp feed diagonally with their mouths down so if the water is low enough, their tails show out of the water waving about. It can be a very exciting sight, especially when the tail looks like the size of two oversized fans lol.
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Thanks guys! Mike when are you gonna come out of retirement? It's been far to long since I've seen get out fishing. You need to get back out there, I used to love reading catch reports from you! You used to catch some truly incredible fish!
Thanks Austin and you're right, I don't remember the last time I've been able to go out on a personal fishing trip to enjoy a good day of carp fishing. I am hoping I can sneak out for a little awhile during the Thanksgiving holiday (fingers crossed). If I make it out I'll share the experience on the forum because I do like writing....even though I'm a bad writer haha.
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Wow man!!! you kids never quit , think I'm gonna have to retire like Mike( barbelfloat) cause I'm sick of being shown up lol
lol yes I think a lot of people need to retire especially when Austin and Brendan catch fish like this on a regular basis.
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Franklin you the man!
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Not at all the 67 outta snake river ? I know bowfished , but it truly represents potential N american waters have . Plus that 65 lb mirra . (rod and line fish) the vid is floating somewhere in the great halls of cyberspace .
You're right, there are much bigger fish that have been murdered by lunatics. But the DC carp is the biggest I know of taken by rod and reel and weighed officially....I think it was once an IGFA record for carp. There could be bigger official records in the USA but I don't know it. But you're right, NA has some freaks of nature out there for sure waiting for someone to catch her!
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Whose is bigger? The eternal male question.
If you see it that way. But I like to see it this way....there are those few people who become absolutely obsessed and in love with carp fishing that they devote their lives to catch something very special and pioneer the sport. Like the crazy mountain climber who responds to the question of, "why do you want to climb that insurmountable mountain?" with the response of: "Because it is there." lol
Only a few have the courage and passion to represent our sport this way and my favorite is Terry Hearn. We really couldn't ask for a better face/personality/talent to represent our sport. I hope to see a North American Terry Hearn one day. I will cheer for that man when he comes and buy his books just like I bought Terry Hearns books
PS - When the North American Terry Hearn comes, I believe that he will surpass Terry's big carp captures because NA just has too many big carp. You cannot compare the UK to North America. The UK is but a speck when compared to NA waters and the sheer number of big carp.
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You might call the pond. The pond boss / owner will let you know what most fisherman are throwing. That will give you a starting point
Excellent advise!
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That is very cool. Some people's talents just blow my mind. Amazing!
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The biggest I know that's been officially confirmed is the Washington DC record of 57 lbs at the tidal basin in 1983. It was a different river then but I'm sure there are still a few still swimming around. I believe I've encountered 4 fifties when I was not retired and hooked 2 of them but never landed because I'm one impatient sob (hook pulls lol).
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To a certain extent, what Mr. Big says isn't a bad idea. I've never been to a paylake but I think it'd be safe to assume that there isn't much natural food if any in a paylake and that the fish survive on angler's baits. Therefore it'd be wise to use what they're feeding on.
Same thing fishing near a marina where people feed ducks with bread. Carp will be there as well and bread would be the bait of choice since that's what they're feeding on and using say maize at that instance wouldn't be the best choice. That's why I typically use what I prebait with in one form or another because that's what the fish are looking for....
Good luck to you.
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Thanks Frank for volunteering and keeping the FFF tradition going. And very cool for you to pay tribute to the CAG legend "Phone" with naming the northern part after him. Although I usually can't participate in the FFF, it is an event I enjoy reading about and I look forward to reading about the results this year as well. And kudos to Adam for the generous donation!
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Those carp are very plump and nice!
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Although I consider myself a die hard advocate of fish care, I think Hammercarp's handling of carp is acceptable, especially for North American standards. If every NA angler treated carp like that, it would be a good thing. But unfortunately many Americans don't have common sense and put carp on dirt, rocks, and pick them up by the gills. I've seen much worse so I don't necessarily find any fault with hammercarp's pics. Plus it looks like he changed out the bottom portion of the net to a more fish friendly material.
Just my opinion...
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Willem fixed it. I can now see the ugly faces of all 3 of you lol....just kidding
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Is this for common carp or mirror carp only?
Although I'm not part of BCN, I know the answer to this. Common carp and mirror carp are the same species (both cyprinus carpio) so either can win.
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Good choice. Congrats Rob, that is a very cool looking fish!
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Thanks Dan. Not a big deal and although I have seen pics of them before I was just curious to see the pics you posted haha.
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Anyone else not able to see the images posted for Andy, Jerome, and Willem? For some reason I can't see any of the attached jpg's. Willem and Dan are looking into this I believe but I was just curious if anyone else was having this problem or if it was just me.
Congrats to Andy, Jerome, and Willem by the way. Very deserving!
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haha nice videos
Thanks Fishman. I like how your name is "fishman" and how you replied to this thread with a song called "The Fisherman" lol.
By the way, I think I must be an old fisherman at heart
because in that first video I posted, I noticed that in the description it says "This could bring a tear to an old fisherman's eye". And as I listen to that song, it does kinda make me sad and brings a nostalgic feeling of the good old days taking naps under a tree waiting for a bite. Just spending an entire day at the water watching the world go by.... -
Well tooo many worthy fish here , but here goes nuthing a 24 lb mirror from a recent session
Cool catch Ken!
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Here's one of my favorites. I don't know what it is about this video but watching this always makes me want to go fishing. I've always enjoyed a slower paced day of fishing picking up quality fish here and there like in this video. I don't really like it when carp are everywhere and runs happen nonstop where you can't even sit down and enjoy the day. Shaun Harrison actually says the action is "coming thick and fast" but by American standards that's not thick and fast but it's just the right pace. Thick and fast by USA carping standards is when all 3 rods go off continuously....I don't like it when fish act like that. But one fish every 30 mins to an hour is an enjoyable pace for me.
The music in this video isn't too bad either
...especially the one in 0:21. -
Anyone want to share fun fishing vidoes? This one is not technically a fishing video but the music is so beautiful. It's called "The Fisherman" lol.
A little Rough Out There But Well Worth It
in Ontario
Posted
Very nice Mark and well done!!