(GA) needmotime2fish
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Posts posted by (GA) needmotime2fish
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Great day, guys!
Those carp look healthy and well-fed -- did you buy them an All Star Breakfast at Waffle House earlier that morning?
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I've mentioned this before in other threads, but I often fish a state park here in Georgia, with a 200+ acre lake that seems to hold quite a few small (2 pound avg) carp. I have caught roughly 100 carp in the lake (at several spots) over the past 3 seasons, but I have yet to catch one over 3 pounds. However, in the early 2000's, there were reports of mid and high teens -- and even a few 20's -- being caught there.
I asked the park ranger about the apparent drastic drop-off in size, and he told me that they don't usually monitor (or manage) carp. But they were doing an electro-shocking survey there in April, and he would "unofficially" watch out for carp. He also forwarded my question to the DNR guy in charge of the part/region of GA that contains this park. His initial opinion (before the electro-shocking) was that if the overall size of the carp has declined, it was probably NOT because a few fish with a genetic predisposition to small size may have been introduced into the lake and interbred with the previous population, NOR would it have likely been caused by their customary winter draw-down of the lake (every 2 or 3 years, sometimes more often). That usually has a positive effect on fish size, by encouraging weed growth.
I recently heard back from the DNR guy (regarding another, unrelated question), and he told me that the park ranger "will be in touch" with me "before too long" with some results. However, because this is their busy time of the year, when they perform a number of fish population surveys (shocking, netting, etc.), so I will need to allow more time for him to send me those results.
At least they are aware of the situation, and they are also aware that there is an increasing interest in carp angling here in Georgia. In fact, the DNR guy is posting in his monthly fishing blog, the results (photos) I sent him from our (mostly washed out) SC-GA fish-in that we attempted several weekends ago. I am anxious to see his blog, and also to hear what they observed in their fish survey last month.
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If two of those four will try it and catch a few carp, maybe they will each introduce two more, and those four will teach two more, etc...
That's the way things get started.
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After having some success on grassers in previous years, this year I find myself unable to catch them.
Today we were using a simple paylake rig with either a #4 or a #2 hook, and a 1-oz sliding weight. As a pickup, we used either 3 or 4 kernels of canned corn, or a corn puff. We used plain bread pack, oats pack made with cream style corn, and "forever grits" pack.
We had action on all of the above baits and pickups, including a number of "bumps and jerks", some half-hearted runs (where the fish stopped after pulling off 1 or 2 feet of line from the reel), and even 3 or 4 "solid tone" runs -- but we never hooked a single fish!!!
I've been fishing in my daughter's in-laws' subdivision lake with one of their sons. He has kept the area baited pretty well, and I spodded it again this morning before we started fishing. We saw a number of grassers cruising, and as i noted above, we did get bites. But unlike past years when I've caught grassers (at other venues -- not at this lake), we can't seem to hook the fish when they bite.
Any ideas?
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Both of these sound like great opportunities to stir up some new interest in carping.
Good luck with the class tomorrow -- AND with the kids this summer.
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Pleased to see Chad looking good and smiling. It looks like the Captain taught his son which end of a snapper to handle - LOL.
Prayers also that his chemo goes well.
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... hands down have found anise flavour the best for spring. If you can find the massively concentrated food grade stuff sold in small 50ml bottles that is the best and is sold by lots of different merchants.
If you live near one of the more than 175 "Ollie's Bargain Outlet" stores in 15+ states (most or all are east of the Mississippi), you can often find bottles of anise flavoring for 99 cents.
BTW, Ollies also has other stuff you may find useful, such as large (roughly 8 or 12 oz) containers of ground cinnamon for $2.99. Also, they sometimes have close-outs on breakfast cereals that make good pickups or can be mashed up for packbait or for additions to ground bait / spod mix. For example, last year I bought 5 bags of spoon size shredded wheat -- they were close to the expiration date -- for 50 cents a bag. The shredded wheat can be mashed in your hand, wet with lake water, and molded around your sinker to make an effective packbait.
You may not always find something useful, but when you do, it's usually worth your time to stop. I never make a special trip to go there, but when I'm in the neighborhood, I usually drop in to check if there's anything on special that I can use for carping.
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William,
I suggest you sign up on the GON forum (Georgia Outdoor News) -- www.GON.com -- and occasionally look at the bowfishing thread. Those guys hold quite a few tournaments in certain sections of Lake Hartwell, so that might give you some ideas as to which sections of the lake hold a lot of carp. You might also check Lake Russell, the next big lake downriver from Hartwell.
I'm sure they check our carp angling forums to look for new spots to bow-fish. Turnabout is only fair, so we might as well use their forums to find out where they're seeing carp.
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What was Evan doing different than you to catch so many?
He cheated. His son was helping him.
At least that's the excuse I'm going with for now. 
Truthfully, we were fishing adjacent swims, separated only by a small point and a few trees, and at least part of the time, we were using the same or similar pack baits. We caught fish on a number of different pickups (including puffs, canned corn, artificial corn, and boilies), so I don't think that played any part.
The difference could have been variations between our pack baits, in the distance we were casting, or in the swims themselves. Later in the day, I did notice that I got hung up 2 or 3 times, so maybe my swim was a bit shallower, or had more trash, than Evan's. Or maybe Evan chose a swim where the carp regularly feed, but mine happened to be just on (or outside) the edge of that feeding area. Another thought that crossed my mind was that we were baiting our swims with different spod mixes. Maybe his was simply more effective.
I'm quite confident that the carp weren't shy about biting -- I doubt that few of them have ever been hooked, or even exposed to a carp bait. So I believe the difference was either location (the swim itself), or the "attraction" of our pack baits and spod mixes -- or maybe some combination.
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Well, "almost" nobody...
Our first ever "Georgia - South Carolina Carp Fishing Social" was a great idea, but several factors prevented good attendance.
Speaking just for the Georgia anglers, our choice of venue wasn't conducive to attendance. We held the event at Brickyard Ponds in Augusta, GA. Located on the GA-SC border, it is a beautiful place to fish, and is full of carp. Unfortunately, (by my estimate) at least 75% of serious Georgia Carp anglers live on the west side of Atlanta. My drive to Augusta (from the NE side of the city) took me a bit over 2-1/2 hours, so I figure that the guys on the other side were probably facing drives of at least 3-1/2 hours and possibly as much as 5 hours.
Obviously, that's a major deterrent to start with.
Then there was the weather... The forecast kept changing all week, from 10% showers, to 90% storms, and everything in between. Well, Evan Cartabiano (the SC State Chair), his young son, and I were the only ones who showed up on Friday. That was no surprise, as the weather was "iffy" at best. We fought our way through periods of showers all day on Friday, although there wasn't any heavy rain -- just enough to make things a little messy and inconvenient. It was one of those days where, as soon as it stopped raining and things started to dry off, it would rain again. I'm sure that anyone who was even considering making the drive reconsidered, once they saw the actual weather pattern for the weekend.
Despite the inconvenience and the dampness, we caught fish -- especially Evan. I managed a few, but he was hauling -- continuously. As one of the photos shows, he had double-headers - several times. I spent more time playing "net boy" than I did fishing. LOL Evan finally gave me a break, and started unhooking some of his fish at the bank without landing them. Of course Evan still had some help on the bank from his son. I was VERY impressed by the way he seems to enjoy fishing. I don't see him spending hours and hours in the future sitting on the couch playing video games. Evan is starting his boy on the right track!
We called it a day Friday afternoon about 6 PM, so I went to my motel, while Evan and Wyatt headed back to Columbia. Unfortunately, they stopped to eat on the way home and both got food poisoning. They weren't well enough to come back on Saturday.
We had agreed to meet Saturday morning between 8 and 9 AM, so I got there about 8 -- in a constant steady drizzle (heavier and more steady than on Friday). I waited in the bait shop, when Evan called to tell me about his misadventures in dining. When I told him what the weather looked like, he said he would "try to come about noon". Meanwhile, "English Phil" -- a former CAG Georgia State Chair, arrived to fish. We shared some bank talk (or more accurately, "bait shop talk") until just after noon, when the rain let up enough for Philip to decide to give it a try. I drove to the pond to stay with him (me under my umbrella) for another hour, but by that time, the rain had washed away all my enthusiasm, so I opted to not fish. I eventually headed home about 2:00.
Philip later reported that he did manage to catch two small-to-average sized carp, and he left about 5:00 himself.
Although the attendance was disappointing, I don't see it as discouraging. The combination of the travel distance plus the lousy weather -- and the iffy and ever-changing forecast all week -- were major deterrents to a good turnout. If I hadn't been one of the co-hosts, I'm not so sure that I wouldn't have backed out when I saw the forecast.
As for the venue, the folks at Brickyard Ponds were very nice, and (I'm sure, because they expected a larger turnout) allowed us to fish in the large, "members only" pond. But they wanted more information on carp angling (I gave them CAG brochures and stickers, plus my personal contact info). They want to catch some of the carp and move them to other ponds on the property (it's a 2200 acre site, with numerous ponds, one of which is about a mile across). The carp here are NOT your typical paylake fish. These are "wild" carp that happen to be in ponds where people pay to fish. The owners told us that very few people come there to fish for carp, so the fishery is virtually untapped. I also showed the lady a basic paylake rig, and gave her some packbait recipes. Maybe she'll get carp fishing started there on her own, once she catches a few and sees how much fun it is.
http://brickyardpondsaugusta.com/
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The snapper was trying to kick Tim's "Plug of Perfection" out of the way, and got hooked in the foot.
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Just another 8 or 9 days.
BTW, I've heard from several reliable sources that there are some VERY LARGE carp at this venue.
This is on the CAG Calendar, but so far not a lot of folks have committed to attend (although if most of the "maybes" show up, we'll still have a nice turnout).
By replying, this post will get moved -- if only temporarily -- to the forefront where it will serve as a reminder.
Naturally we'd prefer that you sign up so we can plan how much food to bring. But if you forget to rsvp, don't let that stop you from coming anyway.
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Opting for or not for getting the newsletter is what started it all in the first place. Getting the newsletter to all CAG members alleviates more discussions and surveys. Getting a newsletter to all CAG members supplies each CAG member something to show potential members. I can't count how many old newsletters I gave to anglers interested in our club maybe the reason I don't have many old copies left of the old days. I believe the forums and computer has disenchanted our membership To a point we constantly lose membership. Especially those who are still paid member's but rarely fishes or the time or interest to see what's going on the forum A newsletter would keep them abreast of the new goings on within the club. I believe Abe Lincoln said " You can please most of the people most of the time but not all people all of the time" Lets get a printed newsletter to all CAG member's...............................
+1
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As I was cleaning up after my grandkids finished coloring eggs this afternoon, I thought of a use for those plastic cups that come as part of the dye kits. The cups are about 1-1/2 or 2 inches across and hold about 1/2 cup of liquid. They should make good containers to use bankside for dipping your packbait or pickups. Best of all they're cheap -- or "free", since you probably were going to throw them away anyhow. After you use them for your dips or glugs, you can wash and re-use them again, or just toss them when you're finished.
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One is SO much better than none, and impressive, considering the conditions.
Good way to start the year.
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The items I requested arrived on Saturday. Thanks!
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I actually think you weirdo fish is a Bigmouth Buffalo:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/sucker/
We have them here they are actually a native species and are mistaken for Carp.
It's a bit difficult to tell from the photos, but (to me) it LOOKS like the weirdos don't have as many spines in the dorsal fin as the TPWD illustration for the bigmouth buffalo. Also, the TPWD description of the buff mentions that the mouth doesn't angle downward, but in the photos, the weirdos' mouths appear to (point downward) -- but again it's hard to judge from a photo.
I guess I'll just have to go visit the Ol Captain later this spring
so I can check out these mystery fish first hand!!!! 
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U dont have to add proteins if you dont want to . Its just better to add for better nutritional value . In long run it keeps them healthy for us to catch memories .
If I'm way off base, someone please correct me, but this is what I've read and been told.
From the discussions I've had with a number of carpers, including some from "across the pond", the "better nutritional value" argument doesn't apply nearly so much here in the US as it does in Europe. Our American carp seem to have plenty of natural food, whereas many of the European carp venues are lakes where carp have been stocked, and in which the fish are (at least somewhat, and in some cases heavily) dependent on whatever food the anglers introduce -- usually boilies.
Therefore, in those European lakes, baiting heavily with tasty, but not-so-nutritious, boilies might actually harm the fish. But here in the US, where most of us target wild carp, the waters already have plenty of healthy nutrients and natural food. Thus, it is not nearly as important to use highly nutritious boilies here in the US, as it is in the less-nutrient-rich waters of many European lakes. Further, in "wild waters", I seriously doubt that an angler - or even a group of anglers - could introduce a sufficient quantity of bait to affect fish quality -- positively or negatively.
For that reason, I make my boilie base mix using ingredients I can easily find at the grocery store, primarily quick oatmeal, wheat flour, and cornmeal, plus some birdseed for crunch. Other than using eggs as a binder, it's just a matter of adding various flavors and attractants.
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Two years ago I was fishing at a paylake, and caught a 4 pound largemouth on a corn puff and a kernel of maize.
I assumed that I must have cast right into its nest, and the bass picked it up to clean it off -- getting hooked in the process.
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I'm inclined to agree with The Big Worm and JohnFinney.
1. It pinpoints who we are.
2. The title page will reflect what it is: Quarterly Newsletter, Winter 2015; Summer, 2015; etc.
3. The title page will have the website so anyone can not only see who we are but what we do.
Any thoughts?
Agreed -- I like "Carp Anglers Group - Quarterly NewsLetter" for the reasons John noted above.
Regarding content... although the term "hack" generally refers to computers, it is now being used more and more in the mainstream to mean "an unusual use for, or change to, something familiar". Why not include a "Hacks" section, where unique changes to rigs or baits might be featured? The Hacks section wouldn't have to be included in every issue -- only when someone submits a particularly clever or useful new twist on an old bait or rig (or if the editors need some filler material - LOL).
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ON THE BRIGHT SIDE -- the guys caught a few carp, and are now potential CAG members!
Maybe by catching those carp, some of those guys gained an appreciation for them as a gamefish. If so, maybe they will take the time to learn more about carp angling, and through that education, they will eventually understand how carp should be handled.
After all, how many of us "grew up" misinformed about carp, believing that they were "just trash fish"? The best way to get others interested in carp angling isn't by telling them about it -- it's by having them actually experience the thrill of catching some carp for themselves.
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Also, if you make a lot ( big batch)and do not own a boilie gun or rolling table, you are going to wish you did. Rolling hundreds of boilies by hand is not fun after the first 25. ha ha making them is the fun part....... rolling.... not so much. IMO
Todd, I don't actually mind it so much. I usually make a 2-or-3-egg batch at one time. Depending on the size boilies I want to make, that usually yields 150 to 300 boilies. I prepare my dough in fairly small, narrow-sausage-shaped, pieces first, then cover those with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out (while I'm rolling one of the other pieces). Then I sit in my easy chair and roll them, one at a time, while I watch TV. It's not too bad if you roll them while you're doing something else.
I boil mine in the late evening and let them dry thoroughly overnight, before I bag and freeze them.
I have also flattened my dough with a rolling pin, cut it up into small particles (1/8" - 1/4" squares), then boiled & dried them. They sometimes work well when added to a spod mix, especially if you set aside some of them to use as a pickup on the hair (5%-10%).
Based on the advice in some of these other posts, I've been cooking mine too long. I think I need to cut back on my boiling time.
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The other thing to remember is carp have been here a very long time. They are not native like 70% of the other species in lakes such as bass, pike and various species of fish. The only difference is dollar signs that makes it ok for the other fish to be there regardless of what damage they may do to native fish. Carp can be blamed for anything because no one is there to defend against them.
You're right, Brian !!! We're up against the MONEY. No one protects carp because the bowfishers spend $$$ on expensive bows and related equipment, plus BOATS, which all adds up to a lot more $$$ than we carp anglers spend. Plus, even though some carpers do spend a significant amount on tackle, quite a few of them choose to spend their money on equipment ordered from suppliers outside the USA, so those $$$ aren't considered as contributing to our economy.
Also, we don't invest in lures -- mostly just "bait". And many (most ?) of us make our own. So there again, we're not contributing nearly as many $$$ to the economy as the other species anglers or the bowfishers.
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Not to belabor this point, but here's an example of the problem with bowfishing -- as it is currently run.
On the bowfishing thread of the GON (Georgia Outdoor News) forum, there's a new posting announcing an upcoming tournament this next weekend. The format of this tournament is "Big 20", which suggests that the participants will weigh their 20 biggest fish.
This is a problem for us -- the carp "anglers" -- on two fronts, first because they intend to kill 20 fish each (or maybe 'only' 20 per boat?). I don't know if they're limited to killing just 20 fish or not, or if they kill as many as possible and only weigh the heaviest 20. Unlike a BASS tournament, they can't cull smaller fish by releasing them unharmed. But the second -- and more significant -- problem is that they will be targeting the biggest fish available. It's conceivable that this single event could result in the "harvest" of as many as 20 big carp, multiplied by as many bowfishermen who participate. That could lead to a LOT of potential trophies being wiped out.
If we could somehow convince them to adopt rules similar to those David suggested -- which would to emphasize their own skills instead of the size of their quarry -- we anglers could co-exist much better with the bowfishers.
As an update, I checked the results of the "Big 20" bowfishing tournament (held 03/07/15), as posted on the GON forum. The fish that were weighed in totaled slightly over 1,500 pounds. That did include gar and catfish, along with carp. And the "big fish" was a 20 pound flathead -- not a carp. As near as I could tell, the next largest fish were "low teens", so at least this tournament didn't kill any "trophy carp". The thread also clarified the "Big 20" format -- each team (or boat, with up to 4 people) weighs its heaviest 20 fish.
There were no photos posted, so I wasn't able to tell how many carp were killed compared with other species. However, the results did show the winning team of the "Numbers Side Pot" with a count of 120. I assume that means that they shot 120 fish, but then only weighed their largest 20 (that team finished in 2nd place for the "Big 20" tournament with 161 pounds).
Four teams each weighed 149.7 pounds or more (1st place was over 190), and 12 teams weighed at least 87 pounds. Assuming that the other teams killed numbers of fish in roughly the same ratio of fish-per-pound-weighed as the #2 team (3 fish killed per every 4 pounds of weight -- 120 fish : 161 pounds), that would mean that more than 1,100 fish were probably killed altogether.
That's not necessarily true, of course. Maybe some of the other teams only shot at larger fish, while that particular team was shooting at everything. But if they had a "numbers" side pot, that's doubtful.
The numbers and total weight also makes me wonder how they disposed of that many fish. I HOPE they were put to good use.
What do you do with old rice packbait?
in Beginning Carping
Posted
I fish with rice packbait fairly often, and many times I'm able to use bait I prepared for a trip a week or two earlier, and use it all up. BTW, I'm talking about the rice pack recipe that uses instant rice, ketchup, salt and powdered sugar -- with no heating involved. Some guys refer to it as "rubber rice" because when it's prepared correctly, it feels like rubber.
However, sometimes I find myself with nearly a full bucket of bait that has dried out to the point where it won't pack at all. In the past, when that happened, I just saved it and added it to my spod mix. But I started wondering if there might be some way to rejuvenate the bait so it could still be used effectively as packbait.
Yesterday, I began playing around with some 3-week-old rice that was well past its usefulness. First, I heated some clear corn syrup and stirred it into the rice. It was certainly sticky, but it wouldn't pack at all. Remembering one of my millet recipes, I thought of adding some flour (as a second binder). After considerable "tweaking" (adding more flour, then more syrup, then flour, etc.), and a LOT of stirring, I believe I have it at a point where it should pack pretty tight. At least it "feels" about right -- and because of that feel, I'm not too worried about it not breaking. The test will come when I get out to fish again early next week.
Has anyone else ever tried "reviving" their old rice packbait? If so, were you successful, and how did you do it?