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(CO) JohnFinney

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Posts posted by (CO) JohnFinney

    Denver Report: Adams County Fairgrounds

    in CO

    Posted

    Update: I finally spoke with Daiwa's warranty department last week regarding my broken rod. They were very helpful and agreed to replace the top section of the rod for just a minimal charge + s&h. It would have been cost prohibitive to actually send them the broken seciton back (UPS wanted $25+ just for shipping it!) - which I would have needed to do to get a full warranty replacement. I received the new top rod section in the post this evening and am once again the proud owner of two fully functional Mad Dragon rods ! Time to get back out on the ponds and put them to good use!

    John

    Fishing Barton Pond

    in MI

    Posted

    Looks like one carp haulage of a day ! well done ! I sympathise with the back to work saga - after all last week off, back to evenings & nights again for me this coming week ! urg !

    John

    Denver Report: Adams County Fairgrounds

    in CO

    Posted

    Have the info now for Daiwa US, repair center to send the fractured "Mad Dragon" back for a warranty repair/replacement (rod is only two weeks old and has been used twice). Will box it up, post it back, and let you know how this endeavor goes - will be interesting. Hopefully can get it in the post before end of this week!

    Denver Report: Adams County Fairgrounds

    in CO

    Posted

    Overview:

    The South Platte Fishing Lakes at Adams County Fairgrounds are a transformation and reclamation project of the former Bromley Sand and Gravel Mines. The plan (started in 2004) was for multiple fishing lakes and natural wildlife and recreational development in the surrounding areas. To date the east lake, Mann-Nyholt and the smaller "Fishing is Fun" lake to the north are now open. On the western side of the development area it appears that the gravel pit is slowly starting to be filled (?).

    Mann-Nyholt appears to be two lakes, connected via a small channel on the north eastern side. Totally size, approximately 85 acres of water. The South Platte river runs to the east of the lake and in times of flooding it is likely to spill over into Mann-Nyholt. The lake has carparks and restrooms nearby and shore access is typically good.

    This is a "wakeless" water though belly boats are allowed. There is no Fish Management Survey data available (that I could find that is!).

    Reported species include Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Tiger Muskie, Yellow Perch.

    The lake is "heavily" stocked by the DoW with stocker rainbows every year. As of my visit to this lake on 9/23 the rainbow trout were clearly visible in huge schools. The carp were very active around dawn, breaching all across both the northern and southern sides of the lake.

    Map:

    AdamsCountyFairgrounds-Fishing_zpsb6fc16f0.jpg

    Current Conditions & Trip Report.

    9/24/2012

    Andrew Green (CAG State Chair, CO) and I fished the lake on 9/23. This was my first trip to the fairgorunds and Andrew provided some excellent local knowledge of the lake and locations where the carp are generally known to be. This was my first time actually fishing here in the USA with a fellow fisherman targetting carp - a welcome relief and Andrew proved to be a font of knowledge!

    After some initial confusion, e.g. Andrew setting up at "C" and myself mistakenly setting up at "B" - yes, I am direction impaired ! we both managed to meet up just after first light at location "C". Shore access was flat and accessible with plenty of room for multiple swims around the penninsula. Carp were breaching frequently within 10-50 yards from shore in all directions. At around 7:30am I managed to catch perhaps the smallest common carp Andrew had seen from here, a healthy juvenille 1 pound and certainly no more than a year old. This is good evidence that the carp are spawning and breeding in this lake. Due to a "funneral wake" party that appeared we were asked to relocate before everyone showed up for a "fish-in" in honor of their old friend. We thus moved across the lake to spot (A) along the north shore of the lower lake.

    We got our stall setup again perhaps just after 8:30am. I was fishing using two rods, fixed 2oz weights on safety clips, 6" leader to a size #2 hook loaded up with sweet corn flavored with a hint of pineapple. Hook bait was encased in my now "borg style" panko/creamed corn packbait - as the weeks go by more and more additions are included in the pack, salt, cinnamon, chilli-flakes, pineapple flavorings! Andrew was also using 2 rods, running rigs, with 2oz weights on safety clips, pva bag's size #8-10 hooks with pop-up artificial flavored maize. I was fishing straight and towards the pier to my left - between 5-20 yards, Andrew straight and slightly to the right at approximately 20-50 yards.

    The action at our new location was insane to say the least. The carp gods certainly favored me and I landed 8 more commons to set my PB total carp in a morning session at 9. Average size was 13 lbs, largest was 19.5 (on my left rod when I switched it to the packbait and pop-up artificial maize on a hair) and the smallest around 11.5 lbs. Andrew switched to a shorter range and tried one rod with a zig given that the sun was out from the clouds by about 11am. First time I have seen a zig up close and personal. Sadly Andrew hooked no fish and had but a few anguished bleeps out of his ACE alarms.

    Though blanking Andrew demonstrated his skill and knowledge during our session - a lesson that would be well learned by many anglers when things are not going to plan. He tried different baits, range, location/direction, rigs, switched from bottom baits to the zig etc.

    I certainly learned a lot today from Andrew's vast carp fishing knowledge and experience and do not think he could have chosen a better swim to break me in on this new venue. Thanks Andy, you are a true fellow British Gentleman and a damn Jedi with the carp net, sling and weigh scales !!!

    Here are a few photo's of the stunning pristine carp landed and finally, at the end, the "Lake Monster" surprise I hooked and landed as we were about to pack up.

    13.5

    P9230001_zpsf5eb5c2d.jpg

    Andrew deep in thought, weigh scale in hand (not sure if he was actually praying to the carp scales for some bites!) - actually he was resetting it to zero with weight of sling subtracted.

    P9230002_zps35892d22.jpg

    14.3 common

    P9230006_zpsa37fd3ed.jpg

    19.5 common

    P9230007_zpsc2095146.jpg

    AND finally, the Lake Monster.

    P9230012_zpsd669a7b1.jpg

    This chunky 15.5 lb, 32" long channel catfish was a surprise to us both and a good end to an otherwise crazy morning session of carp fishing, good conversation and enjoying the outdoors here in Colorado. Around 2pm we were packed up and headed home.

    Only downside of the whole trip was I noticed whilst packing that one of my "brand new" Diawa Mad Dragon rods now has a 2" split, just beneath the first rung in the top seciton. Best working theory is that the rod section may have been slightly damaged and after a day of hauling multiple fish from the waters the split got larger and more pronounced. Pretty sure that if I had actually used that rod to cast any distance at the end of the session, or with significan weight, it likely would have broken clean in two. URG ! time to watch some youtube and see if I can learn how to "repair" my new rod.

    In closing Adams County Fairground lakes are easily accessible and hold a large number of mid-doubles that can be caught by a novice to advanced angler with a variety of techniques and baits. As a destination for a day session, or even a fish-in, I would certainly include ACF near the top, if not the top, of the list of venues I have fished locally so far. This would be a great starter-lake for anyone new to carp fishing though given the almost mid-double average size appropriate tackle needs to be used.

    Tight Lines!

    John

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