[Attention all State Chairs]

John Finney, CO

[The problem with getting serious about carp?]

20 lb carp are a rare fish here in Colorado, 30s are a miracle capture. Across the whole state last year, I believe only 2 were caught that I heard about - and I hear about most.

One local lake here I used to love fishing, every session I could catch a couple of carp, real mid to upper double bruisers. After some construction work around the lake, a sudden drop in the water level for many months, the carp moved out from their usual spots, became very wary and are now all but impossible to catch. Heck, I fished there 16 times last year, didn't catch a single carp. I am not discouraged and have returned again already this year and I know I will catch them again ! (or course, I could be delusional).

Scour the local fishing forums, posts, catch reports, even when they are not primarily carp focused. Talk to other anglers on the bank, wildlife officials, joggers, bikers - ask them if they have seen any carp, you may be surprised what you can find out. Perhaps you can find a few more locations or venues where the big carp are more common. In the end if the big carp aren't there, you won't be catching them!

Just try to enjoy your fishing and in time those big fish will come again - it can be hard to measure success in a single season or a few months.

Tight-Lines,

John

[What CAG is about.]

Well said ! 

[New CarpQuest Episode: Spring Carp Fishing Chatfield - pt1]

A new CarpQuest episode has been released. It's time to break out your mugs, fill them with java, sit back and enjoy the show.

It was an early spring sunny morning when I returned to Chatfield to fish my favorite big open water reservoir. I had never caught a carp this early in the season from the main reservoir.

 

With water temps in the 40s, a cold wind gusting in the afternoon, it was going to be a challenge to find the carp, let alone catch one !

 

 

 

 

Tight-Lines,

John

[New venue, caught a few]

Congrats on that new GA wildwater common PB ! 

[New CarpQuest Episode: Simple pop-up rigs.]

In this weeks episode of CarpQuest we met up with my friends, James, Ron and his son, Jordan.

With water temps cold I decided to go back to basics and fish simple rigs with a range of CC Moore Hellraiser pop-ups.

 For those that have often asked, who want the "how-to", hopefully this episode shows you a bit more of the rigs I use in action.

 

 

Hope you enjoy!

Tight-Lines,
John

[State chair list?]

Quote

This list should be the answer to your question... 

http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?/staff/

Except that most state chairs didn't customize their title to clearly

Jerome, any idea why i'm not included anymore on that list of State Chairs ? 

I do still seem to be listed, and have posting access, on the list from the State Chair section of the forum (below)

http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?/page/cag_state_chairs_.html

 

John

[New venue, caught a few]

Congrats on the new venue,and captures, always a great feeling to catch from a new water.

[Its been a looong while......]

Welcome home !

[Had an idea for fish ins to attract more carpers and let carp anglers]

I went back and checked, you can fish in Colorado without a license only on the first full weekend of June, each year. All other rules and regulations apply

[Hello]

Welcome to CAG !

[College project made with Carp bait!]

Excellent !

[Incredibly aggresive run!]

Now thats a run !!!

[2015 Carp Runs!]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing !

[Avast me Hearties! The Ol Captain is moving!]

Best of luck with the new Lakeside home - "livin the dream!"

[New Years Day Reading]

Great read Dean and an even better session !

[NACA Q4 Printed Edition]

Great work !

[X-mas Eve 2015]

Having fished very busy State Park lakes these past years, I really do think the carp get used to activity, noise, vibration, within reason. I've had many a carp-on literally as speed boats or jet ski's have screamed over my spots in fairly shallow water. Other venues, i've had my swim killed for hours by someone throwing rocks into the water, or deciding to take a swim ! Interesting topic though, would be good to hear other peoples experiences ....

[Petition]

Signed.

[Preferred Hooklink]

Korda Super Natural, for a very soft and supple braided hooklink. Korda NTrap Soft, for semi-stiff, stripping back about an inch just before the hook. BCT still has the Korda Strippa Tool available. When i'm not a using a braid hooklink, I use fluorocarbon. I also use an overhand loop for quick attachment to a speed/quick link style clip to the mainline.

[Final CarpQuest Episode of 2015: Late Fall Session with Friends]

The final episode of CarpQuest from 2015 sees Andrew, Ron, Jordan and I all meet up for an end of the season session at the Fairgrounds. We all banked a few good carp before the day was done including a beautiful 20 lb'er for me and a new PB for young Jordan. It was a frosty and cold start to the morning. As the temperatures warmed up so did the bite.

Overall the 2015 season was not a bad, even though we lost more than half of it the volatile Colorado weather, with record flooding and weeks of powerful storms. The fall fishing certainly made up for the earlier difficult conditions with 80% of the carp caught coming during the months of September and October.

I am certainly looking forwards to the 2016 season ahead, hoping to meet many new anglers, introduce more people to the passion of carp fishing and hopefully, fish some new venues.

Tight-Lines,

John

[CarpQuest's Christmas Greeting with a LightSaber !]

For some light holiday humor, and in honor of the release of Star Wars the Force Awakens, I was fortunate to get the very latest item from Next Generation Tackle's development department as an early Xmas present - the NGT Lightsaber!

I think it will even be available in a carpy green. Available in stores in 3015, plenty of time to get a pre-order in now. Wonder if Big Carp Tackle will stock them in future ?

Tight Lines and Happy Holidays Everyone,

Hope you Enjoy!

John

[New CarpQuest Episode: Trio of Twenty Pound Commons]

Thanks Franky - just have 1 more episode to release this year (next week) then it's the 2016 season ... i am already looking forwards to spring and our waters unfreezing... i fear cabin fever is taking hold already !

[The CAG Colorado Challenge - 2015]

Here is the final entry I have received for 2015 so far.

James Hitchens and a 33", 18 lb 4 oz common caught at Adams County Fairgrounds, in August this year.

[New CarpQuest Episode: Trio of Twenty Pound Commons]

In this weeks new episode of CarpQuest we see Ron and I get in a late fall session at the Fairgrounds. The weather was great, as was the carping, with Ron banking 3 twenty pound common carp. I did bank several mid to upper doubles for me. This is the penultimate episode of CarpQuest for 2015, will release the final video next week in time for Xmas.

Tight-Lines and Hope you enjoy !

John