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Evan C.

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    FFF 2016 - Post Written Summaries of your FFF 2016 Experience Here&#33

    in FFF 2016

    Posted

    Third Year Folly

    Evan Cartabiano

    Littleton, NC

    I spend a lot of time each year deciding where the best place is to fish the FFF. It‘s been different every year for the past 3 years, with each time finding me in a different state. This year, North Carolina is home (and a relatively new home at that). The result was a toss-up of a few waters that I had never fished, or had only fished once or twice. I decided on the unknown, at a spot that I had a tip about, but had never spent any time at – fingers were crossed to say the least!

    Initially I had chosen a different spot, but my wife indicated (just days before the zero hour I might add!) that I would need to be home sometime rather closer to lunch than dinner. This required a rethink of venues to something that was not 2hrs away, so I could get out and bait while more limited in time. The Roanoke Rivers Lakes fit the bill, and I got out on the 30th to put in some cracked corn that I spiked with a can of sweet. On the 31st I again made the trip prior to fishing and was pleased to see a fish roll over my bait.

    2016 01 01 002 016 (1024x683)

    As luck would have it, I managed to contract a cold not long before and this put a bit of a damper on my motivation as sleeping in the cold while sick did not sound like much fun, but carp were (soon I hoped) to be on the line, so I got myself out of bed and had the gear set up by around 1:30am. I had some hope that I would get a run relatively quickly but as the minutes turned into hours I began to wonder if I should have chosen some venue a) that someone had fished before, and B) had a larger stock of small fish.

    2016 01 01 002 072 (1024x683)

    I managed to get some sleep on and off for most of the night (while getting really cold), and by dawn (which was a bit rainy and gray) I still had had no activity on the alarms that could be considered a fish – other than a small, I am assuming, catfish, which happily got off. I recast all the rods, and soon after got a run…and landed a skinny channel catfish. I recast and got another one on the same rod. Then things died.

    The lake level was high when I got there and it had continued to increase until the dock at the boat ramp was underwater, and some private docks were just above the water line. For a lake there was a lot of current and it continued to slosh in and out like a tide that got confused and thought that every hour was more fun. I noticed that there seemed to be more fish movement during some periods than others, and made sure to be ready for changes.

    2016 01 01 002 056 (1024x683)

    Well, I had a few bumps on one rod and other than that absolutely nothing. I watched a loon, and made some PVA sticks, and some more rigs. Rigs were kept simple, with a few different variations based on a size 8 Gardner Mugga hook and 25lb Gardner Chod Skin hook link. The lead arrangement was a simple run rig, as I wanted to keep an eye on what was going on at the hook with the hordes of catfish and turtles that might keep the rig from fishing properly. Before casting I put on a PVA stick of liquidized bread or Gardner Bait Bomb of the same.

    2016 01 01 002 041 (1024x683)

    Sooner than seemed possible it was time to pack up. I was thinking about how blanking was really not that much fun, and how writing this would also not be much fun, when my right hand rod comes to life in a big way. I dash to the rod and connect with the fish, which (happy day!!!) did not feel like a catfish. After some very spirited back and forth I slipped the net under a nice 18lb 6oz common. To say I was happy was an understatement – I had not blanked!!! After getting the photo gear set up, I got some pics, and continued to pack up as now I was going to be late getting home. Then the next rod rattles off and I am in again trying to get a very angry carp away from a snag, and get the net back in the water. This fish was 18lbs 13ozs and was again in perfect condition. Well, I figured a brace of 18s was about as good as I was going to get, and I again started packing. Then the 3rd rod goes off. This fish did not behave like the thousands of carp I have caught before, and runs right at me. I recovered the line, and it literally made a “zinging” noise as it cut through the water in front of me. After a really wonderful fight (with fingers crossed that the hook would hold), I got the last, and biggest, common at 23lbs 7ozs.

    18lb 6oz Common

    18lb 13oz 10 45 AM

    23lb 7oz 11 09 AM

    At this point I really had to kick packing into high gear and get home and got my last rod out of the water. The day had really turned around, in a way that has not often happened in a while, and really set the tone of the New Year off right. If you have not fished the FFF before I recommend it and will be doing it again as long as it is happening.

    Happy New Year!

    FFF in NC - Near Raleigh

    in NC

    Posted · Edited by Evan C.

    I will be fishing the 2016 FFF somewhere near Raleigh, NC. Still trying to decide where, and it is somewhat dependent on if anyone wants to fish with me. Shoot me a PM or email at ecartabiano@gmail.com if you are interested.

    Cheers,

    Evan

    South Carolina Introductions

    in SC Meet, Greet & Questions

    Posted

    Hi Tony!

    Carp for me are serious business, and I fish for other species (such as bass) to relax! :D

    I used to live in GA and fish Lake Lanier all the time. Never did that well, and my PB from there was only 16?

    The average size of carp I have caught in SC has been in the mid teens, with a few fish in the mid 20s. The Congaree river in Columbia is hard to fish but they are good sized when you get them.

    I have moved to NC (better job) but will still be down there at times. Let me know when you think you might have time to fish and we'll set something up.

    Evan

    Summer Patterns ?

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    I agree that dissolved oxygen is worth considering. Carp are more resistant than most fish but they still have their limits. Try to fish just above the thermocline if there is one and you can find it - the natural food items will not be below this.

    SC CAG Tournament?

    in SC Fish-Ins & Social Events

    Posted

    Ok so I don't know if the venue I was thinking will work because I don't know how many carp are in there as I have never caught more than 2 in any given session. This is what I do know: there are 5 common carp to around 25lbs (different weights), and 3 grass carp to around 22lbs. There may be more but would want to get out there with some other anglers first and see how many we could catch at one time and sack them until we were done. Anyone up for setting up a day (before the end of September) to give this a whirl? This is the venue: Catfish Haven, 1950 Craigsen Ln, West Columbia, SC 29169.

    Let me know if you would be interested and we can go from there.

    SC CAG Tournament?

    in SC Fish-Ins & Social Events

    Posted

    I have been fishing in this little catfish pay pond that has some nice carp in it and have talked to the owner about holding a little carp tournament there. They would love to do it and would close the pond for us if we can get enough people to sign up. It is not a very large pond so it would not take very many people to do this. I was thinking something along the following lines:

    • $25 entry fee for CAG members per person; Non-members + CAG membership
    • ~ 12 spots; either teams or individual depending on the number of anglers interested
    • $480 payout for most pounds of common and grass carp
    • Soft landing nets and unhooking mats required
    • Single hooks; one hook per line

    This is not set in stone so if you have any ideas about format and what might it more attractive to you please give me feedback! I was thinking that this would be held in the fall - too bloody hot right now!

    Evan

    What If You hold a Fish-in And Nobody Comes?

    in GA Fish-Ins & Social Events

    Posted · Edited by Evan C.

    What was Evan doing different than you to catch so many?

    My guess is the rig was the biggest thing - I was using an anti-eject type set up and a method feeder. We used similar bait; however I was fishing at much longer range in water that was a few feet deeper. None the less we both had plenty of fish crashing on both our baits so my money is on the rig.

    ...or maybe I was cheating :D

    SC Greenville Area

    in SC

    Posted

    Hi William,

    Happy to hear you will be coming to SC - the place needs more CAG members! Both lakes you mention (Hartwell/Keowee) have plenty of carp, however they tend to be on the smaller size with a mid-teen being a good fish when I have fished there. The Saluda River might have some bigger fish - I am down in Columbia and the Saluda feeds into Lake Murray which has 50+lb common and grass carp. There are also pay lakes in that area if you enjoy that sort of fishing. Let me know once you get down here and I'll get some more details for you.

    Regards,

    Evan

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