Fathers day Sunday. Fish With Son Tomorrow? High Water

[Shorefisher]

My son has gone carp fishing with me several times. Poor dude never caught anything.

I wanted to go with him Saturday but the river level is very high. Good or Bad?

The best spot I've found locally for carp fishing is on the Des Plaines river. There is a

channel in the middle that almost always gets me something. Sometimes several.

I really want him to get something. But it has rained recently and the water level is

up over the banks and the flow is pretty strong.

QUESTION: Is that good or bad? Quick opinions appreciated. I need to decide

whether to call it off or try somewhere else in the Northwest Chicago suburbs.

Attached picture: This 20 pounder (and companions) came from this spot.

[JPR1]

Shorefisher,

I've fished the Des Plaines River many times...with good results.

However, I'd ask that you do not fish the Des Plaines, or any other location, if you are going to handle your captures the way you are handling them in this photo.

Carp fishing is about catch and release. By using a "stringer" and grasping the carp by the gills, as you have done in the photo, will certainly cause the carp to die.

I don't know why you are putting the carp on a stringer in the first place.

Please read how to care for carp on the CAG website...before you do any more carp fishing.

[Shorefisher]

Of course, you’re right about the stringer. You aren’t the first person to bust

my chops on that one. On the gill-holding remark, there is room for debate on that -

especially since I am not holding the gills. I am placing fingers under the gill covers, probably rubbing

off less slime than those who hold the carp horizonally with bare hands (that would be you, right?)

It is a bit curious that you didn’t care to offer an answer to my question, but seized the opportunity

to criticize. Most in the brotherhood of fisherman are more congenial than that.