Annual weekend-long event held in the middle of the capital. This years is just over and produced some bad weather but some good fishing.

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Brilliant! Is that the Potomac that they came from?

I've been to DC a number of times, never thought of taking my rods.

Plenty of UK style tackle in evidence Newt, but, apart from bows and arrows, don't you US fellows have an American way of catching carp?

Great pictures of the kids! That's angling!!

Stewart - next time you should certainly plan to get in some fishing. Most of the folks who posted to that thread and who live in that general area would enjoy taking you out for session or two or three. And yes, the Potomac where it runs through D.C.

Peter - Mr. Big (Tom) uses baitcasting gear and packbaits. Does well too. Some of the 'wild water' carpers are starting to borrow ideas and tactics from the paylakers. I use casting rods although my reels are a little larger than most baitcasters but mainly because I use the same rods to fish for blue catfish and flatheads. Too cheap to buy gear for 3 species when the same stuff works for all of them.

The reasons UK carpers use the long rods, pods, alarms, and that sort of thing are the same reasons many US carpers have opted for the gear. To that, add in the fact that at least half the folks who fished the D.C. fishin are ex-pats who started their angling in the UK.

Packbaits?

Newt, that you have 'paylakes' surprises me when you have so much free water, and carp aren't that popular over there.

All those fish look pristine, looks a nice place to fish

Peter -

Paylakes are more about gambling than fishing as it is done in my area.

• Carp puddles, and true puddles as they are simply dug holes of fairly small size and as featureless as possible.
• Heavy carp stocking and only sunfish for insect and carp fry control.
• Fish on a fee-per-session basis and a session is usually 8 hours. Fees usually from $50 to over $100 if you get into all the available side bets.
• Payouts for (and it varies but this would be typical for a well-attended session)
  - largest, 2nd largest, maybe also 3rd largest fish per hour
  - largest, 2nd largest, maybe also 3rd largest fish per session
  - nearest to some random weight (decided at the session beginning) without going over
  - maybe a few others
• On a good session (and they usually run round the clock for 5 days per week) and angler can easily take home $1000 - $3-4000.

Packbait - sort of method feeding without the hardware. A hookbait is placed directly on the hook and a ball of feed packed around it. If the consistency is right, the ball will survive the cast (short range stuff) and will break down within 3-4 minutes.

Yup. A match but only one species counts, bottom rigs only, no feeding other than your packbait.