Damn Carp!!!!

[Ian Bass]

I am SICK!!!! A few weeks ago I was fishing a small pond near my home, I was fishing for small fish. I knew that there wewe Carp in the water at 5lb ( my missis caught one a few weeks ago )All of a sudden my elastic disappeared to the far side of the pond and my pole bent to about 90 degrees and I thought "Oh dear" or something like that. After 4-5 minutes of hanging on the fish, it managed to spit tho hook, and I thought " Bother".

 

Yesterday, I was at the same pond with slightly beefier rigs and elatic I spent 2 hours catching Roach and Perch to about half an ounce!!!

 

Suddenly the float slowly went under and you think "Here we go again" as I lifted the pole a carp which I can only estimate between 12 and 15lb shot off to the weeds in the middle. I managed to get it out and we spent the next 10 minutes going from one side of the pond to the other.(I had been watching my Bob Nudd 'Carp on the pole' video) I eventually managed to get it towards my feet and I am thinking to myfelf "Yesssssss this is it, the one I have been waiting for" I got the landing net in the water. The fish was about 3 ft away from the net and then 'CRACK' the top section of the pole snapped causing the line to jerk and the elastic to move. The damn fish managed to spit the hook and I watched it BU**ER off flicking its tail at me as it went. I just sat and watched it. I could have cried. I decided to pack up and go home. As I walked away I looked back towards the pond and thought "I'll be back for you" ............ and I will.

 

[ 04 August 2002, 08:07 AM: Message edited by: Ian Bass ]

[ayjay]

It's always a shame to lose a fish,so commiserations for that.......perhaps with rod and line next time?

 

....can't understand the attraction of poles.

[poledark]

Ian, tough luck mate, bet you had a terrific fight while it lasted,"I will be back" says it all.

 

A question....how long is your landing net handle? I have caught a lot of doubles on the pole but lost the very first BIG one(20+) because I could not reach it with the standard net.

 

I have a telescopic (2piece) very strong handle, I do not know the make but got it from Tackle Box Dartford. It goes out to 11ft+ the net. No name on it I'm afraid!

 

Some of you may remember that I used to have a handle made from an old glass pole, this has gradually got shorter due to accidents, (trod on)

but it used to be brilliant all you had to do was get the fish (barbel as well) to the top, reach out and net it before it dived.

 

I am amazed that all the "caring" barbel anglers do not use very long nets, saves an awful lot of stress and recovery times.

 

Good luck next time,

 

Den

[Golden Phoenix]

so sorry to here about your fish, I once had a really nice perch but the b******d came off. i bet you looked like this when you struck

better luck next time.

[Peter Waller]

And these 'nuisence' carp can be so easy to catch!

 

Carp were stocked into my local Broad, just after the 39/45 war, and they promptly disappeared, the pesky wee beasts. That was until recently since when a few have been caught, at around the 20lb to 30lb mark.

 

I don't know the why's or the wherefor's but the other day I was stalking pike in a reed fringed bay. Surprise surprise, there were a number of carp just beneath the surface. Some quite small & a couple of real broad backed biggies. They were so incredibly tame!! They didn't give a tuppeny whatsit about me & my boat. They were so unconcerned that I could have netted them with ease. Or shot them with a bow and arrow, US style!

 

I am the most unsophisticated carp angler on the planet, yet I was able to return & catch one on a rod and line, at over 26 pounds, absolutely scale perfect. Carp certainly motor!

 

Yes, I can understand the attraction of catching a carp. If you can locate them, or you stumble on them quite casually, then, so far, they seem to be an absolute doddle to catch, or was it just beginner's luck?

 

Atleast pike pose a challenge!

[ste the piker]

yep it's a sod when that happens,ive had pole section's snapped by carp,get back there and get your revenge and catch that carp.good luck to you and tight lines.

[Gaffer]

Peter Waller:

Yes, I can understand the attraction of catching a carp. If you can locate them, or you stumble on them quite casually, then, so far, they seem to be an absolute doddle to catch, or was it just beginner's luck?

Beginners luck mate!

[Newt]

poledark:

A question....how long is your landing net handle? I have caught a lot of doubles on the pole but lost the very first BIG one(20+) because I could not reach it with the standard net.

Poledark - why not just rig a net at the stern of a bait boat and then not worry about the handle at all?

[poledark]

Now that would be really silly

 

Seriously though (are we ever?), There is a lot of debate as to how barbel must be treated with special care after landing due to them being "exhausted" and needing several minutes nursing to stop them bellying up and dying.

Hand on heart this has never happened to me and I have caught hundreds, and this is because I land them BEFORE they are exhausted, with the use of a long landing net.

I started to do this when I went up to 13 & 14 ft rods and found difficulty landing them unless I got them to roll up in the edge.

Almost every pole match angler I have met uses a long handled net which saves the pole getting broken when a fish tries to come in close and causing the top section to get pulled almost straight down.

 

It is astounding how quick you can net pretty big fish, even up in the high twenties once you get the knack of netting them the first time you get them to the top.

 

I saw a good tip a year or so back, the guy had put a section of foam (pipe lagging) on the net pole and he pushed it out and it floated until he was ready to net his fish, he used this idea to help him land at least 2x 40+ fish and many thirties.

 

Of cause none of this is nessessary if you only use "little boys rods"

 

LOL Den

[Simon Newbould]

poledark:

 

I saw a good tip a year or so back, the guy had put a section of foam (pipe lagging) on the net pole and he pushed it out and it floated until he was ready to net his fish, he used this idea to help him land at least 2x 40+ fish and many thirties.

FWIW "The Tackle Box" in Kent actually sell these, they call them "the Pontoon Net Float" retail at £9.99...

 

Simon