I want...#17 on the FF Bucket List.
Bear Andrews had asked me a few weeks ago about getting up north to chase some carp around during the day and then float his long boat for the Hex. As badly as I wanted to make it happen I had too many things going on to make the trip up, but did take a few hours this morning to go chase some carp around here...and it was glorious! I got out at first light on my own and there were tails flopping all over the place. I ended up having my best day in a few years by bringing half a dozen to hand in short order.
The largest fish of the day would have been my best river carp landed to date, but it broke off at my feet due to angler error. I had fought the hog up and down the pool for abuot ten minutes and thought it was about played out. As I worked my way over in to the shallows it eased along with me and all seemed well. The final foot that I needed to move the fish to beach it was very shallow and my rod was pretty stressed by the fish so I reached out and grabbed the leader to hand line that last foot. Error. That fish was not played out and decided to make another bolt for freedom...unfortunately my hand is not a very smooth drag and it popped 3X like it was nothing. Epic angler fail!
In a long slow pool like requires ninja like focus and stealth to sneak up on the tailing fish. The porblem is generally not that fish as they are happily rooting about...the problem is all the other fish between you and it. They are damn near impossible to spot in flat light, and if one spooks they are all put down.
It was a great morning to get out for a few hours and hunt some fish!
One last thought for the day...respect the water. I got a painful reminder of that lesson on my way out today. I was about a mile and a half from the car and slowly making my way back downstream through slow moving shin deep water I have waded hundreds of times without a spill. This time though I was not paying enough attention and lost my footing on a rock. Before I knew it my feet were completely out from under me and I landed heavily, with all 260 pounds, directly on my shins over bowling ball sized rocks. For a few seconds I was thinking I would have to crawl my way back it hurt so bad. I was lucky and came away with only a few bad bruises, but it could have been worse. Not a lesson I will soon forget again. Pay attentino and stay safe out there!
-mike schmidt
Boom...Morgan
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