22 Pounder! (with video)

[MonteSS]

Was fishin this mornin with a Scatter Rap crank. Caught some nice 10" Bluegill and Shellcrackers plus a few 15" bass. Then I made a long cast and KAPLOW! Huge explosion as soon as it hit the water. I reeled hard and nothing. I was bummed. Kept reeling the lure in and it was still on! I felt the weight and it felt me, and took off, peeling drag. It jumped clear out of the water and I saw it was a big carp. I was in open water so left the drag so I didnt pull the hook. Well the battle went back and forth and it ran deep. Had a hard time pulling it up so just let the rod bend. Well after about 5 mins I finally tired it out enough to get it in the boat. 36" and 22 pounds.

 It was a grass carp. I heard from someone that he had seen them hitting cicadas on top. I guess my bluegill crank was close enough. Was using a 6'6" Med spinning rod with 20# Power Pro

Of course I forgot the camera in the car today

...Bill

[Denny Welch]

I believe ya, Bill.  Good fish story.

 The biggest carp I ever caught was from the Sutter Slough.  I was only about 17 or 18 years old and was fishing for catfish.  I was using a drug store bought combo type spinning outfit.  It came prespooled with some cheap line, but it sure looked good to me.  I think I was fishing with raw liver or some such thing.  It was a hot summer afternoon and the fishing was less than stellar.  All of a sudden...KAPOW.  It probably took about five minutes to get it in.  Man, what a fish.  It probably weighed about 15 pounds, but to me it was the biggest fish I had ever caught. 

I think that fish started a life long quest to feel the tug of a fish.  All things considered, it really doesn't matter what type of fish.  It's all about the tug.

Like you, Bill, I didn't have a camera with me either.  We didn't carry them with us back then.  I do have that picture etched in my memory though.  Only difference is that the fish is probably bigger today than it was back then.

[t-billy]

 Congrats on the catch Bill. Those things pull like a train.
 Denny, your story reminded me of my first fish. It was an 18" carp. I was 5 years old. My Grandpa bought me a Johnson spincast outfit that was red, white, and blue, striped like a barber pole. It had a matching red,white, and blue reel. Man I loved that rod. He took me fishing from his dock. He taught me how to put a worm on a hook, and how to cast it and, I caught that first fish. That 3lb carp started a lifelong passion. Talk about a great gift!!! Thanks Grandpa!!! I'm now nearly 44, and that's still one of my greatest memories.------Tim.

[ctom]

As ugly as they are, carp sure seem to get to some unreal sizes and certainly do like to change the rules of fishing. I got one in the Mississippi River that was around the 22 pound mark. It hit a leech being trolled for walleyes on a floating jighead. 8 pound line made for some fun.

Andy will maybe chime in on this. He knows all about the big northerns that lay in wait in some shallow, weedy backwater for the unsuspecting pannie angler to toss a bait to the weed edge. If you want KAPOW, northerns deliver.

[andrewlamberson]

For a big tug....I like Dog Fish (bowfin) !!! They love the CCM Boss Hog!

[MonteSS]

Thanks for the great stories. Grass carp are actually not that ugly. Kinda like a mini Tarpon.

Landed another today that was a little smaller. I'm guessing 15+. Same little crankbait and bit as soon as it hit the water. At least I had the camera today to get a glimse. You can hear the Cicadas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbfUC6Upeuc

Akso had another fish on that was either a big bass or carp. Hit as I was working the crank in. Screamed drag and then got right off.

Later I had a popper on. Way back in a shallow cove I saw a carp swirl on the surface. Threw the popper and what an explosion. I paused a second and pulled back. The fish imediately jumped clear out of the water and took off. This was a real big one. I came at me and I reeled fast to catch up. Swam by the front of the boat at mach three and I only had the lure to reel back in

Also got two 17" 2# bass and an 18" 3-2 on the same Rapala Scatter Rap crank in Bluegill. I am really liking this bait and the fish are too.