Later on after dropping Cleo off, I drove down to Lake Michigan with my 9wt to catch some warmwater fish or whatever else. There were a few bass, some pike, many very small hatchery trout, and schools of very large carp. I went for the carp.
I had a hit early on, but most casts toward the schooling carp went unnoticed. The hit was enough to let me know I was on the right track though, so I kept at it. Eventually I put my fly right in front of a carp. As it sank, he dove for it like I had just thrown in a piece of chocolate cake. I set the hook.
My 9wt held up to the fight perfectly but I lost the fish at the shore trying to land it without a net. It counts, right? a long distance release? I caught a little video right before I tried to land the fish.
Sweet!!! Carp are a lot of fun!!!
ReplyDeleteit sure was, I can't wait to get into another one!
DeleteHaving never hooked a Carp on a fly rod, my vote is "you bet it counts". You would have released him anyway, right?
ReplyDeleteI absolutely would have released him.
DeleteA carp on the fly at the marina?? That's absolutely awesome!!! Of course the catch counts. Long distance release. I'll have to use those words more often. haha.
ReplyDeleteTony, is that you?
DeleteYes sir nate, this is tony!
Deletethat is a for sure catch sir, you need one of those 12 foot nets for harbor fun ;)
ReplyDeleteI always make sure to have a way to land a fish, and I actually got a hand on the fish when he broke my line. I set the rod down and held the leader in one hand while trying to get the other hand under the fish. there was no give when he thrashed. Fun story, back in Michigan I'd fish the breakwaters with a friend with a 30" net. When one of us would get a fish on the other one would scale down the wall on one of the ladders and net the fish. We'd catch 20" or bigger drum on back to back casts!
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