| Home | FisherMOM Article Page

Who Says Carp Aren’t Game Fish?

My best fish fights have been with a carp. My latest encounter with one darn near killed me and it went something like this….

I trout fished for a while Sunday morning and caught nothing, so I decided to try my luck with the carp. I had just started carping with corn this year and have landed some 12 inch carp. So I put a bobber, a size 6 hook, and a small weight on my Ugly Stik and added some corn. I tossed the line in about 6 feet from shore and proceeded to try to catch some minnows with my daughter's little Scooby-Doo fishing rod. I walked around a little then sat in my chair. I got back up to take off my vest and saw my bobber wiggle. As I was taking my fishing vest off, my bobber took off into the creek. I picked up my rod and gently set the hook. Oh Yeah baby - CARP ON!

I never have any luck landing carp in the creek, I always horse them, and they break the line. So this one I played out. I let it run up stream. In the meantime, I picked up my net and decided it was time to bring him in. I was having a blast! This is coming from someone who catches 12 - 14 inch trout and 17 inch Largemouth bass at the largest. He was relaxing and sliding up to shore nicely. I got him pretty close and reached out to net him and he saw me..... whammo, he was gone on a wild run again! Nice sized fish too, might I add. It went about 2 ft, plus.

I decided...do NOT ask me WHY, but I decided that I needed my vest on so I could attach my net to it. SO I let him run again, and I put on my vest. This was my mistake, letting him run. This time he ran downstream, into where the creek narrows and the current gets strong. I held him out as long as I could and thought, well, I will follow him down there and maybe get him there.

Just inside the narrow part of the creek, a tree was leaned into the water and this carp went straight for that. I could see my line tangled up in the branches and became sick to think I might have blown it. I reeled line in as I inched in towards the tree. The raging water was loud and it was all that I could do to stand. The water came up above my thighs and was strong. I tried and tried to untangle my line, but couldn't. I was starting to get tired and thinking to myself...what have I done!! After almost losing my balance and floating downstream a few times, I edged my way to the opposite edge of the creek, out of MOST of the current. There was a steep embankment here, and I couldn't climb out. I had only one choice... go back from where I came.

My legs were so weak and tired already. I did finally untangle my line, to find only a bobber at the end. I went to move away from the tree and my net caught on a branch, pulling me back. I unhooked it and threw it to the shore I needed to get to, I also threw my fishing rod. I had to cross about 20 feet of raging, angry water now in my neoprene waders, fishing hat, sunglasses and vest. I thought that maybe I could run. HA HA HA! Have you ever tried to run in water? How about fast water? Nope, it won't happen. A few steps in, and I went down. I was picturing me floating down the creek and in front if the campsite. My husband would have ended my fishing adventures right then and there if he saw that.... so I started to roll. I managed to roll to the other side... mind you, laughing as I went. I got out of the creek still wearing my hat and glasses. I just kept laughing and was so glad that no one saw me. Ok, no one but that darn carp!