COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 2, 2009 My plan today was to hit the lake early, see if the carp have started spawning, catch a few bass and then be to the ISE show by noon! I didn't catch a single bass and I didn't make it to the show...but the carp have started spawning! We cruised the lake for a few hours and found just a few straggler carp but they were too deep or too fast, and the bass just wouldn't cooperate either. Finally, when we were about to pack it up and head to the ramp we rolled into one last cove where to our amazement carp were rolling on either side of the cove and absolutely tearin' it up! We couldn't get the boat in there so my buddy David and I jumped in barefoot and the hunt was on! It's a freakin' blast to try and sneak up on a fish while in knee deep water, it's so much like hunting that i just can't get enough of it, especially on days like today! The water was all muddied up so it was difficult to see the fish, but as you stand there all the brush around you will move as the fish swim past. The brush and dry leaves would rattle and crack as the unseen scaled beasts plow their way through, and every now and then several fish will meet up and explode on the surface in a huge explosion of water. The hunting was tough because of the water clarity but there were so many fish and so much activity it was inevitable a fish would thrash on the surface close enough and long enough to get an arrow in em'! In this pic I was waiting in ambush as several fish thrashed their way towards me! David's arrow broke so he became the photographer for awhile and got this cool photo of me shooting a carp just as happened! We didn't keep count but figured we had at least 15 of those suckers scattered around the surrounding desert that I'm sure the coyotes and skunks are enjoying as I type this! We did manage to get a couple pics with a few of the fish we got, no big fish really, but it takes more skill to hit the small ones! Thanks, JIM> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted March 2, 2009 You're a Cheeze Ball!!! Looks like you guys had a ball huntin' Tom Sawyer style!!! Hope your ears were burnin' cuz we were talkin' smack about you bein' a no show.... Great job on the fish!!! One of these days I'm gunna do that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted March 2, 2009 Wow, cool pics Jim! Sounds like a blast!! Believe it or not, carp are good to eat and you might try taking them home next time. We have cooked them on the grill and then just separate bones and meat and you have a pile of flesh that works great for fish cakes. I know most people in the US don't consider eating them, but in Europe they are considered sport fish and great eating. carp recipes: http://www.activeangler.com/recipes/carp.shtml http://www.saveur.com/article/Food/Baked-C...our-Cream-Sauce Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
