Carp rejecting rigs

Here is a video on a great rig that, in my opinion, shows how smart carp are at rejecting stuff that they mouth. I used to use a rig sort of like the one in the video by hair rigging a floating bead and wrapping some white bread around the bead.

Catfish

Awkward

I really got caught off guard with this picture. This 25 LB beast had incredible strength whenever it fought.

I have no idea what I was trying to achieve with this 20 LB monster. 

Pikeminnow

A nice Pikeminnow.

Although we didn't catch any fish at Smith and Bybee Lake, at least we had fun?

 



No net, no problem. Well I have a net now, but I just need the perfect sized one for fish this big. 

Looking Back

I was looking at some old photos and came across a picture of one of the scales from my 25 LB Common Carp I caught last year:

Rookie Mistakes

1. When you still fish, try to leave the bait out as long as possible. The largest fish in the Lake are always the spookiest and they always assess the situation which could take a very long time. Any movement can scare that fish away forever. Personally, my bait was casted out for about 50 minutes before getting a run from a 25 lb Common carp.

2. Great fishing spots DON'T HAVE ADDRESSES.

3. Some rigs or baits will have you set the hook in a different way, or don't require a hook set at all:

- When using a hair rig, you don't require a hook set.

- A fish with a bony head/mouth may require multiple hook sets, or an over-exaggerated big one.

- A top water bait requires a delayed hook set.

- Most of the time, you only need a small hook set for small fish.

- When using a circle hook with bait, a fish that bites will automatically get set by itself from the rod bending. So in other words, the fish bends the rod, and sets the hook. I use circle hooks on all my hair rigs, and set up my drag that is loose enough for a large fish to take line and tight enough to bend the rod.

4. Put bait on the hook before you cast it out. I've literally seen people cast with no bait, and you probably know what happened next.

5. Never muscle a carp. I can't tell you how many local stories and people I've met that lost carp by not loosening their drag. A 12 LB Carp is capable of breaking 30 LB Braid. Their combination of strength, runs, spins, twists, swimming towards snags after getting hooked, and the ability to pull a rod in the water make it brutal on your fishing line.

6. Small catfish have fins and dorsal fins that flare out sharply like box cutter knives. Ive seen two people get cut up by one, which was really pathetic. So I always bring gloves just in case I have to deal with catfish.

Why so many?

The reason why I make so many hair rigs is because I want my hooks to always be at its sharpest when fishing. So I replace the hair rig after evety catch. Call me superstitious, but hey; it works for me!

OLD GREG

I watched this video about 8 years ago, and I still find it absolutely hilarious.

First fish of 2014

Fishbrain

I've been harping on and on about the new River Monsters+ app, but I downloaded an alternative app that is made by the same makers. I did this because I wasn't able to make any comments on River Monsters+ for some stupid reason which I couldn't figure out. 

Anyways, as you've probably already read the title, it's call Fishbrain. The app is EXACTLY like the other app and I mean EXACT! The only difference is I COULD FINALLY MAKE COMMENTS ON FISHBRAIN. Both the apps are so related to each other that when i downloaded Fishbrain, all my information on the River Monsters+ app synced to Fishbrain which is really convenient. 

I've attached a few pics on what Fishbrain looks like but only a "few" because both apps are the same except the names. Plus, part of this post was made using my blogslot app, and it wouldn't let me move around these photos.

Preparation

Started with a few bullets....

And ended with infinite ammunition.

Angry Crawdad...

Happy New Years 2014