The Next Great Fish

By: Bradley J. Durick

When you go fishing what are your goals before you leave? Are you looking to catch as many fish as humanly possible? Are you looking to catch dinner? Are you looking to catch a lot of fish and have the fight of your life while you do it? Well I have the fish for you. Most of you who know me are already thinking “he is going to say catfish”. In most cases you are right. I love the whiskered beauties more than any other fish. NO, today I’m talking about carp.

I have recently had my eyes opened to the possibilities of catching carp. Just last season I heard that people fly halfway around the world to catch our carp and all I could say was “why”. Well after thinking about it all winter and reminding myself that I give a lot of people guff for fishing for walleye exclusively I figured that I better get off my high horse and quit snubbing the carp. What really got me going was a trip to Lockport, Manitoba earlier in the year I met a gentleman from England who has traveled to Canada for the past 11 years just to chase carp. After that I figured heck they are right in town how hard could it be to catch a few. I like to catch everything else I might like carp as well.

Now I’ve decided that I’m going to catch carp how do I start? I called up to Lockport thinking that if people travel around the world to catch these things the resort owners must have a clue of what to do. After a discussion about how to bait the fish into the area to set up a good day and how to set up the rod and execute a game plan to catch carp I was off to put the plan in motion.

Here is what I knew. Find a spot where the current slows or even forms a back eddy. Chum the area for two to or three days and start fishing. I found this spot chummed the area and was ready for action. On the day of the outing I got some table corn at the grocery store for bait and decided that because I really don’t know if I like this game I’ll just use some walleye gear that’s laying around the house. I went to my spot rigged up a hook with a spit shot and a bobber for my wife and a Carolina rig for myself. After only about three minutes the bobber dropped and my wife tangled with a nice five or so pound carp. The fight looked fun now it is my turn. It only took a couple of minutes and I was hooked on carp. Using the walleye gear really made it fun. Carp fight with a tremendous side to side action that most fish don’t have and when you pair that fight with walleye gear it really makes for a battle. Skipping to the end of the story on our first try we managed to land 13 carp in only about two hours.

I am still learning the carp game and believe me I have a lot to learn. I will however say that I want to learn it. What a great fish to go and catch when you have some time to go fishing. In my case I can be carp fishing in about 10 minutes any time I want to.

If you are looking for a new challenge of the catch or want to get your kids interested in fishing this is the fish for you. You can literally be set up and fishing for about $20.00. Once you get the basics down carp are an easy and fun fish to catch.

Late Beginings

By Bradley J. Durick

Every time you read an article or watch a television show about fishing you will see or hear some remark to take a kid fishing. Take a kid fishing is always followed by it is for the future of our sport. That statement is one thousand percent true. If we don't teach our young people early they won't experience or understand the rewards of fishing.

I didn't get this chance and the vast world of fishing almost passed me by. When I was growing up I didn't get to go fishing but three times. Two were at 4-H camp where they give you a rod with a hook worm and bobber on it and told you to wait until a fish bit. That's fine except nobody knew to set the bobber depth. Needless to say you're not going to sell a ten year old on fishing. The other time I went with a friend of my family. This time it was pull a crank bait around the lake for a couple hours. We did catch one fish and it was exciting but still not enough to make the sale.

Now let's fast forward about 12 years. I had just graduated from college and was going to the lake with a friend's family for a long weekend. Here I am sitting in a boat on a hot day watching everyone fish. I was getting bored and figured with two days of this left maybe I should buy a license and at least try this fishing thing so I don't die of boredom. I bought that license and pulled a spinner around that lake for two days. I even caught a fish. The fish was only a small pike but the excitement of that fish biting and fighting me as I reeled it in is still near and dear to my heart.

I was so excited when I got home from that trip that I ran right out to the store to buy a new rod, reel, and some tackle for the next trip. The next trip was only a couple weeks away and I couldn't wait. Now I wanted to go and learn about different lures and structures to catch fish. I learned and experienced and just had a ball doing it. After the second trip I was buying books, magazines and watching every show I could find on tv. I didn't care if the show was Bill Dance catching bass or In-Fisherman casting for muskies I was watching it. Any chance I got I would go to the local pond to try my hand at sunfish and perch. If I could catch a ride in a boat with somebody who really knew what they were doing it was as good as going to Disneyland.

Fast forward seven more years I'm sitting here writing this article remembering back to all of the things I've learned, people I've met, articles I've read, and shows I've watched to learn about fishing. I'm smiling as I write this thinking of all of the walleye, northern, perch, and catfish that I've caught since that one long weekend. I'm also smiling thinking about that big sturgeon, musky and lake trout that I still have to catch in the future. I still read, watch tv and visit with who ever will talk to me about how to catch more fish and hear stories of fish that they've caught and the trips they've been on.

Yes, teaching the young of the joy of fishing is critical. If we don't our great sport will continue to decline. When I was a kid my parents didn't take me fishing. I found out later that then reason they didn't take me was because nobody ever took them. They didn't grow up going fishing with their parents so they didn't know how to do it when I was growing up. If you don't know a skill you certainly can't be expected to pass it along to your kids. That almost cost me my favorite hobby.

If you're an adult that is caught at a crossroad or looking for something new to try and you haven't had the rush of a fish pulling on the end of you line, or maybe you have small kids and you want to just spend some quality time with them. Give it a try you may find that you missed something growing up or you still have that kid inside you.