Cayuga Carp 5/4 - 5/13

[hermit]

Hey all, been doing my usual May carp fishing a little.  Started slow just as everything else did, several weeks ago it was 0 or 1 bites per 2-3 hr trip.  Last week it picked up a bit and now things are starting to get going, at least until they start spawning.   No monsters yet, I might need to mix things up a bit.  Biggest was 25.5 lbs from last week.  This has actually been pretty good shoulder rehab as long as I'm careful, the slow ramping up of the bite has been perfect.  I'm just thankful I can do any kind of fishing, and it's fantastic to be outside after that long winter!  

 

Today was the best morning so far, landing 6 and losing one wrapped around a log.  I had hooked up on one rod and was fighting that fish.  Got it in close and it appeared to tangle with the other rod and start taking line.  After a minute it became apparent the second rod had a fish on!  Not tangled at all, but by the time someone grabbed that rod (I got help) it had wrapped up and I had to break it off.  First double take of the year!  Man it's great when that drag starts singing.  Zzz  zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!  

 

Loving a new rod, I put together a carp rod over the winter with a Shimano Baitrunner (the newer cheaper model) and a Daiwa Mission X carp rod I got at a great deal.  I've been wanting a Baitrunner for a while for drifting sawbellies in the summer and having two uses for it was good enough to get one.  

 

I like the reel a lot but wish the main drag could be set a hair lighter.  If a good carp has several hundred feet of line out it can really pull in the water and a few times I've wished I could dial it back just a little more.   It's still well suited and has caught 80% of the fish so far.   The rod is great too and can bomb several ounces out of sight (okay not quite).  This combo will also allow me to cast over the weedbeds in the lake and hopefully I can figure out a good pattern for carping all summer.   Maybe!  

 

Today I weighed one at 19.5 lbs, the next was in the low 20's (didn't weigh it) and the rest were in the mid teens.  Good fish but not the bruisers I'm looking for!  Lots of Rudd/Roach around, the differences between the two are slight and I'm not sure which I'm seeing, I'll have to learn and check the telltales.  Could be both I guess.  Dang bait thieves. Haven't gotten any goldfish yet.  One fish I cast out and as soon as it hit the water it got picked up.  I was trying to set it down and it was bucking in my hands!   Great fun.

 

Been using corn, works pretty good at first but they wise up to it after a while and with lots of people using it.  Could be the reason I'm not getting big ones, I'll start bringing some other baits along now.  

 

Oh interesting side note, was talking to an Eastern European gentleman about carp fishing and the topic of Gobies came up… he said for the past few years he's gone to Taughannock and purposefully been fishing for the gobies, I guess he eats them like smelt, whole and fried.   Anyone heard of that?  Not that it'll keep them from spreading but go for it man!

 

Edit:  Ithaca area

Edited May 13, 2014 by hermit

[Slimy Hooks]

Happy to read your out enjoying yourself catching some fish while rehabilitating your shoulder...people do eat gobies, as i know a few asian guys that do and they like'em...also, there are canned gobies available at some ethnic stores...ill eat almost anything, but wont even try a goby...

[hermit]

Huh I'll take a look next time I'm at the Asian market.  I don't think I'll be buying any though.  Thought it was pretty cool this guy was fishing for them even before NY made the announcement they were here. He said they're native where he's from.  

[Sk8man]

The absolute best bait I ever used for big carp (and catfish as well) is corn meal balls (cooked in a pressure cooker until they are like soft play dough and made about the size of a marble

Edited May 13, 2014 by Sk8man