Fishing Victoria Forum

Danny2001 wrote:Big winter carp from Gardiners Creek today. Mud marlin gave me a 15 min fight tryna to land the mofo

Big bugger Danny
How did you catch it ?????
Just interested as I figure you need to fish "on the bottom" in winter (for carp)
Cheers Gra

Texas wrote:

Danny2001 wrote:Big winter carp from Gardiners Creek today. Mud marlin gave me a 15 min fight tryna to land the mofo

Big bugger Danny
How did you catch it ?????
Just interested as I figure you need to fish "on the bottom" in winter (for carp)
Cheers Gra

Caught it with a fishing rod mate!

Texas wrote:

Danny2001 wrote:Big winter carp from Gardiners Creek today. Mud marlin gave me a 15 min fight tryna to land the mofo

Big bugger Danny
How did you catch it ?????
Just interested as I figure you need to fish "on the bottom" in winter (for carp)
Cheers Gra

Nah just jokin mate, it took me fkn ages to figure out whereabouts to find monster creek carp in the winter. I reckon I got a better chance of winning Tattslotto than fishing with a float in the winter (not summer), so definitely fish the bottom mate :thumbsup:

Danny2001 wrote:

Texas wrote:

Danny2001 wrote:Big winter carp from Gardiners Creek today. Mud marlin gave me a 15 min fight tryna to land the mofo

Big bugger Danny
How did you catch it ?????
Just interested as I figure you need to fish "on the bottom" in winter (for carp)
Cheers Gra

Caught it with a fishing rod mate!

Yes I did swear at you
Have a tree to cut down in South Morang & thinking of putting a line in the Plenty
Thanks mate
Gra

Wow...that is a top effort. I don't even bother with the creek in the winter as I find the carp really shut down, but they are obviously still there!

2018/19 Season Kicks Off!

A bit like yesterday’s Grand Final between traditional AFL rivals, I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst when I headed out for my first fish of the season. A few weeks ago I rode my bike to work along the creek and noticed a large school of Carp (they’re pretty much always there) and thought to myself ‘I must give that a crack when time and weather permits’. Well, a few weeks of shitty weather had passed, and wallowing in self-pity after the Grand Final, I thought it time to dust off the telescopic rods for another season of carp busting!

Wasn’t really expecting much, my just like the other week, the carp were still there, although not overly receptive to my bait. I didn’t bring any bread (my go-to bait) so had to suffice with an old can of corn I bought ages ago. I may have had a touch early on – my float definitely moved – but not sure of it was a genuine bite. I was probably there for 30 minutes before my float really moved and submerged, for my first hook-up of the 2018-19 season. A hefty carp, probably in the 50cm range. I was pleasantly surprised to catch one and also equally surprised that my gear (line, hooks, rig etc) managed to stand up despite not touching my fishing rod or gear set-up since…well, last time I caught a fish.

In the end, it wasn’t a bad way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. I left shortly after the catch and was just happy getting on the scoreboard to kick-off another ‘carp season’. This summer, I don’t plan to catch a crazy amount of carp (mainly due to work commitments), but I will endeavour to try a few new spots besides my ‘local’ in GC. I’ve had a bit of a scout around on my bike over winter and I am keen to try a few new watercourses.

N.B. It seems the carp-virus has been put on the back-burner this year after it’s much publicised announcement last year. Guess I’ve got a few more seasons of carpooning yet?

2018/19 Total: 1 (1644)

Carp

Sheringham, angling editor of The Field magazine, back early in the last century, got it right. Carp are in the 50 because of their brain power. They are the eggheads of the fishy world. Of course, 100 years ago when Sheringham wrote, carp were even more difficult to catch before the advent of modern baits, methods, and tackle. A parboiled potato then was seen as a prime carp bait. And, really, they hated them! Your potatoes could grow old and rot on the lake bed before a carp would sniff at them.

50 Fish To Catch Before You Die, John Bailey (2008), The Five Mile Press Pty Ltd, 1 Centre Rd Scoresby, Victoria, 3179, Australia, pp.100-101.

Welcome back CC, nice size carpo
As the weather warms up so will the hook ups
Cheers Gra

Nice start to the season CC! :thumbsup:

It was a rip-snorter of a day, so I decided to head down to the creek for a fish. Things didn’t get off to a good start. A father/son combination was fishing in my spot. I started catastrophising immediately; “I won’t catch anything now” I said to myself. I also wondered if they had seen me fishing there before, as it is fairly isolated, although the carp are clearly visible from the bike track (possibly the more likely scenario). I know it’s ‘only carp’, but I like exclusive access to the spots I find.

Anyway, I continued on a bit further, as there was a little hole a bit further down that I’d been meaning to try, but never got around too. Unfortunately things had to get worse before they got better. The northern bank was very elevated and I cast out and got ‘semi-snagged’ in a tree on the opposite side, however my float dropped down perfecting into a festering school of carp. “It’s only a matter of time” I thought before my float eventually submerges and the line frees itself from the tree overhead. And I’m pretty sure that would have been the case – until a duck came flying through – mid air – and got caught in my fishing line. My reel screamed like mad and I had to open the bail and break the line, before the duck flew off with half a spool of fishing line. I thought that might have been it for that spot. It wasn’t a very big area and carp do tend to spook easily in small holes. Nevertheless, I persisted and it paid dividends. A few ‘bobs’ of the float before I decided to strike and I was on. On the end was a nice little carp of about 55cm. It’s always nice when a new spot pays dividends.

After a while a passer-by alerted me there was a duck about 50m downstream that was caught in fishing line. This caused quite a scene with about 5-6 onlookers who were giving me dirty looks. I made my way down the elevated bank and walked down mid-stream on slippery rocks to where the duck was flapping about. With the assistance of a passer-by, I managed to untangle the duck. I know it’s not a good look, but it was seriously a case of bad luck. I didn’t even hook the duck or anything, he wasn’t chasing my bread, he literally got stuck in my line ‘mid-air’ between my rod and the water. Anyway, all’s well that ends well. The duck was freed and I cleaned up my fishing line. The distraught onlookers were at least pleased the duck was free. I am quite conscientious when I go fishing at GC. I try not to draw attention to myself – or other fishermen – by leaving carp on the bank, discarding fishing equipment, rubbish, etc. as I know it reflects poorly on the fishing community and I would soon have fishing banned in the creek if I did do such things.

After the whole duck debacle, I decided to try another spot. The father/son combo was still in my spot, so I decided to try another new spot. I had fished this spot before – even got a few hook-ups, but never managed to land anything there as it is so snaggy. Well today was the day I broke that curse. It was long before my float bobbled up and down and I had another carp on to the tune of 55cm. I kept on getting bites after that but couldn’t hook anything. For their size, carp really are timid biters, especially in the creek-type of situation. So I got 2 fish from 2 new locations! Was really happy with that. Like I said previously, it’s always good when a new spot pays dividends. I have a good feeling about the creek this year. It’s still fairly early on in the warmer months, but the carp are already biting!

+2

2018/19 Total:3 (1646)

In some ways, I’m not the right guy to be writing this piece on carp simply because I so dislike the modern carp scene. As I see it now, its dominated by quick fixes and shortcuts. Any method will do, providing it lands a carp. Anglers have become obsessed with size. Size in this twilight world of the modern carp fisher equals fame. And fishing isn’t about fame.

50 Fish To Catch Before You Die, John Bailey (2008), The Five Mile Press Pty Ltd, 1 Centre Rd Scoresby, Victoria, 3179, Australia, pp.100-101

Nice work mate! :thumbsup: