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Follow my Facebook page for updates on every single one of my fishing sessions:
http://www.facebook.com/ExtremePhillyFishing
There are fishes around us! Follow my Statistical Chart for 2012 for my catches during this year:
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/01/statistical-fishing-chart-for-2012.html
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Updated:
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/01/statistical-fishing-chart-for-2012.html
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Rob Z.'s report on Core Creek (Lake Luxembourg) - May 26th.
For previous reports from Rob Z.'s:
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/06/reports-rob-z-wissahickon-creek-pa.html
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/06/reports-rob-z-core-creek-bucks-county.html
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/06/reports-rob-z-fishing-at-fdr-park-pa.html
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/05/reports-rob-z-fishing-in-south-jersey.html
http://extremephillyfishing.blogspot.com/2012/04/reports-rob-z-fishing-in-scranton-pa.html
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Written by Rob Z. - edited by Leo S.
As mentioned, I wanted to return to Core Creek to catch the fish that broke me off twice (see previous report on Core Creek). I'm guessing they were Catfish. However, when my girlfriend and I got there, the spot was taken, so we ended up taking a spot that was more crowded than I like. We had people on both sides of us, but we had just enough room to be comfortable.
I setup two rods with Powerbait and cast them out, shooting some chum out as well. My girlfriend and I were catching Sunnies and sunshine as we waited for the big one. We had lunch, and nothing was taking the Powerbait by then. I was hoping to maybe pull in a Trout or a Catfish, but neither was working out. At this point, we saw some Carp jumping, and my girlfriend asked if the Carp would eat the Powerbait. I told her no, and she questioned if we should put corn on one of them. It sounded like a fine idea, so one got thrown out there with corn.
30 minutes later, I told her that I was going to fish on the other side of the shrub - about 25 feet to my right. I went over, made a cast or two, and then heard a bell ringing wildly! It was the bell that was attached to the rod with the corn! I ran back in my flip flops as fast as I could. As I rounded the shrub, I saw my girlfriend up from the blanket, holding the rod, with everyone watching on both sides! The line was screaming off of the reel. She, who has fished less than 10 times, was trying to reel in, but the line was going out fast, and her reeling was not really doing anything. There was not more than 3 or 4 seconds worth of line on the reel when I got to her, grabbed the pole, and tightened the drag. On the other end was a muscular monster, the likes of which I had never felt before.
I kept the pressure on, and the rod tip up. I did not want to risk letting it get under a rock, where my braid might have gotten sliced again. Because of this, I kept the drag real tight, as I could not afford to give it room to tie me up and break me off. Because of this, the battle was extra brutal: fish vs man. I had sandals on, and the fish was pulling so hard that I decided it was time to take a walk into the lake. I went in to about my knees, and kept the pressure on. At one point, the butt end of the rod slipped off of my forearm, and the rod-tip went down fast! Practically dropping the rod, I recovered from the fumble, and the fish was still there.
I kept battling, and eventually saw the golden tail, and I knew it was a big Carp. Once again, no net, so I had to land this fish on my own. The first two times it got in close, I swear it looked at me and ran away. On the third attempt, I swung it around me and led it right up to the shore, and then gave it a push onto land from its tail. That hardly worked, so I just picked up the fish. This fish went 13.33 lbs, and is my new Carp PB and freshwater PB.
After a quick photo session, it was released unharmed. I can only be grateful that my girlfriend was there to help manage the rod until I could get there. Will I ever learn that it is NOT okay to walk away from a Carp rod? I hope so, but I can't be sure. Again - sunburned. It was time to leave after that fish. I still want to go back to get a monster Cat.
Pictures are below:
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Haha...nice, Rob! Congrats once again! Leaving a Carp rod alone is certainly very dangerous, unless you have good ears to hear the drag, and a lot of line to spare! Now, back to work =)
Best of luck for all of us,
Long Days and Pleasant Nights,
Sincerely,
Leo S.