"Man I hope I catch a bunch of tiny little fish today!"
No kid,
No teenager,
No man
EVER says that - so here we go!
The trick with big fish, kids, and light line is low experience.
Kid's still think everything can be done, especially if the guide says it can.
In contrast - adults.
They assume not much is new under the sun, standard around acting 10 feet tall....then freak out, begging for 80 lb braid and a broomstick rod when the drag slips 5 feet.
It can be logical and boring.
This youth fishing guide recently displayed big fish skills with 7 kids from church. For those who don't know, the Colorado river winds through Central Texas and men much smarter than he built a chain of lakes - the Highland Lakes. Inks lake is in the upper 1/3 of this chain, surrounded by beautiful granite, Mesquite, and Algerita covered hill country. (Holy Smokes but the BBQ is good in Llano - Cooper's is your place!)
For some reason this lake hides some of the largest Buffalo experienced during 30 years of fresh water drag slippage. And he knows you are thinking. "Buffalo? You mean like a carp kind of Buffalo? Those things are trash fish, no one wants to catch that!"
Very logical of you. Yes - carp and buffalo, but carp are small so they are by catch.
Day 1 - the guide arrived early, threw out 30 pounds of cattle cubes in front of the dock and started jumping off the boat dock among other random swimming adventure, tubing, all very yuppie of us.
4.436 hours later, (the perfect amount of time allotted for carp chumming) we ply the waters.
Catfish were easily subdued, drag did not slip.
Adults would have been happy.
The fishing guide wants something intimidating. Caleb opens the weekend with a bang.
No kid,
No teenager,
No man
EVER says that - so here we go!
The trick with big fish, kids, and light line is low experience.
Kid's still think everything can be done, especially if the guide says it can.
In contrast - adults.
They assume not much is new under the sun, standard around acting 10 feet tall....then freak out, begging for 80 lb braid and a broomstick rod when the drag slips 5 feet.
It can be logical and boring.
This youth fishing guide recently displayed big fish skills with 7 kids from church. For those who don't know, the Colorado river winds through Central Texas and men much smarter than he built a chain of lakes - the Highland Lakes. Inks lake is in the upper 1/3 of this chain, surrounded by beautiful granite, Mesquite, and Algerita covered hill country. (Holy Smokes but the BBQ is good in Llano - Cooper's is your place!)
For some reason this lake hides some of the largest Buffalo experienced during 30 years of fresh water drag slippage. And he knows you are thinking. "Buffalo? You mean like a carp kind of Buffalo? Those things are trash fish, no one wants to catch that!"
Very logical of you. Yes - carp and buffalo, but carp are small so they are by catch.
Day 1 - the guide arrived early, threw out 30 pounds of cattle cubes in front of the dock and started jumping off the boat dock among other random swimming adventure, tubing, all very yuppie of us.
4.436 hours later, (the perfect amount of time allotted for carp chumming) we ply the waters.
Catfish were easily subdued, drag did not slip.
Adults would have been happy.
The fishing guide wants something intimidating. Caleb opens the weekend with a bang.
He's the 13 year old offspring of said guide. This is not his first rodeo, but that is probably his second biggest fish ever. Pushing 40lbs or so, 10 pound test, alot of buzzing from a Diawa BG10.
Top Notch!
Kids started becoming more enthusiastic about this whole fishing thing. Nick was raised on a boat, has fished in the gulf of Mexico and shows uncanny patience with a fish on the line. This one ran all over the place, got hung up on a root, but came out to say hello.
Top Notch!
Kids started becoming more enthusiastic about this whole fishing thing. Nick was raised on a boat, has fished in the gulf of Mexico and shows uncanny patience with a fish on the line. This one ran all over the place, got hung up on a root, but came out to say hello.
As you can tell by the charcoaled chest and face, there were boyhood antics while the fishing was going. Chumming keeps them around like college kids at a free buffet.
But you, my adult reader, don't fish for carp or buffalo - so, no problem there.
This fish pushed 25 lbs - 10 pound test and we broke the landing net......as the sun hits the horizon, Hunter hangs another whopper.
He is listening to the guide, patiently pumping and letting the beast run.
But you, my adult reader, don't fish for carp or buffalo - so, no problem there.
This fish pushed 25 lbs - 10 pound test and we broke the landing net......as the sun hits the horizon, Hunter hangs another whopper.
He is listening to the guide, patiently pumping and letting the beast run.
Trash can lid sized swirls, then we see a the tail. Wide as your hands side by side. The fish is found hooked in the stomach coming in backward.
Not good.
After 10 minutes, the hook pulls.
Hunter stood there shaking his hands, said his arms were burning - NICE!
Except for the lost fish part......
Not good.
After 10 minutes, the hook pulls.
Hunter stood there shaking his hands, said his arms were burning - NICE!
Except for the lost fish part......
6:30am the next day, peace. It will be a long day of baiting hooks and trying to land fish without much of a net.
LET"S HOPE!
LET"S HOPE!
Good Gosh Man! He has to make sure they are there!
It was a 10 pound carp. The 12" catfish are active, no buffalo yet. Enjoying coffee, quiet, for an hour.
Thomas comes down for a photo opportunity.
Thomas comes down for a photo opportunity.
Pretty slow, until somebody yells "it's time for breakfast."
Hunter's life is interrupted by a standard carp - it was quite spirited and would have caused many an adult to panic.
Took half the spool!
He learned alot from last night's beast.
Just like most fishermen, eating is, well....fuel. 15 minutes we are back at it. Thomas's rod decides to get bent and all 9 years of him go to war! Lots of power, tried to wrap the dock poles, small net antics.
PIG - 30+ pounds on 10 pound line.
Meanwhile, Nick is lurking patiently, rod in hand, he realizes his buff from yesterday was ONLY 25 pounds or so. I hooked that fish, he was determined to catch one on his own. Then BANG - half an hour the fish wrapped around stress inducing dock parts, stayed just out of hands reach for a while, then small landing net - definitely worth it. I measured - roughly - 34" long. Another 30+ pound whopper.
EPIC!
So, consider this - we are fishing in a small lake and caught 4 fish combining for a total of 120 pounds+....we didn't include the small catfish and 5 lb carp we caught along the way.
By catch -
For some reason, just like all fishing, it changes constantly. The buffalo moved through and carp took over. Fish up to 10 pounds, the boys had fun - by catch.
By catch -
For some reason, just like all fishing, it changes constantly. The buffalo moved through and carp took over. Fish up to 10 pounds, the boys had fun - by catch.
Just to let you know, buffalo have really big scales. Here is one for comparative analysis.
Should you find yourself going to the lake this summer, kids in tow. Here are a couple of posts revealing the tricks.
http://smallboywithlaughlines.blogspot.com/2011/04/carp-are-kids-best-friend_17.html
http://smallboywithlaughlines.blogspot.com/2011/02/big-fish-relative-ease.html
If you have questions.
Please feel free to e-mail me. I really enjoy bringing people into this fascinating fishing opportunity available on any stable body of water - anywhere..
Teach kids to participate in the ecosystem as an Apex Predator. Release all you can, eat what you need, enjoy the opportunities God puts in front of you.
Even if the fish pull drag and take 10-20 minutes out of your day.........
http://smallboywithlaughlines.blogspot.com/2011/04/carp-are-kids-best-friend_17.html
http://smallboywithlaughlines.blogspot.com/2011/02/big-fish-relative-ease.html
If you have questions.
Please feel free to e-mail me. I really enjoy bringing people into this fascinating fishing opportunity available on any stable body of water - anywhere..
Teach kids to participate in the ecosystem as an Apex Predator. Release all you can, eat what you need, enjoy the opportunities God puts in front of you.
Even if the fish pull drag and take 10-20 minutes out of your day.........
Small Boy with Laugh Lines
A.D.D. is AWESOME
