The Carp_Punisher rides again 04/20/2006

[Carp_Punisher]

[#505000]Got home from work last nigth and decided it was too nice a day to waste, especially after the fine spat of weather we've been having.[/#505000]
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[#505000]Guessing Utah Lake was going to be an utter waste of time after the last cold front blew through, and only having a couple of hours to toss some bait/plastic, I packed up the family and went to Salem Pond.[/#505000]
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[#505000]All the spots I had in mind and that met my wife's requirements (bench) were taken so I scouted around. On the east side I noticed a shallow area with lots and lots of fish visible just under the water. The wife fished bait, and I tossed plastics. After 45 minutes my wife was feeling a creeping skunk, and WHAM!! I latched on to the biggest carp I have caught in a long time. I was using 6lb test and a light action rod. I had a hell of a fight on my hands and a lingering 12 hour perma grin after that fight. During the fight and the long long runs this fish took I worried a couple of times I was going to get spooled. [/#505000]
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[#505000]When I got the 12lb carp to shore I saw it was a dorsal feeder. That would account for a lot of the extra fight since it's so hard to "steer" a dorsal feeder. [/#505000]
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[#505000]Knowing that grass carp are protected in Salem Pond, and being ignorant as to the difference between the common carp [aka Baitious carpus perforatus] and the grass carp [aka keepious carpus biggus fineious] (ok Tubedude this is your que to post us some pictures) I decided to play it safe and let this fine speciman go to avoid potential legal problems associated with keeping a protected species. By all estimation it was a common carp. I don't mind sharing with you all that I felt a little stupid, and kinda weird taking this pooped fish and gently reviving it and sending it on it's way. My way of gentle carp release at Utah Lake is considerably less gentle. [/#505000]
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[#505000]After catching that brute, and catching him as a dorsal feeder we moved to the south end of the lake. My wife caught a dinker rainbow and got her skunk off. Not the most productive or entertaining trip I've had, but certainly a good time was had by all.[/#505000]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Glad you got out and had a good time. Also glad the Mrs. scored. Helps keep 'em interested.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]About the carp. If it didn't look any different than a regular old buglemouth, it probably wasn't. The mouth on a grass carp looks more like a chub. Here are a couple of pics (as requested)[/#0000ff]











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[Theekillerbee]

Sounds like you are getting warmed up for some carp slaying! You should have at least given him a gillectomy before release!
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[ocean]

I must have just missed ya.I left there about 730 or so.Ended up with some bows they were getting really active as i was leaving.The fat guy on the cement dock caught a bow and a channel .Too bad i missed ya dude.I love that place its so awesome.
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[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Times New Roman"][#ff4040][size 3]Thanks for the pic to show the difference TD. And I didn't think carp could get any uglier![/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Actually, I think the grass carp are kinda purty, compared to old pucker-mouth we have to deal with in Utah Lake and elsewhere. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have fished for them in Arizona and Florida. They are streamlined and they are great to catch. They get BIG (up to about 60 pounds) and they take flies. They sometimes go airborne when hooked . Got everything going for them to make them popular with anglers...except their name...carp.[/#0000ff]
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