Some summer fishing

[TurbineBlade]

I've not been as active here on the forum lately, but have got in some summer fishing in the past few weeks in Missouri.  I managed one day to hit a wetland near my in-law's place in northern Missouri that was full of longnose gar and carp -- I don't mean that it had just a lot of gar, I mean it had millions of them popping all over the place in about 2-4' of water.  The wetland is part of a larger system managed for migratory birds, so levels can vary and the dissolved oxygen is poor at times -- hence the gar and carp.  I didn't bring a fishing rod the first day because I was unaware of it (and no one thought I would be interested in fishing for gar) but after seeing all of the gar mulling around eating tiny fry left and right, I thought I'd string up that old fenwick in the attic to see if they'd bite.  On day 2 I arrived early with a spool of 12 pound tippet and some whistlers and flatwings and ended up with a nice gar on the 2nd cast, and then another, and another, and another until I lost count.  If I had to guess, I'd put a figure at 25 or so in the 3 hours I was there. If you have no rope flies, just be sure to hone your hook points razor sharp and really stick the fish -- it works, sort of anyway.  I probably lost as many as I hooked out there on the hookset.  

Gar are kind of fun honestly -- they behave strangely, in that they would not chase a fly nor move more than about 8" for it.  You had to put it right in front of them, pull it past them, and then they would "lunge" for it after it passed their snouts.  

I also caught a monster carp that I have a picture of somewhere....probably a 30-pounder, right off the surface with a small streamer oddly enough.  

The LMB are from a private lake we were given permission to fish from a family friend (also in northern MO), with the restriction from the friend that we remove anything < 13 inches, and anything > than 16 inches.  He wanted the 13-16" size class turned loose -- everything else kept.  That lake had the largest LMB I've ever seen and in numbers higher than I've ever seen.  I wish I could live in the country and manage my own pond or lake like that one!  The ones I'm holding were caught on the same fenwick and the same flatwings and whistlers, but with a bb split shot on the leader.  

I also did some "trout park" fishing, but I was mostly helping some kids learn to fish on batman poles.  I didn't do too much fishing there on my own, but it was fun anyway and I expected that.  

Anyway - I hope you are all doing well and getting in some good fishing and family time!  Graham is getting some exposure to fishing life now, and seems to like eating small pieces of fish ;)

Gene

 

[TurbineBlade]

[namfos]

Family's lookin' good, Gene.

On Sunday, July 16, 2017 at 11:29:26 AM UTC-4, TurbineBlade wrote:

[TurbineBlade]

Hi Mark!  We are kicking along okay so far, though I don't really have any idea what I'm doing -- ;) 

[Carl Z.]

On Mon, Jul 17, 2017 at 1:33 PM, TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Mark!  We are kicking along okay so far, though I don't really have any idea what I'm doing -- ;)

 

Sounds like you need another.  By the third one you know what you're doing but have lost all sanity.  

Can he hold a rod yet?

Carl

 

[namfos]

LOL, Carl!

[namfos]

It's not a test. Just roll with it. Carl's got solid advice for you.  LOL

Mark

[TurbineBlade]

Oh lord, I feel busy enough as it is.  I've never been this busy in my life!

[Carl Z.]

Gene,

You know how tired you feel now?  ...... You get used to it.

Carl

--

Carl Zmola

--
http://www.tpfr.org
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[namfos]

TRUTH