Our second event for the Wild Carp Club of Houston took place on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the Sugarland buff swim. We call it this swim because it is known for producing only buffalo. It is very rare that anybody catches a common from this swim. In fact, I don't know anybody that has. Also, despite the forthcoming results, most of the fish we catch are over 15lbs.
Brian S with a 10lb Buffalo
For this session we had five anglers come out to fish. We started baiting at 7AM and spread out along the bank. This swim is nice because you can park along side the road and it's not a far walk. I chose my normal spot by the bridge along with my buddy Justin. We had a new angler Tom show up and he set up between us as we showed him all about how to spod, make method, and tie hair rigs. He was up and running in no time! We were also seeing a lot of buffs surfacing in our swim - a good sign.
It didn't take long for our friend Brian to start catching on chick peas with sour maize spodded over the top. In fact, they were falling to this method one after the other and Brian quickly took the lead racking up four buffs 10lbs and under before we even knew what hit us. He was fishing all the way down the bank to the right where the creek has a small inlet on it. One thing I noticed is that the creek was much narrower there - say only 60 yards wide. Maybe that makes it easier for the buffs to find the bait before the turtles, as where we were fishing was roughly 120 yards across.
Nick J with a 12 lb Buffalo
As Brian continued his onslaught of fish, we were blanking on the left hand side by the bridge. Quickly after, Nick got on the board with a nice 12 lb buffalo - not too shabby! He was fishing right next to Brian on the right hand side. As the day progressed, we could see how the pattern was developing, and it didn't look good for us. Brian landed an 18lb buffalo and another 10ish lb buffalo to round out the day. All in all, it was still a really fun day of fishing with some good fish caught.
This is a product review for the ABC Distributing Fishing Rod Case as sold here. The details of the item (from the website) are:
"Designed for travel, the Fishing Rod Case also is ideal for storing your gear in the off season. A zipper on the side provides easy access to the large inner storage compartment. The case holds 5 rods on the outside, plus more rods and equipment on the inside. The exterior features pockets on the bottom and padded straps with fabric-magic at the top to secure and protect the 5 rods. The rod case also features a quick fastener strap that secures gear during transport. Also has a huge exterior pocket with fastener for banksticks and essentials, plus a padded adjustable shoulder strap and carrying handle. Polyester. 49" x 8-5/8" dia.
Protect your valuable fishing rods!
Details:
Adjustable shoulder strap
Polyester
49" x 8-5/8" dia."
I currently own one of these products and below is a list of the items I typically carry in this bag:
5 rod/reel combos
Rod pod bag with alarms
Weigh Tripod/Bank Sticks
Landing Mat
Towel
Pros -
Price - at $10.95 + shipping, this is the best priced quiver that I can find. It has a great entry level price.
Storage space - this quiver can carry five rod/reel combos as well as a net or bank sticks, a chair, towel, etc. It has a good amount of storage space for the traveling angler, especially for a float style fishing.
Cons -
Quality - The quality of the seams on this product could be improved. After using this product extensively, I am starting to have some of the seams come loose and rip. These could be reinforced, but it is not ideal.
Quick fastener strap - this does not secure the rods as well as I would like. If you do not fill in the inside pouch, the bag is not that sturdy, even with the fastener strap. This is not a problem all of the time since most of the time you will be carrying something in the center pouch.
9-29-12 The last few weeks I have been busy organizing the Wild Carp Club of Houston. This is a club dedicated to the promotion of common carp and smallmouth buffalo angling in the Houston metro area. I am the Club Director of the inaugural season. We decided to organize under the Wild Carp Companies and you can view our own page by clicking here. We have a great group of core members and are actively recruiting for our club. It's a great way to win prizes and introduce others to the sport. To be affiliated with the Wild Carp Companies, I organized a six-session fishing tournament where the best five sessions count towards overall score. This is for both availability of anglers and to make up for a tough day if you attend all of the sessions.
Rainy day at the lake
September 29th was our first session that we held. It was at Buffalo Run Park in Missouri City, TX. Click here for a map of the park. Fishing rules are that you can have a baited line in the water from 8AM - 4PM and start baiting at 7AM. As such, we all arrived at 7AM. Before heading out, I was greeted by a 90% chance of rain! I'm glad I checked ahead and took my full body rain suit. Upon arrival, it truly was a wet and wild first day. Luckily, we have a hardy group of guys so we had 5 attend the event. However, the weather did force us to choose some swims we would not normally have chosen. No matter, we were up for the challenge.
6 lb 3 oz common carp
We had high hopes for this lake. It is a bunch of old sand pits connected together. The water clarity is generally good and it can get quite deep in spots. We all spread out along the bank, and Jason B caught the first fish, a 6 lb 3 oz common. He kept it in his keep sack, sand bagging so we wouldn't all get our hopes up about catching in such tough conditions. This put Jason into the lead with roughly 30 minutes to go in the event. Everyone was having a slow day, despite seeing fish crash. We estimate the largest fish to be roughly 15-20 lbs at this lake. We did see some good fish crashing.
Nick J with his event winning 6lb 6 oz grasser
At 3:45, Nick J decided to hook up on a nice 6lb 6 oz grasser and stormed into the lead. He would never look back, landing that one fish while the rest of us couldn't manage to scratch out a fish. Nick won a couple issues of North American Carp Angler for his catch. This event also helped put him in the running for some other great prizes!
It was a very tough day of fishing, but was one of the best days. The Club was up and running. If we could fish through the rain, we can make it on any of the other days easily. Unfortunately the fish weren't cooperating, but oh well, it happens! We know there are some decent fish in this lake and we'll give it a shot again on another trip.
Here's the final results:
The current standings:
1st - Nick James - 102 oz 2nd - Jason Black - 99 oz 3rd - Nick Davis, Justin Mary, Brian Sherwood
Biggest Common sponsored by Neil Stern and CAG - Jason Black 99 oz
Today I decided to do a basic write-up of fishing for carp with method. This is my favorite style of fishing, so I hope you enjoy and learn something from this article.
What is Method?
Fishing "method"
is a way to to introduce a large quantity of bait close to your hook
bait with the intention of starting the carp into a feeding frenzy.
Since carp fishing is dependent on chumming fish into your swim, method
really helps get the fish to your hook bait. Carp seemed to be
attracted to the sound of a method ball hitting the surface on the
cast. Also, method balls frequently break up somewhat when they hit the
water. Many anglers use ingredients in method that make a cloud when
the ball hits the water. The large amount of bait entering the water
and breaking up introduces a lot of scent into the water which brings
the carp running. Sometimes it even gets them crashing in your swim as
they compete for food.
Basic Method Components
The list below comprises the basic equipment you will need to get started fishing method.
1. Sturdy rod
- rods come in a variety of test curves. Each test curve has its own
purpose. For method fishing, you'll want to have a rod with a 2.75 test
curve minimum. Remember that you may be using a weight that is can
weight 1-4 ounces plus have bait packed around it. I currently use the Daiwa Black Widow (Mad Dragon in US) with a 3.25 test curve and 12' length as method fishing is my preferred style. I also have some Ugly Stik Catfish rods rated at 15-30lbs and 7' length that can handle method fishing at close range.
2. Two buckets and a towel
- you need something to combine all of your ingredients in. I like
having a second bucket to fill with lake water to rinse my hands off.
An old towel will dry your hands off after the rinse.
3. Method weight or feeder-
your method needs something to stick to. There are a variety of method
weights and feeders in the market whether you want to fish inline or
with a safety clip.
4. A method recipe - what ingredients are you going to mix together to make your method balls?
Simple and Easy Method Mix # 1
Ingredients
-Old Fashioned Oats - 42 oz container
-Creamed Corn - (2) 14.5 oz cans
-Chili Powder (optional)
-Sweet Feed (optional - add third 14.oz can of Creamed Corn)
The video below was provided by Jeff Craig. I learned of it from his posting on the Texas Fishing Forum
where it was well received. This is a basic method mix that you can
make with ingredients that can all be found in your grocery store. If
you're going to add sweet feed, visit your local feed store or Tractor Supply Company
and you shouldn't have any problems finding it. Sweet feed can be used
on its own as a chum and helps add volume to your method. It's
typically the least expensive part of your method mix and that's what
makes it popular. Watch the video and read a few tips to keep in mind.
Tip #1 - DO NOT rub or touch your eyes if you use the chili powder in
this mix and stir with your hand. I know it sounds like common sense,
but throughout a day's time of using it, you may forget. Trust me,
you'll only forget the first time!
Tip
#2 - Experiment
with different flavors. This mix will take a variety of flavors, so
experiment with other powdered flavors like Kool-Aid or cake mix.
Cherry Kool-Aid is my go to flavor, but it turns your hands red. If you
use a liquid flavoring like vanilla, make sure to add a small amount of
extra sweet feed or oats so it's not too wet.
Tip
#3 - Dedicated method spoon - stirring with a dedicated method spoon
will help keep you from getting chili powder in your eyes, or red hand
like you could get from Tips 1 and 2.
Tip #4 - Freeze
it! - This is a large amount of method if you're fishing a short
session and not chumming. Don't be afraid to freeze it with a lid.
I've used frozen method with good results. It might come out slightly
sour, but the fish don't seem to mind.
Method Leads and Feeders
Method leads and feeders
come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. They serve a few
primary functions. Obviously their design is to help keep the method
ball together during the cast. Once that's complete and the lead or
feeder is now on the bottom of the lake, they serve as resistance
against your hook. When a fish picks up your hook and is pricked by it
and starts to swim off, the resistance from the weight drives the hook
home.
Method leads - method leads are slightly different from method feeders. Most method feeders are inline while there are many gripper style leads that can also be fished on a safety clip.
These gripper style leads work well because they have a lot of surface
area for just being a lead and hold the method better on during the
cast. Other advantages are that they are easier to find in the 3-4 oz
range, providing more resistance to hook the fish when it eats your
bait. They are also very durable, being all lead.
Method feeders
- method feeders are made of a variety of materials and are designed to
offer maximum surface area for your method to stick to. These
typically come in 1-3 oz sizes with 1-2 oz being the most popular. Some
of these feeders are now coming with a silicone mold to help you mold your method onto the feeder.
9-14-12 My first fishing report, a camping trip Brooke and I had planned in Beaumont, TX to fish for commons and buffalo. We were hoping the weather was starting to cool here, but unfortunately it hadn't. We arrived about 9pm on Friday and set up our camp site. After setting up our new Coleman Weathermaster 6 Tent, I spodded about 5 spots each of maize and all stock, hoping to get the fish going. I had been told that 30 yards out was the key, so that was my mark. I put my rods out and waited for our friends Justin and Irene to show up, and they had brought their friend Russell as well. Russell was hoping for his first common carp. They set up and we all went to sleep. It was an uneventful fishing night, but was accompanied by a great sunset.
Nick's Camp Site and Beautiful View on Saturday
9-15-12 The next morning we awoke and our buddy John came hoping to catch his first buffalo. Despite his best efforts, the action stayed slow, with no fishing being caught all day. About 4pm, our buddy Nick showed up to join the action and John was long gone, upset by the jet skiers and wake board boats clouding up the water and the margins. Nick and I had a chat, and
LESSON LEARNED: he suggested that the stirring up and muddying of the bank would draw fish into the margins to feed on the little bits that were now exposed into the water column.
Nick used his marker float to mark a bunch of swims. He decided to fish further down, and I new it would be awhile before I heard from him again.
Russell with his new PB 14lb common
I decided to set up one rod in the margins and left the other two in the baited area I had already established. Justin was fishing two rods and had one in the margin, and one about 30 yards out. He and I had gotten the same advice on where to fish and bait. About 10pm, Justin gets a run. Russell picks up the rod and reels in a nice 14lb common. Not a bad first carp, and he caught it on the margin rod. During the night I also managed to pick up two more commons, a 17lber and a 15lber, though I was too tired to get pictures. Amazingly enough, these were also caught on my margin rod. Can you say lesson learned? From now on, I'm always putting one of my three rods in the margins.
Nick's 30lb Smallmouth Buffalo, a new PB!
9-16-12 As morning came, the fish shut off. We could see some fish coming to the surface, but roughly 150 to 200 yards out from the bank. I decided to walk down the bank and check on Nick, to see how he made out. Nick is a UK carp angler that has caught amazing fish all around the world. However, he had not yet caught a smallmouth buffalo. This was a personal goal that was very short lived. That night, Nick established a new PB Buffalo at 30lbs! A great fish and a PB that should take awhile to break. I was ecstatic for him! The rest of the trip proved to be very uneventful fish wise. All of us could feel that it was going to be a slow day, and it was starting to get hot fast. We decided to call it a day and Brooke and I packed up about 11AM and headed home. All in all it was a great camping/fishing trip with some good fish caught and a lot of friendly fun.
What do you think about fishing in the margins? Do you agree? Leave your comments below!
This Blog will be dedicated to helping fellow anglers learn from my experiences, knowledge, and learnings of various sport fish. I hope that it is a valuable resource for all of you and you continue to visit regularly. Please subscribe! Thanks.
