Many people find fishing a fun and peaceful pastime, a place to get away from it all, and enjoy nature. For the more driven fisherman it is a high skill, high stress competitive sport. Most fishermen however are out having fun at the closest fishing body of water they can catch fish in.
As the range of people fishing ranges from one end of the spectrum to the other, so does fishing tackle. People fish with everything from a spool of fishing line with a weight and hook attached, to tens of thousands dollars of equipment including a boat, sonar, mapping equipment, and high dollar fishing rods and reels. Not to mention at least one hundred dollar plus net to get their fish from the water into the boat with a camera or two to record it all.
 20 year old Zebco rod and reel in action Carp fishing can be as simple and inexpensive, or as complex and expensive as a person chooses to make it. I prefer the simple and inexpensive end of the scale. I do not tie up a lot of money in any of my Carp fishing equipment. Though half the family thinks, one float tube, two kayaks, and a dozen rods and reels are a little excessive to catch fish I do not even eat. In my case the tube, kayaks, rods, and reels make fishing more fun, not more expensive and are shared by the family too.
Starting with rods and reels, Carp and fish in general do not care whether you have a ten dollar garage sale outfit, or a balanced rod and reel from a premiere rod maker. What matters is having a Carp put your bait in its mouth. A surprising number of very large fish are caught and landed by small children on their favorite cartoon character fishing rod selling for under twenty dollars. Big fish on cheap equipment is not the norm, but it happens more than expensive tackle makers want you to believe.
I have two main rods and reels I use most often. One is a Carp rod and reel, the second is a spinning rod and a spin cast reel which are not made for each other, but they work, and satisfy my requirement for inexpensive rods and reels.
My spinning rod is made for a reel that hangs down, but my spinning reel gave out. My twenty year old Zebco spincast reel, which is stil working as well as new, is made to sit on top of a rod, but the rod broke. A spincast rod has a horn, almost like a trigger, where you place your index finger. It gives you added control and helps you hang on to your rod when a big Carp is on the line. The correct rod for the reel was broken by a feisty Carp, or maybe old age and a big carp. The reel is now pushing twenty years old. This awkward system works for me, and is cheaper than buying another rod or reel.
For fishing line, how strong a line you need depends on where you are fishing. Fishing where there are no rocks, logs, or other debris on the bottom, an ultra light outfit, perhaps even four pound test if fine for most Carp fishing. Generally though you want a rod and reel with at least an eight pound test line. Your rod should list the proper line strength, and the reel may have a recommendation too. If you are fishing around rocks and brush, you may need a much stronger line and heavier duty rod and reel. Of course if heavy duty is all you have it is fine too.
When I use my spinning rod and spin cast reel, I tie a light cord to my fishing rod. Because most reels have an always on drag and once a Carp hooks itself and panics if the rod is not tied to something it is in the lake and out of sight and reach. Fortunately over the years, I have only lost two rods and reels. I have seen more disappear when people I was fishing with where not paying attention to their rod.
Carp fishing last week was very slow. Fisherman who are willing to pay a few dollars more for their license can fish with two poles in most waters in this state. I pay those few dollars, so I can fish with two poles. Many people do not, and the fine I was told is $140.00. The difference in dollars for the proper license makes me realize how much people are willing to gamble.
I caught only one Carp on last weeks outing. I had three more bites, but they never came to fruition. I was using two different baits, and I had one bite on each one. I caught my one Carp on corn. There were two men close by, who were wandering along the lake shore as I was. We checked up on each other through the day, to see who was catching what.
They were intent on catching Catfish, which I found odd, because they started fishing at 08:30 am. That would be late night snacking for any self respecting Catfish unless dinner fell right in front of its nose.
The two men were frustrated as they made a long drive to fish for Catfish and they were not catching any. I told them about the catfish I caught a few weeks ago in the early evening hoping they would read between the lines, but they did not. I them mentioned that Catfish were night feeders because they are not developed for capturing prey with speed, they use darkness and stealth instead. I think the men were too frustrated to realize I was telling them nicely; middle of the day is not a good Catfish fishing.
 The Carp were far out in the lake. They were jumping forty or more meters from shore and on the far side of weed beds. Perhaps fishing pressure on this particular lake is heavy enough to force them from shore. I fished in close to shore on the bank side of the weeds, and the Carp were having none of it. I changed to my twelve foot Carp Rod so I can cast halfway to Texas, or at least out where the Carp are.
There is a parameter within fifty or so feet of shoreline where any fish is very wary about eating any food that is not natural. Hence my long Carp rod to get my bait well out beyond the reach of most fisherman. My non standard long rod is not normal lake fishing gear and is looked at with skepticism, until I start catching fish. It does not create believers, but it makes them wonder what my real secret is.
Fishing on the far side of a weed bed is always a challenge. Carp when hooked head right into the thick weeds. Weeds are a defense for most fish, and fish try to swim to the nearest cover when frightened. I thought I lost my one fish, but once I mowed a five foot patch of weeds down (that floated to the surface), I could feel a fish still on. It was over a six minute battle, and the fish was only average for the lake. Its size was nothing remotely close to the big carp pictures on the net. That says a lot for Carp’s ability to provide a good fight.
Taking an informal poll, I found I caught one more fish than the nine people I spoke with. That does not reflect any skill on my part, only the willingness of Carp to eat. As one of the men fishing for Catfish told me, at least I could drive home knowing I caught something. I think all the fisherman present may have caught at least one fish if they did a little homework, and thought about what they know about fishing. Catfish generally do not feed in the middle of the day. Bass are spooked by anything splashing through the the water. All fish have a healthy fear of anything unnatural near shore. Where fish are jumping is a good indicator of where there may be fish.
Carp fishing with dough and other soft baits that carp enjoy is difficult at times. Too soft of a cast, and the bait flops at my feet. Too hard of a cast and my hook lands where I want it, but my bait goes thirty feet in the air and ten feet out. At times I think casting soft bait is an art form.
Fishing for Catfish I use chicken liver. Chicken liver seems to be a good all around Catfish bait, and works as well or better than some other baits. One of the problems with chicken liver is the fact it is liver. Chicken liver on a single hook makes casting an exercise in getting that chicken liver to the bottom in the same spot as the hook and sinker.
This was a problem in need of a solution. I started reading in the Carp fishing forums, and tackle vendors web sites to see what they had to offer.After some reading I learned about “Throwing sticks”, I decided I could make one to toss my own bait with that I would be happier with.
 My first design was using the white pipe with an end cap. Of course using a tube has its flaws. The largest sized bait is limited by the tube size. Not to mention getting any distance in a throw is an awkward process. I cut the end cap off and glued it on using it as a cup instead. This worked, but left a lot to be desired because of cup walls held the bait inside.
 The second item I found is this gray and blue item. This is called a sweat stick, and is used on sweating horses. It is essentially an oversized shoe horn. While it worked, it was not the end all of bait sticks. The throwing distance is limited by design, and you have to be precise to get a good throw, without your bait or sinker falling off in mid throw.
 The third, and I thought end all discovery may be familiar to you if you own a dog. It is a dog ball throwing stick. A tennis ball fits in the cup and when you use a throwing motion, the ball bounces away for your dog to chase. I thought it would be perfect and it is, if I want my bait to hit the water a few feet in front of me with sonic speed. The angle of the handle is not correct for a distance throw.
Next I thought I would put a spoon on the end of my now defunct plastic pipe and cap stick. I cut the cap off and tied a spoon on. The spoon stick was a big improvement. I had some control, and there was lots of room for bait and sinker. The straightness of the pipe made throwing a little awkward but it worked.
I found a no longer used garden water wand in the trash on day, and I knew I hit the jackpot. I tied the spoon on the wand, after cutting off the watering head portion. I had two design problems though. One was spoon slippage (nylon against aluminum), and the second problem was the bend of the wand. I solved these problems by putting a piece of old inner tube over the wand at the end where the spoon rested. I also placed the spoon on the other side of the bend, as it is in the picture.
 Small bread balls were flying over forty yards down the road, larger bread balls and stones flew as if the were catapulted and not thrown. Whole kernel corn went wherever I sent it, up to almost four ounces a throw if I wanted. It brought back memories of my childhood, hitting rocks and golf balls with a bat. Corn, liver, dough balls, minnows, worms, whatever I want to toss gently in the lake was now fair game.
This spoon throwing stick was simple to make. Total cost for me to make was $1.05 for the spoon (nylon and the sturdiest I could find) from wally world. The wand was a free grab from the trash, also for sale at previously named place for about five dollars, probably less at a garage sale. The string was lying around the house from another project.
 Here is a great Chef’s trick used for making hold able handles on all metal pans. You can use this to keep your string from rotting or coming apart. After tying the spoon on, I rubbed in as much vegetable oil on the string as the string would hold and placed it in the sun. The oil after a few days to a week hardens, and keeps the string from coming loose. Almost any cooking (not machine or automotive) oil will work.
Of course if you would rather own a hand made custom spoon throwing stick similar to mine in the picture (the green handled one), with materials I used, I am willing to make you one for a price of $99.99 with free shipping in the USA. A better idea is to do it yourself. Ten minutes to cut the wand head, another thirty minutes to tie the spoon on, and ten minutes to oil the string. With some careful shopping, and creative thinking, you should be able to make your own spoon throwing stick for less than $10.00 even if you have to buy the wand, spoon and string. Oh, and the Carp and Catfish will really could care less what it looks like, or if it matches your outfit.
 Fishing a new lake is an experience in how to compete. Not competing with other fisherman, but competing with with the local food supply. I knew Catfish, Trout, and a hybrid fish named a Tiger Muskie were present, it seemed possible that Carp were around as food for the Tiger Muskie. I was wrong, there were no Carp to be found.
What there were in amazing numbers were Shad. These looked like thin silver and bronze Goldfish, but as I have never seen Shad before, I imagine they were a local variety. Thousands and thousands of minnows from an inch to perhaps three inches along the shallow shores of the lake.
Because I had some time to think about what to bring for bait to the lake, I took whole kernel corn, chicken liver, some hamburger meat mix, and a dough ball recipe I have made up that appeals to Carp here locally. I thought that even if there were no Carp, I was prepared for Trout, and Catfish. The Tiger Muskie were catch and release, and I did not want to spend money on the wire leaders, spoons, and lures to be able hook and land these toothy fish.
What I did not prepare for were the Shad. I knew when I saw bigger fish in the shallows, herding and charging the swarms of minnows that it was going to be a tough day fishing. It is very hard to entice fish to take your artificial bait when they have an endless supply of minnows to feed upon.
I fished shallows, and deeper water. While moving about I watched what baits different fisherman were using. I felt more confident, that if I caught even one fish, I would be one fish ahead of them. Like many people who want to fish, but do not think about fishing, they had wares from local stores. In their arsenal were jars of Norman’s never fail catfish bait, Steve’s smells like manure but still catches fish, and Marvin’s dead pickled minnows.
Store bought fish bait is about the same as buying a car. The car you buy is unique until you drive it off the lot. Then you realize that every third car is exactly like yours. Store baits are the same way, even chicken liver to some extent. On lakes with heavy fishing pressure, whatever you buy off the shelf gives off a, “Danger Will Robinson” alert as soon as it hits the water.
My hamburger meat mix, and chicken livers were ignored by everything except the Crayfish. I knew Crayfish were present, but I had no idea they were so numerous. This indeed was making a Carp fishing trip hard, being there were no Carp, literally tons of minnows, and aggressive Crayfish.
All I had left was my dough bait. I knew it should be attractive to Trout because it is corn based, but probably so does almost every off the shelf Trout bait. I did not think crayfish would care for it, but I was not sure. That left me with using dough bait hoping to entice a Catfish or two.
Putting a dough ball on a bare hook was working but not too well. I was not sure if I was losing my dough ball to the flooded bushes and grasses or Crayfish, but I was losing dough quickly. One of the things people do in this situation is put something hard on their hook first and mold their other bait around it.
I tried putting corn on first, but the dough was firm and crushed the corn. Next were some corn pops I carried along just in case. They worked, but did not seem to provide any inspiration for the fish. Maybe corn was a danger signal too. I had some chocolate puffs too, and they were the magic I needed though I am not sure why. I caught the only two fish of the day, both catfish, one about four pounds and the second about eight pounds. Very healthy, fat and well fed.
In every lake or pond you fish there are certain flavors fish can not resist. I think it is more a nutrition thing than good taste, because I have found I catch less but bigger fish using tailored dough ball ingredients. If you think and experiment, I believe it is likely that you can easily develop you own killer bait for use where you fish. Throw what local fisherman tell you out the window, unless they have the fish to back up their statements. Every fish needs something they have to search out. When you provide that food, whether or not it is a natural bait, you are on your way to catching fish while others fail to get a bite.
I am invoking my rule of three, this time for fishing. Maybe using the rule of three for fishing is a little broad, so I will narrow my rule of three to how the rule of three applies to the top three things you need to know to catch more fish.
When fishing for any species of fish with a rod and reel, and probably in commercial fishing too, it is important to know a few things about the fish you want to catch. Like we humans, fish have their likes and dislikes. There are endless species and subspecies of fish in the world. Most species of fish with the exception of being salt water or fresh water fish can tolerate a wide range of environments, the same as we humans. It may not be what we prefer, but we can tolerate vast extremes in our physical world.
Certain fish enjoy being in warm water filled with plant growth, other fish prefer rock. Some fish prefer flat shallow water, and other fish prefer a few feet of shallow water close to the shore line, and a sloping drop to deeper depths beyond that. Some fish prefer overhanging brush to hide under; other fish prefer low handing vegetation to hunt around.
It is the same with temperature and sunlight. Some fish thrive in cool to deep waters, and other fish need sunny shallow water. Most fish are adapted to daylight, and use the day time to forage for and capture food. Other fish of course have decided that the night time is the right time, and are dormant during the day, becoming active as the sun goes down.
 Food sources are another determining factor when fishing. Knowing what food the fish you wish to catch prefers, is a determining factor in where you will do your fishing. Some very big fish are hooked and landed by young children, who don’t know that certain types of big fish hunt for food close to the waters edge in hopes of a small animal falling in the water. Other fish forage in the depths where the type of food they prefer lives.
How all this relates to my rule of three is simple. Once you decide what three things are most important to you in your own life, you know then determine how those effect the fish you want to catch. Fishing now becomes much simpler. The top four needs on most people’s lists are food, shelter, temperature, and lifestyle. Think of lifestyle as where you hang out, or what you like to do with your free time.
Of those four things if you learn enough about any three of them and how they apply to the fish you want to catch, you are on your way to becoming a respected fisherman. The general unaware fisherman walks up to a body of water, puts some bait on the end of their fishing line and casts as far to the middle of the lake, river, or pond as they can. Obviously they have not bothered to learn much about the fish they want to catch.
It may be where their bait lands is a underwater island, the water is two feet deep, and the fish they want to catch prefer deep water. Or it may be they are out trying to catch a species of fish that prefers being active opposite of when the fisherman is out fishing.
It may be they are fishing in water that is too warm, cold, turbulent, or still for the fish they want to catch. As the saying goes five percent of the fisherman catch ninety-five percent of the fish. I am guessing about five percent of the fisherman are the total amount who took some time to learn about the fish they want to catch.
Which type of fisherman do you want to be? Find out what three of the top four needs are for the fish you want to catch and use your knowledge to decide when and where you should be fishing using what type of bait.
Most people who do not fish, think fishing is all about catching fish and having fun. For some people who fish that is true catching fish is the only reason they are fishing, but it is not true for all fisherman. Many fisherman I talk with either when I am fishing or making good conversation fish for reasons other than catching fish.
Fishing is like any other sport or pastime, somedays everything falls into place, and you catch a lot of fish. On other days, perhaps most days, not everything falls into place and not many fish are caught. When these days occur, and they do same as baseball or other statistical sports most days are not dream days for catching fish. I imagine if fishermen caught all the fish they wanted to, they would become bored with fishing.
Going to a new lake is always a new challenge, everything looks the same, there is water and there is shoreline. Where is the best fishing spot for this day? Everyone has their own best choice, and some people make better guesses than others. The best choices have the opportunity to catch the most fish.
 I enjoy what I observe most of the time. Fishing at a lake with interesting scenery or wildlife is satisfying. Some times I see things most people will never get to see, like the water train on the right left.
 Other times I enjoy am enjoying the view and am pleasantly surprised by something I did not expect would happen, such as these people on horseback, out enjoying a spring afternoon. They were a ways from where I was sitting pretending to be seriously fishing, and there appearance was a pleasant distraction.
 Of course then there is the scenery all by itself. In June when the monsoon season hits, starting about one in the afternoon the clouds start rolling in. That is a not so subtle signal that whatever you are doing, you may want to finish up pretty quickly. Usually by three o’clock, the storm breaks loose.
Every once in a while fishing actually happens, and life is really good. Those few hours are busy and little of my time is spent watching what is going on around me. Before you start thinking the was all fun and no work filling coolers with Carp, I want to define the purpose of fishing on its most basic level.
 While someone may think I had a blast catching all these fish; okay I did, it was fun! There also was a second more serious reason to my fishing. The reason the Carp are in two coolers is because of where they are going. One cooler of fish went to the south end of town to be used to feed, a few Dogs, Ducks, a Goose, and a few Cats. The second cooler of fish went to the far north end of town to a Dog rescue center to become, ‘Doggy Stew’.
So when you see someone out being lazy snoozing by the waters edge with fishing pole close by, remember they may there on serious business and not just to relax and enjoy the day away from it all! Yeah right, I almost believe that sentence, and I wrote it.
If you find yourself wondering how to do something for others, look at what you love to do. For myself, I am happy to have found service in something I love to do. Perhaps there is something in what you love to do that serves others too?
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