Elk Lake

Cool! Is the bench you are talking about the one near the boathouses? I was there yesterday for Mike Spracklen's rowing seminar, and saw a picnic table partially submerged. Is that it? I need a new medium action rod, as my last one broke. I was recently given a light action rod, but it is spooled with 4lb test and the rod is so whippy that if you hold it out straight it bends over partway. More of a sunfish rod than anything. So if I don't have another medium action by spring, I would need to use my salmon rod, which is 9' long or my heavier action ocean rod which is 10' long.
 
falcon1 said:
Cool! Is the bench you are talking about the one near the boathouses? I was there yesterday for Mike Spracklen's rowing seminar, and saw a picnic table partially submerged. Is that it? I need a new medium action rod, as my last one broke. I was recently given a light action rod, but it is spooled with 4lb test and the rod is so whippy that if you hold it out straight it bends over partway. More of a sunfish rod than anything. So if I don't have another medium action by spring, I would need to use my salmon rod, which is 9' long or my heavier action ocean rod which is 10' long.
Click to expand...

No it's not there, enter Brookleigh Rd from the Pat Bay hwy end, as you drive towards the boat launch there are houses on your left, near the last house on your left before the boat launch there is a trail from the road to the main trail the goes all around the lake.
Right there, just head left when you hit the main trail, about a minute walk and you'll see the bench and some other small open areas.

This vid is a good example of how to (and how not to !) handle carp on light equipment...nice & slow.

[dC1NRDbvPuo] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC1NRDbvPuo

Guy in the beginning is too excited and snaps the fish off almost instantly, the (handsome :cool:)guy at 2:00 handles it very calmly and lands the carp on much lighter gear than the first guy has.
 
Is the "handsome" guy you? Carp fishing sounds awesome. When does the good fishing start up? Spring? Can you eat the carp? I have heard they taste bad, but I would hate to throw back an invasive species.
 
Yassir !
It IS fun and I had a blast with 'em in September. I didn't even know about them til late August so I'm going to hit them HARD this year !
Spring, summer & early fall, warmer the better.
You can eat them but apparently cold water carp taste MUCH better than warm water carp.
My mother inlaw is German and is waiting on me to deliver one.
I assume because they are not "sport fish" that you can "fertilizer" them...feed the turkey vultures...crab trap bait or whatever you can think of, no limits.
I have never put any back, don't plan on it.
Also, watch out for a large/thick spike located on the most forward part of the dorsal fin.
 
Yea, did a ton of research on them when I discovered they were in the lake. Didn't know what to use for bait though. Maybe with the good fights they give, I can get my dad "hooked" on fishing again. He used to be super into it (he once even fished off the ferries, but caught nothing) that was a long time ago, and now other than salmon he is not really interested. When the weather gets better I will see about going out there. Should be loads of fun!
 
I row out of the Gorge Rowing and Padling Club so maybe I will also get to size up/heckle my opponents :rolleyes:

Maybe between the two of us we can bring down the carp population.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
falcon1 said:
Yea, did a ton of research on them when I discovered they were in the lake. Didn't know what to use for bait though. Maybe with the good fights they give, I can get my dad "hooked" on fishing again. He used to be super into it (he once even fished off the ferries, but caught nothing) that was a long time ago, and now other than salmon he is not really interested. When the weather gets better I will see about going out there. Should be loads of fun!
Click to expand...

Falcon1,
If you want information on baits to use for carp and tactics to find and catch them, just go to the UK websites.

Carp fishing is huge there (as are the fish....a 50lb fish is quite common!!) and there are a myriad of sites with information about carp fishing out there.
Here are a few:-

http://www.carp-uk.net/
http://www.carpfishinguk.net/
http://www.carper.co.uk/#/uk-carp-fisheries/4536378100
http://www.carpkrazy.com/
http://www.carpfishingpellets.co.uk/

The last site is a carp fishing bait store!!
 
My wife has Euro/German descendants...she tells me that an ornately prepared large Carp (pictures of which can be seen in cookbooks) was often New Years dinner for old-schoolers.
 
Thanks english! Seafever, I will definitely be looking into ways of preparing them.
 
Seafever said:
My wife has Euro/German descendants...she tells me that an ornately prepared large Carp (pictures of which can be seen in cookbooks) was often New Years dinner for old-schoolers.
Click to expand...
Seafever,

I think you mean ancestors (not descendants, although she may have those too!)....:)

Anyway, I did try eating a carp once, long ago, but I was not that impressed. However, there was no tradition of eating them in our family, so I was flying somewhat blind in the prep and cooking area. I think I baked it......
 
The meat of carp is softer than what you may be used to from halibut or ling or rock fish. But it's the bones that will spoil most meals. They have Y shaped bones throughout their back meat. I did study once their anatomie and learned how to fillet them almost bone free but it was an art and took forever. Once de-boned you can do lots with it for a reasonable meal. Smoking is a good option. BBQ works too.

For bait, worms are a classic, bread and corn work good too. Learn their feeding trails (when where) and you will catch them fairly easily.
 
Ok I won't eat he fish or go in the water. If it was that bad I think we would hear more of it.
 
This "blue" algae can sometimes be seen when you run a bath of water. I have seen it, doing that, at certain times.

Looks like "glacier" water.

Do humans have anything to fear from this bathwater?
 
Probably not, though that is pretty weird. Usually algae blooms just turn the water kind of bitter tasting.
 
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