I’ve quickly learned over the last few months that fishing for carp in the middle of winter is not for the faint of heart. Things I’ve took for granted during the warmer months, like watercraft, proved quite difficult. As more and more swims locked up with ice, scouting missions to hunt for open water had to be incorporated into my normal commutes….
Hello all, my name is Jacob Nuzum and like all of you, I love carp. I live and fish in West Virginia and am lucky enough that my home state has such a wide range of fishing opportunities. Large reservoirs, farm ponds, big and small rivers are all less than an hour’s drive from anywhere in the state. Like many other anglers in America, I grew up fishing for bass, sunfish, and catfish. Fishing was a way for the family to get together and enjoy the beautiful outdoor recreation West Virginia has to offer. However…
I have to park the Jeep about 75 yards away when fishing this swim and because there was some rain forecast, I was a little concerned about getting drenched and freezing cold staying by the rods all night. Plus my knee was still very painful and looked a bit of a mess.
Well, it certainly wasn’t an option not to fish all night; I mean I’d traveled so far for a great chance to catch some awesome mirrors… So I gritted my teeth, put the wet gear on and just went for it. It took me two hobbling trips to the swim from ‘Hotel’ Jeep to get my gear down to the swim where I eventually got set up and put the baits out with great anticipation…
It seems visions of huge carp have haunted me since I was a wee kid, with the passion for fishing for them growing over the years - and to this very day still has a huge bearing on my daily thoughts. An obsession some may say --- and of course they may be correct - but what know they of the stirrings deep within the psyche, on seeing the bubble trail moving towards ones float in the pre-dawn 'half' light, or the tightness in the belly as that pair of huge orange lips gently suck the floating crust from the surface?
Chod rigs have a reputation as being for lazy or inexperience carp anglers. Guys that cast out without due thought and attention to where they are fishing. This is an unfair judgement of the rig in my book. After all, you can’t catch what’s not there. Location of the fish and watercraft remains top priority. Just because the chod rig allows you to fish effectively in areas that would be difficult to fish with other rigs and allows you to cast out with confidence without having to use a lead and marker to find a clear spot, doesn’t make it a method for “noddies”. In fact, it makes it deadly in the right situation.
I got the call on April 2nd, 2020 that I was being deployed to New York City in response to the covid-19 pandemic. I work as a Nurse Practitioner and will be working in the community hospital. I had 72 hours to get my things together and report to Fort Dix, NJ for in-processing. This was a stressful time for me, my family, and our country. I got my sea bag together and brought some non-military attire which included my American Carp Society membership t-shirt. In addition, I brought some fishing gear in case I would have the chance to fish. It ended up paying off.
It was the summer of COVID, so plans to be with the sharks in the Bahamas and explore Fiji had come to a halt. What would I spend my summer doing now that COVID had virtually suspended all travel plans and activities? I would spend my whole summer learning how to catch carp on the fly. Now stay with me, it’s not as thrilling as diving with sharks in the pristine waters of the Caribbean but as far as fly fishing goes, I think it’s one of the most exciting endeavors a fly angler—beginner or seasoned—could get into for many reasons.
In June this year, I traveled from my home in Los Angeles, California to Boston, Massachusetts to go fishing while meeting angling friends new and old. I wanted to hit it hard and to make it as intense a fishing trip as I could possibly do/endure.
I initially thought about finding a lake to bivy up on for the two weeks but settled on staying mobile by renting a vehicle to rove about in while visiting friends on their home lakes.
I left the possibility of staying in a hotels open but ultimately figured that would waste too much fishing time. So that left the reclining passenger seat of the jeep that ended up being quite comfortable actually…
Carp on the fly, this is a trending hashtag on Instagram and ever growing. Its so much more than a corny hash tag though. I know I have personally bragged about catching a carp using all fly fishing gear and even started a guide service based on basically, catching carp on a fly. It’s a way of life for the ones that really enjoy it. Carp fishing is always on my mind, I’ve spent so much time and money on these “trash fish” and i’m still not sick of them. They consume our lives.
The biggest thing I had to learn when fishing for Carp was patience!! In my opinion patience on top of good preparation is the key to success!!
After I got that together, things started to fall into place for me. I quickly learned what baits and flavors worked best at different locations and at different times of the year.
With all that knowledge I gained from all the time spent blanking and thinking about how to not blank, I noticed my catch rate rising quickly!!
I was so happy because I was finally getting pretty consistent results!!
Luckily, my first trip to the Chicago river was actually the day I met a real carp angler with all the proper “Euro” gear. We spoke the same language, so talk about coincidences? My new friend laughed at my setup but he was very nice and helped me set up my rod with some of his gear/end tackle and shortly thereafter, I was into my first carp. That carp wasn’t the only thing that got hooked that day 😁 I immediately fell in love with Carp fishing and I haven’t looked back since…
Although, it’ll probably be early Summer 2020 when you get to read this, I'm writing it in February in Iowa. For those of you who aren't in the midwest, this means I haven't seen an unfrozen lake in three months and anything in double digits feels balmy, so I am a bit nostalgic for 2019’s best captures….
Just last year, Richard and I started fishing together as friends and it blossomed into something much more… After just a few weeks of our carp fishing sessions together, I was proud when Richard said to me, “I was shocked and surprised how natural Carp Fishing is for you, even though you have never done this style of fishing before.” But honestly, I felt intimidated by all of the different carp angling tactics that Richard was showing me and assumed he was just being nice.
Now as above the title may suggest, this blog contains a few crazy stories… Funny, sad and some plain stupid but they’re true and represents the kind of bank-side antics that really matter to me these days… Sharing life and the sport I love with people I love… mostly… and I must admit, there are one or two that just piss me off and make me wanna drown them lol… what ever…
For years, I have been asked why do you go fishing? Most are confused as I really do not like to eat fish, and get asked “Why?” Well I simply don’t like it!
Many years ago, in England, long before I moved to the USA, we had a family vacation to the north-west coast of England. One day as a four or five-year-old, I saw someone fishing and asked for a fishing rod. Since that fateful day, I have fished as much as possible, caught all manner of fish, from tiny ponds to huge lakes and rivers in several countries.
In the early days, I fished with my Grandfather and his neighbor. Charlie Laughton, who was a legend in my home town of Hartlepool. Quiet possibly the finest, most well-regarded angler in the area. His knowledge was outstanding, and understanding of where the fish would be, and at what time of day and year. While I learned to untangle lines due to my Grandfather being, shall we say, a little rough, Charlie refined me into a more competent, efficient and a more determined angler. I’d visit with him at his home frequently, and over a few cups of tea, he’d share stories and sound advice. Due to Charlie sharing his knowledge with me, I learned how to fish for Pike, Carp and Barbel to devastating effect. All of which I had never seen him do, he could just talk you through the whole process. This guy was amazing, a gentleman, and truly a legend.
For my 11th birthday, my mother went to the local fishing tackle shop to buy me a new fishing rod. When she said to the owner “I have no idea why he is so fascinated”, Pip Arrowsmith replied, “It is a basic hunting instinct we are born with”. Those words were profound to me at the time, and still strike a chord today.
There is certainly something magical, special, electric about fishing. It is hard to explain, the thought of getting out on the water, I just don’t know how to equate the sensations or feelings into words that can truly account for my passion to fish. It’s certainly not all about catching…
There are times when fishing with my kids, in a group or solo are great. All in their own regard are fun. With my kids, it is more of learning experience for all of us. With friends, it is more social and usually comical. There are so many funny stories, however some are not fit for publishing… As an example, “ladies and Gentlemen, I give you my good friend, the late, great Richard Somerville…” Any one who knew him will know what I’m talking about… We all miss you mate!!!
Fishing solo, well that is something very special. This is when I can focus 100% on my intended targets without any distractions. From picking my location, baiting and tactics, well that is all on me, no other variable involved whatsoever.
When arriving at my chosen location there is a significant air of anticipation. I still get nervous the night before a trip, sleep poorly and wake before my alarm. Considering after all of those years since I first fished, those words uttered by Pip Arrowsmith still hold a profound meaning to me. Thinking about the venue, where would one anticipate the quarry to be located? Weather conditions prior, during and after the trip. Atmospheric pressure, wind, rain, bait, chum. So many potential variables, some many options. Sometimes the planning has gone on for days and weeks, sometimes a spur of the moment and out of the door.
A rushed session normally means something gets missed, and I have a few tales to tell right there. Once, well twice I forgot I had Delkim D-Loks on the alarms and got to the venue realize the feet were not attached to the buzz bars. To make matters worse, my prototype bait boat malfunctioned when the marker rod braid got wrapped around the props, then what I thought was hard pack mud, well let’s just say it wasn’t… One time I forgot my reel, another I arrived Upstate New York without a landing net… Luckily, I bumped into Jason Bernhardt that day, and he kindly lent me one.
The comradery of fishing is staggering. I’ve fished with carp anglers all over the USA, and to be fair, all have been top people. John Fantasia in Virginia, Donald Ambrico in NYC, Jason B, Chris West in Upstate NY, Jered in LA, also had a nice day session with Mr. Wayne Boon while on vacation in LA a few years ago.
Traveling around the country definitely has improved my angling. Various locations, different methods and some radical approaches. John in Virginia freelines yellow cornmeal that has been boiled into a firm paste. It works and has hammered carp on it. Jason B gave me a bag of premade flavored corn, and I smashed out a few thirties and numerous 20’s on it. Don has been instrumental in me fishing several areas in the NE and Virginia coast line.
We all have our own reasons for wetting a line, some for simple fascination, others family involvement, some the simple, primal instinct to hunt. What is more important to me than catching the biggest fish, is simple; enjoy yourself.
I think most carp fisherman would agree that one of the best things about carp fishing is the unknown. Carp are unique creatures and come in many different shapes, sizes, colors and even have different personalities. I have had fifteen-pound carp fight like a thirty-pound carp, and I have fished lakes only known for common carp and caught a mirror. The heart pounding moments of netting a unique carp are what keep me and many other anglers searching for the next fish.
James King is a US Carp Angler and American Carp Society member living in the great State of Texas….over the past few months we noticed that he had been consistently posting a number of high quality fish, when other Anglers in the State were struggling due to the high barometric pressure that we had been experiencing throughout the Winter season….we also noticed that he was using the Barnaby’s Revenge bait range and thought we might reach out to him to get some insights into his approach.
I didn’t know what was about to happen, I was just looking to take the next step in my fishing journey, and fly fishing was that step. I was starting to find success on the river fishing for trout, when I came across an article on chasing carp on the fly. I was immediately intrigued with the challenge of fooling a fish, that is known as a prolific eater, into consuming a phony bug. What’s more is carp can feel, taste and smell all whilst eating, so tricking one into eating was only part of the equation…
