Fly Fishing for Grass Carp , April in Missouri

The Somerset, New Jersey, Fly Fishing Show

Today the first true sign that spring is coming,
The Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, New Jersey
opened. In an effort to make it easier to pay
the admission fee, a new computer registration
was implemented so that one could be eligible
for the many raffles for prizes and other marketing
data collection, computers were set up to record
what had previously been written on post cards.
All this did was to create a huge bottle neck at the
entrance to the event!



Once inside I found there were too many
destination fishing booths and not enough new
equipment booths. Only March Brown Fly Rods
offered any show stopping rods and discounts!



I had pre scouted the seminars so I knew
there would more of what I didn't want & much
less of what I did want to hear and see.
The exception was the seminar that Aaron
Jaspers held. It was packed, as usual, because
his talks provide new solutions to how to catch
more fish!



Here an instructor is showing how to cast a Spey rod



Here I am with one of the March Brown Fly Rod
representatives. I own a number of these travel
fly rods. These rods are well suited for the type of
fly fishing I do. The rods are multi piece which permits
me to carry one or more rods at a time on a plane,
bus or train discreetly.

World Record Grass Carp- IGFA All Tackle Length Record

Sakai koi farm Hiroshima 1982seba

I wrote about Koi I have observed & they are fascinating fish to watch
There behavior is unique.

Tenkara Carp

HIGHLIGHTS cross country ladies (FINAL CLIMB) - last stage TdS 2012

This is an unbelievably tough series of races and the last race is on this
alpine slope, all up hill! Please don't try this.

Bass notes

By Wayne Gustavson

It’s a well known fact that smallmouth bass eat crayfish and largemouth are more likely to eat another fish. Why the difference? It is really quite simple. From birth, smallmouth utilize rock structure for cover. Largemouth consistently seek out thick brushy cover. Considering the preferred habitat types it is only logical that the diet of each species will be dominated by the most abundant food source in the neighborhood. Crayfish live in and under rocks while most small pan fish and minnows seek out weeds and brush for nursery cover habitat. So a smallmouth living in the rocks will encounter crayfish more often than small forage fish. Examination of the smallmouth stomach will most often reveal crayfish. That is the food most available to him and that is what is eaten. Conversely, largemouth bass live with the minnows in the weeds and their stomachs will be full of fish.

All bass species are opportunistic feeders that are proud to have anyone over for dinner. A largemouth in a really brushy or weedy lake may have an entirely different diet than a largemouth in a lake without weeds. In a study from Florida, the largemouth bass diet from weedy lakes was compared to the largemouth bass diet in lakes where grass carp had been used to remove most vegetation. Differences were dramatic.

It started with the youngest fish. Largemouth bass in weedy lakes didn’t start to eat other fish until the bass were almost 5 inches long. Their counterparts in lakes without "grass" got on fish when they were only 2.5 inches long. Forage fish in weedy lakes were unavailable to small bass. Minnows were just too good at hiding in the dense protection of thick weeds until bass got big enough to go in after them.

Eating fish early makes for a faster first year growth rate. This head start made largemouth bass in the weedless lakes bigger fish for the majority of their life. It wasn’t until age 5 that bass in weedy lakes achieved the same size. Fish are really adaptable creatures and as usually occurs in nature, all things tend to even out in the end.

So what do we do with our backyard pond where we are growing our own bass for fun and profit? Do we throw in a few grass carp to chomp the weeds and make young bass grow faster? Let’s investigate further.

Elimination of weeds makes the young of all species more vulnerable to predation. Some species can even be eliminated in short order if not protected when they are learning to swim and hide from strangers. In fact, bass themselves will be less numerous due to predation from their own kind in weedless lakes.

Weedless lakes then will grow bass faster but they will be fewer in number. Ten bass will grow faster than 100 bass confined to the same space. Forage fish, bugs and crawdads without weeds will be more accessible and therefore, vulnerable to be eaten and maybe even be totally eliminated. The best fisheries are created when widely diverse habitats are available. A pond choked with hydrilla is not producing as well as it could. The same pond without any weeds also underachieves its potential. The best mix is a few weedy areas combined with clear areas where all makes, models and sizes of fish and forage can find their own niche.

If just fishing on one of the huge impoundments anywhere in the U. S. it is possible to increase your catch by studying available habitat. Bass need food and they get it in the most efficient manner within the confines of the water they live in. With a 90% surface covering of lily pads or water hyacinth, fish will be guarding each little two foot open space for any intruder that ventures out of cover. Their home range may be measured in feet instead of miles. Dragging a plastic lizard slowly across the surface is a dynamite idea here. In deep canyon lakes without any vegetation to speak of, the lizard might not work as well as a shad imitating crankbait that can cover hundreds of yards of shoreline in a short time. The home range of a largemouth bass in this lake may be 3-5 miles, depending on time of year and what the forage is up to.

Habitat determines where fish live and what they will eat. It is up to the angler to recognize these signs and react to them in a manner that will put more fish in the live well. Much of the work of finding fish can be done by studying lake structure, habitat, vegetation and forage species mix. A call to the local fish manager will usually be an excellent place to start. Then just match existing conditions in the new fishery with those you have previously encountered to get you started in the process of catching fish.

Carp'n

Bass notes

By Wayne Gustaveson

We have been talking in great glittering generalities about spawning but now it’s time to get down to the sweet little details that really make a difference. Take nest placement, for instance. The bass spawning rule book says that the nest will be placed in shallow water. Water depth over the top of the nest will be at least 18 inches with a preferred depth of 24-36 inches. Will nests always be that shallow? Not likely. Maybe the really neat rocks are at 48 inches and clay, mud, and silt are the predominant habitat type in the preferred depth zone. Other variables come into play when determining actual nest site.

The nest can be deeper. Males may get hung up on a particular nest site on the first warm day in April. Due to changes in weather and wild temperature gyrations, bass may not actually spawn for the first time until the third week of April. Then after re-nesting a time or two, the original shallow nest site may be under 10-15 feet of water on May 15th in a rapidly rising spring runoff situation.

Spawning rule #1: Bass are extremely flexible. They will find a place to spawn.

Example: The large boat in the slip next to mine had a diving platform about 18 inches deep. For some reason a 12 inch largemouth, obviously deranged, decided that he would take the easy way and not move any dirt or rocks. He swished a little algae with his tail, made a clean spot on the diving platform and found an equally ditsy babe to deposit some eggs. When walking past the boat it was apparent that we had a mobile bass nest with a real red-eyed sentry on duty. He charged folks just walking on the dock. I never did see him leap out of the water and take anyone down but he was extremely aggressive. Of course, the next day the boat owner showed up ready to take the boat out for a cruise. My arguments to leave the boat tied up in the slip until the eggs hatched didn’t compete with the need for the man to earn his living. He cast off the lines and headed out. My last sight of the mixed up male bass was him trailing the boat and his nest at wake-less speed as the boat eased out of the harbor.

Smallmouth and largemouth overlap in spawning sites and depth. The same prime nesting habitat will be used by bass, crappie and sunfish. Subtle preferences apportion the real estate among the participants. Largemouth seek out a shallow, rocky area at the base of a tree, bush or some other brushy cover. The bush does not have to be all that plush - just a stump or log is often enough. Crappie and bluegill really need substantial overhead cover before placing a nest. Dense foliage is a high priority for both panfish. Smallmouth and green sunfish really do not care about brush and key in on just the right rocky structure. They will often use a ledge or boulder for overhead cover but not always. The rock dwelling fish do not seek out brush.

Spawning rule #2: Nest placement allows highest chance of survival for young fish

.

I stand in awe that bass seem to know what the kids need. Innocent, naive largemouth fry hatch and swim up to feed on plankton. They swim together in a black cloud of 1,000 to 5,000 black fry. Of course, all fish in the area salivate at the very thought of having one of the kids for lunch. The guarding male bass can’t keep all intruders at bay all the time and inevitably some fry are lost. When the attack occurs largemouth fry instinctively seek shelter in the thickest brushy weeds and cover available. If the bush over the largemouth nest is sufficiently dense more fish from that particular school survive. If the bush lacks small spaces, few fry survive.

The smallmouth nest on a rocky ledge offers no brush shelter. The same black cloud of fry swims around feeding on the same plankton. When the inevitable attack comes, smallmouth fry dive for the bottom and seek shelter in the tiny spaces between rocks where the larger predators cannot follow.

The amount of nursery habitat really determines the number of fish that will survive any given year. Young largemouth, bluegill and crappie are not going to have good survival without an adequate supply of dense weeds or brush to protect them. A large open rocky shoreline provides the means for smallmouth to survive where a brushy cove with a mud bottom would not.

Spawning rule #3: The male of the species is most important in determining spawning success.

Large females are revered but the scrawny, bruised male with the bloody tail really does all the work and gets none of the credit. The male builds the nest, guards the young, chases away enemies, and ends up getting caught more often by anglers. To protect the fishery and ensure good survival for a new year class of bass, crappie or bluegill, it is the male that needs to be protected and conserved.

Bass spawning lasts for about 2 months. The first spawn is triggered by rapidly warming temperatures. Eggs and sometimes young fry from the first nest may be lost to bad weather. Cooling temperatures cause guarding male bass to leave the nest until it warms again. The second spawn happens about two weeks after the first and is usually the biggest and most productive. Additional nesting occurs at two to three week intervals thereafter, depending on weather conditions. Fry from the later spawns are more likely to be lost to predation by dragonfly larvae and other predacious insects which creep onto the nest and are not apparent or noticed by the guarding male. Those fry that do survive from the last spawn are shorter, smaller and less able to compete with siblings that were born a month or two earlier. They could actually be eaten by their two month old cousin bass that are just switching to a fish diet.

Bass Notes ( may appear on the mid term exam)

Bass Are Cold Blooded: Their body temperature and more importantly, their metabolism is controlled by water temperature. The warmer the water, the higher their metabolism. Bass are most active between about 60 degrees and 75 degrees. Below about 50 degrees, their metabolism slows down, causing them to eat infrequently. Above about 80 degrees, low dissolved oxygen levels in the water place them under stress. Dead perch may be an indication of low oxygen levels. What's more important than the current water temperature is what's happening to it (i.e. is it going up or down?). Changes in water temperature affect shallow bass much more than those residing in deep water. Keep in mind that water temperature is but one factor to consider when putting together a fishing strategy. A Schooling Fish: If you catch a bass, you're likely to catch another in the same area. So once you "locate" bass, slow down and fish the area thoroughly. But don't put caught fish back in the water. Instead, put them in a livewell if you want to catch more fish. Panicked bass will scare the others off. Pay attention to depth: the deeper the water, the tighter the school. Bass of similar sizes tend to school together. Near Bottom: Bass usually will be on the bottom or something that represents bottom. Usually, the closer to the bottom they are, the more they're in a position to feed. Knowing where the bottom is dictates what type of lure you use. Bottom contour, composition and depth play important roles in finding bass. Predators: Bass are predators - they like live prey. But they don't hunt for prey, instead they prefer to lie in wait for an unsuspecting victim to happen by. Therefore, casting accuracy and presentation are vital to bass fishing success. Seek Safety: While bass are a predator fish, they can also become the prey. Bass use cover and depth as refuge from other predators. Smallmouths and spotted bass prefer deeper water than do largemouths. But even largemouths - which may be found in water only inches deep - require relatively deep water to be nearby. Near Structure: Bass use objects as places to launch an ambush. They'll use just about anything - pilings, rocks, tires, wood, bushes, weeds, sunken objects or anything "different" from the bottom. Near Edges: When in a feeding mood, bass will position themselves on edges or "transitions" of any sort because it's easier to dart out and catch their prey. Bass prefer to be at or near the junction of any two or more features, including: small rocks and big rocks; shallow water and deep water; shady areas and sunlit areas; current and still water; weeds and open water; emergent weeds and mossy weeds; wood cover and weedy cover; etc. Opportunistic: Bass usually feed on crawfish, sculpin, and minnows. They won't stay long where there's no food so learn where to find the prevalent and preferred food types in each season, and you'll find bass. They will eat an easy meal, so crippled and injured prey are they're first choice - even if it's not on their main menu. Bass have been known to eat worms, insects, panfish, frogs, lizards, salamanders, snakes and even birds! Spawners: Through much of the year, particularly from late winter through spring, bass usually can be found in or near spawning areas, namely fairly shallow, flat areas with some cover and with quick access to deeper water. Everything they do throughout the year is connected to the spawn. When searching for beds, keep in mind that generally the deeper the bed, the bigger the bass.

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The end

I spent the last two days fishing for carp in
Prospect Park Lake. I targeted the area nearest
to the first island.



While the weather has been rather warm, the
water is "beer cooler"cold! Fish are dormant.



I chummed the area for several days with
can corn, bread, pack baits & wild bird seed.
At this time of the year the water is clearer than
during the summer months; so I can see if
my chum is being consumed.



I set up each evening at 3 o'clock ( carp seem to
become active as the sun sets). I fished with
a sink tip and a length of tippet. My plan was to
use a deer hair fly like a traditional carp "pop up".
This allows the deer hair fly to float off the bottom
of the lake. Once before I had experimented
with this type of rig and been able to watch a carp
take my fly as it appeared to float off the bottom.

After about two hours; I left the park at dusk
Still looking for my first carp in Brooklyn.
No takes on December 31st and no takes on January
1st, 2012.