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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 09:12:00 AM

Title: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 09:12:00 AM
I left the boat at home and walked the shores of a local lake yesterday and wound up having more shots than I could keep track of. The area that I prowled is very shallow and trying to maneuver a boat around this slough is more trouble than it's worth

   (http://i.imgur.com/Mr7DKUY.jpg)

   (http://i.imgur.com/U444gJY.jpg)

   (http://i.imgur.com/xrXUOpn.jpg)

I stopped on the bridge Wednesday night to check on the carp activity since the recorded lake temps was 63 degrees and I found the activity to be good. So I made plans to be at the lake the following day.

The wind was a little strong and created a lot of waves, which made it hard to spot the fish at times and then there were other times when I would find a small pocket of water that was calm and some of those spots showed a lot of this...

   (http://i.imgur.com/38WsaoK.jpg)

I wasn't the only one fishing this slough

   (http://i.imgur.com/kbIrXlz.jpg)

   (http://i.imgur.com/56o0T5b.jpg)

...And there was this guy. I don't mind snakes as long as I know where they are. It's when they surprise me that I find myself high stepping my way along the bank. This was one of those times. I was standing on a bunch of rip rap watching a snake in the water with a large bulge about midway in its body and I looked down and there was a big SOB about 18" away from my foot!  Activate high-speed knees to chest marching band leg moves! It wasn't until I regained my composure that I realized his mouth was already full.

   (http://i.imgur.com/Aeu6hWP.jpg)

I spent the first half of the day walking the west side of the slough throwing all the shot fish on the shore and then after a couple of hours I walked the shore back the way I came from hunting the same water again shooting more fish and gathering the fish that were shot while walking in. I put them on a stringer and dragged them out.

   (http://i.imgur.com/rjldWek.jpg)
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 09:17:00 AM
In the afternoon I hunted the east side of the slough the same way as I did during the morning on the west side of the slough.

 (http://i.imgur.com/0NBvsAl.jpg)

By the end of the day's hunt I shot 19 fish and landed 16 of them. For some reason my arrow tip would work it's way to the open position and 3 of the fish slid off the arrow just as I was about to land them. Grrrrr! Very frustrating.

The largest fish shot was 10#. The total pound hauled out of the lake was 88#.

  (http://i.imgur.com/OBTBjyx.jpg)

  (http://i.imgur.com/jKOLikP.jpg)

By the way the humane way to kill a fish is very simple and very fast. After you land the fish face it away from yourself (tail towards you) and the fish's belly flat to the ground (as if the fish were swimming away from you) then use a sharp steel rod (I use a heavy duty tent stake that has been sharpened to a point) Put the point of the rod at the base of the fish's skull (on the top of the fish) and push the rod into the fish's brain and give it a couple of wiggles. Done dead fish, quick and easy. Now the arrow can be removed without worrying about the fish flipping back into the water.

(http://i.imgur.com/uO87giX.jpg)

Porter, logging out

  (http://i.imgur.com/WvaxwXS.png)
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Mudd on May 23, 2014, 09:55:00 AM
Thanks for sharing!

  :archer:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Izzy on May 23, 2014, 10:14:00 AM
Awesome story telling. My spot is picking up speed since my last hunt and Im hoping to hit the water as soon as I get out of work.   :pray:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Big Ed on May 23, 2014, 10:20:00 AM
Very nice!!
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Jeff D. Holchin on May 23, 2014, 11:01:00 AM
Looks like fun.  Also looks like a harmless water snake    ;)
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 11:02:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Awesome story telling. My spot is picking up speed since my last hunt and Im hoping to hit the water as soon as I get out of work.     :pray:  
The lake temp as of this morning is 64deg and yesterday's temp report was 63deg so the spawn is starting. I'll be out again this afternoon.     :goldtooth:  Good luck and have fun!
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: BMN on May 23, 2014, 12:07:00 PM
Nice Tom!   :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Tsalt on May 23, 2014, 12:23:00 PM
Nice!!
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Over&Under on May 23, 2014, 02:15:00 PM
Some fine shooting!
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Jerry Jeffer on May 23, 2014, 03:18:00 PM
Thanks for sharing your great day of bow fishing story. Nice catch.
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Barry Wensel on May 23, 2014, 05:03:00 PM
I really like that last picture of you. You look like you'd be a nice guy.  8^)  bw
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: ron w on May 23, 2014, 05:12:00 PM
Cool......but where's the Derby??
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Thumper Dunker on May 23, 2014, 08:12:00 PM
Cool stuff.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 08:49:00 PM
...and the hits just keep on coming.

I only got out for an hour tonight and on the last shot the expandable wings on the arrow's tip broke off. I'm not sure how I managed to get the last fish that was shot landed but I did it.

There are only 5 fish pictured but I actually shot a total of 6. The biggest was 9.5# and the others were 7.5 or 8.5# each. The total weight was 50#+-    :bigsmyl:  

(http://i.imgur.com/ruXnJ7D.jpg)

QuoteOriginally posted by ron w:
Cool......but where's the Derby??
Its a little too warm for the Derby.
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 08:46:00 PM
Another day     :scared:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 08:42:00 PM
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Gatekeeper on May 23, 2014, 08:37:00 PM
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Charlie Lamb on May 24, 2014, 08:53:00 AM
:thumbsup:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Charlie Lamb on May 24, 2014, 08:53:00 AM
:thumbsup:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: bowhunterfrompast on May 24, 2014, 09:13:00 PM
Congrats    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Brianlocal3 on May 24, 2014, 09:22:00 PM
Great job and thanks for taking us along
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: dhermon85 on May 24, 2014, 10:10:00 PM
Looks like fun! Got to try bow fishin one of these days.
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: BWD on May 25, 2014, 11:47:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by ron w:
Cool......but where's the Derby??
Didn't recognise you with the new lid on. Good pics., nice fish.
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: lilbobby on May 25, 2014, 03:24:00 PM
Thanks Tom!
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: bretto on May 26, 2014, 05:46:00 PM
Nice Tom.

I finally made it out and stuck a few Gar today. I was in the new 14' boat and needed a partner. They always seemed to be on the other side of the boat.    :banghead:  

It was fun none the less. Was a peaceful day on the water till about 3:30 then a bunch of screaming idiots showed up and I bailed.

Water clarity was only about 8-10" after the few rains we caught this weekend. If it holds off it should be crazy in a day or two.

bretto
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: Cyclic-Rivers on May 26, 2014, 08:50:00 PM
Do you ever work   :confused:    ;)    :p    

Congrats Tom!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: buckster on May 27, 2014, 01:11:00 PM
Very nice indeed Tom.  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: bretto on May 27, 2014, 04:46:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Do you ever work    :confused:      ;)      :p    

Congrats Tom!    :thumbsup:  
Heck no he don't work!!!!

He's my HERO.  :laughing:  

bretto
Title: Re: Missouri Carp Crawl
Post by: birddog75 on May 27, 2014, 07:44:00 PM
Nice shooting Tom.  Thanks for sharing.