Not The Carp I Was After

Monday, July 4, 2016
Size: 
23 Inches

I set out on a very rainy and cooler 4th of July to try to film a video about fishing for bass after a cold front. After catching enough to bass to make a decent video I switched over to targeting other species. I had a large piece of homemade bread left from my lunch and I knew the fish in this community lake are used to being fed bread. The rain had raised the water level enough that the lake had water flowing through the overflow at the back end of the lake. I figured a lot of the fish would be in this area since all the food of the lake is being pushed right to them.

So I took a small size 8 hook and hooked a little piece of bread on it, as expected the bluegill loved this bait and I caught many of them.  After catching a lot of little bluegill I decided it would be much more interesting to just feed the fish and see how many of them would come to the surface. Once the bluegill starting getting very active a few of the carp starting taking the bread and I had a new mission. I put a small slipshot a foot above my hook so that the bread would sink with the hope that the bluegill wouldn't be able to eat all of it before it reached the level of the carp. I was hoping to catch one of the few common carp that this lakes has, but as soon as bread started to sink a stunning Koi luanched out of submerged tree and engulfed the bread.

I fought the fish for a few minutes fearing everytime it changed direction that the little hook would slip. But lucky for me the hook held and I was able to land the fish. I quickly set my phone on a timer to take a quick picture and then grabbed the tape measure to see what size it was. The fish measured in at 23 inches, 7 inches larger than my previous PB Koi. At that point I set the fish back in the water and made sure it was fully recovered before releasing it back to fight another day. These fish are usually very visible and are heavily targeted and have become very smart, but I guess every smart fish slips up every once and again.  And to think if I had been only fishing for bass I would have never had the chance to see this beautful fish.

-Isaac

Comments

Graceclaw's picture

Nice job! Thanks for the story man! It really is rewarding to have your approach adjustments pay off, isn't it? Nice fish too; never seen anything like it.

IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

Thanks! I was so grateful that I choose to switch tactics that day, that is one of the few koi I have ever caught. I hope you get a chance to tangle with one of these beauties soon

Nice job! Thanks for the story man! It really is rewarding to have your approach adjustments pay off, isn't it? Nice fish too; never seen anything like it.

 

Moose439's picture

Cool fish man, love those Koi.
IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

I totally agree man! Next step is to get one of these on a fly rod

Gorgeous fish! Wish feral koi could survive the winters in my area so I could target a fish like that! Bet that one's worth at least a couple hundred bucks!
IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

I didn't even think about selling the fish, I guess we can safetly say that is the most expensive fish I have ever released! I hope one of these days you get to travel somewhere where the feral koi survive the winter, they are such a challenging and rewarding fish to target

Goldenfishberg's picture

Man, that is some bad ass roughfishin'! Very nice self timer shot too, I can never get those to work

Ya just Can't catch um from the couch.

IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

Thanks! My timer shots don't usually work out that well, there were about 3 before this one where I looked paniced trying to keep the fish secure and not flop out of my hands

Carp Chaser's picture

Sweet koi!

"There's always a bigger fish"

IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

Thanks!

Deftik's picture

Congrats on your PB Koi man, an absolute stunner!

IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

Thanks! The second I saw what I hooked I was exceptionally excited and had my fingers crossed that I could land it

pmk00001's picture

Well done man, you are right Koi in pressured waters can be close to impossible!  Congrats and thanks for sharing.

IsaacsFishingCorner's picture

Thanks! I've been working on a koi from this lake for a long time