Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Trout, Redfin, Salmonoids, Carp etc
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Cornacarpio
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Cornacarpio » Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:30 pm

Well, a combination of 'being busy at work', 'late shifts', '(relatively) cool weather' and 'bike issues' means I have not been out much lately. I have had the odd-session down at the creek, but they have all resulted in doughnuts - until now. As I checked the barometer on my way out - which read 1009 - I still wasn't at all confident I'd get one, but mother is the necessity of invention, as they say. It was clear my 'go-to' spot wasn't going to produce, so it was time to try something radically different - and by 'radically different' I mean 'try a different spot', which was about 50 meters away from my preferred spot. Nevertheless, it paid dividends. First I had a bite on my float, which I missed. I thought I had missed my chance. I had had bite/s on my last 3 attempts, but had walked way empty handed. The creek can be notoriously unforgiving for missed opportunities, which I know all too well - my last few attempts are testament to that. Anyway, I was fortunate to get a bite (and hook-up) on my other rod, rigged with some split-shot, shortly after. On the end of my line was a modest, but welcome, 50cm Carp. I caught it in front of an incredulous teenager, who seemed genuinely interested in my technique. He confided in me that he has tried to catch Carp from the creek a few times before, but had been unsuccessful on each occasion. It happens to the best of us. After that, things went quiet, so I tried a different spot - about 50m in the other direction of my preferred spot. Just as I was contemplating leaving, my precious 3/4 inch red and white float started bobbing around - I struck - and missed. Unlike recent attempts, I cast back out and got lucky. On the end of my float was a 'wild Goldfish', taken on bread, right on the margin of the creek.

It was great to get back on the board and catch a couple, if just to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The way I'm going, my next haul won't be until Christmas Day, for the now traditional Taylor's Lake Father & Son fishing extravaganza!

+2

:wt:

2019/20: 14 (1725)
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Lightningx » Mon Dec 16, 2019 11:26 am

Nice wild goldfish! :tu:

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Cornacarpio
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Cornacarpio » Fri Dec 27, 2019 10:34 am

What a difference a day makes! It was the Boxing Day Blitz and the cornucopia of fish I had been eagerly anticipating all summer had become (somewhat) of a reality! It also happened to coincide with the No.1 spot on the lake being "vacant" (Just for context, I arrived in 'my' spot on Chrissy Eve/Day to find someone already fishing in it, which resulted in me finding an inferior, sub-standard spot, which resulted in me catching zilch, nada, nothing!). This brings me to my next point - what makes a good fisherman (or woman)?. My confidence has been rocked lately and I have been held fishless on numerous occasions now over the past month or so now. But what if 'luck' has more to do with location than the particular skills of a fisherman? Would 'anyone' would have caught fish in this particular spot today? Or is that part of being a good fisherman too - knowing 'good locations'?

Anyway, enough of the philosophising, I ended up with 10 Carp all up (much to the chagrin of my father) and all before the natives - a 40cm Yellowbelly and a 50cm Cod - came on the bite (both taken on yabbies) just before sun down. Not a bad day at 'the office'.

It was good to finally hook into a few, and I actually feel much better for doing so. It was also good to christen my 'new' Shakespeare Navigator rod from Aldi. It might not have have caught all the fish, but who can resist taking a photo of a brand new shiny rod surrounded by Carp?

+10

2019/20: 24 (1735)


:wt:

Golden Perch Plectroplites ambiguus: An important Australian native fish ranked second in importance only to the Murray cod. Variously known as Golden perch, callop, Murray perch, perch, yellowbelly and freshwater bream. At a conference held in Sydney in 1947 attended by chiefs of the Fisheries departments of all states the name callop was universally adopted throughout Australia, but in a similar 1967 conference the decision was reversed and golden perch was adopted.

From Australian and New Zealand Fishing, 6th Impression (1969), Summit Books, Published by Paul Hamlyn Pty Limited, 176 South Creek Road, Dee Why West, NSW, 2099, p.279
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Lightningx » Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:20 am

Top session mate!
Nice yellowbelly and cod :)
Cheers :tu:

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Cornacarpio
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Cornacarpio » Wed Jan 01, 2020 10:05 am

Went fishing on Monday . Now, I haven't caught anything down at the creek for ages, so I decided to try something radically different - and that was to try a 'new' location. The 'new' location being Coburg Lake, home to many trophy sized Carp. It was a fairly hot day, so I was fairly confident I would have the lake all to myself - which I did, but the trouble was I wasn't 'feeling it'. The lake seemed to be down a fair bit since I was last there, had heaps more weed and I didn't see a single Carp swimming around. I traveled well over an hour on public transport to get there and barely spent 30 minutes there actually fishing. My next plan was (since I brought my bike) to ride along the Merri Creek towards the Yarra, and try a few holes. I quickly found a very 'fishy' looking spot along the creek about 2km downstream of the lake and set up camp. By now, a cool change was rolling in and I even felt a few spits of rain. I was even contemplating leaving when I got a bite, so I was encouraged to stay a bit longer. About another half an hour elapsed before I got another bite which was suspiciously just like the first, only this time I was 'on'. The fight felt very weird, even though I could tell it was a decent size, the fight felt 'funny', like it was almost snagged on something. It pulled out a bit of line, and it wasn't until I got it closer in that I realised it was an Eel (taken on bread!). Now I haven't caught an Eel since I was a kid in the mid-90s! Obviously I was excited to catch something different, but also a little disappointed it wasn't a Carp - The Merri Creek Carp continues to elude me!

I didn't get a great pic, 'cause I was fishing a relatively steep bank and didn't want much to do with him! His snake like features rendered my butterfly net practically useless when landing him, so I just hauled him up, hoping his teeth wouldn't snap the line, which luckily they didn't.

I left when the sun was out and the temperature in excess of 40 degrees. I rode along the creek, then Fitzroy and past the MCG to Richmond station in light rain and a temperature of about 23 degrees. Melbourne weather - almost as variable as the fish I catch these days!


Methods of capture

Eels are usually caught at night when they are most active and unless deliberately fished for are considered an annoying pest by most anglers. They are rarely fished for in Australia but are prized food in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe and Japan. After heavy rain, when the water is muddy, they will venture out in search of food and can be caught in good quantity, even during the daytime. The best method of catching them is still fishing from shore with two or more rods propped upon rod rests.


Encyclopedia of Australian Fishing (1979), Volume I, Part 23, Bay Books, Pty. Ltd., 157-167 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay, NSW, p.904
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by ChrisD » Wed Jan 01, 2020 12:05 pm

At least you are still catching - I have had two recent trips for donuts of late.
Eels can be fun when they are on the chew - if you get one there are normally more around
Hoping that 2020 starting will change my luck.

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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Cornacarpio » Thu Jan 02, 2020 8:42 am

Well, the summer of 'hit and miss' fishing continues. It was a return bout at Taylors Lake and the 'A' Spot was open for business! This came with the usual set of (high) expectations. Things were off to a 'flyer' with a Carp within the first 10 minutes...this (presumably) set the scene for a productive day...only it wasn't to be. We waited and waited and waited...for hours and hours and hours on end. In fact, we didn't even get another bite. Not even the Carp were on the bite. We decided to call it quits just before dark. You could imagine my surprise when the last rod I pulled in for the night had a small Cod on it! He devoured a yabby almost as big as himself! What was also surprising is that the rod hardly moved at all and I only realised I had hooked something when he was close to shore.

It was a little disappointing today to be honest, but catching a Cod right at the end was an uplifting experience, that has probably inspired another return trip - tomorrow! It's also good to see the Cod stocking working at Taylors so well - these things were a rarity in the lake in the 1990s and early 2000s, now they're not uncommon!

Here's to hoping the 2020s Cod fishing will be as good as the 1920s!

+1

2019/20: 25 (1736)


Feeding habits

Murray cod are omnivorous feeders, preying mainly on other fish, crayfish and freshwater mussels, but supplementing this diet with water fowl, frogs, water rats, grubs and worms available. they are most active in summer, especially at night. during the day they tend to shelter near submerged logs and tree roots, where they often take up a position on the downstream side of the obstruction and wait for back eddies to bring food to them.

Encyclopedia of Australian Fishing (1979), Volume II, Part 36, Bay Books, Pty. Ltd., 157-167 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay, NSW, p.1414
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by saph » Thu Jan 02, 2020 12:30 pm

And another carp turns to fertilizer well done.

Nice on the little cod, been seeing the work fisherys vic does on instagram and gets me excited for when i go down there i would be able to have a crack at some good fish.

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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Cornacarpio » Sun Jan 05, 2020 8:58 pm

Headed out to Taylor's Lake again yesterday in windy and blustery (and relatively cool) conditions. It wasn't too bad though as we took shelter in the car. Despite catching 3 Carp and 1 Yella, it was actually really slow going. I didn't get the first Carp until several hours in and I got the Yella just before dark, as if right on cue.

The 'big' Carp, which measured around 60cm, gave a really good account of itself, which was good to see, as lake Carp can be a little pedestrian at times, in my experience at least. The Yella came in at 35cm, so my Dad demanded I put it in the creel. He was happy that he 'could have something to eat for tea tonight' and demanded that all 4 rods be switched over to yabbies, but that was never going to happen...

All in all, it was an okay days fishing. Could have been better...could have been worse.

+3

2019/20: 28 (1739)


Migratory habits
Golden perch will not breed in farm dams and other impoundments unless water levels and temperatures are accidentally or purposefully regulated. However, spawning can be introduced artificially by injection of a pituitary extract from European carp or a synthetic hormone, notable one known commonly as gonadotrophin. the use of gonadotrophin is now common place in commercial private and government hatcheries and was even used successfully during 1984-85 by an amateur angling group at Bingara in northern New South Wales.

- Bryan Pratt

Jack Pollard's Australian Fishing (1986), Angus & Robertson Publishers, Unit 4, Eden Park, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, p.286
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Re: Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

Post by Cornacarpio » Sat Jan 18, 2020 7:27 pm

Finally got one!

Been trying everywhere lately, not just for Carp either, a fish of any description will do. They
have gone completely off the bite down at the creek - to the point where I am trying 'new' spots...


+1

2019/20: 29 (1740)


Impacts of Carp in Wetlands
https://www.water.vic.gov.au/__data/ass ... heet-4.pdf
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