Stalking—Yes!

Every morning recently, as I get up for work, I look out of my second-story bedroom window onto the neighborhood lake and see the ripples of carp “clopping” on the surface close to the near shoreline.  I’ve been wanting to get out at that time of morning (around 7 AM) and see if I could successfully stalk one of those cloppers.  This morning I got my opportunity.

After rising at 4 AM in hopes of an early-morning longer (4 hours or so) session where the 20-pounders swim, I decided against it, as there were thunderstorms predicted from 9:30 AM on.  Instead, time in the scriptures and prayer until about 6:45, then I decided to do a quick (< 1 hour) stalking session in the lake behind the house.

I decided to free line (bare hook only) a chunk of fake bread floating on the surface, planning to chum with pieces of the real thing.   The 12’ crappie pole loaded with a 6-lb. test monofilament ultralight spinning reel was the outfit of choice—the extra length helps lower the floating offerings in small openings near shore without getting too close and spooking the quarry.

It didn’t take long to find a clopping carp.  Concealed behind a shoreline evergreen, I carefully lowered my bait nearby and threw out a few pieces of bread.  After waiting ten minutes or so, that carp never reappeared, so it was time for a move.

Fifty yards down the bank, I spotted another carp’s back breaching the surface, just inches off the bank.  Fortunately, there was a nice, big Pampas Grass plant to hide behind.  Same procedure, but this time, after a few minutes, I began to see carp starting to very timidly take my bread piece offerings.  It took about twenty minutes of feeding and waiting before one of the carp made a pass at my fake bread.  I lifted the rod to set the hook, but missed my target!

With my fake bread still intact, I stealthily lowered it back into place and threw out four or five more pieces of bread around it, staying concealed behind the foliage.  After another ten minutes or so, first swirls, then more timid takes, as a few carp started slurping up the bread surrounding my fake piece.  Would they take it?  Would they detect the difference and avoid it?  My questions were answered quickly, when I clearly saw a carp breach and suck in my floating bait.  I lifted my rod tip to set the hook, and, this time, felt the weight of a nice fish.

This carp fought like no other I have ever hooked.  Usually they make a screaming initial run out into the middle of the lake, followed by swimming from left to right, punctuated by runs here and there.  This fish never ran; it kind of just lazily swam around nearby.  It never did run more than a few yards at a time, and, even though it wasn’t far from shore, it still took five minutes or more to gently guide it into the net.

Safely up on the bank, I discovered a solid hook hold, which, however, I was able to remove with only my fingers—no needle-nose pliers required this time.  My piece of fake bread was nowhere to be found—small loss for such a beautiful golden prize!  I quickly snapped a couple pics, then gently released my catch to bite and fight another day.

Fulfilled for the moment, I collected my rod, stalking bag, and net, and trudged back home to start in on the day’s work.