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Numerous public commenters speak in support of Neill, Potts in BloomfieldThe Bloomfield Board of School Trustees met for their regular monthly meeting last week with a full audience in attendance. The meeting, in fact, was shifted from its typical location of the media center to the cafeteria to accommodate the larger crowd...
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Farmer’s Market 5K springing into action May 4The Linton Farmer’s Market will host a 5K Farm Fresh Trail Run on Saturday, May 4 at Shakamak State Park with a 2.5K walk also available for those wishing to participate. Registration will open at the event at 7 a.m. with the race kicking off at 7:30 a.m.. Runners and walkers are welcome to start and finish their race anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 12 p.m....
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Bloomfield holds on for win over Eastern GreeneOn Thursday, Apr. 25, the Bloomfield softball team used a grand slam and a two-run home run to hold off Eastern Greene 7-6. The Lady Cardinals are now 4-5 while Eastern Greene is 4-7. In the top of the first, Eastern Greene senior Bailee Tieman hit a single to score senior Jessica Hovious for the 1-0 lead...
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UDWI REMC partners with Mainstream Fiber Networks to expand rural broadband accessAccording to a press release issued April 16, 2024, UDWI REMC and Mainstream Fiber Networks announced their partnership in the largest fiber project for the cooperative’s service territory. As part of the partnership, the release states, Mainstream will focus on establishing broadband connections to unserved and underserved areas within UDWI’s service area, specifically taking a county-wide approach. ...
One man's trash is another man's treasure
Posted Friday, July 10, 2015, at 12:12 PM
Common carp, the mention of this fish can elicit many responses. Some positive, but more often negative. Growing up, north of Worthington, my grandfather would take me fishing regularly. Often these fishing trips would be a morning spent on some nameless sandbar on the White River. Target fish on these excursions was catfish and to a lesser extent freshwater drum, or as my grandfather called them "white perch." Occasionally we would hook and land a common carp.
As a boy I was intrigued by this powerful fish. When hooked this fish would make deep and long runs, oftentimes it would be one of the largest fish we would catch. My grandfather always enjoyed catching them but after the fight was over he would make sure we returned the fish as quickly as possible. He would say "Get that nasty thing back before it gets eggs on us and our pond gets overrun with carp."
Although his claim that the eggs may somehow hitch a ride on us, to the farm pond in his back yard, and subsequently survive and go on to overpopulate, may have been an exaggeration of the carp's prolific reproductive abilities, it does serve to demonstrate how robust they are as a species. Few, if any, public waters in Greene County fail to harbor these invasive fish. In the mid 1800's carp were introduced from Europe, as a source of food and garden ornamentation (similar to how koi fish are used now.) The U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries even began stocking them in public watersheds in 1877 to satisfy demand. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward 20 years. I'm stalking the bank of a small creek, fly rod in hand, zoned in on a puff of mud, reminiscent of a plume of smoke emanating from a mid-winter chimney. Connected to the plume is a carp actively feeding it's way up the stream. Attached to the end of my flyline is an imitation of a crayfish, one of a carp's favorite meals. As I inch my way towards my target my mind is filled with thoughts of doubt, am I moving too quickly, will the fish sense something is wrong and flee the scene. Minutes later I am in a position to cast my fly to the fish, and attempt to present the lure in a natural manner. The fly gently splashes down upstream of the carp, and as it drifts back down I see the twitch of a tail and set the hook. The fight is on, the flyrod arcs dangerously sharp towards the water, and the carp makes it's attempt to get away. The line holds, however, and the carp is subdued.
Only a few short years ago the sport of fly fishing for carp was unknown to me. I had always thought carp were a sport for folks who wanted to sink dough balls and wait, or the fare of bowfisherman. Never did it occur to me that a carp could be caught on an artificial lure of any sort. That all changed when my nephew, who had recently started fly fishing, pointed out an article in a fishing magazine about the subject. Apparently fly fishing for carp was a pursuit that was catching on around the nation.
Since that first experience I've learned a few helpful tips, which I thought if I shared here, might accelerate the learning curve of anyone else interested in trying this endeavor. First and foremost, the water conditions need to be correct. Those conditions are shallow and clear. Fly fishing for carp is primarily a sight fishing game, if you can't see the fish then you are casting without target or purpose. Shallow is a relative term, relative to how far into the water you can see fish, the more translucent the water the deeper you can fish. Secondly carp are selective about what they will eat. Crayfish and minnow imitations work well. Nearly all carp are caught on or near the bottom, so it helps to have a fly that will sink. Finally be patient and quiet. Carp are spooky by nature and will bolt easily.
Other than that have fun. Some people will laugh when they find out you are fishing for carp. I know I received plenty of looks and jests, I still do. But everyone who has been carp fishing with me has always wanted to go again. They are "hooked" so to speak.
Think outside the box. There are so many outdoor opportunities in Greene County. One doesn't need to look far or spend thousands of dollars to have a good time. Appreciate what we have and use it wisely. Until next time I wish everyone tight lines and true shots.
Jon is a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at (812) 847-4487, ext. 21. He can also be reached via email at jonpswaby@gmail.com.
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- -- Posted by Equipmentguy on Fri, Jul 10, 2015, at 7:22 PM
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