The future of fishing in New Jersey depends upon breaking in the anglers of tomorrow! What a better way to break in a new angler then to get him or her hooked up with a big fish! Tonight I took my friend Lynne's nine year old son Thomas down to the Saddle Brook Park to try and catch one of the many big carp that call the duck pond home.
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| Myself and Thomas with his carp |
Now I grew up fishing in that park and have had many surprises on the end of my line. Everything from the biggest large mouth bass I ever caught to cat fish and even snapping turtles all have been dragged ashore on one trip or another. So if I can tell ya I know the place like the back of my hand well, I know it that well indeed!
So tonight I targeted carp knowing that a young boy fighting a big fish may nurture the interest. I stopped at the super market and picked up my favorite bait of choice for carp... corn! Yes just a small can of whole yellow corn kernels to be used as both bait and chum. Sure there are many that like to use white bread or dough mixes to catch carp however I found that the most consistent bait in the SB Park is by far corn.
So needless to say we arrived at the park and I began to throw out some corn for chum and baited up the hook. There were plenty of fish coming into the corn chum but at first none were interested in the corn on my hook. That being said it was hard to hold the attention of young Thomas, but one most demonstrate the power of persistence and continue to try until every last second of the day is exhausted. I did just that and on what was to be the second to last cast my line started move out with the surge of a big fish! I quickly rounded up the boy and put the rod in his hands and the fight was on!
Now carp have come to bare some fairly harsh words in the past from local anglers referring to them as trash fish. Modern day anglers have acknowledged that these fish put up one hell of a fight and carp fishing competitions have sprung up around many parts of the country. They are now even referred to as freshwater bonefish by some folks. Carp can grow huge up to 50 or 60 lbs. however most average anywhere from 5 to 10 lbs.
When Thomas took the rod his eyes got wide and I believe he was quite astonished by the strength and size of the fish on his line! The fish made several powerful runs and even took an enthusiastic jump. Thomas looked up at me and said "I don't know if I could reel this in!" I said "Sure you can" and I assisted him in keeping the rod up high so he wouldn't lose the fish. After about 7 minutes of fighting he finally dragged the beast ashore. It probable weighed about 4 to 5 lbs. but it was the biggest fish the boy had ever caught! The smile on his face was priceless and that's what makes it all worth it!
Hopefully this fishing trip will leave a lasting impression and give him the interest to continue fishing! That's what its all about... passing the torch! So I say to my readers...Take a kid fishing!
Keep'n it reel!
Tommy
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