Always curious about what was being used
to catch a fish.
It varies, but it could be just about anything.
but generally pretty light.
On a Rat-L-Trap.
an old fiberglass favorite
just to see if it still works.
A Tenkara rod comes to mind.
Before they telescoped,
they were made of sticks.
Bamboo is a stick
made into a long stick
or short, depends.
for the challenge.
on the perfectly balanced long stick.
and other things that could be sticks
tucked into the shore
with line tied on the end
and trailing out into the water.
Big hook on the other end of the line
with a gob of worms
or rows of corn attached.
that catch a carp on a stick,
take them home
and actually eat them.
Literally.
bob
17 Feb 2013I actually dislike the use of the word “stick” for fishing rod, or rod. I don’t know why. It just sounds vaguely cutesy or condescending, like referring to the above showcase carp as “bonefish of the north,” usually by annoying fly fishermen. Carp don’t need to be referred to as something else, or anything else, to receive respect for the wonderful fish that they are.
“Corruption begins when things are not called by their proper names.” Lao Tzu.
It is a subtle, slowly creeping corruption, but “rods” is fine with me. So is the name carp, for common carp. As for Asian Carp for everything carp like, well, for the most part I gave up on that one (it just comes out as a correction every now and then).
I shall soon write an article on fly fishing for carp with sage rods, abel reels and Green Giant corn or maggots on a hook. You may have to publish it here.
Ken G
17 Feb 2013I like fishing pole myself. The use of “Stick” is a manly thing, I grew up on the Southwest Side, it was full of manly men coming up with names for their sticks.
I actually have targeted carp, it’s fun. I just can’t stand touching the slimy things. Just as bad as channel cats.
The blanket reference to Asian Carp drives me nuts for some reason. Since goldfish are Asian Carp I usually respond, really!?!?! when DID goldfish take over…
I’ll be more than happy to pass on anything you write Mr. Bob. I already promote your photos enough on Facebook. Everyone should be reading you and looking at your artwork.
Nick@BrookfieldAngler.com
18 Feb 2013You got it all wrong, Bob…we fly fisherman call them golden bones 😀
We call them that because they provide long hard runs similar to the more famous and much more respected bonefish.
Aside from that…they are just carp and a whole lot of fun to catch on the fly rod. More importantly, they are ingrained in my fishing DNA.
Time to make a retort post on the blog…look for it tomorrow!
Ken G
18 Feb 2013Somewhere in the archives of the old Outdoor Notebook television show is an episode of Bob fly fishing for carp by the old South Batavia Dam. Has to go back almost 20 years, long before we met. I still remember the show, it was beautifully shot.
First time I tried for them on the fly and talked about doing that was a dozen years ago. Just about all the shots above are all over 10 years old.
In other words, it’s fun to poke fun at this new found pursuit. We’ve moved on. Watch what we’re doing now and maybe in 10 years you all will have something new to pursue. 🙂
bob
17 Feb 2013who was the last sick bastard, some great, great, great grandchild of Vlad the Impaler? Such disprespect, tsk, tsk, tsk.
Ken G
17 Feb 2013That was at Area 7 on the Kank a few years ago. Probably some Polack, I should know. Stash probably.
Jim McClellan
17 Feb 2013I’ve eaten suckers several times, but never a carp. Do you gash the bones like a sucker?
Ken G
18 Feb 2013I’ve tried suckers too Jim, but I grew up near the Chicago River at a time when the only live things around and in it were giant river rats and carp. I associate one with the other and no interest in trying to eat either. I should catch one out of one of the clear creeks near me. Who knows, I may be missing something.
Jim McClellan
18 Feb 2013I confess to feeling that way about carp myself, though I have never seen or caught one down here. And the only reason we ate suckers is because we could catch (trap) them in February when you couldn’t catch much else. Had to eat them straight out of the water, though, or the meat would get mushy.
Ken G
18 Feb 2013I may have to give it a try this year. I have beer.
Jim McClellan
18 Feb 2013With enough beer, you should be “golden.”
Howard Levett
21 Feb 2013This just seemed to be the right time to ask an important question. Since I’ve been gone from Chicago for many years, I wonder if you could tell me where to go for lox and cream cheese?
Ken G
21 Feb 2013It’s been awhile since I went looking for good lox Howard. I’d still head for Skokie. Definitely not Aurora. At best it would be made from suckers from the Fox River.