Carp Anglers Group
PO Box 69, Groveland, IL 61535 USA
Call us at 309-387-2277 (CARP)
4th Annual DC CAG Fishin May 2000
Many Familiar CAG Faces showed up this Year
Call us at 309-387-2277 (CARP)
We arrived, sometime in the morning, and found Al "Brotherly Love"
Kowaleski (PA) and Mike "the other White Meat" Malone (PA) fishing near
the inlet (green bridge). Mac and Murphy were there with them, and a bit
further down the path we found Dave "BritBaits" Dicks and his partner in
crime Catfish Rodger (VA). As usual they were accomponied by their most
patient spouses.
Before setting up Gary and I took a walk around to see
who was fishing near the outlet bridge. Rounding the corner we found Phil
"Frapachino" Saunders fighting a fish near the memorial. After helping
him land that one we walked along and found Stewart "Manchester United"
McKenzie (VA), Buckeye Bob, Jack "Oatmeal" Blackford (WVA) and Craig
"The Carpier" Semler (MD), Nick "Carpface" Simmons, Dave
"Overnighter" Plauche (MD) and "Carp
Cocktail" Stewart and his two sons Bill and Joe (VA), Bob "Doughnut" Elias
(MD) and Joe "Tonnage" Edwards (PA), Warren "Floppy Hat" Bird (VA), and
Christain "The Chef" Gautrois (VA).
The fishing up to this point had gone pretty well, Phil had caught a few,
including a couple of low 20's; Al had done well, taking a few with two
20's up to 26; just about everyone had caught a carp at this point and
Gary and I saw several carp landed during our short visit.
I stole Phil and had him come around to the inlet bridge with me. We went
over and talked to Nigel for awhile, and while we were talking to him he
had a big fat 26lber on tiger nuts. Having seen enough of people
catching, I set up across from Al and Mike on the east side of the inlet
bridge.
The fishing was relatively slow to start with, but it gradually built up
over the course of the evening and by 9 PM I was getting a run every few
minutes. Highlights were a low 20 and a nice little mirror. Nigel and
Gary hung around with me, and picked fish for most of the evening. By all
accounts the outlet bridge fished well, Dave and Stewart fished through
the night, and had some nice fish.
Getting in late Saturday night, combined with the obligatory beers, meant
kind of a late start the next morning, which was compounded by a road race
around the Tidal Basin which shut the roads down. By the time I got down
there I noticed Phil floating over the tree tops. We got him back down to
earth and he informed us that he'd had a new personal best of 37lb.
Luckily with the advent of digital cameras, we were able to relive some of
the moment.
Most of the same the people were down, with the exception of Oat,
Craig, Dave, Stewart, Bob, Joe, Nick, Mike and Al. Everyone fished the
outlet bridge and we were lucky enough to be joined by Maryland Department of
Natural Resources biologist Angel "Cool Camera" Bollinger. Angel and her
cool camera were fortunate enough to be present for Phil's 37, which made
for some great video and pictures. I think Angel found the whole thing
really interesting, and she's promised to do a nice write up for the Maryland DNR
Web page.
The fishing was on par with the day before, I took another low 20,
Christain had one or two 20's (like he does), I know Stewart M. had a
couple of 20lbers over the course of the weekend, at least one of which
was a personal best. Bob B. managed the 20lber that had eluded him most
of the weekend. Gary struggled a bit, but finally put a nice carp on the
bank. Gary, Nigel, Christian, Phil, and myself fished into the dark,
taking a steady pick of carp.
All told it was a great weekend. I can't remember a time when the fish
were so evenly distributed, just about everyone caught. There was a nice
smattering of 20's about, and Phil's 37, the biggest ever at a Tidal Basin
fish-in, was the icing on the cake. We talked to innumerable tourists and
others walking by, and on occassion even shoved a rod into their hands and
let them play a few carp.
A special thanks to those who helped with the baiting, Mac, Murphy,
Stewart, and Phil. To those who drove a long way, Bob and Gary. To
Angel, for coming to work on a Sunday. The biggest thank you of all goes
to the Tidal Basin carp, who are ever so obliging, and nice enough to
throw up a big surprise once in a while.
Tight lines,
Patrick Kerwin
DC/MD CAG Chair
If you have more DC Fishin pics please send them to Oatmeal Jack to be put in with the story
DC Fishin Host, DC/MD CAG Chair, Pat Kerwin.