As a young boy of 8 or 9 years old (1961/62) fishing for anything that swam...including frogs and turtles...was a passion of mine. It all started with bits of line that I could find along the bank and splice together. I'd tie this piece meal length of line to a very select tree branch or young sapling that'd I strip and carve with my 3" Shrade pocket knife. In the absence of proper fishing tackle I'd substitute washers from dad's tool box for weights, safety pins for hooks and pieces of yarn from mom's sewing room to imitate the jigs I saw the men and older boys have. Never had a curfew in those days...a couple of us boys covered many a mile with our bikes running all over the wilds of Wisconsin and later the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In revisiting those places in latter years...we were covering an area that extended about 10 miles in all directions from home. We had a group of set lines that we had to check before we started fishing....and checked them again at the end of the day. LOL !!!! We even had a special secret spot that we'd stop at to view our stashed collection of Playboy and fishing magazines that we'd managed to accumulate from the dump; LOL !!!! It was a great time in life.
When I was around 10 (4th grade)...I was fishing after dark in a place called Cherokee Marsh (Madison, Wi area). I was fishing with my best stick and solid piece of line...even had a real sinker...alongside some older gentlemen fishing for catfish. Looking back I think they were responsible for me finding longer pieces of fishing line, real sinkers, and actual fishing hooks; although they never commented on my gear or lasso style of casting while standing on my stick to make sure it didn't go with my throw. Saw my first ever dogfish caught that night. Anywho, it was late, way after dark...and the dad of a fishing buddy of mine (Mr. Wheary) came walking out of the dark and let me know that my Dad was looking for me. The only thought that went through my mind was "what did I do wrong now?" Mr. Wheary left and I began the longest 10 mile bike ride I can ever remember..wondering what dad wanted. If I was fishing I never got in trouble for being out late and I'd trimmed the grass around the fence with the clippers (no weedeaters then).
Finally got home...plumb tuckered and walked in to face the old man. Mom was the first person I ran into; she wasn't smiling (this wasn't good)...then dad came around the corner with his hands behind his back (that usually meant trouble)...my mind was whirling wondering what I had done to deserve what was coming. He came closer; I tilted my head back looking him in the eyes and said "Mr. Wheary said you wanted me to come home Dad." He said "yes, I've got something for you." From behind his back he brought out a Zebco 77 fishing rod/reel....a real rod and reel....can't remember exactly what he said as I was feeling a mixture of feelings...from total relief...to total joy. He said something to the effect..."thought maybe you might be able to use this." Along with this my mom gave me a small plastic box with a white metal "snuff can" shaped tin of various size hooks and a couple containers of sinkers.
The next night I was on the banks of Cherokee Marsh...sitting at the fire with the same guys as the previous night, feeling life just couldn't get any better.
A Carper is Born...
Shortly thereafter, Donnie Wheary and I made a trip to a place called West Port (Madison, Wi area) to fish for the white bass that were usually around the bridge. Donnie had a couple "pinkies" (pink headed jigs with white tails)...his dad said they were good for white bass....which they were, and we caught several.
I was fishing from atop one of the end concrete pilings right alongside the bridge....having a great time...when I noticed some small whirlpool disturbances on the surface of the water. Upon closer inspection..I noticed several large fish with big round mouths....mouthing the surface and causing the "whirlpools." About that time I got a yank on my pole that almost pulled it out of my hands...it was a short lived battle that resulted in breaking my line and loosing my pinkie. These were BIG fish...and there were a lot of them around the bridge...I found out from the big kids..they were carp. There was a bait and tackle store right by the bridge in West Port...I went in and got some 50 lb test line with the money we had got from the store owner earlier. NOTE: The store owner had taken a liking to us and had told us how to catch night crawlers at night and paid us with either tackle, food/drink or money..depending on what we needed.
Now spooled with 50 lb test (not much...a Zebco 77 isn't too big). I tied another pinkie on with several of my best granny knots...a couple casts later...another hit. This time however it lasted a bit longer...but the loss was far more severe....my rod broke along with losing the most powerful fish I had ever had on. The ride home was a long one. I'd finally gotten a real rod and reel and it was broken....I'd finally hooked a BIG fish and it was gone.
My dad loved to fish...just didn't have time at this point in his life...he worked two full time jobs to support a family with 5 kids. I mention this as I think he "fished" through me; as when I got home and explained what had happened, he took me out in the garage and pulled down from the wall a Mitchell 350 spinning rod and reel. We then went to the store and got some new line; came back home, spooled the reel and spent some time showing me how to cast it. I now had a carp capable rod and reel. Thanks Dad.
Donnie and I went back to West Port the next day...no carp to be found. The tackle store owner told us that if we had the energy and was alright with the folks...the locks (between Lake Mendota and Menona) at Tenney Park always had a bunch of carp and usually a couple guys fishing for them. We were off.
I never knew the name of the older kid that we ran into there...but, he was great. He taught me how to tie a proper fishing knot...a half blood knot...how to set the drag on the reel...how to make a good bisquick dough bait...and where to cast and catch carp at the locks. He was great...a crash course on freelining doughballs. I'll never forget that first fish....nor how grateful I was to my dad for a reel that had a drag smooth enough to handle it....such power. The older kid even talked me through walking down the lock walls to the end and showed me the perfect place in the rocks to bring the fish in. It was pure fun to say the least. Don't know how big it was..don't even want to guess....to me it was huge and golden. Too big to take home on the bike to show dad along with my other stuff...so we just released it to fight another day. For the next 3 summers I followed the carp all over the Lake Mendota and Menona complex (many, many miles)...as well as their spawning area in Cherokee Marsh...and one 20 mile bike ride out to a lake around Sun Prairie, Wi., in pursuit of rumored large carp. The Sun Prairie trip was a weekend camp out with Charlie Milkie...we were both in the 7th grade...Dad had given us a "safe" bike route to take. We caught lots of carp there...but not like the ones at the locks or at marsh.
Included in this time frame there was the largest carp I've caught to date...it was either 40 lbs 3 oz or 43 lbs...not sure which. The only reason I know the weight (we didn't have scales)...was that when I was getting ready to release it a guy asked me if I knew of the Biggest Fish Contest that a local tackle was running...he thought it would have a great chance to win...it did. Even made the newspaper ....my grandfather carried around the clipping for years in his wallet and anytime we went fishing he was very quick to show it to the other guys that may be around. I enjoyed those times fishing with Granddad.
Those were great years and for the next 30 plus years carping by way of freelining single hook doughballs (bisquick variations) with 4 lb test line on a Mitchell 300 (350 discontinued...I'm told the 300 replaced it...they looked the same side by side)....took up most of my angling time.
To Be Continued...(Internet search for info on carp...There are other carpers out there...)
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