first silver buddy fish

rocknfish9001 · April 16, 2007

I was smallie fishing before i had to go to work. I was on the st. joe river, which is about 2 mins. from my work, so i knew i could cut it close. I had to be there by 5, and it was 4:50. I had one fish (probably a bass) tear off, and didnt want to leave without a fish. I tied on a silver buddy, knowing that its a productive cold water lure (air temp was 48). My second cast i run into a snag, no wait, FISH! First it came in nice and easy. Thought i had a BIG walleye due to its fighting style. I continue to fight it and have trouble with it. Every time i bring it close to the surface, it bulldogs to the bottom. Good 15' runs every so often. I eventually get it close enough to see that it was a carp. Not a prize fish, but a good fish. I have caught carp up to 25lbs, and this was close to that. The crazy part was that it was probably under 30 inches, and incredibly fat! I landed it, got some congrats from nearby anglers, and leave right after releasing it. Checked my watch again, and it was 5:02. It took 12 minutes to land the fish on a ML spinning rod with 6lb test. Was lots of fun though...

Walkingboss · April 17, 2007

A carp on a silver buddy? Foul hooked? Regardless, I loved catching big carp when I lived in Indiana. Used to bow-fish for them when they'd be spawning up in the grass. Great for the garden.

Silver Buddies rock hard. I've caught bass, crappie, walleye, pike, perch, stripers, wipers, mackarel, and even jigged-up a rainbow through the ice on the ole' buddy.

I had some great days on the St. Joe.....still holding up? I slayed the smallies and steelhead there back in the day.

rocknfish9001 · April 17, 2007

Surprisingly, this carp was hooked on the outside of the mouth, not in it, but close. There are so many carp in the river this time of the year, i will accidentally snag about 3-5 fish per trip fishing with grubs, cranks, and pretty much anything you throw. Sometimes you get a tap, set the hook, feel a fish pull hard, and have it pop off. Then you think you lost a monster smallie, that is until you reel in and see a quarter sized scale on your hook. But i fish the berrien springs dam area. In the spring i will have 20-30+ fish days fishing for smallies. The best steelhead and walleye fishing is in january, and i have caught a limit of steelhead at 29,28, and 32 inches, and a 10 lb walleye in one week. Also have caught numerous 10+lb catfish.

Walkingboss · April 17, 2007

Right on....River Walleye are fun, not the sack of potatoes lake 'eyes are. New Hampshire only has a couple of Walleye spots (Conn. River and 1 or 2 lakes) and the same for Pike. At least there's some great smallmouth fishing here and I can't complain about the largemouth, as I've had 5 over 8 lbs. in the past 3 years and one over 10. Out here that's HUGE.