Good weather.

So It was a great day to fish today. No fish, but I learned some things. I had bites on both The Garlic, and the Spicy Boilies. The water temp is still low, and they have just turned on the pumps and the river is at more or less full capacity.  I feel good about those two flavors. We didn't even end up catching anything on worms.
I can't wait to get to warmer weather, and a slower river. The other thing I realized is that I am trying to learn a whole new technique of fishing, after 25 or more years doing things one way, I am trying to do them another. The Hair rig is a different thing all together than just stringing a worm on a hook and waiting.

Bait, Attempt number two.

So last night I decided to make some more Boilies, this time with garlic.
I am perfectly fine with only catching Carp, but I think my wife will get upset at not catching anything if my baits don't produce. I have caught catfish and white bass on garlic flavored baits in the past.

The dough balls are firm and seem solid, but my house smells like garlic.
The first attempt at making the boilies seemed to have worked, I used them for bait, and using a hair rig to attach them seemed to be fine, the bait lasted more than 2 hours on the rig. Still no fish.

Bait, the first attempt.

So I have been reading up on types of bait used to catch carp. In Europe it is big business, so far as I have been able to find the U.S. isn't on the same level.

Boilies seem to be a big favorite for carp. Basically they are just dough balls. They are easy to make, quite cheap, and you can make them in a variety of flavors.
My first attempt was using the following recipe. 1 Cup Semolina flour (Used to make pasta, as it is high in gluten so the dough balls wont fall apart) 2 eggs, 1 packet cherry Kool aide, and 2 tablespoons of sweet n low.
I mixed the ingredients with a fork, let stand for 15 minutes. Then take and roll the dough into small balls (I made mine about the size of paint balls). After I boiled them for 2 minutes. I also made a batch that instead of Kool Aide and sweetener, I used Chili powder and crushed red peppers (As carp seem to like spicy food?).
The Boilies made with the Chili powder and crushed red peppers floated but the Kool aide ones don't.

Day one

Last year I decided that I wanted to catch the Utah state catch and release record for the Common Carp.

I love catching carp, they are a under appreciated fish, both for how they fight, and from what I have read, for their use as food.

Last year I didn't get out as much as I had wanted to, as I was getting married, and had lots of planning to do, and not a whole lot of time off after the wedding and honeymoon.

So this year, I have no excuses, its go time. This is my blog about what tactics, baits, and locations I am attempting to capture this record, and have a great time catching fish along the way.