A Milestone, thankyou !

The 1000 like/fan mark was reached overnight for CarpQuest on Facebook.

www.facebook.com/carpquest

A "victory" coffee moment for sure !

Thank you ALL for your support, encouragement and feedback !

Please don't forget to subscribe to the youtube channel to keep up to date with latest CarpQuest videos as they are released.

www.youtube.com/carpquest

When I once again picked up rod and reel, after an almost 25 year hiatus, carp fishing in Colorado was something many did in secret, or alone. Our beloved species was looked upon with disdain by the majority of local anglers, hunting organizations and even the local Parks & Wildlife commission. Rarely did anyone share their endeavors, knowledge or captures a public forum.

Thus my CarpQuest began with one anglers journey to learn more about carp fishing in a foreign land, with very different venues and hostile attitudes towards the species I loved from my homeland of England.

Carp are quickly becoming the “big fish” species that many desire to catch here in Colorado. Anglers both young and old, seasoned or new to the sport, are pursuing carp with passion and enthusiasm, from the bank, from boats, euro style, ledger, with bobbers, spinning lures, fly rods – all are deployed to catch that “Golden Ghost”, or “Rocky Mountain Bonefish”, as some call them here.

In but two short years carp fishing in Colorado has now seen an explosion in popularity. Local Outfitters offer catch & release "euro style" or "fly" fishing carping trips. Carp are on the "game fish" list which offers them at least a modicum of protection, though we still have no bag, slot or creel limits.

Catch & Release for carp is growing in popularity and quickly becoming the norm, rather than the exception. Some fish are taken for sustenance (carp were introduced to North America as a food source in the late 1800s) yet many are still killed by hunters for sport. As attitudes continue to change hopefully we will see regulations change in favor of carp in the future.

I would like to take a moment to thank a few people – sheesh, I feel like I am doing an “Oscar’s Speech!”

- My wife Alisa for her tremendous support and patience.

- My brother Peter, for the amazing “CarpQuest” video titles and his extensive social media skills.

- The Carp Anglers Group (CAG), whose members so willingly shared their knowledge and advice - Robert Hogan, when are you going to get out fishing again? www.carpanglersgroup.com.

- All the guys FishExplorer who embraced the “UK Madman” and allowed me to share my stories and promote carp fishing so well here in Colorado. www.fishexplorer.com

- Big Carp Tackle whose assistance has allowed me to share my quest with many more anglers upon the bankside than I would otherwise have been able. David Moore, you’re da man! www.bigcarptackle.com

- Brian Wingard (bwingy!) – a scholar and a gentleman, supportive, helpful, encouraging and gracious. www.youtube.com/user/bwingy

- Finally, I would like to thank my Uncle Frank, who in 1978 took a young 9 year boy out fishing with him for the first time, on the River Trent. I caught my first fish that day, a chub. Though he is no longer with us, I know he is still looking down upon me from above and likely smiling.

Tight-Lines,
John
CarpQuest

Lightning - it's not worth the risk !

from my latest article at www.fishexplorer.com;

I was out fishing yesterday morning, had not been at the lake long, when I could hear thunder in the distance. A few minutes later a flash of lightning lit up the sky, no rain had fallen at my location yet. I was fishing with my usual long 13 ft rods. I decided that it was not worth the risk and packed up for the day and headed home. I was disappointed to only have gotten in a brief few hours yet safety must always come first.

Next to me was a family, 2 adults, 2 young kids. They continued fishing as the storm closed in. I was at a loss for words in the sanity of their actions. Perhaps they wisely also decided to call it a day and seek shelter after I had left ? Lets hope so.

Lightning strikes kill on average a hundred or so people each year, time times that number survive, leaving many with lifelong injuries and disabilities. Colorado is a hot spot for lightning and two tourists were recently killed in RMNP.

Lightning can strike 10-15 mile from the storm. If you can hear the thunder, or if you can see the flash and the bolt, then you are within range of any lightning the storm produces – simple as that !

If you are out on the water, and you are hearing thunder, that should be an indicator to head to land and shelter.

Do not wait for the lightning to be blasting around you before you decide to call it quits – by then, it could be too late!

If you are caught out in the open on land.

- STOP fishing
- Avoid open fields
- Stay away from tall isolated trees.
- Get away from the water
- If your car is nearby, take shelter, avoid touching the metal.
- A tent, BIVVY, umbrella, is not a safe shelter

(I have sheltered under my umbrella in the past, not smart!)

If you are caught out on the open on water in a small open boat.

- Drop anchor and stay as low as possible
- STOP fishing and waving those lightning rods about!

Wait at least 30 minutes until the last roll of thunder before considering it safe to be back outside in the open if you must continue to fish.

This simple blog does not even cover flash flooding, for all those who love to fish our rivers and streams. Given recent weather here in Colorado, consideration should be given not only to where you are fishing, but what the weather is doing upstream/river from you – many miles away!

We all love fishing, we all love being outdoors, but please, do so safely.

Tight-Lines,
John