The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting July 8th to July 17th 2007 looking for the new world record carp.Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| July 8th to July 17th 2007 looking for the new world record carp. | Login/Join |
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On Sunday the 8th of July 2007 we headed up North to the Limpopo province to a dam to be reported to have netted a 44kg Carp that is close to 97 pounds of fish and that would be the new world record currently standing at 87 pounds. So the mission was to find this monster or one of them, as this dam is huge around 1000 hectares of surface water. Where there is one of them there must be more. The journey didn’t feel as long as we had high hopes and plans to bag a monster carp. Arriving late in the afternoon we didn’t have much time to set out lines before dark and I decided to leave my lines for the next morning and setup camp properly. The venue was awesome with some super features where the big ones would roam. The first night was spent quiet around our campfire until Marce’ls alarm took off. Our first take and a couple of minutes later and enjoying a ride in a canoe towed by the fish Marcel bagged a 25 pounder. Not a bad start to the trip an 11kg fish on the first night! The next morning again Marcel bagged another nice carp at 23 pounds.  The next day saw me taking out lines in some mean strategic spots. My thoughts were on the gear we had, would it be enough for the big fish my biggest fish ever caught was a 27 ½ pounder what would any monster feel over 50 ? Geared and ready we waited, the weather turned and the sun was gone and by 11 am. Mashant had a screamer on his rod and after a short struggle landed this very good, looking mirror of 8.5 kg. Mashant not use to specimen fishing and willing to pick up this new sport was very impressed with himself to land a fish this size when he was use to fish in the 2-3 kg class before. Not his biggest fish ever in a long history of fishing but a good start to specimen fishing.  My lines were quiet and at 9pm Marcel set off in the canoe again to bag this wonderful 36 pounder what a impressive looking fish and our hopes just got pushed even more of getting bigger fish a 36 pound fish on the second night what would the rest of the trip hold for us? Photos taken next morning after putting the fish in, a carp sack.   Next was my turn, and from the point I was fishing I had to really bully the fish in before he could get stuck in some underwater branches and a quick fight later we netted the beautiful common carp of 25 pounds. He gave us a good fright right at the end swimming straight for our legs in the shallows at an incredible speed just turning before he hit us. A charge by a carp I will not list them on dangerous game yet but at that speed and that size it could give you a serious bump on your leg. As quickly as it started so quickly it ended and after the photo session released him back in the water to grow bigger and fetch his parents and grandparents.  3, Hours later and I had a screamer again man, did I think I was in the zone. A quick fight again to bully them out and I landed this 23 pounder. As you can see he didn’t like photos and decided to jump out of my fingers. Excellent action shot of me passing a fish or a rugby ball ???? Luckily the fish fell back on the soft unhooking mat not to get hurt and after the second try of photos with me being more serious to keep him in my hands he was set free.   Boy oh boy, 2 fish over 10kg in 3 hours I was very impressed with myself. Next it was Mashant again at 5 am. And he got another great looking mirror carp a bit smaller than his first but still a nice fish.  After Mashant’s fish it all went downhill the fish got smaller 2-3kg with me adding on another 3 fish but all in the small class same for Marcel and Derrick until 2 days later Derrick managed to bag this nice looking 25 pounder after a very dangerous fight on the canoe on rough waters created by some strong winds.  After the strong winds the weather changed and all went from bad to worse with us bagging small fish all the time. Staying on hoping for the fish to switch on again we stayed and hoped for the best. Corrie, another fisherman with us finally bagged his first carp 5 days from arriving. And he at least broke his personal best record of 19 pounds to 22 ½ pounds.  The weather calmed and became warmer again but the fish stayed away and I added some nice pictures below for you to enjoy a view from my tent. In the background there is mountains, hippos and fish eagle. Till next time we are planning to go back in September some time when the dam dries up more and concentrate the fish more but it means that it will also concentrate the hippos. But we will see our goal is still to bring the world record from SA and we will pursue it until we find him. We came back a couple of days earlier than planned beaten but that is not the end we will be back more knowledgeable and ready. Overall I bagged 6 fish and lost 6 as well, some breaking of my hook-links like it was twine and another 2 or so got me stuck and I could not free my line quick enough and they came off. Same with the other guys on average we lost more fish than landed not an easy, water but I suppose that is why the fish got so big.      Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | ||
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These are from the vaal river. Caught by a friend and his wife Sorry about the rotation   | |||
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Great pics and congrats on the fish! First time I've ever seen a pic of mirror carp. Good luck with the quest, maybe next time you'll get a giant over 50 kgs. David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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S-H, Post these on the European section, the okes from the UK will have a fit........ | |||
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Good sized carp. I wish they grew that big here in Texas--of course we don't fish for them, we shoot shoot them underwater   | |||
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Man you guys got ugly fish down there... Mike Legistine actu? Quid scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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May be so but remind me to fish while I am there. Semper Fi WE BAND OF BUBBAS STC Hunting Club | |||
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i am truly amazed. one man's trash is another man's treasure. where i grew up up in south Georgia(USA), carp were considered a "rough" fish and nobody wasted their time fishing for them. everybody was too busy chasing bass ans bluegills( a type of brim or bream if you prefer) if you caught a carp by accident, you threw him up on the bank to die- the theory being that carp ate the eggs of "game" fish. nobody EVER considered a carp a game fish. Vote Trump- Putin’s best friend… To quote a former AND CURRENT Trumpiteer - DUMP TRUMP | |||
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jdollar, Yes you are right but some of these trash fish is very cunning and with size over 20 lbs it gives you a good fight to get out. Carp is our biggest fish that grows in freshwater here in SA catfish grow big as well but to get them on the same size as the carp or bigger is another story. Hopefully next time we will have more pictures of fish in the 40 pound plus class. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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Will you have your Lott by then? In case of another charge? Keith IGNORE YOUR RIGHTS AND THEY'LL GO AWAY!!! ------------------------------------ We Band of Bubbas & STC Hunting Club, The Whomper Club | |||
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Keith, What do you think the effect will be on a 20 + pound carp in 50cm of water would the bullet still have enough power to penetrate and stop the charging fish ?  I've put the lott back as a project for next year. Couple of things needs attention first. Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
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We use to snag Russian grass carp in Georgia that got up to 150pounds in small creeks.It was like reneck tarpon.I had a few pull the john boat a few times.I never could land one over 50 pounds.I though it wasa alot of fun to play with them. | |||
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We have these fish in our water ways in Australia. They are concidered a pest and it is actually illegal to release them. Most end up with their throat cut and thrown up on the bank for fox food. I have caught a few on lures and they do fight hard. ------------------------------ A mate of mine has just told me he's shagging his girlfriend and her twin. I said "How can you tell them apart?" He said "Her brother's got a moustache!" | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting July 8th to July 17th 2007 looking for the new world record carp.
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