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.

Sounds like excellent fun - I guess this report will have caught your attention..... good news is the record is still out there for the taking!!

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/giant_carp.html

Rgds Ian

Not bad gor a giant goldfish!!!



You'd need a lot of chips!!

FB