# A Cracking Good Time at the Pond (WARNING: Big Mirror Inside)



## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

Well, Hairybass and I decided that we were going to hit the pond again this morning before work. When I arrived at 8:15a, he was already setup in a new spot. proceded to chum a couple spots I saw carp and koi in and setup on the koi pond. By 10a HairyBass was packing up and I had already noticed carp activity in my second spot, so I moved.

I setup at the new swim (the same one from the other day) at 10:15a. the first run came shortly before 10:30a. To my disappointment it was a small channel cat.

So, I recast, and had had another run 10 minutes later. When I got that fish to the bank I was super excited to find that is double mirror. So, the fish goes in the net, and off goes the second rod. I fight the fish to tire it out before setting the rod back on the rod, so I can unhook the first fish. I didn't have mat with me so there was no way to keep the fish while I pull in the second fish. I unhook him and set him free, thinking that I just missed an oppurtunity to photograph my first mirror of the season. I grab my second and fight the beast to the net to notice that it is a monster mirror. This time I was getting the picture.

It turns out that I left my camera adapter in the car so I had to use my chair as a tripod. This didn't work so well, but I did manage some pics.




























After that endevour I could hear the locals, on the other side of the pond, talking about how well I was doing and that they had never seen me before. They were discussing my methods and that my fish were huge. Mind you, they were catfishing and panfishing.

Anyway I recast shortly after 11a and then had yet another run, this fish might have been a low double but he fought like a champ at the net (maybe I was just worn out).

To recap, I fished for 4 hours and landed three mirrors, and I had a chance at getting a picture of a double run of mirrors. These fish have probably not been caught before as the were all wild on the bank. The lesson I learned today was to BRING EVERYTHING to the bank.

I will be back tomorrow


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

All I can say is thats one great fish!


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## Darwin (Apr 12, 2004)

MAN, What a FREAKIN PIG that thing is
Thanks for sharing the picture!


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

doood.. i bet it WAS a bait at one point in time..  niice lookin tho.. i love how fat she is.. did u kiss it?? 
ps..look at the size of that tail..


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## Tornichio (Apr 14, 2004)

nice fatty mirror. what did it weigh? are you sure you did not force feed it a football?


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

That is the best Ohio mirror I have ever seen. Again, that is an awesome mirror!!!!!!! That looks like something that you would have to travel to Europe to catch.


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

WOW!!! Talk about kicking a guy when he is down! I'm stuck in the house with a busted shoulder and can't even catch bait fish and your posting mirrors like that!!! COME ON!! GIVE A GUY A BREAK!!! AK pack your bags we are heading south!! Awesome job dude, That thing is a monster! I now relinqiush (splling) the title as "Mirro-Man" I am not worthy! lol


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Sweet mirror Tim....congrats!!


Scott


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

The locals were already paylaking my spot this morning. Two of the guys that were fishing across the lake from me yesterday were stcked on my swim. I talked to one of them today and he didn't even realized my fish were carp. He came over while I was chumming a spot next to him to see what I was using (and with my rods I was able to fish this spot from other side of the lake). 

We didn't get any luck this morning but the fish seemed to be starting to work on my chum.

I think it is time to start a baiting campaign that the locals can't react to. First, Maize. Then, GASP, boilies. So far sweetcorn has been the ticket, but it is hard to disguise corn flying through the air. Maize will confuse them enough since preparation is invovled.

Hey BigChessie, my friend and I are looking to start a log for this location. I was thinking about drawing up a lake map and marking swims. Then I need some way to record chumming data and catch data. Any tips?

Maybe we can name some of these fish this weekend or even the swims.

Well I have to get ready to get back out there now


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## FSHNERIE (Mar 5, 2005)

Nice...nothing like catching a PIG


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## cypry (Jun 14, 2004)

awesome looking fish Tim , looks like your found yourself a great spot there.


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

Hey Tim It is a great start to make your map with the swims. What i have done is log the weather (and if it changes) location, time when I arrive, get poles in the water, bites, catches and misses. I also log bait type and how used. If anything changes or you try something diffrent I log it just in case it does or does not work. The most important thing I have kept track of is the times. It really has helped to look back and compare when we have caught fish. It has been weird trying to figure out how we are always catching fish between a 15 or 20 minute window EVERY TIME! Very strange! But also has been cool to look back and talk about certain fish or things that have happened. I have been lucky enough to be able to record EVERY carp I have ever caught and how I did it. lol


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

we'll see how long this "logbook" will last..


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## Cat Mazter (May 20, 2005)

He!! of a fish, Nice Catch !!! :B I have never caught one but now I think Im going to have to try to.  Congrats on the Huge Mirror 
Cat Mazter


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Wow man, be proud of that pig. I;ve never seen a Mirror that big, what was the weight, or what was the estimated weight? Great job, man you deserve that fish!!!


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

First off congrats that is a realy nice fish  Why do the scales look weird?I have caught a couple of those at EF but thought something was wrong with them  Shows ya how much I know.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

I did not get to weigh this fish because I forgot my weigh sling. I estimate it to be around 20 pound mark. I don't think it is bigger based on the 21 that Ak caught at Alum last week. It definitely would've been the OGF record mirror had I got weight and length.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

Well, we went out this morning to fish for a fw hours before work and we only managed one take. Chris, HairyBass, got a run when I was halfway around the lake. I heard the alarm scream and I took off back to net his fish. The fish came in at 19 pounds even and it is officialy his personal best. The fight of this fish got the attention of all the locals on the pond today Now if I can get him on a mirror.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Tim, 

Man, that should be the OGF record Mirror based on estimate alone. I'm serious.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

truck said:


> First off congrats that is a realy nice fish  Why do the scales look weird?I have caught a couple of those at EF but thought something was wrong with them  Shows ya how much I know.


 What? A catman doesn't know cat bait when he sees it. This is what is called a mirror carp. It is probably and Israeli Carp which is commonly sold as cat bait. The lack of scales and size of the scales are recessive traits that this fish exhibits.



H2O Mellon said:


> Tim,
> 
> Man, that should be the OGF record Mirror based on estimate alone. I'm serious.


 It's definitely bigger than the current record, but I didn't get a weight and it wouldn't be fair to add it without knowing the weight, so that it can be beaten. Plus, I don't know if I want to divulge the exact location of this water, yet. I'm going to get a tape tape measure on saturday so that I can start a log for this pond. I'm sure that I will catch this fish again, so I'm not worried

I think OGF needs to list the top fish for every region. Granted it could get a bit hairy, but it give a more accurate veiw of the size distribution of an area. Also, I would like to see a record for Koi. This are carp too but they don't get as big and act differently than standard carp do.


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

thats the attitude tim.. you know you can catch the same fish again.. i sure would love to have been there..


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

Where do you find these "records" everyone is referring too?


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

BigChessie said:


> Where do you find these "records" everyone is referring too?


 The link is on the s of the OGF Homepage and it is on the left-hand side. It can be found here.


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## Miso_Ohio (Apr 6, 2004)

You better get back out there and catch that fish again, this time with a scale, I am sure you beat the record weight on there. 

Dang Tim you are upping the ante on large mirrors, I will have to go out and try to recatch Big Bertha to see if she has gained anymore weight, who knows maybe at the CAGI  

Great job and great fish, where your knees shaking for about 10 minutes after you landed it? Nothing beats a large mirror.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

Miso_Ohio said:


> Great job and great fish, where your knees shaking for about 10 minutes after you landed it? Nothing beats a large mirror.


I knew it was going to be on that day. When I went back to that spot to chum a second time I saw a big tail waving at me ten feet off the bank.

After I landed that fish, which hit my second rod while I was unhooking my first fish (also a mirror), I was worn out. It took quite a few minutes to settle back down enough to remember that I needed to rebait and put my lines back in the water. I just wish that I could have stayed longer.

Yesterday, A koi cruising around my swim had me keep my lines in the water an extra half hour. The koi was swimming at the surface the whole time. Tomorrow will be an all day affair if I can get enough stuff done on the homefront.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Very nice Timmy Boy !!! I was going to try to stop by " your pond " this morning , but something came up .... I'll be out that way next week for sure.... I do a huge amount of work really close to " your pond "  Nice goin Tim. I'm really happy for you sonny ............ THE CATKING !!!


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

I will definitely be there on Wednesday - perhaps all day - unless something totally unplanned happens.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

GMR_Guy said:


> I will definitely be there on Wednesday - perhaps all day - unless something totally unplanned happens.


 I have the wednesday off and I hope to at least be there in the morning


I will post today's report later on tomorrow but the pictures are already in my gallery with comments attached.


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

It's the record  .....be sure to get a length & girth this time.
You didn't get warts from holding it ? Man, you guys are having too much fun. I'm gonna love carpin' when I leave _the dark side._ :C


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

mrfishohio said:


> It's the record  .....be sure to get a length & girth this time.
> You didn't get warts from holding it ? Man, you guys are having too much fun. I'm gonna love carpin' when I leave _the dark side._ :C


 Don't worry Jim. I bought a tape measure from the Wal-Mart craft department. I am now trying to keep a log for this lake. I intend to keep records on all its resident mirrors.


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

I've seen stick on tapes, you put them right on _your rod_...not mine of course. Good for a boat I guess.


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## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

mrfishohio said:


> I've seen stick on tapes, you put them right on _your rod_...not mine of course. Good for a boat I guess.


 That'd be a bit cumbersome on a 12ft rod with a 20lb fish flopping around, but never the less it is an option Plus, it might be hard to measure the girth with anything other than an ugly stick.


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