WNY bunny/carp

[swampbow2]

Hey WNY bunny hunt guys (you know who you are !) its almost carp season and since I'm sure you're getting tired of pulling ticks after turkey hunting lets get a fish shoot planned. There's a 3d shoot at the Batavia Coon Hunters Club this Sunday if anybody wants to meet and discuss but lets get this rolling.

[nashoba]

Marvin I'll be on Hemlock lake every weekend starting May 24th. Do you have a boat that will fit the requirements for hemlock (16 foot max less than 10 horse)?

[Sockrsblur]

Hi guys. I'm working through the weekend and May is actually busy for me but ill be watching the thread! Sure have enjoyed watching the leaves pop out on the trees this year, I think I was ready for spring...

[nashoba]

Jim hope you can make it this year.

[nashoba]

Went to Hemlock today for about five hours and never saw a carp. The lake is up by about 2 feet and all muddy I think it might take a couple of weeks to improve.

[drewsbow]

Keep us posted

[Stone Knife]

It will be a couple weeks for it turns on for sure, stay tuned for some fun  

[Sockrsblur]

[Sockrsblur]

I was a little late getting out this year but this morning I was up at 430am... I was treated to some quiet views that made everything else secondary. As I set my bow to the side and knelt down into the grasses along the creek bank to take this shot it felt so right I stayed there a while. The lake is close enough to hear waves break onto the Rocky shore. There is a cool breeze off the lake making a t-shirt not quite enough. The grasses sway easy side to side, an occasional small dust ball of pollen is released and dispersed through the air. Minnows shimmer in the clear water beside me. Protected from the wind this stretch of water is beyond calm, it normally is, and the best part... not a boot track besides mine.

To get here I slipped down a dirt bank, cut a lot of pricker shoots, climbed over several blown down willows and around others that took me into water over my boots. Kneeling on the cool dirt it didn't matter that the carp were not there splashing and spawning like those magical days. This spot is one of those places for me that is more of a feeling than a destination. I found it 27 years ago out of youthful stubbornness... just walking and fishing. I don't visit it every year but I do think of it. Just thought I would share my wanderings of the day with you guys...

[Sockrsblur]

I did eventually find them...

 

I didn't get the largest one cruising the banks but I did take this one at about 1230, I wanted coffee.

 

I wanted some skin to experiment with. This has all meat scraped off and scales pulled out. I've read about doing it but wow what a tedious affair.

 

These are the cheek bones, a little barbaric removing them but I saw them used for primitive heads on PA so I'm going to give it a try.

 

They actually cleaned up amazing.

 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Cool stuff James. I would like to see the points you make from them.

[Sockrsblur]

Thanks Charlie... I saw a really cool fish today. I was able to get really close but the pictures stink. It was a Bowfin. First one I've seen in the wild. In the photo you can see the unusually long continuous dorsal fin. The black spot at the top of the rounded tail was easy to see too. Cool fish.

 


 

Jim Neuart and Gerald went to Hemlock Lake last Sat... so I'm going to plug them in here