Help required from game and International fisherman!

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Stuart Dennis

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Ok here goes, this is my problem in full detail, In September next year I will be fishing the St. Laurence river in Canada for carp for a week. I’ve never been there b4 but this will be the third year for the guy’s I’m going with. We will be fishing around 50-80 yards out and in depths of up to 15 feet. There will be weed between the bank and the swim and within the weed there are zebra mussels that attach themselves up and down the strings of the weed. It’s these tiny zebra mussels that are causing the problems. The rods will be pointed to the sky leaving the last 20 yards or so in the water and of course susceptible to cut-off’s from the zebra mussels. The guys have been using everything from 40lb line through to quicksilver (anti abrasion shockleaders). It seems whatever’s used, these mussels can cut through them like butter. The only thought I ad was to use some sort of metal trace, but because this needs to be some 20 yards in length, there may well be issues with the eyes of the rods on casting and of course retrieving and playing the fish. If I could use a plastic coated (fine) metal trace, this would be superb, but are they available or do you have any suggestions that may do the trick? I know that Ron Clay has accomplished a fair amount of international fishing and has no doubt come across this or similar problems? Any help is truly appreciated form you Ron and of course the rest of the forum?
 
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Carp Angler

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Gary Knowles has some success there last year and the article is here.
He describes the tackle used at the bottom of the article.
Suffice to say that the abrasion resitant shockleadeer, the important bit, is the ever superb PowerPro in 100 or 80lb strengths.
 
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The Monk

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Fished the St Laurence for three weeks a few years ago around the Messina area, the zebras are a real problem Stuart, we were using upto 60 spider straight through, the river carp of the St Laurence are incredible mate, stronger fighters than anything I experienced in France, long lean wildie types mainly commons, you will have to fish an entirely different style than you are used to here, make sure you use your clutch properly, dont attempt to fish backwind style, plenty of rods go in that way, even carp of mid-doubles will give you a run for your money, are you going to Bernies?
 
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Stuart Dennis

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There was an article or should I say debate that ended up 50/50 on the preference between the clutch/drag and backwinding. My preference is backwinding and with Canada coming up next year I'd already established that I was gonna need to adapt to the use of my clutch. Hopefully, I'll get some experience using the clutch over the winter here.

The guys who go from here 'Monk' shot a couple of videos and from what I've seen and heard, they certainly are awesome fighting fish. I'm not quite sure where it is we are going but I'll ask and report back matey.
 
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The Monk

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You'll love it Stuart, a lot of the St Laurence however is full of rocks, both on the bank and in the river, we used to hit the fish and jump on the rocks to play them holding our rods as high as possible over our heads in an attempt to bring the carp to the surface and thus avaiod the rocks and zebras, the rocks however can be a bit slippy and I know one or two guys have broken their legs on them, so be aware.

Easter USA/Canada is a country of temperature extremes, the swims you are fishing in the summer, you will be able to drive a car over when the ice falls, it may still be quite hot when you get there, so use a good sun tan as a few guys on our, some other good fish in the river too, bass, large mouth (no not you mate), (caught Bass in the Middle East, the St Laurence ones fight harder), drum and channel cats (watch the latter, they have hugh spikes on the dorsal, struck one through me hand once, bled like a pig for hours), spent a bit of time clubbing down river, watch the eskimo women, buy them a drink and you'll have to buy one for all their mates too! Use to boose with a Cree Indian Chief down at Cornwall reservation, put me onto some good eel spots near an electricity dam, speak to all the locals who have fished the river on a regular basis, have a great time mate, wish I was coming with you!

Mark Andrews is your man really, hes fished out there a lot, I'll have a drive over and ask him to post you, he only lives up the road from here!
 
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Dave Johnson

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you could just use the 'crossbow' method Barney mentioned......
 
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Stuart Dennis

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I'd have to get some target practice in, on the fat lad with the green hat above first I think Dave!
 
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Ron Clay

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I have never fished in Canada for carp, hoever I have done a bit on some of the big rivers of South Africa over the years.

Most of the rivers in that country do not have problems with mussels and dodgy bottoms. The main problem used to be ruddy great river crabs which could bite through your line and hooklength.

I cannot imaginge how you can play a big fast moving fish by backwinding. Modern reels, especially the Shimano range have superb clutches. The idea that the line might twist in reality does not happen. Especilly if you have a decent swivel between the hook length and main line.

Always keep the anti-reverse on and set the clutch to slip when the rod bends at it's full test curve.

Play the fish by "pumping", that is by lowering the rod when you wind and then lifting the rod. Never wind against a running fish. Drop the first finger of your right hand onto the spool to apply more pressure. If you r reel has a "fighting drag" you can increase pressure or release it by a quick turn to the right or left.

Do not be afraid to apply as much pressure as your physique will allow. You will not break tackle with a bend in your rod above 12 lbs bs.

By utilising a correctly set clutch you are capable of putting far more sustained and controlled pressure on a running fish. You cannot do this by backwinding!
 
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The Monk

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Dave, special crossbows are available for the carp shooting matches, no shit mate!
 
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Stuart Dennis

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nice thoughts, but any more ideas for the questions, or do you think Riks covered it?
 
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Clive Evans

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Stuart,
you could try a heavy method feeder as a bolt-rig, with a large bubble float as a slider stopped at the appropriate depth, and floating braid (berkley Fireline). might restrict your casting distance somewhat but would keep you clear of most of the mussels.
 
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The Monk

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There is some milage thinking along these lines Clive, particularly in the shallower backwaters of the St Laurence and from the sandbank deposits, some of which appear to contain less weed growth, the carp however are fast and appear to run directly into the weed, weed which is very prolific in many areas, we tried Fireline by the way and still managed to lose fish?
 
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Cakey

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Monk
please educate me, the pictures i've seen of that neck of the woods is of 1000's of carp starving hungry and you can catch one a minute if in the right area ,it just dont seem like fishing to me.


CAKEY
 
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The Monk

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Actually Cakey, the carp are starving hungry because the dole money is so low, we cant afford the boilies!
 
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