Truck Fishin’…?
Water, Water, Everywhere, But Not a Drop to Drink…However, There are Plenty of Carp to Spear!
First off, our hearts and prayers go out to the victims of the recent flooding.
We did find some time to do a little fishing and get some early bow-hunting practice. With a valid fishing license, a lifted truck, waders, a fishing spear, and a bow-fishing rig, we spent the afternoon prowling some of the flooded back-roads.
Standing on the truck and using polarized sunglasses gave us a nice advantage when trying to pick them out of the murky water. A good spot to look for them is a wood-line along the side of the road, next to a big ditch. With a grassy yard bordering one side, we found hundreds of fish feeding on the thousands of dead worms that had drowned and were laying on the bottom. There was a nice gravel road that led to some out-buildings that we were able to park on.
We asked the owner of the property if we could fish in her ‘backyard’. Be sure to ask for permission when you find your hot-spot if venturing off the road and onto someone’s property.
Remember to ‘aim low’ due to the refraction of light in the water and add a little extra if you have some height do to the angle. We used a 15 foot spear that collapsed down to 8 feet. The extra length is nice when up in the air. If you don’t use a vehicle, one trick we’ve done is to use a 10 foot step ladder. We’ve set them up in the water, a flat-bottom John boat, or on a pontoon boat deck. We used a shorter ladder on the boats, as they can get unstable.
Be careful! Never underestimate the power of the water! Especially when wading! Swift currents can easily sweep you off of your feet and waders can fill up fast! There is a lot of trash in the water and there can be deep holes. Don’t venture into unknown areas! I prefer to use the spear (collapsed to 8 foot) when wading so I can probe in front of me as I walk. Find someone experienced to go with and never go alone into remote areas.
Rough fish such as carp kill game fish by eating their eggs. They will be all over the place rotting away when the water recedes. They make great fertilizer for the garden and they don’t taste ‘too bad’ when smoked.