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Story 2004 FFF results

Page history last edited by Jerome Moisand 15 years, 3 months ago

First Fishing Folly 2004: the full results

If you’re wondering what is this strange acronym (“FFF”), well, it means First Fishing Folly, a new type of CAG Event set for New Years Day… We had a total of 31 brave participants for this somewhat improvised event, nice!

Here is a reminder of how the awards were defined:

1. The FFF First Carp Award: first carp of the year (time to be recorded = when the carp is on the bank unhooked; local timezone)

2. The FFF Monster Phone Award: biggest carp caught during the FFF in a water under 50 degrees F

3. The FFF Baby Phone Award: smallest carp caught during the FFF in a water under 50 degrees F

4. The FFF Emperor Award: total weight of all carp caught by the angler divided by (lowest water temperature you recorded for one of your catches - 30)

The winners will all get a nice plaque celebrating their achievement (thanks to Dave “Dragoncarp” Moran, his wife, and Monty Mittleman).

In addition Bill “BillD” Dowler indicated that “The Boilie Shop will be happy to contribute a package for each of the top 4 prizewinners, some goodies to start their new year with”. Dave, Monty and Bill, you rock!

The FFF First Carp Award was won by Elliott "Pisciculus" Bennett, who caught the first carp of the year at 7:15AM. Elliott beat his companion angler Paul Wells by a tiny 5 minutes (Paul caught his first at 7:20AM!)... Elliott was fishing in Chicago, IL.

Note that Paul Pezalla indicated he caught a carp in Chicago at 7:00 AM, but didn’t have a witness, nor took a picture… Sorry, Paul, I couldn’t account for it. Plus you’re winning too many fishing awards every year anyway…

Elliott is a winner in several other respects… He caught the biggest number of carp, and reached the highest total weight… see his account below… which made him #2 for the Emperor award… Elliott, you should have stayed longer…

"I fished on the Northwest side of Chicago on the North branch of the Chicago river. I fished with Paul Wells and Skip Orenstein. I started Fishing at 7:00 AM. Water temperature was 50 degrees and held until I quit at 10:30AM. The following was my catch.

First fish at:

(1) 7:15 AM WT 10 lbs

(2) 7:45 12 lbs 1 oz

(3) 8:10 10 lbs 6 oz

(4) 8:20 8 lbs 2 oz

(5) 8:45 8 lbs 0 oz

(6) 8:55 20 lbs 4 oz

(7) 9:15 11 lbs 3 oz

(8) 9:50 20 lbs 8 oz

Total weight 100lbs 8oz

All weighed on a Reuben Heaton Scale (belongs to Skip)and witnessed by the above Paul Wells and Skip Orenstein."

CONGRATULATIONS, ELLIOTT

The FFF Monster Phone Award was won by Mark “Gefilta Fisher” Metzger, who caught a monster of 28.5lb at a water temperature well below 50F. Mark was fishing in Alexandria, VA. Good things not coming alone, this was also his PB!

Note that Brian’s great catch of a 37lb buffalo didn’t count since it’s not a carp, plus it was caught at a water temp of 55F… Nice try, Brian!

Here is Mark’s account below:

time 9:17 am (first catch)

water temp approx. 43-45

air temp 47

weight of fish 28.5 lbs

length of fish 37 inches

witness and capable net man BIG RAYMIE

total of 67.5 lbs of fish caught by noon (3 fish 28.5, 17, 22 lbs)

Time verified by verizon wireless

water temp approximation by Pat kerwin DC CAG chairman and Maryland CAG chairman Tommy "doughball" Robinson

CONGRATULATIONS, MARK

PS. oh by the way, when I told Mark he won this award, he replied “I am looking forward to the television appearances and endorsement deals, my tuxedo is ready, at what time will the limo pick me up ?” So if a CAG member owns a limo and a TV channel , please don’t forget to pick up Mark…

The FFF Baby Phone Award was won by John Westbrook, who caught a very cute mirror of 3.4lb at a water temperature of 38F (yes!). Our “warm” water discharge turned out to be very cold… John was fishing in Cambridge, MA. Good things not coming alone, this was also his first mirror ever!

Sodbury-Steve (our only UK participant) also caught two 3 poundish carp, but since he forgot to use his scale, I cannot account for those… Too bad, Steve.

I happened to be John’s witness and I tell you, he was a happy man with this first mirror… Which turned out to be the only carp caught by an FFF participant in MA this day… You’ll find more details about our FFF session in MA in this thread.

CONGRATULATIONS, JOHN

As to the "carp dinner", it was prepared by my personal super cook (Edith)

and we enjoyed it after our fishing session in MA

The FFF Emperor Award was won by Todd “hawgmaster” Davis, who caught 73.6 pounds of carp, at a water temperature of 42.1F at its lowest point after a catch. Using our little formula, this means an “emperor” score of 6.08.

As you can guess by reading his account below, Todd was also an extremely scrupulous participant, very thorough in all the information that he sent. He’s the only one who sent me a picture of each carp, with a picture of a watch for the time of catch, and a picture of the thermometer for the water temp!

"Me and Ken Williamson fished the Saluda River in Piedmont South Carolina for our FFF. This river is always cold and the temp gauge proved it. We arrived at the water at first light, the air temp was 29 degrees and the water temp was 41.9 degrees, Brrrr. We got set up and at about 10:00 am I started catching fish. I caught the biggest first at 15 lbs. even, then I averaged about 1 fish an hour after that. I ended up with 7 on the mat, they weighed in at: 8 lb. 4 oz , 10 lb. , 8 lb. 14 oz. , 12 lb. 2oz., 7lb. 10 oz. and 11 lb. 12 oz, Ken's spot was slow but he did manage a nice little mirror at 9 lb. 2 oz. and he had on the biggest fish of the day but lost it to an unseen snag right below the net , we were both sick over that one. I am writing up the official list of accounts with the pics of the fish and the temp gauge reading to send in. All in all a great day, it was very sunny and by the afternoon the air temp was in the 60's and the warmest water temp recorded was 42.8 degrees. I was using a digital temp gauge with a 10 foot wire lead that you place in the water, the end of which was in about 2 to 3 foot of water. This gauge has a nice large LED read out so the numbers came out nice in the pics" - Todd

CONGRATULATIONS, TODD

Now, to finish, I would like to acknowledge a few more achievements…

First and foremost, Iain "redcoat" Murray without whom this event would never have existed. He was the first one crazy enough to think that we should fish for carp on Jan 1st...

MA 2004 FFF Participants

..and the water temperature

Quoting Horace “Alva D” LaFavor: in the Atlanta Georgia-Chattahoochee River, 11 yr old Brent Wolf caught a 3 lbs, 13 ozs.

=> Brent was probably the youngest FFF participant and caught a nice one, while 16 older FFF participants didn’t succeed to land one (including Brent father, Chuck!)… You’re promising, young boy!

Eleven year old Brent (left) and Horace, Atlanta GA

Quoting Sodbury Steve in his colorful words: bloody hard day's fishing in freezing blustery gales and clear water ( I was the only angler to land a carp - aren't I just $~*#ing sensational??)

=> Steve was the only European participant, and succeeded to land two carp in a very harsh UK weather (oxymoron?). Yes, Steve, you are indeed sensational…

Quoting Mr Big: well, PayLaking probably doesn't count but I caught 9 fish to-day. The first at 09.15 am Eastern standard. The big was only a 15.8 and was my second fish. Won 160.00 bucks.

=> yes, we didn’t include paylaking in our small event, but great show!

Quoting Matthew “Phillyguy” Coll: Arrived at the swim to find my buddy sleeping in the dirt with a 1/2 gallon water jug as a pillow and a box of powdered milk as a cushion. I blanked, he caught a 14lber in 37F water. Here's Louis fresh from a nap in the dirt with first carp for 04'.

=> I think that Louis is the only participant who succeeded to sleep outside in front of his swim on Jan 1rst in a rather freezing weather! I swapped a few PMs with Matt & Louis since then, and they are fascinating anglers with very diversified interests. Go see their Web site here!

Louis' 14 lb'er in Philly

Quoting Dave “Dragoncarp” Moran: On the 1st day of January 2004:

Water temp varied from 45 to 50 degrees

Air Temp varied from 30 to 40 degrees

First Rod in the Water at 3:15 AM

Last Rod out of the Water at NOON

The Following fish were caught:

Zero, Nothing, Zilch, Zip, Nada, Goose egg, Naught, Nil, Nix, None

Oh well, that's why they call it "Fishing"

=> Indeed! Dave was fishing with Monty Mittleman. These two guys made a very brave attempt at entering the FFF “Hall Of Fame” (catch a carp on Jan 1rst before 6AM). Starting at 3AM? Whoah!

=> Not stopping there, Dave and Monty are the mysterious benefactors (and artists) who will send all participants a little surprise. A very warm thanks to them.

Quoting Daniel “Honducarper” Kaegi: I was talking to my son Jorge and had just adjusted the tension on the line(felt the rig move a little bit) when the alarm of the Mitchell FRE 600 just went crazy. I was very nervous about tearing out the hook 'cause I was using a Cabela's catfish rod which is very stiff all through. Anyways, I finally got it on the bank and was delighted that it was a beautiful mirror.

PS. That's a palm tree in the background and no, no ice anywhere around.

=> This undoubtedly makes Dan the champion of Central and South America… and the only FFF participant fishing under a palm tree…

Quoting Brian “carpaholic” Nordberg: Leonard Geddes and I set up at Town Lake. We braved record warm conditions. On Jan 1st the air temp was in the low sixties during the morning and the mid seventies during the afternoon. The water temp was 55 deg F at 21 feet deep. We fished all day. Leonard had his first carp of the new year at around 5 PM. It weighed 15 lb 8 oz and was witnessed by me. Later, around 6:30 PM as Leonard packed to leave I caught a personal best smallmouth buffalo of 37 lb 2 oz

=> Brian, I couldn’t count your buffalo for the monster award, but very impressive catch. And Leonard 41lb buffalo on Jan 2nd wasn’t bad either…